Daisy hefted her hammer as she pushed open the door. "I'll check it first. I'm not afraid of ghosts." She wondered a moment if ghosts were a viable problem in that world, but also figured it was too late to go check.

She flicked a switch, and lights came on in the house. She blinked slowly, flicking them on and off several times. "Why didn't my room come with such things?"

A voice drifted out from within, but it was indistinct in the open air. "Otherworlder."

"I am." Daisy lifted a rounded ear. "Sorry, if that bothers..." She looked into an empty room. "Okay, invisible ghost, I get it." She stepped inside. "You've been trying to keep everyone out, haven't you? Are you okay with this?"

"Not my choice," The voice sounded again. "Not my place." The voice sounded almost defeated. "No choice."

Daisy frowned softly at that, holding her hand out slowly, watching the air for any changes in temperature. "We always have a choice, if we're alive, er, exist. Want to, um, talk about it?"

"No!" It barked out sharply. "Leave me be."

Daisy let out a long breath. "Then you can stay in this building with us, or move on if that's your choice, but I think you could do with a bit of company." She set her hammer against the wall. "My name's Daisy. What's yours?" She smiled and looked around. "If you're shy, we'll take things slow." She gave a pat of the doorframe and headed deeper into the house.

She poked her head around each room in turn. The place was quite dusty, though nothing seemed broken, nor was there anything out of place. It was all where it should be, except for no one being around. "I bet you're still there." She brushed the dusty wall beside her. "I'd love to get to know you. We're neighbors now."

She moved to the kitchen and turned on the lights. A large dining room lay beside it, big enough for a few families to share meals. Everything was covered in dust, and some of it had been nibbled on. "Mmm, are there mice smaller than me around." She smirked at the idea. "We'll have to do something about that. You see any of them?" She kept talking to her quiet spectral visitor as she went.

Daisy continued up the staircase, which creaked under her feet. The old style had its charm, but she made a note to get them fixed before everyone moved in. She didn't want anyone getting hurt. "Do you like kids? I'll be bringing a host of them. They're very lively. A little noisy, won't argue, but so alive and full of potential."

"I am alive," A voice said, barely a whisper.

Daisy looked around. "Are you?" She kept moving through the upstairs rooms. "I'm glad." She opened the last room to see what was inside. "Oh!" It was, at one point, destined to be a bedroom. "This could look nice with new furniture. We'll get something made for you, ghostie." She smiled towards the middle of the room. "So, we're getting this house, but I can't buy you out. What do you say? Are you alright with this becoming an orphanage, for lost children of all species?"

The voice didn't respond. "Ghost? Are you there?" She waited quietly, looking around the room, but there was no response. She pulled the door closed, leaving the room untouched. "If that's your place, you keep it. I don't want to chase you away, so talk to me. Tell me the rules you want. Set boundaries!"

Daisy made her way down, checking each of the rooms and making note of what they would need. "Alright, ghost. I'm going to go. Come find me if you need to." She paused, tail curling as she felt a cold rush through her. "Alright! Not ready to talk. Got it." She hurried out, closing the door behind her.

She rejoined the others, the warmth of the sun chasing away that chill. "The house is mostly ready. I'd get the steps repaired, and we're going to need new furniture."

Cedric perked up. "What about the haunting?"

Daisy smirked softly. "The ghost and I talked. They'll let us stay if we follow their requests." She raised a finger. "Trick, they didn't say what those demands are. I just feel they're alright with the idea. A hunch, really. Um, but there is a ghost, for sure."

"Really?!" Michelle looked around. "Where? What's it look like?"

Daisy took the child in her arms. "You'll have to ask it that yourself. They're very shy and only spoke when I was alone." She nuzzled her daughter. "But maybe, oh! She noticed I was an otherworlder right away. You're a child, and an otherworlder. Maybe she'll react to you differently."

Michelle squirmed against Daisy. "I want to see the ghost!" She giggled, hugging her mom.

Daisy hugged Michelle close, though not enough to squeeze the little one. "Maybe she'll come out if I leave you to play in there, hm?" She turned back to the door. "If you want a chance, I won't stop you. I'll be right here if you need help though. Momma's not leaving."

Cedric patted Michelle's head. "If you need me, I'm here, too." He looked at Daisy. "Are you sure it's a she?"

Daisy waved her hands. "I heard their voice, but that's all I have to go on. They didn't actually appear, or declare their pronouns. So, I guess that would be my assumption, if you want to go by that. It's a she." She squeezed Michelle gently. "You ready?"

Michelle gave Daisy a determined look. "Yes!" When Daisy set her down, she toddled for the door with determination and lifted ears. She folded them back and glanced to be sure her parents were close before she pulled at the doors.

Cedric called into the room. "If anything happens to Michelle, we won't forgive it!"

Daisy waved at him to calm down, then leaned in. "Be careful, baby. I don't think she's a bad ghost."

Michelle pushed inside and looked around, hands at her side as she walked deeper into the house. "Hello? I heard there was a ghost here. Hello?" She walked around. "Hello! My name is Michelle." With the mind of an adult, the house was a bit creepy, but she wasn't as scared as someone her age might otherwise be. "Hello?"

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The voice came, quiet, almost indistinguishable. "Otherworlder."

She turned quickly to see if anyone else was around. "Yeah. I'm an otherworlder. My momma is, too." She patted her belly. "Hiya!"

"Cute." There were no breathy sounds to accompany the words. It didn't sound like it came from any direction. "Why are you here?"

She smiled and pointed outside. "We're moving in here. What's your name, Miss?"

"Miss?" The voice repeated the word with surprise. "Miss... I don't have a name."

