Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Types of ghosts: 

Banshee-

Strength: Focuses on one specific target until that player is killed.

Abilities: 

• Performs singing ghost events more often than other ghosts
• Frequently roams to target other players outside of hunts

Weaknesses:

• Cannot kill players other than the target if the target is inside
• Can produce unique screeches on the microphone and sound recorder

Evidence: Figerprints, Ghost orb, D.O.T.S Projector

Demon-

Strength:

• Lower hunt cooldown
• Higher hunt sanity threshold (hunt starts at higher sanity average than other ghosts)
• Smudging prevents hunts for shorter

Abilities:

Rare chance to hunt at any sanity percentage 

Weaknesses:

Increased effective crucifix range

Evidence: Fingerprints, Ghost Book, Thermometer 

Deogen-

Strength: 

• Always knows where players are during a hunt
• Moves at high speed with no player nearby

Abilities:

Produces unique response in spirit box 

Weaknesses:

• Significantly slows down when near its target
• Has a lower hunt sanity threshold

Evidence: Spirit Box, D.O.T.S Projector, Ghost Book

Goryo-

Strength:

Usually shows itself passing through D.O.T.S on video camera when there are no players nearby

Weaknesses:

• Less likely to wander
• Cannot change favorite rooms

Evidence: EMF, Fingerprints, D.O.T.S

Hantu-

Strength:

Moves quicker in colder areas during hunts

Abilities:

Can emit frosty breath from hunts with the breaker off

Weaknesses:

Moves slower in warmer areas during hunts 

Evidence: Fingerprints, Ghost Orb, Thermometer 

Jinn-

Strength:

Gets a speed boost when chasing a player that is far away

Abilities:

Occasionally attempts to zap the sanity out of nearby players

Weaknesses:

• Cannot use any of its abilities when the fuse box is off
• Cannot turn off the fuse box

Evidence: EMF, fingerprints, thermometer

Mare-

Strength:

Hunts at a higher sanity threshold in an unlit room

Abilities:

• Turns off lights and breaks light bulbs more often
• May turn off the light as immediately after the player turns on one
• Wander is more often when lights are on

Weaknesses:

Huts at lower sanity threshold when lights are on

Evidence: spirit box, ghost orb, ghost book

Moroi-

Strength:

Hunting speed depends directly on team sanity average

Abilities:

Can curse players through the spirit box or the parabolic microphone so that they lose sanity faster

Weaknesses:

Will be disoriented for longer after a smudge during a hunt

Evidence: spirit box, ghost book, thermometer

Myling-

Strength:

Has quieter footsteps and vocalizations during hunts

Weaknesses:

Produces paranormal sounds more frequently

Evidence: EMF, fingerprints, ghost book

Obake-

Strength: 

• Fingerprints, disappear, faster than usual
• Occasionally fails to leave fingerprints

Abilities: 

Has ability to blink to a different ghost model during a hunt

Weaknesses:

Can leave a unique fingerprint pattern

Evidence: EMF, fingerprints, ghost orb

Oni-

Strength:

More active when people are nearby

Weaknesses:

• Cannot produce mist form ghost events 
• Model remains visible for longer during hunts

Evidence: EMF, thermometer, dots

Onryo-

Strength:

• Can sometimes hunt at any sanity after blowing out a flame
• Blows out fiery objects, more often with more dead people

Weaknesses: presence of flames keeps the ghost from hunting

Evidence: spirit box, ghost orb, thermometer

Phantom-

Strength:

• Seeing the ghost nearby during manifestations and hunts drains more sanity
• Remains invisible for longer periods when hunting

Abilities: 

Occasionally roams to a random player

Weaknesses:

Capturing a video or photo of the phantom causes it to stay invisible for a period of time

Evidence: spirit box, fingerprints, dots

Poltergeist-

Strength:

Sanity decrease stacks up during multi throw interactions

Abilities:

• Can throw multiple objects at once
• Can throw a single object farther than other types

Weaknesses:

