The DT Files

The DT Files
409: Mart of Darkness
by SSJ04 Mewtwo

***

Reviewer Responses

geega: You get the cookie. Love that movie. I've got to remember to put in more of those pop culture references in my Daria fics. Hmmmm, interesting idea, I'll have to give that more thought.

Nathanal Wilkes: Thanks for the review. I think...,I might be able to make this a little smutty, but I'll have to see if the characters will cooperate.

***

"Oh great, the power went out." Tom complains.
"Man, you've been complainin' ever since we got here." Jessie states.
"C'mon, this way." Trent states.
"And just how are we going to find Jane in the dark?" Tom asks.
"Lane family secret." Trent simply states.
"Why didn't you use this 'talent' to begin with?" Tom asks frustrated at both boys.
"Hey, this trip isn't just about you man." Trent says.
"Yeah, well if someone would have looked at what sort of headlight his car had then he would have gotten it already and we would have been looking for Jane sooner." Tom Growls. Trent scowls but no one could see it in the dark.

***

"Sure you don't want a gummy bear?" Jane asks.
"Jane, if you would keep a better eye on your edible art supplies then we wouldn't be stuck in this damn store." Daria states with her father's temper starting to come out. "I thought you would have learned that lesson with that bottomless pit known as Jessie."
"Mmmmm, Touché Morgandorffer." Jane quips back. She feels the hairs on the back of her neck tingle letting her know that her slacker of a brother had found her and was on the way. Her nose picks up the scent of a scented candle. Her eyes go glassy for a moment.
"What's that smell?" Daria asks.
"Mmmmm," Jane replies.
"Are you high?"
"There you are." Tom calls out.
"Hale hale, the gang's all here." Daria says and Trent laughs.
"Janie dragged you here didn't she?" Trent asks as Jane and Tom try to reconcile.
"I needed a boot lace. Quinn stole one from me."
"Your sister is such a pain. Are you sure the two of you are related?"I find myself asking that question on a daily basis. Can you find a place to sit? My foot is ready to detach itself from the rest of me."
"C'mon," Trent says and the two leave.

