Mysteries of Lawndale

by fardell24

Daria and Quinn Morgendorffer start at Lawndale High. However, Daria is an amateur detective and Quinn is into sports as well as fashion.

2. The First Party

Mysteries of Lawndale 02: The First Party
Lawndale – Wednesday, 1 October 1997
Lunch time at Lawndale High. "Ugh! I hate it when the trays are wet," Brittany Taylor complained.
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger," Daria Morgendorffer quoted.
"Is that from a song? Hey, thanks for helping me out in art." Daria had helped her to comprehend one point perspective.
"No problem," Daria answered.
"Maybe I could help you out in something."
"Well, you could show me how to twirl hair around my little finger and look vacant."
"I don't know if that's something you can teach," Brittany said while doing exactly that.
"I know what you mean... and that scares me."
"Hey, even though I'm much more popular, we have some things in common."
"Breathing?"
"I mean, you're not popular, but you're not so unpopular that you couldn't come to my party Saturday night."
'Interesting,' Daria thought. "Is that an invitation?"
"Yes! Just this once, though."
"Gee, Brittany. I'm overcome with emotion."
"You need a napkin? Anyway, I promised the other cheerleaders that I wouldn't invite any more really attractive girls."
'No mystery there,' Daria thought. "Now I'm especially flattered."
"Don't mention it!" Brittany said as she walked away.
That afternoon, Daria was looking through Jane Lanes's book of life drawings she had brought over. "These are really good. When did you study for this?"
"Last summer," Jane answered.
Daria turned a page. 'Wow!' "You're really bursting out of the picture plane here."
"Oh, yeah. That particular model was quite bursty. I think she had her bursts done."
"Speaking of which... Brittany invited me to her party."
"No kidding? Are you going?"
"Of course, how could I pass up an opportunity to learn more about our peers and so come closer to solving the mysteries that seem to define this suburb?"
"True," Jane said.
Half an hour later, Daria wheeled a bike out of the garage. "You're seriously going to ride that while, Jane, Quinn and I walk?" Stacy Rowe asked.
"Actually, I'm running," Jane said.
"OK, but I don't run very fast," Stacy admitted.
"That's OK, Stacy," Daria's sister, Quinn, said. "They're going to go on one side of the street, and we, the other."
"Oh," Stacy said.
"Besides, this bike has special equipment," Daria said.
"Like, the triscooter? Could we use that instead?" Stacy asked.
"I guess my name for it spread," Jane said with a wry tone.
"I like it," Quinn said. "Better than Daria's bland 'Three person scooter' description."
"Exactly," Daria said. "What we are doing is going along a few blocks towards downtown and then spending three quarters of an hour, going along the street, looking for anything unusual."
"Along this street, Glen Oaks Lane?" Stacy asked.
"Yes," Daria answered.
"It's a fairly normal street; I mean, I don't think there is anything unusual here," Stacy said.
"Since I have arrived here, I have noticed many unusual things. Mainly at the school..."
Stacy interrupted. "That's obvious, compared to the Middle School, anyway."
"...But also elsewhere," Daria added without missing a beat.
"You mean, everywhere in the town?"
"Yes, but whatever it is, seems to center on the school," Daria said.
Jane scoffed.
"What?" Daria asked.
"All I'm saying is that your observations are biased."
"Because I spend most of my time there?"
"Exactly."
"That's true, but I have to start somewhere, and I so I have, at the school. However this is additional," Daria said.
"Let's get started," Quinn said.
Corey Bateman saw Quinn walking (with Stacy) along the street and rushed out of the yard. "Quinn!"
"Corey?" Quinn replied. Corey had given her his address, but she hadn't thought about it when Daria had asked her and Stacy to help her in her investigation of Lawndale that afternoon.
"What are you doing this afternoon?" she asked.
"Helping my sister investigate this strange town," Quinn answered.
"She thinks it's strange?" Corey asked.
"Yeah, she does. It was the school that is the strangest, according to her, anyway."
Corey thought for a moment. "That's right," he said. Ms. Li's strange need for security was creepy...
