for Ectober Month 2021, day 10: Doppelgänger (Treat)

plays after 'More Than You Could Chew'

some referring to that, but not necessarily needed for this

That was one thing there was a town nearby that was occasionally filled with ghosts. And there was one thing too they even had ghosts in the neighbourhood, and since she was aware of that, things made a strange turn, but altogether Hannah tried to see everything as once those had been. And that meant, she most of the cases forgot to calculate the ones a floor upper were those named entities – or at least, one of them, because Dani was a completely another case.

Once someone had told Hannah, the weirdest thing wouldn't be in her life to see with her own eyes something paranormal, and she would find almost natural to get to be friends with inhuman beings… she surely would have said, the one certainly skipped a few medicines to take in time. But life – or afterlife – was like that now, and curiously, there wasn't any strangeness with that – mainly that usually she forgot to calculate them as not entire humans. Though about the teen girl, she couldn't blame herself, but about him… until no disturbing note came, or an unknowing enquiring about something that was supposed to be obvious, Hannah saw him too as a one hundred percent human.

Strange life this was now. Maybe that was because, mostly her – their – life didn't get involved into any ghost stuff – mostly… so then, she lived a life as it had been before (that was not entirely true, but they lived a life, they always should have lived). It was just sometimes interesting to think about…

Hannah got into her hand his phone, opening the message she just a moment ago heard beeping, to note an unnatural status update. After all, it was bizarre to imagine, the only people she was texting back and forth was in truth a ghost. Life changed so much, on that she smiled funnily and read the text.

'Gonna be late a bit. If Dani arrives first, tell her, pizza is in the freezer.'

Hannah shook her head and replied. 'Don't you think, it would be easier leaving her notes, instead to text me every single time? And pizza? Seriously?'

Not even a second later, the answer came. 'She is a teen. Every unhealthy is more appreciated than anything else. So, pizza is perfectly fine. And no, I know she goes immediately to your place if I am not around – if she is not hanging around with my younger version…'

'I can feel your tone, Dan… long day?'

'Annoyed, rather. Can't phase those wires through the walls, it's never-ending this way. We can't even finish a small section by the end of the day with this pace...'

'Welcome to the humans, ghost boy.' Hannah typed then, putting down her phone and turning back to finish the dinner. She heard the beep again, but she didn't have to guess much to know the content, it was either 'I frigging hate humans' or 'I still abhor humans, even if there are a few I tolerate'. Yes, life now was not usual, but at least she was saved from the weirder parts.

After a few minutes, as the sauce smelled good, she turned off the stove, searching after Tris. And as she took a quick glimpse towards the clock on the wall, she satisfied smiled, they were in time for the animated movie she had seen a day earlier, advertised. And luckily, since then, she checked the subtitle for that was available too. Perfect program for consuming dinner, and as Dan had said, Dani would arrive earlier than him, there was enough pasta for the teen to join them too.

Hannah aimed at the room of her daughter, the door slightly opened. In the small gap, she could see Tris was drawing, lost in her thoughts. For a moment, Hannah wondered to leave her alone a bit, and not disturb her, just as she didn't like much until she wasn't finished with one masterpiece, but then she frowned at a detail. Everything was just as it was supposed to be, but there was something eerie with the moving of her daughter, but yet Hannah couldn't tell what. Maybe it was how the pencil was held? Maybe it was the hair or just…

Hannah stepped in, with goosebumps on her skin. The kid immediately looked up to her, as if hearing her moving before she could have got into the sight. In most cases, Hannah naturally waited as Tris ended with making any drawing, just as during that time, her child wasn't focused on her surroundings and Hannah would have just scared her with an unexpected appearing in front of her, but right now… it was as if she had heard her.

Hannah crouched down in front of her, signing. "Everything is okay?"

The girl stared at her with wide eyes, confused. The bafflement was unmistakable in the brown gaze. Hannah saw as the small child opened partly her mouth, then closed it back, frowning, like trying to say something, but remembering a moment later to something. No, it was exactly as it seemed: Tris tried to speak, recalling then that she shouldn't have done that – more like, she didn't suppose to.

