Destiny's child

By Paul A. Metcalfé

The Planet Express ship was en-route back from a successful delivery of Mom’s Robot Oil to the Planet Archon, it was approaching Earth orbit on Auto-Pilot when the alarm sounded in Leela’s quarters informing her, that the Ship required her attention.

“Um, That time already”, a slightly sleepy Leela said to herself

She rolled back the sheets on her bed and headed for the shower. After a refreshing shower, she got dressed in her usual clothes, and checking that Nibbler was still asleep in his basket, she set off for the bridge.

“I Wonder if Fry’s awake, he always enjoys watching me land the ship” thought Leela as she passed his cabin.

Fry was still fast asleep, dreaming about that fateful day when he fell into the Cryogenic Chamber.

“Here’s to another lousy millennium” he was saying in his dream, the chair was tipping backwards towards the Chamber, when a mysterious face appeared and said “Your destiny awaits you”, and almost as quickly faded away.

Fry woke up with a start.

“Uh, that’s the third night in a row, I’ve dreamt of that day and that face, but why?” he wondered to himself.

“I guess, I’ll never find out”, Fry said thinking out aloud.

Turning and looking at the clock, he saw it was 05:15.what’

“OK, Fry, let’s see if you can get back to sleep” he thought, as he rolled over.

The intercom sprung into life, ruining any hopes of sleep.

“Fry, Bender, we’re coming into land in about 30 minutes” crackled Leela’s voice through the speaker.

Fry jumped out of bed, and got dressed, then rushed out of his just about open door towards the bridge.

In his rush, he nearly collided with Bender who was walking towards the bridge.

“Fry, what’s the rush, ship on fire?”, enquired Bender

“Sorry, Bender, we’re landing, and you know how I love to watch Leela land the ship” apologised Fry as he went past.

“You love Leela, stupid skintube”, muttered Bender.

Fry arrived at the bridge, sweating profusely and very much out of breath.

“Did I, Miss it”, he stammered towards Leela.

“No, Fry, I said 30 minutes not 3 minutes, now sit down and relax” responded Leela from the Captain’s Chair.

Fry slumped into his chair, and started looking expectantly out of the front windows of the Bridge.

“Fry, after all these missions, you still get excited about us landing back in New New York, why?”, asked Leela.

“Because, he’s from the Stupid Ages”, interjected Bender, who had just arrived.

“Leela, it’s because I miss my apartment and …. Sometimes my own time.”, replied Fry , ignoring Bender’s comment.

“Oh, you still haven’t got used to Space Travel, I thought you had.”, answered Leela following up with “You still miss the 20^th Century, I thought you hated it.”

“Yeah, well I’ve had this dream lately, of the day I fell into the Freezer Doodle, and it’s worrying me.”, replied Fry.

“You humans, always worrying about something, not like us Robots, no cares in the world”, Bender broke in.

“OK, Fry, we’ll discuss this later, I have to concentrate on landing the ship”, advised Leela.

The ship entered the Earth’s orbit, and after a couple of minutes, the familiar sky-line of New New York, came into view. Leela carefully piloted the ship, past the skyscrapers and hovered over the Planet Express Building.

“Hermes, this is Leela, please open Loading Bay doors”, Leela asked through the communications panel.

“Yes Mon”, came Hermes response

The doors on the roof of the Loading Bay, slipped back. Leela released the Ship’s landing legs and as smooth as usual landed the ship.

“Another neat landing, Leela, wish you’d let me do it one day”, admired Fry.

“You’ll get your chance one day, Fry”, answered Leela from her seat.

“Ok, Guys, were back, after another successful mission, let’s go and inform Hermes”, notified Leela, as she got out her seat and headed for the door, a couple of seconds later Bender and Fry followed.

They exited the ship, and were greeted by the Professor, who had a quirky smile on his face.

“Good News Everyone” he greeted them

“Uh oh, here come trouble”, mumbled Bender

“Wha? Uh? Anyway today is the 9^th of November and it’s the annual Futuristic Science Appreciation Convention, and I’ve got another invention to show them” responded the Professor

“What’s is it this time, another Death Clock?”, enquired Fry

“No No, this is my What Was machine”, replied the Professor

“Professor, what does the What Was machine do”, enquired Leela

“Oh, you mean, we can see the day I fell into the Freezer”, asked Fry

“Oh my no, it allows you to see events from the past that have influenced the future”, answered Farnsworth

“Fry, is that dream bothering you all that much”, asked Leela, looking sympathetically at him.

“Well, yeah, Leela it is, for some reason I want to know why.”, answered Fry

“Fry mon, leave the past alone, it’s not good for you to worry about it”, said Hermes on his arrival.

“Yeah, you never see a Robot worry about anything”, added Bender.

“Ok, I’ll try and forget it”, said a crestfallen Fry.

“I want you all back here, by 8pm so that we can attend the Convention.”, said the Professor.

“Leela, let’s go and deal with the paperwork for the delivery”, told Hermes, as he headed for his office.

“OK, Fry, you and Bender have the rest of the day off.” instructed Leela, as she followed Hermes out of the Loading Bay.

Fry and Bender headed towards the Robot Arms Apartments, to get changed in Fry’s case, and for Bender to catch up on lost Beer drinking time.

