Later that evening Roger returned home. Ray was still hiding in the room Dorothy had set up for her earlier, not wanting to introduce herself until she absolutely had too. In fact, she was thinking of slipping out the window, until she noticed there wasn't a fire escape connected to this room. Did Dorothy do that intentionally? Or were fire codes lax back in the 50's? Ray was beginning to regret letting Norman talk her into whatever he had talked her into.
In the time it had taken the master of the house to return, Norman had brought her a typical every day outfit. Black v-cut t-shirt, black jeans, black socks, black hard boots. Of course everything was black, all clothing in this house had to be black as per the rules. 'But seriously, everything is black, even the unmentionables. Who cares what color undergarments I am wearing if they aren't gonna see em?'
Norman came to get her around dinner time, "Will you be joining us this evening, Ms Ray?" In the short few hours Ray had been there, she was adjusting to what was more than likely going to be her life in this world. And by adjusting, Ray was planning on ways to escape this madhouse. She'd half a mind to go look for a certain old man, but quickly realized he probably had very tight security and she wouldn't make it through.
"I… maybe it would be best if I waited," Ray knew that sooner than later, she would have to meet the real protagonist of the story, but she didn't want to do it just yet. Mentally, she still wasn't ready. It was crazy enough she was running into characters from an anime, but somehow she had come to live with the main cast! Really this is isekai protagonist luck if ever it existed. Now how do I get rid of it and get home?
Ray had been thinking about that since finding out she arrived in Paradigm City. Not knowing how she got here, or why, there wasn't a reasonable method of reversal. Simply put, she didn't have enough answers to any of her questions. Ignoring What, how, when and why, there was still the question of who may have brought her here. And if she was to throw that question aside, there was still the other of what should Ray do now that she was in this world. That was the only answer she did not have trouble reaching, as it was fairly simple to arrive at, regardless of world there was one thing every being must do: survive!
"Oh, are you not hungry again? It has been a few hours since you last ate," Norman raised an eyebrow over his one good eye.
"I... " A loud roar came from the teens abdomen, "Suppose I am," Stupid body. Not that she could help it. In contrast to how Ray looked in her own world, she appeared rather emaciated here. Probably from being homeless for she didn't know how long. Well, at least that wasn't a lie.
Ray followed Norman to the dining room, and sat down at the long dining table close to Dorothy. Of course the gynoid gave her a cold stare, her eyes barely narrowing. Ray tried to avoid looking at her or the black clad negotiator to her right, choosing instead to stare at her own lap and wish she could disappear into the aether rather than be present here and now. Let's just get this over with already.
"Norman, who is this?" Roger sounded more amused than annoyed or upset, which Ray had thought he would be. "Did we adopt another stray android?" Dorothy clinked her tea cup loudly at Roger's remark.
'Boy he sure does love to dig his own grave, doesn't he?' Ray found herself thinking that in her previous teenage years too. Ray finally found enough of her voice to quietly speak up, "I'm pretty sure I'm human," Just then her stomach roared again.
"Hah, guess so. Do you have a name Ms?" Roger pointed at her with a fork.
"Ray Law. As to why I am here, I guess your manservant took pity on me, seeing as he offered me a job so I wouldn't end up a lady of the night, so to speak," Ray couldn't help but shrug.
"Oh, he did now did he?" Roger looked over at Norman with a look of annoyance and disbelief, sounding somewhat exasperated. "Is Dorothy not enough hassle for you Norman?"
Ray winced when Dorothy loudly put her cup down. She's gonna end up breaking that, or the table. Or Roger's face. Ray was silently betting on the last one.
"Um," Ray couldn't help but stutter, "Well after I've worked here for a while I can use Norman as a reference and look for another job. So please just bare with me until then," She hoped by stuttering out that far flung excuse she could hopefully ease tensions, at least by some small degree.
Roger blinked, as if taken aback by the fast spoken plea. His expression softened a tad, and he spoke more calmly, in what could be considered a negotiation voice.
"Well, if it's only for a short while, I suppose I am willing to overlook Norman not asking me first," Norman nodded in approval and quickly disappeared into the kitchen, only to reappear mere minutes later with a cart full of whatever was for dinner.
The next morning Ray awoke with a start, not because of the assault the piano took, but because of Roger's verbal assault towards Dorothy. 'Is that really necessary? She's an angsty teen that likes to annoy you dude, the sooner you stop screaming the better.' Not that Ray could ever say as much in front of either of them. Roger wouldn't believe her, and Dorothy would find some way to make Ray's life more hellish than it was now. She sighed, got up and dressed before heading to breakfast. No sooner had she sat down when a familiar dialogue started. Yet it was different than what she remembered.
"What do you think you're doing?" Roger sounded annoyed. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed. Of course, that was because just a few minutes prior Dorothy had beaten the poor piano in her attempts to wake him up.
"Drinking a cup of tea," Dorothy's body made those forced gear moving slowly against gear noises.