By that, Hannah's eyes fell to the drawing in front of the kid that wasn't hers, paling on the paper at the two identical blonde girls standing next to each other. The colouring of the right one was familiar, but the other was neater, not done by a child at age six, too perfect, too-

Then it came back, like a jolt, what exactly made her froze, Tris – this Tris – was holding the pencil in her left hand. Her daughter was right-handed! Hannah immediately grabbed the doppelgänger's wrist, squeezing it as hard as she could. "Where is my daughter?!"

The kid, or whatever it was, winced by the unexpected shouted words, gaping, but then swallowed, shaking, and scared. Good, Hannah noted, it meant she terrified the being. For a second, the copy, stuttered, unable to form the words, but then in fine managed to let out a piece of coherent information.

"B-b-bathroom, she went to use the bathroom."

Hannah narrowed her eyes to the familiar tone, but it must have been just about finding it unnatural hearing 'Tris' speak. And on the other hand, she hardly believed any word to it. What if her daughter was kidnapped? What if this impostor was playing Tris for a while and she- and she didn't notice it until now?! Several awful scenarios rushed into her mind, the next ones always scarier than the previous ones and… but then something moved behind her. Hannah immediately whirled around, still keeping a tight hold on the copy.

Well-known brown eyes stared at her puzzled, and dread built up in her by that. What if this was a doppelgänger too? What if- But then the kid, the exact form of her child in a second version raised her hands, moving in the air. It needed a third repeating while Hannah could comprehend the question. 'Mom, why are you holding Dani like that?'

"Dani?" Hannah gasped, frowning, feeling her thoughts numbs for an entire second. But then, slowly it pieced together as she took a peek at the drawing again, then back to the girl next to her who still looked like her daughter, except her eyes were now bright blue, tears forming in them by the panic.

"I'm…" the kid tried, biting her lips, explaining to her. "We just… we were just playing…"

Hannah right away dropped the captured arm, seeing through this all and identifying too the voice. "Dani? Oh my god, Dani! I'm so sorry!" she apologised, gazing at the slowly dissolving mark on the small wrist. "You scared me out! Why are you look like Tris? Are you out of your mind? I should have attacked you! Or actually, more than now! Why on earth did you-"

The girl flushed in shame slightly green, uncomfortable by her freaking out, mumbling hundreds of apologies under her nose. But then in a flash of light, she changed back to the natural outlook: black-haired, slightly pale-skinned fifteen years of teenager form. "I just… I was just trying to practise shape-shifting. I didn't mean to scare you out, I should have warned you at least, before doing it, I'm sorry…."

To that, Hannah pursued her lips, feeling the youngster's discomfort. In a second, her fear, and anger faded away, and only the empathy remained. She reached out a hand for the half-ghost, helping her up, then she took a worried look at the squeezed wrist. "How is your hand?"

Dani massaged it, shaking her head. "It's okay, don't worry. I heal fast, but really, you are frightening."

Hannah cracked a smile, at the note. "I know Dan is teaching you ghost stuffs, but here is an advice about humans: never ever stand between a mother and her child, we are capable to turn feral."

The teen giggle, though forced, still a bit shocked by the just happened scene. "Believe me, I'll never do that again. You were scary as hell." by that, Dani crouched down, to be in the right level to the one and only Beatrice, giving back to the kid the coloured pencil. Tris seemed a bit disappointed by the changed outlook of her playfellow, but then with a smile accepted the situation.

"Can we still play if Dani is Dani?" Tris signed to her. Hannah took a look at the teen, but then nodded.

"Yes, but after dinner. Her brother will be late, Dani is eating with us." Hannah explained to her, then turning to the half-ghost girl. "Dan wrote, he will come later. Would you like to eat with us until then? I made spaghetti." she offered, eased by her beaming, though hided reaction.

"Pasta sounds good…" the teen agreed.

