Categories > Cartoons > Daria > Silent Cynic
Arrival, late September
0 reviewsHighland had been a violent place; therefore a somewhat different Daria and Quinn arrive in Lawndale. D/J, D/OC
1Ambiance
The Silent Cynic
By Dr. T
Chapter I – Arrival, late September
this is of course a work of fanfiction, and no claims are made towards the series' characters, plots, etc. Fans will know what's based on canon and what's original.
“Now be careful, and good luck at the new school, girls,” Jake Morgendorffer told his two daughters as his blue sedan pulled up in front of the school. Quinn made a quick movement towards the door, but stopped when her father warned her, “Quinn!”
Quinn looked back at her sister, “Sorry; just a little excited.”
“I understand. Daria, you have the letters?”
Daria nodded.
“You both have your keys?” The two teens nodded. “See you both tonight at six.” Just before Daria shut the door, Jake called, “Have a great first day!”
Quinn had already exited the car and was waiting for her sister to follow. Quinn was a slim freshman, under the average height for her age, partially made up by wearing heels. Her hair was on the orange-side of the ginger scale. She was wearing tight fashionable jeans with a slight flare in the legs that were not quite ‘hip-huggers,’ a bright yellow top that managed to expose her navel, and, as a concession to the surprisingly cool and very windy morning, a green windbreaker that seemed to artfully blend with the yellow and blue she was wearing.
Her older sister was almost a quarter of an inch taller, but looked a tad shorter since she was wearing combat boots rather than heels. Normally she preferred skirts, but it was rather gusty that morning. Her black flared jeans were not as fashionable (or as tight) as her sister’s, and her yellow turtleneck was darker than what Quinn was wearing. Her light field jacket was a darker green as well. Where Quinn’s bright orange-red hair was thin, straight, and half-way down her back, Daria’s was much fuller, a dark brown/auburn, and just over her shoulders.
Quinn waited for Daria to adjust her glasses, and they turned towards the entrance.
“You wear that outfit well,” came a deep girl’s voice in a pseudo-Valley Girl accent. “You’re new here, right?” The sisters saw that there was a small crowd gathering – three girls and a half a dozen boys, with other students stopping to look. Nearly all were looking exclusively at Quinn.
“Thanks, and yes,” Quinn answered. “I’m Quinn Morgendorffer….”
“Cool name.”
“Thanks! I hope I can meet you all later, but my sister and I need to report to the principal’s office so we can get started.” Quinn held out her hand, and rolling her eyes, Daria took it. The pair walked into the school, leaving some mildly puzzled students.
*
After a short tour with a few other new students, the group was taken to the school’s counselor, Ms. Manson. Quinn and Daria went last, and together. Quinn had started things off.
“Very good, Quinn!” Manson then turned to Daria. “How about you, Dara? Can you tell me a story?”
“That’s Daria,” Quinn stated.
“Sorry; Daria. But can’t you speak for yourself.” ‘Dara hides her looks, Quinn might be overwhelming her sister. Probably the same at home, too. Sibling rivalry, major cause of self-esteem problems.’ She ignored the small card Daria was waving in front of her. “Well, Darla. Please, speak up.”
Daria slammed her palm on the table and glared. Quinn stated firmly, “She can’t talk.”
“Oh? Laryngitis?” Manson’s tone was fairly sarcastic.
Scowling at Manson, Daria dropped the card and then pulled down the turtleneck, revealing her throat. Manson’s eyes went wide. Quinn picked up the card and held it in front Manson’s face – very closely, in fact. It stated, ‘I am a mute. However, I hear perfectly well.’ Daria meanwhile had pulled two letters out of her inside jacket pocket and held them out.
“The principal was supposed to take them, but she also ignored us,” Quinn stated.
A still-shaken Manson took the letters and read them. The first outlined Daria’s medical condition, although it did not detail how it had been acquired. The second, from the sisters’ mother, noted among other details that Daria had received individual counselling, as had the family. A glance at the law firm’s letterhead convinced Manson that she should not interfere, at least not with much more evidence.
“You both have your schedules?” Both girls nodded. “It’s fifteen minutes before the next class. Please wait here. Dara, I mean Daria, let me write you a note to show your teachers today. Ms. Li should have the official notifications sent by tomorrow.” Daria’s scowl faded and she nodded.
Manson turned to her computer and typed out a brief note. She asked, “Do you have some way to communicate, since few people here know sign language?” The second letter had claimed both sisters were fluent in American Sign Language. While the district would have to supply a sign language interpreter for the hearing impaired, it was not clear if that was required for the vocally impaired. If Ms Li could get out of a non-sports-related or security-related expense, she would do her best to do so.
As Manson had her back to the sisters, Daria rolled her eyes and signed. Quinn interpreted for her, which made Manson flush a bit. “Daria says she has a little whiteboard, a pad, and also has twenty-five of those pre-made cards, with common responses.”
*
It turned out that Daria’s history classroom was on Quinn’s way, so the two walked together through the halls just before the dismissal bell for the previous class. “Good luck. Meet you at lunch?” Quinn asked. Daria shook her head, and signed,* ‘No, find some new friends. I brought a sandwich and only need to buy milk.’
“Okay,” Quinn said as the bell rang.
