PMD-U Eurasia: Pranked Housing

“’Free Apartment Giveaway’?” I blurted out the title of this flyer posted on the bulletin just outside the Guild building with a raised brow.

After I finished the guild registration I decided to take care of my housing as soon as I can. The Guild has their own housing for guild members… but Teresa just told me that their housing are full and dozens of Pokémon are in line waiting for a room. After some digging, the only place I can look to get myself a house is the outskirt of the town. The housing in downtown like this particular neighborhood in is expensive like hell. After wondering in the god-forsaken fogged forest I basically lost most of my supply, and unfortunately, my money as well. (Besides, Andalusst uses different currency. Even if I can salvage my cash from the fog, they are still useless.)

Housing outskirt of the city can be quite cheap and easy—sometimes you can even build one your own if you find the land you desire. But hell, that takes too much work and time. I want a house, and I want it NOW.

That’s when I saw this too-good-to-be-true flyer just posted right outside of the guild when I walked past the building second time of the day. I looked at the fine print under the title—two story townhouse, just 3 blocks from Explorer’s Guild building, and fully furnished!?

“You gotta be kidding me…” I mumbled to myself in disbelieve. “This is too good to be true…”

I wanted to just ignore it and move on. But… even if this is too good to be true, it wouldn’t hurt for me to check it out, anyway.

With that in mind, I tore the flyer down and walked toward the address on paper.

“…!”

I suddenly felt like I’ve heard someone evilly sneered as soon as I tore down the paper. I looked around, and found nothing suspicious. But I swore I’ve heard someone laughing at me seconds ago… I shrugged it off and followed the paper’s direction to the house.

* * * * *

The apartment in question is indeed quite a beauty, despite its shabby location. It’s located inside an alley just 20 feet away from the main street. It’s really a short 3 blocks away from the Guild—exactly where I started walking. The alley itself has good very short, just a mere 40 feet with this apartment the only house in this small alley. The mediocre 30 feet width of the alley means the space has no shortage of sunlight during the day, means the impression of “narrow, dark, and unsafe alley” is virtually nonexistent.

The apartment itself looks freshly painted and well cared for. It doesn’t look anywhere near like a hellhole in first glance. I looked through the window into the room, and found out that the furniture inside are almost brand-new and it shows no sign of vandalism and anything like that.

Just what kind of problem does this beauty has that makes this place a free-giveaway?

“Oh God, a new customer,” a male voice suddenly came from the main street. I turned my head and saw a Floatzel wearing a red bow walking toward me.

“Are you the owner of the house?” I asked, point backward to the house.

“No, I’m just a housing agent,” replied the Floatzel. “Are you interested in this house?”

I nodded.

“Great, it’s yours!” the agent said as he took out the house key. I reached out my hand just about to get the key, but the agent withdrawn his hand at last second. “But… there’s a catch about this house, though.”

“Please don’t tell me I have to pay you commission for this house,” I remarked.

“No, it’s just…” the agent scratched his head, with some apparent difficulty to continue explaining. “It’s just that this house is haunted.”

“Haunted!?” I exclaimed.

Oh God, no wonder this house is free. I hate Ghosts, I got pranked by them way too many times during my journey and I just can’t stand it anymore.

“Yeah, this house used to be one of the premium house around, but…” the agent explained, looking sideway. “Few years ago a young tenant suddenly passed away in this house, and the owner received report that freaky stuff kept happening in that place… Three Pokémon already rented this place and they were all freaked out by the so called ‘ghost’…”

I can already feel a chill runs down my spine while listening to this.

“...The owner is my old friend, truth be told. He tried to sell this house, but the haunted story scared away many buyer,” the agent continued. “He then told me that ‘Just get rid of this house, whatever it takes,’ and ask me to offer it up for free. You are already the sixth Pokémon so far interested in this place, and the first five backed away after I told them the story.” The agent scratched his head again, afraid to ask the dreaded question. “So… you still want the house?”

To tell the truth, I wanted to back away as well. But… everything about this house is just perfect… and I really want this house.

The agent saw my dilemma written all over my face. “If you feel unsatisfied of this place after you move in, I can always get the house back,” he said.

The hell with it, maybe this whole haunted story is just made up. All I care about is I want a house and this is it. Ghost or not, this place is my new dig from now on. “You know what?” I said. “I’ll take it.”

The agent looked relieved and hand me the key. “I don’t know if the story is true, but I hope you can prove me wrong about the story.” He waved at me as he leave the alley. “I will come and check on you after a few days,” he said before making a left turn on the street.