"Okay." Hannah relieved nodded, recalling suddenly the youngster's other option for dinner, but then before they could have left the room, her eyes stopped again at the drawing. A gentle tug reminded her, that Tris was holding her hand, just as the kid was doing it when she didn't want to 'tell' anything, but still wanted to make her mother to know she was opened to communicate. This way was easier too to note the other with a bit pulling if one of them would have liked to 'say' something. Hannah was aware right now, the tugging meant impatience, and Tris was on to end dinner as fast as she could to then return to playing with the ghost girl.

Hannah crouched down, and faced her daughter. "Could you make the table? I'd like to have a word with Dani," she asked the child. Tris glanced at her worried, then looking at the teen. "I won't scold her, don't worry." Hannah smiled at her, for that she got a doubting gaze. "I promise, she copied you well, I thought it was you. She is very talented." she ensured the blonde girl. After a long second, Tris released her hand, hugging her, then left them alone. Hannah stood up and turned to the teen.

"I'm in trouble, right?" Dani winced. "I know I should have-"

"Not that," Hannah cut it, getting the drawing from the ground and examining it. The two girls were drawn by Tris, it was clear, only the colouring differed as those were done by different people. "You scared me, yes, but, it's not about that…" Hannah put it down to the desk, searching for the teen's eyes. "I just didn't know you can shape-shift. I mean… Dan tells me everything," to that, Dani visibly furrowed, "yes, I am unfortunately informed about everything, maybe I know more than you do, or… no, I think that's true. Luck on me, huh?" she tried to joke, but then turned the discussion to the serious part. "He doesn't know about it, right? About that you can shape-shift."

Dani made an uncomfortable face, but then sighed, shaking her head. "No, he doesn't know about it."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Hannah asked, but immediately corrected herself, reminding she not just once got she was trying to act over him like a mother – that was not a bit funny, that they were nearly around the same, but Dan provoked it, she had to admit, so then it was all his fault and she just couldn't help on it, especially counting how much he asked her help during any issue. "I mean… it's not my task or to decide, because it's ghost-related, and I know I can't really understand it, but…"

Suddenly the teen crossed her arms, running her nails on her upper arm. "I- I think, I'm afraid how he would react… the last time…" the teen bit in her lips, taking a deep breath, "the last time, he shape-shifted, he uh- formed as he had looked as younger, and I- I didn't react to it well, I was very mean with him." Hannah frowned thoughtfully at the words. She was aware Dan was hiding from the teen that his current outlook was not real, a shape-shifted form too, but-

"I don't think he'd react to it wrong." Hannah tilted her head. "Besides… you were really good," she let out an encouraging smile to the struggled teen. "he would be better proud, I am quite sure about it." to that, the half-ghost cheek turned bright green. "Though, a bit of constructive criticism, if you allow me: you should work on your observing for that. Tris is right-handed. And don't try to talk if your formed base is deaf-mute. You tried to answer me."

"I was panicked!" the teen defensively raised up her arms. Hannah had to laugh at the honest reaction.

"All right…" she patted on the youngster's shoulder. "It was nice work though. Would you like to keep on with the practising?" Hannah inquired. Dani sheepishly gazed at the floor. "It's okay… I won't freak out." she told, to that a challenging smirk curled up on the girl's face, at the same time as the light appeared, changing the human form into a- "Okay, this is not how I meant, Dani," Hannah blinked at the exactly mirrored outlook.

"You should have clarified the details about allowing me to practise it." the half-ghost chirped in Hannah's voice, rushing to the kitchen for the earlier mentioned spaghetti. Hannah pinched her nose, taking in a breath, then blow it out slowly.

"This is completely normal…" she shook her head, imagining for a thought they should have got worse upper neighbours – though, undoubtedly not less weird – but then she joined to the kitchen too, just shrugging as Tris's eyes widened to the second version of her around in the room, assuming, at first sight, she was the doppelgänger. A moment later, after enjoying a bit her bafflement, Hannah explained to her in signs the situation, making it clear who was the impostor, her daughter's just amazed grinned, following with eager eyes Dani in her mother's form.

It was odd, but life right now was just like that, which meant letting a ghost-girl, in her outlook serving dinner, with clear enjoyment about it on her face. Weirdly, but only by that Hannah realised how much it look great on her smiling over something, that earlier she hadn't done very much. Yes, life changed, since these two had moved in the house, but this was the new normal now. So then, Hannah got in her hand her phone too, on to text the brother Dani was at home, cracking a smile on the not read the message from earlier. 'Frustrating species, that's what you are.'

