"And Zing, Zing, Zing, Went My . Guitar Strings" PART TWO By: Caitlin Duffy Synopsis: Continuation of Part One. Jane and Daria take action inspired by their suspicions. Authors Note: I did not intend for this to be two parts, but it started getting too long so I thought I would slice it so that it was a little easier to read. That is.if anyone does read it. Oh well. Hope you enjoy the dramatic conclusion to my tale. Oh yeah. By the way. I made reference to "Too Cute", if there's some person who would like to know and/or cares. On with the story. And fan art will still be greatly appreciated. PART TWO: (Cut to Pizza Place. Daria and Jane are in a booth opposite each other. Daria has a soda in front of her, and Jane has basket of breadsticks in front of her, holding one in her hand) Jane: ( bites into breadstick) Breadsticks, good. Excellent breadsticks. ( pause) Um, want some breadsticks? ( scoots basket towards Daria) Daria: ( looks at basket, then up at Jane) Uh, Jane? Jane: Don't shun the breadsticks Daria, what did they ever do to you? Daria: Dammit, Jane. What just happened? Jane: Well, I recall handing you a basket of breadsticks and. Daria: I mean, what happened in the car? Jane: Oh. ( beat) You saw that too, eh? I was beginning to think I had imagined that. Thank you for bursting my happy little dream bubble. Daria: Don't mention it. But did it seem that my sister and your brother were. Jane: Snuggling? Hugging? Overlapping personal space? Daria: Enough! Jane: ( pause) ( quietly) You don't think there's anything going on between..them, do you? Daria: Hardly. Then again, Beauty and the Beast worked out all their marital kinks. Jane: Do you think it's appropriate to be comparing your sister to the Beast? Daria: That's not important right now. What I want to know is going on between them. I mean the long hours in the basement. Jane: The fact that Trent was hanging onto your sister like a leech. Daria: Ok, let's not discuss this any further or I may have to vomit. Jane: Good thinking. But I won't be able to sleep until this mystery is unraveled. Daria: Well then, Nancy Drew, why don't we interrogate them. Jane: Probe them till they cry uncle! Uncle! ( slams fist on table) ( Daria stares at her blankly) Jane: Sorry, I'm just a little excited. ( beat) Breadstick? ( Cut to Morgendorffer house. Helen is in the kitchen, pulling some sort of frozen dinner product from the freezer. Jake is sitting at the counter reading a newspaper) Jake: Why do they always print these stocks so small!? Do they want me to go blind!? ( Enter Daria) Helen: Why hello Daria! Daria: ( slow and deadpan) Mother... Have ya seen Quinn? Jake: Quinn is missing?? Helen: ( sighs) No, Jake. Quinn is upstairs in her room. She just got home from those `lessons' she's taking from that unusual young man. Jake: Unusual young man? You mean that one with the messed up hair and that dead look in his eyes and those tattoos? Isn't he crazy? Daria: Yes. Quinn is getting guitar lessons from Charles Manson. Jake: Hey! I thought he was in prison! Those damn liberals. ( sardonically) Everyone is free: even blood-thirsty murderers! Democracy my ass!! Helen: Jake! Take your pills before you blow another artery! ( hands him pill bottle) Jake: ( takes the bottle, fiddles and struggles with lid) DAMN CHILD-PROOF CAPS! ( Daria rolls her eyes and slips out of the kitchen) ( Upstairs) ( Shot of Quinn's room- she is on the phone with Stacey talking. The door is ajar, and we see Daria walk past it, and pause outside, looking in) Quinn: Cute? ( sighs) I don't know what cute IS any more, Stacey! Stacey (VO): You don't? ( nervous) Quinn, what's the matter? Quinn: ( chuckles nervously) Joking! Joking, of course Stacey. I have an uncanny sense for detecting cuteness. Stacey (VO) : Whew! ( Daria pushes the door open, and stands in the threshold. Quinn looks at her shocked) Quinn: I have to go. Someone is interrupting me. ( clicks phone off) What do you want? Daria: ( deadpan) Your pure wisdom, oh great guru of fashions. Quinn: What do you really want, Daria? And make it fast, I have to start my homework. Daria: Wow. ( enters room) Since when have you been so interested in academics? Quinn: Uh, I just want to learn stuff that's all. Daria: ( looks at her with a surprised expression.well as surprised as she can look.) Ok, punk the jig is up. Quinn: What are you talking about Daria? Daria: You've been taking guitar lessons for how long now? Quinn: Uh...four weeks? Daria: And how much have you paid Trent for his services? Quinn: Um. I'll pay him when I'm done. Daria: So he hasn't gotten a cent out of you? Where you even planning on paying him? Quinn: Daria! Please, I have to study. Daria: ( Stops for a moment and eases her tone) Fine, I don't care whether or not you were planning on compensating him, but