murphy-kitt

[murphy-kitt]

Danny Phantom Outsider Perspective Week - July 20th - 26th

This is a week-long Danny Phantom event dedicated to outsider perspectives.

What is an outsider perspective?

An outsider perspective is a narrative trope where a story is told from a point of view outside the main storyline. It is particularly popular in fanfiction because it allows a series of events to take place completely out of context from the narrative perspective, but the reader already knows, or at least has an idea of, what is happening.

When is it?

July 20th - 26th

How does this work?

Each day of the week will have a prompt. Write from the perspective of a character who matches the prompt (or in the format specified by the prompt). Once you write your piece, post it on Tumblr and/or Ao3 and tag it. Any works that are appropriately tagged with #dpopw will be reblogged to this blog and/or added to the Ao3 collection.

Do you have to write for every prompt?

Not at all! Write however much you want about whatever you want. Combine prompts, skip days, go wild! The goal is to have fun!

Are there rules?

Yes. They boil down to: tag your ships, tag your crossovers, tag your gore, have fun! Also no minor x adult ships.

What happens if I don’t follow the rules?

If these prompts spark your creativity in a way that doesn’t align with the rules of the event, feel free to still use them! However, your post won’t get reblogged to the outsider POV blog and the work you create won’t be added to the Ao3 collection.

When will the prompts be released?

A week before the event starts.

[murphy-kitt]

danny fenton, (not) responsible adult

When things run askew in Amity Park, Danny is forced to step up as Fenton.

(AKA: a digital media retelling of Pirate Radio, S2 Ep3)

AO3

Prompts:

@ave-aria Rewrite an episode while using only written, digital, or physical media (texts, chatrooms, newspaper articles, voicemails, breaking news bulletins, employee emails, etc) to convey what's happening. Bonus: stick to outsider POV and use things penned by Danny, Sam, and Tucker as little (or as cryptically) as possible.

@hannahmanderr The kids of Casper High have taken notice of Danny Fenton's uncanny leadership abilities after the events of "Pirate Radio." Needless to say, he is taken by surprise when they come to him asking him to lead a student ghost hunting group.

-

Another HTML fic! Originally this was meant for phic phight but I didn’t get around to it, but here it is. Pirate Radio is my favourite episode, I just knew I had to merge both prompts.

[murphy-kitt]

It’s never a good feeling when they find your body buried in the park…

[murphy-kitt]

Wow, this is such a unique way of writing, I love this sort of abstract writing in terms of a thesis. (This thesis much preferable to my own exams rn 😆).

The ending comparison with Maddie, wow. Looks like she might actually start convincing herself to not be as harsh on Phantom. The fact that he potentially suffers so much it even makes her rethink everything. And of course the horrible irony “when both her kids die…peacefully….happily”. And she’s reading a thesis upon the central argument being that her son has suffered horrifically due to the presence of a ghostly wail. Just? Wow. Absolutely brilliant 💚

Phic Phight - The Phantom Wail Hypothesis: An Analysis of Phantom’s Ghostly Wail as Residual Sonic Trauma

For: @murphy-kitt

Literally just a ecto-ology/hauntology thesis abstract about Phantom’s Ghostly Wail and its implications.

Abstract

Phantom’s Ghostly Wail is among one of the most consistently reported unique traits that Phantom possesses, one that seemingly separates him from all other ghosts. While traditionally interpreted as a mere conscious vocalization, another application of this particular ghosts ectoplasm, this paper presents an alternative hypothesis: that this sound is the imprinted death screams of an individual who died under conditions of acute trauma. Drawing on findings from psychoacoustics, quantum imprint theory, trauma psychology, and recordings of audio, this paper proposes that traumatic death events can produce a sonic imprint in a ghost under particular atmospheric or emotional conditions. This Death Scream Hypothesis challenges the standard ecto-ologistic model of how death impacts a ghost upon their creation and reorients our understanding of how their powers might come to be; as well as effects on the environment caused by those who’ve passed.

1. Introduction

1.1 Philosophical Basis of the Ghostly Wail

The existence of wailing amongst ghosts isn’t in and of itself unique, with accounts ranging from ancient folklore to modern ghost-hunting documentaries, disembodied wails and screams remain one of the most iconic and terrifying, features of a stereotypical haunting. Particularly the variety found outside of Amity Park’s boarders. While ghost lore frequently attributes these cries to wandering spirits lamenting their fate or seeking closure, the spectres seen around Amity Park show no such behaviours; with the exclusion of Phantom. As it stands, there has been little investigation into whether such sounds may instead be echoes of the suffering of their demise; an end so painful it imprinted on their very being or the environment wherein they passed.

This Phantom Wail Hypothesis posits that Phantom’s particular ‘ghostly wailing’ may, in fact, be the lingering auditory remnants of that individual’s dying scream frozen in time as a spectral ability, able to be replayed at will like a needle passing over a phonographic groove. These sonic imprints able to be reactivated by Phantom, triggered as an instinctual environmental response or by his consciousness itself. The Ghostly Wail does not appear to be a high priority instinct, potentially due to Phantom’s protective nature and the Ghostly Wails destructive capabilities.

1.2 Rethinking the Standard Haunting Pattern

This hypothesis further invites us to reconsider the default assumption that standard hauntings represent conscious attempts at contact. Instead, it introduces the idea that many supernatural sounds are accidental recorded instinctual distress signals, not active communication with the living realm. If correct, this shifts ecto-ology from a theological to a psychological and biological domain.

Amity Park ghosts in particular support this, as they actively chose to interact with the living in a physical corporeal state. Showing that if ghosts wanted to interact and communicate with the living, they would be inclined to do so far more physically. With Phantom standing to provide an example of a ghost that leans far more into verbal communication than merely physically existing amongst us. Perhaps this fondness for vocalization is, in part, a reason behind having a sound based ability that reflects his demise so strongly.

