#flickers au

I’ve mentioned there are two main “classes” of afterlife: spirits and ghosts! Spirits are the entire soul, at peace and moved on to be with family, but also watch over their living families (to a degree). Some with very powerful bonds, like the Hamatos, can channel that connection to help fuel Ninpo.

However, ghosts are just a small, emotional piece of the soul, and are a little bit more common. Someone may be a ghost for only a few days before finding their peace to become a spirit, while others may be stranded watching the mortals for years to come. Either way, their soul is not fully present, making them a little more vulnerable, specifically to their own emotions.

Because of this! A ghost can very easily become one of many subcategories:

- Poltergeists: When a ghost gets overwhelmed with negative emotions, they can draw from the mystics in the air around them and become a poltergeist. This means they are more visible, more tangible, and depending on where they are (more specifically, how much mystic energy is in their chosen environment), can have a more powerful influence on objects/electricity around them. They may not always be evil, but they are usually violent, even if they don’t mean to be! Often times, they can calm down and go back to a regular ghosty.

- Specters: A specter may have found peace with their death, but choose not to pass on for one reason or another. Many specters prefer to “haunt” the area they died in, often taking on a form that may resemble their death (more water based if they drowned, coated in fire if they burned, animal characteristics if mauled, etc), and try to help guide others away from that same fate. Some just want to watch the world, or, least commonly, be little mischievous pranksters. They can “pass on” whenever they so choose.

- Banshee: Similar to a poltergeist, a banshee is a ghost that has lost themselves to their grief and/or depression. They are often reactive, violent, and struggle with any sort of communication. They’re easily recognizable from their loud crying, moaning, screaming, and perpetually open mouth. (Unfortunately, these are often parents that have lost their children)

- Demons: Like a specter, demons have accepted their demise. They do not wish to move on. They are those who have passed with a burning hatred in their heart, and although there has been no proof of a hell as of now, some still believe demons rise from it at night to wreak the havoc they do. Unlike some hateful and determined poltergeists, a demon doesn’t always have a need for revenge — just a desire to harm. These are one of the most dangerous, but rare classes, and are exorcised as quickly as possible.

- Phantoms: Most often seen in children ghosts, phantoms are shy but persistent. They do not want to be seen, but they do want to observe. They don’t want to interact with the living, but they don’t want to be alone either. If someone is to catch a glimpse of them (often in a reflection or dream) or sense their presence (cold spots, electronic disturbances, or certain yokai like skeletons), they may panic and accidentally cause headaches. Ultimately, they don’t want to harm anyone. They just want to be around.

Digging even FURTHER into the lore, there are three other subclasses, but they tend to appear after an exorcism or passing of ghost-to-spirit. These are the small remnants of someone’s soul, or purely the imprint of their strongest emotions:

- Shadows: When a demon or particularly cruel poltergeist has been exorcised, or if a hateful person was killed and had very little soul left to become much, a shadowy figure may still lurk in the area. It is harmless, aside from sparking paranoia or fear. They can be driven off, and, unless the being was especially powerful, may eventually just fade away.

- Wisps: These are clusters of soul remnants, often from missing people who desperately want to be found. The soul may have passed on, but the desire to guide others to their final resting place ends up calling to the living in the form of little fiery balls. They do not have any sort of conscience, so sometimes they end up leading people to their own demise on accident…

- Orbs: The most common of them all. These are simply small remains of a ghost’s soul or emotions, aimlessly floating around the person’s haunt before eventually fading away. How long this takes depends entirely on the mystic energy present in the environment around them.

In terms of the Flickers story: The Hamatos spent a long time and research trying to prove/disprove Leo’s presence as a ghost. They tried herbs, crystals, rituals, spirit boxes, ouijia boards, the Charlie Charlie challenge — absolutely anything and everything because Donnie did not want to be wrong. He found out some Yokai pretend to be ghosts for shits and giggles, and it became his own personal mission to prove that’s all this was (it was not).

While this was effective in convincing them Leo was dead but still with them, it also drew in a wide variety of other dead entities wanting to see what all the fuss was about. All of whom Leonardo can see easily, and his family cannot.

While Leo is more than happy to accommodate the little phantoms and specters that float through, he is not quite so happy about the amount of poltergeists, banshees, shadows, and even an occasional demon that try to weasel their way into the lair.