Ineffective in empty rooms with no throwables 

Evidence: spirit box, ghost book, fingerprints

Raiju-

Strength:

Active electronics boosts its speed during hunts

Weaknesses:

Disrupt electronics from further away when manifesting

Evidence: spirit box ghost orb, dots

Revenant-

Strength:

Significant speed increase when chasing a player during hunts

Weaknesses:

Roaming speed remains slow or drops over time when no player is detected

Evidence: ghost orb, ghost book,  thermometer

Shade-

Strength:

Harder to find due to being less active

Abilities: 

Produces hissing and shadowy form ghost events more often

Weaknesses:

• Has a low hunt sanity threshold
• Generally unwilling to hunt and do anything in the presence of players

Evidence: EMF, ghost book,  thermometer

Spirit-

Weaknesses:

Incense prevents hunts for longer

Evidence: EMF, spirit box, ghost book

Thaye-

Strength:

Becomes very active the first time a player is nearby

Weaknesses: the more time the player spends with it the more it starts to slow down and become quieter

Evidence: ghost orb, ghost book, dots

The Mimic-

Strength:

Mimics other ghost types, one after another for brief periods of time

Weaknesses: will always produce false ghost orbs

Evidence: spirit box, fingerprints, thermometer

The Twins-

Strength: 

Can hunt from a different place than expected

Abilities:

Differing speed, depending on which twin hunts

Weaknesses:

Can interact with the environment simultaneously

Evidence: EMF, Spirit box, thermometer

Wraith-

Strength:

Can teleport to a random player, becoming active near them outside of hunts

Weaknesses: never steps in salt

Evidence: EMF, Spirit box, dots

Yokai-

Strength: talking near it will temporarily increase the hunting threshold and interaction rate

Weaknesses: when hunting, it can only hear voices and detect electronics within a short distance

Evidence: dots, spirit orb, Spirit box

Yurei-

Strength: 

May randomly shut a door and deduct nearby player’s sanity

Weaknesses:

Will be temporarily confined to its room after smudging

Evidence: spirit orb, thermometer, dots

Ghost hunting tools and what they do: 

Crucifix- self explanatory 

D.O.T.S Projector- a hand-held projector that demonstrates an array of green dots that could show the form of a ghost should it pass through

EMF Reader- used to detect ghost activity- Level 5 is evidence

Firelight- a small candle that provides light and sanity relief

Flashlight- self explanatory 

Ghost Book- a book that a ghost can write in (is evidence)

Headgear- head-camera that hooks up to the monitor in the van

Igniter- matches to light incense or firelights

Incense- used to stop a ghost from initiating a hunt

Infrared Light Sensor- motion sensor that detects human and ghost movements

Motion Sensor- self explanatory (was made from an old wildlife camera but was tweaked)

Parabolic Microphone- while using it a player will be able to hear sounds from a further distance 

Photo Camera- takes up to five photos (of ghosts/orbs)

Salt- put in piles on floor to see footsteps

Sanity Medication- restores a portion of the player’s sanity

Sound Recorder- find and record paranormal sounds 

Sound Sensor- used to check and record sounds from the truck

Spirit Box- talk to the ghost through this box (if the question has been heard, the light will flash red, if it flashes white, the ghost has a response)

Thermometer- self explanatory 

Tripod- used to hold video cameras up to better see ghost activity 

UV Light- used to find fingerprints 

Video Camera- takes videos and directly connects them to the monitor in the van

16 Primes Boulevard- Bench Trio home

Ranboo- ???

Tommy- ???

Tubbo-???

Chapter Text

They had a new job. 

Technoblade sighed, sifting through the remaining mail in his hand before he opened it. 

Their employer, Badboyhalo, tended to get plenty of calls on reported-ghost-sightings- RGSs, they called them at the base. People would contact the agency, freaking out about the weird noises or violent homescapes they found around them. Sometimes, clients would report their rooms feeling colder than their thermostats allowed, other times they would report the way a family member just started choking themselves out- and actually dying. 