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing important." He had an idea. "Could I join you?"
"I don't see why not," Quinn said.
"Cool, I'll just be a few minutes."
While Quinn and Stacy were meeting Corey, Daria and Jane were a block ahead. They ran into another fellow student of Lawndale High. "Hi, you're the president of that new Mystery Club, aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes, And you are?" Daria asked.
"Jason," he answered. "Jason Tanner," he elaborated. He remembered seeing Daria get out of her father's Lexus on her and Quinn's first day at Lawndale High.
Jane knew Jason a little from elementary and middle schools, an inquisitive sort of fellow... "So you want to join?" she asked.
"Of course," Jason answered.
"Sure, just go to the office and get the paperwork in the morning," Daria said.
"Sure," Jason said. "Could I join you in your mystery search?"
"I don't see why not," Daria answered. She wondered if Jason had similar motive to Jane, but decided to answer that question later. "Let's go."
So Jason joined Daria and Jane in their exploration...

.

Twenty minutes later, Daria, Jane and Jason met Stacy, Quinn and Corey at a park across from Jason's house on the corner of Glen Oaks Lane and Page Drive.
After their mutual surprise had subsided Daria asked, "Now we'll compare notes."
"We have to take notes?" Stacy asked.
"Not literally, but that would help," Daria said as she placed her notebook on the table.
"No problem, I have an eidetic memory," Stacy said.
"Huh?" Corey asked.
"Photographic," Stacy answered.
"Remember that if you want to help us long term," Daria said, with tone of slight annoyance.
"Right," Corey said.
"Stacy, that is a good thing. With your recall you'll be a great help," Daria said, with a slight tone of encouragement.
"Well, one thing I have noticed, not only today, but occasionally, is the manhole covers. They all have the town crest on them."
"Manhole covers have the town crest," Daria repeated as she wrote it down in her notebook. She turned back to Stacy. "Could you sketch it?"
"Not very well," Stacy admitted.
Daria turned to Jane.
"Sure," Jane answered. "It'll take a while, though."
"That's fine, we'll go through what else we have discovered."
Fifteen minutes later, Jane had finished sketching the town crest. "It's rather interesting."
Indeed, the town crest was interesting, with the Giant Strawberry prominent, looming over everything else.
"There seems to be some Masonic influence there," Daria said.
"Masonic? How?" Quinn asked.
Daria pointed to the lower corners of Jane's sketch. "A G is present in the corners, I'm sure the actual font is the same as in the symbol."
Stacy took the paper and rewrote one of the G's. "Like this?"
Daria looked. "That's right," she said. "This is deeper than I thought."
"What?" Jason asked.
"The Freemasons can be dangerous," Daria whispered.
"OK..." Stacy said.
"To find out more, you can ask Mr. DeMartino. I don't think he would be involved. Make sure you're in an area where Li isn't snooping though."
"Sure," Stacy said.
"So, you think they have influence on the Council?" Jane asked quietly.
"I'm not jumping quite that far, but it's possible," Daria said. She wrote, 'possible mason influence on council' in the notebook. She turned to Corey and Jason. "Don't tell your parents or siblings about this."
"About the Mason thing?" Corey asked.
"Yes," Daria said.
"Sure," Jason said.
Daria turned a page "Now, what else have we noticed..."
Daria, Quinn and Stacy arrived back at the Morgendorffer residence half an hour later. "That was interesting," Stacy said.
"So you want to join the Mystery Club?" Daria asked.
"Um. Sure," Stacy said. "I hope Sandi says it's OK..."
"Stacy! Sandi doesn't run your life! You can join other clubs!" Quinn said.
"Sure!" Stacy said to Daria.
"Is Sandi overbearing?" Daria asked.
"Quite, she runs the Fashion Club with an iron fist!" Quinn said as Stacy nodded.
"Right, just go to the office in the morning and fill out the paperwork," Daria said.
"Sure!"
Thursday, 2 October 1997
It was a quarter hour before homeroom, when both Corey and Stacy entered the office to get the paperwork for entering the Mystery Club.
