End of the Future, Part 28
Driven
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).
Personal Note: the chapter is a little short too, I'm still stuck with RL stuff. Nothing actually bad, just urgent and inconvenient.
Hill Valley, California, USA
McFly Home
Early next day
"It was really fun, Asuka! We were just regular people, facing an otherworldly menace as best we could!" Shinji said, with a previously unknown enthusiasm, while the redhead folded clean clothes just ironed.
"So, like we did back at Tokyo-3?" She answered, raising an eyebrow.
A shadow crossed Shinji's face for a moment. He shook it off. "No, no. We were acting by our own iniciative, well, our characters did. And we had nothing special as weapons or armor. Marty's character was a private detective, so he had a gun and a blackjack, and Bobby had a cop, but he was on holiday, so he had just a small gun; but that was it."
Asuka raised her other eyebrow. "What kind of graphics does that game has? I thought this time still had very basic stuff. I swear, Third, if you have taken one of the Tokyo-3 computers we brought I'll tell Uncle Emmet!"
"It has no graphics at all! It's not a computer game!" He said proudly. "It's just paper and pen. Just imagination! You see, Lee describes the scene, and asks what our characters do. Then he describes what happens and so on. Sometimes, we have to roll dice to know what happens. It's great!" (1)
Before Asuka could answer, Rei entered the room, preceded by an energetic ball of fur (2). "It seems Einstein is ready for his walk. Have you seen his leash?"
"Ah, I have it! It's my turn today!" Shinji exclaimed. "Easy, boy!" He tried to control Einy's enthusiasm as he put the leash on the collar, but the dog was just too excited. Finally, he managed to get him out before he could step on the clothes Asuka had just folded. "See you later!"
Once the brown-haired boy was out, Rei commented. "He has really taken to Einstein, doesn't he?" Not even she, avatar of Lilith, could resist the eagerness of the scruffy looking dog.
Asuka nodded, motioning Rei to sit down on the bed. "He missed Pen-Pen before Uncle Emmet, Marty and Jennifer rescued us." She shook her head, her now shorter hair barely hitting her shoulders. "I know Misato entrusted him to Hikari, did he… um… when Instrumentality…?" She didn't want to say it. Had Pen-Pen been left alone to starve when everybody was tanged?
"He entered Instrumentality." Rei said with a bit of emotion. "His paradise was very simple, from the glimpse I had of it. He was very happy living with Misato, Shinji and you at Misato's apartament; Interestingly, you and Shinji were a happy couple in his paradise."
Asuka deflated. "Damn bird… he was shipping us?"
Rei took a blouse from the unfolded pile, and studied it for a moment. "You two are in a unique position to each other. You are best suited to understand each other's pain." She passed the blouse to Asuka. "Even if you don't enter in a romantic relationship; I think you could gain so much if you are willing to confide in each other."
"…"
"He knows, Asuka. Most of what made you what you are now, made him too. He is just as broken as you are, as am I. We just broke in different ways. However, I cannot understand your suffering, nor you mine. Not really. Our circumstances are too different."
Asuka sat down on the bed, still holding the blouse. Her fingers tight on the fabric. She lowered her head, and her shoulders shook minutely.
"I…" Rei whispered, "i am sorry for disturbing you. I will take my leave now."
The blue haired girl stood up, and before she could cross the threshold, she heard a tiny voice. "…Stay… …I… I don't wanna be alone…"
Silently, Rei closed the door and sat down on the bed, next to her former rival.
Meanwhile, Shinji walked Einstein around the block, a plastic bag ready to collect the evidence of their passing. At the opposite side of the McFly home, he found George and Doc. Einy barked excitedly at the sight of Doc.
"Einstein!" The scientist exclaimed happily, while Shinji was practically dragged behind the dog. "You're a good boy!" Doc scratched him behind the ears, while the dog's tail threatened to fly off any moment, barking happily. "Yes! You are a good boy! You are!"
George slapped Shinji's shoulder. "Hey, kid! We have good news! We managed to convince the current owners to sell us the house!"
Doc raised his head, still playing with Einstein. "They will be resettled at a newer house. I want to move in as soon as possible, so I'll be paying for the move. The house will be ours by the end of the week! George and I will tear down the fence between the two properties to make a big backyard and a small workshop or studio for you kids."
"That's great, Uncle Emmet!" Shinji said, Doc smiled warmly at the boy.
"Indeed!" An alarm sounded in Doc's right wrist, followed by another in his coat pocket. "Ah! Time for you to get to school!"
"Sure! I got my stuff ready, and packed bento boxes for all of us!"
"All of us?" George asked.
Shinji counted his fingers, "Rei, Marty, Jennifer, Asuka and myself. I used some stuff from the fridge, I hope you won't mind, I left a note for Asuka for her to take hers to Uncle Emmet's lab."
George smiled warmly, "Of course I don't mind! Unless things have changed a lot, the school food is still tasteless, and mostly unidentifiable!"
Doc looked at him for a moment and turned back to Shinji. "Anyway, it's time for you to go back to the school. Do you need a ride?" His van was parked in front of the house.
Shinji checked his watch, "No need, it's still early. I have my backpack ready. As soon as I leave Einstein at home, I'll join the others."
"Ah, just leave Einy with me, I'll get him home. Now go on and I'll see you all after school. I am expecting somebody for our movie effects front. He's between contracts and I asked him to bring some of his work."
"Right! See you later, Uncle Emmet! Mr. McFly!" He put Einy's leash in Doc's hand, and left.
Seeing him go, George commented, leaning on his cane. "He has come far from the nervous wreck he was back at Japan."
Doc,s face turned grim. "He is putting his best face, George; don't let this façade fool you. I asked Ray his opinion as a psychologist. According to him, all three have made a good amount of progress, but are still a long way from healing completely. We must watch over them for a good while."