Those customers usually were a pain to deal with. 

It wasn’t like Techno didn’t feel bad for them- they were grieving the loss of their loved one due to unknown circumstances, it was only natural but that didn’t mean those people weren’t difficult. They were either rude and argumentative, or they were sobbing uncontrollably. There was usually no in-between. 

Either way, after people at the office got a call in, they’d send a letter through the mail to their Hunters. The pay was usually garbage- especially at the start of one’s career- but after Bad became the supervisor instead of Jay Schlatt, work conditions became a little less thankless and a little more bearable. 

Techno plopped himself on his couch, taking out his phone and dialing his father. 

“Hello?” his dad, Philza Craft, said, a filter of static covering his voice from the phone connection. “What’s up Tech?”

Techno said nothing as he added his brother, Wilbur, to the call. “Techno? Make it quick, man, Sally and I are on a date.”

Techno huffed. “Is she next to you?”

“Yeah.”

“Whatever. It’s not like you're keeping our job a secret.”

“I’m not, but…” Wilbur trailed off, letting the unspoken She worries about me when I’m working hang in the atmosphere of the call.

“We have a new assignment?” Phil asked.

“Yup. Haven’t read it yet. Wanted to read it over the phone.”

“Okay,” both men commented. “Go ahead.”

Techno took a deep breath and opened the letter addressed to SBI. That was their hunting group name (Supernatural Band Incorporated). “Greetings SBI, I hope this letter finds you in good health,” Technoblade read. “Recently, we have been getting reports from one specific house- for a while, actually. This house has had six groups of hunters investigating it prior, all at different times. None of  those groups could figure out what type of ghost resided in that home, but what is even more surprising is that of those six different groups, all investigating for around a week each, no one died by the ghost’s hands. Surely, I don’t have to explain to you how peculiar that is- whenever any of our Hunters are sent out, they at least encounter something violent. This ghost is an abnormality, even among ghosts, and we need to get to the bottom of this house before anything harmful actually does happen.”

Phil and Wilbur held their breath on the other end. This was odd, unlike any case ever heard before. Could this ghost be a scheming type?

“Now that that part is over,” Techno continued. “I have the information for you that somehow makes this case even more peculiar. None of the Hunters or Gatherers could find one name for the ghost- there are three names. Ranboo, Tubbo, and Tommy. Whichever name is the actual name of the ghost- that is unsure- but even more than that, none of the evidence clues seem to match up to one specific ghost type. Sure, he could be a Mimic, but due to the amount of evidence- albeit confusing- not all of the signs justify it being a Mimic. The address of this home is 16 Primes Boulevard. Email your confirmation of receiving this letter as soon as you can, and I will assure you, this job has a good payout. We trust no one but you, our most legendary group of Hunters, to handle this case anymore. Please do not disappoint. Thank you for your time. Signed, Badboyhalo, manager of Ghost Finders Co.”

For a moment, no one said anything. 

Then that moment was over and  Phil mentioned, “How odd. Go ahead and email Halo, I’m fine with taking the case.”

“Me too,” Wilbur said. “Let me talk to Sally about it though, give me a second.”

There was some shuffling, a tap like Wilbur was setting the phone down, and then some hushed whispering. 

“Sally, you heard the job details, right?”

“Of course I did.”

“Would it be alright if I took this job?”

“You know how I feel about your profession, but considering it was mentioned that this ghost hasn’t killed anyone, it might be the best job you could take.”

“So you’re fine with it?”

“Yeah. But you have to spend more time with our son the day before you start. I know when you take a job, you become hyperfocused on the details and you don’t check in.”

Light chuckling. “Yeah, but that doesn’t last very long, does it? Our cases go by quickly.”

Sally sighed. “Maybe. But I, for one, think it feels like forever. Sometimes, I just want to spend time with my husband.”

Wilbur huffed adoringly. “I know. I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you too, babe.”

