Hooray for Half the World's Population!

It's International Women's Day! That's...a pretty vague holiday, but I figure any excuse to celebrate is a good one. Especially if said celebration involves cake.

Seriously, though, the holiday has a pretty interesting history. Check out the Wikipedia article linked above if you're interested! (Also, please note that chocolate is a common Women's Day gift in both Russia and Albania. I am behind this tradition 100%.)

Fanfic Update!

• Bound to Highland, by RLobinske (part 7): "Daria found that she had easily slipped into the role of surrogate mother while Quinn almost as easily accepted the role in return. Their old rivalry of years before had almost vanished, dispelled over the years by divorce and death. They were survivors. They were sisters."


• Cole Barksdale, by Cap (part 3): "'That's Stefana Petriceicu,' I said taking care that my voice did not carry further than Daria's ears. 'Who...,' Daria began before stopping. Her brow puckered in thought briefly as she finished her drink. 'I know that name from somewhere.' 'Gun-for-hire,' I supplied."


• Daria/The Mask: My Big-Head Girl, by Erin M. (part 2): "LI: GOOD LORD! (Through the smoke comes Daria, be-Masked, dressed in riot gear. She holds a large pump action shotgun and fires rounds in every direction) DARIA: CODE RED! FULL ALERT! CONDITION MAUVE! COMMENCING OPERATION: HOLY SHIT WHAT DO WE DO NOW?!"


• For Better or For Worse, For Richer or For Poorer, by Kristen Bealer (COMPLETE!): "Brian drew his arms back and let them drop to his sides. 'Well, you see, I still have a few friends in Intelligence who could pull some strings and track down some leads, and I called them up and—' 'Bullshit!' Erin spat the word at him, temper flaring. 'You really think I bought that lame "I got fired" story? You've never been a secret agent and I was stupid to believe you in the first place!' Pieces began fitting together in her mind. 'Someone told you I was here! Someone—goddammit!'"


• Free Day (Iron Chef: Guilty Pleasures Redux), by Cap (COMPLETE!): "Daria did not reply. She remained, listening at her sister's footfalls as Quinn bounded down the stairs. When she heard the front door close, she tossed aside Sartre and rolled out of bed springing over to the window. Below her Quinn with large canvas bag hanging from one shoulder, hurried down the sidewalk in the direction of her friend Stacy's house. Daria frowned slightly at the bag but did not think much of it. Something else was on her mind. Despite her need, Daria forced herself to wait. Quinn might have forgotten something and return. The minutes ticked by. No sister. "


• The Future We Choose/Anticipate This, by psychotol (part 2): "'BEFORE you attempt to lie to me, you need to know that my friend here has enhanced smell, and she's smelling a number of individuals who stole a shipment of fissionable material yesterday, so by lying to us, you're aiding terrorists, and we still have lots and lots of lovely Federal prisons that you could visit on the government's dime! The food's great - and you'll love the nightlife. Now, who did this truck come from?' asked Julia."


• Here Without You, by Hyrin (COMPLETE!): "In her dorm room at Raft, Daria lay on her bed counting the cracks in the ceiling. It had been almost 3 months since she had moved to Boston, and Jane had been unable to visit during that time. She was working two jobs to save up enough money to see her through after her parents had been unable to give any assistance with her tuition at BFAC."


• The James Lane Chronicles Chapter 5, by InvisibleDan (part 5): "Somehow, with funereal atmosphere around them, he was actually beginning to feel sorry for Tommy Sherman. This was the first time since he heard Tommy was dead that James felt truly sad. But there was something else, too, a feeling he couldn't place that had to do only slightly with the events that had happened."


• Legends Of The Metal, by TheExcellentS (part 14): "Tom's words faded as the pain intensified. He curled into a ball to try and repress the pain. Suddenly, he let out a cry of terror as bony stalks broke through his skin, out his back and through his clothes. They grew until they were almost as big as his entire body, before they unfurled in a gruesome flourish. Tom was now sporting wings."


• Life After Highland (Iron Chef: Lawndale State), by LadieT (part 20): "'Daria was supposed to be taller. Damn uranium in the drinking water in the town we grew up in stunted her growth. My mom won a lawsuit against the city, but it is being appealed,' Quinn's voice dropped. 'Are you okay? Did it cause something to happen to you?' Stacy asked. Quinn bit her bottom lip and nodded her head slightly. 'I can't have children, neither of us can.' 'Damn,' Andrea sighed."