"Yes, Ms. Rowe and Mr. Bateman?"
"We would like to join the Mystery Club," Stacy said.
"For a new club, it's quite popular. With you two in it, it's bigger than the other club you're in, Ms. Rowe."
"Cool," Stacy said. The receptionist gave them the paperwork.
"Thanks," she said.
Freshman History Class was immediately before lunch on Thursdays. Just as well, Stacy couldn't wait to ask Mr. DeMartino about the Freemasons.
"Mr. DeMartino, are there any audio pickups here?" Stacy asked after she had asked to speak with him and he had acquiesced.
"Why are you asking that?" he asked.
"I don't want Ms. Li to know what I am asking of you." At DeMartino's look of concern she added, "Something historical."
"Ah something, controversial, Ms. Rowe?"
"Yes."
"There aren't. I filled the last one with glue, yesterday after school."
"Right." Stacy produced a photocopy of Jane's sketch of the town crest. "The Town Crest."
"Right, one of Ms. Lane's works?"
"You know of her artistry?"
"Yes, Dafoe speaks quite highly of her skill. Additionally, her renderings of dragons on the edges of maps are quite exquisite."
"Right."
"What is it you wanted to ask me?"
Stacy pointed to the 'G' she redrew. "The Freemasons," she whispered.
"Ah, I admire your caution. It could be a 'interesting' field of enquiry. That organisation is quite mysterious."
"Tell me more. That new girl, Daria, told me to go to you."
"Ms. Morgendorffer is quite interesting. Seems to think that there is a mystery everywhere in this town."
"Don't you think having that symbol on the town crest is a mystery?"
"Certainly. However there is a book on secret societies somewhere in this room. I hope that someone hasn't taken it."
"Sure!"
Mr. DeMartino started searching for that book, with Stacy helping.

.

That afternoon, Jane and Stacy met Daria and Quinn outside the Morgendorffer residence again.
"So, this afternoon?" Stacy asked.
"You know about Brittany's party this weekend, right?"
"Sure."
"We're going to walk to the edge of Crewe Neck and back," Daria said.
"Good idea," Quinn said.
"Yeah," Stacy agreed.
"Let's go," Jane said.
The four of them soon set off, heading south towards Crewe Neck through the neighbourhoods that made up the area of Lawndale that was usually called 'Lawndale West'. They zigzagged through the streets. Daria thought that that would give them all a better feel of the area.
They had reached the edge of Lawndale West, and indeed Lawndale's main urban area when they heard someone call out to them.
Daria turned. "Hello?"
"Daria, is it?"
"Yes, and you are?"
"Aleesha."
"Last name, Nibblett," Stacy whispered in Daria's ear.
"Right," Daria said. She looked at the African American teen. (It really wasn't a mystery why Lawndale was so white.) "So you are wondering why I'm going towards Crewe Neck?"
"Not really. I know that Brittany did invite someone new to her party."
"Right," Daria said.
"The Mystery Club is also interesting."
"You can ask at the office tomorrow."
"Sure, so can I come now?"
"I can't stop you."
"Cool."
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived outside Crewe Neck. "So what now?" Quinn asked.
"We go back to our place, along different streets," Daria answered.
"OK," Quinn said.
An hour later, all five arrived at the Morgendorffer residence. They sat around the kitchen table.
"Your parents must be rollin' in it," Aleesha commented.
"Huh?" Daria said. 'Why would she say that? Are her parents struggling?'
"This is a large house," Aleesha said.
"I suppose it is," Daria said.
"Our old house was smaller," Quinn said.
"Right..."
"I think they want to know what they do," Jane said.
"Ok, Dad's a consultant who also dabbles as a Private Investigator," Daria said.
"And Mom's a lawyer," Quinn said.
"That would explain that," Aleesha said.
"And your parents?" Daria asked.
"My Mom stays at home; Dad is a mechanic," Aleesha clarified. She looked at Jane.
"If we're doing this, sure. Dad's a photographer and Mom's a pottery designer."
