A side note. If this format isn't to your liking. I have posted it on Archiveofourown under the same name.
Danny decided to walk to school, Jazz was leaving soon and his parents were hard to be around at 7 AM so he might as well get some practice. Walking at a decent pace he takes the time to think about his next plan for the new development in the ghost zone. Asking around hadn't helped, gathering information wasn't working, and unless Clockwork wanted to see him he wouldn't be able to get to the clock tower.
Maybe he should try for Clockwork after school today, if all went well, they would meet up and Danny would find out that nothing serious was happening.
Stopping before a crosswalk he can't help the scoff that comes out. Yeah, right. Nothing ever goes well when it comes to him, just slightly less sucky then it could be.
Watching the red hand turn green he starts to walk forward when a hand slips into his own and pulls back gently. He turns to protest only for a car to go whizzing past where he would have been if he wasn't stopped.
"WHOA!" Jumping back, he stamps down his raising panic and calms his breathing.
"Dude! Watch where you're going! SOMEONE SHOULD TAKE YOUR LICENCE AWAY!" A female voice shouts next to him.
Quickly looking to his left he sees the familiar black hair and beanie combination of his clone.
"Dani?"
She looks up at him with a pissed off look before slugging him in the arm, "What are you doing?! You could have died!"
Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly they start crossing the street again once they know it's safe, "Look, I'm distracted ok? A lot has been going on."
She scoffs, "I'll say." Looking around cautiously she leans closer to whisper, "Have you heard about what's going on in the GZ?"
Danny's face twists in confusion, "GZ? Is that what their calling the ghost zone now?"
She puffs out her cheeks before continuing, "I was trying to be subtle. Never know when the GIW will be around."
He rolls his eyes, "Guys in white?"
"YES! Them, jeez it's like you don't even know how to be sneaky!" She shouts in his ear.
He leans away slightly, "Oh, calm down, they have been trying to get me for years and you think they could do it now?"
When her eyes turn to him with accusation he quickly cuts her off, "It only takes once. Yadda yadda yadda. Yes, I have heard about some things going on in the 'GZ'." He makes extremely exaggerated air quotes at the last word.
"So you know about the curfew and zone restrictions?" She asks in surprise.
He nods, "Yeah, had first hand experience with Walker about it too."
She winces, "Ouch."
"Yup, is that all you came out of the zone for? It's unusual for you to wander around after everything that happened."
She hesitates before nodding, "Yeah. Halfa's doing really have a place there. It's also getting super crowded, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a pick up in outside ghost activity because of it. Are you going to let them through?"
Now it's his turn to hesitate, he couldn't really play favorites with this kind of thing, but really if they are being pushed out of their homes… "I don't know. I usually only allow tame visits every so often as long as they return to the Ghost Zone but this sounds like it could be a permanent thing if I let it slip…"
They stay in silence as they pass the last street before the school.
She nudges him in the arm, "Mind if I stick around today? I'm not usually into school but who knows, I might learn something."
Danny smiles as Tucker and Sam walk toward them, "Yeah, you can tag along. Just stay invisible alright? Not sure how else I would explain you coming with me."
She nods before dashing off to hide.
"Sup, Danny?" Tucker high fives him.
Sam crosses her arms, "Was that Dani?"
"Sure was. She's going to tag along with me today."
The couple nod, "It's been awhile since I've seen her. How is she doing on her own?"
Tucker puts an arm around his girlfriend, "Sam, I'm sure Dani is doing fine."
The halfa nods, "She's alright. Just bored I guess."
The first bell rings for classes and the visible trio walk toward the school.
A soft voice speaks in his ear, "Hey, what classes do you have?"
Glancing to the side only to see air, he concludes its Dani even as he suppresses the urge to let out a puff of cold air.
Making sure to keep his voice quiet, "Astronomy, and literature are the only ones I care about today."
"Why those two?" She asks from his other side, they were in the halls now so he assumed she was floating above everyone and trying to avoid getting bumped.
"You why for Astronomy but in English we had our first 'big' assignment due and I'm worried about how I did." It was harder to talk now with so many people around but luckily they had enhanced hearing.
