Jeff In the Past

(an EarthBoundÔ story)

By: EBounding

Jeff just finished his third extra credit project. He was extremely bored. All the other students were working on a major report on Quantum Physics. Jeff finished weeks ago. He decided to call Ness.

"Hello, Ness? It's me, Jeff."

"Hey Jeff. Um, I'm really busy right now. I have probably two hours of homework to do."

"I can help you!"

"No. It's really easy. Maybe another time."

"Oh. Okay. See you later."

Jeff hung up the phone. He took two multi bottle rockets, a bread roll, and his Moon beam gun, and headed outside.

Jeff wandered around Winters shooting trees with his gun. When he got to Lake Tess, Jeff started to throw rocks in it.

" It's so boring around here!" said Jeff to himself "The kids are working on their assignments, and there is nothing to do outside. I hate it here!"

He thought about lighting a bottle rocket, when his communicator watch beeped.

"Jeff! Jeff! It's me! Dr. Ando-Er, your dad! I'm making a revolutionary invention. Come here as fast as possible! <Click!...Beeeep!....>

Jeff wondered what was happening. He was thinking of how he could get there. He got an idea and ran back to the school. When he got there, he ran down to the basement. It was his crude, yet very own, lab. He was working on his new invention, "The Sky Runner II". He managed to fix the remaining parts from the old one and make it better then ever. But it wasn't finished. It might blow up, or go somewhere else...

Jeff had no choice and got in the machine and powered it up. He pushed a red button in the spherical machine, and the ceiling opened. The machine took off, but hovered over the school for five minutes.

"Why won't it move?"

Suddenly the machine zapped to his fathers lab. Then the machine went haywire. Jeff aborted the sky runner with his parachute. When he got on the ground, the silver object blasted into some unknown place.

Jeff walked into the lab.

"Jeff! Jeff! You’re here! I have to show you something!" said Dr. Andonuts.

They both walked over to a device that sort of looked like the Instant Revitalizing Device. Except it looked much more advanced.

Jeff asked, "What's this? A time machine?"

"It's my greatest invention, a time machine." said Dr. Andonuts.

"Um wasn't the Phase distorter a time machine?"

"NO no no no no! This time machine can go in any time period. And you don't have to become a robot! Ha ha ha ha!

"How does it work?"

‘Well, I'm not sure. But what I do know that it doesn't destroy life because it's like your going into a robot while your going through time! Why didn't I do that for the phase distorter?..."

"Are you going to test it?"

" NO! Not yet. I still have a few kinks to get out. I was wonder if you could help."

"Sure! I have nothing else to do."

"Great! Set up the power supply."

Jeff walked over to a machine. It was a semi-nuclear device. Jeff quickly put on a radiation suit. He turned the dials and typed with the buttons. "Powers on."

"Good. Put it to 385."

"Are you sure? That's a lot of power..."

"Yes, now please do it."

Jeff increased the machine's power, as Dr. Andonuts tinkered with the time machine.

"Hmmmm," thought Dr. Andonuts "What does this device do?"

"What?" asked Jeff.

"Oh, Apple Kid helped me with this device. He put on a part I'm unfamiliar of. It seems unoperational..."

Jeff, was familiar with Apple Kid's work. "Let me see," he said.

He adjusted some wires but nothing happened. "Hmmm" said Jeff, "I wonder what's wrong with it?" He pushed a blue button and tapped the device.

Surprisingly, the machine was activated. Dr. Andonuts was startled. Jeff continued working. Suddenly, Jeff was trapped in a electro magnetic field and couldn't escape. "MAN! IF I BROUGHT MY MAGNETIC FIELD KILLER DEVICE I COULD-" But it was too late. The machine seemed to suck him inside. The force made Jeff hit some keys. The chamber sealed and Jeff became unconscious.

..........................................................................................................................

"Uhhhhh. Oh man. Wha-. Am I...dead?" thought Jeff when he awoke. He opened the chamber.

There was a slight snow falling from the sky. Jeff turned around and noticed the lab was gone. "Where-where am I?" thought Jeff. Jeff re-examined the Time Machine.

