The library was one of the few place Jazz could get some peace and quiet. Ever since Danny had somehow convinced their parents to go against every ghost hunting instinct they had the house had become a den of noise and ruckus. Before there had only been the occasional explosion from the lab or the sudden yells of excitement when a ghost was spotted, but it had otherwise been a tolerable place to study. Now there was always noise. Cujo constantly was chewing on one squeaky toy or another, barking at neighbors, other dogs, and other ghosts and sometimes just running up and down the walls for no apparent reason. It was better now that Danny was walking him every day, but Jazz still needed to go to the library if she wanted any hope of being able to study in peace.
Today she had finished her paper early and was looking forward to watching tv. Heck, she was in a good mood, maybe she'd actually play with Danny's mutt. The thing was cute when it wasn't destroying her things.
Jazz opened the front door and called out, "I'm home."
For a moment she only silence greeted her.
"Hey Jazz, welcome back."
Jazz looked around, trying to spot the source of her brother's disembodied voice.
"Up here."
Jazz tilted her eyes towards the ceiling and spotted Danny, hair white and eyes green, holding a sponge and a bucket, and floating near the ceiling of the two-story entry hall.
"Danny!" she said in shock and glanced out the front door before closing it hurriedly. "What if someone saw you."
"Well, mom and dad aren't home, and I can always do this." Danny turned invisible for a moment before reappearing. "So long as I do that as soon as the door opens it shouldn't be a problem."
Jazz wasn't convinced, but she also didn't feel like arguing. "Well, alright then."
Jazz watch for a moment while Danny returned to scrubbing muddy paw prints off the walls and ceiling.
"You should probably train him not to do that."
"I'm working on it." Danny insisted, which would have been more convincing if Cujo didn't come running through the wall near his head and track fresh paw prints over the area he had just scrubbed clean. Danny sighed heavily.
"Yeah, good luck with that."
Danny ignored her and scrubbed harder.
Jazz made her way up the stairs and down the hall. She barely had her hand on the door handle when the sound of incessant squeaky started around the corner and got steadily louder. She hurried into her room and closed the door just as Cujo came bounding down the hall with the floppy duck.
A moment later the squeaky stopped and was replaced by sad whimpers and scratching on her door. Cujo couldn't actually come in thanks to the ghost shield technology her parents had installed in the four corners of the room, but he could still make plenty of noise outside it.
"No, you can't come in here. Every time you do something gets destroyed."
On hearing her voice Cujo began barking.
"I'll play with you after I put my stuff away."
Cujo quieted for a moment, and Jazz wondered if he had understood. He didn't and soon began howling in the saddest and loneliest way he possibly could.
Sighing Jazz pulled the last of her things from her backpack and headed for the door.
The moment she turned the handle Cujo stopped crying and grabbed his toy, growling and squeaking it playfully. He tried to run into her room but Jazz blocked him with her leg.
"Nuh uh uh, This is not a play area. We play downstairs."
Cujo tilted his head and stared at her blankly before shaking his toy again.
Jazz carefully closed her door and started down the hall for the stairs.
"Come on Cujo. Let's go play."
Cujo gave a muffled bark through the fabric of his toy and followed excitedly. He raced passed Jazz on the stairs, making her stumbled slightly.
"Hey, careful."
Cujo gave no indication he was listening and instead started doing laps around the living room.
"Alright Cujo, Give me the toy." Jazz said holding out her hand for the duck.
Cujo pulled away, growling playfully.
"Come on, give me the toy."
Jazz tried to grab it but Cujo hopped back, his tail wagging happily and he ferociously squeaked the toy.
"How am I supposed to play if you don't give me the toy," Jazz said with frustration.
"He is playing." Danny laughed from the ceiling.
"How is this playing?"
"Try chasing him around."
Jazz took a few steps towards Cujo who excitedly ran a few steps away. He stopped when she didn't walk further and waited. When she took a few more hurried steps he darted around her and ran into the kitchen. A moment later he peaked out his head to see if she was following.
"Wait so if he wants to play chase why does he have the toy?"
"He's a dog, Jazz, I don't think he worries about that sort of thing."
Jazz spent the next twenty minutes chasing Cujo around the kitchen and living room. She never did manage to get the toy but he seemed happy all the same. tired from all the running she sunk into the armchair next to where their old couch used to be. About the same time, Danny floated down from the ceiling. As his feet touched the ground a white light radiated out from his center, turning his hair black and his eyes blue.
"Tired already?"
"That dog has a lot of energy.
"Well, he is a puppy, sort of."
"Does he ever get tired?"
Danny held up his hand and rotated it back of forth. "Kinda."
Cujo was currently attempting to deprive the duck of its beak.
"How many toys did Sam bring over?"
"A lot."
"And how many have survived."
"'bout half."
Jazz stood up and rested her hand on Danny's shoulder. "In that case, little brother, I suggest you save your allowance or learn to sew."
Danny was confused for only a moment, and then the sound of fabric tearing apart carried across the room.
"I see your point."