"Oh cool, it's too bad I can't ask any questions during the classes, it would be so much easier if I could ask on my own."
He smiles, "I could always ask for you. You would just have to write everything down and we would go from there."
He feels a hand on his shoulder, "Thanks Danny!"
Laughing nervously as a few people look his way in confusion he ducks into his first class of the day.
By the time lunch rolls around Dani had gone quiet, he only knew she was there because his ghost sense kept trying to force cold air from his lungs and after about the fourth time of trying to suppressed it he gave up.
Joining Tucker and Sam at the table he finally asks his question, "Hey, what's on your mind?"
Sam gave him a confused look from across the table while Tucker ignores it in favor of eating his food.
"Who are you- oh. Is she still here?" Sam points her fork randomly around him.
Danny stays quiet to see if his shadow will respond for herself.
"I've just been thinking." She speaks normally now, somewhere between them. No one will really notice.
Sam nods and starts eating while Danny splits his food in half, "Here, eat something."
The half he moves toward the edge of his plate disappears quickly while he eats at a much slower pace.
Tucker speaks up, "Is half of the half of the calories they usually give us really going to be enough for you two? Since you both have crazy metabolism and all?"
Sams nodding her head in agreement.
The halfa's both respond at the same time, "We'll just eat after school."
Tucker is shaking his head, "Man, that can't be healthy for you guys."
"It really can't be, have you ever thought of doing home lunch Danny? I know I ask you all the time but surely this year you can do it?" Sam interjects.
Said teen shakes his head, "Too much work. It's easier just to eat breakfast, survive off of this and eat when I get home."
Truth was, he had thought about it often, but with his parents hiding experiments in Tupperware and cooking food in beakers he couldn't take the risk. He had thought about getting a mini fridge but with his ghost fighting and his parents lack of attention to him he couldn't get the money or ask for one.
The couple give up at this point, assuming correctly that it's a lost cause.
He feels the air shift next to his ear as the invisible girl whispers, "Hey, I have some questions for you."
He nods to show he is listening while taking a sip from his water.
She continues in the same quiet tone, "What happens if the Ghost Zone disappears?"
Pausing at her question, he carefully sets down his water bottle to think about that, "I'm not sure. Maybe we should ask clockwork?"
Sam looks up at him, "Huh?"
He holds up a hand, "Sorry. Talking to Dani, she has some questions about today."
She nods and goes back to talking with Tuck.
"Sounds like a good idea but who is Clockwork?"
"Someone I know. Maybe he'll let me introduce you this time."
She goes quiet again and he is content to leave her to think.
"Do we have a place?"
The question was so out of the blue he actually looks in the direction of her voice this time, he can almost feel her burning gaze even though the only thing he sees is the cheer squad giggling across the lunch room.
Slowly he asks, "What do you mean?"
He feels her piercing gaze leave him, "We aren't alive. We aren't dead. So what are we? I'm not even supposed to exist."
Danny can feel the question eat at him, he had those same thoughts all the time but he never had anyone to ask. It was a wonder they didn't share the same brain at this point with how similarly they thought.
Muttering he says, "We belong where we decide to make our place I guess."
Dani stays quiet for the rest of lunch, since he couldn't see her face he couldn't gauge how she had taken his answer. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say, maybe it was for the best but he didn't know the answer either. The only person who might be able to give them a solid idea was holed up in a mansion somewhere.
He lets out a bitter laugh when they separate from Sam and Tucker.
"What?" She asks from his shoulder.
"I was just thinking. The only other person who could relate to our problem has caused us both hell and back." He scratches the back of his neck, "And he happens to have the most experience too. Ugh that's awful."
He hears her scoff loudly, and ignores the few people who turn their heads, "Figures."
"Guess we're just going to half-ass it then."
It's quiet for all of a second before she's punching him in the arm while trying to stifle laughter, "That was the worst pun ever."
To his credit he only takes a step to the side even as his arm stings with their enhanced strength, "You're laughing. I don't wanna hear it from you."
They continue silently conversing as they head to Danny's last class for the day.