There was a bit more shuffling, and Wilbur said into the call, “Sally’s fine with it too.”

“Great,” Techno breathed. “I’ll get on the email. Letter mentions that the case starts in three days on the back.”

There are some agreements, then Techno hangs up. He pulls himself off the couch, his dog, Floof, looking up at him from his spot on the floor. He yipped once, and Techno chuckled. “I know, I know. I’ll feed you in a second. Let me send an email, and I’ll put some food in your bowl.”

Techno walked off to his office, stopping at his desk and flopping into his chair. He opened up his worn laptop, the screen coming to life. After a second of loading and logging in, Techno pulled up his email and began to type. 

Mr Halo, 

We’ll take the case.

-Technoblade

Short and simple.

Techno had never been one to take twenty minutes to type up an email. He could very clearly get his point across in few-words, and there were so many better things he could do with his time. 

He sighed, pushing to his feet before he headed back down the hall. He pulled out his bag of kibble, scooping several handfuls of it and dumping it into Floof’s bowl. Floof barked happily and bounded over to the bowl. He lapped at the food, side eyeing his owner for a few seconds while he chewed. 

Techno looked back at his living room, thinking about the mission. What an odd case. 

Chapter Text

The house was rather quaint. 

Upon first glance, no one would even dare to believe it was haunted. 

It had a charming little picket fence, painted with chipping white paint. It had a front yard with an open lawn chair outside of it. There were garden gnomes, a large oak, a tire swing, an assortment of little trinkets strewn around the yard, like the residents had forgotten to pick them up. 

A wind chime was rustling in the light breeze from the front porch. There were rocking chairs leaned up against the soft blue walls of the building. The porch was the color of light birch, the door too. It had a nice window positioned in the middle- oval shaped with little floral designs carved into the wood around it. Curtains covered the inside of the window, decorated with green paisleys, and there were flower boxes hanging from the outside of each window. 

Upon second glance, if you knew to look, was where you’d find the oddities. 

The fence was long overdue for a new paint job, the trinkets in the yard had been there so long, vines grew over them. The garden gnomes’ eyes tracked whoever walked into the yard, the oak seemed to loom over them, casting an eerie shadow in the wrong direction. The moon was to the east, yet the shadow too, was pointed eastward. The rocking chairs seemed to rock on their own, despite the lack of breeze and to spite the heaviness of the wood they were made of, and the flowers in the boxes were long wilted, keeling over and curling on themselves. 

The house seemed to unnerve Wilbur, who was keen on just staying in the van, but Techno felt… giddy, almost. He could sense the presence in this house, a different one than what he’s used to. It felt like… more, like there was so much more than what he often knew. He could feel the spirit of this ghost thrumming underneath his skin, pumping at his adrenaline. He felt the thrill of the Hunt, the excitement that came with discovery. 

“Are we sure we wanna go in there?” Wilbur fretted, staring at the key they were provided. 

“You do this everytime,” Techno grumbled. “You get all scared, then you turn out fine. It’ll be okay, Wilbur.”

He huffed. “I know, but every time we go into one of these missions, there’s a chance we won’t be coming out. I don’t wanna leave my wife without her husband, or my son without a dad.”

Techno sighed. “I promise you, I won’t let that happen. We have a crucifix for a reason.”

Wilbur rolled his eyes, but smiled fondly. “Softnoblade.”

“Shut it, nerd. I will take that back.”

“No you wouldn’t.”

“No, I would,” Techno assured him. He turned back to the things in the van, gathering his tools. He picked up a flashlight, a spirit box, and the ghost book. Wilbur turned to pick up a thermometer, a flashlight, and a video camera. Phil settled for a flashlight, the D.O.T.S projector, and an EMF reader. 

“Who’s getting the key?” Wilbur asked, glancing at it warily. Everyone knew what that meant- being the one to unlock the door, and by extension, the first to enter the haunted building. More often than not, Technoblade would be the one to open the door, and then sometimes it would be Philza. Never Wilbur. 

