Sunset's Isekai
Breaking In (Wolfwalkers/Cyberpunk 2077)
By Wanderer D
Consciousness slowly returned, and with it the feeling of something wrapped around her muzzle. Sunset growled, shifting a little to get more comfortable, and batting at the thing with her paw. Unfortunately the thing did not actually fall off, and it was starting to feel a bit too constrictive.
Which was too bad, because she really wanted to yawn and, well, the thing was trying to stop that. Her memory felt a bit fuzzy. She was a wolf, and there were other wolves and humans around. Was she back in Zootopia? Anima City? Zou?
She sighed and yawned, unable to restrain her need to do so. Her muzzle strained whatever was holding it closed until, with the sound of twisting metal, something snapped and clanked on the floor below her. She ignored it for now, simply yawning, before licking her chops with her tongue and blinking away the sleep.
Across from her, two large adult wolves stood between her and a younger wolf, all staring wide-eyed at her. It was then that she noticed that they were in a cage and the rest of the night came back to her.
"Oh," she said, studying the cage around her with mild interest, before turning to look at the others. As previously, the scent came across at the same time as her other senses, but stronger and somehow drawing a picture of two human adults, male and female, and a young girl. "I guess I found you."
"How did you do that?!" the male wolf asked, just as the young wolf grinned excitedly.
Sunset sat down, tilting her head curiously. "Do what?"
"Break that muzzle!" the young wolf asked, eagerly running from between the legs of her parents to sniff at the piece of thick discarded metal. "Ye had this thing wrapped around yer head and ye just snapped it! It was wicked!"
"Mebh!" the female wolf growled, looking back at Sunset with some wariness. "We could have crushed it between our teeth. Our jaws and fangs are magically enhanced by our will… we can break through steel sometimes, if we have enough magic around us but here… the magic here is different."
Sunset chuckled, "It's okay. I'm sorry, I sort of forgot I was supposed to be a normal-ish wolf…" she pawed the metal muzzle on the floor, turning it this way and that. "Well, I'm glad I took it off anyway, this would have given me a shock, see?" She stood up and stretched, wiggling her paws as she righted up and approached the bars.
"Careful!" Mebh warned. "It has some sort of spell that shocks ye if you touch it! It hurts!"
"Electrified," Sunset muttered nodding to the young wolf. "Thanks for the warning."
"Ye still haven't answered our question," the older female wolf said. "How did ye break the muzzle? Can ye sense the magic of this world?"
Sunset sighed, slowly pacing around the cage, sniffing it and keeping an eye for any details that might help. "There's not much. This world has been stripped of most natural resources, and it abandoned the magical and spiritual side long ago. I'm just… I've been around for a while. I have a lot of magic within me."
"So, does this mean that ye didn't meet Robyn?" Mehb asked, her ears drooping. "I thought ye'd be bitten by her and that's why ye're a wolkwalker now."
Sunset stopped. "Bitten... " her eyes narrowed. "Rarity. So that's what she meant." She shook her head, muttering under her breath before slowing down and taking a deep breath. "Yes, I met Robyn, although she did not bite me. I met her and Aisling in your original world."
"Aisling?" the male wolf asked, stepping forth. "Someone else was there?"
"I guess you don't know her." Sunset sat down again. "She's a fae that lives in the forest you went to. She saved Robyn from getting caught by the magic there, but I'm sorry to say that as soon as she got the chance, she jumped through. I came here after her in order to get you back home."
"That's soooo like Robyn," Mebh said, giggling. She rolled on her back, stretching. "She's definitely one to get into trouble just to rescue us."
"And causing more trouble," the male wolf sighed, then smiled. "But that is our Robyn. I am Bill, and this is Moll. You already met Mebh."
"Sunset Shimmer," Sunset replied, nodding and wagging her tail. She glanced over at the bars. "My friends should have found out I was gone by now, so they'll probably be here soon. I didn't find any other scent around the city but yours, so Robyn is probably on the outside."
"Can't you break us out?" Mebh asked, rolling onto her stomach.
"Yeah, but for now I want to find out a little bit more before we escape," Sunset replied, turning to glance at the other three wolves. "In this world without magic… it is highly unusual that these guys would have known you'd be appearing where you did, or at least be close enough and ready to capture wolves."
"What do you mean?" Moll asked.
"Well..." Sunset started pacing in the cage, "This place has no magic whatsoever, right? Other than my friend Ciri and the elf Avallac'h I haven't found any other traces of it. So why would there be magical tentacles dragging you here? Could it be that Night City was built on top of an ancient burial site for lost, malevolent, primordial gods?"
She shrugged, her tail thumping on the floor as her smile grew.
"You're having fun?" Moll asked, incredulous.
"I mean, I haven't been captured in centuries!" Sunset said with a laugh. "Besides, the lost-god-cemetery scenario happens a lot more often than you might think, and Night City has some really shady blurs between reality and cyberspace. Maybe they didn't have any gods before but they surely do now…" She stood and shook her coat, trotting over to the edge of the cage and peering out, as if trying to see the supposed creatures. "Entities just at the edge of consciousness that have evolved past the understanding of their creators, operating behind the scenes, controlling this world unbeknownst to the poor humans that think they're the ones in charge."