Michelle looked around. "Don't have one? Oh! Then, we'll get you one." She searched her pockets as if she had something that would give the name. "Do you remember what you did, before you were a ghost?"

"No." The voice sounded a little sad. "I don't remember. It was too long ago."

The little mouse girl looked around, then sat on the floor. "What do you like to do?" She doodled with her fingers in the dust. "What I used to do, I can't anymore. My new mom's pretty nice though. She wants to help me find new things to like."

"Cute," the voice repeated. "You're cute."

She giggled softly, running fingers over her tail. "Thank you!" She blinked and seemed to suddenly notice the dust. "This is a big house. And you're in it. Oh!" She bounced to her feet. "Cassandra. You feel like a Cassandra to me."

The ghostly voice seemed surprised. "I have a name?" Some light footsteps sounded on the floor. "I have a name!"

Michelle smiled up at the empty air. "That's how I feel. Hello, Cassandra. Would you like to meet more of my family?"

Cassandra seemed to consider it. "Otherworlders. Are they all from other worlds like you?"

"Nope!" She giggled and pointed towards the door leading out. "Most of them are just lost little kids, real kids." Michelle rocked in place. "You're a lot nicer with a name."

There was a silence again, before Cassandra replied, "Why would these other children come here?"

Michelle looked towards the door. "Momma's making a home for lost kids, like me. You don't remember what you liked?" She turned for the voice, though it seemed to come from everywhere as much as any one spot. "I bet you liked something."

"I did?" The voice sounded confused. "I don't know." There were small footsteps on the floor, a light weight on them. "What am I going to do when everyone comes?"

Michelle looked around. "Play with them! You can be friends and play games. They'll probably be noisy, but that's what kids are." She grinned and opened her arms out. "Orphans. They don't have parents and stuff. If you're a nice ghost, they'll want to play with you. You could be their friend!"

Cassandra didn't reply, the footsteps moving slowly around the empty room. Finally the voice returned. "Are you sure? I'm just a ghost, nobody else saw me."

"I still didn't see you." That didn't stop Michelle from toddling towards where the steps had stopped and reaching out to hug where a person would be. It was an odd feeling, cold, but not as bad as when she first arrived.

Cassandra's voice changed, coming from where Michelle was hugging her instead of from everywhere. "You can feel me?"

Michelle rubbed her cheek against that spot of coolness. "I can feel, you. Not your leg, but you." She nuzzled the spot, experiencing the curious sensation of touching a ghost's essence. "Hello, Cassandra."

The ghost seemed to struggle with the contact before easing. "Thank you," she said softly. "Nobody has ever given me a name before."

"Did anyone ask?" She squeezed the coolness again before pulling away. "I'm glad we're friends now. I'll tell momma."

There was a pause, before a quiet, "Okay." The steps drifted back towards where they had started. "Please, introduce them one at a time."

"Sure!" Michelle bounded for the door, then paused. "They'll like you." She grinned as she pushed the door open, rushing out in awkward toddling steps towards Daisy.

Daisy bent down to pick up Michelle. "Oh, baby girl! You're cold. What did—"

"She has a name! Cassandra!"

The mouse girl bounced in her mother's arms. "And she's nice. She wants to meet the others, one at a time. "

Daisy laughed softly. "Well, I'm glad you convinced her. I'll be very happy to meet her, if she's a friend of yours."

With nothing else standing in their way, they began work in earnest. Dust was cleared, floors mopped, and new furniture brought in. The house went from grey and cold to bright and welcoming to the young people that would be its purpose. The steps got repaired and the plumbing was updated.

Finally, it was time. Kailana and Bellin stood with Daisy in front of the building with a small group of children. Theodoren and Cedric stood behind them.

Daisy took in a deep breath, her hands on Michelle's shoulders. "Momma D's Child Rescue," she read from the sign that hung high in front of the building. "I like the ring of it."

Michelle bounced at her mother's urging. "I get to live here!"

The adults laughed at the child's exuberance, each in their own way. Daisy turned, gesturing towards Kailana and Bellin. "They will be taking care of everyone. They will feed you, and clothe you, and everything else you may need." She looked to the orphans with that. "But you can always come to me, any time." She turned an ear back. "Unless I'm off on some silly adventure. But that's the point, they'll always be here."

One of the children, a little boy stepped forward and tugged on Daisy's skirt. She leaned down, scooping him up in her arms as he sniffed back tears. "You aren't staying here?"

"Most of the time I will be." Daisy rocked left and right slowly. "And doing my best to help you all be all you can be. I will never stop loving each and every one of you, not for a moment. But I do have to go off now and again. I am still a paladin."

Theodoren looked at the kids. "And she is going to be fighting for your future. Be proud of her."

Some of the children brightened at the idea. One threw up a fist. "We have a warrior mom!"

Another laughed. "If any kids look at us funny, we'll sic her on them!"

Cedric smirked. "That's right. She can protect you, and you can do things to protect yourself."

Daisy laughed and blushed. "Now now, I'm just one person. Besides, I won't hurt a little person, even if they are mean." She crouched down, putting the boy down. "But I will show you how to protect yourself, and stand up for what you want."

Theodoren raised his voice. "And that brings us to today!" He held up a hand. "Today, all of us are—"

Daisy glared at him and moved in closer, voice a harsh whisper, "We didn't have anything planned, what are you doing?"

He smirked and held her shoulder. "It's okay." He turned towards the children. "Daisy wants to show us something very special." He reached out and took Daisy's hands. "And we get to watch as she does it."

Daisy blinked in confusion. "What am I showing?"