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[Look who it is, it's Emporio! He's doing a pretty spectacular job at manifesting a visual of himself, little cubone (minus helmet) and all, but more importantly, a visual of...

...Emporio what are you doing.

Imagine if you will, a floorplan. Now imagine it just sort of got...Extruded. Made '3d' but it's only made of paper, and it's still clearly been drawn on with graphite or charcoal or something.

That's about what the visual of what he's showing is, and he appears quite focused on the matter!]

I think I've almost got this finished..but I wanted to ask everyone for advice as well.

I guess, when someone in the Lum Guild ranks high enough, Polteageist starts looking for somewhere in the town they can handle more construction? Because at the end of the year, they told me to come up with a design for 'the perfect house' for me to live in.

[He pauses, considering this.] ...I kind of get the impression he's used to Pokemon taking a while on this. I guess when you're used to just building a nest in the wild, the idea of a house is kind of...weird?

It is a pretty human thing to do... [Emporio admits, walking about.]

A-anyway, I had some help from others here, but this is I think what I like for the final one?

[The floorplan is as follows; whatever lot of land Emporio was offered, it's built into a hill, so Emporio's capitalized on that. The entry is at the top of the hill; and that floor is also where a living-dining area, a simple but still rather nice kitchen (thanks for the ideas Sanji), a study, and even a balcony, can be found. Downstairs however, in the 'basement', and Emporio has a simple washroom, a somewhat large bedroom that has a divider screen in it...

...And one bonus room to fill the gap that should have been there to offer support to the rest of the house. It's not got a normal door (which is saying something since the projected idea involves walking around paper cut-outs). If anything, Emporio seems to just. No-clip through the paper into it.

But this room is different.

Because this room has a much clearer idea, in what it looks like.]

I...I don't know if it'll turn out to be too much...I guess I'll find out when I show Polteageist, b-but..!

...It. It was the room I grew up in, so...

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Oh? You've got a long-term plan here, that's for certain.

[ The figure - a Stantler - is not familiar. ]

Then again... I suppose you're stranded.

Uh-huh.

[No issues saying that, nope. Nice rack, deer guy.]

My planet's not waiting for me, and Polteageist said if anyone tried to make me leave once the way back home is found for the others, they'll handle those Pokemon personally.

[He is well aware of what that probably means.] ...So, I want this to have as much thought as possible.

So you call them planets.

[ He is noting this. ] Then shouldn't you attempt to blend in? Instead of recreating your old home? Unless you were a little drake beforehand.

[Eh. There's a shrug.]

...I guess technically the whole universe is gone, actually. So I guess. The reality I came from?

...I try not to think about it that much.

[It's....a pretty big death toll. Anyway-] ...It's only this room that would've been home. And...it's a memory. Everyone I knew there is gone for the most part- this is...one of the ways I can keep some of that.

The rest of the house, I'm using the homes here for a reference. It was...kind of hard actually? ...I've never had a house until coming here...

[As the cubone trails off, he pauses, and then looks over himself.]

...Oh, I don't think I'm a 'drake' now, actually. It's weird, but I'm warm-blooded. So....presumably I'm some kind of mammal...

[ Ah, a dead plane. But, a beat: ]

Closer to a Boggart, then. But I don't care what you are.

But if this is your new home, why cling to the old? If these creatures are already refugees from humans, why give them a reminder of humanity? Truly, you're a curious little thing.

They wouldn't be seeing this one.

[Simple as that.]

The ghost room was never something I let anyone into, unless I trusted them anyway.

...And that was a pretty small number. The plan I have, is to make the door to this room myself. Maybe even the room. I...don't know how effective I'll be at construction.

[A beat, and he adds.] I'm also honestly not sure they'd recognize most of this if they did make it in...They know what humans are, but a lot of the others have mentioned objects that they just flat out don't recognize.

[At least he's not taking anything as an insult. Or that personally. ...The bar might be in the sand.]

And you let me in. Mentally. Alongside anybody else who has these pearls.

...And you wouldn't expect an elk to know what a car was, would you? [ ...of course the deer man is using elks as an example. ] But if they saw it, they'd know it was crafted by humans. I'm simply concerned about your safety. [ Oko lied. ] After all, you're one of the best and brightest of the Lum Berries. Your word is respected!

I let you into the floorplan.

[Cheeky, but true.] None of you are going to be seeing how I build the room.

[He's used to dealing with prisoners and felons. So, he's not especially worried at the moment.

And he does raise a brow.] And it's still my room.

...I know a lot of the Pokemon here forget where I came from. ...Even Polteageist does sometimes, [And isn't that fascinating?] ...but a ghost room is a memory of a place, and now that ghost isn't even here anymore.

It's the place that kept me safe since I was born, and if Polteageist doesn't think it's a bad idea, I'm going to build it.

[Ahh, but that aside!] ...I'm kind of surprised you're this worried though... ...Not a lot of new people here really seem to think about that to start, and I don't think I've seen anyone who was a Stantler until now...