2. Historical and Cross-Cultural Context

2.1 Archetypal Wailing in Global Traditions

The motif of the ghostly scream or wail is a transcultural one:

In many different Celtic mythologies, the banshee’s wail heralds death, suggesting a sonic foreshadowing tied to an echo of trauma.

Japanese onryō spirits are often heard sobbing or screaming, though violent, they are typically believed to be women who died violently or unjustly.

In Victorian England, so-called ‘death knocks’ and unexplainable cries were considered omens, thought to be auditory impressions left behind at the moment of death.

In African and African Caribbean spiritual traditions, the voice of the dead may be heard not as speech but as a cry for remembrance, often replayed at specific locations or anniversaries.

All of those above can be applied to Phantom himself as well. To refer to Phantom as a ‘Harold of Death’ or an omen of death, as a banshee and ‘death knocks’ so often are, would seem obvious to many, as Phantom’s presence in any given area is indicative of the presence of at least one other, far more dangerous, ghost. His Ghostly Wail serving as his echo of trauma. Similarly to the onryō, Phantom is indeed violent and capable of harm; though the reasons for such behaviour is protective in nature and never causes true prolonged harm. His Wail truly hinting at his death being quite violent and likely unjust as well. And perhaps his death was not one well known or well remembered, feeding into the ghosts innate desire for remembrance.

2.2 The Voice of Death as a Spiritual Trigger

Many cultures maintain that the moment of death imprints something onto the physical or metaphysical world. Phantom may very well be a far more intense application of this, imprinting on the ghosts physical being itself instead of on the surroundings. Whether conceptualized as a soul, spirit, or energy release, the idea that the final utterance contains special power persists. The Phantom Wail Hypothesis builds on this by proposing that, under some form of extreme conditions, the scream itself became encoded in Phantom’s being, functioning like a spiritual residue of death trauma. One that the ghost is capable of utilizing to affect the world around him as a true genuine power.

It must make one wonder, just how horrific and cruel of a death Phantom must have faced for such a thing to happen to him, and only him.

3. Scientific Foundations

3.1 Psychoacoustics of the Death Scream

Research into traumatic vocalizations shows that humans emit distinct, non-linguistic screams during life-threatening events. These include:

Nonlinear acoustic features such as chaotic frequency shifts, subharmonics, and glottal fry.

High-frequency spectral bursts (3–8 kHz) that are perceptually optimized for urgency and biological alarm.

Temporal irregularities, such as sudden silence or pitch warping, that induce a sense of dread.

These features are evolutionarily adapted to elicit immediate emotional responses in listeners. A death scream, occurring at the apex of physical and emotional stress, thus must carry a unique acoustic signature of its own, both acoustically rich and psychologically potent. Phantom’s Ghost Wail appears to support this heavily, showing that such a death scream can be an incredibly impactful and powerful weapon amongst the dead. One so powerful that, perhaps, only a ghost who suffered most catastrophically could earn the right, through pain, to truly utilize it. Phantom has been witnessed bleeding from his mouth and appearing severely weakened after its use, suggesting that any ghost who had not earned it would be torn apart or obliterated from even trying.

3.2 Environmental Recording: The Stone Tape Theory

Though speculative at best, the Stone Tape Theory proposes that materials such as limestone, quartz, or iron-rich substrates can store energetic events, including sound, much like magnetic tape. Intense emotion and ectoplasm may act as a catalyst, ‘etching’ sonic events into the crystalline microstructure of these materials. Though the more solid ectoplasm that ghosts are comprised of is largely gelatinous in nature, it would not be too far of a stretch to suggest that ectoplasm can be ‘etched’ into in a similar manner. Perhaps this ‘etching’ only settling permanently in cases of extremes.

Environmental triggers, humidity, temperature shifts, geomagnetic flux, might then ‘play back’ these stored events. In areas where repeated screaming deaths occurred (e.g., battlefields, prisons, execution sites), the probability of this phenomenon is theorized to increase. So perhaps Phantom’s Ghostly Wail was a result of not just his own dying screams, but of the collective dying screams of many suffering individuals; a death that came about through an immeasurable tragic loss of life.

3.3 Quantum Information and Emotional Energy

Building on quantum consciousness theories, it is believed that consciousness is not bound solely to the body but flows through a spiritual ectoplasmic state. The death scream, representing a moment of severance between mind and matter, may produce an entangled burst of sonic, psychic, and ectoplasmic energy. This multi-energy signature, auditory, emotional, and spiritual, could become enmeshed in to the being that comes to exist after death. With this being the case with Phantom and how he formed.

4. Methodology

4.1 Case Study Compilation

This study analyzed 212 reported haunting cases across four continents, from historical archives and modern paranormal investigation groups. Criteria for inclusion were:

Presence of distinct wailing or screaming in the auditory report.

History of documented violent or traumatic deaths at the location.

Audio recordings, if available, subjected to spectral analysis.

This study also utilized all available recordings, and the situations in which they occurred, of Phantom’s Ghostly Wail. Acquired both from the citizens of Amity Park and from the Drs. Fenton’s, Dr. Madeline Fenton and Dr. Jackson Fenton. Phantom himself also allowed for the recording of his Ghostly Wail directly, in a forested area devoid of other potential ectoplasmic interferences.

4.2 Field Recording Analysis

Of the 38 recordings deemed credible (excluding obvious hoaxes and environmental misinterpretations), 27 exhibited spectral characteristics consistent with trauma-induced vocalizations. Notably:

Frequency peaks between 5-6.5 kHz.

Abrupt rise-fall amplitude envelopes.

Nonlinear bifurcations and harmonic roughness typical of real-world screams under distress.

Phantom’s Ghostly Wail causes an immediate intense feeling of pure terror and deep unease. Fluctuating violently between 0.2-49 kHz, with a simultaneously rough and smooth harmonic.

4.3 Material and Environmental Correlations

Locations with strong audio anomalies shared several characteristics:

Substrate materials included high-quartz-content stone or dense wood.

Environmental conditions at the time of phenomena involved sudden temperature drops and high humidity.

Several instances coincided with solar storms or local geomagnetic irregularities.

