End of the Future, chapter 21
Back to the Past

Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I am doing wrong (to correct it).

Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Future site of Tokyo-3
Almost Directly Above the Future Site of Terminal Dogma
And the "LCL Production Plant"
1986

As the former pilots returned to where their two friends had already set the picnic, they noticed Marty making strange movements with his hands. Both Shinji and Asuka knew what he was doing, but Rei didn't, not having been near Lt. Aoba during boring periods of time.

"What are you doing?" She asked without any malice in her even voice.

Marty stopped, smiled at her, and said, "Playing air guitar." Looking at her uncomprehending eyes, he hurried to add, " Ah, um… I play the guitar with a garage band, The Pinheads, I thought it would be a hassle to bring my guitar, so I'm practicing the finger movements."

"I see. Continue, please."

Jennifer snickered, as Marty proceeded, making funny faces as of he was in the middle of a concert. She knew Marty had the talent and drive, he only needed the chance. Though for the moment, the teen had put his dream in hiatus, until they could cancel the Apocalypse (1).

Jennifer passed plates to the group, and she and Shinji served the food. Simple sandwiches, boiled eggs, salad, and watermelon slices. Shinji looked at the fruit for a long time.

"Something wrong, buddy?" Marty asked.

"N-no… it's just that… a friend of mine grew watermelons back in our time. He…" Shinji gulped, "he never got the chance to harvest them."

Asuka bit cautiously on her own slice. "Well, let's make sure Geek Stooge gets the chance this time, okay?" (2)

Shinji seemed about to say something, but kept silent, and to cover his hesitation, bit on his slice, savoring the sweet taste of the fruit. He nodded to Asuka.

"Say, Shinji, You play the cello, right?" Marty asked, curious about the big instrument.

"Yeah, but Im not very good with it."

"Don't let this fool undersell his playing. He is way better than he gives himself credit for. He handles the German classics quite acceptably." Asuka took another bit of her fruit. She was about to continue, but she suddenly blushed crimson and changed subject. For some reason, Shinji did the same three seconds later.

"I… I… I mean it," she returned to the subject, still blushing, "He plays Bach's Cello suite Nr. 1 with nary a wrong note."

Marty scratched his head, "Is that one hard to play?"

Asuka huffed, "Very."

Shinji raised a finger, "A-and I'm out of practice anyway. I just brought the cello back because it's the only valuable thing I have that I could sell if needed."

Slowly, Asuka turned her head towards him. His inexistent spider sense tingled alarmingly. "Don't. You. Dare." She said, in a dangerously low voice. Rei put a hand on Asuka's forearm for a moment. The German-raised girl exhaled, her anger defused. She shook her head. "Sorry. It's… it doesn't matter. Third, get back in form, then you will play it again, for me. Is that understood?"

"Um…" he stumbled on his words.

Asuka sighed, "It would mean a lot to me." She stared at him, blue eyes on blue eyes. "Please."

A silent, private message passed between the two. "Understood." He said.

Crisis averted, Marty took upon himself to get the mood back up. "I know it's not the same, but have you ever played the double bass?"

Shinji's right eyebrow raised, "No..?"

"Okay, I think you should try, I know it's not the classics, but an acquaintance of mine played a mean bass in 1955, and maybe that's what The Pinheads need." He nodded to himself.

"And my parents' anniversary is coming. Dad wants to surprise her with the songs from the dance where they had their first kiss."

Knowing the story, Jennifer frowned, "Does your Mom know you played at that dance?"

"We will tell her long before the party. We have enough time for rehearsal, and get our pal Shinji back in form."

Asuka nodded approvingly. "You wanted to socialize, Shinji, this is your chance."

Rei added, "I agree. We can't dedicate all our time to prevent the Impacts. Uncle Emmet said we will need months to analyze the data Lisa brought from the future. It would be a good use of our free time."

Marty served the last glasses of soda, "I guess you got yourself a new hobby, Shinji."

"Um… yeah." He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

Narita International Airport
Japan
Next day

"(It was a pleasure to visit your beautiful country. Tagawa-San.)" George McFly bowed respectfully to the guide assigned by the animation studio. "(We will certainly come back in the near future.)"

"(We are happy to host you and your family, McFly-San.)" the guide answered, "(We look forward to your next visit.)"

The deal had been made, to both parts satisfaction, and the movie would be released in two, three years at most. George's agent would coordinate things from the USA, but only the legalities. Creative matters would include George's input.

"(Your vehicles have been loaded into the cargo plane, along with the props for your Studio.)"

"(Very appreciated, Tagawa-San.)"

"(If you would indulge an old man's curiosity, what will you do with so many computer props?)"

"(Ah, they are mostly to put forward our… um… I'm not sure what's the right word, "Creed"? "Credit"?)"

"(Reputation?)"

"(Yes! We want to show what we are able to achieve.)" George exclaimed with enthusiasm:

San Francisco, California, USA
San Francisco International Airport
Next Day

Doc was the first to see the trucker waiting at the cargo area. "Mr Burton, I guess."