As the classroom cleared of the previous class, Daria walked into the room, and saw a tallish, thin man in his early-fifties with greying hair. “Yes?” he demanded in a gravelly voice. Daria handed him Manson’s note, and, not knowing what it said, held out the ‘mute’ card she had shown Manson as well.
Having read them both, DeMartino sighed. “Typical,” he muttered. “You’re in a bit of luck, Ms Morgendorffer. I, as well as the two math teachers and the art teacher, learned ALS a few years ago when we went for recertification.” He smiled a slight, twisted smile. “We use it in the teachers’ lounge.” He knew Li had the placed bugged, but if she had managed to install a camera as well, he so far had not found it. He gestured at a chair in the front. “Please sit there.”
Daria nodded and did so as the classroom filled with her new classmates.
Once the bell rang, DeMartino leaned back against his desk. “CLA-ass, as you may be aWARE, we have some new STUdents starting school with us today. In THIS class, we have Ms Daria Morgendorffer. Daria, please raise your hand.” Daria did so.
“NOW, I am only going TO SAY this ONCE. Ms Morgendorffer is mute; that means she cannot speak. Since she raised her hand, that should show even the SLOWEST of you,” he glanced at a boy who was wearing not only his football jersey like some of the others, but oddly full pads as well, “that she is NOT deaf. We left off our section on American HISTORY with a preview of the election of 1844. Now, it might be unFAIR to a new STUdent to ask her a question first thing, but, Daria, can you precisely and accurately give the class a definition of Manifest Destiny? I will translate.”
Daria frowned for a moment, but then stated, ‘This was the belief, common in the 1840s and 50s, that America should at least extend as far as the Pacific Ocean, if not further north and south. This belief did not extend to many Mexicans or Canadians.’
DeMartino translated, smirked, and simply said, “Very good.”
*
A few minutes before the end of class, DeMartino ended his lecture, which rarely happened in his case. “CLASS, please sit quietly until the bell rings. Ms Morgendorffer, MS Lane, please JOIN ME at my desk.”
Surprised, if for different reasons, the two did so. “Do you have your schedule?” DeMartino asked Daria.
She nodded, and turned to her desk for a moment and then turned back and handed it to DeMartino.
He shook his head. “Ms Lane, do you have the same schedule?” He gestured that Daria should show it to Jane.
“Her science and math classes are reversed with mine. I see she’s already in calculus. Tomorrow, the same except that she has an extra study hall when I have Spanish.”
“Good. Would you be willing to escort Ms Morgendorffer today and tomorrow? I’ll also give you an excuse for science and math, in case you’re a few minutes late. Ms Li should have sent out notifications to the faculty by tomorrow afternoon.” He handed Daria the note that Manson had written. “This should take care at least some of the possible problems.”
Jane shrugged. “Sure.”
“Thank you, Ms Lane. That will be five points added to that first exam.” Jane blinked at this uncharacteristic generosity, as this would take her grade from a 79 to an 84. DeMartino then cleared his throat, getting everyone’s attention. “I know GOSSIP travels faster than ANYthing around here, so, spread this quickly and ACCURATELY. If ANYONE harasses or insults Ms Morgendorffer, he or SHE will be in detention for the rest your time at LAWNDALE HIGH.” He loomed over Kevin. “Even if that means they miss FOOTBALL practice after school.” He glared at the members of the offensive line sitting in the other corner. “IS that CLEAR?”
Everyone decided that it was very clear.
When the bell rang a few seconds later, Jane turned to Daria. “Ready to explore the mystery that is the Lawndale High Cafeteria?”
Daria shrugged and made the universal teen signal which can be best taken as a ‘So-so’ or ‘Meh.’
“Yeah, I know the feeling. Just follow me.” Since Jane was a tad above average height and was wearing boots with a slight heel and a bright red jacket, Daria had no trouble following. Jane stopped at an intersection, turned, and asked, “Do you need to stop at your locker or rest room?” Daria shook her head. “Come on, then.”
*
“So, you brought your own lunch. No wonder you approached the cafeteria with such confidence,” Jane teased a few minutes later. Daria merely replied with a tiny smirk. “Okay, that I understood. Do I get to do all the talking?”
Daria pulled out a whiteboard about the size of a small tablet and a black marker. ‘Talking, yes; communication, no.’ She showed it to Jane with another smirk.
Jane was glad of the smirk; she could take being teased and was glad she had not mis-stepped. “You know, DeMartino was actually pleasant to you, for him at least.” Daria looked a bit amused by that.
‘I hope you don’t mind leading me around for a day and a half,’ Daria wrote.
“No, I’m kind of bored here most of the time. I know I have to get through it, but there’s very little I care about here.”
‘Little or nothing?’
“I hope to be an artist; Miss Defoe lets me experiment a lot in class and the activity periods. I still don’t know what kind of artist, though. I don’t otherwise totally slack off, because I might need to go to a real university, or I might do the commercial degree at the local Community College instead.” Jane shrugged.
*
The pair had finished lunch, and were waiting outside a classroom a few minutes before the next bell rang – that way Jane could walk Daria into Calculus before going off to Science. Jane looked up as another new student stopped by. “Found a friend already?” she asked Daria. Daria signed back, which made the girl giggle. She turned to Jane. “Hi, I’m Quinn, her sister.”
“Do I want to know what she said, err, signed? All I got was what looked like an exploding eye, so I guess that mean’s Mister DeMartino.”
