A Dose of Danger Woman

TaleSpin and its characters are property of Disney. All other characters are mine and cannot be used without permission.

The Cunninghams' Apartment

Six-year-old Molly Cunningham rested her doll Lucy on her lap, proclaiming in a stuffed-up voice, "Kit, I'm bored!"

Kit Cloudkicker, a twelve-year-old brown cub, stopped leafing through a Bullethead comic book. He got up out of the chair he was sitting in and dropped onto the couch next to the little yellow bearess. He was babysitting Molly while her mother did her semiannual inventory at Higher for Hire. "What do you want to do?"

"I wanna go to the park."

"Sorry, Short Stuff, but it's raining out, and your mom wanted you to stay put on this couch to get over your cold."

"I'm not sick!" To emphasize her point, she sneezed three times.

"Uh-huh. Right," Kit said sarcastically. He handed her a tissue, grimacing as she blew her red, raw nose.

"Is it time for Danger Woman yet?"

The boy glanced at his wristwatch. "Nope. That doesn't start for another two hours."

"Aw..." Molly scowled at the idea of waiting two whole hours to listen to her favorite radio program.

An idea formed in Kit's active brain. "Hey, I know! I'll make up a story about Danger Woman."

"Well...okay." Molly settled back on the couch and snuggled further down under the afghan. She carefully pulled the afghan up to Lucy's chin. "Go ahead."

"It was a dark and stormy night."

"That's not how Danger Woman starts. It goes...faster than a speeding airship! More powerful than a turbine! Able to leap city blocks in a single bound! It's Danger Woman!"

"Yeah, what you said. On this dark and stormy night, Danger Woman was patrolling the streets of Metro City for evildoers when she stumbled upon a burglar trying to break into the Metro City Museum."

"Boring!"

"What?"

"Burglars are boring. Danger Woman fights super bad guys with neat powers like Mantis Lady or Evil Queen Amazonia or Rodent Man or Captain Galactica."

"How about this? When Danger Woman pulled the robber's mask off, she discovered that it was her arch nemesis Captain Galactica attempting to steal the...the..."

"The Key of Power!" Molly suggested with a flourish of her hands.

Kit grinned. "Yeah, the Key of Power. A key so powerful that whoever possessed it would be the ruler of the universe, because it could open any door."

"This is more like it!" Molly sniffled with a contented smile.

Kit handed her another tissue, continuing, "'Ah-ha, Captain Galactica!' Danger Woman said. 'We meet again for the first time, for the last time!'"

"Danger Woman lunged for the big, gold key in Captain Galactica's grip, and they struggled. They tugged back and forth and back and forth. The key flew up, up, up in the air and came down to land..."

"In Captain Galactica's hand," the little girl interjected.

"Really?" Kit squeaked, astonished at the turn of events.

"Well, yeah. Danger Woman can't get the key already, otherwise the show would be over," Molly explained with exaggerated patience. "Everybody knows that, Kit."

Kit crossed his arms, annoyed at her smug expression. "Well, ex-squeeze me, Little Miss Perfect! Do you want me to finish this story or not?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I'll stop interrupting you. Please, oh, please finish the story, Kit! A-a-a-a-a-choo!"

"Blow your nose, and I will."

Honk Molly handed him a dripping tissue.

"Gee, thanks," he said wryly, tossing it into a nearby garbage can and wiping his hands on his sweater. "Captain Galactica laughed an evil, maniacal laugh - hehehehehe - and took off in his rocket-propelled spaceship. But he forgot to fill up with gas before he left home, and he crashed into the Metro City bay. Ker-splash!"

Molly giggled. "Stupid Captain Galactica."

"He crashed into a harbor buoy, causing it to ring really loud!"

Perfect timing - the phone across the room rang.

"Hold on, Molly." Kit answered the phone. "Hello? Yeah, Miz Cunningham, she's okay. Fever? Molly, do you feel hot?"

"No, just icky. Can't breathe." She screwed up her face to show how miserable she felt.

"No, Miz Cunningham, no fever, but she can't breathe...You'll be home in a half an hour? See you then. Bye." He hung up the receiver and crossed the room to curl up on the couch at Molly's feet. "Where were we?"