He read the time screen and it flickered "1885, September 7th." The screen finally flickered off and shut down. "Whoa!" yelled Jeff, "It really worked. But how will I fix it? First of all, I'm in a deserted area, and second of all, THERE AREN’T ANY PARTS FOR THIS THING IN THIS TIME PERIOD!! What am I going to do?!"

Jeff started to lose hope when he noticed something shiny in the bushes. He walked over and tore open the bushes. "WHAT THE-?? The Sky Runner! H-how did it get here?" Jeff tried to think of a logical explanation. "When it malfunctioned, it must have managed to reach near the edge of the universe. Or maybe the waves of the time machine also took the Sky Runner here. Or maybe-." Jeff was silent from his thinking for a moment. "Maybe I could get the Sky Runner up and going again, to find help. And once I do, I’ll use the parts of the Sky Runner to repair the Time Machine.

As Jeff opened up the Sky Runner, he noticed it wasn't used for ages. The power supply was worse than dead. "How will I get this thing running? WAIT! I know!"

Jeff pulled out his Moon Beam gun. "I guess this is the only way to power it up." He set the gun on auto, and it blasted high energy rays into the Sky Runners power supply.

After two hours, the sky runner was fully powered. Some parts were damaged, so Jeff had to disassemble the Moon Beam gun for parts. Finally, the Sky Runner was fixed. Jeff dragged the Time Machine in the Sky Runner and took off.

The Sky Runner stood idle hovering in the air. "Hmmmm," thought Jeff, "Where do I go?" He thought for a few minutes. "Maybe Onett will be populated. It was one of the first cities in Eagleland." Jeff plotted the points were Onett was on the electronic map. "All right! Go machine! Go!" The Sky Runner took off quick and smoothly.

Within 30 minutes, Jeff reached Onett. "Looks like it wasn't populated. It's all trees. Wait, what's that?" Jeff spotted some low buildings beyond the trees from the aerial view. Jeff decided to land in the trees since locals might think he was evil or something. When he landed, he covered up the Sky Runner with leaves and brush. He placed a homing device so he could locate the ship once he left.

After 10 minutes of walking, Jeff reached the downtown area. It was like being in a western. As he walked through town people stared at him. Jeff felt real odd. He left the downtown area as fast as he could.

He finally reached a clearing. Jeff sat down to think. He was thinking on how he could repair the time machine. As he thought, he looked around the area. "Th-this is Giant Step! There's the foot print! I must truly be in Onett." As Jeff pondered the situation, he was startled by a voice, "Hi there!"

Jeff stood up. There he saw a girl about his age. He thought to himself, Okay Jeff, she's beautiful. Don't say anything dumb... "Um, er-uh, uh hi." studdered Jeff. Doh! he thought. "Hi. I usually come here to read my books. I love this place. And I love that big footprint on top of the hill. It seems like it has a lot of importance...Oh I'm sorry, I'm Karen. I've never seen you here before. Where you from?"

Jeff was too stunned to answer. No girl really talked to him before. He didn't know how to explain it. "Um, I'm from...uh, a country far north of here." Karen replied, "Oh, so you’re an immigrant." "I guess you could say that."

Jeff was short of words. Karen had long reddish blond hair, and was a little shorter than Jeff. Her eyes were blue, and seemed like she had a joyful personality.

Karen asked, "So, what brings you here? "

Jeff replied, "You mean Giant Step?"

"Um, yes. Yeah, that's a good name for this place."

Jeff suddenly felt stupid. "Oh, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jeff."

"Nice to meet you Jeff. Where are you staying around here?"

"Um, over there!" He pointed to an old abandoned shack.

"Are you sure?" asked Karen.

"Well, no."

"That's okay. I doesn't matter. You have some odd clothes there. Oh I'm sorry. I mean they just look...different from everyone else. What I mean to say is that they look nice. The glasses look real good. They seem to fit your personality. And that's a good thing. Were you rich where you came from?"

Jeff had to lie, "I guess so."

"Hmmm, You seem at a loss to this place. I'll give you a tour, and you can come over for

dinner."

