#lance thunder

Whether that be like the Fentons, with their weapons at a scale that would put an army to shame. Or Mayor Masters, for some reason seemed quite guarded and sly in Phantom’s presence.

Or the gaggle of amateur ghost hunters that’d heard of Amity’s ‘problem’ outside of town and decided they’d be the chosen ones. To take down the #1 Enemy.

Most residents were unbothered. For all the damage Phantom caused, it was just another thing they’d become accustomed to. Get under the ghost shields during fights. Keep renewing the insurance plan set up by the GIW.

But for some it was more personal.

At some point in time, Phantom had saved them, a friend, a member of their family. Not always in ghostly terms, either.

Neighbourhood gossip spread for weeks about the missing girl he'd found days after police called the search off. The amount of times students had been saved at Caspar High was too high an amount to remember.

Thus, the Caspar High fan club was born. It talked about Phantom and his heroics, because to a majority, that’s what he was.

He was the protector of Amity Park, constantly putting himself in the spotlight to help out residents. Purely out of his own volition. Brave and fearless.

But amongst everything, Amity Park had become blindsided.

Until the interview, that was.

-

For all everyone clamoured about Phantom, it became apparent quite quickly what was known of him was…very little.

He would appear at a fight, defeat the ghost then disappear into thin air. Many theorised the Ghost Zone — where else did a ghost belong? Others thought he must’ve had a base in Amity to show up so frequently.

It just so happened that Amity News were documenting the new opening of a store when Skulker raided the nearby mall. Phantom showed up.

Nothing new, nothing different.

Until Phantom slammed onto the pavement beside the news van and Lance Thunder saw opportunity.

“Phantom!” He ushered to the ghost, still sprawled on the pavement. “Fancy an interview?”

It was risky, really. Cameras everywhere and Phantom elusive as ever. It was more of a joke question than anything.

Phantom’s gaze was stuck on Skulker suddenly being captured by the Fentons and carted away.

”Sure…why not?”

So Lance asked the first question on every viewers minds.

”Where do you go after you’ve finished fighting?”

Most expected Phantom to make a witty quip and joke about the amount of times he’d return to Amity Park to retrieve a ghost. It seemed like when one fight was over, another started.

Instead, the silence was unexpected. Phantom blinked, taking a deep breath (why was a ghost breathing…?)

“I go home.” He said simply. Vague as ever.

Lance chuckled. “And where’s that? The Ghost Zone? Or some secret hideout?”

The ghost didn’t smile in response. His gaze went past the camera, probably to the large crowd gathering behind the media van. People holding up phones and waving their hands, calling his name.

“…Amity Park.”

The mic screeched from feedback as Lance nearly dropped it. Same with the crowd, muttering away.

Of course it made sense, really. Phantom living in a place where he frequented the most. But all the others lived in the Ghost Zone (as far as they knew). Why was he the outlier?

”Why do you live here?” Perhaps not the smartest question.

”Huh?” Phantom narrowed his eyes. “Because I lived here before I died? Or is that not permitted?”

”No. We—well we just though with all the other ghosts living in the Ghost Zone…”

”Oh.” The ghost’s eyes widened, as if he too realised the gravity of what he said.

Amongst all the heroism and witty banter, Amity Park had forgotten.

Phantom was dead. Even with the perpetual label ‘ghost’, people had forgotten that. Phantom was the equivalent of a comic book superhero to them.

Dead. He’d once been human. Someone before.

“I see.” Lance adjusted the mic. “What do you do when you’re not fighting ghosts?”

It was hard to imagine Phantom outside of fighting ghosts. After all, that was all the town ever saw him partake in. Not to mention the Fenton’s research about ghosts being tied to their obsessions.

It was likely a perpetual routine. Always on the hunt for new ghosts to fight and capture.

“Well…I do like playing video games. They came out with a new DOOM last month. And uh…visiting my family?”

“Your family?! D-do they know you’re a ghost?”

”Crap. Uh. No they don’t.” Phantom stared at the camera, fumbling. Nothing like the confident, unbeatable ghost Amity had seen during battles.

Rather he was…small. Curling in on himself, a hand rubbing the back of his neck (why was that gesture familiar?). Eyes darting around, expecting some sort of inception.

And then he was gone.

Lance (tried to) compose himself. “Uh. So that was that folks! Our first interview with Phantom. He lives in Amity Park, likes to play video games, and his family don’t know that he’s dead.”

An eloquent way of putting such implications.

The interview skyrocketed overnight. Forum pages jammed with discussions about the situation. The Fentons published an official statement on their website. The Caspar High fan group couldn’t keep up with new applications.

Phantom was dead. And by his appearance, thirteen or fourteen at the most. A teenager.

A native of Amity Park.

But no matter how much the forums pages sleuthed, there was nothing. No mention of any runaways in the past few years, decades even. No obituaries. No John Does reported.

A teenager had died, completely unnoticed. Even by his own family.

How had he died? No one had ever considered it. A ghost as strong, yet so new. The Fenton’s theorised it had to be something decimating. Traumatic, no doubt.

The possibility of death by his own family was a large possibility. But why would Phantom continue to visit his potential murderers, if so?

Could Phantom’s death been at his own hands, deliberate? Regret portrayed through the yearning to visit his living family? His attachment to the town?

Yet, what if it was accidental? A HAZMAT suit certainly didn’t give…good implications.

Maybe it had been an accident. One mistaken decision, a slip up that cost him his life.

There was another theory too. One that gained little traction.

That Phantom of course, was still in Amity Park. But…not Phantom. Rather, a facade to blend in.