Cleaning took longer than expected. It was evident that PPMC did that intentionally because she kept bringing already-washed dishes to Dan, annoying the heck out of him. Eventually, she stopped messing with him and got him the rocket boots.

        Sturdy like a rock, the gray, robotic-like boots donned heels and straps.

        Dan carried them outside to Rodinia and faced PPMC’s hands. “Now, rocket boots are quite simple,” he explained, remembering Portals and Aliens. “You slip them over your shoes like so.” He forced his feet into the boots. “Strap yourself in like so.” Dan messed with the straps and buckles. “And walla! You’re ready to conquer the world!” With the boots’ heels, he had grown another few inches.

        Dan grasped his hips and smiled snootily at PPMC. “Finally, allow me to show you how they work.” He took one step forward. “First—”

        Boom!

        The rocket boots went off, and Dan flew into the sky, screaming.

        They jerked him left, right, and left again and chucked him into Mirovia, flying off his feet.

        At once, Dan swam to the surface and freed his head.

        PPMC laughed on the continent, and the rocket boots floated beside her. “Yo, Dan! You need to stop relying on video games for your Oh, I know everything phases.”

        “But I do know everything!” he countered. Well, maybe about geologic time, but after that... No, Dan refused to succumb to his flaws.

        He free-styled to shore and joined PPMC and the rocket boots. “Okay, PPMC, maybe I need just a little refresher.” He emphasized by bending his thumb and index finger.

        “Are all teenage boys this egocentric?” PPMC inquired, shrugging. “Whatever. Like most 3000s technology, rocket boots are AI-powered, meaning you must earn their trust to use them properly. How did you earn your hoverscooter’s trust?”

        “Um,” Dan stuttered, “it was more Mom did, and she asked it to give me a chance. Hoverscooter 23 was originally hers.”

        “Oh, well, this will be fun, then.” PPMC turned her hands. "Now, rocket boots, Dan and I are traveling to a volcano mass later, but Dan’s hoverscooter can’t get too close to them. Therefore, would you be a doll and lend this crazed geologic time fan a hand? He’s not so bad once you get used to him.”

        The boots glanced from her, Dan, and back to PPMC.

        “Please?” she whined.

        Dan hated that a starship was more intelligent than him. The last time he was that embarrassed was when he accidentally blew up his old computer.

        The boots hesitated, but they finally approached Dan and allowed him to put them on again.

        “Whoa, whoa,” he said when he lifted a few feet off Rodinia, wobbling like an injured pterosaur.

        “There you go.” PPMC steadied him. “Let’s take it slow and easy, Daniel. Give the boots an order, and see what happens.”

        Or he could just wing in, but for PPMC’s sake, Dan ordered, “Go up.” He went up higher and dropped back onto Rodinia.

        “Not bad. Just make sure you don’t slump. It may interfere with the AI’s signal.” PPMC grasped Dan’s shoulders and straightened him. “Okay, you should be good to give it another spin. Be confident, and trust the rocket boots.”

        Dan nodded. Inhaling, he peered into the clear Precambrian sky. The boots started under him, and Dan shot into it, still wobbling maniacally. He stayed close to PPMC until he felt more confident, but overconfidence was his worst enemy.

        The boots threw him back into Mirovia but didn’t fly off that time.

        “Son of a—!” Dan heard PPMC complain after he dragged himself out of the ocean. Her hands approached him. “Impatience is the worst thing you can do with rocket boots!”

        “I’m trying, PPMC! Okay?” Dan stamped his feet and shook out each boot.

        She sighed. “Let’s try again. Close your eyes, relax, and let the rocket boots take charge. Once you’re in the sky, give them another order. Now, relax.”

        Dan did. His shoulders drooped, and he closed his eyes, begging the rocket boots to give him a chance.

        They silently roared and lifted him again.

        Okay, okay. So far, so good. Dan opened his eyes and clenched his fists. He took it slow and steady that time.

        As the minutes progressed, the rocket boots felt more natural until, eventually, Dan ordered, “Take me to that arch ahead.” He pointed at a rocky arch in the distance.

        The boots obeyed, and before Dan knew it, he flew like a hoverscootist without a hoverscooter through Precambrian Earth—over Rodinia and under the arch.

        PPMC followed from behind.

        Dan let his worries slide and yelled, “Whoo-hoo!” He climbed higher and held out his arms. He soared over a few rock towers with sharp points and dove, flying between each tower like a fairy let loose.

