Crossing
Over
Text ?003 Roger E. Moore
(roger70129@aol.com)
Daria and associated
characters are ?003 MTV Networks
Feedback (good, bad, indifferent,
just want to bother me, whatever) is appreciated. Please write to:
roger70129@aol.com
Synopsis: A dystopian Mary Sue
crossover Daria metafic ficlet that should not have been written.
Author抯
Notes: This
was written as an entry in Erin M.抯 February 2003 Iron Chef contest to 搘rite
a brief crossover ficlet between 慏aria?and a TV show, movie, book, comic
book, what have you that by and large, you believe can抰 or shouldn抰 be done.?This was a very tempting contest, and this story was one of the results. It is
assumed that the reader is familiar with the major characters of the 揇aria?TV
show, so explanations of who is who are not needed.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Erin M. for the
contest that spawned this, and RedlegRick for several important corrections. 8)
牋牋牋牋牋?Bethany woke up, her head spinning like a top in a cloud. 揙h,?she gasped. 揙h, wha梬ha?happ抧??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揂bout time,?said a familiar voice. 揟hought she was gonna stay out for good. No fun there.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ha??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揇umb as the rest,?said another familiar voice. 揗aybe dumber. Hard to believe.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?That voice. The voice was someone .
. .
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria.
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria? The cartoo?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Bethany blinked and tried to focus
her eyes. Rocks. Lots of rocks lay right by her face. She was on her side, on
the rocky ground under an open sky.
牋牋牋牋牋?揊ix her up,?said Daria.
牋牋牋牋牋?Someone put a dark gray boot next to
Bethany抯 face and jerked her up to her rubbery feet with enormously strong
hands. The hands shoved Bethany back against a pole that dug into her back,
then reached around and tied her hands behind her. She tried to fight back, her
arms flopping weakly against a tall, thin, hard-muscled body that stank of
cigarettes, old sweat, and alcohol.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝top it,?warned a gravelly, feminine voice by her ear, 搊r you抣l tick me off.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hen she抣l tick you off,?said the Daria voice, distant and amused. 揥ay off.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揇on抰 rush me,?said the voice by Bethany抯
ear.
牋牋牋牋牋?Bethany focused on the face before
her.
牋牋牋牋牋?Coal-black bangs. Teardrop face.
Eyes as clear and blue as a winter sky. She had a stale cigarette odor on her
breath and in her hair.
牋牋牋牋牋?揓ane??Bethany murmured. 揓ane Lane??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揘ot as dumb as she looks,?said
Jane. Her silken black bangs swung over her eyes. Her face was a wolf抯,
pressing its muzzle against fallen prey, whetting its appetite.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥here am I??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟alkative,?said Jane with a grin.
Her hand came up out of nowhere.
牋牋牋牋牋?SLAP!
牋牋牋牋牋?The ringing in Bethany抯 ears soon
passed. She sobbed and coughed until the pain faded and she could talk again.
牋牋牋牋牋?Her arms hurt and wouldn抰 move.
They were tied behind her. Her legs were tied, too. The pole pressed into her
back and held her upright.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥e do owe you an explanation,?said
Daria.
牋牋牋牋牋?Bethany focused her gaze through her
tears. Daria stood about twenty feet away, her left arm across her stomach,
right elbow resting in her left palm, a cigarette in her right fingers,
drifting smoke. She looked at Bethany through her oversized glasses, her eyes
like dark pools.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou were writing a story, Bethany,
or whatever your real name is,?Daria said. 揑t was a Mary Sue fanfic. You know
what those are. You put yourself into your own Daria story so you could be our
very best friend, because you like us so much. But you got tired and didn抰
finish it, so you went to bed, and now you抮e in your own story, inside your
dreams. You抮e in your own Mary Sue story in the body of your character, just
like you wanted. Isn抰 that special??She took a long drag on her cigarette.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat??cried Bethany.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 take back that part about her not
being as dumb as she looks,?said Jane.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat are you doing??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria took the cigarette from her mouth, slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke. 揌elping you with your writing career, Bethany. Your story really sucked, but we抮e making your fondest wish come true anyway.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Bethany fought against her bonds. It
was useless and hurt a lot.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou wanted to meet us, didn抰 you??asked Jane, putting something in her mouth and chewing on it. She had a large
gray backpack on.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou know what??Bethany gasped. 揑
am a writer, that抯 right, but . . . but my name抯 not really Bethany! I swear
it!
牋牋牋牋牋?A moment of silence passed.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t抯 not, huh??said Daria,
unimpressed.