Wilbur was too much of a wimp. 

Techno sighed and snatched the key off the hook, stalking out of the van and making his way (downtown) to the door. As he fiddled with the key, he felt the presence of another being curling around the other side of the door. A slight whistling met his ears, and he slid the door open, hearing it creak. The feeling constricting his chest and curling around him dissipated. 

One thing about Technoblade is that he always proved to have some sort of…connection… with ghosts and spirits. 

In all honesty, it probably had to do with the whole “Technoblade never dies” thing. Several times, ghosts have attempted to kill him, and each time, his body literally just shut them out. Ghosts simply couldn’t kill him, probably because he was connected to them in some way. He could feel when they were there, more than most, and he could just feel them. On a personal level. Feel their anger, their anguish, their bitterness. In every case they’d been called on, the soul of the resident ghost would leave their hearts festering like an untreated wound, and in turn, the soul’s very existence tended to grasp Techno’s heart with an iron fist.

Techno glanced over his shoulder where Wilbur was still refusing to leave the van. Phil was trying to coax him to come help, but it didn’t seem like it was working. Go figure. Wimpbur was being a wimp. 

Techno rolled his eyes and walked into the house, shining his flashlight into the dim space. 

It was a nice house. To Techno’s left a little ways down the hall was the entrance to a hallway, which contained a closet, a bathroom, and two bedrooms. Down the main hallway was a living area that was connected by an open doorway to a kitchen. Just past the living room was the entrance to a garage, and just past the kitchen was yet another hallway, leading to another two bedrooms, another bathroom (this one connected to a bedroom), and… an entrance to the downstairs basement. 

Ooh, goody, Techno thought sarcastically. A basement. I’m sure nothing weird or creepy will happen down there. I’m sure there also isn’t a breaker down there that a ghost will turn off and on.

Speaking of the ghost, Techno thought about a certain dilemma they would be facing while speaking to him. 

The dilemma of his name. 

Techno still didn’t know if he would respond to Tommy, Ranboo, Tubbo, or all three. Which name was his, which name was correct?

Techno sighed. He’d have to figure it out through trial and error, he guessed. 

As he traversed through the house, Techno felt the temperature drop. He shuddered violently, his teeth chittering as he stepped into one of the bedrooms. 

The room was nice. The full bed positioned at the middle of the back wall was covered in a crimson comforter as well as puffed-up white pillows. There was a dresser shoved against a wall, a window on the other side of the room, and an arrangement of shelves covered in knick-knacks and doo-dads. 

The only thing that was particularly weird about it was the temperature- which was currently unknown because Wilbur was being a sissy.

Techno pulled out his radio and spoke. “Wilbur, quit being pathetic for five minutes and come help. I need the thermometer.”

“Fine,” Wilbur’s voice crackled from the other side. 

Footsteps echoed through the hallways as Wilbur and Phil tried to find the room Techno was in. Techno shone his flashlight out the open door for them, where they found him not a minute later. 

“Oh, frick, it is cold in here.” Wilbur muttered. 

Phil whipped out his notepad, muttering, “Okay, we’ve narrowed it down significantly. Demon, Hantu, Jinn, Moroi, Oni, Revenant, Shade, the Mimic, the Twins, and Yurei. Mark it, boys.”

Wilbur grabbed his notebook and marked out the names of all ghost types whose effects weren’t on temperature. Techno wasn’t so sure, having a weird feeling settling into his gut.

Techno pulled out the ghost book, setting it down on the ground with a pen. “Okay, that’s set,” Wilbur commented. “Now we can- ACK!” He jumped into the air, and Techno reached out to catch the man. Wilbur landed right in his outstretched arms, clinging to Techno like a chicken. 

“How are you a ghost hunter?” Techno asked, unimpressed. 

“Because family bonding and now you guys won’t let me quit.”

“What even was that?” Phil queried. “Why’d ya freak out like that?”

“It felt like someone had, like, grabbed me on my shoulders from behind. I think this is the ghost room.”