Molly put her doll Lucy to her ear. "Lucy says Captain Galactica crashed in the bay."

"Oh, yeah. Danger Woman chased after Captain Galactica in the Danger Mobile, of course."

"Of course." Molly smiled.

"And she came upon his spaceship floating in the water. Whipping out her trusty spatula..."

"It's called a Justice Wand," the little girl corrected.

"Whatever. Whipping out her trusty Justice Wand, she carefully stepped into the spaceship's cockpit. However, Captain Galactica was nowhere to be seen."

"Because he had morphed into another form."

The boy was confused. "Huh?"

"Captain Galactica has morphing abilities. He can take on any shape he wants to."

"Okay," Kit said slowly, shaking his head. "And Baloo thinks Space Riders is weird."

"He turned into Curt Suave, a handsome, yet sneaky, fox."

"All right, Curt Suave. And DangerWoman was about to chase after Curt Suave, but she noticed that the sun was coming up."

"So?"

Kit grinned. Here was a plot twist that his young charge would love. "In the daytime, she changes into her alter ego - Molly Cunningham."

"Me?" A pleased smile brightened Molly's countenance.

"Yeah, you. No one would never in a million years suspect a kid of being a superhero."

"I like this story! Don't you, Lucy?"

Kit chuckled. Molly was really getting a kick out of this story. So much so, that she almost forgot about how bad she felt.

Molly waved her doll before Kit's face. "You can't forget Danger Woman's loyal sidekick Lucy."

"Right, can't forget Lucy. She'll come up later. Where was I? To be really sneaky in following Curt Suave, Danger Woman took off her helmet, cape, and hid them and her Justice Wand under the floorboards in a secret compartment in Higher for Hire's warehouse. Now, disguised as Molly, she peeked into the office where Curt Suave was looming over Miz Cunningham's desk."

"Mesmerizing Mom with his eyes."

"Yeah. Rebecca was under his spell."

"'I will give you the Sea Duck for your evil purposes of taking over the world by cutting off the world's supply of Frosty Pep,' Miz Cunningham droned in a flat voice."

"No!" Molly gasped in horror, clapping her paws over her mouth. "Not the Frosty Pep!"

"Yes!" Kit nodded furiously.

"Danger Woman's gotta snap Mommy out of the spell."

"Danger Woman, er...Molly..."

The little girl giggled, "That's me! A-a-a-a-a-choo! I hate colds!" she stated emphatically, sniffling.

"She grabbed hold of Curt Suave's legs, but he shook her off." Kit took hold of Molly's lower legs.

"Kick him in the s...shins! A-a-a-a-choo! Oooohhhhh..." Molly moaned.

Handing her the box of tissues, Kit took pity on her. Molly, who was usually teeming with energy, looked so tired and miserable staring up at him with watery brown eyes, a reddened nose, and her lower lip protruding in a pout. "Why don't you sit up, Molly? You might be able to breathe easier." With Kit's assistance, Molly slid up into a sitting position. He propped several small pillows behind her back. She leaned her weary head against the couch.

"Keep going with the story."

"He leapt onto the Sea Duck and put the Key of Power into the ignition. With a powerful vroom, the Superflight 100 engines roared to life and the seaplane shot across the harbor, out through the cliffs, and towards Pazuza where they make Frosty Pep. Danger Woman donned her superhero gear and got into the Danger Mobile."

"It can fly, too, Kit. I found that out in the episode where she fought the Giant Gnats that were trying to take all of the world's honey supply to Bugtopia."

Once again, Kit was bewildered and greatly amused. "Giant Gnats? Honey? Sounds like a sticky situation to me!" He laughed.

"Tell the story," Molly said, peeved that he was making fun of her favorite radio program. "Okay, okay...Danger Woman deployed the 'fly' button, and wings popped out of the

sides of the wagon...I mean, the Danger Mobile. Our brave superhero zoomed after Captain Galactica."

"Go get him, Danger Woman!"

"She soon spotted the Sea Duck flying below her, so putting her trusty sidekick Lucy in charge of the flying, Danger Woman shimmied down a rope ladder and landed on the Sea Duck's fuselage."