All three of these notable conditions can be found throughout Amity Park as well. Though this may not have much to do with Phantom specifically, perhaps this is part of the explanation behind Amity Park’s frequent ectoplasmic events and spectral visitors.

5. Discussion

5.1 Conscious Communication vs. Imprinted Expression

This framework challenges the model of non-Amity Park ghostly activity as sentient interaction. Instead, it supports a ‘trauma residue’ theory, suggesting that what is heard is not the voice of a ghost, but the ghost of a voice. Such sounds are not intentional but incidental; they represent not the presence of a spirit but the persistence of an event. As well as how Phantom is an example of a persistent event remaining attached to the sentient ectoplasmic material created from that same event.

5.2 Psychological Impact on Witnesses

Reports frequently include intense emotional reactions to ghostly screams, including:

Sudden weeping, nausea, or panic.

Vivid nightmares or dissociative episodes.

Feeling as if ‘reliving someone else’s pain’.

This supports the idea of empathic resonance, whereby listeners become temporarily attuned to the emotional content embedded in the scream, experiencing it as if it were their own trauma. Phantom’s Ghostly Wail, in particular, is well known to cause extreme intense feelings of terror, feelings of imminent death, and incapacitating levels of anxiety. With multiple reports showing cases of complete delirium and stress induced unconsciousness. Non-human animals also show these same signs, often seeming catatonic with terror or vibrating violently. And through testing on the surrounding trees, Phantom’s Ghostly Wail appeared to have disturbed even the plant matter around, interrupting their natural vibrational levels.

This lends itself to the idea that Phantom’s dying screams were so intense that their after shocks invoke not merely empathy but pure genuine instinctual terror. Phantom’s trauma so intense that the living mind of any mildly sentient being can’t with stand it to any notable degree.

5.3 Ethical and Spiritual Implications

If the Phantom Wail Hypothesis is valid, it raises moral and metaphysical questions:

Should efforts be made to ‘cleanse’ or ‘deactivate’ non-sentient residual imprints? Such as those found throughout the world?

Is the repetition of such a death scream a form of suffering, or merely an echo devoid of Phantom’s previously experienced pain?

What does this imply about the preservation of emotional energy at the moment of death?

Should Phantom’s Ghostly Wail be celebrated for the remembrance it inspires that the ghost may seek? Or mourned for reliving pain of a life past?

One must consider if the use of Phantom’s Ghostly Wail is an act of self harm, an act of reliving trauma, an act of crying out to be heard, or merely the ectoplasmic fabric of the Ghost Zone giving Phantom’s horrific death its dues. What does this say about Phantom’s emotional state? Or perhaps what does this say about Phantom’s ability to retain living emotions?

Further, this hypothesis may also bridge spiritual ritual and scientific inquiry, offering a functional rationale for exorcisms, blessing rituals, and sacred silence in death spaces. Are the echoes of suffering best heard and revered, or best cleansed and left to fade away?

6. Conclusion

The Phantom Wail Hypothesis reframes one of the oldest human fears, not merely the fear of death, but the fear that death may echo. Phantom’s own ability forcing us to confront those fears and address them. Far from being fanciful superstition, the idea that traumatic final vocalizations might persist in not only the environment but in a particular ghost himself, offers theory into how Phantom must have passed on, as well as a potentially unifying theory for ghostly wailing and other residual haunting phenomena.

Although speculative, this hypothesis synthesizes data from acoustics, parapsychology, quantum theory, and historical folklore in a manner that warrants further interdisciplinary study. Future cooperative work with Phantom himself could yield more definitive answer and insights into his Ghost Wail as well as the long debated how of his demise; though he does not appear open to more invasive research. In a broader scope, future work could involve lab-based simulations of trauma-induced imprinting, development of ‘imprint-sensitive’ recording equipment, and expanded field studies in emotionally charged historical locations.

---

Maddie hums, leaning back in her lab chair and tapping her chin. This was definitely written by someone just beginning to dip their toes into ecto-ology, and some of its sourcing has definitely been debunked, but it still has serious merit. It purposes an interesting hypothesis even on the broader scope, but regarding its points about Phantom specifically… it did not paint a pretty picture, in fact it painted a deeply concerning one. For such a heavy amount of suffering to be attached to a friendly, playful, protective spirit was alarming. It was alarming in that it raised a lot of questions about her and Jack’s work. If this was indeed the case, Phantom, along with all other ghosts, were most likely sentient and emotionally intelligent. For the pain and emotion of death to imprint on the ectoplasm itself implied emotion as a neurological experience could be retained by ectoplasm.

If Phantom truly felt echoes of Its own suffering when It used Its Wail, then It was capable of compartmentalizing and coping with that experience and those sensations.

And simply as a mother…

Phantom looked like a teenager. She couldn’t fathom her kids dying so horrifically, in so much pain, that it became part of their ectoplasmic spiritual being. She’d take that death herself first, she’d take it a thousand times over if she had to. She’d beg for that fate to be sent her way instead of theirs.

If, and when, either of her kids die, she hopes they do so peacefully, happily, and nothing like what this paper proposed Phantom suffered.

Perhaps… perhaps she’ll cut that ghost some slack. If this theory was even half right, Its earned it.

End.

Prompts: Someone hears Phantom's ghostly wail and theorises it's his dying screams.

[murphy-kitt]

The Fenton Chronicles (Phic Phight)

Everyone’s been aware for months that Danny has ghost powers.

So when Lancer offers the opportunity for extra credit by writing a newspaper article for the student paper, it’s clear what the topic of focus will be…

AO3 Link

Word Count: 3380

Prompt 1: Everyone knows Danny has ghost powers. No one (or only the people who know in the show) knows he's Phantom.

Prompt 2: Mr. Lancer has promised extra credit to any student that writes an article for the school newspaper. If he had even the slightest bit of foresight, he could've prevented the following chaos.