Quinn giggled again. “Is that his name? Anyway, yeah, that a teacher might sign, but he apparently thinks she needs a guide dog.”
“Woof,” Jane snarked.
Daria laid her hand on Quinn’s wrist, and then began signing. “Class was boring, and I had to escape a bunch of people to talk to you,” Quinn answered. “Three cute boys were the most persistent, but I don’t know if they’re serious or if they just compete against each other. The Fashion Club and the Pep Squad are both trying to recruit me.”
Daria again signed, and Jane correctly guessed one meant meant ‘cheerleaders?’
“If she asked if cheerleaders and the Pep Squad are the same, not totally,” Jane broke in. “All the football and basketball cheerleaders are automatically members of the Pep Squad, but most of the female athletes are as well, meaning the girls’ volleyball, basketball, and track teams, plus the intermural teams. You have to be involved in at least one sport to join if you aren’t a cheerleader. They do things like post announcements for games, decorate the gym for pep rallies and games, interact with the adults in the booster clubs and PTA, and stuff like that. They also raise money for recreational equipment and are in charge of the Homecoming Dance – that’s a week from this Friday – and the two formal dances in the spring. Every county school, even the two exclusive ones, get together for the ‘Snow Ball’ the Saturday before Christmas, and the Pep Squad handles Lawndale’s share of the planning. I think other groups do at least some of the other dances. Anyway, as a group they’re pretty active if you like that sort of thing, but the work seems to be parceled out fairly from what I saw last year.”
Daria held up two fingers and a questioning look. “There’s a Hop and the Prom,” Jane answered. “For the Hop, at least one of the couple has to be a Freshman or Sophomore, for the Prom, a Junior or Senior.” She turned to Quinn. “Since when is there a Fashion Club?”
Quinn made a face, “Actually, it seems to be just three other Freshmen. But it does sound interesting.”
“Not Sandi and her two minions?” Jane asked.
“Actually, yes,” Quinn admitted.
Daria reached over and got Jane’s attention, and then made a questioning gesture. “Sandi…has to be experienced to be believed. She’s one of the more self-centered individuals around here, which is saying a lot. Her mother thinks she’s a celebrity, because she’s got a job on a local tv station and appears on camera once in a while.”
Daria again held up three and then two fingers.
“There were three, but one spent lunch just last Tuesday, crying her eyes out while Sandi smirked at her. She hasn’t been back to school yet; there’s a rumor that she’s transferring. Stacy…seems like a sweet girl, but she’s been Sandi’s follower since first grade. I really don’t know Tiffany.”
Daria signed at Quinn, who turned to Jane. “I take it there’s no golf or swimming teams?”
“Formally competing against other schools? No. There is a golf club, and that counts as an intermural, if that’s what you’re asking. They have some informal matches against other schools, I think. Heck, the chess club does too.”
“Dad made us learn to golf this past summer,” Quinn said. “We aren’t bad.” Daria made the universal ‘shame on you’ gesture. “Fine, Daria’s not bad. She has a nine handicap. I have a three.”
“That’s good, I take it?”
“It is.” She looked at Daria and said, “Please?” After Daria signed, Quinn replied, “Okay, deal.” She turned to Jane. “Nice meeting you. Who would I talk to…?”
Jane raised a finger. “For information on every extracurricular, talk to Jodie. She’s the African American girl about…twenty lockers down. If she’s not involved, she will still know all about it.”
“Thanks.”
Jane turned back to Daria. “If you don’t mind my asking, were you born mute?”
Daria shook her head.
“Then did you ever get a word in edgewise with her?”
‘Not often,’ Daria wrote.
*
The trio was walking together after school. “You know, unless or until I can learn some signing, it would be nice if you clued me in, at least some of the time.”
Quinn looked at Jane and back at her sister. “Okay, she asked if I didn’t have a date tonight.”
“Already?”
Quinn shrugged as the three moved further from the school. “I went on a date most nights just before we moved. We were hoping to move all summer, but Mom didn’t settle on this job until mid-August, and it took a few weeks to get things together.”
“You mentioned your dad and golfing. What else does he do? Self-employed? Office job? What?”
“Well, he’s self-employed now. Some sort of business consultant. Mom’s a lawyer. We moved here from a place called Highland, Texas. Daria!” Quinn lightly slapped the back of Daria’s right hand. “Don’t use such language.”
“Didn’t like the place?”
Quinn looked at her sister, and Daria reluctantly nodded. “Okay, here’s the story. The town grew too fast when an air force training base was set up during the war. It closed sometime in the ‘seventies. The town has been dying since. Somehow, uranium and other heavy metals, that’s the right term?” Daria nodded. “Anyway, nasty stuff in the town drinking water, and two thirds of the wells. Fortunately, not including ours. Birth defects, skyrocketing cancer rates, low IQs, growing poverty, shrinking tax base, you name it, if it’s bad, Highland probably had it. They also have a fair at the beginning of June, more featuring kids from the rest of the county than the town. 4H shows, Future Ranchers of America, and you know, like a carnival as well. A biker gang, two of the local drug gangs, and,” she again turned to Daria. “What was that musical thing?”
