Puppy's Tears and the Perfect Escape Plan
Amid Dorothy's red, tousled hair, a pale smile bloomed awkwardly. Dorothy's "Hii-" giggle was so cute I wanted to pet her endlessly and shower her with affection.
That's when someone whispered.
"T's gonna leave soon too."
No one wants to be stuck in a lab like this. Seeing Hans looking perfectly fine, the kids must've thought, Hey, if I stick by D, maybe I can get out too? Kinda unsanitary analogy, but like how pinkeye spreads in school and everyone rubs their eyes on purpose.
Dorothy must've overheard, because she glared at me.
"No...! Go away! Shoo!"
I wasn't approaching with that intent... For starters, how could I be sure Hans actually got out safely? If they're shelling out for expensive surgery, wouldn't it make more sense to improve the lab conditions? Not a single game console in the kids' rooms. Tsk.
I clicked my tongue softly, and Dorothy—misunderstanding something—shoved my body away.
This body of mine, weak just like my previous life, toppled easily under her push.
"…."
The lab fell silent.
Dorothy's eyes, glimpsed briefly, brimmed with bewilderment.
"No... You can't be near me. I'm... H is…."
Dorothy mumbled excuses. It seemed she had words even for the kid who'd tormented her, not just me.
Ah. Did Dorothy notice something suspicious too? No, probably from how the researchers treated the kids. She was sensitive like that.
But I couldn't let her say it outright.
...Because I didn't have the confidence to save them all.
I could only save one.
I stood, approaching Dorothy again. She trembled harder than when bullied, backing away unsteadily.
Top thing not to do to a menhera: reject their rejection.
But it was fine. I could handle it!
I drew close enough that nearby kids couldn't overhear. Then, like skipping a game's dialogue, I blocked Dorothy's refusal.
"N-no, stay away…."
"I know."
"Wha…?"
Dorothy's words trailed into a question.
I checked for listeners and continued.
"I know the kids who get dragged off all die. Hans is probably dead too."
Dorothy flinched at my words.
She knew.
Looking up cautiously, she asked, "H-how… how do you…?"
This little mutt, what do you take a possessor for?
Hans's symptoms. The scar above his ear. The high-tech facilities during exams. All familiar.
This was a cyberpunk game world. The protagonist's starting point, powered by hacker tech.
Specifically, a secret lab on the sea. No wonder there were no windows.
"Dunno. I just know."
Dorothy's eyes widened at my vague dodge.
At game start, the protagonist wakes in a lab on the brink of explosion. Doomed for developing illegal vaccines against the Amnesia virus, already under government purge.
Would an illegal lab care about kids' rights? Ah-ha. You're SOL.
Sure, we'll do expensive surgery and sneak you to the Academy on the mainland, away from government eyes. Think so?
Hell no.
If I did nothing, Dorothy and I would die pointlessly too.
To the stunned Dorothy staring blankly, I said, "See you tomorrow."
She nodded faintly.
A miracle, Dorothy thought.
Nothing else explained it.
T—no, Tiara talking to her.
The pretty girl with deep sea-blue hair and eyes. Dorothy had admired her from first sight.
She was beautiful, sure... but also unflinching in this strange place—no panic, no tears, unafraid of the researchers.
Dorothy herself had freaked out, cried, and been terrified on arrival, so Tiara's calm seemed even more amazing.
And 'I know the white-coat ladies are lying!' Tiara already knew Dorothy's secret too.
She'd whispered it so others couldn't hear.
Probably to keep the mean kids from hitting her. Was Tiara a secret agent here to save her?
Ridiculous, but that composed demeanor and all-knowing gaze... it convinced her!
Dorothy glanced at Tiara, recalling the gentle hand stroking her hair.
Bedtime came; kids filed to their rooms. Alone, Dorothy clasped her hands and prayed.
Please... please don't let Tiara get infected. Please don't let her forget today. Please don't hit me coldly tomorrow like it never happened.
The next day, the girl with sharp navy-blue hair and piercing eyes said, "Hi, Dorothy."
Dorothy made a fresh fool of herself.
"H-hi... Tiara."
"...Crying?"
Sorry... Tiara somehow caught her sniffly mumble.
"It's fine. Better than full menhera mode."
Menhera?
Dorothy whimpered the question; Tiara giggled like it was hilarious.
"Exists. Super scary stuff."
Unfriendly pure Dorothy wailed ang ang. Petted her head cuz she was cute, she wailed even more.
After that, Dorothy gradually smiled, but her awkward upturned lips still clung to sorrow and guilt.
She kept distance from me. Worried I'd lose memories because of her... or get dragged off and die.
Instead of blabbing my plans, I respected her allowed space. No staring, no talking to her.
Just pretended not to notice her scooting her butt over, then muttering "Ah... no, too close" and scooting back.
Then, a group back from exams spotted me glued to D.
They pointed at us with weird looks, whispering among themselves.
Our ambiguous distance made it hard to guess our relationship.
"...Hey."
The pseudo-delinquents glanced at me, approaching Dorothy.