"Sounds great. Let's go."

The two took a tour around town. Jeff was amazed at how the 1800's was really like. It was nothing like the movies. Karen spent her 4 cents on buying them both candy. "I've been saving that money for something special. I felt that was the right time." explained Karen. Jeff smiled.

"Well, we better head to my house. Dinner's almost ready."

They headed to Karen's house. Jeff found that Karen's dad was a blacksmith. When her dad saw Jeff he said, "Well who do we have here? What's your name son?"

"Jeff, sir."

"Jeff eh? Are you new around here?"

"Yes I am, sir."

Karen asked, "Papa, can Jeff stay for dinner?"

"I suppose so. Your folks won't mind will they, Jeff?"

"Not at all sir."

"Okay, well let's go in the house."

Jeff , Karen and her dad both entered the house area. Her mom was serving some type of meat, potatoes, and gravy.

"Karen, who's this young man?" asked Karen's mother.

"This is Jeff. He's new around town, so we took a tour. It's fine if he stays for dinner, right?"

"Of course. Here Jeff, have a seat."

They all began to eat. Karen's dad asked "So, Jeff, did they have a school back where you were from? Did you do good?"

"Samuel! Don't put the boy on the spot!"

Jeff answered anyway, "I guess so, sir. Do they have a school here?"

"Not yet. But my daughter's going to get an education. Right Karen?"

"Right Papa."

"Maybe I could help her, I was good-" Jeff stopped suddenly. He knew that he wouldn't have much time here.

After they finished, Jeff realized he had little time to fix the Sky Runner. "Thank you very much. I better get going."

"Jeff! Can you meet me back by Giant Step around 1 o'clock?" asked Karen.

"Sure thing. I'll see you then."

Karen's dad asked, "Giant Step? What's that?"

Jeff left the house quickly.

As he walked back to they sky runner, he thought about Karen. "She was to beautiful, they way she talks, they way she walks...." SLAP! "What are you thinking Jeff! First of all she probably doesn’t even like you the way you do. And second of all, you can't stay here! You have a mission to fulfill man!" Jeff pounded himself with these questions until he reached the sky runner. Then he got right to work.

As he swapped parts with the Sky Runner to the time machine. But through all the work, he still thought about Karen. He lost all track of time and ended up working until 3 am. He dozed off to sleep in the sky runner.

...............................................................................................................................

"Uhhhh. What the- Oh man." Jeff woke up with a stiff neck. He got a lot of work done, but it was still incomplete. He covered up the sky runner, and went to the nearest tree. When he finished, he saw Karen 20 feet away from the sky runner. Jeff ran over to her.

"Jeff! There you are! I've been looking all over for you? I thought I'd be late but It's already 2:30."

"2:30!" Shouted Jeff ,"Oh, I"m terribly sorry. I must have overslept."

"Why are you here then?" Asked Karen.

"Oh, I was checking out the land. I'm sorry I forgot about meeting a Giant Step."

"Don't worry about it. Come on, let's walk."

Jeff felt real bad knowing he would never see her again. He would have to leave and go back to his own time.

The whole day, they spent together. Walking around town, meeting people, and her friends. Then, it was sunset. They watched the sunset over Giant Step.

For some reason Jeff mumbled, "I'll have to go soon."

"What?" Asked Karen "You just moved here."

"Oh no." Said Jeff aloud "Well, I guess I couldn't keep it from you. You want me to tell you the truth on where I’m from?"

"I guess so."

"You won't believe me."

"Yes, I will."

"Okay. Believe it or not. I'm from the year...199-."

"You are? No way!"

"Follow me. I'll prove it."

Karen was a little stunned, as well as puzzled. Jeff took her to the Sky Runner.

"So, what's here?" she asked.

Jeff unveiled the brush off the Sky Runner.

Karen's eyes widened.

Jeff explained, "Karen, this is the Sky Runner. Believe it or not, it flies. That's how I got here. I came from a northern country soon to be called Winters. I got in this time period with the time machine inside. In my present day the Sky Runner malfunctioned and some how got in this time period. My father invented the time machine and I was accidently pulled inside. I flew the Sky Runner to find help. That is how I'm here."

