|
A BLAST FROM THE PAST
Authors notes: Same as the last chapter, feedback needed and requested, big
thanks to Alexei. Thanks to everyone who reads this, and thanks to Allen for pointing
out some errors. Fixed some annoying errors, like Leela's name, now on with it.
Shimmering lights of several shapes, a sense of high speed, and finally a
blinding flash. A loud thud and sharp pain on the back... disorientation... and finally
realization.
FRY: (Getting back up) Owch. Wow!... I'm back!
We see Fry and Leela standing on the rooftop of an unknown building. They are
surrounded by the sounds and smells of New York City.
FRY: Oh man, it's great to be back!, the sights, the people (Somebody yells
to him "shut up you crazy motha****a!") the smells.
LEELA: How can you miss the smell of wet trash and pee?
FRY: Actually, I got carried away, I don't.
LEELA: (Activates the wrist-comp and starts broadcasting) Nibbler, are you
there?, can you hear me? Nibbler!?... it's useless, it only gets static.
FRY: Guess we're alone for the time being.
LEELA: At least until he gets in position. So Fry, you're from this time,
were should we go?
FRY: I think we should go to the applied cryogenics and check the tubes.
LEELA: How? we got no ship, I don't see any transport tubes and we don't even
know were we are!
FRY: I do, we're near Panuchi's. Maybe I could make a phone call and ask my
folks for help. But you better do something about the eye, I don't think people
will just look the other way.
LEELA: Yeah. So we better get moving.
Fry checks a small room that probably has a stairway, but it's locked. Leela
just looks around and keeps trying to talk to Nibbler. Unfortunately for them,
the people of that building heard the noises from the time gate and thought they
were gunshots, and called the police, who were on their way.
LEELA: I keep trying to contact Nibbler but I get nothing but static... Wait...
there!.
NIBBLER: (From Leela's wrist-comp) Greetings. What is your situation?.
FRY: Uh, we're on a rooftop?
LEELA: (To Fry) That's not what he-forget it! (Back to Nibbler) We are back
in Fry's time and we're ok. Have you found anything we could use yet?.
NIBBLER: Yes, we got all the time in the universe as long as the strike team
does not accomplish their goal. We found some weapons, but we did not found much
ammunition. You will have to find that yourselves. We also found human currency
from that time in great quantity, but most of it is damaged so we can not send
you much of it. You will have to acquire most of what you need there.
LEELA: (Sarcastic) Oh great!, what's next, we fight an army with our bare
hands just ourselves!?
FRY: (Scared) I think so!
Leela looks to Fry, about to yell at him for being dumb, when she sees what
Fry meant. Six policemen armed with pistols and shotguns train their sights on
them from the street. One of them grabs a speaker from a police car and yells
at them "This the NYPD! throw down your weapons and stay where you are!"
FRY: (Calm) It's no big deal, when they find out we got no guns they'll let
us go.
LEELA: Yeah, they'll let YOU go, right after they start dissecting me!
FRY: (frustrated) Damn! I forgot! so what do we do? we can't kill them, they
are just doing their job!
LEELA: (To nibbler) Nibbler!, we're gonna get captured! send us some equipment
ASAP!.
Another time gate opens beside them. When the light and ear-piercing noise
fades, they see a couple of small black backpacks filled with miscellaneous ammo,
some grenades, a couple of small sub-machine guns, a shotgun, 2 pistols and 500
dollars next to them.
FRY: Cool!, just like in the action movies. We'll be all (makes gun sounds)
and they'll be all (Makes pain sounds).
LEELA: Fry! This is no time to be childish!.
FRY: (Put down) Awww. (Leela picks up the shotgun) uh Leela there's something
you need to know about the weapons of my time.
LEELA: (Annoyed) Don't patronize me Fry, I saved your ass when we were in
the DOOP, I won't have any problems with this ancient thing. (She aims it dead
ahead correctly) where's the stun button?
FRY: (Careful) Uh, they are for kill only.
LEELA: (Typical prideful Leela) I know, I was kidding. Let's see what they
can do.
FRY: Leela wait!, they have-
Leela pulls the trigger and the gun fires. The kick knocks Leela to the floor.
FRY: -recoil... Leela are you okay?