***

"You sure Jessie won't kill Tom? Daria asks as she holds on to Trent's elbow as they make their way through the dark warehouse store.
"Nah, he'll just hold that box of scented candles until it drives Jane crazy. I forgot that particular scent does something to Janie."
"I noticed she was behaving strangely when the three of you showed up."
As they walked, Trent starts humming a song. Around thirty to forty-five seconds into it, Daria recognizes it.
"'Unnamed Feeling'?(1) What brought that song into your mental playlist?"
"They weren't my favorite band at first. I became a fan when the Spiral had it's first lineup."
"First?"
"Yeah. Daric transferred from Fielding to LHS." Trent begins.
"Tom's school."
"Our first road trip he had us listening to 'Master of Puppets'. A lot of our first stuff sounds just like that. Unfortunately, Nick couldn't even dream of playing that stuff, plus Daric's got the lyric notebooks and the tablatures(2). He says he'll be back, but his father wants him to be a lawyer."
"He wrote tablatures?"
"Yeah, real guitar guru. Prefers bass, but he taught me a few things. Wished he'd tell me how to play a decent open D tuning."
"Why would he transfer to LHS?"
"That's what his folks say, but he actually got suspended. Decided to go to a public school."
"Gave Li hell?"
"Yeah, he's like a male version of you. Hmmm, sporting goods."
"You think you can find a tent at least?"
"Already found one." Trent says unzipping the flap.
"Miracle of miracles." she states and crawls in with Trent following her.
"Inflatable bottom." Trent comments as Daria removes her boot and sock.
"I'm going to have to think of something extremely devious for this crime." Daria states rubbing her foot.
"How long have the two of you been playing the game of sibling war?"
"Ever since mom brought Quinn home from the hospital." she answers and Trent laughs, coughs, and then calms himself.
"Here, I'll rub, you plot." he says putting her foot in his lap.
"Errr, you don't have to...,"
"I need something to keep me awake."
"Haven't gotten your allotted amount of sleep today?" she asks and Trent smiles.
"Tom and Janie's fight last night kept me up. Tom's been riding my ass ever since we got here. So I forgot to check what type of headlight I need to get for my car."
"I guess he doesn't know that you can't function properly unless you sleep eighteen hours a day."
"True....,damn, I'm a wreck aren't I? Why the hell did you ask me for thirty seconds of music in the first place?"
"It was Jane's idea in the first place."
"Oh, Yenta Lane rode again?"
"Yeah...,wait, you knew?"
"At times I'm oblivious, but there are exceptions."
"And you said nothing why?"
"I liked your reactions to Janie's teasing."
"You don't like Tom do you?" Daria asks quickly changing the subject.
"I don't like what he reminds me of." he replies looking as if he were remembering something in his past. Even through this he still continues to rub her foot.
"What?"
"This town wasn't the overly pleasant suburb that it is now. When I started high school there was a rift between those who were and weren't in a certain tax bracket. Back then there weren't enough prep schools for all the rich families that were moving here. Cliques formed and the fighting began."
"Sounds like a plot right from The Outsiders(3)."
"Yeah, anyway, I found out I was a gifted knifer. Luigi recruited me and Jessie and cleaned up Lawndale. Now, Luigi is the one running this town. No one does anything without him knowing." Trent shakes his head ridding himself of those violent memories. "Enough reminiscing, we've had a hard day. One of us is about to enjoy making the other laugh."
"You may have one of my feet at your mercy, but the other still has a combat boot on it."
"I haven't forgotten." he replies and hastily removes the other boot. She struggles, but Trent restrains one of her legs between his. With the threat of a combat boot to his person neutralized, he proceeds to tickle her. The soft laughter puts a smile on his face. His guitar calloused hands certainly made the job easier. After five minutes of the tickle torture, Trent stops in order to let the auburn cynic catch her breath. He smirks, preparing to go in for round two, but he feels his back hit the tent's floor. His next site is of Daria's grey eyes looking down upon him. He could see a fire there that he hadn't before.
"Lane...," she huskily breathes out, "because of you, you're about to make me do yet another stupid thing."
"What?"
"Fuck you through the mattress of this tent."
"Woe, didn't know that was how to light your fire."
"After whatever happens, I want to be given a chance with you. And don't give me that crap that I'm not old enough. I can handle my mother and if push comes to shove I know how to get my dad rapped around my finger instead of Quinn's."
"Even after that damned project...,"
"That was stupid yenta's idea. I still have feelings for you and I want this. Don't deny me."
"Wouldn't dream of it, but in this tent, in a warehouse store?"
"Good point, no clothes will be removed in this venture. Just remember what you'll get into if you tickle me again, Lane."

***

"Be careful man, you're going to date someone under age." Jessie says as the two come into the Lane house. It had been a cramped ride, but he had gotten Daria home, and Tom and Jane had taken off. Trent had never seen Janie move so fast. She probably figured out what Jessie had been doing.
"Gotta take a chance man. Besides, if Jane and Tom break up, then he might go after Daria. I don't want that." Trent replies and the two stop as they hear a bass along with a keyboard being played in the basement.
"Orion?" Jessie asks.
"Yeah, and there's only one bass player that knows that instrumental." Trent says and the two head down into the basement. They both smile seeing Daric and Angel playing away. Once the song ends, the other two members of the Spiral clap.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Daric states over dramatically as he bows.
"How long are you back in Lawndale?" Trent states.
"Until the apocalypse. Can we re-join?"
"Are you kidding?" Jessie asks.
"Please tell me you've got those tablatures and lyrics to those first songs we wrote." Trent states.
"Yep, and all in good condition."
"Jess, call Max, tell him that Daric's back and we're practicing right now."
"Cool." Jessie replies.
"And take a shower!" Trent yells up the stairs.