* * * * *

*Crash!*

A loud crash from first floor woke me up that midnight. I scrubbed my eyes as I took a lamp with me down the stairs. After hearing the haunted story earlier that day, it already makes me suspicious. But I still tried to shake the haunted feeling off as I went downstairs. All of a sudden, every ounce of drowsiness vanished as I suddenly feel that I’m falling down the stairs.

“WHA---------“

*Boom, Boom**Crash!!*

“Oww…”

I slowly picked up the lamp and looked up toward the stairs, and found a banana pill on the steps midway down the steps.

“Banana pill?” I mumbled with curiosity. “How the hell is there a banana pill on—ow, ow, ow… my back…”

I struggled myself up and picked up the pill. I was still hoping that this isn’t the work of a ghost, but I don’t remember eating banana that day, let alone leaving the pill on the ground like that.

Feeling dubious, I walked toward the kitchen to dump the pill. Wrong move again.

“What the—?”

*Boom!*

My face planted on the kitchen floor before I can react. I let out a frustrated moan and sat up, realizing that a trip wire is hung between the counter and the wall.

Looks like this house isn’t haunted at all, someone is trying to prank me.

I cut the wire and pumped them with the banana pill into the trash, then I pour myself a cup of water from the jug on the counter.

*Pfffffft!*

I unconsciously spit all the water on the floor. Someone put at least 3…no, 4 Durin Berries into the jar and the water tastes bitter as hell.

Then I hear that evil sneer again. There’s no mistake, that’s the same evil laughter I’ve heard that afternoon in front of the guild as I took down that flyer.

I stood up and leaned on the counter, then looked into the living room. Even with the moonlight to dimly light up the room, it’s still not enough to light up the whole room for a clear vision…

This is where I’m glad I’m a Lucario.

I calmed myself, using my Aura to “look” around the room. As soon as I feel like I found something, I turned toward the front door.

Bingo.

It turns out to be a Haunter hiding in the shadow near the front door, evilly laughing at me non-stop, enjoying the scene.

“Oh, you son of a…”My frustration instantly went through the chart and I dashed toward him with rage. Just when I thought I got him, I felt some slimey, dark liquid being spurted right on my face. I stopped running and cleaned them off my face with my hand in disgust. The liquid turns out to be… Octillery ink.

Seeing me trying to clean up the ink, Haunter laughed even wilder and float out of the door. His laughter, however, quickly faded when he realized he couldn’t move out of the door. Almost instantly he saw the blue glow around him that stopped him from flying out.

Haunter turned his head around, and his face changed from a prankster to pure horror, because the Lucario he just pranked had his aura glowing all around him, with intense aura glowing from his dark eyes within his murderous face.

I used Psychic on him and pulled him back toward my face. I stared at him right through his eyes. “You…” I growled, but I just can’t bring up another word anymore.

“I-I’m sorry…” Haunter stuttered, begging for mercy.

You would be crazy if you think I would forgive him that easy. I hate being pranked like this, especially from a Ghost-type like him. The worst part is, I hate Octillery ink on my face.

I pushed him 4 feet away from me and gathered countless Psychic orbs in front of me. With the swing of my arm, part of them went straight at Haunter.

“THIS IS FOR THE INK!”

*Boom!* “Ow!”

“THIS IS FOR THE WATER!”

*Boom!* “Ow!”

“THIS IS FOR THE WIRE!”

*Boom!* “OW! That hurts!”

“AND THIS IS FOR THE BANANA!”

*Boom! Boom!* “S-stop! Please!”

I can even feel my voice turned deeper and deeper as I swung the psychic orbs at Haunter.

I then pushed him outside, used the same power to propel him up the sky. I held my hands below my chest and gathered a large, silver sphere.

“AND THIS IS FOR PISSING ME OFF, YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH!!”

I shouted as I launched my Flash Cannon straight up toward Haunter. He tried to dodge, but the sphere homed him and exploded on impact, creating a loud noise over the sky. After the smoke cleared, I could see that Haunter flew away from the house as fast as he could.

“STAY OUT AND DON’T COME BACK!” I growled to the sky. Seconds afterward the glowing aura faded along with my rage. I walked back into the house, slammed the door behind me, cleaned up my face, and went back to sleep.

I’ve never seen that Haunter again since that night. Looks like I’ve solved the haunted problem of this beauty once and for all. Come to think of it, I might have to thank him for scaring other Pokémon away and makes this place a steal for someone with a heart big enough like me to get. Now with the house and base of operation taken cared, I can officially say I’m all set for anything throwing at me. Watch out Andalusst, ‘cause a new star’s about to rise in this town!