牋牋牋牋牋?揘o, really! You know what? This
will sound crazy, really crazy, but I抦 not even a girl, really! I抦 not! I抦棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou抮e a guy, right??said Jane, chewing gum. A brown beer bottle hung from the fingers of her right hand. 揧ou抮e a guy. A guy fanfic writer, in the body of the character you created to be our special friend.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揇oesn抰 that get confusing??Daria asked, deadpan. 揥hich restroom do you use in the high school??/p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ha梱eah! Yeah, that抯 funny. That抯 pretty good! Isn抰 it crazy? I抦 . . . How did you . . . I don抰 remember my real name. I can抰 remember my name, but yeah, I抦 a guy, and I write stories. I抦 from the real world! Not your world, but the real one! I抦 not a girl, honest! I just . . . I was writing this, and . . . I can抰 believe this, that this is all happening, you know.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揇o tell,?said Daria. She took a
quick drag on her cigarette, paused, then exhaled the smoke through her nose
like a dragon. She watched Bethany with narrow eyes.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑抣l tell you about it, the real world!?cried Bethany. 揧ou won抰 believe it! See, you抮e in a cartoon梱ou抮e not real, and I am!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑抦 a cartoon,?said Daria, but she
looked quite real suddenly, standing there with a cigarette in her hand.
Bethany could see every strand of her auburn-brown hair, every detail of her
green-and-black clothing.
牋牋牋牋牋?And Bethany could taste the blood in her mouth now, too.
牋牋牋牋牋?揃ut I抦 real!?Bethany shouted. 揧ou抮e a cartoon, and I抦 real! I am!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?There was a little silence.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou don抰 know how many times I抳e heard that, Bethany,?said Daria in a tired voice. 揧ou have no idea how many times I抳e heard that very . . . same . . . thing.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟his can抰 be happening!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, it抯 happening,?said Daria. She looked down to scuff her right boot in the dust. 揑抦 afraid we already know the difference between reality and not-reality, given my comments about this being a dream, you see? We抮e more than cartoons, Jane and I. We抮e sort of . . . out there in timeless space, floating around in the void, you know, disembodied intellects, but we抮e very aware of fanfic. We know all about the fanfic people write about us, and sometimes梐 lot of the time, really梬e see fanfic that catches us wrong, and we just feel the need to step and help people out with the way they write stories. Altruism, that抯 all it is. You know what altruism means, right??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揇aria抯 good with stories,?said
Jane. She raised the beer bottle and drank deeply from it.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝ee,?said Daria, waving her cigarette to make the point, 搚ou were writing a Mary Sue, a really sucky one, and maybe I should be grateful that it wasn抰 porn or a lame 憇hipper or out of character or whatever. I don抰 like them, either. Still, it sucked. You need to broaden your horizons. The kind of story you抮e in right now, for example. It抯 called a crossover.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揂 crossover??Bethany stared at her. 揂 fanfic crossover??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hat抯 it,?said Daria, nodding.
揟his is a crossover.?She put the cigarette between her lips and took a long
drag, eyeing Bethany all the while.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t抯 a fun crossover,?said Jane. The wolf look was back in her face. Her gaze ran slowly up and down Bethany抯 figure from face to toes, mostly wandering the areas in between. 揑t抯 cool.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揕et me tell this,?said Daria, not
looking at Jane.
牋牋牋牋牋?揕et me. You take too long.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揝crew you if you don抰 like it.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou and your promises,?Jane
muttered.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑抣l give you a hundred if you let me tell this.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane sighed, looking Bethany over. 揝ure,?she said finally. 揂 hundred smackeroos. You got it.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揂 hundred,?agreed Daria. Her eyes were on Bethany, but she wasn抰 seeing Bethany anymore. 揂 crossover,?she said to the air behind Bethany. 揟his is a dystopian Mary Sue crossover Daria ficlet that should never be written. Maybe it抯 a metafic, too. Yeah, a dystopian Mary Sue crossover Daria metafic ficlet. Metaficlet, maybe. Got that? See, that was quick.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hat should never be written.?Jane
grinned, chewing her gum. 揧ou forgot that part.?Her ice-blue eyes glittered.
牋牋牋牋牋?Something inside Bethany抯 head
snapped.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 can抰 believe you抮e doing this!?Bethany shouted. 揧ou not supposed to be梩his isn抰梩his is just totally ridiculous! It抯 just a bunch of bullcrap! You抮e not Daria and Jane! This isn抰 Lawndale! It抯 not real, it isn抰 real at all!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria grinned at Bethany now. Jane抯
own grin was fading, her eyes cold and growing colder.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 am Daria,?said Daria calmly. 揇aria Morgendorffer. And this is Jane Lane. We really are who we are. And this is Lawndale. We抮e in the abandoned quarry outside town, where we brought you after we slipped you that funny little drink when we were at the pizza parlor. You抮e really here. You can even smell my cigarette, can抰 you??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou are not Daria and Jane!?Bethany screamed. 揑 can抰 smell anything! Nothing! This is a dream, just a stupid dream, and I want to wake up!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou can抰 wake up until you remember your name,?said Daria. 揃ut we took your name before you got here. Took it and hid it away.?She shrugged. 揃ummer, huh??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ake up!?Bethany screamed. 揚(yáng)lease, wake up!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥e got a rag to stuff in her
mouth??asked Jane, looking around the rocks.