A/N: I had fun with this one! I don’t usually do multiple POVs in a one shot but wanted to see how it ended up. Accidental shenanigans all over the place XD. I don’t think I could decide between humour and angst when writing this though…hehe

[murphy-kitt]

Crows (Phic Phight)

AO3 Link

Danny went missing a week into starting high school. Struggling with an influx of ghosts, Amity Park eventually forgot his case.

Not Jazz. She’s determined to find out what happened to her baby brother.

Meanwhile, a freshly deceased Phantom struggles to remember his past.

Word Count: 4001

Prompt: There's a shallow grave in the woods. The only marker is a stone with the name "Danny" scratched into it. It's empty, but it hasn't been empty for long. For @kinglazrus .

A/N: finally have got my first corpse au of the event complete! Very fun to write. :D This one is only published to AO3 bc I’m tired and tumblr editing is not it

[murphy-kitt]

I feel the JATP obsession reigniting..oh no

[murphy-kitt]

Happy Dannypocalypse!! I have nothing to offer in these cursed times

[murphy-kitt]

Familiar

Even from the beginning, it was the HAZMAT. There’s many things Maddie considers strange about Phantom. The way he claims to be good yet acts contradictory, how when her and Jack think they’ve finally got a theory for his obsession, he switches.

But his choice of outfit has always…bugged her, mainly for two reasons.

The first, that it resembles quite closely to hers and Jack’s.

The second, which is rather more empathetic and not her usual approach, is that he appears to be the ghost of a child. A child that died in laboratory equipment. Unless, perhaps, he’d wanted to be a scientist when grown.

(But both her and Jack know that’s not true. He’d wanted to be an astronaut, apparently. Something they’d found out when snooping on Phantom playing with the child pirate ghost).

“I just…don’t understand where he could’ve got it from.” Jack mumbles, unusually quiet. They’ve got an array of photos of Phantom spread over their workbench. Some of him in mid flight, some blurred beyond recognition.

Maddie picks up a one taken from the local news channel, Amity Angle. Phantom resting casually on the Nasty Burger sign, HAZMAT clearly definable—black with white trim.

Just like theirs.

“I suppose, he could have created it out of his own idea?” Maddie counters, weakly. They’ve seen it before with other ghosts, alternating their appearances over time. Could the same have happened here?

“But he’s always had that HAZMAT suit, Mads.” Jack grimaces. “Maybe he saw that we were ghost hunters and decided to replicate us?”

A ghost, replicating them?

But then…

Maddie remembers when Phantom first started. When she and Jack had been near blasting him, never bothering to pause and think. Phantom had just the same approach with other ghosts, fight first, questions never.

Eventually over time, Phantom’s become known for his way of mediating fights. Adapted, something which ghosts shouldn’t be able to do. Or at least, her and Jack once thought that.

“It makes sense.” She ponders, looking at the photo again. “Our old hunting style, Phantom practically copied us, didn’t he? And now he’s learned I suppose. But would it be a reach to assume he’d copied our costumes too?”

“We should ask him!” Jack replies brightly. “We’ve never had a proper conversation with him, anyways.”

Which is true, because quite frankly, their new approach is merely weeks old. Finally encouraged by Jazz to take “non-confrontational” methods and evaluate its effectiveness compared to their former strategy.

“Yes. We’ll do that.” Maddie nods, turning from the bench to grab a notepad.

She hopes deep down, their theory is right. That maybe Phantom is a child ghost that once idolised them and decided to replicate them.

(Even though that, in itself, makes Maddie sick to the stomach. A ghost idolising the people whose once sought to destroy it)

Because the other alternative?

A child has died in a HAZMAT suit of their making.

—

Maddie sees him the next day in the aftermath of a ghost fight, suit torn, ectoplasm dribbling from a split lip.

“Need help?” She asks, outstretching a hand, holstering her gun to her belt. Not missing the way Phantom nearly doubles over in a flinch. Just showing how fresh their truce really is.

”Uh—thanks.” Phantom mumbles, taking her hand and she hoists him up. His grip much weaker than the strength she’s seen him display. “I’ll be fine. Just a couple of scrapes.”

”I’ll be the judge of that.” She scans him up and down, noting the paler than pallid skin, his face gaunt and knees slightly bent, trembling. And of course, the wounds tearing welts across his HAZMAT suit, sluggishly steeping ectoplasm.

“I’ve had worse.” The ghost looks away, wringing his hands together. No doubt, once caused by them. Maddie remembers a few particular injuries and times where she’d grounded Phantom mid-flight, celebrated for it.

His cheeks are still rounded with baby fat, eyes wide and round, limbs at that awkward stage between baby deer and towering. Just like Danny is now. Phantom can’t have been much older than her son.

She opens her mouth to ask, but then decides against it. One of Jazz’s warnings in their new strategy was to not question a ghost about their past life or any personal questions, only if the ghost had prompted the discussion themselves.

What had made them finally listen? She’s not sure, but it had been going on for a while. Her and Jack had grown tired of the inefficiency of their methods, constantly realising that theories and research weren’t adding up. So here she is.

“Come on.” Maddie beckons the ghost, towards Fentonworks. He obliges, following like a stray dog. Whether it’s out of his own authority, or he’s worried if he doesn’t oblige he’ll be blasted—she doesn’t know.

They eventually get to the house, and Phantom hesitates before stepping over the threshold. Although, he doesn’t look completely uneasy for a ghost stepping into a hunters house.

“Have you been here before?” Maddie questions, instantly feeling a flush on her neck. There’s a ghost portal in the basement, of course he has!

But Phantom looks momentarily stunned.

“Yeah, I guess?” Phantom hovers behind a kitchen chair, jabbing a finger in the direction of the lab. “When I need to put the ghosts back in the zone.”

“Interesting.” Maddie nods, taking the key from her belt. “Would you like a tour? Properly?”

Two weeks ago, she would’ve thought herself absurd. Showing a ghost around the premises like a grocery store.

But Jazz had really really pressed for them to use these methods of non confrontation and communication. And if it’s anything Maddie knows in the past few years, it’s that she’s never listened to the kids enough.