“No duh,” Techno deadpanned. “Who woulda thunk it with the negative five degree temperature?”

Wilbur huffed. “No need to get sarcastic.”

“There is every reason to get sarcastic,” Techno retorted before promptly dropping his brother. 

Wil fell to the ground with a thud. “Hey!”

Techno felt a cold, wispy hand grab his wrist. He just barely twitched, not particularly surprised the ghost was toying with them. 

The ghost’s grip loosened on his wrist, instead sliding up Techno’s arm and brushing around the nape of his neck. The ghost was searching for something- a reaction probably, but the two alive hunters of the three clearly had that something the dead one was looking for. 

Techno sighed, considering the spirit box. Was now the time to use it?

No. Save that for a little later, the ghosts were more likely to answer when their sanity average was lower. Maybe the D.O.T.S then?

“Phil?” Techno asked. The man hummed in response, looking through his notes on different ghosts. “Would you mind setting up the D.O.T.S projector?”

Phil smiled at his son tiredly, putting his notebook back in its pouch on his belt. “Sure, mate.” 

Phil set the projector down at the foot of the bed, having it pointed towards the middle of the walkway, before he turned the thing on. An array of a million green dots filled the space in front of the projector.

Almost immediately, the three of them saw a figure step through the projector. It was short, with the build of a teenage boy. He was probably a little over six foot. 

Wilbur dashed out of the room at that, Techno tensed up but remained where he was, and Phil? Just kinda sat there nonchalantly. He simply just drew out his notebook and began to write in it. “Okay, can not be a Demon, a Hantu, a Jinn, a Moroi, a Revenant, a Shade, the Mimic, or the Twins. It has to be either a Yurei or an Oni.”

Techno nodded, although something in his brain and heart screamed that wasn’t the case, that there was something else, something they were missing. 

He still didn’t write anything down. 

There was the sound of crashing, and then Wilbur screamed. 

Techno leapt to his feet, rushing to find his twin. He found the man on the ground in the kitchen, and Techno’s breath caught in his throat. No, please. 

He rushed to his brother’s side, pulling the man into his lap and holding two fingers up to Wilbur’s neck. 

Techno breathed a sigh of relief. 

Wilbur had a pulse. 

He was alive.

A cold fear that had twisted his stomach into knots unraveled, and Techno gathered the man into his arms. “Phil!” he called. “I’m bringing Wilbur back to the van!”

“Be there in a second, mate!” Phil replied from the bedroom. Techno turned towards the living room, exiting the kitchen and making his way into the hallway, and out of the door. 

Back at the van, Technoblade sat his brother on the cold floor, digging in the storage compartment under their desk to find the first aid kit. 

For a ghost hunter, a first aid kit was composed of several things- sanity medication, bandages, band-aids, empty ice packs, and smelling salts. Techno grabbed one of the smelling salts before going to hover over Wilbur. He cracked the salt open and held it to Wilbur’s nose. 

Wilbur’s eyes shot open as he shot up like a rocket, his nose scrunched in disgust. “Ah, Techno, my nose!” he complained, gripping at his nose with his index finger and thumb. “What was that for?”

“I could ask you the same question!” Techno retorted harshly. “I found you collapsed on the kitchen floor! I thought you were dead! Mind telling me what the frick that was about?!”

Wilbur’s gaze slid to the side, and he pursed his lips. “Listen, Tech, I’m sorry I scared you. It’s just…” he paused, taking a deep breath. “The breaker went off, then something fell from a counter- an old pot I think, and then it felt like something was grabbing me and holding me still, while it also felt like it grabbed my face at the same time. It really, really scared me, and I thought I was gonna die so I screamed and just kinda fainted.”

Techno sighed. “This is why Sally wears the pants in your relationship.”

“Hey!” Wilbur gasped, appalled. “I thought I was gonna die and you’re criticizing my role in my relationship? C’mon man!”

Techno huffed a laugh, wrapping his arms around his brother. “Don’t ever do that again,” he muttered. 