        PPMC looked like a runaway spaceship that couldn’t figure out how to fly through the towers. Therefore, she held back.

        The rocket boots picked up speed. They almost took Dan into space but dropped him before they got too high, right in front of PPMC.

        Dan peered over his shoulder. “Look at me, PPMC! I’m flying! I’m really flying!”

        “Yes, you are, Dan,” she giggled. “The rocket boots have accepted you. Right in time, too, because guess what?”

        “What?” Dan quickly questioned.

        PPMC gestured ahead. “There’re the volcanoes.”

        Volcanoes? Where? Dan didn’t say that aloud, but it wasn’t hard for PPMC to pick up on his excitement.

        “Look straight.”

        Dan did, and his big eyes sparkled. A mass of ancient Precambrian volcanoes dotted a flat section of Rodinia. They seemed to stare at Dan, but he didn’t mind as long as one of them didn’t erupt. He would be in and out before they did and on his way to the Paleozoic Era!

        Dan’s rocket boots shuddered under him.

        “Don’t be a coward,” he told them.

        They bounced a little after that statement.

        “Be safe, Dan.” PPMC’s hands looked like they were about to hug him, but she backed down before she got too close. “Hoverscooter 23 and I will wait here.”

        Dan smirked and flicked his nose. “PPMC, I’m always safe.”

        “I beg to differ. You won’t let me check you out in the emergency compartment.”

        Dan flinched but smiled again. “I’ve never felt better.” He left before he and PPMC could argue further.

        The flight only took a few minutes at the speed of the rocket boots.

        Excitement and nervousness caught up with Dan while he carefully examined the quiet volcano mass. He had to be quick so that he wouldn’t risk accidental incineration. However, the volcanoes looked breathtaking sitting there, pumping carbon dioxide into the young atmosphere. Without them and the stromatolites, life on Earth would’ve never evolved.

        Because they were so fascinating, Dan spent a little longer there than expected. He wished he had a pen and pad so he could write notes. Even if he did, they likely wouldn’t have lasted long under the Precambrian sun.

        A sudden, low rumble brought Dan back to reality. “What the—?” He hovered between two volcanoes.

        They groaned like a pipe organ, low and menacing, and shook slightly.

        “Oh gosh!” Dan yelled. “Not good! Not good!”

        The PPMC Gauntlet beeped on his forearm. “Danger! Danger!”

        “Yes, I know!” Dan tapped the heels of his rocket boots together. “Go! Go!”

        They didn’t move at first, so Dan tried again. “Go! Go!” It was time to head to the Paleozoic Era right now.

        The volcanoes erupted, and lava and ash exploded into the atmosphere. An astounded Dan said, “Whoa.” He moved out of the way and headed for PPMC. “PPMC!”

        The lava and ash chased him from behind as if Dan were an escaped captive from Slenderman.

        The area turned hot, and Dan moved faster.

        “Daniel!” PPMC shouted once he reached her. She lugged him into her cockpit but didn’t bother strapping him into his seat or closing her hatch—she was so panicked. Instead, she went straight to her time machine and pulled up the geologic time scale.

        Dan shut down the rocket boots and attempted to stop her. “PPMC, wait! I’m not strapped in!”

        “Hold on tight, Dan!” she announced, smacking the Paleozoic button.

        Dan snatched the back of his seat. A gust of wind blew his legs, and PPMC spun clockwise. As if he hadn’t had enough spinning!

        The pools of lava drew closer, but because PPMC spun so fast, Dan saw nothing but red and orange blurs.

        He maintained a tight grip on his seat, and his cheeks flapped like a dog’s when he stuck his head out a car window.

        Eventually, the lava blurs vanished, and green and brown ones replaced them. Trees? Were they trees?

        The spinning continued for another minute and a half, and then the hand on the time machine’s clock stopped at 312 Ma.

        “We’re here!” PPMC announced.

        Dan’s fingers slipped, and he tumbled toward the open hatch, searching for something to grab. He fell into the new world, and his first instinct was to close his eyes. Tropical air engulfed him.

        Dan bounced through a few branches, flipped, and smashed into water. Stunned and slightly dizzy, he attempted to catch his breaths, but his chest hurt too much.

        Dan waited until he could breathe somewhat again before opening his eyes. His jaw dropped when he saw the ancient coal forest, endless ferns, logs, early palm trees, and fog. No longer were he and PPMC on a desolate landscape but a lush one that smelled of coal and life.

        It was the Carboniferous Period, 312 million years ago.