• Mad Dog's Legacy Chapter 4: angst.lawndale.com, by Hyrin (parts 2 and 3): "Jane watched this all happen from the booth, then walked over to Mack. 'Mack, what the hell was that?' 'What?' he asked, genuinely confused. 'Your girlfriend just tripped Daria, and you blamed Daria for it. Nice going, hero.' Without another word, she walked away." (Part 3)


• Meowlody Powers in Fruit of Evil (Write-off Challenge 9, Round 1), by Dennis (COMPLETE!): "The two cats, meanwhile, moved warily toward each other until they were nose to nose. 'Maiow mew,' said the white cat. Ah, Meowlody Powers. I had hoped for a fitting challenge. Don't think you can stop me, though. 'Murr thhhk,' said the black. We meet again, Agent Doom. You won't succeed this time, anymore than you have in the past."


• Mr. and Mrs. Danielson, by ticknart (COMPLETE!): "'She'll tell your mom,' he said. 'Your mother will be there waiting for us. If she's not on the plane, she'll be at the hotel, or the train platform, or something we go to see. She'll be there. And she'll bring some jackass with her. Or worse, she'll pick up some Eurotrash who's younger than you are.' Her eyes narrowed and her smirk broadened into a toothy grin. She looked downright devious. 'I have an idea,' she said, sounding devious, too."


• Promises, by LadieT (part 9): "Amy gently wrapped her arms around the five-year-old. 'I'm worried about your mommy, too. That's why I came here, so that I can stay with your mom while you, Aunt Daria, and Aunt Jane can say goodbye to your dad. Did you know I was just a couple of years older than you when my dad died?' Cleo shook her head. 'How did he die?' 'Car crash - like yours.'"


• Screams of Silence, by Jim North: "As I try to get back up, the rest of the floor suddenly joins its inexplicably exploding section as another jolt shakes everything under me. I manage to stay up on one knee and have to throw my arms up to protect my face from the flying splinters. When things seem to start calming down, I pull my arms down and gawk as I get back on my feet."


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guilty Pleasures Redux), by fdacero (COMPLETE!): "Trent parked his car in front of his house. He did a little review to see if there was anything to preserve into the passanger seat. 'It's ok, there is no evidence at all' he thought before he enters in the kitchen of Casa Lane."


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guilty Pleasures Redux), by Hyrin (COMPLETE!): "'Trent, I'm staying over at Daria's this weekend. I'll see you Monday, ok?' 'Ok, Janey. Have fun.' The band listened for the door to close, then Trent asked, 'What do you think, guys? Once more, from the top?'"


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guilty Pleasures Redux), by Ray (COMPLETE!): "Sandi stretched up at her clothes closet, pulling the upper right shoebox out. Taking it to her bed and placing it at the foot, she quickly glanced to make sure her door remained shut and lifted off the lid. 'The Prince' sat on top, and she started taking it out before stopping herself and frowning. 'Am I becoming a geek? I'm reading now, and enjoying it.'"


• Unnamed story (Iron Chef: Guilty Pleasures Redux), by respite (COMPLETE!): "'Skinny, I swear to Christ I’ll leave your pasty ass right there!' 'Coming, Janet, darling! Just a minute – I’m not dressed yet!'" (Continued here)


• Where Do We Go From Here?, by LadieT (COMPLETE!): "Jane felt content lying there, next to the only person she felt ever understood her. Despite the other person being completely oblivious to her thoughts, Jane was comforted by Daria's arm being around her waist. She felt loved, though she doubted that Daria felt the same. Hell - Daria was sleeping way too heavily to even realize what she was doing."


• Yawning For The Past, by Operculum (COMPLETE!): "Daria returned her gaze to the Manifest Destiny text, but her thoughts were clouded. Her recollection of the Count's quote had made her uncomfortable. Historians can just as easily be myth-makers, what would the Count have thought of their words being employed in an academic debate? Is that all the analysis of the past is useful for, propping up X viewpoint of the moment? Can we ever draw solutions from the past to solve present-day problems?"