The Festival

Daria and Jane are at Beanfest 2000, a one-off festival only notable for the
fact that <shock> Mystik Spiral are playing!  Several other familiar faces
from Lawndale High are present, including Quinn and the fashion club,
attending only to pass judgement on the "fashion disasters" they expect to see
at the festival.

Daria & Jane are near the entrance, checking the programme to see what stage
Mystik Spiral are appearing on.

Jane: "Hmm... there's the Alternative Stage... and there's Mystik Spiral, on
the... Alternative Alternative Stage.  Wow."

Daria: "Hmm... isn't the alternative to alternative, like, normal music?"

Jane: "Well, Trent's playing so I very much doubt it..."

Mystik Spiral aren't on until two pm, so Daria & Jane sit down to wait for the
first band.  Meanwhile, Quinn and the fashion club are checking out a tie-dye
clothing stall.

Sandi: (holding up a very brightly coloured shirt) "Oh yuck, these clothes are
so 1969."

Old hippy stallholder: "Of course they are, they're Woodstock leftovers.
Still got the original mud on them too!"

(Cries of "Urghh!" from the fashion club)

Quinn: (admiring a t-shirt) "Oh I don't know, doesn't tie-dye come back every
year or something?"

The fashion club members' eyes burn into Quinn who, recognising her faux pas,
drops the t-shirt and turns away to hide her blushes.

Meanwhile, Trent is wandering around the site.  He sees Daria & Jane and walks
over.

Jane: "Yo Bro"

Daria: "Hi Trent"

Trent: "Hello Sis, hi Daria"

Jane: "So you decided on the set list yet?"

Trent: "Yeah, <cough cough>, we're gonna start with a cover."

Jane: "A cover version?"

Trent: "Yeah, just to win over the crowd, you know.  We're gonna do
'Interstellar Overdrive'."

Daria: "The Pink Floyd song?"

Jane: "That's a nine minute instrumental."

Daria: "At 2pm?  Do you want to win them over or scare them?"

Trent: "Oh, well... maybe we won't.  You got any other ideas?"

Jane: "You could try 'Debaser'.  That's a good one."

Daria: "How about 'Paranoid Android'?"

Jane: (smirking) "'Steal My Sunshine'?!"

Trent: "Thanks, we'll think about it.  Here, have these backstage passes."

Daria: "Wow, does this allow me entry into the annals of groupiedom?"

Jane: "Heheh."

Elsewhere, Quinn has been wandering around alone, after being ostracised by
the fashion club for her "bad taste" on the tie-dye issue.  After giving her a
few minutes to come back to her senses, they come and find her.

Sandi: "Hey Quinn, we forgive you, like, the sun probably obscured your view,
or something."

Quinn: "Yeah, that's what it was, the sun."

Quinn and the fashion club walk off, hoping to find other fashion mistakes to
correct.

Meanwhile, back to Daria & Jane...  The first band are on stage.  They are
Small Print, Tucson's finest string quartet/punk band.  Daria & Jane are
sitting on the grass, way back from the main part of the crowd.  Both are
tapping their feet in time to the music.

Daria: "This isn't bad."

Jane: "No, it's not.  You wanna join the moshpit?"

Daria: "I'm not one for mental closeness.  What makes you think I'd go for
physical closeness?"

Jane: "It was just an idea...  You know what strikes me as weird?"

Daria: "What?"

Jane: "For the past five minutes you've actually been close to smiling.  Do I
detect a hint of 'having fun' about you?"

Daria: "Maybe.  I don't know why, but I kinda like this.  I abhor violence,
and here are a load of people I could connect with, if I wanted to.  Which I
don't, of course."

Jane: "Of course." (looks around) "Yeah, it's peaceful, but they're not doing
anything."

Daria: "Well, maybe that's what we need in the world...  A little laziness
here and there and there'd be less trouble.  I read this quote by Pascal the
other day - 'the sum of evil would be greatly reduced if man could only learn
to sit quietly in his room'.  I think that applies here."

Jane: "So you're saying 'YES' to the apathy vote?  I like that!"

Daria: "So do I.  Hey, let's go crazy, why not buy some beads?"

Jane: "Heheh.  Are you sure you won't regret it in the morning?"

Daria: "Well, that's tomorrow.  Right now I wanna buy beads."

Daria & Jane head to the nearest stall selling bead necklaces.  Daria goes for
the simple round wooden bead option, while Jane goes for the rainbow spangle
option.

Jane: "In case we get lost in fog, you understand?"

Daria: "Implicitly, I do understand."

No sooner have Daria & Jane put their necklaces on than there is a loud shout
from behind.  They both turn around quickly.  It is Quinn and the fashion
club.

Quinn: "Oh Daria, that necklace!"

Daria: "I happen to like it.  For once in your lives could all of you see fit
to leave me alone?  I'm almost having fun here."

Sandi: "Oh no, Quinn's cousin, you misunderstand.  That necklace is so
understated."

Daria and Jane both raise their eyebrows.

Quinn: "Yes Daria, understated accessorising is the new thing.  Oh my, I can't
believe you're actually in fashion!"

Daria: "Neither can I.  Well, don't bet on it lasting...  We've gotta go.
Bands to see, people to avoid."

At the Alternative Alternative Stage, Trent has just walked on, guitar in
hand, and approached the mike.  Daria and Jane lead the applause.

Daria: "Oh good, we're just in time."

Jane: "He's been looking forward to this all week."

The girls, along with the rest of the crowd, wait for the rest of Mystik
Spiral to come on.  After a couple of minutes, Trent goes offstage, then
returns.

Trent: "Er, <cough cough>, the van carrying the rest of the band has broken
down.  I guess the gig's off.  Sorry."

Trent walks offstage again, this time rather gloomily.  Daria & Jane rush
round to the backstage area.

Jane: "Yo Bro, sorry to hear the bad news."

Trent: "Well, it's okay I s'pose.  Couldn't think of an opener anyway."

Jane: "You were so looking forward to it."

Trent: "Well, Mystik Spiral can do better than this anyway."

Jane: "Course they can, that's the spirit."

Trent: "Erm, I've got a lift home.  You staying or do you want to come with
me?"

Daria: "What's there to stay for?  Mystik Spiral were the only reason we
came."

Trent: "Heheh, cool.  Hey Daria, I really like that necklace."

Daria: (takes off the necklace) "Here, Trent, you can have it."

Trent: "Thanks."

They walk over to a car where one of Trent's friends is waiting to give them a
lift.

In the car on the way home, Daria and Jane sit in the back.

Jane: "That was very generous of you Daria.  He may not have showed it, but he
was very upset he didn't get to play."

Daria: "I know, but that's not why I did it.  I like that necklace."

Jane: "Why then?  If you like it so much, why'd you give it away?"

Daria: "Because I almost had fun today, and that necklace would have been a
constant reminder!"

Jane: "Cute, Daria, very cute."

Fade to black as the car drives into the sunset...  The credits role to the
tune of "Woodstock" performed by Matthew's Southern Comfort.  Altogether now:
"We are stardust, we are golden..."