The man stood up from the plastic seat, dropping the magazine he was reading. "Dr. Brown?" He shook Doc's hand enthusiastically. "Nice to meet you! Dr. Spengler contacted me to get your stuff to Hill Valley, the truck is ready and waiting." (3)

Meanwhile, the rest of the group milled around, stretching their legs and getting rid of the crinks acquired during the long transatlantic flight and their time at customs. Jennifer accompanied her Aunt Marsha (4) to the public phones, from where they called Jennifer's parents. The trip to Hill Valley would take a while, at the moment, the charter airlines were busy, the few available were not exactly reputable, so both Doc and George decided it would be better to wait.

Doc nodded at Burton, "Excelent! We only have to wait until our cargo is checked by customs, and we will manage the load."

Burton pulled his cap up, "That will take a couple of hours more. Would you mind if I grab something to eat while they work?"

"Not at all, Mr. Burton, I think we will do the same." He looked around, "There's a good Chinese restaurant around? I've heard that truckers know the best places to eat."

Burton's face lit up. "Totally true. As Jack Burton always says, 'If you wanna find the best grub, follow da truck.' If you guys have a couple of hours to kill, I happen to know a very good place in Little China with the very best Spring Rolls in the whole West Coast." He looked at his watch, "If we hurry, we can eat before the midday rush. The owner is a good friend of mine and I get a discount." He smiled sheepishly, "I also get a comission."

"Glad you said it." Doc acknowledged. "I'd be worried if you didn't get a commission." He motioned Burton to follow, "George, this is Mr. Jack Burton, he will transport our cargo to Hill Valley." After the introductions and proposal, the group agreed to eat at Little China.

Hill Valley, California, USA
Brown Industries HQ
Dr. Spengler's Office

The computer screen showed a tangle of tubes (5), constantly growing until the screen was almost full, only to be wiped and begin anew.

The screen fizzled into static for a moment, before a very small figure appeared in the tangle of tubes. She looked around, and after she determined that the office was empty at the moment, grew to a more comfortable size, while the tubes kept on growing and disappearing behind her.

"So, this is the place, Doc." Lisa LeBrook yawned teathrically, "I thought jet lag only happened to other people."

San Francisco, USA
Chinatown
Wang's

The group enjoyed a tasty and filling lunch in the almost empty restaurant. Occasionally, Wang Chi, the owner of the restaurant, or his wife, Miao Yin, chatted with them for a minute or two. In the kitchen, the activity was frantic, as the bus was about to arrive.

The big tourist bus stopped noisily at the door almost on time, and a group of tourists, wearing the stereotypical tourist clothes, sunglasses, and cameras hanging from their necks began to take seats at the tables. The guide, a rotund little man with a receding hairline an mismatched eyes, motioned the mass of tourists to the tables. While the tourists ordered, Jack waved at the man, "Egg! Come here!"

"Egg?" Asuka asked.

"Egg Shen, Miss." He shrugged as he sat down at the end of the big table, right next to Shinji, and oposite to Rei and Asuka. "Very old and traditional name, Shen." He smiled conspiratorially. "Welcome to Chinatown."

He looked strangely at the three former pilots. "Your path is long and winding, I can see." He nodded. "Your thread is like that serpent devouring its own tail. And your burdens are very heavy."

"Egg, don't scare my friends."

Jovially, the man snapped out of his strange mood. "They don't scare easily, Jack. Whatever I could say or do is nothing compared to the trials they have already faced. Their shadows whisper to me, and the shadows never lie."

Asuka and Shinji exchanged a glance, but it was Rei who spoke. "Mr. Shen." She nodded respectfully at the man.

"Miss..?" He asked.

"Ayanami. Rei Ayanami." She tilted her head towards her companion, "My friend, Asuka Langley Soryu." And looked at the Third Child, "and my brother, Shinji Ayanami."

Doc watched the exchange with curiosity.

Jack Burton looked around, nervously. "Egg? Are we in trouble?"

"No. Not now, the storm gathers, but the thunder is a long way to come. And it won't hit here, not directly, I think."

He stood up. "I can't help you with this, it's too big for this old man. But I will impart, if you allow me, a bit of advice." The teens leaned forward to listen. "Enjoy your lives. You have earned them." Satisfied, he nodded, and his bulging right eye seemed to sparkle for a moment.

Rei nodded, and a moment later, her two companions did the same.

"That's it? Egg! Really? No mystic warnings? No dire portents?" Jack's face held a weird expression

"Not this time, Jack." Egg patted the trucker's shoulder. "I need to eat something and then go back to work. It's late and I need to go back to the tour. Meanwhile, I have a bit of advice for you. No mystic warning, no dire portent, just common sense." He paused, "Drive safely." He looked at the pilots, "Thats the thing you should worry about now."

Author's Notes:

(1) Though Pacific Rim is very far from 1985, I love that quote.

(2) Shinji means Ryoji Kaji, AFAIK, Asuka didn't know about his watermelon patch, Misato certainly did, as Kaji mentioned it in his last voice message. Asuka thought that Toji was not the kind to grow plants, so she assumes Shinji is referring to Kensuke.

(3) The trip to Japan didn't require extra transport, Dic and George drove the DeLorean and the Toyota to the Airport. Now, they have a lot of computers to transport, plus the two vehicles, hence, Doc contacted Egon to arrange transport.

(4) I forgot to mention her during the Japan chapters, she was mostly accompanying Lorraine. As Jennifer and Marty were chaperoned by Doc and George when out of her sight, she was not worried.

(5) I'm not sure when that particular screen saver was introduced, but I really liked it, so, here it is.