Author's Note: This is the fourth episode of my third season of the Back to the Future animated series. Let me warn you that there is no time travel in this episode, only a mishap caused by one of Doc's "wacky" inventions.
Disclaimer: I, Radioactive Nerd, do not own the Back to the Future animated series or any of the characters in the three movies. But I wish I could at least meet the Doc.
Hill Valley, California
June 27, 1992
3:02 PM
"Finally it is completed," Doc said as he finished off the final touches on his new invention. He had been working on this invention for more than a few weeks and had almost quit on it due to frustration but now he was glad he didn't.
It was a big invention that took up a reasonable section of the lab. It was purple in color and rectangular shaped. On each side there was one helmet connected to the machine with a cable. The left helmet, when worn, will allow the user to read the mind of the person wearing the other helmet. It was much more professional-looking than the mind reading helmet he had back in the fifties. And hopefully more efficient…
"But who can I test it with," Doc wondered aloud.
"Hey Doc," Marty said in an unusual tone. Doc was amazed how Marty showed up at exactly the right time. It was a good thing the teen was here too because Doc didn't want to go around town asking people to help with his experiement. His reputation as a mad scientist would sky rocket.
"Hello Marty," Doc said cheerily but Marty didn't return the mood. Doc noticed that the teen was looking angry about something as Marty was violently trying to shove his hoverboard in his back pack. It wouldn't go in so Marty threw the stupid thing off to the side. "Something wrong?"
"Something? How about everything!" Marty exclaimed and then calmed himself down. "Just college Doc. Mr. Strictland, you know how he's the dean now, well the jerk has been hounding me more than usual. He's hounding me about my grades, clothes, hair, band, and friends-"
Doc expression changed like Strictland was here in the lab insulting Marty about the teen's choice of companionship right in front of Doc.
"And that's not all," Marty said, his tone quickly picking up on his anger again. "My english professor keeps bugging me about my story writing. She is a big fan of my dad's books and she yells at me for not being as good as him. Believe me Doc, I work hard on my stories but to her they never reach my dad's level. So she always gives me a "D" no matter how hard I work."
"Well that's aweful Marty but I need your assistance with something," Doc said and motioned for his friend to come toward the new invention. Marty however stayed where he was and was a little shocked that Doc obviously didn't really care about his bad day. The scientist just shrugged him off and was more concerned with his work.
"Okay Doc," Marty said half-heartily. He put on the helmet Doc handed him and hooked it under his chin. Doc was wearing a similar helmet on his head with a cable attached to it which trailed behind him. The scientist typed some things in the controls and put his hand on the lever.
"Get ready Marty, I'm going to successfully read your mind," Doc said with a smile as he pulled the lever.
ZZZAAAPPP!
Both Doc and Marty couldn't really tell what had happened. There was a strange sound and then they felt like they blacked out for awhile. Doc opened his eyes and realized that he hadn't even read a thought of Marty's mind. Hurridly he stood up to see what had happened. He noticed that he suddenly was shorter…
"What in the name of Thomas Alva Edison did this machine do?" Doc asked aloud and then noticed his hands which were typing away at the controls. Doc's own hands were old and had a couple scars from failed experiments and inventions. But the hands he was looking at were young and scar-free. They looked an aweful lot like the hands of
Marty!
Doc grabbed a mirror and looked at his reflection aghast. He had, of course, expected to see his wide-eyed old self looking back at him but all he saw was Marty staring back at him in the mirror.
"Doc!" Marty's voice yelled from the other side of the room where the new invention was located. Marty was staring straight at Doc with his mouth open in the shape of an O. Doc was him! In Marty's clothes! No, in Marty's body! And Marty looked down to see that he was dressed in a light purple shirt, green pants, and a lab coat. What the heck?
"Doc you're me and I'm you!" Marty exclaimed, he still had his own voice.
"Great Scott! The machine must have malfunctioned and caused you and I to become disembodied and then interchange our minds," Doc said as he ran up to the machine, tripping over his shoelaces (well, technically Marty's shoelaces) and fell.
"Marty don't you ever tie your shoes," Doc asked annoyed and examined the invention that had switched them. He tried to set it back so they could switch back but the circuits and controls were fried from the electricity that zaped the machine. "Darn it! The circuits are fried, that means that we won't be able to switch bodies back."
"Oh man! What are we gonna do Doc? I don't want to be an old scientist for the rest of my life. No offense," said Marty.