"Mom is manager of a store in Cranberry Commons, Dad is also a mechanic," Stacy added.
"Right," Daria said, making a mental note to write it all down later. She took out the notebook. "So what did we notice about the neighborhoods we walked through?"
Friday, 3 October 1997
Aleesha entered the office.
"Hi, Ms. Nibblett, how can I help you?" the receptionist asked.
"I would like to join the Mystery Club."
"More people joining. Ms. Li is going to be curious. What is it about that club?"
"Are you new here?" Aleesha asked.
"No."
"This town is very mysterious."
"I guess I have to spend more time outside the school," the young receptionist said. She handed a copy of the paperwork to Aleesha.
"Thanks," Aleesha said. She quickly filled out the forms.
That afternoon after school, Daria, Quinn and Stacy approached Jane's house."So, what are we doing again?" Stacy asked.
"Jane's brother is going to drive us around Crewe Neck," Daria asked.
Stacy glanced at the early seventies car in the driveway. "In that?" she asked.
"I'm sure it's safe," Daria said.
"Sure," Stacy said.
"Look past the appearance. No one will take notice of us in it," Quinn said.
Trent Lane heard a knock at the door. 'That must be Janie's friends,' he thought. He opened the door.
Daria was surprised when the door opened. She hadn't expected Jane's brother to be so handsome.
"Hello," he said.
'Must speak! Must speak!' "Hi."
"You must be Daria. Janie said that you're coming."
"You must be Trent," Daria said.
"That's right, you can all come in."

Daria and the others found Jane in the kitchen. "Welcome," Jane said. "Ready to go?" she asked.
"Of course," Daria said.
"Um, your brother's car, is it safe?" Stacy asked.
Jane thought for a moment. "Mostly, Don't worry." She answered. She added; "At least we won't be stranded if it does break down."
"How often would it break down?" Quinn asked.
"It varies," Jane said.
"Is this such a good idea, Daria? We know we can walk there." Quinn said.
"Let's do it anyway," Daria said.
"So, Crewe Neck, Cool," Trent said as he started the car five minutes later. Jane was in the passenger seat, and Daria, Quinn and Stacy in the back. "I haven't been there since a party in my senior year."
"Ok," Daria said. She hoped that Quinn didn't see her blush.
"Directions?" Trent asked.
"Different from yesterday, Daria?" Jane asked.
"Yes," Daria answered.
"Approach it from the direction of Sloane Hill," Jane directed.
"Sure," Trent said.
Ten minutes later, the car pulled up outside the main entrance to Crewe Neck.
"So what are we doing here?" Trent asked.
"A trial run for tomorrow, and taking note of the neighbourhoods we went through," Daria answered.
"Sure," Trent said. "So what now?"
"We go back, and discuss what we noticed about the areas of town we went through," Daria answered.
"Sure, which way?"
"The same way," Jane answered.
"Sure."
They arrived back at Casa Lane to find Corey and Aleesha waiting in the yard. "Who are you?" Trent asked as he got out.
"Corey."
"Aleesha. We're also members of the Mystery Club."
"You joined?" Daria asked.
"Yes," Aleesha answered.
"That's good," Daria said.
"So you've been somewhere?" Aleesha asked.
"To where we went yesterday, by different routes," Daria answered.
"Sure," Aleesha asked.
"How did you know we'd be here?" Jane asked.
"I subscribe to Mystik Spiral's newsletter. I knew that Jane's Trent's sister, simple," Aleesha said.
Jane looked at Trent. "Spiral has a newsletter?"
'Another mystery, Jane didn't know that Trent's band has a newsletter,' Daria thought.
"Yeah, Jesse's brother, Danny, puts it out."
"Hmm, I haven't met his brother," Jane pondered. "Though why our address is on it, I'm not sure."
"Our fans wouldn't stalk us; they just have to go the Zon and McGrundy's to see us when our gigs are on."
"Let's go in," Stacy suggested.
"Sure," Jane said.
"Do you have these newsletters lying around?" Daria asked Trent as they entered the kitchen.