LEELA: (Getting back up with a surprised look on her face) Ouch!, my chest
hurts!, damn this stupid weapons!.
They split everything between them, but as Fry gets his backpack on, he accidentally
drops a grenade and it rolls over the rooftop and falls in a fire escape. Fry
drops the gun (the heavy one) and goes to pick it up the grenade but slips and
falls into the fire escape himself. The policemen were just about to go to the
ceiling and arrest Leela and Fry, but before they could, and Fry could climb back
onto the roof, an apache helicopter had arrived. Leela's eye widened as she saw
the helicopter started shooting, she quickly dove behind the small locked room,
as the chopper's bullets took chunks off everything they hit. One of those bullets
blew off the stair Fry was climbing and he fell on his back into a dumpster.
Now we join Leela. She's desperately running thru the rooftops, barely dodging
the helicopter's bullets which keep coming at a ludicrous rate towards her. The
helicopter finally stops firing as it moves to face Leela directly. Leela takes
a deep breath, an SMG on each hand, and fires at the cockpit of the apache. Leela's
shots take chunks off the glass canopy but didn't pierce it. As the helicopter
is about to fire at Leela, she notices that there's a man in a red (possibly velour)
uniform in the cockpit. Leela realizes there's nothing that can be used for cover...
A tear forms in the corner of her eye as she prepares for death. Her whole life
goes through her head (cliché or not); her days as an orphan...high school...as a
fate assignment officer...when she first met Fry...planet express...Fry... "the only thing
I regret leaving behind" she thought, "goodbye Fry".....
FRY: (Out of view) HEY YOU IN THE CHOPPER!, CHEW ON THIS!
Fry, standing on a fire escape of the building, threw a grenade at the apache.
The grenade exploded near it, and jammed it's chaingun. The helicopter flew away.
Leela recovered from the shock, and fired at the retreating helicopter but didn't
even scratch it. Leela calms down and gets out of "attack mode". Fry climbs to
her side.
FRY: (At the verge of tears) Leela!, are you okay!?
LEELA: (Also at the verge of tears) Fry!... You saved me!...I thought I was gone!
(She hugs Fry and starts sobbing)
FRY: (Thinking) I almost lost her. Damn! I got to be stronger, I got to be
able to protect her as she's able to protect me!. (To Leela) I was so scared that
I'd loose you!
Fry held Leela close, their warm bodies shaking from emotion and fear in the
chilly New York air. When they were together, everything else went away, as they
were, to each other, they only thing that existed. They expressed each other their
love just by being together, without needing words. Their embrace seemed to go
on forever, but somehow to them, forever was not enough. However a thought hit
Leela that made her eye widen.
LEELA: (Breaking off) That thing could be back at any time! We got to get
somewhere safe Fry!
FRY: You're right! we have to get to my parents house, since I can't think
of any other person that would help me even with the cops on my back.
LEELA: But what about this (she points at her eye)?
FRY: I don't think we have many options, so just cover it the best you can
until we get someplace more private. I don't think it'd be a good idea to walk
so we'll use the subway, but we got to leave all this equipment hidden somewhere.
Leela and Fry get to the street via the fire escape and hide their gear near
a dumpster. Leela gets an old newspaper and hides her face reading it. They both
pass near a group of cops staring at the building where they were, and get into
a subway station. Fry gets some loose change that was in his pants since he was
frozen and pays for their tickets, and they both get on the subway. They both
get a seat in front of a sleeping bum.
LEELA: This place smells like barf, the floor and back of the seats is covered
by chewed gum, and I think I just saw something horrible out the window. How can
people live here?
FRY: This is a subway Leela, nobody lives here.
BUM: I do!.
LEELA: That's so rude of you Fry!.
FRY: That's just a bum, a Zoidberg of my time.
LEELA: Oh. Then I'm sorry.
BUM: Awww.
A bunch of punks get in the same car they both are. They look like normal high
school bullies with tattoos and knives. Being Fry, Leela and the bum the only
people in the car, they pick Fry and Leela as their target. They surround them,
and soon the leader of these speaks to Leela, whose eye is covered by the newspaper.
LEAD PUNK: Hey there sweetcheeks, wanna ditch the match and get some fun?
LEELA: (Calming herself) I don't think so...