"None taken," Doc said as he scratched his brown hair. "I too do not wish to be a short teenager. No offense."
"None taken," Marty said, though he knew this was a comback.
Doc paced back and forth in the lab and eventually came to a first decision. He decided that he would stay here and work on the machine so that they would be able to switch back. Doc estimated that he could have it fixed in three days if he worked continueously. Marty however protested that idea because the teen had two exams in the next days and he couldn't afford to fail out of junior college.
"Doc you're in my body so you have to be me for the next three days," Marty said. "You can work on the machine after school and everything. I'll be you and do whatever you do or were going to do for awhile."
"I suppose that plan will surfice," Doc said as he examined his broken invention again. "One more thing Marty, we can't tell anyone that this happened. Clara made me promise that I wouldn't cause any accidents in the lab or she'll make me bunk with Einstein in the dog house."
"Got it, and I or you won't tell Jennifer either," Marty said and then sighed. "Man this is like the worst time for this body swap to happen. What with my exams.."
"And my long list of things to do," Doc agreed. "But we'll have to go along with this until I have that blasted machine fixed."
Hill Valley, California
June 28, 1992
6:30 AM
Doc awoke at the sound of the alarm bell and got out of bed. At first he thought that yesterday's events had been a crazy dream he had in his delta phase of sleep but then he looked in the bathroom mirror and realized it was real. He was in Marty's body and Marty was in his.
After that Doc got ready for the day and left a house without a word to Marty's family. In the McFly driveway, Doc put down the hover board and tried to hop on it. He ended up flying backwords and bumped his head. How did Marty manage to ride this thing?
Doc ended up riding quite clumsily to the junior college and fell down about fifteen times. Once he reached the campus he shoved the hoverboard in his backpack and ran around the campus, trying to find the english classroom. English was Marty's first class today but Marty neglected to tell him where the class was. After about half an hour, Doc found the classroom.
"Well, well, well, Mister McFly finally decided to join us," Professor Carrell said as she stood in front of the black board with her arms crossed. She must be the educator Marty was complaining about yesterday. Doc thought. I can see why Marty doesn't like her.
"Yes I did and I have to say that I don't appreciate the snippy attitude Professor," Doc said as he crossed his own arms. Some of the other college students opened their mouths in surprise at what Marty (Doc) had said to the teacher. Professor Carrell widened her eyes a little but didn't give a remark. She just pointed agrily at Marty's desk and said in a stern voice: "SIT."
Doc obeyed the professor and sat down in the assigned seat which was next to Jennifer. The scientist took out his textbook and notebook, prepared to take notes for the lesson. Jennifer looked over at him, surprised that her boyfriend was actually prepared for school.
"Hi Marty," Jennifer said as she leaned in to kiss his cheek after making sure the teacher wasn't looking. Doc was surprised and disgusted with the kiss. Not that Jennifer was horrible but it felt incredibly weird and rude to have been kissed by his best friend's girl.
"Er...Jennifer please don't do that," Doc said as he moved his desk a little away from her. Jennifer looked at him with obvious surprise.
"Marty what do you mean?" Jennifer asked. "And what's with your voice? Do you have a cold or something?"
"Ah, yes a cold," Doc said and then faked a few coughs and a sneeze. "Nothing to worry about though Jen."
"Okay listen up class!" Professor Carell said as she clapped her hands. "We will be continuing our lesson for european writers. Starting off with the french science-fiction writer Jules Verne."
Doc immediatly sat upright in his seat and a smile formed across his face. Maybe today wasn't going to be so bad...
Marty woke up on the Brown family couch around 7:34, trying to convince himself that it was all a dream. No such luck. Whenever the teen looked down he saw the body of his best friend under the blanked that was laid over him. Last night Marty had decided to sleep on the couch because it would be very weird and uncomfortable to sleep in the same bed as Clara.
Just then Einstein came bounding into the living room and started licking Marty's feet. Einstein obviously thought that there was never a body trade and that Marty wasn't in Doc's body. Marty giggled a little as Einstein's pink tongue swiped the soles of his feet.
"Gross Einstein," Marty said. "You lick Doc's feet every morning and then lick my face with the same tongue." Gently, Marty pushed Einstein away.
"Father care to join us for morning norishment?" Jules asked as he entered the living room. The eleven-year-old was dressed in an old night shirt that he probably obtained in the 1880's.
