The Wolf of the Wastelands (Wolfwalkers/Cyberpunk 2077)
Sunset's Isekai
The Wolf of the Wastelands (Wolfwalkers/Cyberpunk 2077)
By Wanderer D
Panam emerged from her tent with her backpack ready. What she wasn't ready for, was… well, everything else. The vehicles, tents, food, people… there was a sort of additional level awareness that she hadn't had before. Where people walked, they left behind a unique trail… a scent, but it wasn't just a smell, it had much more nuance to it. It was as if a whole bunch of characteristic and unique smells combined together to give her a mental image of who the person was.
"I know it's scary, at first," Robyn spoke up, and Panam resisted the urge to turn to look at her. "When I was bit," the English girl continued, "I didn't have anyone to explain to me what was happening. Why suddenly I could… sense so much more than before. Don't worry. I will do my best to explain and help you… and for what it's worth… I'm sorry."
Panam bit her lip from voicing her thoughts about the apology. If anything, that proved that this was very different compared to V's experience, since Robyn could seemingly only hear her when she spoke aloud. Instead, she marched over to the customized Sidewinder Mitch had prepped for her and threw her things in the trunk.
It didn't take long for Mitch and a few others to gather 'round. "Alright guys, I'll be out for a few days. I've heard Militech border prison has been seeing some Wraith activity, so I'll be keeping an eye on them."
"Alright, make sure you keep radio contact like we discussed," Mitch spoke up, his look making it clear to Panam that convincing everyone to let her go on her own had taken some doing. But Mitch was reliable that way, and Panam was known to go on her own occasionally.
"You know me," Panam responded in turn waving as she climbed into the car. She pretended not to hear the 'that's what I'm afraid of' that came from more than one person around her. They knew her too well.
"So what is this thing?"
She jumped and fought the flush in her cheeks. She had forgotten about the girl. "What, you've never seen a car?"
"No, we don't have them back home," Robyn answered. "We have carts, but those are drawn by horses. They were also wood. This is made of metal and looks really heavy."
"Horses?" Panam asked, shaking her head. "Where the hell did you come from? I don't think there's any place in the world that draws carts with horses anymore."
"I'm originally from England," Robyn replied, "but recently moved with my father and my best friend Mebh and her mother to Aisling's Forest."
Panam sighed. "Right." She started the Sidewinder and hit the accelerator, taking secret pleasure in the scream the girl released when the car started its bumpy travel, with the young ghost girl hanging on for dear life to her seat.
A few minutes later, she was out of Aldecaldo territory and driving through the wastelands, bouncing on the occasional rock and enjoying the relative silence once Robyn had calmed down. Sure, being a Solo hadn't done much for her, but the times she had been out here away from both the City and other duties were too far and in between for her liking.
The girl had since stuck her nose to the window and was watching the world pass by with utter fascination, and Panam took the time to glance at her as she drove, studying her a bit more. It was obvious that her clothing wasn't any of the synthetic crap they had in the city. It was a hand-made leather and cloth set with a green cape with a hood that really looked like it was out of one of those old cartoons she had watched occasionally when she was a kid and Saul would let them hook the tvs to the local network.
"So why are you here?" she asked after enough time had passed for her to start getting bored. "I don't believe you suddenly decided that you wanted to haunt me."
Robyn sat back and looked down at her hands, which she had folded on top of her lap. She looked so miserable Panam almost wanted to smack the back of her head and tell her to cheer up.
"My father, Mebh, and Moll were all captured and dragged out of my world by some unknown creature," Robyn said eventually. "I was barely saved by Aisling… and she told me not to try and rescue them but…"
Panam grimaced. "I understand." When Robyn looked up at her in surprise, she shrugged. "Family comes first. That's what we Aldecaldos are all about. Family. We might not be related by blood, but we grew up together, fight together, live together, travel together… we're a big, strong family, and we all would do everything for one of our own." She smirked. "Even take on a Mega Corporation for their sake."
"Mega Corporation?" Robyn asked.
"I'm kind of jealous," Panam said with a low chuckle. "It's… like a business that has become so big it controls land, people, economy, technology… everything they can get their hands on, which is why we Nomads stay away from them as much as possible. We enjoy the freedom of being ourselves instead of numbers in some Corpo scheme."
"I sort of get it," Robyn said. "Back home… my father and I had just moved to Ireland, and we were working for the Lord Protector. But he wanted to destroy the forest, kill all the wolves, and control everything. He wouldn't even let me go hunting with my father, and forced me to work as a maid in the castle."
"That sounds like being drafted into an office job in Arasaka."
"If it's as dull as moping all day after a bunch of soldiers with muddy boots marched through the castle, then yes."
Panam smirked. "Yeah. It's something like that."