***

"You think I could stay at your place since my cousin...,I mean my worthless sister has all but officially kick me out of the hotel room?"
"Sure, by the way, what the hell have you've been doing with all that free time while I'm away with young Thomas?"
"Oh, you will see," Daria answers smirking.

***

"Who came up with that song anyway?" Daric asks after the Spiral had finished 'Ice Box Woman', but with Daric's bass.
"Hmmmm, I think Jessie came up with it." Trent replies and Daric arches an eyebrow. The basement door opens and Daria comes down the stairs.
"Ah, your mistress is here, better tend to her wishes before she ends up putting all of us in stocks." Daric quips.
"You would be excluded from my punishment...,I've made a deal with your mistress." Daria retorts and the other band members laugh.
"I must say she's good at this. It's becoming almost impossible to out whit her." Daric comments and Trent smirks.
"I'm staying over since I can't stand being in a hotel room for two weeks with my sister." Daria says to Trent.
"Cool, does Jane know about...,"
"She will soon enough." Daria says smirking.
"Just remember, you can be as loud as the...," Daric begins but Daria stops him.
"Can't you do better than an Avenue Q reference?" she asks.
"Damn, defeated again." Daric mock moans to the laughter of the other male members of the band.

***

'Why? Why would she want to be with that bum of a musician?' Tom thinks hearing sounds of pleasure from Trent's room. 'I've been trying to talk to her all week, but she's ben spending most of her time with Trent.' He new that his relationship with Jane was one fight away from ending.
"Rather hear the sounds of passion than power tools?" Jane asks.
"Not a big power tool fan. You scare the crap out of me with that drill."
'Doubt Jessie would be...,shit! Damn him and that damn candle!'
"Why are they together anyway? He doesn't seem to be her type."
"On the surface, yes, but deep down there's an inner slacker in that red head. I think she's seen how hard her parents work and sees how unhappy they are. She then sees my slacker of a brother who's happy with what he's doing. With Daric back the Spiral may actually succeed."
"But they don't have anything in common."
"He enjoys her sense of humor. I've not seen him not know when she's joking. Her parents can't tell half the time whether she's being serious or not. Pizza?"
"Through drilling for oil?"
"For now." 'Why am I dating him? He's so much like Daria...,damn, am I looking for a male version of Daria because I'm actually wanting to date my best friend? Damn, that just sounds stupid thinking about it. It was Jessie's lack of intelligent conversation that drove me away from him, but Tom's getting old. I guess I should try being the smart one in the relationship again. Or at least stop Jessie from buying those damn candles.'

***

"Hello!" Helen Morgandorffer calls from downstairs of the Lane house.
'Damn it.' Daria thinks waking up. Normally she would sleep like a rock next to the rock that was Trent. In three minutes, she was dressed and quietly leaves Trent's room.
"Young lady, what were...," Helen starts but Daria stops her.
"Quinn's little friends are the reason I'm here. I can't stand them and Quinn doesn't want her cousin embarrassing her in front of some shallow idiots."
"Cousin?"
"That's right, cousin. No matter how hard you try not to let the Barksdale sibling rivalry spill into the next generation it won't work. That's why I'm here. Jane's my best friend no matter how much drama she goes through with Tom."
"You could have at least....,"
"Asked for permission? You would have said 'no' and told me to give those three air heads a chance."
Helen sighs in defeat. She would have a long talk with Quinn. "Be home tomorrow morning."
"Not staying at the hotel?"
"There was...,an incident." Helen starts, but says nothing more. Daria leans against the wall as her mother leaves. She then feels someone embracing her.
"Did we wake you?"
"Nah, probably you being gone woke me. I'm getting too use to you sleeping with me." Trent says with a smile.
"Then, let's return to oblivion."
"I'm sorry I ever doubted about you handling your mother."
"She's a shark, it's only natural you'd be scared of her. C'mon, back to our coffin." she says and Trent laughs.

Author's Ramblings

Phew, that's done. Damn, still no smut. I'm running out of ideas for this series. Read and review please.

1. From St. Anger

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablature for more info

3. This particular novel was required reading for me in my junior year of high school.