LEAD PUNK: Then you both give us your money if you don't wanna get hurt!
FRY: Fat chance!
The lead punk grabs Fry by the collar and grabs a knife from his pocket. He's
about to put it against Fry's throat but Fry grabs his arm (the one with the knife),
and bends it towards the punk. The punk cries in pain and drops the knife.
LEAD PUNK: Don't just stand there! do something you dumb-shits!.
A punk grabs Leela's newspaper. Now everyone in the car can see that Leela
has one eye. The punks are not impressed by this.
PUNK: Let his arm go or we hurt your one-eyed bitch!
FRY: You really shouldn't have done that you moron!
Fry's about to punch him when Leela kicks him in the groin. The punk collapses
into the floor, grabbing his crotch. The rest of the punks back away.
LEAD PUNK: C'mon man! lemme go, I was just kidding! here, this is all my money(tosses
it at Fry), just don't hurt me man!
Fry lets the punk go and Leela picks up the newspaper and covers her face again.
The punks run to the last subway car and stay there.
FRY: Might as well pick up the loot.
Fry does and they both get out of the subway and out on the street. They both
walk to Fry's home, the chilly autumn breeze gently passing by, picking up objects
that lie on the almost deserted New York streets, they held each other closely,
feeling warm against each other. Fry suddenly stops and looks Leela in the eye,
her eye shines with a light so beautiful to him, that he seems forever lost in
that everlasting gaze. Leela also looks at Fry's eyes, they eyes she loved so
much, the eyes of the man that once seemed so stupid and childish, the same eyes
that seemed vacant when he was watching tv, those same eyes had a look she never
saw in a man looking at her. Their faces go closer and closer and before they
knew it, their lips were locked together in a passionate kiss. After this intimate
moment, they arrive at Fry's home without more mishaps, except for 1 or 2 persons
that stare suspiciously at Leela. They both walk to the patio and hold hands tight,
but Fry hesitates to knock on the door.
FRY: (Sad) This is the first time I see my parents in a
long time, I don't know what will happen when this door opens.
LEELA: (Sympathetic) Fry, you know I just met my parents over a year ago and
I love them, even though I had to grow without them. If you love them, and they
are your parents, you don't need to be afraid.
FRY: But Leela, I'm not afraid or anything like that... I'm just worried that
when we have to leave again, I- I'll miss them
Leela hugs Fry tight and gives him a small kiss. Fry saw the look in her eye,
and that gave him the courage. He knocked on the door and stood there, waiting
nervously until finally the door opened up. At this time Leela had already undone
her ponytail and covered her eye with her hair.
YANCY (Fry's brother, not his dad): (Bored look on his face) We don't buy
nothing-(Surprised) -Little bro! Where the hell you been!?, man dad will kick
your ass!.
FRY: (glad) Yeah, good to see you too Yancy.
YANCY: Good to see you!? that's all you can say after being lost for 3 years!
damn you're stupid!. (Concerned) Seriously, where've you been? the cops gave up
a month after you were gone, and that psychic from the yellow pages mom called
said you were with Jimmy Hoffa!
FRY: Well you wouldn't believe me if I told you.
YANCY: (Enthusiastic) Just get your ass in here, and go see mom and dad.
FRY: You still live here?
YANCY: You're kidding? you're the looser in this family. (Notices Leela and
starts talking suave) Ooh, who's this cute babe? is she a friend of yours?
FRY: She's my wife you jackass.
YANCY: Yeah, right, hahahaha. Seriously, is she a friend of Michelle?
Fry panics and immediately signals Yancy to shut up, but the damage was already
done and Leela, careful not to show her bare face, looks at Yancy and tries to
show him her ring. But unfortunately Yancy wasn't as far as she saw him (remember
Leela's depth perception?) and she accidentally hit him in the face.
YANCY: Ouch!, that was totally uncalled for!.
LEELA: (Cleverly disguises her problem) Don't mention Michelle!. And Fry's
my husband.
Fry and Leela kiss.
YANCY: (Shocked) OH MY GOD! MOM IS GONNA GO CRAZY WHEN SHE HEARS THIS!.
