Chapter 32: Airborne
The thing Danny Fenton liked the most about his status as a half-ghost was being able to fly. Not much of a surprise considering his lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut. The only problem was having to fight enemies. "I'll have your pelt on my wall, whelp." Skulker declared.
"Honestly, you're becoming almost as annoying as the Box Ghost, Skulker." Danny replied.
Enraged by that remark, Skulker pointed a laser cannon at Danny. "Whelp, I didn't want to do this, but..." He stopped to think about he would say. "Actually, I did want."
However, before Skulker had a chance to shoot, the cannon was blasted from his hand by 'Danielle Dani with an "I"' Phantom. "Leave my brother alone!" Danny's clone/cousin/foster sister demanded.
"Brother?" Skulker asked in confusion. "Aren't the both of you cousins?"
Danny took advantage of that distraction to punch the head off Skulker's armor, revealing the ghost's tiny body. "Outdated, aren't we?" Danny teasingly asked before placing Skulker inside a Fenton Thermos. "Thanks, Dani." He said.
"Anytime, Danny." Dani replied. "Don't you have another flight today?"
That afternoon, Danny had a scheduled session with a flight simulator. Most people would think he'd consider those boring since he can fly on his own power but Danny Fenton did want to become an astronaut. After the training, he and other aspiring astronauts had a snack together.
"These burgers are delicious." A girl commented.
"They sure are, Marlena, but I thought we'd eat astronaut food." Danny replied.
"Maybe they're only for people going into space, Danny." Marlena theorized.
"Makes sense." Danny agreed.
"Do think we may find intelligent life in other planets?" Another aspiring astronaut asked.
"Anything is possible." Danny answered.
"Even Marlena getting stranded in another planet and becoming Queen there?" A fourth aspiring astronaut asked.
"Okay, that might be stretching things too far." Danny conceded.
"Says the guy who's already dating royalty." Marlena pointed out.
"To be fair, even if there is intelligent life in other planets, they wouldn't speak English or any other Earth language, which would complicate marriage prospects." Danny pointed back.
"True." The others conceded.
Hours later, Danny was telling Natasha about his afternoon during a videochat. "So, how did you like the simulated flight?" Natasha asked.
"Awesome, Natasha." Danny happily answered.
"Danny, how can you like those simulated flights so much when you can fly for real?" Natasha asked.
"Well, I do want to become an astronaut." Danny explained.
"So true." Natasha agreed. "Danny, my birthday is coming and you were invited."
"Count me in!" Danny happily replied.
End chapter
Author's Note: The name Marlena is an allusion to the Masters of the Universe franchise.