'You better shape up, Dan. Dealing with ghosts as human are more tiring, believe me, and I am not complaining as much as you do.' Hannah typed back; the reply immediate came – sometimes she didn't even dare to take the question of how could he be so fast when among humans he had an equipment to hold back everything that meant being a ghost, including his abilities too.

'Was that a pun? Really, Hannah? That day came too?'

'Not everything is about you, ghost boy. That was an inside joke, you wouldn't understand.' Hannah sent, marvelling meanwhile 'herself' having a peaceful dinner with her daughter, then adding: 'Dani is having dinner with us right now. I made spaghetti. I wouldn't let her eat some frozen pizza. I know, she is a teen, but still. Seriously, you should consider counting me as a backup plan, if you don't have time to cook. Another thing, you don't have to pretend now to her you need to eat too.'

'I'm not pretending as much as it seems, but fair enough… Above the lecturing (I noted it, by the way, you are on a very thin ice, Hannah, beware or you easily will slip on the 'not tolerated' list): thanks. Second thought, spaghetti? The recipe I gave you? You made it?' Hannah had to roll her eyes at the leaking through excitement, not even a beat later, another one appeared on her screen. 'That is, right? Could you save me a bit?'

'No. And shouldn't you focus on work?' Hannah smirked as she sent the pointing out, deciding then to tease him more. 'Those wires won't connect themselves, you know…'

'I hate you.' it came right away. Hannah just snorted at it, but took a checking glimpse towards the two eating figures. There was hardly enough portion for her in the pot – yes, she definitely should have calculated Dani was a teen with an infinite stomach if something was really liked for her, not even adding to that the endless energy she had to refill due to the dual-existence and fighting ghosts…

'I can make you another portion if you pick it up.' Hannah offered. Her phone immediately beeped.

'Oh, did I just forget to mention Dani is not a light-eater? Shame on me…' now, she could detect the shit-eating grin behind the words, seeing clearly through her lie why she needed to make another portion anyway. 'But okay, I accept the offer. I'll try to finish within an hour. Oh, and I must warn you: I'm not a light-eater either, ghost or not, those recipes are the best. I'm glad I am able to recall those.'

And feeling that was the final word, Hannah put down her phone, turning back towards the two girls, and rather not letting out any comment about the very serious duel over the table within the right now two versions of her daughter in a contest about who could perform the ugliest grimace. Yes, maybe life basically should have been simple without being aware of ghosts, or become friends with two, but that case certainly wouldn't have been as entertaining as it was right now witnessing twins of Tris in a fight, that was for sure. And it might have been strange, but Hannah didn't like to change on this at all.

A/N:

I have no idea how to write texting or either communicating with someone who is deaf-mute, so please forgive me if I was disrespectful

if you have any advice connected to this, I am opened to learn how to write it properly for later, thanks

Slight little information:

Oh, and Dani can shapeshift, because I said so, and it will be useful later too. Tris, right here was her first person to mimic. She tried to explain to the girl, what she wanted to try out*, if Tris allowed her. Tris found it a funny idea and let her. Dani was practising it to perform the exact copy of Tris the whole late afternoon, managing to do it, just as Hannah saw it then, a bit later. She couldn't copy Tris's voice, because Dani never heard it, but in sudden excitement could mimic Hannah entirely.

(Spoiler-ish: Dani can't sign or understand it very much (that's why she panicked) - yet - but slowly learning it from Dan (who learnt half of his current knowledge in that during one night, due to not needing (or preferring) sleep much, right after he got to know their lower neighbours) and from both Hannah and Tris, feeling uncomfortable she couldn't yet communicate just lamely with her 'not adopted, just considered as little sister' Tris.)

Oh, and Hannah and Dan are just friends (I thought I should clear it), their relationship will be explained better during a later (very much later) work.

*saw Dan shapeshift, and since then, Dani wondered if she can do that or not - turned out she could