what's going on between you two? Quinn: Nothing! ( sternly) Daria- leave. ( Daria stands there motionless) NOW. Daria: ( sighs, and exits) ( Cut to Lane House. Jane is pacing in front of Trent's bedroom. She finally takes a deep breath, and knocks. There's no response. She pushes open the door and sticks her head inside. Trent is lying asleep on his bed, his broken guitar lying at an angle across his chest, he's hugging the neck of the guitar like it's a stuffed animal.) Jane: ( bluntly) Well, I'll be damned. ( She turns around, looks on the floor, and picks up a long thin rain stick.) Jane: Trent. ( pokes him with rain stick) Trent: ( no response) Jane: ( pokes him harder) Trent! Trent: ( groans, shifts a bit, puts his thumb in his mouth but doesn't wake up) Jane: So much for interrogation. ( Exits room) ( Jane hops downstairs, picks up a phone and starts dialing.) ( Cut to Morgendorffer's house, Daria reaching for the phone.) Daria: Hello. ( Split Screen of Jane and Daria) Jane: Survey says? Daria: Nilch. You? Jane: Nadda, Zip. Daria: Dammit. Now what? Jane: Why don't you come over to my house tomorrow afternoon? I thinks a plan is a-brewing. Daria: ( suspiciously) Hmm. ( Cut to a pitch black. There is a short silence followed by a loud "thud". Pause. 4 more quick thuds.) ( Light switches on. We see the Interior of the basement, Daria and Jane standing on the staircase on their way down, a small TV is lying on its side on the basement floor) Jane: Oops. That's what I get for dragging the TV downstairs again. Daria: Is it broken? ( Jane and Daria walk downstairs and stand in around TV) Jane: Are you kidding? This thing could survive a nuclear war. ( She bends over and pulls the TV upright) ( Shot of a mangled blue couch from behind, Daria and Jane pulling the small TV in front of it. Jane leans down and plugs it into the wall.) ( They plop onto the couch. Jane takes the remote and turns the TV on.) Jane: See? What did I tell you? Daria: Wow. And the fall knocked that annoying snow out of the screen. ( Sudden sound of footsteps upstairs.) Jane: Uh oh. Here comes Frankenstein and his bride. Cheers. ( Daria and Jane tap soda cans, smirking) Trent (VO) : You got that ok? Quinn: (VO) : I think so. ( Trent comes most of the way down the stairs when he sees Daria and Jane. He pauses and stares at them, Quinn at his heels) Jane: ( over-enthusiastic) Heeey bro! How's it hanging? Trent: ( confused) Janey. Jane: Want some soda? We've got plenty more. Daria: All the caffeine you'll ever need in a single day. Jane: ( motions him over) Come, sit. TV works fine. ( Trent comes all the way downstairs, Quinn comes down a few steps, but still stays on the stairs) Trent: Janey you know I have a lesson now. Jane: Oo, you do? Oh shucks, I plum forgot. Oh well. ( Turns at looks at TV, sips from soda can.) Trent: Why did you drag your TV down here anyway? Jane: Oh, nothing like a change in atmosphere to get the creative juices flowing! Besides, I'm not hauling this thing back up those stairs. Trent: ( sighs) C'mon Quinn. The living room doesn't have any working outlets, and all the other rooms are a disaster..so we'll have to practice over them. ( Quinn comes all the way downstairs and sets her stuff down. The folding chairs are missing.) Quinn: Um, where do we sit? ( Shot of Daria and Jane on the couch, their feet resting on the folding chairs like ottomans.) Jane: Oh, sorry. Did you need these? Trent: Mmm ( picks up chairs and moves them back to were Quinn is standing.) ( The two sit down) Trent: Now lets get your guitar tuned up. ( picks up her guitar, but has difficulty hearing it. Strikes another string, but still no luck) Trent: Hey.guys. You guys! Daria: May we help you? Trent: Could you turn down the TV? Jane: No problemo ( turns it down a little) ( Jane and Daria snicker) Quinn: These strings keep buzzing when I play and it's driving me crazy! Trent: Let me take a look at it. ( examines it ) ( Cut to Daria and Jane on couch facing each other) Jane: Let's play a game. Daria: Alright. Jane: If you could be any Shakespearean character, who would you be and why? Daria: ( thinks a moment) I would have to say Ophelia. Jane: And why, pray tell? Daria: The whole drowning yourself in a river for your dead father gets me every time. Talk about romanticism at its tackiest . Jane: And most morbid-est! Daria: Kudos to that. ( Cut to Quinn and Trent) Quinn: ( covers her ears over Jane and Daria's loud discussion.) Uh! Trent: ( narrows eyes) Keep it down over there. Daria: Uh-oh, Jane. We were being too loud for them again. Jane: Sorry, our bad. And let us know if we can get you ladies something to drink. ( Trent grumbles, Quinn rolls her eyes.) Trent: There I think I fixed it. See if it's better. ( Hands guitar to Quinn) Quinn: Yeah, that sounds a lot