//------------------------------//
// A Meeting of Mind and Spirit (Wolfwalkers/Cyberpunk 2077) 
// Story: Sunset's Isekai 
// by Wanderer D 
//------------------------------//


Sunset's Isekai
A Meeting of Mind and Spirit (Wolfwalkers/Cyberpunk 2077)
By Wanderer D







"I hate this place."

Panam gave Robyn an amused look, which faded when she saw just how utterly terrified the girl was. On further thought, it kind of made sense. Robyn came from some sort of medieval world. Buildings, people, vehicles… to her, they were not supposed to look like that. The thought of them even being so high was probably mind-boggling. And that didn't include holographic displays, cyberware, the mere idea of Netrunning or even rogue AIs.

Panam decided right there she wasn't mentioning those. At all. And then there was the smell, which she was now keenly aware of. 'Thank you very much, Robyn.' she thought, smirking at the same time. After being a wolfwalker… keener senses were a small prize to pay. 

Robyn hunched over a little. "It just… reminds me of Kilkenny, with the crowds, the cramped spaces, the smells and…" she winced as they drove by a group of police officers fighting a bunch of huge humans, all of them looking more simian thanks to their cyberware than a normal body-builder would. "...the people. But worse. I never thought I would say this, but I am glad I am invisible and ghostly right now."

"I know, and I understand a little. We Aldecaldos—just like any other Nomads—don't like these kind of things to begin with, I can only imagine what it's like for someone like you, who comes from a place of open forests and clean air," Panam said, wishing she could pat her friend's hand encouragingly. "At least you're only here temporarily, and since neither of us likes it, we'll head out of the city as soon as we get the info we need or with your family, if we can."

"Thanks Panam," Robyn said. "I really don't know what I would do if I hadn't met you."

"No problem, little sister." Panam chuckled at the look Robyn gave her. "Hey, we're packmates, right? That goes both ways, so that means you're an Aldecaldo now too."

Robyn rolled her eyes, but she was smiling now, and that was enough for Panam. As they pulled into the parking lot outside the Afterlife, Panam bit her lips, frowning. "Okay Robyn, one thing I need you to do is to keep your eyes focused on me until we're sitting with Rogue."

The Afterlife wasn't too bad, but there were a lot of things that could really throw Robyn off if she wasn't ready for them. At least Rogue's operation didn't go borderline full-brothel, like Clouds, or too crazy like the Totentanz. Still, her protective big-sister side was fully active while they approached, keeping an eye out for things that were inappropriate for a young teen.

Granted, guessing what was appropriate in medieval times for a teen to witness was not something she actually could state with certainty, but hell-dammit, she'd at least treat her like a 2070 teen should be treated. 

"What's a Johnny Silverhand?" Robyn asked.

"Tequila, Angostura bitters, agave nectar, orange twist, chilli and Mexican Beer," Panam recited.

"What is Black Lace?"

"Something very dangerous. Stay away from it."

"Why do they call that lady 'Two-Finger Wonder'?"

"She puts them to good use?"

"Why are people dancing semi-naked in tanks?"

"Didn't I tell you to keep your eyes on my back?" Panam sighed, glancing around. People had seen her muttering, but were keeping to themselves for the most part. This early on in the day there were very few people at the club, which was—as far as she was concerned—a blessing of sorts. "It's for entertainment. They let them out every few hours, and they don't only do that."

"What else do they do?"

"Claire!" Panam said loudly, perhaps a little too loud, given the looks the others gave her. "I need a coffee. Extra black."

"Rough night?" the red-headed bartender asked. She ducked under the bar and emerged with a bottle of liquor. "Just coffee or...?"

"Just coffee, thanks," Panam said, sitting down at the bar, and glancing at the clock. "I'm meeting with Rogue in a few minutes and if I need to go deeper into my reasons why, I'd better be sober."

Claire shrugged. "Alright! One coffee, coming up!"

