November 12, 1987
4:00 PM PST
ASOUE Universe

Duncan Quagmire was sitting across the table from Jennifer Parker, as he pondered over how he had known her for over four years. It was quite like a date, except for the fact that they weren't eating alone. Both of them were now nineteen years old.

Duncan was the oldest of the triplets. Quigley was identical to him, and he was with Violet Baudelaire. Isadora was the youngest, and she was with Klaus - who was the younger brother of Violet. Sunny, the youngest Baudelaire, was just a young girl of seven years. Beatrice, who the Baudelaires had adopted, was only five years old.

It was a Thurday evening, as Violet had taken the whole crowd to Elmo's Rib - which was sure close to the Hill Valley Courthouse. Attached to the courthouse, there was the famous clock tower. Lightning had struck the clock 32 years ago, which fried the clockwork - but a sizeable portion of the townsfolk just wanted the old clock to stay.

Duncan thoughts turned to how all of them, except for Jennifer, were orphaned. Still, they were like family. The group had lived with the town's scientist, Dr. Emmett Brown - until Violet was old enough to receive her fortune. He was quite eccentric, but kind.

The group always addressed the aging scientist as Doc, and he was the sole resident of Hill Valley to belong to the VFD. The Volunteer Fire Department, that is. There was also Count Biff Tannen, but he happened to be on the arsonist side of the schism.

"You're real quiet, Duncan," commented Jennifer, with concern. As Duncan looked up, she added, "You really seem to be distracted about something. I know how you like to enjoy your food, as you eat - but you quite seem to be a little, uh, disturbed. I mean, you've been quiet all day. Is there something you'd like to talk about? I care for you!"

"I'm sorry, Jenn," Duncan replied, quite nervously. "I was just thinking about the clock tower, and how this seems to mean so much to plenty of people here. I got to wishing that we could've grown up here. As horrid as Count Biff is, he's sure not as bad as..."

"Count Olaf?" Jennifer asked, softly. As Duncan nodded, she added, "I know you've all just gone through so much, and I really don't blame you for feeling down. I guess the fact that the town marks a very important anniversary is what's... Well, I do like this town a lot - but I really don't see any reason why we can't have a new clock."

"Yeah, I never really understood what the big deal was," agreed Klaus. "Why do many people here object to Mayor Wilson's initiative to replace the clock? I mean, what good is a clock that doesn't even tell time? This town could end up being a laughingstock!"

"I think it's nostalgia," suggested Isadora. "If remember correctly, the clock has been in this town since the year 1885. That's really over a hundred years ago. I guess this means the clock is legendary. I guess the clock worked for just over seventy years."

"Doc doesn't want the clock to be replaced, either," added Duncan, as he thought of the scientist's fascination with clocks. "He believes that there might actually be a... a good significance to the event. He often mentions that there might just be a way for time travel to be possible. It would be so awesome, if we could travel through time."

"It would simply be nice to bring our parents back to life," Violet said, grimacing. "Of course, there's certainly no guarantee that time travel wouldn't make things worse. So, that being considered, it maybe is a good idea to not mess around with time."

"Hey, Violet," Quigley suggested, as he put his arm around her, "are you still thinking of getting a doctorate in science? I mean, you're quite good at inventing things - and you and Doc really can learn from each other. You really do have potential, Violet."

"Maybe the two of you could work together," Duncan suggested, smirking, "and, one of these days, you might invent a time machine together. Doc has suggested that, in order for a time machine to work properly, it would require a lot of electric power. It'll probably require, at least, one jigawatt of electricity. That really is a lot of power."

"An average light bulb is 100 watts," Klaus pointed out. "A jigawatt is one billion watts - so that would simply be like, uh, ten million light bulbs. A microwave usually operates on a thousand watts, or one kilowatt - so that would also be a million microwaves."

"That's a lot of power," agreed Violet. "Of course, we have many different theories to time travel. We have Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, for one. Doc sure even had the pleasure to meet the guy, and they both have real funky hair. He's a great man."

"Ain't that the truth!" Klaus agreed, nodding. "Doc had even named his dog after the great scientist - and, in many ways, the dog seems to be rather intelligent. Doc even has the ability to read his mind, with that mind-reading device you sure helped him to perfect. He's even thinking about just showing that off to the members of the VFD."

"I'm still amazed by how the two of you were never recruited," Isadora commented. "I can't say I'm too surprised by how Doc has been a member, from the time that he was four. He did mention that Albert Einstein was also a VFD member, and that's how..."