Wilbur smiled wobbly. “Don’t plan on it, brother.”

“Are you okay, Wilbur?” Phil asked, climbing into the van. 

“I’m fine. A little shaken, but I’m fine.” Wilbur assured him. “I don’t wanna go back in there right now.”

Phil sighed. “Okay. Tech, who’s staying with him?”

“You can stay with him,” Techno mentioned, getting to his feet. “I can go back in and investigate what happened in the kitchen… And probably turn the breaker back on too.”

Phil nodded. “Kay, mate. Sounds good to me.” 

With that, Techno turned away, stalking back to the house.

Chapter Text

Inside the house, Techno snooped around the kitchen, finding almost nothing. There were a few pots that had tumbled over, but other than that, nothing. Nothing that could point him to a ghost. 

Techno sighed and turned to go back to the bedroom. He sat down, criss-cross in front of the bed, staring at the ghost book. Waiting.

In all reality, he could pull out the spirit box, but then again, the ghost was either an Oni or a Yurei. The ghost wouldn’t end up writing in the book, nor would he speak into a box, because the things that can confirm whether or not the ghost is either of them are a spirit orb or the EMF- which Phil and Wilbur had. 

Technoblade didn’t feel like going back out to the van while Wilbur was having a breakdown, so he just settled for flopping onto the bed and lying there. “Man, I just wanna go home and take a nap,” he mumbled. “Or see Floof again. I don’t wanna be here.”

He felt the temperature chill, and he huffed. “Ghost, whatever your name is, I don’t feel like doing this right now. I’m tired. Can you just, like, leave me alone for a few minutes?”

The chill remained, but Techno could sense a silent agreement from him. Huh.

Techno laid there for a few minutes, trying to recover a little, before he got to his feet and let out a long, tired sigh. “I don’t wanna spend a Friday night doing thi-...” 

He gaped down at the ghost book, now with one thing written in it. 

“What the heck?” Techno mumbled, stooping to the floor and picking up the book. “But, that isn’t possible. We have the book, the D.O.T.S, and the freezing temps? There isn’t a ghost type that has that combination.” His eyes darted over the words on the page, unmistakably written by a ghost. 

There on the paper was the phrase ‘You’re fun” written three times over, all in different handwriting. 

Techno felt his breath hitch in his throat. So there was a ghost that doesn’t fit in any of the ghost-type categories and that has taken a liking to him specifically. Techno was starting to understand why no one had solved this case yet. 

Techno set the book on the ground again, looking at it warily before he promptly laid back down on the bed. Whatever. Those ghosts can have their fun. I don’t care.

*:--:*

“Do you think you’re good enough to go back in there? Or to at least help a little?” Phil asked after a while, placing a hand on his son’s shoulder. 

Wilbur took a deep breath, grounding himself as he glanced to the side. “I think so. I can go back in, Techno needs the camera set up, and I have it.”

Phil nodded. “Yeah.” He looked over at one of the monitors on the wall, and drew in a sharp panicked breath. He whipped out his radio. “Techno?!” he called into it. “Technoblade Bloodshed Craft, do you copy?!”

The only thing that came out of that radio was static. 

“Line’s down,” Phil reported, whipping his head around. “The ghosts are hunting, and Technoblade is in there alone.”

Wilbur didn’t even spare him a glance before he was dashing to the front door. He rattled the doorknob harshly, tears filling his eyes. 

His brother was in there. The same brother who delivered Wilbur’s love letters to Sally in grade school even though both Techno and Sally knew they were cheesy. The same brother who had spent every night that Wilbur was sick in Wilbur’s bedroom, telling him of Greek myths late into the night. The same brother that Wilbur played guitar for time and time again. The same brother who would sacrifice his dessert for Wilbur on their birthday. 

That brother.

In there. 

Alone.

Wilbur could barely contain the fear roiling inside his body as he fully registered the possibility that Technoblade, his Technoblade, might not live to the next day.