"Daria, I'm in the band. I don't need to read the newsletter."
"I guess not. I suppose I would have to ask Jesse."
"Yes."
She turned her attention to Corey who was searching the Lane's cupboards for a snack. "Did you notice anything unusual on Howard Drive?"
"Other than the sculpture in the front yard, nothing," Corey answered.
Daria placed her hands on the table and glared across at Corey. "Then you didn't look hard enough."
Corey then appeared to be in thought. "I guess I was thinking of Quinn a little too much."
Daria sighed. "When walking through Lawndale, focus," she said.
"I'll try," Corey said.
Everyone sat at the table. Soon, they were discussing what they had seen that afternoon.

Saturday, 4 October 1997
It was 5 in the afternoon and Daria was looking in her closet, wondering what to wear to Brittany's party that evening. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to wear her usual outfit or to wear something else that would enable her to blend into the background. She sighed. 'I suppose a green shirt would be an improvement,' she thought. She grabbed one of those green shirts (behind all the mustard-colored shirts).
Quinn was also wondering what to wear. Was her usual athletic look suitable, or did she go for something more 'cute'.
"Jeans, it is," she decided. She also grabbed an angel t-shirt. 'It's very 'cute',' she thought.
Once changed, she briefly wondered what to do with her hair. She looked at the time "5:40!" There wasn't enough time to tame her usually unruly hair, so she decided to keep it in her usual two bun style. 'I'll still be one of the cutest ones there,' she decided.
Jane however, just decided to wear her usual clothes. "Trent! We have to pick up the Morgendorffers," she said from outside her brother's room.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, why else would Daria ask for practice yesterday?"
"I thought that was Mystery Club stuff," Trent answered.
"It was that too, but it was also practice."
"Are we taking Stacy too?"
"That may be up to Quinn," Jane answered.
The Plymouth arrived outside the Morgendorffers at 6:05. Five minutes late. Both Daria and Quinn had been waiting for about ten minutes.
"Are we picking up Stacy? Trent wants to know," Jane said once both sisters had closed the back doors.
"Yes, 324 Eichler Street," Quinn answered.
"You know where that is?" Daria asked.
"Yes," Trent answered.
"Good," Quinn said.
Stacy was waiting outside when Trent pulled up. She looked as she always did. "Wow, Quinn, you look cute!" she said when she had climbed in.
"Thanks!"
Trent stopped outside Crewe Neck. "Don't do anything I wouldn't," he said after girls had gotten out.
They approached the security guard. "We're here for Brittany Taylor's party."
"Names?"
"Daria Morgendorffer."
"Quinn Morgendorffer."
"Stacy Rowe."
"Okay, and you? What's your name?"
"Tiffany," Jane whisphered. "There's gotta be one," she said to Daria.
"Tiffany Hodge, Tiffany Duke, Tiffany Fairchild or Tiffany Blum-Deckler?" the guard said.
"Blum-Deckler is taken," Quinn said to Jane.
"Tiffany Hodge," Jane said to the guard.
"Strike! You're out. Tiffany Hodge has already entered."
"Would you believe that there are two Tiffany Hodge's in Lawndale?" Jane asked.
The guard just gave a look of disbelief.
"Oh... she's not on the guest list. She's been hired to draw our portraits. She's very talented," Daria improvised.
"Yes, She's terrific!" Stacy added.
"You have to see them to believe them," Quinn said.
"And your name is Tiffany Hodge, huh?"
"What a coincidence?" Jane asked.
"These are some of her sketches from art class. They're very lifelike." Daria handed a book of life drawings that Jane had drawn the previous summer, over.
"Hmm. These are pretty hot. Uh-huh... hmm..."
Ten minutes later, the four Mystery Club members (not that Quinn was in officially, just unofficially) entered the Taylor's mansion. Stacy and Quinn separated from Daria and Jane, saying that they would catch up later. "Interesting, Early African Jungle decor, like her father is trying to compensate for something," Daria said.
"I suppose so," Jane responded. "But it would make a great sketch subject," she added.