"... the two of them met?" suggested Klaus. As Isadora nodded, he added, "I wonder if Jules Verne was also in the VFD. I read his books, when I was eleven - but Doc sure inspired me to read them again. He's a wonderful author, and I love all of his books."

"When we're done eating," suggested Duncan, as an idea popped into his head, "why don't we check out the clock tower? There could be a little secret - and we might quite be able to... Well, I've quite heard that Lemony Snicket had typed many of his stories in the clock tower. Klaus, as you have big plans to write a book - that might be a..."

Duncan swallowed, as Klaus smiled at him. Suddenly, everyone around the table was laughing - and Duncan really felt pleased that his idea was well-received. It'd sure be good for Sunny and Beatrice, who he felt were become too hooked on video games.

oooooooooo

As the whole gang stepped into the clock tower, Duncan was so mesmorized. He had never been inside the clock tower. It sure felt good to be able to observe a landmark that was over a century old. He really understood why a very sizeable portion of the town wished to preserve the landmark. The interior certainly was an awesome sight!

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Beatrice asked, worriedly. "I mean, it could be real dangerous to come in here." As she looked around, she added, "It's so dusty in here, it's like this place hasn't been cleaned up for many years. Please! I'm very scared!"

"Relax, Beatrice," Duncan replied, as he picked up the little girl. "Anyway, we might be able to find some bats in here. Now, wouldn't that be rather interesting?" As he began to tickle the little girl, he added, "You really take after the other Beatrice Baudelaire."

"It is very ironic," agreed Sunny, who was very close to her adopted sister. "I never knew my mother, and you're not even biologically related to us - yet, you sure seem to have many things common with her. I mean, you sure seem to share much more - than just a name. I sometimes wonder if you might, uh, be a reincarnation of her."

"I'm not sure I believe in reincarnation," replied Quigley, "but it's an interesting idea. I really think you came up with a neat idea, Duncan! I could maybe just clean this place a little, and I could do some of my cartography here. I would like to map out Hilldale."

"Well, I could certainly see why Mr. Snicket likes typing in here," commented Klaus, as he looked around. "Well, I don't mean here here - but this could be a great place to come up with all sorts of inspiration. It's just too bad that the clock isn't working."

"We're probably not even supposed to be in here," Violet commented, with caution. "I know how a lot of people really feel about this clock tower - and, if we did anything to mess things up, they could... Well, they might have us arrested. I suppose there's no harm in walking up to the top, as long as we just make sure we don't touch anything."

"I might write some couplets on this place," suggested Isadora. "In fact, I could even try my hand at writing something quite similar to what I wrote the Baudelaires - when Duncan and I were trapped in the Fowl Fountain, at the Village of Fowl Devotees. An old landmark like this gives me inspiration. There are ten letters in clock tower, so..."

"That would be five couplets," replied Klaus. "Yeah, you could write the couplets - and I could write a short story. This is sure an awesome sight, but I still wish I could watch the gears on the clockwork turn. Hey, Violet, maybe you can find a way to fix the..."

"Forget it, Klaus," protested Violet. "This might not be our native town, but we still do have to respect the wishes of those who grew up here. You do simply remember how adamant the Hill Valley Preservation Society are about wanting to leave the clock..."

Duncan himself had mixed feelings about the Hill Valley Preservation Society. While he understood their passion, he felt the members were rather pushy. Carol Vincent, who was the leader of the organization, seemed a little rude. Several weeks ago, when he and Jennifer were about to kiss, Carol had shaken the can directly under their faces.

Granted, Carol seemed like such a perky and very good-natured type of person - but Duncan simply felt that she shouldn't be as pushy. Still, he really understood that the she had her heart in the right place - and she really cared about the town's heritage.

As the group headed for the stairs, Duncan saw a ripple appearing in front of him. He sure felt nervous, as he wondered if he was hallucinating. When he saw that the rest of the group looked shocked, he had a good feeling that he wasn't just seeing things. At that moment, the ripple was sweeping across Duncan and the rest of the group.

Is Stu related to Lou? And why wasn't it Lou's Aerobics?

I'm thinking that Stu is Lou's younger son. Some of the world has progressed differently in the ASOUE Universe. I've decided that rock music exists, and probably so do video games. The movies and TV shows are probably more or less the same. Some of the fashions and style would have a bit of a more antique feel to it.