better. Thanks. Trent: Alright. What do you need to know for class? Quinn: Um, muting? Trent: Oh, sure. Here, I'll show you some of the basic muting techniques. ( Leans forward, takes Quinn's hand and places it under his, and presses it against the strings) Now first, place your palm across the strings and. ( interrupted) ( Cut to Daria and Jane on the couch) Jane: POW! BAM! And sometimes a KAPLOOIE! That's what an explosion sounds like. Daria: Ooh, thanks for clearing that up. ( Trent comes onto screen, standing above them.) Trent: I'd really appreciate it if you would leave. Jane: Hey, what did WE do? Trent: You're too loud. Leave. Jane: We were here first! Trent: Well it's my basement. Jane: Phhf! Says who? Trent: ( sighs) Janey, I don't want to yell at you. Daria: ( bluntly) Can't we all just get along? Quinn: Daria! Why are you even down here in the first place!? Daria: Why are you being so defensive? Jane: Yeah, its not like we came down here to make out or anything Trent: What are you talking about? Jane: Uh..oops? Daria: ( narrows eyes and punches Jane in the arm) Jane: Ow! Trent: What's going on here. Jane: That's funny, because that's exactly what we wanted to know. Trent: Are you implying something? Jane: No, I'm not, it's just that it isn't everyday I see my brother snuggling with my best friends sister! ( Shot of Trent's face to left of screen. Daria's besides his to the right side, w/ Quinn in background. Quinn and Trent both simultaneously let out a gasp, while Daria just shakes her head and rolls her eyes.) ( Cut to kitchen, the four of them sitting around the kitchen table) Daria: So the whole idea about the `extra' lessons was for a genuine concern of Quinn's skill. Trent: Yeah, if that's so hard to believe. I mean, she is my student. If the student plays poorly what does it say about the teacher? Daria: Hmm. Good point. Jane: And the `hugging' thing. Trent: Solely a move of defense. Jane: Boy do I feel like a royal ass. Daria: At least you have enough self esteem to place yourself amongst the ass nobility. Quinn: Oh Daria! Me and him? You're so paranoid. Jane: So, siblings. Think you can find it in your hearts to forgive us? Trent: Eh. Sure. Jane: Well that's a relief, I guess. Your enthusiasm is heart warming. Daria: (pauses) Hmm...It's been four weeks already since you started. Quinn: ( disappointed) I go back to P.E. on Monday. Trent: That's alright, you'll still have the skill. Who knows when I'll need a backup. ( Jane looks at Daria, they scoot their chairs away slightly) Trent: For guitar. You know, for Spiral. ( Jane and Daria scoot their chairs even farther away.) ( Cut to School- Fashion Club is walking together down the halls) Sandi: It was so good to see you back in P.E. today, Quinn. Stacey: Oh yeah, when you had a hurt ankle, I had to pair up with Brooke for badminton! ( shudder) Tiffany: Her nose never did grow back in. Quinn: Well, I'm just glad to be in class with you guys. Guitar class was just filled with unpopular people. ( Quinn raises her hands up to exaggerate her point.) ( Sandi stares at Quinn's hand.) Sandi: Quinn.what is that?? ( points to Quinn's finger) Quinn: ( clenches hand up and puts it down.) Oh, that's just a ..callous, Sandi. ( nervously) heh.. Sandi: Well I hope it is temporary. I, personally, do not find hard mounds of dead flesh on my fingertips very attractive, Quinn. Stacey: Eep! And your nails Quinn! ( sadly, shaking head) What's happened to your nails? Quinn: They'll grow back!! I promise! ( Cut to Outside) ( Daria and Jane are come outside through the front doors of the school.) Jane: So, what do you say. your house for TV and frozen pizza, or my house for.TV and frozen pizza. Daria: How about we stand between the two houses, at an equal radius from both, and eat `to go' pizza. Jane: Yes, but then the pizza would be fresh, and we'd be in the middle of the street. We can't sit down in the street. Daria: Yes we can. Jane: But we might get run over. Daria: My point exactly. Jane: Wow. Sounds like a plan. ( Shot of them from behind, with Trent's car pulling in, in front of the school.) Jane: Hey, what's Trent doing here? I thought he was done giving her Royal Highness lessons. Daria: Ooh, I should have told you. Quinn has employed him again, but for other purposes. Jane: Uhh. Daria: Don't worry. It's a job that'll only last for a few days. ( Cut to Quinn, who is standing outside, and comes into Trent's car. She hands him a 5 dollar bill, and he nods) ( Shot of Ben, who is sitting on a bench, and is staring at Quinn sheepishly. He starts to wave at her slightly with a pompous grin on his face, when Trent backs up and drives around the quad until he is on the side closest to Ben. He glares at him harshly, and makes a slash-throat gesture. Ben gawks, squeals, and runs away scared) The End.