"Certainly, but let's observe our peers in their native environment. I will pick up on things I would not have otherwise."
"Lead the way."

.

Quinn met a trio of football players who hadn't been shy about their attraction to her. "Hi, Jeffy, Joey, Jamal."
"It's Jamie!" Jamie White said. It annoyed him that people seemed to forget his real first name.
"Hi, Quinn," Jeffy Brown said.
"Hi, Quinn," Joey Black said.
"So, how was the practice game?"
"It was great!"" Jeffy enthused.
"So I said, 'Just because people are cliquey and snotty is no reason not to like them,'" Quinn said to her admirers.
"I agree," Jeffy said.
"There you are, Stacy," Sandi Griffin said as Stacy approached.
"I'm sorry, I'm late," Stacy said.
"At least you haven't, like, displayed outright tardiness," Sandi said.
"Quinn was late."
"Quinn?" Sandi asked.
"She came with her sister and that art chick," Stacy answered.
"I see," Sandi said. 'I see that she's spending more time with the Mystery Club, rather than the Fashion Club! I have to do something about it.' She didn't know what at that time though...
Daria and Jane were observing. Jane noticed someone approaching. "Look at ten o'clock."
"Yes, the freckly red-head?" Daria asked.
"Yes. He's Charles 'Upchuck' Ruttheimer III, sleazeball,' Jane said.
"I've heard of him," Daria said.
"Oh, he's coming this way!"
'Upchuck' approached the two girls, with a lecherous grin on his face. "Chuck Ruttheimer, here. And you are...?"
"You know my name, Upchuck," Jane said with irritation.
"Of course I do, Ms. Lane, but I haven't met your companion before, although I have certainly heard of her since she started at Lawndale."
"Daria, mystery solver."
"Yes, your creating a Mystery Club has created quite the stir... Feisty."
"Yes..." Daria said.
"Would you ladies like a tour of the house? It's free."
"Certainly," Daria said.
"Are you sure?" Jane asked.
"There may be things about the cheerleader that he knows that she wouldn't want known, and others wouldn't know," Daria whispered.
"I suppose..." Jane said.
"And her parents."
"I know that you're up to something," Upchuck said.
"We're coming," Daria said.
"Brittany's father made his money in the real estate business, and owns substantial property throughout Lawndale..."
"...This five-bedroom house is designed in a combination of southern pseudo-plantation and late mock-Tudor styles. To your right, the quasi-Victorian breakfast nook. Straight ahead, the family den, which was inspired by the novels of Isak Dinesen."
They stopped in front of the laundry room.
"And this... is the make-out room! Am I blushing? Confidentially, it's really the laundry room." He tapped on the door.
Someone inside said. "Can it, Upchuck, or I'll break your face!"
There was a fit of feminine giggling.
"As we've reached the end of our tour, I'd like to thank you for your undivided attention. Any questions?"
"Plenty, but those can be answered in time. Firstly, how were you invited?" Daria asked.
"I dissected her frog," Upchuck responded.
'That would do it,' Daria thought. "Let's have another look upstairs," she said.
"Are you sure?" Upchuck asked.
"Don't take it the way I'm sure you were taking it!" Jane said.
"No! I mean, the bedrooms would be occupied anyway," Upchuck said.
"They weren't earlier," Jane said.
"Ms. Lane, If Brittany didn't invite me, I wouldn't have come," Upchuck said.
"Leave it, Jane. Yes, I'm sure. The hostess is occupied ensuring her boyfriend doesn't eat all the chips too fast," Daria said.
Upchuck looked in the direction Daria had been looking. "You are good!" he enthused.
Meanwhile, Sandi was listening to Tori Jericho, one of Lawndale's 'Queen Bee's' talk about the popularity of the various people in the room. "Now, she used to be very popular, but then then there was that unfortunate nose job." Tori noticed Daria, Jane and Upchuck.
"I don't know why he is here. He must have done Brittany a favor. The auburn haired one is interesting; she seems obsessed with solving the mysteries in this town. Boy, are there a lot of them. She seems to have become friends with the Art chick."