Okay. So what happened to Lou Jr. anyway?

I haven't really thought of that, yet. It's basically a holdover from the cafe that was in Orwell's Universe in Down With Big Brother.

I thought more of what you've said, and I'll change it to Lou's Aerobics. The fang will be eating at another estaurant in the Courthouse Square.

November 12, 1987
6:00 PM PST
BTTF Universe

Duncan gently lifted up Beatrice, as she began to whimper. Sunny also looked scared, even though she was trying to look brave. It was a feeling that he never experienced before. As he looked around, the entire group seemed to be in shock. What the ripple exactly meant, he had no idea. He hoped that it wasn't some sort of terrible disease.

"What the hell happened here?" Quigley asked, as he looked around. "You know, this place might be dangerous. I have no idea what just went through us, but it was such a weird feeling. It's like this place is actually haunted, or something. I just feel a..."

"You guys all saw it, too?" Violet asked, stunned. "I thought I was just seeing things, but... Well, I'm not sure if I believe in ghosts - or any other type of haunting. It sure gives me the creeps, though. I wonder if the lightning storm can have something..."

Duncan felt unsure of what to make of the whole thing. With dreams of journalism, he knew that a good journalist must remain fair and unbalanced. He really had no use for sensationalist newspapers, like The Daily Punctilio. Still, he felt that one should have a good balance between being open-minded - and having a healthy dose of skepticism.

"I'm not going to say that I completely believe," Duncan replied, "but there might be a possibility. I mean, we all saw that ripple. At first, I thought that I was seeing things - but I can tell that you all did, too. It was a strange feeling, when that ripple went..."

"You know, I haven't felt a strange sensation," Klaus commented, "since that time we were at Lucky Smells Lumbermill. Can you imagine what it's like, to be placed in such a zombie-like state? Well, when that ripple went through my body - it felt very unreal."

"I don't know about you," suggested Isadora, "but I think we should all just get out of this place. While we all know about the famous Hill Valley lighning storm of 1955, I just can't imagine what it would do to create this sort of effect. I used to be real scared of thunderstorms, and I was scared of what it could do. Still, I never imagined that it..."

"It could be something else, though," suggested Duncan, as he opened the door. "It could even be something, that science just cannot explain. We could use some fresh air, and let the cool breeze clear up our minds. At least, we're all still alive - right?"

"What if we die, though?" Beatrice whimpered, as tears were rolling down her cheeks. "I'm only a young girl, and I don't want to die! I just want to graduate from school, go to college, study bats... I really do want to get married, and have plenty of children."

"Just relax, honey," comforted Duncan, as he rubbed the girl's back. "I will admit that something about this place seems to be quite different, but I don't think any of us will die. You know, there's really a lot of stuff we haven't told you about - that happened to us, just before you were born. It we could brave all that, then we can brave this."

"I was only a little baby, at the time" added Sunny. "I don't remember the unfortunate events that happened to us - but, according to Violet and Klaus, there were just many things that I was expected to do. I was once forced to work for Count Olaf's troupe."

Duncan smiled gently at Sunny, as he set Beatrice down. He couldn't help but think of how fortunate the young ones were. It felt very strange to think of how Count Olaf's death had affected the elder Baudelaires, considering that he had been very cruel.

oooooooooo

Marty McFly smiled at his girlfriend, Jennifer Parker - as he left a tip on the table. The two of them had moved into their own apartment just last summer, and it still felt real strange. While he loved his independence, he did often miss living with his parents.

"Today is really a big day for Hill Valley," observed Jennifer, as the two stepped out of Elmo's Rib. "Of course, it's especially meaningful for you and Doc. This also happens to be Haven's first birthday. She's getting to be a big girl, and we already know what she would look like - once she's grown up. She would look and sound just like her mother."

"It still seems like just yesterday," Marty commented, "that Doc had unveiled the time machine. It's hard to believe that two years have passed, and I guess over a decade has passed for Doc. I know the clock will still be standing as it is, thirty years later."

"Say, Marty," suggested Jennifer, "why don't we go check out that clock tower. While I understand how significant that clock is to you and Doc, I think it would be quite nice to have a new clock. I mean no disrespect, but I often feel that our generation is..."

"... missing out?" asked Marty, as he flashed a lopsided smile. "Well, Jenn, I know just what you mean. After all, it's not like everyone has access to a time machine - and I'm just a considerably big fan of the clock. During the time that I was temporarily stuck in 1885, the night of the festival was the highlight of my stay. I do wish you could've..."