Quinn nodded at Daria’s response, “Anyway, besides those three gangs, there were two street gangs, Mexican and Anglo, but nothing like ‘West Side Story.’ And yeah, I know that gang was Puerto Rican, but the idea’s the same. There was a huge fight between them that started during the carnival, and from that a total riot broke out. The Middle School Choir was there performing right as it took off, and there we were, right in the middle of the war zone. One of them….” Quinn paused, and looked a bit spaced out for a moment.
Daria put her hand on Quinn’s forearm, but although she was tearing up a bit, Quinn shook her head. “No, it’s okay. One of them grabbed me and started to, well….”
“Molest?” Jane suggested quietly.
Quinn nodded. “Another one came over and said he was going to take me and…use me after he killed the other guy. They pulled out knives. Somehow, and she’s never explained fully this and claims she will never say more, because I don’t believe she really found it lying on the ground, Daria suddenly showed up with a canister of pepper spray. She got both of them in the eyes, grabbed me, and started dragging me to safety, spraying as she went. We were almost through the crowd when, well, some guy knocked it out of her hand. She kicked him between the legs, but another one slashed at us for what seemed liked minutes, but probably was only about thirty seconds. Daria put herself between me and him. He only sliced my jacket a bit, and he really slashed up her jacket, but most of that didn’t draw blood on either of us. But….”
For the second time that day, Daria pulled down the neck of her shirt. The large white ropey intertwined scars, mostly across her larynx, were too easily visible. “We need to talk with Coach Morris before gym,” Jane said. Daria nodded.
“Anyways,” Quinn went on, “he was shot in the back, and I didn’t know what to do! Fortunately, the police came by just then. One took us to the ambulance.”
“I’m…what can I say?” Jane asked, appalled. “I’m sorry you two went through all that.”
Daria nodded, and looked at Jane thoughtfully. She could tell Jane meant it. She signed at Quinn.
Quinn wrinkled her nose. “You don’t expect me to join in, I hope.”
Daria shook her head, and Quinn looked at Jane. “Daria watches this icky show that comes on at Four and again at Five….”
“’Sick Sad World’?” Jane eagerly asked.
“Yes; if you’d like, you can join her, ‘cause I certainly won’t.”
“Don’t care for quality TV, hey?” Jane teased. She looked at Daria. “I can today, but there’s this stupid self-esteem class I have to go to, starting tomorrow.” Daria’s eyebrows went up and she pointed at Jane, the surprise obvious while Quinn seemed to agree. “Have you met Ms. Manson yet?” Daria and Quinn both wrinkled their cute noses in nearly identical ways. “She sends anyone who can’t do bright and chirpy all the time to it. No offense, but I’ll be at least slightly surprised if she doesn’t assign you. Maybe both of you.”
Both sisters snorted, then Quinn went on, “She might try, but Mom would squash her like a bug if she does. Both of us went to counselling, good counselling.”
*
Jane left after the second showing of ‘Sick Sad World’. Quinn came down the stairs and sat next to her sister. “Daria…why?”
‘Why what?’
“No offense, but you never reached out and tried to be friends with any one before.”
‘True, but I promised myself I would be different here, or at least try a little. She seems smart and interesting.’
“Maybe. I can see why you might like her.” She looked at her sister with concern. “Don’t get hurt.”
‘I will try. So, you decided on Pep Squad?’
“Yeah, I just have to get involved with something. And, as agreed, if you join golf you don’t have to join Pep Squad as well. Any involvement on our parts should keep her happy.”
‘Then our deal holds. And thank you for helping today.’
Quinn leaned over and hugged her sister. “We’re still very different, but I still love you.”
Daria leaned forward and kissed her sister on the forehead. A little startled, as Daria had not done that for over a year, Quinn was even more surprised to see the half-smile on Daria’s lips. Quinn sat down and leaned into Daria. Then Quinn put her head on Daria’s shoulder with a similar smile as Daria gave her a one-armed hug.
*American Sign Language (ASL) is not a direct equivalent of spoken English. Signing (like Daria’s other communications, signing is presented between ‘’) will be shown as colloquial spoken English rather than in direct transliteration. I don’t know if a sign language interpreter for the vocally impaired would have been mandated in Maryland in the late 90s or not. Let’s presume that although it certainly would have been for the hearing impaired, that it’s a ‘no’ for Daria.
*Note that I am aware that at first glance Quinn and Daria are more than a bit different than in canon. This Daria is more vulnerable and even less prone to taking some risks, partially desiring even more to be in the background of life around her and yet a bit more willing to force her self-image to be more socially engaged, since this degree of separation was forced upon her. She is also starting off more dependent on Quinn and a feeling bit more lonely and wanting a bit of ‘normality’ in her life than in the series. Quinn is a bit less self-centered, and both sisters lean on each other to a degree not even close to being seen in canon outside of perhaps ‘Boxing Daria.’ More importantly, although Daria was injured far more severely than Quinn, Quinn was the more traumatized. This was in part because Daria was active during the riot and Quinn froze and needed her sister to try and save her, risking her life. This meant Quinn became far nicer to and understanding with Daria than in the series and Daria in turn was more tolerant towards Quinn, and both were more affectionate with each other. Also, because Daria is at least slightly different, some characters’ reactions to her will be different.
Some episodes will be largely skipped over, and others are changed so that they form a better continuum (like accounting for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and NOT having spring football). While I’ll roughly keep the ‘years’ together (Seasons 1=roughly Daria sophomore year; 2 & 3=junior etc.), the actual episodes referred to will not be in the series order and many details may change. Hopefully reordering the episodes will make internal order, even if very different than the series order (which did not always make sense in the order presented).