Sandi interrupted... "That Mystery Club, Stacy has become a member," she said.
"So?" Tori asked. "She probably wants to solve some mysteries."
"Maybe, but she might be, like, enticed, away from the Fashion Club."
"That's your problem, not mine."
"Maybe, but the Mystery Chick could, like, become popular by association."
"I see..." Tori said.
"We have to stop that," Sandi said.
"It may happen..."
They continued their discussion, wondering how to discredit Daria...
Daria, Jane and Upchuck went upstairs. "You know where her father's office is?" Daria asked.
"Daria?" Jane asked.
"This is an opportunity I can't pass up. The partygoers will not notice. Nor will Mr. Taylor," Daria explained.
"Are you sure, Daria?" Upchuck asked. "He may have some security measures that a teen investigator like yourself would not be prepared for on such short notice."
Daria considered what Upchuck said. "I am sure, and I am aware that he might have such measures."
"So, you are going to have a look anyway?" Jane asked.
"Yes," Daria said.

They soon entered Steve Taylor's home office. It was a well organised and efficient space. Two of the walls were occupied by bookshelves filled with books and folders. Opposite the door, in front of the window was a computer desk. The computer was a new model. Daria was certain that it had Windows 95. Indeed as she looked around, she saw the Microsoft sanctioned sticker alongside the 'Intel Inside' one.
"Ok, turn it on. But be sure to use the knuckle, rather than then the end of the finger," Daria said.
"Sure," Upchuck said. He turned the computer on.
Daria, had her cameras working, so she recorded the appearance of the office. The computer turned on. Then there was a snag. It had Windows NT 4.0 rather than Windows 95. 'He must have installed it after buying the computer,' she thought as she looked at the 'use alt control delete to log in' box. "Okay, turn it off again."
"Would that be wise?" Upchuck asked.
"He won't know it was us who turned it on," Daria said.
"Sure," Upchuck said. He switched the computer off.
"Let's go back downstairs," Daria said.
"Sure, we've been up here long enough," Jane said.
When Daria, Jane and Upchuck re-entered the dining room, the party was going on. Daria noticed two people in particular were looking at Jane and herself.
"Those two guys are staring at us," she said.
"Huh? Don't they know that we're from two different worlds?" Jane asked." They're popular. We're regular!" Jane said.
"I suppose the one with the slightly large head is interesting," Daria said.
"You're just interested whether it's a deformity or not," Jane said.
"That's part of it," Daria said.
"I don't know whether it is or not," Upchuck said.
"Upchuck, thanks for the tour, but you can go now," Daria said.
"Fiesty! I shall see you later," Upchuck said. He leaned back and tried to whisper in Daria's ear. "Confidentially, I may join the Mystery Club." He then made a flirtaceous growl.
"And you would be welcome to. Go!" Daria said.
As Upchuck left, the two boys approached. "Hey, Partying hard or hardly partying."
"Hardly interested!" Jane said.
"So, where you girls been all our lives."
"We've been waiting her for you," Jane said. She smirked to Daria. "We were born here, in this room. We then grew up in this room. We thought we would die here alone! But now you've come, and so our lives can get started!"
"She likes you," the other guy said to the big headed one.
Daria spotted Quinn near one of the ceramic tigers. "There's Quinn," she said.
"Where?" Jane asked, wondering what Quinn was up to.
Daria pointed her out.
Jane waved and shouted. "Hey! Quinn!"
'What is Jane doing!' Quinn wondered. It was embarrassing...
Meanwhile, back at the guardhouse, the guard had finished flipping through Jane's life drawings. "I have to take this class!" He realized. "I have to find Tiffany." He turned the book over. "I mean, Jane..."
He abandoned his post. Less than a minute later, some hoons found it abandoned and drove around the lowered boom gate. "Woo-hoo!"
"Party!"
Jane approached Quinn. "What do you want?" Quinn asked.
"Could be anything."
"You can tell Daria, that I have been paying attention."
"Sure," Jane said.