Ray couldn't help but feel both annoyed and perplexed. She really needs to stop that, it's gotta be putting unnecessary strain on her body.
"Can an android even drink tea?" Roger gave a questioning look.
"I cannot taste it, but I am able to drink it as a human can," Dorothy drank a bit more, seeming to ignore Ray's existence while continuing to make Roger's annoying.
"Now I get it, you're just imitating us. That's why your playing doesn't have any real emotion to it," Roger had taken a bit of a haughty tone.
"Nobody likes an alarm clock, Roger Smith," Dorothy was snarking more than usual.
"Now see here!" And cue the lights going off while Roger was mid tirade.
'Thank Hydalyn, I don't think I could've taken that much longer.' Ray sighed.
"Oh dear, we have been having more frequent power outages outside the domes recently. I'll go start the generator," With that Norman left.
Roger sat back down to try and fuss over his breakfast, and again on cue Dorothy turned on the head lamp hidden inside her CD tray. Ouch, that's actually rather bright when it's in your face.
"Huh?"
"Please continue eating," Dorothy really was a wonder. One minute she's pissy at Roger, the next she just brushes it off.
'Guess she had to find a way to deal with her situation somehow.' Ray looked down at the cup of coffee she had started drinking absentmindedly while that entire argument went on. 'Strange, I can barely taste anything.' The food in front of her appeared normal, but nothing had much of a taste, now that she was thinking about it. Even last nights dinner had tasted mute in comparison to the food she ate back home. 'Maybe it's because it's healthier?'
"Oh my how convenient," Norman said as he emerged from the kitchen right on cue, carrying his gas lamp.
"Norman," Roger was clearly annoyed now.
"Ah that reminds me Master Roger, you have a guest waiting for you," Norman took a more serious tone.
"A guest, Norman you know the rules."
"I know sir," Norman, while still formal, sounded a bit exasperated.
"I see," and with that Roger got up and left. Dorothy's piercing gaze following him out of the room.
"Um, Dorothy, is it possible to turn the brightness down a bit? You're kind of blinding me," Ray tried not to be rude about it, but how can one mention a literal headlamp without some issue being taken. Thankfully Dorothy didn't seem averse to actually turning it down, allowing Ray to finish her meal in peace.
After breakfast Ray did as Norman instructed, helping with housework until a late lunch was had, and then she found all the chores were more or less completed. Ray was left to 'explore' within reason, so she made her way down to Rogers office and library combo.
'Maybe I'll find something to read.' However, when she started looking over most of the books, a number were photo albums she didn't dare disturb, case files were much the same, and a lot of books on law and philosophy. All subjects and contents she didn't think she should be nosing about in.
"What are you doing?" Dorothy's calm and level voice called out from behind a bookcase.
Ray finally found her voice after almost yipping again. "Oh fucking hell, stop sneaking up on me like that! You're gonna give me a heart attack, or worse, I might try and sock you!" Ray didn't mean to go on a profanity laden tirade, but she couldn't help it. After being startled and snuck up on some many times in the last few days, Ray finally snapped.
"I'm not sure why you would put a sock on me. Also, what is a 'fucking hell' exactly?" Dorothy cocked her head to the left, trying to look innocent.
Ah dammit. "Um, can you forget you ever heard those words, please? I don't need Norman trying to end me because I taught you foul language," Ray was practically shaking in fear of the possibilities her mind was coming up with in terms of punishments. She began to look stressed and was she imagining the sweat on her forehead?
"Why would Norman end you for teaching me foul language? What makes you think I don't already know it?" Dorothy almost sounded indigent.
"You're messing with me, right?" Ray sounded vexed, even to herself.
"No," That was as much a straight answer as Ray was ever going to get from the gynoid.
"Oookay then," Ray was not even sure what to do now. Dorothy finally found a way to make her life hell, as a result of Ray's own actions, and more than like she was going to enjoy teasing the wayward isekai'd fool. "Well, if you know what those words mean individually, then finding out what they mean put together shouldn't be impossible for you. As to what I meant by 'sock you', it means to punch someone, kind of like a sucker punch."
"Punching me would likely result in a few broken hand bones," Dorothy was back to her typical flat monotone, and the low lighting made it seem like she was less than amused.
"Yeah, I'm aware of that. It's a fight or flight response humans have to fear and adrenaline increases. Sometimes we fight, sometimes we run away."
"And where does screaming at someone lie on that scale?" Was Ray losing it or had Dorothy just looked at her annoyed for a brief second.
"Fight, less physical, but still a fight response. Uh, Dorothy wait a second!" Dorothy turned and walked off after Ray finished explaining. Ray quickened her pace to keep up, "Can you at least promise me you won't go using those words if either Roger or Norman are in earshot?"
"No," And with that Dorothy left the room, and Ray to her feelings of dread. I am so screwed.
At dinner it was rather solemn. With Roger missing there wasn't really all that much to talk about until Dorothy brought up the subject of what he might be doing right now.