Panam took a deep breath, glancing at Robyn. "Look," she grumbled under her breath. "I'm not 100% certain what they all do, but some work in other places as well. But for the most part, I know they work rounds as waiters and waitresses. It's just… too much to explain here, with people around who don't know you're there."

"Ah." Robyn nodded, cringing slightly, but not hiding her smile. "Sorry, I did not want to make you look crazy."

"It's alright," Panam muttered.

It wasn't long before a large man came over to Panam. "Rogue will see you now. Follow me."

Panam blinked and leaned back, noticing that Rogue was not in her usual seat anymore. "Why the change in location, Squama?" she asked, smiling in gratitude as Claire refilled her mug just before picking it up and following Rogue's bodyguard.

"Hell if I know," the large man responded, not even slowing down. "She said it was private and who am I to argue, eh?"

"I suppose…" Panam said, taking a deep breath. "It's bad enough those psychos are involved, now it comes to this?"

"Hey, chill, tifi. You know Rogue."

"That's what I'm worried about."

Squama snorted but didn't say anything, guiding them down a few empty corridors to a private section, deep within the Afterlife. Panam had heard of this place. It was where meetings with very dangerous information or heavy stakes were discussed. V's infamous first job at Arasaka was planned in one of these rooms. 

Her host was already there, alongside others. Rogue and her netrunner, Nix, she recognized of course, even if she hadn't worked directly with him. But there was also a white-haired woman in leather and carrying two swords, who was staring at her suspiciously. She had her hand around an amulet that hung from a metal chain around her neck.

"Squama, seal the room," Rogue said, "and wait outside. If we need anything, I'll let you know."

The big haitan man shrugged and nodded, stepping out of the room and sealing the door behind him. Between him outside, the added security in there, and Nix, they had all bases covered.

"You must be the one looking for the wolves," the strange woman said, eyes narrowing at Panam, then surprisingly sliding down to study her ghostly friend. "And you must be Robyn."





So far this world had been full of surprises. Robyn was not easily intimidated—she had curiosity and an adventurer's soul, after all. Well. A wolf… adventurer's… soul. Or something. In any case, she had been in awe of the city and eager to explore it for the most part. Except it stank worse than Kilkenny, and was so crowded it made her old home in Ireland seem like a small town.

But she'd be okay with that, even the smell, if her family wasn't in danger, and people were… people. It was very strange. Panam was not nearly as bad as people here, but everyone had metal in their bodies, she could smell it even under their skin.

Panam had said that it made life easier in some ways, but she had to wonder what was the price for such a thing to be… embedded into you. Was the exchange worth it? She thought not. Still, more than anything, she felt guilty… because in a way she was safe, where her family wasn't. She had found an ally and friend and packmate, but what were their chances? From what Panam had said about the people that had apparently caught them, they were not in a good place, and here she was, taking her time.

But now that she was faced with someone who could see her… she didn't know if she was safe at all.

"Robyn?" Rogue asked, crossing her arms, a frown crossing her face. "What are you talking about?"

"Huh," the strange woman glanced from her, to Panam, to Rogue, then down to the medallion in her hand, which Robyn could just barely make out looked like some sort of animal. "So that's how it is."

"How can you see her?" Panam asked, stepping protectively in front of her. "Who the hell are you?"

"That's what I want to discuss," Rogue said. Her tone was cold and calculating, so much so that it made the other two women calm down. "Take a seat, Panam. This woman calls herself Ciri. She came asking about your dogs."

"Wolves." Ciri and Panam said automatically, then glanced at each other.

"Wolves," Rogue conceded, smirking with some amusement. "Anyway, one of my contractors found one last night and tried to capture it, but lost track of it in the city… Ciri here found Grégoire and… persuaded him to tell him who hired him." She glared at the woman. "We're still finding out how. Needless to say, he will not be working for me again."

Panam blinked. "Grégoire de Fronsac? How did you manage that?"

"Not many men can resist my charms," Ciri countered, her green eyes focused on Panam and Robyn herself. "And it was necessary. Until now I couldn't be sure if you were working for someone that might want to cause them harm."