After several hours of watching the “All My Circuits - All Day Marathon” on Television with Bender, Fry got up off the settee and headed for the door of their apartment.

Hey, where ya going skintube, they’re about to reveal who shut Calculon down”, demanded Bender, still clasping a half-empty bottle of LoBrau Beer.

“I’m going for a walk, Bender”, answered Fry as he walked out of the door, and headed for the streets of New New York.

Stupid humans, I’ll never understand them”, thought Bender, as he drank the remainder of the beer, and turned his attention back to the TV.

Out on the street in front of the Robot Arms Apartments, Fry looked up at the clear blue sky, thought what a nice day it was going to be, and headed of in the direction of the Planet Express.

After walking for several blocks, he came upon the Memorial Statue to the victims of the World Trade Center tragedy, that had been recently excavated from the ruins of Old New York.

“Sometimes I’m glad I got frozen”, he said looking at it solemnly while reading the inscription on the newly restored plaque, before continuing on.

Amy walked into the lounge area of the Planet Express Building, looking around, she spotted Leela, sitting on the settee, reading one her magazines.

“Leela, you’re still here? I thought you’d gone back to your apartment” asked Amy.

“Amy, I was going to, but I’m worried about Fry and how this dream is affecting him”, replied Leela, putting her magazine, down on the table.

“So, you’re just going to stay here and wait for him?” enquired Amy.

“Yes. That was the plan, why, you got another suggestion?”, responded Leela quizzically.

"Well, G’uh, yes. Why don’t we go to O’Zorgnax’s for a drink and then onto to the Gym for a nice relaxing steam”, replied Amy.

"What use is going for a drink, when I need to talk to Fry about his dream”, responded Leela.

"B’uh, you’re so wound up about Fry, you need a drink and to relax.”, retorted Amy, as she turned to leave.

“Ok, Amy, I’ll come with you, if you think I’m that worried about him”, sighed Leela, as she got up off the settee, and followed Amy out of the door.

10 minutes after Amy and Leela had left the building, Fry entered and headed towards the Professor’s Laboratory. As he was passing Zoidberg’s office door, it opened and the Doctor nearly walked into him.

“Zoidberg, look where you’re going” said Fry.

“I vas, you weren’t there, when it opened.”, replied Zoidberg.

“Ok, Doc, whatever”, responded Fry dismissively, as he carried on towards the Lab.

“No one, wants to talk to poor old Zoidberg”, he said to himself, as he went glumly back into his office.

“Fry Mon, what in the name of Irving Blitzer’s Ghost are you doing here?” asked Hermes, as Fry passed by his office’s open door.

“Yesterday, I forgot to … errr, clean the lounge”, replied an uncertain Fry.

“Fry, Leela told you to have the day off”, responded Hermes

“Well, yeah, but you don’t mind if I do the work now?”, asked Fry.

“No Mon, you go right ahead, it’s good to see you wanting to work for once.”, replied Hermes

“Thanks”, said Fry, as he continued towards the Professor’s Lab.

O’Zorgnax’s Bar was full of people, it looked like a Birthday Party was in full swing, when Amy and Leela arrived.

“Well, Amy, it looks like we may have to wait, if we want a drink”, explained Leela.

“Yeah, let’s skip the drink and go and have that nice relaxing steam instead”, answered Amy.

“Good idea, Amy, plus it’s more private than in a crowded Bar”, replied Leela.

They, turned away from the Bar, headed across the street and entered the Gymnasium. They stopped in front of the Reception glass window, the receptionist’s name tag said Kelly Harrison.

“Are there a Steamroom free?”, enquired Amy.

“We have one Steamroom left, if you want it?”, answered Kelly.

“We’ll take it, I’m in need of a relaxing time, evidently”, remarked Leela.

“It’s $10 for 30 minutes, or $18 for one hour”, explained Kelly

“We’ll take it for 30 minutes”, answered Amy, as she handed over a $10 bill.

“Your 30 minutes start once you’ve entered the room. A buzzer will sound, when time is up”, instructed Kelly, as she handed Amy, two towels and the keys to Steamroom Number 5.

Amy and Leela headed for the changing rooms, got undressed and wrapped the towels around their bodies , and walked down the corridor, and entered the Steamroom.

“Lock the door behind us, Amy”, stated Leela.

“Why, are you afraid, that Fry will walk in on us again?”, replied Amy with a mischievous look on her face.

“No, but I want some kind of privacy", answered Leela.

“OK”, replied Amy, as she locked the door.

Leela threw some water over the hot coals, to increase the amount of steam in the room, then both she and Amy placed their towels on the bench, and laid down on them, feet pointing at the ceiling.

“Amy, for once, you’re right, I do need to try and relax”, sighed Leela as she crossed her arms in front of her and laid her chin on them, and closed her eye.

“I thought we were going to talk about Fry?”, Amy asked her.

“Amy, you said I needed to relax, and I’m trying to do that, let’s talk about Fry later”, replied Leela, opening her eye and giving Amy a withering look.

“Poq Gai, I forgot, sorry”, answered Amy, as she folded her arms in front of her and rested her head on them.