"Sure," Marty said, being sure to do his best voice impersonation of Doc. as he tossed off the blanket and followed Jules into the kitchen. Clara and Verne were sitting at the table eating pancakes and a plate was set out for Marty.
"Morning Emmett, maple syrupe?" Clara asked as she held up a sticky bottle of Mrs. Butterfield's.
"No thanks," Marty said as he took a seat next to Verne, whom favored him with a strange face.
"Dad you slept in your clothes!" Verne said and Marty looked down. Indeed he was still dressed in Doc's clothes from yesterday including the lab coat.
"Yeah I guess I did," Marty said as he started eating the pancakes before him. As he was eating he realized that Jules was looking at him skeptically.
"How come I can't sleep in my clothes Mom?" Verne asked.
"Because people wear pajamas at night and sleeping in your day clothes gets them wrinkled," Clara said. "Don't even think about it Verne."
"Fine mom," Verne said and then looked out the window. "How long till I'm not grounded anymore?"
"Well your father and I were discussing that yesterday morning and..." Clara looked over at Marty to signal him to finish what she was saying. Marty panicked for a semi-second before thinking it out.
"And we decided that you've behaved yourself lately so... we're letting you off the hook," Marty said awkwardly and glanced over at Clara whom nodded. Wow that was lucky. Marty thought.
"Really? Yeeha!" Verne whooped as he got out of the kitchen chair and ran outside. Clara called out to him to put his dish away but Jules said he'd do it. Marty put his own dish away and went into the lab to get the list Doc had told him about.
Doc wasn't kidding when he said that the list was a long one. There must have been like thirty things the Doc had to do this week on there so Marty decided to do them in order.
"Okay so first thing is I have to pick up some groceries for Clara," Marty said aloud. He looked all over the lab for half an hour for the keys to Doc's van but couldn't find them. "I guess I'll walk."
The closest store that sold produce was Healthy Jack's Fruit and Vegetable Stand which was in Courthouse Square. Doc's house wasn't too far away from there so Marty managed to get there in enough time. Courthouse Square was busy even if you didn't count the tourists.
Marty walked around noticing that it was a nice day. As he walked, the teen noticed that alot of Hill Valley townsfolk were staring at him. This struck Marty as odd but then again he realized that he was in Doc's body.
Everyone that lived in Hill Valley thought that Doctor Emmett Lathrop Brown was a mad scientist. Teenagers and even adults spread rumors about him and kids used Doc as the villian in their scary stories they told on Halloween or at camp. Of course Jules and Verne often confronted the other kids about that. Even now that Doc was married and had an actual family, it seemed that Hill Valley still saw him as the town's official nutcase. A brand that would probably stay with him until he died.
Marty had always viewed this as unfair. The teen had usually managed to keep his cool in high school when other students (and Strickland) poked fun at Doc. Marty even managed to give his friend a head's up when he overheard other teens plans for a prank. But other times, people would say really bad things about his friend and Marty ended up getting into a few fights. Doc had told him once, when Marty had ended up with a black eye from a fight, that he did not care what other people thought of him and that Marty shouldn't either.
"Freak," Marty heard a teenage boy mutter as Marty walked past them. Then another boy next to the kid tripped Marty and caused him to fall on the ground and scrap an elbow. The two boys laughed and then ran away.
That was harsh. Marty thought as he went into the store.
Hill Valley, California
June 29, 1992
5:56 AM
Doc had decided to wake up early and go over to the lab to work on the machine. He had done quite alot of work last night on it but had to go back home because he had college at 9:00 sharp.
Doc did not take the hover board this time instead he took Marty's truck. That thing was just too difficult to ride and Marty made it look too easy. Doc arrived at his own house and went straight into the lab and started working on the machine that had switched him and Marty. He did as much as he could do with the machine and finally he told Marty that it would be completed when they obtained new circuits.
"I'll go down and get them," Marty said. "I... you I mean, have to go down there today anyway to pick up a new tool."
"I forgot about that!" Doc said. "Make sure Albert is the one that delivers the tool over to you. The other two young people that work their tend to leave rude notes in the box."
"You better get going Doc," Marty said as he checked one of his watches. "Class starts in an hour and all the good parking spaces get taken up fast."
The scientist rushed over to the junior college to find that Marty was right about the shortage of parking spaces. He ended up parking the truck pretty far away from his first class. Today however, Doc arrived to Marty's science class just on time.
