Jackie Blue

Based on another prompt by Lynse

Jazz never realized how desperate Vlad was until she met Dani.


"I'm telling you, sis, he's out to get me!" Danny complained, pacing back and forth in Jazz's room.

"You always say that about him," said Jazz, reading her book and not really paying that much attention.

"Well this time he's gone too far!"

"Danny, are you sure you're just exaggerating?"

Danny groaned, "Jazz, you know I'm terrible in grammar class. Say it in child's English."

Jazz sighed, "Uh…you're making it look more of a big thing than it actually is?"

That's better.

"Well if you don't believe me, how would you explain the girl version of me that's in my bedroom?"

Jazz put her book down and gave full attention to her brother.

"There's a what-now in your bedroom?"

Danny following, Jazz went to his bedroom and opened the door. There was Danielle, in the same spot where Danny found her: on his bed, reading a comic book. Dani put the comic down when she heard the door open.

"Uh…Hi?" said Dani.

Jazz's pupils grew three times their size. She ran forward to Dani and picked her up, trapping her in a big-yet-strong hug.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Jazz squealed, "She's so cute! She can sleep in my room and we can share stories and gossip!"

Danny stood in the doorway stunned. He hadn't seen Jazz act this childish since the time he threatened to chop off Bearbert's head. Meanwhile, Dani turned a little green in the face.

"Put me down! Put me down!" she wailed.

Jazz loosened her grip on Dani.

"Now do you agree that Vlad crossed the line?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," said Jazz, dropping the cutesy act and putting Dani down.

Jazz looked down and yelped. Her body was covered with raw, loose ectoplasm. She looked at Dani who was sweating–and that sweat was green-tinted.

"We gotta stop this before it spreads," said Danny.

"The green stuff?"

"No, Vlad's cloning habits. This is the closest he's ever come to a perfect copy, and I shudder to think how that would play out if he succeeds."

"You do that," said Jazz, "I'm gonna stay here and take care of this widdle angel! Then when you feel better we can be gossip buddies!"

Dani blushed. Jazz cleared her throat and looked back at Danny, who was just about to leave.

"Wait! What should we tell Mom and Dad?"

"Uh…she's a cousin?" Danny impulsively guessed.

"Smooth," Jazz rolled her eyes, "But I think they'll buy it."

None of them knew what the future had in store. But this much was clear: Vlad was dead to them.