Into the Depths

Chapter 2: A Chance

The morning had approached, and the daily morning mail arrived. Melania rushed to the mailbox, still in her pajamas, and found a pale blue envelope. She raced back up to her bedroom and tore it up, finding a letter inside. Congratulations! You passed! You are one of the few lucky winners to win a one week field trip to Planet 4546B for you, and 2 friends, with a score of 96%! Please meet up at the ShAfton Robotics Science Laboratory & Research Center by tomorrow for more details! Thank you for participating!

In excitement, she called over to her brother. "What is it sis?" he walked into her room, rubbing his eyes as he recently woke up.

"I got accepted! And tomorrow is when we go to the lab, and guess what... I get to take you with me!" The two hugged each other tight as they yelled their excitement. "I think it would be best if we told mom and dad about this, it seems like something they should know." Jay took a deep breath. In an instant agreement, Melania nodded. The two waited until lunch to tell their parents. "Oh! Mel, Jay! Nice to see you two excited about something! Um... what is it that you're excited about?" their dad, Funtime Freddy, asked.

Melania gave him the letter she received. He and Funtime Foxy, his wife, carefully read it word by word. "Mel, are you sure you wanna do this?" Funtime Freddy placed the letter on the table.

"What if it's dangerous?" Funtime Foxy added.

"Guys, guys, I've been studying to become a marine biologist my whole life, and I don't want to let this once in a lifetime opportunity to go to waste! Please trust me on this one!" Melania pleaded.

"Look, we understand that you're getting older and your dreams are getting bigger, but we don't want you to do this alone,"

"No way! Jay and I will be with her!" Miles barged in.

"I mean, without parental supervision... and that's why I'm calling Ballora to chaperone you two for the next week or so, got it?"

"Oh, and Mel, watch out for monsters!" Funtime Freddy jokes.

"Why on earth would she have to fear for monsters, Freddy? For real's sake!" Funtime Foxy gently punched her husband's arm.

"You'll never know what's on that planet!" BonBon remarked.

"We'll be fine, and we appreciate you letting us go on this trip. Thank you so much!" Melania and Jay tightly hugged their parents.

"Anything to make our girl happy," Funtime Freddy sighed.

Night blanketed the sky once again, and the two siblings rushed off to sleep. The darkness of the sky felt like an eternity, but the cold hours eventually crossed into the sunny morning. Melania and Jay began packing a week's worth of clothes and their daily necessities. Before taking off, Funtime Foxy gave Melania and Jay a long speech about responsibility, safety, and all that parent talk that would be expected. "Now, that's enough food for the whole week, hopefully. Remember to take your cell phones with you. You'll be able to contact us, even if you're in space!"

"Hallelujah to technology!" Funtime Freddy cheered. Out through the window, Jay spotted the hover taxi approaching. "I'm gonna miss you guys so much, I love you!" Melania and Jay gave one last goodbye hug to their parents, finally departing for the vehicle. "BonBon, our little children's all grown up!" Funtime Freddy began to cry. BonBon got him a tissue, in which he of course blew his nose with.

The siblings glanced out the window as the hover taxi begun its journey to the ShAfton Robotics Science Laboratory & Research Center. Her mind was alerted as her phone began to vibrate. "Mom?"

"Honey, I almost forgot! Ballora will be waiting for you two at the entrance of the research center, love you!"

"Love you too, mom!" Jay hung up the call. "Y'know, I wonder who else is going on this trip..." Jay grinned at his sister.