“I want 20 minutes of this, and then we’ll talk, OK” replied Leela, closing her eye again.

“Aye Captain.”, Amy cheekily responded.

Fry opened the door to the Professor’s Laboratory.

“Professor you in here”, called Fry at the entrance, after receiving no response, he entered.

“Now which invention in all this junk, is the What Was machine", thought Fry to himself.

After searching for about 10 minutes, and finding numerous weird and wonderful gadgets, that seemed to serve no purpose or do nothing at all in some cases. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that looked familiar and out of place.

“Hey, the Prof’s recreated an old TV set, I wonder if it can receive FOX”, he thought to himself

He leaned forward and pressed what looked like the ON button. There was a strange buzzing, and suddenly the screen sprung to life, on it was “HUBERT FARNSWORTH’S WHAT WAS MACHINE -- TO USE THIS DEVICE, PLEASE TALK INTO THE AERIAL -- WHAT PIECE OF HISTORY DO YOU WISH TO SEE?”

Fry jumped into the yelling “YAHOO, I’ve found it.

Looking around to make sure that nobody had heard his jubilant celebration, he pointed the aerial towards him and asked the machine “Why in my dream about being frozen, does a strange face say ‘Your Destiny Awaits You’?

The What Was machine’s screen blanked for a second, then in the centre of the screen a message appeared “PLEASE WAIT … FINDING HISTORICAL REFERENCE”.

“Aww crud, I hope this don’t take too long!”, thought Fry to himself.

In his bedroom, the Professor was sat at his desk, cluttered with bits of failed inventions, writing his acceptance speech for the Top Scientist Award at the Convention.

“Ladies and Enemies of mine. I’m happy to accept this award from the organisers. Never has a Scientist deserved it more than me”, was all he’d wrote so far.

Absent minded, he started to write the next sentence onto the wrong sheet of paper. This piece of paper had plans for his next three inventions, the Synaptic Transposer, the Parallel Portal and the Time Decimiliser Device.

“Oh My, nearly destroyed my latest ideas to help mankind”, he remarked, and picked up the sheet, and placed into the desk’s top drawer.

“Now, where was I, oh yes, I was planning another Doomsday Device”, Farnsworth said to himself.

Forgetting all about the speech, Farnsworth walked across to his blackboard, which was full of mathematical equations and technical drawings, and started to alter some of them.

Just as Fry was about to give up on the What Was machine, the wording disappeared, and an image formed, of what looked like Central Park. After a couple of seconds, a family appeared, they had two children, one had brown hair, and was running around and shooting at anything, the other had orange hair, and was in a pram.

“That looks like me, Yancey, Mom and Dad .. what has this to with my dream?”, wondered Fry

“Yancey, quit running around”, scolded Mom.

“Leave him alone Catherine, he’s shooting Commies”, replied Dad.

“Ok, Hun.”, Mom said giving in.

The walked on for a couple of minutes, enjoying the sunshine, when they came across a sign advertising “A. Robertson’s World of the Mysterious”, and beyond it were a few fairground style tents.

“Let’s go and see, if they’ve anyone who can tell me when the Commies will attack”, instructed Yancey Fry Senior.

“OK, and maybe we can get a present for Philip and Yancey as well”, replied Catherine Fry

“I don’t think this place does model ICBM’s”, retorted Yancey Senior.

The first tent they came to advertised “Mystic Megan, Cross my palm with Silver, and I’ll tell you your future.”

“This looks like a good place, she’ll do”, said Yancey Senior.

“Let’s find out the future for all of us, honey”, replied Catherine.

“OK, but you’re gonna pay her”, retorted Yancey Senior.

They walked into the tent, from the other side of a table, they were greeted by Mystic Megan, an old woman, with grey hair and bright blue eyes, and running across her left cheek was a scar.

“That’s the face, from my dream”, gasped Fry.

“Y’all want yer futures told?”, she asked in a Southern Accent.

“Yeah, we do, now tell me when the Commies will attack.”, yelled Yancey Senior.

“Ah can’t tell you, the future to that, level of detail ”, she replied.

“So you’re useless, let’s go honey”, instructed Yancey Senior as he turned around and headed out, with Yancey Junior following him.

“Sorry, about him, but can you tell me what’s in Phil’s future, please?”, apologised Catherine while pointing to the pram.

“Sure honey, just sit down there, and ah’ll have a look in ma Crystal Ball”, Megan replied, as she walked around the table and sat down.

Megan held her hands over the Crystal Ball, uttered an incantation, the mists cleared, revealing a futuristic cityscape and a lonely looking purple-haired cycloptic woman sat at her desk. This changed to show Fry exiting his Cryogenic Chamber, followed by Fry resetting the timer on Leela’s chamber.. It changed again, showing Leela and Fry holding hands walking down a street, then it became an image of Fry looking sorrowfully at Philip J. Fry’s Gravestone. It changed once more to show Fry using the What Was Machine to see this part of his life, and as the mists started to return, one last image was just about visible.

Fry gasped in shock at what the faint image consisted of.

Megan stared at the Ball for a couple of seconds after the mists had returned.

“Yer son’s future is in the far future, and he’s destined to spend his life there with a Purple haired woman always near him.”, Megan eventually told Catherine.