Karen was dumbfounded, and didn't know what to say. She finally managed to say, "This is amazing. It really flies? And goes through time?"

Jeff answered, "Yes, but it's broken and I'm fixing it right now. As soon as it's done, I have to leave. That will probably be tomorrow if I work on it all day."

"You have to go?"

"Yes." said Jeff sadly.

"I will truly miss you Jeff."

"I'll miss you too."

"What's it like in the future? Does anyone really go to the moon? Can anything else fly like...the sky runner?"

Jeff smiled, "Yes lot's of things like that. However you must swear to me.."

"Yes?"

"You must NEVER tell anyone about what you see and what I tell you. If you do tell, the future might be devastatingly different. So don't tell ANYONE!"

"I won't."

"Good. I'm glad we're friends. We are friends aren't we?" asked Jeff.

"Of course."

Jeff and Karen talked all through the night.

Jeff woke up at around 2 am. Karen was still there. Oh no! he thought. What will her parent's think?

Jeff took off his suit jacket and put it over her. He then started to repair the time machine, until he dozed off to sleep.

...............................................................................................................................

"Jeff wake up!"

"What? AHHHHH! You’re still here! What will your parents think?"

"I'll told them I stayed over at my friend's house. I hate lying to them, but it's the only way. I better get going. When are you leaving?"

"If I finish, tonight."

"Okay. I'll see you then. Love yo-er I have to go..." and Karen ran off.

"Did she say she loved me? No, I'm probably just hearing things." Jeff pondered what she said and got right back to work.

Around 5:30 Jeff was tired, hungry, and exhausted. He ate the fermenting bread roll, but it didn’t help him much. However, he finished the Time Machine. It had full power from the Sky Runner. He did analysis and the machine appeared to be operational. Jeff couldn't say goodbye to Karen, it would be too painful. As he was about to leave, Karen came running toward him. "Jeff! Jeff! Wait!"

Jeff stopped. "Hi Karen."

"Here." Karen handed Jeff leftovers from her dinner. He gobbled it up quickly.

"Whew. Thanks a lot. I was just about to leave. Sorry."

"That's fine. Um, now what?"

"I have to leave."

"Now? Oh Jeff I will miss you. I've never had a good friend like you before."

"Thank you. I don't know what to say....If you don't mind, take the left over's from the sky runner, and hide them. No one must ever see it."

"I will."

Jeff reached in his pocket and pulled out a picture of him. "Here, take it. I don't need it." Jeff smiled.

"Wow! In color? I will never lose this Jeff. Here, take this pendant. It has sentimental value, so don't lose it. I hope you will remember me."

"Don't worry, I'll never forget you. I must go now."

Before Jeff went inside, Karen kissed him. Jeff was flushed. He took a deep breath, and entered the machine. "BACK UP!" he yelled. Soon the machine created another electro magnetic field. "Goodbye-Karen..." Then the machine made an immense ray of light and disappeared to 199-.

...............................................................................................................................

Jeff awoke from the unconsciousness the machine gave him. He opened the chamber and realized he was in Ness's backyard! He ran to the door. "Hey Jeff! How'd you get here? And-" Jeff interrupted Ness, "Ness! I had one of the greatest adventures of my life! I have to tell you about it."

As Jeff told Ness about what happened, Ness's sister, Tracy showed them something. "Hey guys! Look what King dug up in the yard..."

Jeff grabbed it. It was a large sealed can. When they broke the seal there was a letter and the Sky Runner Antenna inside. "Karen..." said Jeff. "Who?" asked Ness.

Jeff read the letter:

Dear Jeff,

I hope you get this letter. It's from me, Karen. I buried this 2 days after you went back to your own time. If you stayed, maybe we could have gotten to know each other better. I probably won't see you again because my family might move to a new town called Twoson. Does it exist in the future? Anyway, I'll never forget you.

Love,

Karen

Ness asked, "What was that all about?" Jeff was silent for a few moments. He looked up at Ness and explained the whole thing to him.