"Now class," the teacher began as he passed out the exam, Doc immediatly started working on his. "Make sure that you write your names in neat penmanship with number two pencil only..."
"Sir I am finished," Doc said as he held up his exam. For a second Doc felt like he was young and in school again, holding up his completed assignment before the teacher could finish talking.
"Mister McFly you mean to tell me that you have completed the entire exam already?" the professor asked as he stared amazingly at Doc.
"Yes professor," Doc said as the teacher snatched the exam out of Doc's hands. Doc watched him read the answers, even stumbling on big terms Doc had used, and then look at the scientist with wide eyes. "Marty I had no idea you could work at this sort of level."
Doc's face fell.
Great scott, I'm supposed to act and perform similar to Marty because of this switch! I shouldn't have done that exam so fast and at my level...
"I don't... I mean I just gave lucky guesses," Doc said but he knew the science professor wasn't buying it.
"I see..." the professor said as he turned back to the lesson plan.
After class, Doc was strolling in the quad and reading the Jules Verne book that had been assigned to Marty for a book report. This was actually a peaceful moment for Doc until a big shadow hovered over him and he looked up to see Marty's least favorite classmate.
"Yo McFly heard you amazed Professor Fischer," Douglas Needles said as he knocked the book out of Doc's hands. "Didn't know you were a loser and a nerd!"
"Douglas why can't you just leave Mar- ...me alone," Doc snapped and tried to leave but Needles grabbed his jacket.
"You know what I do to nerds don't you?" Needles asked but before Doc could answer, the bully pulled the waistline of Doc's underpants up and over Doc's head. Doc yelped out loud and heard most of the young people in the quad break into laughter at his expense. Needles laughed cruelly before pushing Doc to the ground and walking away.
"Curse the pyschopathic child that created this type of physical abuse," Doc said as he fixed his underwear.
"Okay circuits, circuits, where are they?" Marty mumbled as he walked down another aisle of the Hill Valley hardware store. He carried Doc's new tool under one arm and was shifting through a barral of differnet wires when someone entered the store and went up to him.
"What do you think you're doing in public Brown?" Biff Tannan sneered. Marty turned around and saw that Biff had his son Biff jr. with him, whom was brandishing a spit ball straw.
"Yeah Brown what are ya doing here?" Biff jr. said.
"Biff I have just as much a right be in Hill Valley as you do," Marty said as he tried to leave but Biff shoved him backward.
"No you don't butthead," Biff began. "You're not like the rest of us. You're a freak. Freaks don't belong in Hill Valley at all understand? No one likes you here Brown or likes your family here. They're all freaks too, especially Jules and Verne. Right son?"
"Right dad," Biff jr. said.
Marty clentched his fists.
"Now if I was powerful and controlled Hill Valley, I would ship you off to a place where crazy freaks like you are locked up tight. Nice and safe away from the good people in this town. But untill then why don't you just make like a tree and get out of here."
And with that Biff pushed himself past Brown and headed toward the light bulb section. Biff jr. paused in following his father to blow a big spitball straight into Marty's face. The kid laughed then ran away to his father.
I can't believe people treat Doc this way. Marty thought. How come he never complaines about it?
Marty thought about this as he paid for the new circuits and left the hardware store.
Hill Valley, California
June 30, 1992
9:02 AM
"Hold you horses McFly," a stern voice came from behind Doc. The scientist had overslept a bit and was trying not to run late in getting to Marty's second exam. An exam that costed about a quarter of Marty's fnal grade. But now it looks like Strictland was going to become a detour.
"What sir," Doc said. He had never liked Strictland because the principal-now-dean was narrow-minded man whom was quick to judge Doc before even saying hello to him.
"Watch your attitude young man," Strictland warned as he walked up to Doc. "I want to tell you that I saw you heading to Doctor Brown's house yesterday and was appalled. Have you been listening to anything I've been saying at all? That so-called scientist is pyschotic and dangerous. I remember in the early sixties he burnt his own house down because he was desperate for money for bomb parts-"
"That's not true! I- he had an accident with some chemicals," Doc retorted but Strictland wasn't listening.
"All of Hill Valley always hears loud booms coming from his house, his inventions always cause accidents, his kids are rambunctious, he's married to a woman whom is half his age, he doesn't act his age, and-"
"THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH!" Doc barked. Strictland looked taken aback as Doc stomped off to get to Marty's important exam.