Rogue shrugged. "I'm not, but that doesn't mean Maelstrom isn't. I already heard whispers of a black market auction for them. Wolves are extremely rare in the world today. They were thought extinct for several years now. Whoever cloned them—"

"They're not clones," Panam blurted out. "They're—" She stopped, closing her mouth and looking away.

"Yes?" Rogue asked.

"People." 

The group turned to Ciri who had spoken. "Essentially werewolves. They're a danger to anyone around them that is unaware of this fact. They're not evil, or even violent, but they can do a lot of damage if left unchecked. They're smarter, faster, stronger than any wolf in this world's history."

Robyn jumped to her feet. "Were not werewolves!" she shouted. "I don't know if they're real, but we're different!" she watched as Ciri frowned, but was unsure as to whether she could hear her as well as see her.

"Werewolves?" Rogue repeated, a sigh of exasperation escaping her lips along with the word. "You expect me to believe these… wolves, are really shapeshifting people that go on rampages when there's a full moon?"

"Wolfwalkers!" Panam corrected. "We don't turn into—" Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth.

"Show them."

Panam turned to look at Robyn. "What? No! Besides I can't just fall asleep on a whim!"

Robyn sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't explain that very well, did I? You don't have to lay down to sleep to turn into a wolf. Your body falls asleep automatically. You just need to will yourself to turn."

"We're going to get shot," Panam hissed.

"This Ciri woman… she'll know the difference!" Robyn insisted. "I know it! She already knew my name, so she knows more. Please Panam!" It was like her father again, why couldn't adults just—

"Okay."

Robyn looked up at Panam, eyes wide. "Wait… you…"

"I trust you."





Ciri could see the girl talking, but couldn't hear her. This was an interesting magical conundrum, and something she'd have to discuss with Yennefer when they had a chance. Why had she tied herself to this Panam person, when the others had not? Why was she a spirit, and not a wolf?

And this wolfwalker thing… that was new. She wasn't familiar with it. What was the difference between that and a regular werewolf?

"Do you know what the hell she's on about?" Rogue asked her, as Panam talked with her ghostly friend. "There's no one there."

"No one you can see," Ciri said.

Rogue stared at her, then to the other two. "Oh. Great. Another one."

The response surprised Ciri, but her attention returned to Panam and Robyn when she felt her Cat Amulet start rattling as the former fell back into her seat—apparently unconscious—as two golden forms jumped out of her body. In a second, Ciri had her silver sword in her hand, while Rogue and Nix had pulled out guns and were pointing them at the two wolves that now stood in front of them.

"What the hell!" Nix was the first to pull the trigger, but Ciri had been expecting that. Calling the ancient magic within her blood, she raised a magical barrier that protected both wolves, silently thanking Yennefer and Triss for all their lessons. Nix immediately turned to look at her, his eyes flashing before gasping. "She has no cyberware! How did she do that?!"

"Stop!" Ciri shouted, as Rogue pointed her gun at her too. "Stop! They won't attack… I-I think I get it now."

With a calm that was almost unnatural in this world of science and technology, Rogue sighed and forced Nix to lower his gun. "This better be good."

Ciri nodded, turning to look at the wolves. The younger wolf looked smug, and the older one was simply rolling her eyes. "These are spiritual manifestations. They're not like werewolves at all. These are still your friend Panam, and one of the wolves Sunset was looking for, Robyn."

After a moment, the wolves faded into a golden glow and receded into Panam, who jolted up in her seat, glaring at Nix. "You shot me!"

"A giant wolf came out of you!"

"Easy guys," Ciri said, chuckling. "This actually explains why Sunset wasn't able to come back to her body. The silly unicorn thought she was a werewolf."

"Arlight." Rogue spoke up, her eyebrow twitching. "I think it's time you explain everything."

Ciri glanced at Panam. "Of course, although I can only tell you what I was told."

"By this Sunset person?"

Ciri nodded. "I'm sure if she's not back yet she's busy somewhere else… but here's what I know..."


To Be Continued