"Anyway," Robyn continued, now sporting a small smile of her own, "while I was there I met Mebh, and she bit me by accident so… oh." She visibly shrunk in her seat, making Panam frown.
"You mentioned that you had bitten me," she said, lifting her injured hand from the wheel for a moment. "What was that all about? I don't remember you biting me. It was some sort of dog."
"A wolf, thank you very much!" Robyn said, glaring at her before once again looking away guiltily. "But. Um, yes. I did indeed bite your hand. When I came through to this world I was still a wolf, you see."
Panam's eyes narrowed. "Are you a werewolf? Because I'll have you know those things don't exist."
"Of course not."
"Then—"
"I'm a Wolfwalker. Big difference."
Panam sighed and took a deep breath. She could see the old abandoned cabin she had decided to camp out at. It was the same that she and V had not so long ago hidden at from the Wraiths with Saul. "So what does that mean?" she asked as she slowed down and pulled to a full stop in front of the cabin.
They both got out of the car—with Robyn simply hopping off as if there was no door—and she began taking her things inside.
"Well, I'm not sure if it will work exactly the same," Robyn began, "but Wolfwalkers turn into wolves when we sleep. Moll taught me that we leave our bodies behind, and our spirit forms take physical shape."
Panam didn't say anything as she took out the last of her equipment, she then proceeded to cover her Sidewinder with a camouflaged tent. "And you think this will happen to me?" she finally asked when she was done with that. She turned to face Robyn, who shifted in place with worry.
"I hope not!" Robyn admitted. "I truly think it is the most wonderful thing but… we have to be careful about not biting others and turning them into wolfwalkers. It doesn't happen every time… Moll said that we need to want it for it to happen for sure. But I can't be sure. I don't think Mebh wanted to change me, but… she did."
Panam took a deep breath. "Okay… and how will I know that I'm a wolfwalker?"
"Well… I'll keep watch over you tonight," Robyn said falling into place behind Panam as she walked into the cabin. "If you're turning, you might start seeing weird things, sensing things that you didn't before. Even seeing with your nose."
"Scent trails…" Panam muttered sitting down in the old sofa across from the door. "Smokey shapes and images of people I know…"
"Oh."
"Yeah," Panam agreed, cursing under her breath. "Is there a way to stop it?"
"Not as I am," Robyn replied. "Maybe Moll or Mebh might know a way."
"Right. Your mum and sister."
Robyn looked startled at that thought, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded with an adorable little smile.
Panam snorted and leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling in silence for a moment. "F—" she let the swear word die in her lips when she glanced at the girl. She cleared her throat. "Right. And they were captured and brought here?"
"Yes." Robyn nodded.
"Well then," Panam leaned forward. "Let's talk about how we can get them back."
To be Continued
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Good gracious me, it's a fine bit of luck that this all went down well and clear away from Night City, can't imagine suddenly acquiring that sort of olfactory perception in the middle of that mess. Probably end up running to a ripperdoc to get your nose re-tuned or summat...
Hmmm... I wonder... will the Wolfwalker ability change according to the world it in?
There are more things in heavens and earths, Panam, then are dreamt of in your philosophy. And that is a very deliberate plural.
10628803
I can't help but imagine what cyberpsychosis does to a spirit form. I doubt it would be pretty...
http://animereviews.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Konata-is-Hyped.jpg
Need I say more?
Down in Night City there are horrors like Chrinos Glasswalker Cyberdogs, that survive.
Yeah, obviously it wasn't going to be as simple as just finding each other after being scattered; Sunset's magical bar would make that too easy.
Hightened senses and the ability to maintain a form of consciousness while sleeping. I'm not seeing a downside here.
10628978
Yeah, it sounds exclusively beneficial doesn't it?
Hah. Look at Panam, being conscious of her audience
Ooh, this is getting interesting.
I imagine a werewolf is what you get when a female Wolfwalker in wolf form indulges in her "wild side" too much with some male wolves
Finally, she asks!
Um. Didn't the chapter start with Robyn recognising that Panam was noticing that stuff?
Remarks and corrections:
> as dull as moping all day
That should be "mopping", I assume? Though I admit she did the other thing too
Well it looks like this arc isn't going to be short
Good chapter, overall. Ah, to be in such unfamiliar lands.
10629135
I'm just going to assume she forgot
To celebrate the new chapter with a Twitch clip I've made that is the most viewed of the channel *flex*
https://clips.twitch.tv/DaintyDreamyEndiveLeeroyJenkins
Chapter that, like the others, I won'r read because I took you to your advice and more than just nursing the story, I'm waiting for it to be complete, then I'll read it (not like the 5 first chapters at once ofc).
10628776
It might not actually be a problem. Night City is a megalopolis, and it is well-known that in any megalopolis, all you can smell all day, every day, everywhere, is sour milk. (This is one reason why I don't take my dogs into the city; they would never talk to me again)