"That framed picture is a real precious souvenir," Jennifer said, admiringly. "I do wish I could've joined you, on your adventures. I really wonder what might've happened, if I had come back to 1955 with you. I don't think I would've risked seeing my parents."

"Well, I would've had some company," Marty pointed. "Also, with you being there, my mom would've maybe shown some more restraint. I don't think she would've hit on me so much, if she knew that I had a girlfriend. I wonder how the two of you might've..."

"That would be interesting," replied Jennifer, laughing. "It sounds like she was a wild girl. I mean, she was certainly aggressive - and if I felt that she had real feelings for you... Well, we maybe would've gotten into a huge fight. On the other hand, it sure would make a few things easier for us. If I had asked Lorraine to go with George..."

"Yeah, that might've worked," agreed Marty. "Still, my father would quite likely never have gained the confidence that he... You know, last year, when Doc and I travelled through various realities... That really was the case, in one of the realities that..."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot all about that!" gasped Jennifer, "You mentioned that I really was good friends with her. I guess that was a long..." Suddenly, Jennifer gasped, "Marty! I think it's really a good thing we decided to come over here! Look across the street! I think some of those people will look very familiar to you! I believe we need to..."

Marty could barely believe what he saw. There was a group of eight people standing across the street. Two of the boys resembled him, while a girl resembled Jennifer. In fact, there was another girl who actually looked like a younger version of his mother.

oooooooooo

Duncan felt stunned, as he looked across the street. He caught sight of another boy, one who resembled him and Quigley. Standing next to him, there was a girl - one who resembled Jennifer. It felt so surreal, as he wondered how these look-alikes suddenly showed up. He blinked, to make sure he wasn't dreaming. The couple was still there.

Duncan swallowed, as the couple began to walk over. Was it possible that they had a fourth sibling? He figured it was very unlikely - because, even if one of them had been recruited for the VFD, they wouldn't've been separated on a permanent basis.

"I guess we came here, just in time," the young man greeted, cheerfully. "My name's Marty McFly - and this is my girlfriend, Jennifer Parker. We don't want you to be that lost. I suspect I know what might've happened, but why don't you just come with me to Doc's place? Today happens to be an important day for Hill Valley, so it can be..."

Duncan felt stunned, as he stared at the boy who looked like him. His grandmother, Alice, was a McFly. His granduncle, Arthur, was devoured by Lachrymose Leeches - when he was only twelve years old. He wondered exactly how Marty was related.

"Are you in the VFD?" Duncan asked, nervously. As Marty and the local Jennifer only stared, he added, "Ah, never mind. At any rate, my name is Duncan Quagmire. That is my brother, Quigley - and this is my sister, Isadora. The three of us are triplets."

"It's a real pleasure to meet you," added Violet. "My name's Violet Baudelaire. Klaus is my younger brother - and these are our younger sisters, Sunny and Beatrice. We did adopt Beatrice several years ago, but she's like the way our mother was. We live in a big apartment near Lyons Estates. I'm surprised that we've never seen you around."

"I'm also Jennifer Parker," added the visiting Jennifer. "You and I look very much alike. I'm dating Duncan - and, I presume, you're dating Marty?" The other Jennifer nodded, as she added, "You both act like you know this town, but we've never met before."

"Listen, uh, I'm not quite sure how to say this," Marty explained, quietly, "but it looks as if... Well, did you all happen to see a ripple by any chance?" Duncan's mouth went wide open, as he added, "You came here from another reality. This isn't your home."

Duncan felt so stunned, as he could barely believe what he heard. Why did this Marty McFly person look so much like him and Quigley - and why was he also dating a person named Jennifer Parker? What did Marty mean, when he also said that they came here from a different reality? It quite sounded like something out of a science fiction movie.

"I don't blame you, if you don't believe us," added the local Jennifer. "I'm certain that our scientist friend could help you, though. His name's Dr. Emmett Brown, and he can explain things a little better. We just call him 'Doc', and he is a close friend of ours."

Duncan almost felt like fainting, as he realized that Marty and the other Jennifer could be right. The Dr. Emmett Brown that he know didn't have any other real close friends, other than the Quagmires and the Baudelaires - except for his wife, Jessica Hoffman.

November 12, 1987
7:00 PM PST
BTTF Universe


















o

Doing good thus far.