牋牋牋牋牋?揕et her talk,?said Daria. 揌im talk. Whatever.?She took a last pull on her cigarette, then leaned down and crushed it out on a rock. 揧ou got the tools??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑f you抳e got the time,?said Jane.
She carefully set her beer bottle among the rocks near her feet, then shrugged
off her backpack and set it on the ground, unzipping it.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑f this is a crossover,?Bethany shouted, toeing hysteria, 搘hich is the most stupid dumbass idea I can possibly imagine, the stupidest most idiotic thing I抳e ever heard of, then what kind of book or movie or other crap are we crossed with? What is it??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane glanced at Daria, then shrugged
and looked inside the backpack, rummaging around for something.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat are we crossed with??Daria said. 揙ur little metaficlet? We抮e crossed with the 慸ee ess em four are??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Breathing heavily, Bethany looked from Daria to Jane and back. 揟he what? What is that??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane pulled two small cardboard
boxes from the backpack. The small boxes had orange covers. Jane set one box
down and opened the other, peering inside. Metal clinked on metal within.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t抯 an abbreviation,?said Daria. 揇ee ess em hyphen Roman numeral four hyphen are. DSM-IV-R. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, version four, revised.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Bethany stared at Daria, who coolly stared back. 揥hat in the hell is that??Bethany yelled. 揥hat are you talking about? What in the hell is a DSR-whatever the hell that is??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揚(yáng)otty mouth,?said Jane. 揑 ought
to slap you until your pea brain falls out.?She put down the orange box and
reached inside the backpack again.
牋牋牋牋牋?揇iagnostic and Statistical Manual,?said Daria. 揑t抯 the main reference that psychiatrists use to diagnose their patients. That抯 what we抮e crossed over with in your dreams, Mister Guy Fanfic Writer in a Schoolgirl抯 Body.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Bethany stared for a moment longer梩hen broke into a high-pitched laugh. This was too, too funny now, much too funny to be real. 揂 psychiatrist抯 manual? I抦 in a crossover in a . . .?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane抯 hand came out of the gray
backpack with a large black .357 Magnum.
牋牋牋牋牋?The laugh died.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝ucks to be you,?Daria said softly, looking at Bethany. She glanced at Jane. 揇id you bring mine, too??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧eah,?said Jane, opening up the pistol to look into chambers of the cylinder. 揈ven cleaned it for you. Thought we could alternate, you me you me etcetera.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙kay,?said Bethany with a dry mouth. Her eyes were fixed on the gun that Jane held. 揙kay, okay, no problem. I apologize. You win. I抦 really sorry I said what I said. That was stupid, and I didn抰 mean it. I抦 serious, okay? I桰 didn抰 mean it.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane reached for the beer bottle
beside her, took a short drink from it, and set it down again. Her fingers went
back to loading coppery bullets into the black cylinder.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 said I抦 sorry! I抣l stop writing fanfic, if that抯 what you want. I promise. No more. It抯 stupid anyway. Let抯 be friends and let this go.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?搼Let抯 be friends??said Daria. 揑 like that.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 like friends,?said Jane. She snapped the cylinder shut and looked the pistol over. 揟hey抮e fun.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ait for me,?said Daria. Jane
handed her the other pistol, a silver-plated .45 Colt.
牋牋牋牋牋?揢se both hands, okay??said Jane. 揧ou almost shot my freaking block off last time.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揇o I make you nervous??Daria ejected the magazine from the handle and looked inside. 揌ollow points. Thanks.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane grinned. 揂nything for you, amiga.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria jammed the magazine back into the pistol and clicked off the safety. 揧ou first.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane抯 grin deepened. She stood
erect, her arms loose, chewing her gum, looking back at Daria.
牋牋牋牋牋?揓ane and I are Conduct Disorders right now,?said Daria to Bethany. 揥hen we turn eighteen, we抣l be Antisocial Personality Disorders, just like the DSM-IV-R says. Sociopaths, you would say. My kind of crossover.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥e all need our own special goals
to aspire to,?said Jane. She sounded as if she was quoting.
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hat抯 O扤eill,?said Daria. 揊eed the ego, split the infinitive.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑抣l do anything you want!?said Bethany, looking from one to the other. 揂nything! I swear I will, I swear it! Anything at all!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria tried to stifle a smile. Jane
giggled.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝cream for us,?said Daria.
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane turned. The pistol came up so fast in her hands, there was no time to?o:p>
Original:
2/19/03; revised 8/4/03
Crossover
(Daria/DSM-IV-R)
FINIS