By Dr. T
Chapter I – Arrival, late September
this is of course a work of fanfiction, and no claims are made towards the series' characters, plots, etc. Fans will know what's based on canon and what's original.
“Now be careful, and good luck at the new school, girls,” Jake Morgendorffer told his two daughters as his blue sedan pulled up in front of the school. Quinn made a quick movement towards the door, but stopped when her father warned her, “Quinn!”
Quinn looked back at her sister, “Sorry; just a little excited.”
“I understand. Daria, you have the letters?”
Daria nodded.
“You both have your keys?” The two teens nodded. “See you both tonight at six.” Just before Daria shut the door, Jake called, “Have a great first day!”
Quinn had already exited the car and was waiting for her sister to follow. Quinn was a slim freshman, under the average height for her age, partially made up by wearing heels. Her hair was on the orange-side of the ginger scale. She was wearing tight fashionable jeans with a slight flare in the legs that were not quite ‘hip-huggers,’ a bright yellow top that managed to expose her navel, and, as a concession to the surprisingly cool and very windy morning, a green windbreaker that seemed to artfully blend with the yellow and blue she was wearing.
Her older sister was almost a quarter of an inch taller, but looked a tad shorter since she was wearing combat boots rather than heels. Normally she preferred skirts, but it was rather gusty that morning. Her black flared jeans were not as fashionable (or as tight) as her sister’s, and her yellow turtleneck was darker than what Quinn was wearing. Her light field jacket was a darker green as well. Where Quinn’s bright orange-red hair was thin, straight, and half-way down her back, Daria’s was much fuller, a dark brown/auburn, and just over her shoulders.
Quinn waited for Daria to adjust her glasses, and they turned towards the entrance.
“You wear that outfit well,” came a deep girl’s voice in a pseudo-Valley Girl accent. “You’re new here, right?” The sisters saw that there was a small crowd gathering – three girls and a half a dozen boys, with other students stopping to look. Nearly all were looking exclusively at Quinn.
“Thanks, and yes,” Quinn answered. “I’m Quinn Morgendorffer….”
“Cool name.”
“Thanks! I hope I can meet you all later, but my sister and I need to report to the principal’s office so we can get started.” Quinn held out her hand, and rolling her eyes, Daria took it. The pair walked into the school, leaving some mildly puzzled students.
*
After a short tour with a few other new students, the group was taken to the school’s counselor, Ms. Manson. Quinn and Daria went last, and together. Quinn had started things off.
“Very good, Quinn!” Manson then turned to Daria. “How about you, Dara? Can you tell me a story?”
“That’s Daria,” Quinn stated.
“Sorry; Daria. But can’t you speak for yourself.” ‘Dara hides her looks, Quinn might be overwhelming her sister. Probably the same at home, too. Sibling rivalry, major cause of self-esteem problems.’ She ignored the small card Daria was waving in front of her. “Well, Darla. Please, speak up.”
Daria slammed her palm on the table and glared. Quinn stated firmly, “She can’t talk.”
“Oh? Laryngitis?” Manson’s tone was fairly sarcastic.
Scowling at Manson, Daria dropped the card and then pulled down the turtleneck, revealing her throat. Manson’s eyes went wide. Quinn picked up the card and held it in front Manson’s face – very closely, in fact. It stated, ‘I am a mute. However, I hear perfectly well.’ Daria meanwhile had pulled two letters out of her inside jacket pocket and held them out.
“The principal was supposed to take them, but she also ignored us,” Quinn stated.
A still-shaken Manson took the letters and read them. The first outlined Daria’s medical condition, although it did not detail how it had been acquired. The second, from the sisters’ mother, noted among other details that Daria had received individual counselling, as had the family. A glance at the law firm’s letterhead convinced Manson that she should not interfere, at least not with much more evidence.
“You both have your schedules?” Both girls nodded. “It’s fifteen minutes before the next class. Please wait here. Dara, I mean Daria, let me write you a note to show your teachers today. Ms. Li should have the official notifications sent by tomorrow.” Daria’s scowl faded and she nodded.
Manson turned to her computer and typed out a brief note. She asked, “Do you have some way to communicate, since few people here know sign language?” The second letter had claimed both sisters were fluent in American Sign Language. While the district would have to supply a sign language interpreter for the hearing impaired, it was not clear if that was required for the vocally impaired. If Ms Li could get out of a non-sports-related or security-related expense, she would do her best to do so.
As Manson had her back to the sisters, Daria rolled her eyes and signed. Quinn interpreted for her, which made Manson flush a bit. “Daria says she has a little whiteboard, a pad, and also has twenty-five of those pre-made cards, with common responses.”
*
It turned out that Daria’s history classroom was on Quinn’s way, so the two walked together through the halls just before the dismissal bell for the previous class. “Good luck. Meet you at lunch?” Quinn asked. Daria shook her head, and signed,* ‘No, find some new friends. I brought a sandwich and only need to buy milk.’
“Okay,” Quinn said as the bell rang.
As the classroom cleared of the previous class, Daria walked into the room, and saw a tallish, thin man in his early-fifties with greying hair. “Yes?” he demanded in a gravelly voice. Daria handed him Manson’s note, and, not knowing what it said, held out the ‘mute’ card she had shown Manson as well.