Fry and Leela step in the house and follow Yancy to the living room where Fry's
parents are. We see Fry's mom (Laura) yelling wildly at the screen from the couch,
which by the way seems to be burning. And Fry's dad (Yancy sr.) sitting in a comfy
chair next to her.
LAURA: (In her sports frenzy) GO! GO! GO!
YANCY SR.: (In his constant paranoia) I'm telling you! this Cuban communists
are ruining America's national sport! It's all part of Castro's plan!
YANCY JR.: Uh, mom, dad, you might wanna see who's behind me.
LAURA: WAIT UNTIL THE COMMERCIALS!.... Ok, now what were you saying (Turns to
see Yancy and sees Fry and Leela behind him) Yan... Oh my god!
YANCY SR.: Oh, c'mon, that's just a trick from an ex-soviet spy to (Also turns
to see Yancy) infiltrate... You irresponsible bum!, where were you all these years!
you had your mother really worried (But just then the commercial break ends and
Fry's mother couldn't care less about him, he gets up from his chair and stars
walking towards Fry) This time I'm really gonna kick your ass!.
Yancey sr. is about to grab Fry, but Leela steps between the two. Unfortunately,
now everyone saw why Leela has bad depth perception. Fry's family is shocked.
YANCY SR.: What the hell!? where did you find her!? a freak show!? You're
really getting desperate after Michelle dumped you right Yancy?.
YANCY JR.: (Stares at the floor) ...
LAURA: Oh my god! How...
FRY: (Cuts his mom short) Mom the game is on again!
LAURA: OH! (Locks her eyes on the screen again) GO! YANKEES! GO!.
Leela cries and starts to walk away, but Fry stops her.
FRY: (Sad) Leela, this is all my fault, we shouldn't have come here...(Angry)
BECAUSE! THIS IS NOT MY FAMILY!
YANCY SR.: So you're not only blind but are more stupid than you already were!?
LEELA: HE'S NOT STUPID!, HE'S THE MOST WONDERFUL HUSBAND IN THE WORLD!!.
YANCY SR.: WHAT DID YOU SAY!?
FRY: YOU HEARD MY WIFE! NOW STOP INSULTING HER BEFORE I HAVE TO HURT YOU!
YANCY SR.: YOU WOULDN'T DARE!
FRY: YOU JUST TRY ME!
Just as they were about to fight, a familiar sound is heard. Fry and his dad
are distracted by this and stand down.
LEELA: (Thinking) That sounds like a... (Out loud) DAMN! IT'S BACK!
THE FRY FAMILY: What's back!?
The apache is just hovering in front of the house, aiming it's laser guided
missiles. Everybody knows this because a red beam is projected in the smoke that
comes out of the old tv.
FRY: TO THE SHELTER!
They all run towards the shelter Fry's dad had built (the one from "luck of
the fryish"). As the last one of them, Yancy sr., is entering, the apache fires
the missiles at the house. The whole house collapses and a fragment of metal hits
Fry's dad as he stumbles into the shelter. He tumbles down the stairs and passes
out when his head hits a wall. Laura immediately turns on a radio that was there
and...
LAURA: (Setting the radio) Oh my god! what are we going to do! your father
is...(tunes into a baseball game) ABOUT TO STEAL HOME!.
YANCY JR.: Dad will be okay. It's not like the time when he tried to fix the
microwave with a hammer and a blowtorch.
FRY: (Shudders) Don't remind me, I still think I can't have any kids!.
LEELA: I don't think we are safe here. Isn't there something that can stop
that thing!?
FRY: Maybe dad hid a few things behind the safe.
Fry, Leela, and Yancy grab the safe and push it out of the way. Behind the
safe there's a small space that holds a big, old looking gun.
LEELA: Now this could really hurt that thing outside!.
FRY: The helicopter? just remember that these things
LEELA: (Annoyed) have recoil, I know, I know.
YANCY JR.: (Surprised and scared) Are you two crazy!? taking on a helicopter
just you two! what do you think you are? superheroes!?.
FRY: (Ignores Yancy) But how will you get of here without that machine gun
ripping you to shreds!?
LEELA: Hmm...
FRY: Wait. I know! I'll distract him, you kick his ass!.
LEELA: (Mad) No way! it's too risky Fry! this is no action movie and you're
not Sylvester Stallone's head!.