"Did she use the laser in the tip of her Justice Wand to cut a hole in the plane?"

"You bet she did." Kit gently tugged on Molly's ear, prompting a weak giggle. "Danger Woman sliced a square in the top of the fuselage and stealthily dropped into the cockpit."

"'Give up, Captain Galactica!' she shouted, brandishing her Justice Wand under his nose."

"'Never, Danger Woman!' Captain Galactica sneered, removing the Key of Power from the ignition. He fled into the cargo hold."

"Scaredy-cat!" Molly scoffed.

"But because Captain Galactica forgot to put the Sea Duck on autopilot, the plane lurched and started plummeting towards the ocean! Then, I, Kit Cloudkicker, ace pilot, came out of nowhere, yanked back on the stick, pulled the Sea Duck out of the dive, and saved the day!"

"Get back to Danger Woman," Molly said, irritated.

"Gee whiz, don't get mad. I'm just trying to make it interesting. Danger Woman ran into the cargo hold where Captain Galactica was about to parachute out of the back."

"'Ha ha ha ha! With this Key of Power, I will break into the Frosty Pep factory and forever shut it down, thereby cutting off your source of energy, DangerWoman. You will be a wimpy weakling, and I will take over the world. Ha ha ha ha! Nothing can stop me from competing my dastardly plan!'"

"'Except Danger Woman!'"

"Danger Woman caught him by the parachute straps. Pow! Bam! Boom! Zowie! Oof! After a few well-placed punches, Captain Galactica was on the floor, tied up, begging for mercy."

"Yay!" Molly cried.

"She snatched the Key of Power away from him and laughed exultantly, 'Good has once more triumphed over evil, because evil is dumb.'"

"'Curses, foiled again,' mumbled Captain Galactica, scowling up at Danger Woman."

"Danger Woman took Captain Galactica to the police and returned the Key of Power to the Metro City Museum where the mayor congratulated her."

"'Thanks to you, Danger Woman, Metro City is safe once more.'"

"'It was nothing, Mayor Quimby,' Danger Woman said with a modest smile. 'All in a day's work for Danger Woman!'"

"With a swish of her red cape, she catapulted through the skylight."

"'Who was that superhero?' the mayor wondered, scratching his head."

"The End."

"Good story, Kit!" Molly clapped her hands enthusiastically.

"I'm home!" Rebecca called as she stepped through the door.

"Mommy, Kit told me a good Danger Woman story, almost as good as the radio."

Rebecca placed a gentle paw on her daughter's forehead. "That's nice. How are you feeling, Punkin?"

"A hundred ka-jillion times better after Kit's story. Can he baby-sit tomorrow?"

"Well...I do have more inventory to do, and Baloo is only doing deliveries around Cape Suzette. If Kit wants to, he can."

Thinking of the bike he was saving for, Kit answered, "Fine by me, Miz Cunningham."

Molly whispered, "Lean down, Kit; I wanna tell you something secret."

Kit grinned, ready to play along. "What?"

"Closer. Closer."

Kit's left ear was nearly touching her mouth. "Tell me the secret, Molly," he whispered.

"A-a-a-a-choo!"

"Yee-uck!" Kit cried, wiping spit from his face with his sleeve.

"Molly! That wasn't very nice," Rebecca scolded.

"I'm sorry, Kit. Come closer so I can tell you the real secret."

Reluctantly, Kit knelt next to her. "As long as it's not another germ bath."

Hugging him, she whispered into his ear, "You're the best baby-sitter in the world."

Rebecca smiled across the room at the charming scene. "That's enough, honey. You don't want to give Kit your cold, do you?" Reaching into the purse, she handed her young navigator a few dollars. "Here's your money, Kit. I'll expect you to be here at 8:00 A.M. sharp tomorrow."

Straightening his disheveled baseball cap, he declared, "You can count on me, Miz Cunningham. A-a-a-a-a-a-choo!" He sniffled. "Oh, no!"

Molly suggested brightly - as brightly as she could with a stuffed up nose - "I know what'll make you feel better, Kit. A big dose of Danger Woman! Tune in tomorrow. Same danger time. Same danger channel."

Rebecca and Kit laughed.

The End