Having read them both, DeMartino sighed. “Typical,” he muttered. “You’re in a bit of luck, Ms Morgendorffer. I, as well as the two math teachers and the art teacher, learned ALS a few years ago when we went for recertification.” He smiled a slight, twisted smile. “We use it in the teachers’ lounge.” He knew Li had the placed bugged, but if she had managed to install a camera as well, he so far had not found it. He gestured at a chair in the front. “Please sit there.”
Daria nodded and did so as the classroom filled with her new classmates.
Once the bell rang, DeMartino leaned back against his desk. “CLA-ass, as you may be aWARE, we have some new STUdents starting school with us today. In THIS class, we have Ms Daria Morgendorffer. Daria, please raise your hand.” Daria did so.
“NOW, I am only going TO SAY this ONCE. Ms Morgendorffer is mute; that means she cannot speak. Since she raised her hand, that should show even the SLOWEST of you,” he glanced at a boy who was wearing not only his football jersey like some of the others, but oddly full pads as well, “that she is NOT deaf. We left off our section on American HISTORY with a preview of the election of 1844. Now, it might be unFAIR to a new STUdent to ask her a question first thing, but, Daria, can you precisely and accurately give the class a definition of Manifest Destiny? I will translate.”
Daria frowned for a moment, but then stated, ‘This was the belief, common in the 1840s and 50s, that America should at least extend as far as the Pacific Ocean, if not further north and south. This belief did not extend to many Mexicans or Canadians.’
DeMartino translated, smirked, and simply said, “Very good.”
*
A few minutes before the end of class, DeMartino ended his lecture, which rarely happened in his case. “CLASS, please sit quietly until the bell rings. Ms Morgendorffer, MS Lane, please JOIN ME at my desk.”
Surprised, if for different reasons, the two did so. “Do you have your schedule?” DeMartino asked Daria.
She nodded, and turned to her desk for a moment and then turned back and handed it to DeMartino.
He shook his head. “Ms Lane, do you have the same schedule?” He gestured that Daria should show it to Jane.
“Her science and math classes are reversed with mine. I see she’s already in calculus. Tomorrow, the same except that she has an extra study hall when I have Spanish.”
“Good. Would you be willing to escort Ms Morgendorffer today and tomorrow? I’ll also give you an excuse for science and math, in case you’re a few minutes late. Ms Li should have sent out notifications to the faculty by tomorrow afternoon.” He handed Daria the note that Manson had written. “This should take care at least some of the possible problems.”
Jane shrugged. “Sure.”
“Thank you, Ms Lane. That will be five points added to that first exam.” Jane blinked at this uncharacteristic generosity, as this would take her grade from a 79 to an 84. DeMartino then cleared his throat, getting everyone’s attention. “I know GOSSIP travels faster than ANYthing around here, so, spread this quickly and ACCURATELY. If ANYONE harasses or insults Ms Morgendorffer, he or SHE will be in detention for the rest your time at LAWNDALE HIGH.” He loomed over Kevin. “Even if that means they miss FOOTBALL practice after school.” He glared at the members of the offensive line sitting in the other corner. “IS that CLEAR?”
Everyone decided that it was very clear.
When the bell rang a few seconds later, Jane turned to Daria. “Ready to explore the mystery that is the Lawndale High Cafeteria?”
Daria shrugged and made the universal teen signal which can be best taken as a ‘So-so’ or ‘Meh.’
“Yeah, I know the feeling. Just follow me.” Since Jane was a tad above average height and was wearing boots with a slight heel and a bright red jacket, Daria had no trouble following. Jane stopped at an intersection, turned, and asked, “Do you need to stop at your locker or rest room?” Daria shook her head. “Come on, then.”
*
“So, you brought your own lunch. No wonder you approached the cafeteria with such confidence,” Jane teased a few minutes later. Daria merely replied with a tiny smirk. “Okay, that I understood. Do I get to do all the talking?”
Daria pulled out a whiteboard about the size of a small tablet and a black marker. ‘Talking, yes; communication, no.’ She showed it to Jane with another smirk.
Jane was glad of the smirk; she could take being teased and was glad she had not mis-stepped. “You know, DeMartino was actually pleasant to you, for him at least.” Daria looked a bit amused by that.
‘I hope you don’t mind leading me around for a day and a half,’ Daria wrote.
“No, I’m kind of bored here most of the time. I know I have to get through it, but there’s very little I care about here.”
‘Little or nothing?’
“I hope to be an artist; Miss Defoe lets me experiment a lot in class and the activity periods. I still don’t know what kind of artist, though. I don’t otherwise totally slack off, because I might need to go to a real university, or I might do the commercial degree at the local Community College instead.” Jane shrugged.
*
The pair had finished lunch, and were waiting outside a classroom a few minutes before the next bell rang – that way Jane could walk Daria into Calculus before going off to Science. Jane looked up as another new student stopped by. “Found a friend already?” she asked Daria. Daria signed back, which made the girl giggle. She turned to Jane. “Hi, I’m Quinn, her sister.”
“Do I want to know what she said, err, signed? All I got was what looked like an exploding eye, so I guess that mean’s Mister DeMartino.”
Quinn giggled again. “Is that his name? Anyway, yeah, that a teacher might sign, but he apparently thinks she needs a guide dog.”