YANCY JR.: (Confused) What's she talking about?
FRY: (To Yancy) I might as well explain it to you, but not now... (To Leela,
determined) I'm risking my life for yours and you can't stop me!.
LEELA: (Desperate) Fry! the whole damn reason we're doing this is for you!
you have to live!
FRY: (Dead serious) I don't want to live without you!.
Leela holds Fry tightly against her. They both look at each other and nod.
Fry gets up the stairs followed close behind by Leela, carrying the old gun.
FRY: On the count of 3, I'll run out the door and distract him, then you aim
and take him down. ...one...two...three!
Fry runs away from the apache screaming from the bottom of his lungs. The Helicopter
fires at him, but it's way too far to hit a small moving target like Fry. Leela
comes right behind him, gets prone and is about to fire at the helicopter, that
at the same time is about to shoot rockets at Fry. The old gun turns out to be
really powerful. Roaring wildly, it discharges the whole magazine in 3 seconds,
the empty casings piling up beside Leela. The shots hit the helicopter, but unlike
last time, they pierce right thru it like it was made out of cardboard. The apache's
engines die and it finally falls, shot down. It crashes in front of Leela and
slides towards her, stopping an inch away from her face (Think Men in black).
Fry and Leela approach the burning wreck and the cockpit opens. It's one of the
strike team members. He's covered in blood, dizzy and looks fairly banged up.
Fry is really furious and something within him takes over. He grabs him by the
throat with his right hand and lifts him into the air.
FRY: (Extremely angry) DID YOU HAVE FUN GUNNING FOR US YOU ****ING SON OF
A BITCH!.
PILOT: I was just doing my job! you'd have done the same!
FRY: (Maniacally) WRONG ANSWER! (He tosses him against the debris of the house)
NOW YOU SAY WHAT YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU DIE!.
LEELA: (A little scared) Fry, I want to know some things too, but to play
good cop, bad cop, you need a positive offer.
FRY: (Turns to see Leela, who notices the madness in Fry's eyes) Oh, but Leela,
I'm not playing any game here, HE'S GONNA TELL ME WHAT HE KNOWS AND THEN I'LL
KILL HIM!.
The pilot is starting to run but Fry catches him by the leg. He drags him back
to the crashed apache and tosses him back into the cockpit.
FRY: I'LL LEAVE YOU HERE TO BURN ALIVE, HAHAHAHAHA!
PILOT: (Scared but hiding it) You don't scare me!.
FRY: (Punches the pilot in the jaw) I'm not trying to scare you!, I'M TRYING
TO TOAST YOU!
LEELA: (Now really afraid) Fry, I think that's enough.
FRY: (Still insane) NO!, HE ALMOST KILLED US! SO I GOTTA KILL HIM!.
LEELA: Fry stop it! you're scaring me!
PILOT: (Terrified) Ok! ok! All 4 of us got here safely, but the field generated
by the time gate made our equipment useless. We don't know where the primary target
is, so we spread around the city looking for it, and the others are bound to find
it soon. You were our secondary target if you showed up, so I just did my job
and tried to eliminate you, NOW PLEASE LET ME GO!.
FRY: YEAH! YOU'LL GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!, HAHAHA!...
Fry grabs him from the shoulders and tosses him out of the cockpit. Fry walks
next to him and stands right beside him, but as Fry is about to speak, the guy
passed out.
FRY: (Humorous) Thanks man!.
LEELA: (Shocked) You were acting all along!?
FRY: Yeah. Who'd have guessed that all those years of watching action movies
would serve for something?
LEELA: (Serious)You scared me! don't ever do that again you dumb-ass!.
FRY: (Also serious) Don't worry, I'll never do it again (he smiles at Leela,
she frowns a bit but finally smiles back).
LEELA: How do you do that anyway?
FRY: I just took chunks of every action hero I saw, and used this weird feeling
in my head that I get when I'm in danger. Bender taught me the rest.
They were interrupted by Fry's family, they got out of the bomb shelter and
ran towards them (Yes including Yancy sr.).
YANCY JR: (Shocked) I can't believe it!, YOU SHOT DOWN A MILITARY HELICOPTER!.
