The Cat Lottery House [Western Crossover]

Jin Lin is a shut-in beauty with the power to spend money and a hobby of collecting things, a fragile, sickly flower who won't live past eighteen.

Her double pupils are hidden beneath choppy short hair she cut herself with a pair of scissors. She rarely leaves the ten square meters around her bedroom's king-sized bed. Even if Jin Lin is so frail her bones feel ready to melt, no one dares tell her no. As long as she doesn't cough up blood today, her parents and older brother can get her anything she wants, even a fragment of Mars.

In these circumstances, Jin Lin sincerely feels it's a miracle she hasn't been spoiled rotten.

She still loves her life, and hasn't become a completely (utterly) deranged (insane) gossip (reporter) (super) (fan).

She also often stands up for people in need.

But she's not the one wielding the blade. She can't even lift it.

It's her...

...cats.

-

It started with an idle download of a pet-raising and collecting app. The cats on the screen were adorable, and each one had its own skills and uses. Every level required finding the right cat to break through the stalemate in that scene.

Some levels involved a leaking floor, others repairing tables and chairs. Her cats zapped things with little lightning bolts, sending out colorful energy waves. It all looked like an ordinary Flash game.

The game was incredibly long, but Jin Lin was really bored and really loved collecting things.

She didn't spend a cent. After a week of dozing on and off, she had collected every cat in the game and maxed out their affection.

-

On a dark, windy night, Jin Lin dreamed that the game she'd been obsessively playing all week sent her a pop-up.

"Would you like to continue your journey with the cats?" the game asked.

A body she could move around in freely, and real cats she could pet.

I would, Jin Lin thought. Of course I would.

I'd say yes even in my dreams. I've dreamed of standing on the ground.

Of being somewhere warm and breezy, and touching the sunlight to see what it feels like.

-

Later, Jin Lin often wondered what had moved the gods.

Was it the silly sight of her sobbing in her dream, tears in her eyes?

-

Hey, if you ever find yourself at a dead end, remember to look back the way you came.

There might be a little shop there that appeared out of nowhere, with bright windows, a clean interior, and warm lights. When you push open the door, you'll hear wind chimes and smell coffee.

The beautiful black-haired owner will be leaning over the counter, teasing her cats. When she sees you, she'll look up and smile. Her cats might look a little strange, but they're just as cute as she is.

There's only one rule in the shop:

Don't look into the owner's eyes without her permission.

She may have to spend a whole day and night trying to save you, and there's a 99.99% chance she won't succeed.

↑This is specifically aimed at certain superheroes with X-ray vision.↑

"The shop's in big trouble. Even an owner from another world would have a hard time dealing with this!"

Theme: Raising cats is a joy.