Doc arrived in time and listened to the professor dictate what they were suppose to do. This time he decided to start his test when everyone else did so he wouldn't be out of character. After about half an hour the teacher sat down at her desk and said they could begin.
The exam was a combined test of history and math. Doc reviewed all of the questions before he did the test and was surprised at how easy this exam was. Doc's pencil practically was smoking as he wrote down the correct answers in a matter of minutes. The scientist got up to hand his in but then something occured to him:
Wait a nano second Emmett. Doc thought. This is cheating. Marty is smart but not quite at my level. I can't hand in these answers because they are not ones Marty would give and passing this test for him is cheating. How can I do this without feeling guilty? Galloping Galileo this is difficult... wait! I could re-do the exam and strive for a grade Marty would get. B- seems like the best estimate.
Doc sat back down in his seat and erased his answers and did the test over again. It took some time and the scientist ended up being the penultimate student to finish. As Doc handed the exam in, the professor picked it up and scanned it with her eyes.
"Why Mister McFly this is hardly as good the work you did in Professor Fischer's class," the teacher said. But she put the exam in the big pile none the less and shoed Doc away.
At least I know the machine is home and we can switch back.
Marty had spent the day completing that stupid list of things to do. He did a load of laudry, took Jules and Verne to the dentist, dusted all of Doc's inventions, fix the curtian rod in the kitchen, and a couple other odd jobs around the house and lab. Actually completing that list took alot out of Marty so he slept through most of the late afternoon.
"Emmett, Emmett," Marty heard Clara call as she gently shook him. Marty opened his eyes to see his friend's wife leaning over him. "Marty's here."
"Finally!" Marty said as he sat up but Clara stopped him from leaving.
"Can I talk to you for a second," Clara said as she sat down next to Marty. "I, and Jules and Verne, have noticed that you have been acting quite odd these past few days. You're not like yourself and it seems like you're avoiding me. Emmett what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Marty answered but Clara wasn't giving up on the subject.
"Your fibbing," she said. "And another thing since when do you take naps? For all the time I've known you you have had the energy of a hyperactive five-year-old-"
"Uh... I'm coming down with something," Marty lied slowly and Clara felt his forehead. Her expression change as she detected a possible fever from his face.
"You better just see Marty for a little while and then go straight to bed," Clara said as Marty got up and hurried to the lab. Doc was waiting there with one of the helmets on and fiddling with the controls. When Marty entered he glanced up.
"Ready Marty?" Doc asked and after the teen put on his helmet.
"Definitely Doc," Marty said.
ZZZAAAPPP!
Doc and Marty opened their eyes and rushed over to the mirror. They were back in their original bodies! Doc was once again Doc and Marty was once again Marty.
"I can't express how great it feels to be back in my own body," Doc said and then noticed a throbbing pain coming from his left thumb. "Marty what happened to my thumb?"
"Oh I kind of missed with the hammer when I was fixing the cupboard," Marty said. "Sorry."
"That's all right," Doc said as he stretched, his body felt sore. Marty must have done everything on that list today. "Marty I think I owe you an apology."
"What do you mean Doc? We didn't have a fight," Marty said as the two took a walk outside.
"Well no we did not, but before we got into this mess you came to me to vent about your problems at junior college. I should have acted like a friend and listened to you and offer help but instead I ignored you and was too eager to show off my invention. I thought that you were just being a complainer but after being in your shoes, literally, I saw how hard it is. I guess that after all these years I forgot how difficult growing up is and for that I apologize." Doc said.
"Thanks Doc," Marty said, this was something he actually wanted to hear. "I'm sorry too. See I always thought that you kind of had it easy. No school or parents to tell you what to do but I learned that keeping a family afloat and taking the insults and stink eyes from everyone in Hill Valley is definitly hard work. And I only had to do it for a few days."
"There are times when it's hard," Doc admitted. "But most of the good times outweigh the bad. Speaking of bad, I ran into that Douglas Needles at college. I tell you Marty that kid needs to fall into a black hole!"
ZZZAAAPPP!
"Did you hear that?" Marty said and the two rushed into the lab. They saw that Jules was running around on all fours trying to catch an non-existing tail while Einstein was standing up on his hind legs and crossing his now arms.
"I don't think it worked," Jules' voice said from Einstein's body. Marty and Doc's heads turned over to the person with whom Jules was speaking to and saw that Verne was at the controls with his jaw dropped.
"Me neither," Verne said.
END