Catherine looked blankly at Megan for a moment or two, and then uttered, “The future? Purple haired woman? You certain?”

“All ah see is what the Ball tells me, and ah suggest you never tell your sons or husband about this.”, replied Megan

“Why?” asked a clearly bemused Catherine.

“It’ll affect his and yer family’s futures, if you tell them”, responded Megan.

“OK. I can do that”, replied Catherine as she offered a dollar bill as payment.

“No charge, honey. Ah’ve never seen a future prediction like it before, in ma whole life”, replied Megan.

The image on the What Was machine, faded away to black, then a message appeared. “HISTORICAL RECORD FINISHED -- ASK ANOTHER QUESTION, OR TURN OFF”.

Fry stood looking at the machine in disbelief for about a minute, the he then leaned forward, turned the machine off, and then left the laboratory and the Planet Express Building, heading back to the Robot Arms Apartments.

After approximately 25 minutes in the Steamroom, Amy nudged Leela in the arm.

“Leela, you nice and relaxed now?” she asked.

Leela raised her head off of her arms, opened her eye, and turned to face Amy.

“Yes, Amy, thank you for suggesting this”, she replied.

“Now, can we talk about why you are so worried about Fry?”, enquired Amy.

“Ok, Amy, I did say we would talk about him”, sighed Leela.

Before Amy could ask a question, Leela continued on talking.

“While we were coming into land from Archon, I asked Fry why he enjoyed landing back on Earth, more than any other landing. He told me that he missed his room in Bender’s apartment and the 20^th Century, due to a strange dream, he’s been having about it.”

“What was the dream about?”, asked Amy

“It was something to with the day he was Frozen, and it’s upset him.”, answered Leela.

“It’s probably just a nightmare, if something like that happened to me, I’d probably have them”, responded Amy.

“It’s been nearly 2 years since he was Cryogenically Unfrozen, and he gets nightmares now, that’s what is worrying me, more than anything”, Leela answered with a look of concern on her face.

“It’s probably delayed, Leela, a lot has happened to him in that time” explained Amy.

“Yeah, you could be right, Amy.”, replied Leela.

Just then a buzzer sounded in the room.

“Oh, time’s up already, that didn’t seem like 30 minutes”, said Amy with a quizzical look on her face.

“Well, it obviously is Amy, let’s go, have a shower, and then get dressed.”, answered Leela, as she got up off of her towel and wrapped it around her body.

“Sounds good to me,” happily responded Amy, as she got up, wrapped the towel around her and followed Leela to the door.

Leela unlocked the door, and they both headed back to the changing rooms and then into the showers. After a refreshing shower, they got dressed, handed Kelly the key to Steamroom 5, and left the Gymnasium.

“Ok Leela, Now what?” asked Amy.

“I think we ought to go and see if Fry is OK.”, replied Leela, with a concerned look on her face.

“You’re still worried about him, then?”, inquired Amy.

“Guess so, but it can’t do any harm”, responded Leela.

“OK Leela, let’s do that for your benefit” said Amy, and set off in the direction of the Robot Arms Apartments. A couple of seconds later, Leela caught her up.

“I wonder if Fry has cleaned the lounge yet?” thought Hermes, as he finished off the Health and Safety Report, that had to be correctly worded so that the Planet Express Building would get it’s Annual Safety Certificate.

He folded the report up and place it into a Message Tube, and sent it on it’s way to the Central Bureaucracy Building., then walking around his desk, making certain everything was in it’s proper place (as per Bureaucratic Rules), he left the room and headed to the lounge.

“Fry mon, you in here?” yelled in dismay as he arrived at the lounge and saw it was as untidy as ever.

“Where is that lazy nobody”, he thought, as he walked around the lounge, noting the abject lack of work done, in tidying the place.

“I’ll kick him so hard, he won’t know what day it is”, he said loudly.

“Hmm, who?” asked the Professor as he walked in.

“Fry, he came in earlier and said he was gonna tidy this pigsty”, replied Hermes

“Let him do it later, I’ve something to show you all”, answered the Professor

“There’s only me here, you half-blind old loony.”, responded Hermes

“Ok, I’ve my latest invention for the Convention to show you”, explained the Professor, as he headed back towards his bedroom.

“You’ve already got an invention for tonight”, came the exasperated response from Hermes.

“I have .. What? When?”, replied a clearly puzzled Professor.

“The ’What Was’ machine, you built last week, you old buffoon”, said Hermes.

“Oh that, I never got it to work, it’s quite useless”, responded the Professor cheerfully.

“It’s NEVER worked” cried out Hermes.

“Oh my yes, now quit jabbering and come and see this one, it’s sure to win, it’s my Time Decimiliser Device”, as left the lounge.

Hermes followed more out of curiosity than out of interest.

Fry arrived back at the entrance to the Robot Arms Apartments, after standing outside for a couple of minutes thinking over what the device has shown him, he went inside and entered his and Bender’s apartment.

“So you’re back, Fry”, said Bender , still lounging on the settee, watching the TV.

“Yeah, Bender, needed that”, replied Fry

“You’ve missed Calculon’s death and re-boot sequence, it was thrilling” answered Bender

“I’m off to my room, I need to work something out”, replied Fry as opened the door to his room and went in.