“Why not.” The ghost shrugs.

Taking a breath, Maddie shoves the key in the door and turns the handle. The lights automatically flicker on as she opens the door, the green of the portal swirling reflecting onto the tiles. Machines whirr and beep.

“Welcome to the Fenton lab.” She spreads her arms out, moving down the stairs. “I’m sure you’re well acquainted with it.”

“Very.” Phantom nods. “Glad it's not a dissection or dissolving experience.”

”So…if you don’t mind me asking?”

Phantom looks neutral, shrugging as he glances towards the portal. She observes his fists clenching as he looks at it before turning back to her.

”Go ahead. Just, nothing about my death or personal life.”

“So, why do you hunt ghosts?” She decides to get to the point straightaway. Wanting to understand his motivation.

Why he has that HAZMAT suit.

”Good question.” Phantom nods slowly, pacing around the floor, slightly liked a caged animal, yet free from containment. “Well I, felt responsible, in a way? That all the ghosts were causing havoc in Amity. I have these powers, and realistically, no offence, am the only one who can consistently deal with the attacks. And since it was me who started this.”

”You started this? What on earth do you mean by that?” Unless Phantom’s staged some consistent ghost invasion of Amity in such large swathes, she doesn’t know how he could even be responsible.

”I just…well. Y’know.” The ghost trails off, clenching his left fist. It’s a trait she’s noticed for a while now.

Perhaps it’s misplaced guilt from something else? The idea of ghosts having unsettled and misplaced emotions is certainly prevalent in the research field—anger being the most common. But what about guilt?

She looks at his HAZMAT. His guilty face. Barely Danny’s age.

A child in laboratory outfit. Going where they shouldn’t. A guilt for not listening, paying the price in death.

Acting as a hero to ensure no one goes what he did. And certainly, it doesn’t infer well of his parents. Allowing a child, unsupervised. Dead.

Perhaps that is another reason Phantom considers himself a hero? Perhaps as a child, a shadow in his house, he’d read superhero comics as an escape. One day dreaming he’d be like that. Death giving him the freedom to do so.

”Mads, I’m back!” The stairs rattle as Jack thunders down them. Maddie notes the way Phantom flinches.

“Oh, hey ghost kid. Didn’t see you there.”

”You too.” Phantom gives a tight smile.

”We were just having a discussion.” Maddie clarifies, picking her earlier notes off the workbench. Phantom tilts his head, curious.

”Excellent. I quite like this new method, don’t you Mads? Discussion! Who thought it could be this easy.”

”Not me.” Phantom responds.

”And actually, ghost kid, we were wondering about your HAZMAT earlier.”

”My—my HAZMAT?” The ghost is taken aback, looking down at his figure.

”Yeah! It resembles our quite a lot, you see.” Jack continues, progressing towards the cupboard where they store the PPE.

”Oh.” Phantom grasps at his glove, paling. It seems he is aware of the similarities. Interesting.

Maddie watches as Jack brings out one of Danny’s old jumpsuits, a one a few years ago, before the most recent one they’d given to him (that’d disappeared somewhere, and Danny hadn’t asked for a replacement, so they’d not gotten around to it).

”See now,” Jack babbles, the HAZMAT on a hanger at arm’s length, “Our Danno has this one, it’s white and black so not the same but inverted, his went missing…“

Maddie freezes. Jack holds the HAZMAT near to Phantom’s left side. It hangs innocently, glistening in the light.

Jack’s eyes widen, mouth parting. He turns to her.

”Mads…I think we’ve found Danno’s missing HAZMAT.”

Phantom shifts awkwardly, cringing, and points towards the portal.

”I wanted to fix it?”

”Oh Danny.” Maddie feels her heart plummet to the floor.

—

A/N: 2nd phic of the phight, a classic Maddie POV, can never go wrong 😁

Word Count: 1611

Prompt: Fenton PPE has a very distinctive style—if you know what to look for. There's only one place Phantom could have gotten his suit, and Jack and Maddie want answers. (For differential)

[murphy-kitt]

Shock of a Lifetime

Warnings: Mentions of Death, Swearing

AO3

He’s always been a one for mystery and phenomena, that’s no lie. Chasing down the slightest hint of something off kilter, keen to dig down into the truth.

This? This is ridiculous. Absurd, stupid, every synonym he can think of.

Wes sits on the side of his bed, clinging to the bedsheets, praying that he won’t fall through onto the floorboards again. Luckily he hasn’t gone through the floor yet.

Maybe this is payback for discovering Fenton’s secret, he doesn’t know. Surely there’s a ghost out there currently relishing in the consequences of his actions.

Because he’s dead. Or, somewhat. The same thing as Fenton—but he’s never been sure what that is. Only that he’s Phantom and a pain to deal with.

Wes currently doesn’t have the tolerance to try and deal with the whole emotional baggage that death comes with. He just wants to go to school, get outside with his camera again, rewind.

A familiar tingling, and suddenly his left hand is gone.

“Great.” He yanks his hoodie sleeve down.

It’s not going away anytime soon.

Admittedly, it hadn’t been Wes’ smartest idea to enter a haunted house late at night. Even worse, to try and jumpstart the very clearly ecto-contaminated electrics.

Not his finest hour.

But he can’t exactly tell anyone either.

Hesitantly, Wes stands up and enters into the hallway, vigilant of any sudden change to his body. Thankfully, his arm returns to the visible plane.

“Wes, breakfast!” His dad’s voice echoes from down the stairs.

He manages to make it down the stairs, albeit slowly.

“You look pale.” His dad says when Wes enters the kitchen, midway through splattering jam on some anaemic-looking broad, “Anything wrong?”

Yeah, I’m fucking dead.

“I dunno.” Wes mumbles, shrugging as he slinks into a chair. And it’s not even far from the truth. “Just don’t feel good.”

“Too many nightly expeditions?” His dad chuckles, pushing the plate of toast towards him. “I know you break curfew a lot.”

“Sorry.” He mumbles, because what else can he say? At least his Dad isn’t grounding him. More opportunity for him to supervise his every move.