"I'll tell her either when we get home, or tomorrow morning," Quinn said.
"Cool," Jane said. "You don't need to tell me, I'll find out at the next meeting," Jane said.
Quinn gave a smile in response.
Jane walked away from Quinn and found Tori dancing. "Beep beep," she said.
"Huh?" Tori asked, wondering what Jane was doing.
"It's the soul train. Get on board!"
"Not funny, Lane!" Tori said.
Daria emerged from the laundry room. She looked to see that no one saw her emerge and then went to find Jane.
She soon found her.
"What happened to Bobby Bighead?" Jane asked.
"I wasn't interested in a romantic manner," Daria answered.
Jane picked a sock off Daria's shoulder. "Is this yours?" she asked.
Daria looked at the sock. She sighed. "He thought my head was a lollipop. It's really not a mystery why he was so desperate."
"True," Jane mused.
"Almost ready to go?" Daria asked.
"Of course," Jane answered.
"One last go through the party," Daria stated.
"If you want to," Jane stated.
Meanwhile, Quinn was speaking to her three admirers.
"This isn't working out," she said.
"What?" Jamie asked.
"What do you mean?" Joey asked.
"What are you talking about?" Jeffy asked.
"You deserve three good girlfriends, but I think you're pressuring me into something I'm not ready for," Quinn said.
"Huh?" Jamie asked.
"I don't understand," Joey said.
"What do you mean?" Jeffy asked.
"I don't want a boyfriend at present."
"What?" Joey asked.
"Let's just be friends," Quinn said. "I don't have time, what with school, extracurricular activities and helping my sister with her investigations, to have a boyfriend."
"You came on too strong!" Jeffy said to Joey.
"You didn't give her enough space!" Jamie said to Jeffy.

"You should have brushed your teeth!" Joey said to Jamie.
The three then started fighting each other. Quinn was aghast. "Oh dear! Please stop fighting! Didn't you hear what I said?"
'Probably not,' Quinn thought after a few moments of the three boys continuing to pummel each other. She then saw the police, in the company of one of the neighbors out the window. "Guys?" the police are here, we have to go!"
The three continued to fight over Quinn.
"Guys!" Quinn shouted again.
That got their attention. "Did you say, Police?" Jeffy asked.
"Yes, they're here! Brittany is about to get into trouble; let's go," Quinn said.
"Um, sure," Joey said.
Quinn and her posse soon met, Daria and Jane at the estate entrance, where they were talking to various estate residents as they arrived back from various activities. "Gathering information?" she asked Daria.
"Of course," Daria said.
"That's good," Quinn said.
"Where's Stacy?" Daria asked.
"She should be along shortly," Quinn said.
Indeed, Stacy did arrive, having left shortly after Quinn did.
"That was a cool night!" Stacy said as she got there.
"Good that you enjoyed it, Stacy," Quinn said in encouragement.
"How are we getting home?" Stacy asked.
"We'll wait for someone to drive us home," Daria said.
"Sure," Quinn said.
Some of the people leaving the party didn't stop. However, soon enough someone did stop for them. However, it was Upchuck. "You ladies in need of a knight in shining armor?" he asked.
"Can't we just take the armor and ditch the knight?" Daria asked.
"Hey, it's a package deal toots!"
"Sure," Daria said, sure that Upchuck could show them some interesting areas of Lawndale on the way home.
"Um, OK," Stacy said, slightly panicked.
"Relax, Stacy, you can get off at our place," Quinn said.
"Sure," Stacy said, reassured.
Shortly after they left the checkpoint, Upchuck did point out an interesting fact of Lawndale. "To your left, the home of the director of public works, built on unstable landfill." Of course he continued in his annoying way. "To your right, a flattened squirrel. Straight ahead, the future!"
"Upchuck, less annoyingly!" Daria chided. "How do you know it's built on unstable landfill anyway."
"I have my sources. I'll let you know once I have joined the Mystery Club," Upchuck said.
"Then, don't take too long," Daria said with impatience.
Upchuck uttered a flirtatious growl. "Feisty!"