“Yeah, OK, Stupid human, always leaving me here .. not that I care”, shouted Bender at the now closed door.

Amy and Leela, approached the door to Bender’s apartment, a couple of minutes after Fry entered, when Leela suddenly stopped, with a worried expression on her face.

“Amy, you don’t think that Fry will be annoyed at us, for turning up unannounced?”, she asked

“Leela, I don’t think Fry could ever get mad at you”, truthfully replied Amy.

“Why, do you think that?” asked Leela.

“He’s so much in love with you, that’d it would take something unusual for him to get mad at you.”, answered Amy.

“Yeah, I’ve never seen him get really mad at me, despite the way I treat him”, remorsefully replied Leela.

“You can be a bit rough on him, but he seems to take it well” explained Amy.

“I need to be rough on him, he’s so immature at times”, retorted Leela

“I know what you mean, but he does love you, despite that”, Amy responded with a grin.

“He’s a nice guy and everything, but he’s not who I’m looking for, yet”, replied Leela

“So he has a chance, can I tell him, Leela, please”, excitedly responded Amy.

“No, this is between me and you, OK.”, instructed Leela

“Yes, Ma’am”, replied a downcast Amy.

“Now, let’s go and see if Fry is alright”, directed Leela, as she knocked on the door and entered without waiting for a response.

Bender looked up over the top of the settee as Leela and Amy walked in.

“He’s in his room, moping about, if you want him”, he remarked.

“Thanks Bender”, answered Leela

“Amy, I want to talk to Fry alone, you stay here with Bender” instructed Leela.

“OK, but why?”, answered a mystified Amy.

“I need to find out in Private, about his dream, it concerns me”, answered Leela, as she knocked on Fry’s door. After getting no response, she opened the door and entered the room.

Inside his room, Fry was sitting on his bed, head in his hands, thinking about what he’d seen that day.

“This is my destiny, but why am I still seeing that face?”, he said to himself.

“I don’t understand it, I need to tell someone, but who?”, he considered.

He looked up as Leela strode in and locked the door behind her.

“You Ok, Fry”, sympathetically asked Leela.

Fry got up off his bed, walked towards Leela, and then placed both arms around her waist, and kissed her on the cheek.

“What’s this for, Fry?”, she asked, clearly bewildered.

“I’m just happy to see you, my destiny”, thoughtlessly responded Fry, under his breath..

“Uh, Fry, what did you just say?”, enquired Leela.

“Sorry, Leela, it was something the ‘What Was’ machine told me”, answered Fry clearly embarrassed, as he let go of Leela.

“You’ve been and used the Professor’s Invention, why?”, queried Leela.

“Yeah, It told me about my dream”, answered Fry.

Leela sat down on the edge of Fry’s bed and invited Fry to do the same.

“Ok, Fry, first tell me all about this dream, that’s worrying you”, instructed Leela.

“I was back in 20^th Century, and just about to fall into the Freezer, when a face appears and tells me ‘Your Destiny Awaits You’, so I went back to the lab and asked the machine”, answered Fry.

“So, that’s why you asked the Professor about it, on landing, and what did the ‘What Was’ device tell you?”, enquired Leela.

“It told me, that my future is here in New New York, and that you are my future wife and we..” answered Fry.

“Fry, we’ve already been married and divorced, so that can’t be right”, interrupted Leela.

“I know, Leela, don’t remind me”, sadly answered Fry, looking at the little box on top of his desk, which contained his wedding ring.

“Fry, would it help, if we both went back to the lab, and saw this explanation?”, enquired Leela.

“Yeah, you don’t mind?”, replied Fry looking a little bit happier.

“Fry, it worries me, that this dream bothers you so much,” sympathetically answered Leela.

“Thanks, Leela, you’re a true friend.”, answered Fry with a wry smile on his face.

“Let’s go, before the Professor, gets it ready for the Convention.”, informed Leela, as she stood up and headed for the door.

Fry got up off the bed, and followed Leela, out of his room.

“You OK, Fry?”, asked Amy from the settee.

“Yeah, me and Leela, are going for a walk together”, replied Fry, as they left the apartment.

Bender looked at Amy and winked.

“Those two lovebirds, always together” cheekily remarked Bender, as he turned his attention back to the TV.

Leela and Fry walked towards the Planet Express building, passing various New New York stores and businesses, one caught Fry’s eye.

“Hey look Leela, they’re building a new factory for Suicide Similon’s Quick-Death Booths” he commented.

“Yes Fry, they’re supposedly faster than Stop-And-Drop’s Suicide Booths”, answered Leela.

“You obviously haven’t been in one of them, I have”, answered Fry.

“You’ve never been in a Suicide Booth, Fry”, quickly responded Leela.

“I have, it was on the day I met Bender, after running away from you. I thought it was a telephone box.”, explained Fry.

“Oh, you’ve never told me this before” answered Leela.

“Yeah well, it’s not something I want to remember “, replied Fry.

“Well, Fry, I won’t mention it again” promised Leela.

Just as Hermes left his office, the Professor walked up to him.

“Hermes, so what did you think of my invention?”, asked the Professor.