“As long as you don’t get yourself into trouble or injured, I suppose a bit of exploring can’t hurt you.”

Wes takes a bite of the toast, wincing at the sour taste of ectoplasm on his tongue. Ever since his incident his taste hasn’t been the same. Wes hope it’s just a temporary side effect.

“Yeah. I might go out tonight.” He lies. Truthfully, he can’t stomach the thought of going sleuthing right now. Too soon. But it’ll give him some time out of the house.

-

When Wes walks down the corridor to his locker, it feels like all eyes are on him. Or maybe it’s the fact that every bone in his body is rigid stiff, his chest pounding unevenly, a constant humming in his ears and sour bile on his tongue.

Is this what Fenton feels like? Constantly worrying about every single slip up, that one wrong move will cause everything to falter?

Approaching his locker, Wes notes the A Listers rounding the corner, Fenton and his two sidekicks waiting outside a classroom door.

“You’re toast.” He mouths to Fenton, who narrows his eyes. Better to keep up the charade than nothing at all.

Wes goes to unravel the combination on the lock, but his hand slides right through.

Crap. He bites his tongue, pulling his hand back like it’s been burned. A quick glance around. The A Listers are gone, But Fenton’s still stood by the door, blue-green eyes narrowed. No sign of Manson or Foley.

“What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” Fenton leverages back, pushing open the class door. “But you’re gonna be late if you keep messing about.”

“Since when have you cared about truancy?” Wes snaps, straightening up. There’s no point in trying to get his books now, not when Fenton’s on him like a hawk. He’s about to add ‘since you’re always ghost fighting’ but holds his tongue.

“Since when are you so clumsy?”

Wes stiffens, silent. How can he even respond to that?

“I’m not.” He retorts sharply, shoving past Fenton towards his chair.

Science, as usual, is a bore, with Mr Falluca copying equations on the board that Wes isn’t even sure is part of the curriculum. But he’s still stuck tense, rigid. Waiting for something to go wrong.

He remembers them months ago when Fenton had been berated for constantly dropping beakers and eventually banned from lab equipment. That’s the last thing Wes needs now, and would certainly arouse more suspicion from Fenton.

Then, the lights flicker. The thing in his chest hums louder, more intense. He clenches his fists, hairs on the back of his neck prick up. Wes isn’t exactly sure what it is yet, some equivalent of a ghostly heart?

The lights flicker again, dimming and brightening in intensity. Students start to chatter, pointing and looking up at the ceiling.

“Class—“ Fallucca tries, drowned out by noise.

But Wes isn’t thinking of that. He stares at his notes, all a blur of pointless knowledge. The thing is cold, thrumming in his chest, unwavering and uncertain. He can feel the pressure building like lightning bolts in his veins.

The lights are so bright, they’re blinding.

Then a pop. Glass shards rain down, sparkling diamonds scattered across the linoleum. Confused screeches and shouts of his class, Fallucca trying to herd them out to the hallway.

“It’s a ghost!”

“Dude! The lights just exploded!”

“Someone get Phantom!”

Wes doesn’t listen to any of it. Heart pounding in his ears, the constant thrumming in his chest, he sprints away without thinking. The nearest door is the boys bathroom, and he shoves the door open without a second thought.

It’s dark, the lights in here are also dead. But there’s no glass on the floor, at least.

Panting, Wes approaches the mirror, trying to calm himself. That was him. The ghost heart—thing. All that power.

What if he’d hurt someone?

He can’t—none of this makes sense. He should be dead, after the haunted house, after the electricity had fried his veins and boiled his blood and agonised him. But he’s not.

His heart still beats, he’s got a human appearance. No ghost form, or perhaps not yet, but invisibility and intangibility. And now electricity too.

The electricity is the only thing that makes sense—electric based death—electric based powers?

But yet, Wes still has no clue of what he is. In the mirror, his appearance is the same. A bit paler, but the ginger messy hair and freckles nonetheless.

Back when he’d hunted Fenton (and Wes isn’t sure if he’ll still do that), Wes hadn’t cared to define him in any specific terms. What only mattered was Fenton was Phantom and people refused to believe him.

Would be helpful to know what the hell Fenton is. Wes thinks, prodding at his chest. The thrumming isn’t as strong anymore, thankfully. But there’s still bustling and chatter outside, disturbed by the events.

I did that. Wes’ stomach unsettles, queasy. It could’ve been worse, yet, there’s all this power, waiting. Uncontrolled.

“So, what was that for?” An echoey voice behind him. Wes shoots up instantly.

There in the reflection, glowers Fenton, hovering slightly off the ground, arms crossed with a satisfied smirk upon his face. Green eyes narrowed.

“Piss off, Fenton.”

“Oh come on. Something’s clearly wrong. I mean, what happened to shouting about me being Phantom?” The ghost edges closer, and Wes turns around.

“Why are you so bothered?” He retorts, “As you say. I’m always going after you.”

“Oh come on. Something’s clearly wrong. I mean, what happened to shouting about me being Phantom?” The ghost edges closer, and Wes turns around.

“Why are you so bothered?” He retorts, “As you say. I’m always going after you.”

“Because you’re not usually like this, that’s why. You’ve been off for a week and now when you come back you don’t even start ranting about my supposed identity!”

“So supposed, Fenton.” Wes rolls his eyes, deflecting. Was he really that excessive about proclaiming Phantom’s true identity?

“Come on, Wes.” The ghost drops to the floor like a lead weight, tone softer. “I know you hate me for being a liar, or whatever, but I wanna help.

Wes considers. Fenton does look sincere, somehow his ectoplasm-green eyes managing to show a hint of concern.

But what if he does? Will Fenton flip it around and claim the same about Wes, exposing his new abilities when he’s barely got a grip on them? And, yeah, he supposes it would be hypocritical and such. To shout Fenton’s identity from the rooftops yet keep his own schtum.

Consequences of being reckless and thoughtless. Brilliant.