"Probably get smacked upside the head with a shotgun stock," Ray muttered without thinking. He went off to Electric City, so more than likely that is happening now.
"My word Ms. Ray, that is quite a graphic imagination you have there," Norman sounded a little shocked at Ray's nonchalant way of saying that.
Oops, not again. "Ahaha, kidding, I'm only kidding. He's probably just fine," Ray's nervous laughter probably wasn't fooling them. Wincing a bit Ray continued, "Seesh, forgot not everyone appreciates some light gallows humor."
After dinner Ray retreated back to her room feigning exhaustion, not wanting to start any more odds arguments and feeling it better to make a hasty getaway. I really gotta be more careful, ain't no way in hell they'll believe me if I keep acting weird. Just gotta make it long enough to find my way home. There's no place like home. Wonder if clicking my heels together will work? Nah, I'll just look stupid.
Ray spent the next few hours thinking about what she could do to fix her situation, and still couldn't find an answer to why she was in another world. For now, she decided to rest and go look for a library tomorrow. 'Maybe I can find some information in a library, or at least something that can help me.'
Later that night Ray awoke to the sound of soft footsteps in her room. Ray hadn't been asleep long, so she continued feigning sleep. Not being able to calm her mind, and fear made her unable to sleep.
The steps got closer to her bed, and Ray thought it sounded more like a small person than a large one. Why would Dorothy be in my room this late? Is she up to something? Ray heard the chest at the end of her bed open, and something that made a rough cloth noise being put inside before the lid shut. Oh, probably putting away the hobo outfit I had yesterday.
"I know you are not asleep, woman, why do you pretend?" Was it Ray's imagination or was Dorothy hissing?
Oh right, also forgot she is extremely territorial with new women she doesn't like. "Well if you know that, why did you bother not to make a lot of noise?" Ray rolled over and sat up to stare at the dark silhouette that she knew to be the real lady of the house.
"Norman is sleeping. I do not wish to wake him up," Dorothy definitely hissed then.
"Hmp. Well, is there something you want?" Ray had a pretty good idea of what Dorothy wanted, but she wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of being correct, or bullying her.
"For you to leave."
"That makes two of us hun. Anything else I can get ya on my way out?" Ray slipped into a sarcastic southern drawl. Bet she's never heard that before.
"Hun?" Dorothy was taken aback. Even if Dorothy tried to control it Ray could tell she'd found a chip in the gynoids mental armor. "I am not ethically Chinese though. "
Ray had to stop herself from howling with mirth. Well I'll be, they do know that stuff here. guess now I'm the fool? "That is not what I meant Dorothy!" Ray was gasping for air between fits of giggles. "Hun is short for honey. A diminutive, gender neutral, way to refer to someone."
"Oh, so you were insulting me either way?"
"Yes," Ray had calmed down by that point.
"How does anyone put up with you?" Ray just shrugged at the question. She had never been sure herself. Dorothy left at that point, and Ray quickly fell back to her fitful dreams of not being able to find a way back home.
The next day, Ray and Dorothy avoided each other unless they had to interact, like at breakfast. Norman was the only one making any form of conversation, but quickly found the two young women had no interest in talking. After the daily chores were finished, Dorothy to stand in her usual spot on the parapet, and Ray asked Norman about finding a library. Following the instructions he had given her, Ray easily found the old rundown library not far from the mansion. While she wasn't able to check out books (you needed proof of being a citizen in Paradigm City to get a card), she was able to find numerous books on theories about being from another world. Sadly, all these books read much like the ravings of madmen, many read as if the writer had mangled the English language, and only a handful of them actually presented their theories in a scientific manner. But even then, Ray couldn't find any clues as to why she was in Paradigm City. After hours of searching and researching, and being no closer to an answer, Ray returned to the mansion.
The next night Roger came home late, and regaled them about his misadventures in Electric City. While talking about what had happened he mentioned being hit in the back of the head with a shotgun stock, at which point Dorothy's piano playing stopped, the room got deadly quiet, and all eyes were on Ray.
"Was it something I said?" Roger was oblivious to the conversation that had occurred the night before.
"Ahaha…" Ray began to laugh nervously again. Uh oh. How can I possibly explain this?
"Fucking hell, Ray was right," The deadpan monotonous tone Dorothy used to deliver those words did not match the gravity of their usage. Norman's one good eye went wide, Roger actually laughed about it, and Ray could only scream in response.
"You darn rust bucket!"
We have come to terms
This is getting to be a might long, isn't it? Well, so far this is has been written and rewritten again, all in the hopes that it reads like a proper isekai novel with a reluctant protagonist. This is a bit of a fun project, as well as experimenting with writing an actual isekai novel.
Hydalyn is the god of the world from Final Fantasy XIV. I'm attempting to establish this character is rather nerdy, without going overboard on the nerdiness.
As always, feedback is appreciated. If there's a situation you think I should write into the story (If I got stuck in Paradigm I would...) hit me up, I could always use some more fun ideas.