“Well, if it had worked, it would be intriguing, mon”, answered Hermes.

“It did work, just not as I wanted”, replied Farnsworth

“Yeah mon, it the result was unexpected” truthfully answered Hermes.

“Oh right, well I’ll go and invent something else for tonight, as the What Was devices didn’t work before I got rid of it.”, responded Farnsworth, as he turned and left, leaving a bemused Hermes standing in the hallway.

Leela and Fry entered the Planet Express building, and headed towards the Professor’s Lab, when they bumped into Hermes.

“Fry mon, you told me you were gonna clean the lounge, you lazy good for nothing”, angrily asked Hermes.

“Sorry Hermes, first thing that came to me”, stuttered Fry.

“So what did you do then?”, questioned Hermes.

“I went to the Professor’s Lab, and used his What Was machine”, truthfully answered Fry.

“You can’t have, Fry, it don’t work mon.” replied Hermes.

“It does work, I saw something on it, and now I want show it to Leela”, answered Fry.

“The Professor told me it don’t work, and he’s built someting new for tonight”, responded Hermes.

“Well, I’ll prove it, follow me.”, said Fry as he headed for the Lab, leaving Leela and Hermes looking at each other.

“Hermes, he told me that it showed him why he fell into the Cryogenic Tube”, explained Leela.

“Come on you two”, yelled Fry as he opened the door to the Professor’s Lab.

Hermes and Leela looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders, then walked to meet Fry, who headed straight for the desk, where he’d found the What Was device. He stopped suddenly when he realised that it wasn’t on the desk anymore.

“Oh No, where is it?” he cried out.

“I told you, it didn’t work and the Professor’s destroyed it.”, said Hermes, as he and Leela arrived.

“Nooooo!”, frantically yelled Fry.

“Come on Fry, is it so important that you show me?” asked Leela as she placed a hand on his shoulder in support.

“Yes, it is Leela, it was something to do with OUR futures”, replied Fry as he moved away from Leela.

“OUR Futures?”, a surprised Leela responded.

“Yeah, it showed me something, I’ve only dreamt about happening”, replied Fry

“and now you’ll never know what”, he disappointedly continued.

“Fry, what else did the device show you?”, asked Leela.

“Why Leela, it’s gone forever”, a resigned Fry replied

“Maybe some other evidence of what happened exists”, answered Leela.

“OK Leela, my Mom visited a Fortune Teller when I was a baby, and she saw my future.”, replied a downcast Fry.

“Fry, I know this is a long shot, but maybe the Fortune Teller has a distant relative somewhere”, queried Leela.

“Maybe, but how do we find that out.”, asked a puzzled Fry.

“We could try the looking around the Internet”, answered Leela.

Fry visibly brightened up at this idea, and before Leela could react, he grabbed her by the arm, and started towards the Internet Machine.

“It was just an idea, Fry”, said Leela, as she was nearly pulled out of her boots..

“I know Leela, but it means that much to me”, replied Fry.

“OK, Fry, before we hook ourselves into the Internet, just remember this only an idea and nothing may result from it”, said Leela.

“Yeah, I hear you Leela”, said Fry as he started to put on the Internet Linking Gear.

“Hermes, can you operate the Internet Machine for us, please”, asked Leela.

“OK, Leela, let me know when you’re ready.” he advised.

“I’m ready, now”, said Fry looking impatiently at Leela as she was still placing her hands into the gloves.

“Fry, I know this important to you, but let’s not charge in and chase after the first link”, responded Leela

“Ok, Leela, you’re the boss”, answered Fry

“Hermes, I’m ready as well”, said Leela, as she brought the visor down over her eye.

Hermes pressed the on button, and waited several seconds while the console did several diagnostic checks of itself, and eventually loaded up AOL. He typed into the machine – http://www.intonet.com and pressed enter. A blinding blue flash from his left, told him that Leela and Fry had successfully entered the Internet.

Fry and Leela phased into the Internet and looked around at all the different possibilities of searching for someone or something.

“You know Leela, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this”, said Fry.

“What using the Internet?” she enquired

“No, well yes, but not this way”, answered Fry

“Oh I see, you’re used to 20^th Century ways still”, responded Leela, as she and Fry walked through virtual world.

“Ah, here we go, this should be helpful” as she pointed to a sign saying “Welcome To Krytens’ Identity Speed Search”.

They entered the virtual building and proceeded to the main desk, where a receptionist called Kathleen wearing a Monkey shaped name tag, greeted them.

“Hi and welcome to K.I.S.S. who are you looking for?” she asked them.

“I’m looking for a Fortune Teller from the 1970’s”. Replied Fry.

“OK, do you have a name, as it does help with the search”, responded Kathleen.

Fry was suddenly struck dumb, as a blank look appeared on his face.

“Fry, you haven’t forgotten her name, have you” asked Leela.

“Leela, I’m trying to remember it, it was something like Magazine”, he replied

“Magazine, that can’t be right”, shot back Leela.

“Do you have a location as well?”, asked Kathleen

“Yeah, it was Central Park in New York, and I’m fairly certain her name is Megan.”, answered Fry

“OK, let me see if I’ve got this right, it’s a Fortune Teller called Megan from New York City in the 1970’s, you’re looking for?” asked Kathleen.