"I see. Lorraine has been mothering them just as much as she did with Dave."
"Your big boy?"
"Yeah. It's like she is back to being a first-time mother. Sometimes I worry she might smother them."
"Hmm… it might be just what they need. Neither had a good family life growing up. Especially Rei. She was raised practically to be a suicidal robot!" Doc's fingers tightened on Einy's leash. The dog scratched Doc's leg, trying to help. Doc relaxed, and resumed his scratching on Einstein's ears.
"You know I'm not a violent man, Doc, but I'd probably make an exception for Gendo Ikari." He looked away. "He's about ten years old now, doesn't he?"
"By a rough estimate, yes. I think so."
"Strange to think that that monster was a child once. That right now, he is just a child." George shook his head. "Let's go. The realtor will come in…" he looked at his watch, "ten minutes."
On the way to Hill Valley High School
The group walked leisurely towards the school, talking and laughing and planning the day.
Neither noticed the pair of blue eyes watching them cross the street from the inside of the drugstore. The owner of those eyes studied the group avidly.
Tiff Tannen licked her lips. The Japanese boy looked like a good prospect. Small, docile, not too strong.
Perfect!
The stocky girl blew a bubble of pink gum, until it popped satisfactorily.
A lopsided grim emerged on her mouth.
Rei barely registered the way to school, deep in though about Asuka's behavior. It had lasted only a few minutes, but it was disconcerting to watch the former pilot go through a cathartic episode.
Nothing noisy, unlike what she would have expected.
The German-raised girl had simply sobbed quietly for a few minutes.
When she recovered her composure, Asuka wiped his eyes of unshed tears, and looked at Rei. Their looks said everything that needed to be said. No need for words.
Rei stood up, and went out of the room, while Asuka went back to folding clothes.
Both had a small smile on their faces.
At the other side of the street, Shinji Ayanami stopped for a moment, and looked around.
Had he ever read a Marvel Comic, he would probably say "My spider sense is tingling." Though he chose to think it was due to Rei's deep silence. His sister had something in mind, and even at her most communicative, she was a very private person.
Back at the McFly house, Asuka sat at the table with Lorraine. Her host served a big breakfast that could actually compete with Shinji's best efforts at international cuisine. She reserved a plate for her husband, and another for Doc. Normally, they would eat breakfast together, but with the new house Doc was buying, they didn't know when they would be home.
At first, Asuka had been a bit mistrustful of the McFly matriarch, but Lorraine had a simple and direct charm that was gradually eroding Asuka's walls.
She would never replace Mama in her heart, but was making her own place instead. Much like a beloved Aunt.
Asuka almost choked on a bit of waffle when she realized this. Immediately, Lorraine was behind her, hitting her back with firm strokes, until Asuka breathed normally again.
"Are you okay, dear?" Lorraine asked, worry etched in every feature of her face.
Asuka nodded, "I am now. Thanks." And she meant it.
Road to Hill Valley
A big, blue-grey, boxy truck ate miles at a steady pace. The sides displayed a colorful sign that read "F/X" in bold letters. The driver was a tall, lean man, with wavy dark hair, narrow face, cleft chin, and a very intense look in his eyes. Rollie Tyler, master of special effects.
Behind him, his helper and apprentice snored a symphony, undisturbed by the rattling of a thousand items; bottles, gun powder, latex, plaster and casting materials, electronic boards, electric wire, resin components, fake blood and squibs, gelatine and molds, tints, fake hair, wigs, oils, paints of a myriad colors. All the tools of their trade, and quite a few mementos that could be useful some day.
He spared a look to his companion, a lithe blond girl with a talent for hard work and imaginative design. And very, very willing to carry a grudge, Rollie had to really grovel to get her back in the team.
Rollie saw a gas station sign, just two miles away. He checked the gas meter, and decided it would be a good place to stop, eat, rest a few minutes, and trade places with Andy.
It had been a very long drive from New York. But the chance to head a new special effects studio was very, very tempting.
And after the fiasco that had gotten Ellen killed, and him framed for murder, he needed to get some distance from the Big Apple. And some time to find a way to justify the loot he and Leo had gotten in Switzerland (4). Just thinking about the taxes he would have to pay chilled his blood to the very marrow of his bones.
Author's Notes:
(1) A very simple description, but true for most RPGs. There are a few with different mechanics, but for the most part, this is the way they work. In the case of Call of Cthulhu, the most common roll is for skills. They are expressed as percentiles, like Drive Car 45%. The player rolls percentile dice, and if the number rolled is lower than the skill, the roll succeds. The GameMaster (officially called Keeper of Arcane Lore, or just Keeper) can apply bonuses or penalties to the roll. For example, taking a curve in a well lit, well maintained road is automatic success, but taking the curve while speeding would need a roll. Speeding by night, in the rain, and with a flat tire would have dire penalties; depending on the speed of the car, they could be -30% to the skill. And rolling 15 or less is far from a sure roll. It's most probable that the roll fails and the car crashes.
(2) I have been reminded by several readers that Einstein is, in fact, a very good boy.
(3) Rollie Tyler was the protagonist of F/X (1986) and F/X 2 (1991). He is a top level special effects technician, and very good improvising under pressure. His apprentice, Andy, has a small but crucial role in the first movie, though Rollie leaves her behind to keep her out of danger. There was also a TV series, but I'll ignore it for this story. Personally, I think Rollie was based on Rollin Hand, one of the Impossible Mission Force best agents, memorably played by Martin Landau in the first three seasons of Mission:Impossible.
(4) The events in this fic happen between F/X and F/X 2. Rollie is still working, and hasn't yet found a way to justify the money he and his ally, Leo McCarthy stole at the end of F/X