LAURA: (Happy) Oh, I'm so glad you're safe, even if you are married to a manly
girl with one eye (Leela just gets annoyed by this comment).
YANCY SR.: (smiling) You finally did something that I can be proud of son!
FRY: (Frowning) I already did something I'm proud of, even if you aren't (He
pulls Leela close and holds her tight). The last thing I'm ever saying to you,
dad, is that Leela is my wife, you like it or not, and she was the one that blew
that thing off the sky. Now if you got something to say, it'd better be an apology
for Leela or a goodbye!.
YANCY SR.: (In thought)...sigh. Goodbye... Phillip...
Yancy Sr. walks away from them, back to the shelter.
LEELA: (Sad) Fry, I'm so...
FRY: (Interrupts Leela) Don't say it. Never apologize for who you are. Never
apologize for being the woman I fell in love with.
YANCY JR.: Well it looks like you guys are for real, so I wanna say I'm sorry
for trying to hit on you, uh, Lily?
LEELA: It's Leela, Turanga Leela.
YANCY JR./LAURA: Turanga!?
Leela just looks up and sighs.
LAURA: Well, if she makes you happy, then I'm happy. Why didn't you invite
us to the wedding?
FRY: (Smiles nervously) Uh, ah, that's cause... uh... Hey, isn't that tv over
there working?
LAURA: Oh god, you're right. But the game is over already.
FRY: Are you sure?
Laura stands there for a second, then runs at the old smoking tv in the debris.
YANCY: You won't get rid of me that easy little man. C'mon, spit it out, where
you been?, and how come your girl (to Leela), no offense (back to Fry), has one
eye and purple hair?
FRY: That's because we are from the...
LEELA: (Hits Fry in the back with her elbow) -Pennsylvania state.
FRY: Hey Yancy, I gotta talk to Leela in private, could you go help mom get
the tv to the shelter?
YANCY: Yeah, just don't run away, I'm faster than you!.
Yancy runs off and does has he's told.
FRY: (Whispering) Pennsylvania state? What were you thinking!?
LEELA: (Whispering) at least I was thinking Mr. "My wife's a mutant from the
future"!.
FRY: (Whispering) Well what's the plan then?
LEELA: (Whispering) That's the point, I've-got-no-plan!.
FRY: (Whispering) Well I'm the dumb one! I can't have a good plan!
LEELA: (Whispering) But I always do the plans! now it's your turn!
FRY: (Whispering) Well the plan is to use Bender's advice.
LEELA: (Whispering) Cheese it?
FRY: (Whispering) Yes!.
Fry and Leela start to tip-toe away, but Yancy (Fry' brother, not his father)
spotted them. He was carring the tv with Laura to the shelter, and they were just
about to enter when he saw them.
YANCY JR.: (Excited) I knew it! he's going to run for it! (he let's go the
tv and starts to follow them)
LAURA: What did you say Yancy? (at this time she backs into the steps). Yancy
grab the tv!. Yancy!!. (She loses her balance and falls with the tv on her) OH
CRAP!! (She tumbles down the stairs yelling obscenities a la Homer Simpson). YANCY!,
GET THIS TV OFF ME!... YANCY!!... Oh well, at least the plug is nearby. (Turns on
the tv, and it's ESPN) YEAH!, GO! METS! GO!.
We turn to see Yancy running behind Fry and Leela, they don't notice him as
they walk along the street, which after they leave fills with police cars, fire
engines and the such. Yancy is about to get bored and go home when he sees them
enter a deserted alley, and search near a dumpster. They find what they were looking
for...
YANCY: (Bored) Maybe I should just call it a day and- (Sees Leela and Fry
walk out of the alley)-Oh my god!
Leela and Fry walk out of the alley with their backpacks on, each a weapon
in hand, and start running to an unknown (for Yancy) destination. Yancy follows
them until they force their way into a building which we all know from the beginning
of the series. Yancy walks thru the broken door and hears a loud "click!", he
turns to the direction the noise came from and is now staring at a gun barrel.
To be continued...
Author's end notes: Well, I finally moved my ass and checked out TFP. I was
almost traumatized when I saw a bunch of material from most of the contributors
in here. I really can't say anymore cause I'm out of words...and time, so I'm waiting
for your opinions (FIRE AT WILL!).
|