“err … yes”, came the not so positive response from Fry.

“OK”, responded Kathleen as she pressed a few buttons, then stepped back.

The room seemed to darken, and then in the space between Leela, Fry and Kathleen, the words SEARCHING FOR IDENTITY shimmered into view, below that a line started to grow from left to right. After approximately 15 seconds, the wording and bar shimmered out of site, to be replaced with a picture of an old woman and some information.

“Well Fry, is this the person you saw in your dream”, asked Leela.

“Yeah, that looks like her, and the name Mystic Megan is familiar”, answered Fry.

“Mystic Megan, employee at “A. Robertson’s World of the Mysterious” during the 1970’s, she retired after a strange Future vision in 1976.”, read Leela.

“Yeah, that must be her, I sort of remember a sign with that name”, optimistically answered Fry.

“Kathleen, can you do another search, to see if she has any living relatives” asked Leela.

“Yes, I can, this will take a little bit longer, if you want to wait” enquired Kathleen

“Yeah, We Do”, answered Fry, before Leela could say anything.

The room dimmed again, this time the lettering said “Relative Search on Mystic Megan .. Proceeding”.

“Well Fry, if she has any relatives, I take it you’ll want to find them”, asked Leela.

“Yeah, I REALLY need to prove to you, that what I saw, was real”, answered Fry.

“OK, you two, the Search has yielded a relative, and they’re here in New New York, do you want me to contact them for you?” asked Kathleen

“Just e-mail the information to prof_h_farnsworth@aol.com, please”, responded Leela.

“OK, information sent, and Thank You for using K.I.S.S.”, said Kathleen as she faded away.

“OK Leela, what next” asked Fry

“Let’s leave the Internet, and go find that relative”, answered Leela, as she motioned for Fry to press the EXIT button on his real world Internet Glove.

“You found someone, an e-mail has just arrived” informed Hermes as Leela and Fry disguarded the Internet Gear.

“Let me see it first, Leela”, asked Fry as they walked towards the console.

“OK Fry, just don’t delete it, before I’ve seen it”, she responded.

“Let’s all read it”, suggested Hermes.

Hermes, opened the e-mail and the three of the started to read the information.

“Alexandra Berfield, Mystic, Flat 36-X, Battery Park Building, New New York, to contact, just come and visit me, I’ll be expecting you.”

“That’s about 5 blocks from here” informed Hermes

“What are we doing here, let’s go” said Fry as he headed for the Laboratory doors.

Leela and Hermes quickly looked at each other, as if to say “Here we go again”, before she followed Fry.

They left the Planet Express building, Fry started to his left, when Leela pulled him back by the collar of his jacket, and headed to their right.

“You hope this Alexandra will be able to help you” asked Leela.

“She’s my only hope, of proving to you what I said”, answered Fry.

“What did this Megan show your mother”, enquired Leela.

“Well, it showed me being unfrozen, you and me holding hands and another faint image” he answered after a couple of seconds thought.

“This faint image, is that the reason that is important to out futures?”, responded Leela.

“Yeah, and I hope Alexandra can somehow show it to you as well”, he answered.

“Ah, here we are, the Battery Park building, lets go and see this woman”, informed Leela.

They walked into the building and was informed by the receptionist that Flat 36-X was on the 11^th Floor. After a quick lift ride and a short walk down a dimly lit corridor, they arrived at the flat, before either of them could knock on the door, it opened.

“Come in, Philip J. Fry and your friend Toronga Leela, I’ve been expecting you” came a voice from within.

Leela and Fry looked uncertainly at each other for a couple of seconds, before Leela took charge and shoved Fry into the flat. The door closed behind them, as they looked around the spacious room, behind a table was an old woman, who was beckoning them to sit down in the chairs opposite her.

“You knew we were coming, how” enquired Leela after they had sat down.

“I foresee the Future my dear”, Alexandra responded

“So you are related to the Mystic Megan in Fry’s Dream” asked Leela.

“Yes , I’m related Megan and it’s being passed through the generations, that he would be trapped in his future”, she answered pointing at Fry.

“Um, so you know what my Mom saw” asked Fry uncertainly.

“Yes, I do, and what Megan and your Mom saw, has nearly come to pass”, replied Alexandra.

“Err .. Is there anyway you can show or tell Leela, what happened” requested Fry.

“I can give you friend Leela a brief outline of the vision, or I can see into her future”, she answered.

“Leela, please have your future read”, implored Fry.

“Your hoping that the faint vision will repeat itself for me, aren’t you” asked Leela.

“Well, Yeah”, responded Fry.

“You two are in each others future, that was foreseen by Megan”, interjected Alexandra.

“OK OK, I’m not going to win, by saying No. So I agree, show me my future”, answered Leela exasperatedly.

Alexandra leaned towards the floor, and took the Crystal Ball out it’s box, she then placed it in the middle of the table and held her hands over it, uttered an incantation and watched as the mists cleared. The images revealed included, Leela and Fry discussing getting Married again, the Marriage itself and Leela and Amy looking at plastic tubes in absolute shock, and as the mists started to return a faint image was just about visible.