[And a local Stantler, he knows, wouldn't use the word 'elk'.]

Oh, I've been around. But I'm down in the tunnels. Barely big enough to get around in - it's far less nice then those who've been chosen by Polteageist. I'm surprised that you haven't noticed me.

[ Internally, the Zorua is chuckling. But he's not showing any signs he is one right now. ]

...Besides. Part of this plane seems to want us to think about what we were. Why else would it turn us into creatures? [ Alas, Oko was not in Bloomburrow, or he'd have more. Insight. ] An odd property, but one that keeps us from being killed on sight. It's just curious that you want to reclaim that part of yourself so freely.

Oh.

[Hmm. He ponders this...he's clearly trying to think seriously about it- he doesn't want to be suspicious, but that doesn't mean he's going to take everything at face value now, but. Mm. Well.] No, that actually makes some sense if you've been in the tunnels most of the time...

Snow isn't really good for my skin. I've mostly stuck to helping at the Clinic, or the Archives. [And, admittedly, Dr. Denne has also insisted on it, but...mm.

Anyway. A shrug.] I don't know that I'd call it reclaiming humanity exactly? The room...wasn't what made anyone human. Even if humans made the original room, the ghost room was made by the earth. The planet remembers what was on it- that's what it means for a ghost room to exist.

...Obviously, I can't recreate the ghost properties of it... [Which, is a shame.] ...But it'll at least look like it did. The books wouldn't be here though I guess... ...really, a lot of this stuff wouldn't, without being recreated.

[Ah, that aside, he does blink upward at the Stantler.]

...That said, shouldn't a better question be why people are being dropped into places like volcanic tunnels, or the ocean? It's kind of miraculous that we survived to reach town at all.

Ah, so it's similar to the after-effects of a battle. [ Nodding to himself. ] Mana signatures lingering behind and creating areas. Your plane sounds quite fascinating, if it's that alive. [ Is he lying or telling the truth? I don't even know.

As for his final point, Oko pauses, nodding to himself. Giving a smirk. ]

...Well, for those of you who are stranded, I imagine you're not directing where you go. [ He's not actually going to clarify what he means by this. ] I hadn't expected to appear where I did, on account of the crippling pain.

[There's...a grimace.] ...It was. Yeah.

[Oof, the past tense.

Ah well. Emporio nods...and then frowns.] Right. ...I was....kind of surprised about that part, but not really in the way most were I think? ...A lot of the first part was how it felt when the world reset the first time after all...

[boy what]

So you could travel more freely then? Neat! You must have seen all kinds of places then... ...uh...I guess that also makes it worse that you were pulled here to begin with though huh...

What would be weird about Pokémon that already live in houses building more houses, exactly?

[ that is a very very nice house, yes. but that more pointedly sticks out to eleanor. granted, she has no idea how houses work. ]

Oh, not that part.

Most Pokemon don't naturally live in houses, is what I mean; there was actually a lot of discussion about it before you got here, but since a lot of the Pokemon in Bottlecap are refugees from human settlements, they seem to have taken a lot of those habits with them.

So...even though Pokemon in the Spire, or the Canopy live closer to what we've seen the local Pokemon doing, even that's still a step beyond what you'd expect. I was only there for a little bit, back before they could figure out where to put everyone, but there are even rooms with furniture in the spire after all...and the canopy, well.

Those are still houses, to a point.

And if that's what they want to be doing, I still don't see the fuss. A nest serves the same function as a house.

[ to her, anyway, the spire is possibly the nicest place she's lived. granted, she does still miss aunt grace's apartment in the sinclair deluxe. it was run down, and old. it had only the basics. but they were happy - exceptionally so. and compared to her later living situations, both that apartment and the spire are luxury. it's likely the same for the pokemon around her. ]

It's just houses suited to their needs and preferences. I can't imagine, say, a Goodra being able to live in a regular house. The slime alone would ruin most things - it'd be easier to build something specific.

[AH- He thinks he sees the point where they're missing each other now.]

Right-!

When I say weird, it's less that a house built to specification would be weird...more that it seems a lot of Pokemon Polteageist offers houses to aren't familiar with the idea. So they need more time to come up with it. It's 'weird' to the Pokemon here, in the sense that they've just...never thought about a house before.

And that doesn't make it bad. Like you said, it'd still have the same function- probably even more function actually!

[ eleanor blinks, then face-flippers. ]

Ahh. I see. [ that makes considerably more sense. honestly, she would likely be in the same position as those pokemon anyway. ] Sorry, you phrased that really strangely. My mistake.

It's okay! [he chirps, quite happy to accept he messed up a little.]

I, uh, didn't get a lot of practice talking to others after all, so I'm not really surprised to miss the mark like this...

...I'd say I'm working on it, but it's probably more accurate to say I'm just working on talking to people in general? ....I keep forgetting to introduce myself still...

Ha, me too.