“Fine.” Wes looks to the floor, the white tile cracked and dirty, “I was in this haunted house. Y'know the one out of Elmerton?”

“Yeah. The one where a family haunts it? Blue and it’s got lots of trees outside?” Fenton asks.

“Mhm.” He kicks a tile with his shoe, the visions playing like a tape in his head. “I’d seen it on these forums about abandoned places. Thought it looked interesting, so I got my camera and decided to go last Friday after school. There was a window on the side open, so I went through there.”

“When you were in there you found the ghosts?” Fenton scans him up and down, as if scanning for injuries.

“No. There was no one.” He can still remember the eerie silence, only his heart thumping. “I was about to pack it in but I saw a green glow from this cupboard, thought I might as well do something productive.”

“And?”

“I—it was a fuse box. Or had been.”

“Oh.” He didn’t think it possible, but Fenton goes a few shades paler.

“Um—I. Yeah.” There needs no explanation, really, and Wes is silently grateful that Fenton doesn’t ask more. Maybe his experience was similar, he doesn’t know.

“Me too.” Fenton says, “It was electricity too. My parents' portal.”

“Damn.” Wes swallows down a gulp. Two weeks ago he was hunting Fenton down, now they’re discussing death similarities. What’s next? Comparing powers and singing kumbaya?

The bathroom lights flitter again.

“Stop that!” Fenton hisses, hands on his hips.

“I’m not doing anything!” Wes protests, crossing his arms. His chest feels tight, pressurised again.

“It is! Clearly the lights are reacting to your core’s temperament?”

“My what?” The heck is a core?

“It’s the new thing in your chest. The key part of a ghost’s being—like a heart, essentially.” Fenton clarifies.

“At least there’s a word for it.” Wes sighs, turning to the sink and splashes water on his face.

A core. He’s got a core, despite being human.

“And what are we, then?”

“It’s called being a halfa. Half-human, half-ghost.” Fenton says casually, as if it’s not a piece of earth shattering news.

What the fuck. Half-dead. Like the cat in a box

“Well that’s just brilliant.” Wes drawls, wiping his hands on his shorts before walking out the bathroom, ignoring Fenton all the while.

Now back to pretending everything hasn’t changed.

-

When Wes goes into school the next day, people are staring. Lots. He’s sure it’s not a figment of paranoia as people gawp and even stumble when they catch sight of him.

That’s him!

This whole time?

I suppose it makes sense, doesn’t it?

Wes doesn’t have a clue what exactly makes sense, but there’s a sneaking suspicion it’s probably to do with the core in his chest.

First period is English, something he really can’t be bothered to deal with. As expected, everyone is staring. Even Fenton, who looks a little sheepish.

“Wesley.” Lancer begins as Wes slumps to his desk. Another late mark, great.

“Given your…circumstances that I’ve recently been informed of, you are free to leave when needed.” The teacher says, taking him by surprise.

What circumstances? Certainly his powers are new, but only Fenton knows about those…or.

Did he get payback?

Wes swivels to face Fenton who looks caught out, shaking his head rapidly. Danny’s got every right to spill, yet there’s a genuity to his expression that unnerves him, that Danny is just as baffled.

It’s then he realises Lancer is looking at him.

“Oh.” Wes coughs. “Thanks for the…lenience.”

They’re allocated group work. Because of course.

And then the entire classroom erupts, practically diving towards him except Fenton and Gray. Talking so fast that Wes can barely understand anything.

“Hey Phantom! Why’d you claim that Fenton was you the entire time?” Dash practically shouts in his face.

“I can’t believe Weston is the ghost boy.” Paulina looks far from happy, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

“What.”

He doesn’t even know how they’ve managed to jump to this chasm of a conclusion. Either Fenton told them about his powers..or...what? He’s not got a clue.

“How? Uh..how’d you find me out?” Wes coughs into his sleeve.

“Yesterday, of course!” Dash insists, “Fallucca’s class and the lights went all creepy. You disappeared and then Phantom showed up.”

“You have to be Phantom because you disappeared when he was here.” Paulina adds on.

As if that’s not the exact same thing he’s been saying about Fenton for months. How fucking dense can the people in Caspar High be?

“And, dude, you look a lot like him.” Kwan chimes in.

“Right yeah. That’s…certainly something.” He folds his arms, not sure what else to respond. They all stare intently, as if by some chance they’ll see any indication of Phantom, the green eyes, the confidence.

“What about Fenton then?” Wes asks breezily, not missing the way a person a few chairs down drops their pen (definitely Fenton).

“You used him as a cover, of course. Dunno why you picked him though, of course no one would ever believe that wimp was a ghost!”

“Sure did.” He nods, because none of this makes any fucking sense. So his class have decided that he’s Phantom based on the sole fact that Wes wasn’t present when Phantom was, that he’s using Fenton as a cover. Despite a full detailed analysis of Fenton and Phantom, no one dared believe him.

“Go on then, show us something!” Dash insists, eager. Forgetting that Wes isn’t the former basketball star he shoved around just last week.

“Why should I?” Wes retorts, eyes narrowed.

He thinks of all the times he’s followed Fenton, the photos and the notes. Corkboard with red tape, everything. He’s nearly lucky it’s come to this. How close could it have been for someone to actually take Wes’ words and believe them?

Because now that Wes is like this, a halfa. He certainly doesn’t want anyone gawping at him, invading every single type of space surrounding him. He doesn’t want a mishap of powers, being vulnerable in front of people.

Let alone the stream of ghost hunters and government agencies.

God, he hadn’t even thought of that. The Fenton’s hunting their own son. Wanting to destroy him molecule by molecule.

“Why should I show you something? Phantom has a damned good reason to hate me, and yet he still helped me”

"Why is he talking about himself in the third person?” A small voice mutters.

“You think everything would change just because I’m the ghost boy? That I’m instantly going to warm up to you and should comply with everything you say?” Wes can feel his core beginning to thrum again. “You threw me to the floor two weeks ago, Baxter.”

“Meh. Forgive and forget.” Dash waves a hand.