“That last image is the same as me and my Mom saw”, said a shocked Fry.

“This is our future?” stutteringly asked Leela.

“What you saw, is what will be”, answered Alexandra.

“So, me and Fry are going to get married again, and this time it will succeed is that what you’re saying”, asked Leela.

“Yes it is”, answered Alexandra.

“Fry, I apologise for doubting you”, said Leela, as she turned to look at him.

“That’s OK, Leela” answered Fry

“So now what do we do” he continued.

“Well, if it wasn’t for this vision, I wouldn’t give you a chance, but it looks like that our destinies are together, so I’ll have to help you”, responded Leela.

“Help me, why?” enquired a surprised Fry.

“Fry, you’ve got to change your outlook an awful lot”, countered Leela.

“I like me, the way I am”, he answered.

“Fry, I like you, but for me to be able to love you, the way you obviously love me, you’re going to have to grow up.” She responded.

“But I’m and adult, how am I meant to grow up”, he responded

“Look Fry, You’re going to have to stop doing all those idiotic things” she responded

“OK, Leela, I think I can do that”, he uncertainly answered.

“I’ll keep my eye on you as much as I can, and if you start to do something senseless, I’ll tell you” clarified Leela.

“Well it looks like you two are beginning to work towards your futures, and if you stay here any longer, you’ll miss the Convention”, interrupted Alexandra.

“Thanks for showing me that, it was enlightening.”, responded Leela.

“That’s OK, I do this all the time”, answered Alexandra.

“Thank you for helping Leela see what my Mom say”, said Fry.

“I’m glad to help, now you two had better go, otherwise the Professor will be unhappy”, shot back Alexandra.

Leela and Fry left the flat, and the building and headed towards their apartments, knowing what was to come in their futures.

EPILOGUE

The image on the What Was machine, faded away to black, then a message appeared. “HISTORICAL RECORD FINISHED -- ASK ANOTHER QUESTION, OR TURN OFF”.

A female hand reached out and turned the machine off, before turning around to face her parents.

“So, you and mom, were fated to meet?”, asked Juliet Clíona Fry, a sprite seven year old, who looked like her mother, except for having Orange hair instead of Purple.

“Yes, that’s how me and Philip found out we were meant for each other”, answered Toronga Leela-Fry.

“It had a rocky beginning, but me and Leela worked everything worked out”, responded Philip J. Fry, smiling at his wife.

“I find that funny, you saying Leela as mom’s name.”, chuckled Juliet.

“It’s how we introduced ourselves back in 2999, and I’ve always called her that”, answered Fry

“It’s only since we were married that she’s been calling me Philip, instead of Fry”, he continued.

“It seemed only right to call him Philip, that is his name, don’t forget I’m a Fry as well now, although when he makes me mad, I do yell Fry at him”, interjected Leela.

Fry guiltily smiled at Leela, remembering the times before they were married, and some of the disagreements since.

Sat next to Juliet, was Sally, their adopted daughter from the Bender Bending Rodriguez Orphanarium.

“Is it true, that you had a double wedding, with Amy and Kif”, enquired Sally..

“Yes Sally, it was nice of Amy and Kif to hold back their wedding for us”, replied Leela

“I didn’t think Amy would agree to it when Kif asked her, but she did.”, added Fry.

“The best bit of the marriage, was watching Zapp being Kif’s best man.”, said Leela with a wry smile on her face.

“Yeah, he’s never been able to live that down” added Fry.

“I thought this machine, was destroyed by the Professor”, asked Juliet, pointing at the What Was machine.

“He said it was Juli, but Leela discovered that he’d kept in his secret storage area.”, answered Fry.

Juliet turned and looked at her mother.

“So how did you find it?” she asked.

“Well, it was shortly after the Professor died, me and Hermes were clearing his desk, when I came across a key with a label saying “Secret Storage Room” on it” answered Leela with tears starting to flow from her eye.

“Then your mom and Hermes, found the room, opened it, and in there amongst other inventions was the What Was machine”, finished Fry, as he got up to console Leela.

“It was nice of the Professor to leave Planet Express to Philip in his will, and not Hermes like everyone thought he would.”, sniffled Leela.

“Juliet, can you go and play at the Kroeker’s for a while, your Mom is upset” asked Fry.

“Sure Dad, Amy, Kif and Marc are always happy to see me”, answered Juliet as she got up and left the room.

“I’ll go and get ready for my night out with Scotty, Ellen, Craig, Alex and of course Cubert”, said Sally as she headed for her room.

“It still upsets you, doesn’t it the death of the Prof?”, enquired Fry once they were alone.

“Yes, it does, I felt so helpless, unable to do anything, as the Burst-o-matic Device exploded prematurely in his hands.”, answered Leela

“Yeah, I kinda miss him as well,” replied Fry

“Anyway, let’s not dwell on the past, and look to our future”, said Leela as she looked down.

“So what do you want to call out next child” asked Fry before he leaned forward and kissed Leela, and patted her enlarged abdomen.

“If it’s a boy, we’ll call him Graham, or if it’s a girl, we’ll call her Sofie”, replied Leela, as she put both arms around her husband, and kissed him.

“Yes Ma’am”, Fry jokingly responded

The End

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