[ even being played by an autistic person aside, she doesn't get social norms at all. such a tumultuous and isolated upbringing would do that to a person. ]

It's difficult. Don't worry about it.

Th-thanks...

...I really do hope this works as a plan though. ...I would've been happy just using the house I already had, but I guess Polteageist likes to uh. Spoil their guild...

[There's enough anxiety to (hopefully) make it clear that yes. He's...well aware that maaaaybe Polteageist is a bit problematic, in the whole 'mob family' kind of way.]

[ she doesn't actually have a solid enough opinion on polteageist's character to comment on any of it, really. they certainly seem to be the most materialistic, similarly to how ribombee is content to play favourites... but she doesn't have much to say about mightyena that's negative. sure, things at the spire can be pretty dingy to some people, but eleanor is content being led by a practical and competent leader who's doing her best. ]

I mean, you only got it through your great contributions, right? Don't sell yourself short. You got there through hard work and you're reaping a nice reward.

[It's a matter of perspective- Emporio's anxiety certainly isn't Eleanor's fault, that's for sure. It's the fault of many other Pokemon getting into spicy little debates over it.

He likes to think he's not the only one to notice that all three Guild Leaders clearly cooperate when it comes to the Bay as a whole though.

The cubone quickly proves his own statements of being warmblooded though, as a blush colors his face a bit.]

Th-thanks..!

...It's a little strange to think I've been here a year already... ...I could probably actually have a birthday cake for my birthday. ...I've never done that before.

[Not to say people didn't try treating him to something, but normally it was just doing their level best to sneak him something fresh. And that wasn't exactly a birthday exclusive, just, more likely to happen on a birthday.]

I've heard some people like to have parties to celebrate a new house. Maybe you could have some cake there?

[ not that she ever got invited to those sorts of things. the last time she was at a party? well-- ]

Do you have a favourite?

[And for a moment, the actual sound of a dial-up screech comes through the pearl.]

Uh-...Uhhhhh...

[ah] Sorry about that- I...

[Ulp.] ...I don't...know?

I've had poffins at least...

[child that is a macaron at worst and a whoopie pie at best]

Don't you get free access to the food vendors in town...?

Oh, well it's not free exactly. We get vouchers, and then we can go to different places. But uh. I just kind of...get what I need to eat that looks like a meal I guess..?

[boy it's been a year]

I didn't really think about looking for a cake...

[He's so embaraaaaaaaassed...]

[ where is your whimsy, child. she was more whimsical as a little sister. ]

Well, I guess you have time to think about it?

[He was busy being very paranoid and scared at all times!!!

and maybe throwing a baseball against the wall if he thought he wouldn't get caught]

A...a little...

[By his estimates though...] ...my birthday's on the 17th...

A house is one hell of a birthday present, you have to admit that.

[ even if it'll probably be somewhat belated. oh well. ]

Haha..! Yeah! I wonder if Polteageist planned it like that...

Technically they told me in December, but I think enough of us would've shared stories about Christmas by then for it to be an idea maybe.

It's a funny coincidence if not.

[ she's just going to ignore the christmas comment. she doesn't know what that is. ]

Yeah!!

[Hey, does he remember this particular Pokemon from a dream? That's a little strange, but it catches his attention enough for him to bother to chime in.]

How peculiar. Is there a reason you've not included a door?

[He almost doesn't- but then Sherlock speaks, and Emporio visibly- mentally??- brightens.]

There is! [He answers first.] ...The original room didn't have a visible door from the outside.

I have to figure out how to make a hidden one though...since I can't just recreate the one it did have. It was unique to where I used to live.

You grew up in a room with a secret door?

[His tone is carefully neutral, but he doesn't like that. Not at all. It worries him. That's not a good place for a child!]

Do tell.

[Emporio is a smart kid- excessively so, more than enough to realize that a neutral tone here might not necessarily be neutral. Certainly not when one asks for further details!

Thus, he gives a hand waggle.] Yes and no.

You've probably heard about it by now...but not all realities are the same. Mine had...for lack of a better term, sometimes people had 'superpowers'- Stands, manifestations of willpower and survival. ...I think they were rare, but...Honestly speaking, Green Dolphin was probably inflating the odds. I can't accurately gauge the ratio.

[Not the point, though. He looks around the room.] Mine didn't manifest as an entity. Just an ability. But does it make sense, if I say this is 'the ghost of a room'?

It's a memory- of a room that burned down about 16, 17 years before I was born, and then built over.

I hid in this room, because no one else in the prison could find it. Or me.

[There's a lot to unpack here, unfortunately.]

What's with the divider screen in the bedroom?

You planning on bringing people over?

It looks like you've got it all figured out! Do you really need advice?

[The room Emporio grew up in, huh... doesn't Siffrin remember him mentioning something about a prison...? Maybe? Fancy prison.]

[Rather than the lack of a door, there's something else they don't see in there as pictured...]

[...]

Did you sleep inside the piano.

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I am so sorry for every nonsense word coming Sherlock,

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