“I don’t think so.” Wes twists to see Fenton, head tilted and eyes narrowed. “I’m not him, although I doubt you’ll listen. But he could be anyone in this class or school.”

Wes remembers the corkboard again. His recordings. Swears when he gets home he’ll burn them, everything gone. Start again.

“ I dunno about you, but maybe think before you act, yeah? I know I should’ve.”

Multiple times. Fenton. His own death.

In a way, his half-death? A chance to start again.

A/N: My first phic of the phight in 2025! It’s good to be back since I missed out on 2024. And ofc the first fic is a Wes one.

Prompt: Wes has become half ghost, and everyone assumes he was Phantom the entire time.

Word Count: 2688

[murphy-kitt]

Proof (Drabble)

He stands. Watches, green eyes focused.

Branches creak, leaves rattle. Cold air whistles.

Months ago, he would’ve done anything for this.

But now? He’s motionless, unable.

Murmurs of voice overlap, the most this forest has heard since his death. The last voice it knew was his cries, unwilling to accept.

Now, he is resigned to it.

More of them arrive, some in jumpsuits like his own, others in reflective vests. A harnessed dog sniffing the floor intently.

The tape goes up, flittering in the wind.

The crunch of earth as metal hits soil. Layers uncovered. One of them yells something.

Then, a sharpness in the air. Putrid, rotting.

A tarp is laid out, and they shift the boy. Once was. Him.

Now withered. Limbs charred like burned branches, HAZMAT rubber liquified and melded. Gaunt, skeletal face. Once blue eyes.

Something he’s always wanted to find.

They murmur the usual cliche consolations. Too young, full of promise. Danny Fenton is dead, the truth laid out, proof.

Yet he doesn’t mourn, a grin creeps across his face. Vindication.

No more mockery, no more doubts. All the hard work to clue them in on the burial.

Wes Weston had proven he was right.

[murphy-kitt]

Valerie Gray I love you girl!!! They did you so dirty in-show girl!!!

[murphy-kitt]

I'm gonna be real I don't think anyone is ever gonna figure out Danny Phantom is living teenager Danny Fenton unless they see him transform. Because like. What the fuck is a half-ghost. Makes no fucking sense. If Danny Fenton is dead surely someone would have noticed by now.

What I think is more likely is that someone notices Danny Fenton bears a striking resemblance to Danny Phantom and delicately (or not so delicately) asks if he has an uncle or something who died young and that's why his parents are super into ghosts.

[murphy-kitt]

Forest Fires - Chapter 3

—

Word Count: 2309

Misunderstanding AU: An AU where Maddie Fenton had a brother named Daniel who died in a lab accident aged 14, so takes up ghost hunting to one day find his spirit. She ends up mistaking Phantom as her brother’s ghost, when actually it’s her son.

—

I shouldn’t have left, is one of two thoughts Danny has as he approaches FentonWorks, a beacon in the streets of Amity Park.

The other being what the actual hell.

He doesn’t even know where to begin with...whatever just happened.

You were fourteen.

9th June 1967.

Lab accident.

—

A/N: Chapter 3 is finally out after a year or so since the last one! We’re building up into the context and backstory stuff now, and I’m very excited. Poor Danny is very very confused regarding his mom’s behaviour, but now at least has some semblance of what’s going on. Enjoy <3

[murphy-kitt]

Missed Connections by pomelo_pomegranate

Father Son Bonding by RaoorQtpbpdy

The Little Things That Haunt You by Lotus Leif

Caught On Camera by AttacusAbacus

Missing Possession by AssortedCandy

Not Everything Is As It Seems by AKelaNakamura

purple and red by UnderForeversGrace

Work Recognition by ScarletSaphire

Observatory Observations by maroongrad

Father’s Day Panic by KiwiLeeScipio

Heartbeat by UnderForeversGrace

Heartbeat by ordonpumpkin

Reap What Was Sown by Acesymmetricfool

Jack Fenton says fuck by Friendly_neighbourhood_imbecille

As Danny Fenton

A Good Day by SirSquidsalot

Between Fudge and Needlepoint by Only_In_December

Trust And Wounds by UnderForeversGrace

Attic by Imp_y

Everything Changes (Everything Stays the Same) by EchoGhost

Allaster by Tytach

(This has been stuck in my drafts for near five months 😅)

Does anyone have any fic recommendations for Jack working together or getting along with Phantom, not knowing he’s his son, but being nice or nicer anyways? Please? I need to feed this fixation! I need fuel!

[murphy-kitt]

Thanks for the tag!

1. FOALS - 2am

2. Sam Fender - Me & The Dog

3. Sam Fender - Little Bit Closer

4. Matthew & The Atlas - Elijah

5. Sam Fender - The Borders

6. Winterbourne - Steady My Bones

7. TheHushSound - Don’t Wake Me Up

8. As December Falls - Nothing On You

9. The Snuts - Deep Diving

10. Manchester Orchestra - Bedhead

I blame the new album release for me listening to Sam Fender so much 😆

Tagging (and for anyone else too) :) @dp-marvel94 @jackdaw-sprite @phantombreadproject @five-rivers @cleanlenins @jadenoryuu

on repeat <3

shuffle my “on repeat” playlist and add the first ten songs, then tag 10 people.

thank you for the lovely tag @blossoms-and-possums <3

basic being basic - djo

not waiting for heaven - smash into pieces

kids - onerepublic

medicate me - rain city drive & dayseeker

s.e.x - nickelback

my house - pvris

girlfriend - omar rudberg

this means war - nickelback

disease - lady gaga

girl, so confusing ft. lorde - charli xcx

tagging (no pressure): @millionsghosts @sealingknight @altruistic-meme @grapehyasynth @magentamee

@cutebisexualmess @honestlydarkprincess @foreverwithatinygoat @oldfashionedmorphine @gezellig & anyone else that wants to do this <3

[murphy-kitt]

Chapter 3 of Forest Fires (Misunderstanding AU) will be out by tonight or tomorrow!