Hiking through Rodinia was the most remarkable and scariest thing ever. Remarkable because it was mysterious, but scary because it was empty. Dan was the only human in the world... literally.
He trekked cautiously and shivered at the sight of the rock structures and plateaus. If his sunsuit tore even the slightest, he was screwed. Therefore, he laid down the Number One rule: don't tear his sunsuit.
Although nervous, he remained strong because the Mirovia Ocean and stromatolites waited for him.
PPMC became smaller by the second. It wasn't long until she was a speck on the horizon. Dan refused to go back, though. He had other priorities. Besides, there was no doubt PPMC was still mad at him and him at her.
He discovered a single rock tower that stood out from the others. Why? It was because it was alone, like him, and smaller. Dan scaled it to get a better view of his surroundings. He aimed to find the Mirovia Ocean but needed to rest once he reached the tower's top. The climb strained his sore chest.
Dan coughed and collapsed onto the tower. He wanted to remove his helmet but couldn't.
After a few minutes, he pushed himself to stand and checked his surroundings. There was no Mirovia Ocean—just more rocks.
Eventually sighing, Dan turned on the PPMC Gauntlet and pressed the call button. "Um... PPMC?" She didn't answer at first, so he tried again. "PPMC?"
"What?" Yeah, she was undoubtedly still mad at him.
Dan scoffed. "Hello to you, too. Do you know where the Mirovia Ocean is? That's why I'm calling."
"Why don't you figure it out yourself?"
"Hey!" Dan growled. "I may be good at geology, PPMC, but I suck at geography. Why don't you make yourself useful?"
"I'll make myself useful when you change your attitude."
"PPMC—!" Dan coughed right into the gauntlet and breathed heavily.
"Dan, are you okay?" Well, it didn't take long for PPMC to change her tone. "That cough of yours is getting worse. Why don't I send Hoverscooter 23 your way so you don't have to push yourself walking?"
"I'm not sick, PPMC—honest." But Dan still sounded fearful.
PPMC calmed down. "Dan, you're scared. I can hear it. I'm sending Hoverscooter 23."
"What about the Mirovia Ocean?"
"We'll find it. Right now, stay put and—"
It happened so fast! PPMC's voice broke, and the gauntlet began to spark.
"Ow!" Dan slapped the machine off his forearm but caught it before it tumbled off the tower's edge. "PPMC, what was that for?"
"It wasn't me," she hastily explained. "Something's wrong with my line."
"What's wrong? I thought you said you were okay after the Wormhole Incident!"
"It's not that, Dan. It's something—"
The PPMC Gauntlet crashed.
"PPMC?" Dan smacked it a few times. "PPMC!" What on Earth happened? Did the Sun interfere with the gauntlet's signal, or was PPMC pulling a practical joke? Whatever the case, Dan had to climb down and look for his hoverscooter. Therefore, he did just that. However, he activated the gauntlet's energy sword when he heard a sudden, low rumble in the distance.
Dan ducked behind the rock tower and slowly peered out. "Crap!" he mumbled. "Crap, crap, crap!"
An enormous dust storm came straight for him, roaring like a freight train.
"Danger! Danger!" the gauntlet announced.
"Crap!" Dan turned on his heel and ran, but there was no way he could outrun the storm unless he had his hoverscooter. His foot hit a rock, causing his ankle to roll, and he smashed into Rodinia. The energy sword was deactivated automatically.
"Ouch!" Dan sat and clutched his ankle. Crawling back, he protected his face and waited for the storm to catch him like a fish on the line.
"Daniel!"
In hearing the voice, Dan uncovered his face. "Mom? Is that you?" She did say she would follow him to the Precambrian Time, right?
Hoverscooter 23 appeared behind Dan and scooped him up, away from the storm.
"Whoa!" Dan dangled, and his legs swayed back and forth. He checked the storm and gasped when he saw it drawing closer. "Move, Hoverscooter 23! Move!"
As he requested, Hoverscooter 23 soared over and under arches and headed for PPMC's speck.
Dan started to climb onto her but slipped and plummeted.
"Dan!"
Something caught him mid-fall, but how? How was he floating fifty feet off the ground? He had no time to answer his query because the violent storm moved faster.
Hoverscooter 23 stooped in from above and placed herself under Dan's feet.
He strapped himself in and flew quickly, eventually reaching PPMC. Dan dove for her. "PPMC!"
At least she cared about his safety, even though she was still angry. She opened her hatch, and Dan zoomed into it.
He smashed into the co-pilot seat and face-planted the floor. The dust storm reached them soon after. Dan heard it roaring outside.
He coughed and backed away from the co-pilot seat. Oh gosh—he was going to throw up again.
PPMC knew that. She brought him Junior Bucket and said, "Here you go."
Once Dan cleared his upset tummy, he said, "I'm sorry, PPMC."
She seemed to shrug. "It's fine. I'm used to it now." Her hands turned toward Hoverscooter 23. "Thank you, Hoverscooter 23." She helped Dan unstrap himself.
23 flashed her headlights and tucked herself into the cockpit's corner.
PPMC offered Dan her arm, and he crawled onto it.
"PPMC? I don't feel good," he complained. Who knew escaping a Precambrian dust storm would take that much out of him?
"So, you admit you're sick?" PPMC pushed.
"No." Dan turned his body and pressed his back against PPMC's arm. "I'll wait until the storm passes and then look for the Mirovia Ocean." He shut his eyes and coughed again.
"You've had enough exploring for one day." PPMC wrapped her other arm around him. "I'll take you to the Mirovia Ocean tomorrow." She removed his helmet and rested her palm on his forehead. "Strange, you don't have a fever."
"See? I'm not sick. Just tired." Dan yawned. "Just get me to my room. Please."
"As you wish."