“Woof,” Jane snarked.
Daria laid her hand on Quinn’s wrist, and then began signing. “Class was boring, and I had to escape a bunch of people to talk to you,” Quinn answered. “Three cute boys were the most persistent, but I don’t know if they’re serious or if they just compete against each other. The Fashion Club and the Pep Squad are both trying to recruit me.”
Daria again signed, and Jane correctly guessed one meant meant ‘cheerleaders?’
“If she asked if cheerleaders and the Pep Squad are the same, not totally,” Jane broke in. “All the football and basketball cheerleaders are automatically members of the Pep Squad, but most of the female athletes are as well, meaning the girls’ volleyball, basketball, and track teams, plus the intermural teams. You have to be involved in at least one sport to join if you aren’t a cheerleader. They do things like post announcements for games, decorate the gym for pep rallies and games, interact with the adults in the booster clubs and PTA, and stuff like that. They also raise money for recreational equipment and are in charge of the Homecoming Dance – that’s a week from this Friday – and the two formal dances in the spring. Every county school, even the two exclusive ones, get together for the ‘Snow Ball’ the Saturday before Christmas, and the Pep Squad handles Lawndale’s share of the planning. I think other groups do at least some of the other dances. Anyway, as a group they’re pretty active if you like that sort of thing, but the work seems to be parceled out fairly from what I saw last year.”
Daria held up two fingers and a questioning look. “There’s a Hop and the Prom,” Jane answered. “For the Hop, at least one of the couple has to be a Freshman or Sophomore, for the Prom, a Junior or Senior.” She turned to Quinn. “Since when is there a Fashion Club?”
Quinn made a face, “Actually, it seems to be just three other Freshmen. But it does sound interesting.”
“Not Sandi and her two minions?” Jane asked.
“Actually, yes,” Quinn admitted.
Daria reached over and got Jane’s attention, and then made a questioning gesture. “Sandi…has to be experienced to be believed. She’s one of the more self-centered individuals around here, which is saying a lot. Her mother thinks she’s a celebrity, because she’s got a job on a local tv station and appears on camera once in a while.”
Daria again held up three and then two fingers.
“There were three, but one spent lunch just last Tuesday, crying her eyes out while Sandi smirked at her. She hasn’t been back to school yet; there’s a rumor that she’s transferring. Stacy…seems like a sweet girl, but she’s been Sandi’s follower since first grade. I really don’t know Tiffany.”
Daria signed at Quinn, who turned to Jane. “I take it there’s no golf or swimming teams?”
“Formally competing against other schools? No. There is a golf club, and that counts as an intermural, if that’s what you’re asking. They have some informal matches against other schools, I think. Heck, the chess club does too.”
“Dad made us learn to golf this past summer,” Quinn said. “We aren’t bad.” Daria made the universal ‘shame on you’ gesture. “Fine, Daria’s not bad. She has a nine handicap. I have a three.”
“That’s good, I take it?”
“It is.” She looked at Daria and said, “Please?” After Daria signed, Quinn replied, “Okay, deal.” She turned to Jane. “Nice meeting you. Who would I talk to…?”
Jane raised a finger. “For information on every extracurricular, talk to Jodie. She’s the African American girl about…twenty lockers down. If she’s not involved, she will still know all about it.”
“Thanks.”
Jane turned back to Daria. “If you don’t mind my asking, were you born mute?”
Daria shook her head.
“Then did you ever get a word in edgewise with her?”
‘Not often,’ Daria wrote.
*
The trio was walking together after school. “You know, unless or until I can learn some signing, it would be nice if you clued me in, at least some of the time.”
Quinn looked at Jane and back at her sister. “Okay, she asked if I didn’t have a date tonight.”
“Already?”
Quinn shrugged as the three moved further from the school. “I went on a date most nights just before we moved. We were hoping to move all summer, but Mom didn’t settle on this job until mid-August, and it took a few weeks to get things together.”
“You mentioned your dad and golfing. What else does he do? Self-employed? Office job? What?”
“Well, he’s self-employed now. Some sort of business consultant. Mom’s a lawyer. We moved here from a place called Highland, Texas. Daria!” Quinn lightly slapped the back of Daria’s right hand. “Don’t use such language.”
“Didn’t like the place?”
Quinn looked at her sister, and Daria reluctantly nodded. “Okay, here’s the story. The town grew too fast when an air force training base was set up during the war. It closed sometime in the ‘seventies. The town has been dying since. Somehow, uranium and other heavy metals, that’s the right term?” Daria nodded. “Anyway, nasty stuff in the town drinking water, and two thirds of the wells. Fortunately, not including ours. Birth defects, skyrocketing cancer rates, low IQs, growing poverty, shrinking tax base, you name it, if it’s bad, Highland probably had it. They also have a fair at the beginning of June, more featuring kids from the rest of the county than the town. 4H shows, Future Ranchers of America, and you know, like a carnival as well. A biker gang, two of the local drug gangs, and,” she again turned to Daria. “What was that musical thing?”
Quinn nodded at Daria’s response, “Anyway, besides those three gangs, there were two street gangs, Mexican and Anglo, but nothing like ‘West Side Story.’ And yeah, I know that gang was Puerto Rican, but the idea’s the same. There was a huge fight between them that started during the carnival, and from that a total riot broke out. The Middle School Choir was there performing right as it took off, and there we were, right in the middle of the war zone. One of them….” Quinn paused, and looked a bit spaced out for a moment.