She sneaked peeks at me, scooting her butt away from me instead.
What? Telling me to stay clear so I don't get involved?
Ha, this mutt. Too cute, what to do?
I chuckled at Dorothy's loyalty. And the bratty alphabet kids' ridiculousness.
The J, K, N brats—who'd tormented Dorothy—flinched, turning to me.
"Laughing?"
"What, can't I?"
I recalled A-hyun noona. My ex who gut-stabbed me to this world. The undisputed menhera queen.
That look when she saw me talk to another girl... I'll kill you and then myself.
Right now, noona. Lend me strength.
Men-he-ra spirit.
"Ugh... her eyes…!"
Today, I go feral. Kill you, then myself. Dare bully my dog?
My sharp eyes—even researchers dodged—got a little extra buff.
"Ugh...! Eek...!"
They squeaked cutely, shrinking to the corner.
Mmm. A-hyun noona never fails.
Plop.
Dorothy stared at me for chasing off the kids.
Know that menhera chill? Right above the butt. Midway between waist and hips, ice cold.
Like on a ride. Drop. Plunge. Feet tied, falling faster than expected.
Yeah. Feeling it now.
"You started it. Not my fault."
Dorothy murmured lowly.
The whiny crybaby butt-scooting Dorothy was gone; psycho menhera Dorothy's red eyes gleamed.
But me? Lifetime menhera expert.
I could handle this.
Q. Menhera stares, claims no fault.
A. Win the staring contest. Then change topic.
Okay. Analysis done. Execute.
I locked eyes straight on with Dorothy's stare.
Unlike my feral ex-beast-menhera, soft weak crybaby Dorothy couldn't hold my sharpened gaze.
"Ugh…."
Her glaring red eyes, fierce as a three-white-eyed demon, hid under long lashes.
Dorothy broke eye contact.
I seized the gap, switching topics.
"Dorothy, wanna get outta here?"
At my out-of-nowhere question, she ducked her head briefly, then looked up.
"...With Tiara too?"
Ha. You mutt. Calling my bluff.
I pondered, then nodded.
"Yeah. Cool?"
Dorothy smiled wide for the first time. Like just imagining it made her happy.
...Lied to the cute kid. Felt bad.
Time flew. Got super close with Dorothy fast. She was even more! Talkative, more! Sensitive than expected.
Inspired by TRPGs, I spun audience-participation tales; she loved it. Talked all day till throats hoarse.
"Tiara! What story today?"
"Hm, Netdiver tale?"
Hacker-class playable character. Called Netdiver here.
"You did that loads!"
Ignoring my devotion drip-feeding game info, Dorothy puffed her cheeks.
"All fun tho?"
True— She scooted tight beside me.
I tied TRPGs to game locations, subtly spilling safe hidden spots.
"Today... let's raid 14 District's vault."
"Waaah!"
Core strat: hacking tech. For turning Dorothy into a Netdiver mid-escape.
Hey sis makin' you the protagonist!
Storytime start!
"Dorothy boldly heads to the front gate!"
Wait. Front gate boldly?
"Netdivers live on stealth."
"Feels cowardly."
Back door vent hack to storage... Rooftop infiltration cuts fights...
I converted info that'd stun outsiders into TRPG for Dorothy.
"Got it all?"
"Yup! Vent it is!"
Megacorp's secret vault bypass—unknown even to City gov—exposed in lab corner kids' TRPG.
"Okay. Tiny guard bot in the vent."
"Hmm...! Shoot it!"
No. Dorothy, shooting in a vent hurts ears bad?
"Goo...d. BTW, 5 more hack methods left."
"Hate hacking. Prefer smashing."
"...Gotcha."
Dorothy picked the wrong class, lol.
"Success! Dorothy smashes the vault."
"Waaah!"
Sure, lost limbs pairwise, nabbed zilch—but she loved it. Good enough!
Meanwhile, I played forgetful shepherd girl.
"Huh? Did this story yesterday? Don't remember."
"T-Tiara... because of me...!"
Left weeping Dorothy; followed researcher through pipe-maze corridors.
"Just surgery, then to Academy."
I ne~-ed at the smiling liar, side-eyeing layout.
Fitting sea-floating lab: internals labyrinthine.
"Huh? Readings normal...?"
To head-tilt researcher, I innocently asked, "U-um, don't remember yesterday's talk with D!"
He sighed, dragged me back.
Teary-eyed puffed Dorothy ignored me sulkily.
"Hate Tiara...."
"Huh? What'd I eat yesterday...?"
"Waaah... don't go Tiaraaa...!"
Didn't last long.
Mapping for escape essential; her clingy wails useless.
Each time, hand-in-hand with researcher, matched game map to reality.
Found! Exit path.
Found! Guard spawn point.
Found! Protagonist awakening spot on Netdiver route.
Found... Escape pod route.
New body had killer brain. Glimpses auto-mapped like minimap.
Ten days in: escape plan complete.
Go-time: two days later.
That day, Dorothy and I bail the lab.
Snag protagonist's opportunity inside!