Daria put her hand on Quinn’s forearm, but although she was tearing up a bit, Quinn shook her head. “No, it’s okay. One of them grabbed me and started to, well….”
“Molest?” Jane suggested quietly.
Quinn nodded. “Another one came over and said he was going to take me and…use me after he killed the other guy. They pulled out knives. Somehow, and she’s never explained fully this and claims she will never say more, because I don’t believe she really found it lying on the ground, Daria suddenly showed up with a canister of pepper spray. She got both of them in the eyes, grabbed me, and started dragging me to safety, spraying as she went. We were almost through the crowd when, well, some guy knocked it out of her hand. She kicked him between the legs, but another one slashed at us for what seemed liked minutes, but probably was only about thirty seconds. Daria put herself between me and him. He only sliced my jacket a bit, and he really slashed up her jacket, but most of that didn’t draw blood on either of us. But….”
For the second time that day, Daria pulled down the neck of her shirt. The large white ropey intertwined scars, mostly across her larynx, were too easily visible. “We need to talk with Coach Morris before gym,” Jane said. Daria nodded.
“Anyways,” Quinn went on, “he was shot in the back, and I didn’t know what to do! Fortunately, the police came by just then. One took us to the ambulance.”
“I’m…what can I say?” Jane asked, appalled. “I’m sorry you two went through all that.”
Daria nodded, and looked at Jane thoughtfully. She could tell Jane meant it. She signed at Quinn.
Quinn wrinkled her nose. “You don’t expect me to join in, I hope.”
Daria shook her head, and Quinn looked at Jane. “Daria watches this icky show that comes on at Four and again at Five….”
“’Sick Sad World’?” Jane eagerly asked.
“Yes; if you’d like, you can join her, ‘cause I certainly won’t.”
“Don’t care for quality TV, hey?” Jane teased. She looked at Daria. “I can today, but there’s this stupid self-esteem class I have to go to, starting tomorrow.” Daria’s eyebrows went up and she pointed at Jane, the surprise obvious while Quinn seemed to agree. “Have you met Ms. Manson yet?” Daria and Quinn both wrinkled their cute noses in nearly identical ways. “She sends anyone who can’t do bright and chirpy all the time to it. No offense, but I’ll be at least slightly surprised if she doesn’t assign you. Maybe both of you.”
Both sisters snorted, then Quinn went on, “She might try, but Mom would squash her like a bug if she does. Both of us went to counselling, good counselling.”
*
Jane left after the second showing of ‘Sick Sad World’. Quinn came down the stairs and sat next to her sister. “Daria…why?”
‘Why what?’
“No offense, but you never reached out and tried to be friends with any one before.”
‘True, but I promised myself I would be different here, or at least try a little. She seems smart and interesting.’
“Maybe. I can see why you might like her.” She looked at her sister with concern. “Don’t get hurt.”
‘I will try. So, you decided on Pep Squad?’
“Yeah, I just have to get involved with something. And, as agreed, if you join golf you don’t have to join Pep Squad as well. Any involvement on our parts should keep her happy.”
‘Then our deal holds. And thank you for helping today.’
Quinn leaned over and hugged her sister. “We’re still very different, but I still love you.”
Daria leaned forward and kissed her sister on the forehead. A little startled, as Daria had not done that for over a year, Quinn was even more surprised to see the half-smile on Daria’s lips. Quinn sat down and leaned into Daria. Then Quinn put her head on Daria’s shoulder with a similar smile as Daria gave her a one-armed hug.
*American Sign Language (ASL) is not a direct equivalent of spoken English. Signing (like Daria’s other communications, signing is presented between ‘’) will be shown as colloquial spoken English rather than in direct transliteration. I don’t know if a sign language interpreter for the vocally impaired would have been mandated in Maryland in the late 90s or not. Let’s presume that although it certainly would have been for the hearing impaired, that it’s a ‘no’ for Daria.
*Note that I am aware that at first glance Quinn and Daria are more than a bit different than in canon. This Daria is more vulnerable and even less prone to taking some risks, partially desiring even more to be in the background of life around her and yet a bit more willing to force her self-image to be more socially engaged, since this degree of separation was forced upon her. She is also starting off more dependent on Quinn and a feeling bit more lonely and wanting a bit of ‘normality’ in her life than in the series. Quinn is a bit less self-centered, and both sisters lean on each other to a degree not even close to being seen in canon outside of perhaps ‘Boxing Daria.’ More importantly, although Daria was injured far more severely than Quinn, Quinn was the more traumatized. This was in part because Daria was active during the riot and Quinn froze and needed her sister to try and save her, risking her life. This meant Quinn became far nicer to and understanding with Daria than in the series and Daria in turn was more tolerant towards Quinn, and both were more affectionate with each other. Also, because Daria is at least slightly different, some characters’ reactions to her will be different.
Some episodes will be largely skipped over, and others are changed so that they form a better continuum (like accounting for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and NOT having spring football). While I’ll roughly keep the ‘years’ together (Seasons 1=roughly Daria sophomore year; 2 & 3=junior etc.), the actual episodes referred to will not be in the series order and many details may change. Hopefully reordering the episodes will make internal order, even if very different than the series order (which did not always make sense in the order presented).
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