"Wow." Mehb jumped up and down while the other two wolfwalkers stared in horror at Sunset. "That sounds fun! And I didn't understand a word ye said!"
Sunset laughed. "And that's alright too." She turned to the cage, running her paw up and down the bars gently while sparks flew around her for a few moments before she walked away and sat down facing them. "But, enough about me and creatures from beyond. Why don't you tell me about yourselves?"
"This is what I have," Rogue said, sliding the shard into the holoprojector she had sent Nix to get in order for her non-chipped guests to be able to see what was happening. The projector presented them with several files and video stills, which she selected. "Nix had to spend a few hours playing cat and mouse with our Maelstrom friends in order to secure this video, so make sure you show some appreciation."
Robyn watched in awe as what she had thought of extremely good drawings turned out to be actual images of events that had happened.
"Four nights ago—"
"Wait, four?" Panam asked, glancing at Robyn, "but Robyn here hasn't been in this world that long."
"Interdimensional travel doesn't always respect the time-space frequency of the origin world," Ciri explained. "The few minutes between when Robyn's pack was captured in her world, and her decision to jump in was enough for several hours here to have passed. It's the same properties that allow Sunset's Bar to manifest at any point in space-time regardless of the time allocation in either location."
"Yeah." Nix nodded. "Yeah, I definitely understood that."
"He's pretty smart," Robyn confided to Panam. "I honestly didn't follow any of it."
"He is smart," Panam responded, stage whispering to her. "But he's also being sarcastic."
Nix shot her a smile and touched his chest. "Panam, you wound me."
"In any case," Rogue spoke up, raising her voice just enough to get their attention back on her, "this happened four nights ago."
Everyone watched as the video showed a three-dimensional scene of a loading area outside of a factory of some sort, with Robyn—invisible to all but Panam and Ciri—leaned in eagerly trying to touch it before remembering she was essentially a ghost.
"This is in Northside, near the docks," Rouge said, bringing up a map of the city which hovered above the 3D map, zoomed in and focused on the area, with a small light blue square appearing on the location itself. "Most of this area is Maelstrom haunts, with the All Foods Plant that V took down South East by a few blocks. As you can see, everything seemed normal… until this happened."
The camera showed… something. A dark thick line that somehow managed to look three-dimensional and not. Out of it, long, snake-like tentacles unfolded dropping off three wolves like sacks of potatoes. They didn't stay long that way, however, quickly jumping to all fours and backing up against each other as they took in the sights and scents around them.
Robyn couldn't hear what they were saying, but Moll had barked instructions and Mebh and her father had quickly prepared themselves as several humans… the infamous Maelstrom group if she had to guess, emerged from hiding around them.
It didn't take long for the others to get ready to fight, but the severely deformed people shot several smoking things at them. By the time the air cleared, all three were on the floor, unconscious. Then a car had brought in a large cage, and the three wolves had been dragged into it, before it drove away.
"I don't like this," Ciri said, glancing at Rogue, who smirked and nodded, seemingly catching on to what Ciri had seen.
Robyn glanced at Panam, who also was shaking her head. The older wolfwaker looked at her and sighed. "Besides the point that interdimensional tentacles exist outside of anime Brain Dances—which is disturbing enough as it is—I'm guessing that Ciri here caught as well that Maelstrom seemed to be waiting for your family."
Ciri nodded.
"Indeed," Rogue said, "which is why we're doing this here in this isolated room, away from any prying ears or eyes." She cleared her throat, glaring at Panam briefly. "Not even taking into account unexpected, sudden transformations."
"Spiritual projections," Ciri corrected.
"Whatever they are," Rogue continued. "The fact that they were ready for Robyn's family means that, not only are they familiar with the magical event and likely to have done this kind of thing before, but they might have backup plans of some sort." She smirked. "However, as long as they behave like Maelstrom, we should be able to overwhelm them with a proper plan."
Robyn glanced from the underside of the highway overlooking the factory area down below. "Ooh… I don't like this."
She had never been so high up in her life, and yet, even knowing that the buildings further down into the city were even taller, did little to assuage her nerves. It didn't matter that she was essentially a ghost at the moment either, since she didn't know what would happen to her should Panam fall off the edge she had nested at with what she called a 'sniper' rifle.
"Don't worry," Panam said, "with these boots Rogue gave me, we should be able to just land safely even if we fell from up here."
"Yes. You did mention that," Robyn replied tersely, "but I'd rather just walk. Even if it takes a little longer."
Panam chuckled. "We don't have time, the operation is starting." She raised her rifle and motioned with her head for Robyn to get close enough to peek through the sights. She gasped at how clearly she could see the people down so far away, almost as if they were just a few feet away from her, before Panam took full possession of the sight and Robyn had to content herself with watching from the distance.
"Okay," Nix said, his eyes glowing blue as his consciousness stretched into the computer systems of the warehouse, "I'm in. I've got the cameras here… and oh, here are some of our friends…"
Ciri narrowed her eyes as a small patrol of Maelstrom gang members rounded a corner. As soon as they were out of sight from the rest of the building, one of them started short-circuiting. The others barely had a second to react before they too fried on the spot, with the entire group collapsing into a pile of smoking flesh and tech.
"They need better firewalls," Nix said in response to her raised eyebrow. "Now, go, it's only a matter of time before they catch on and the internal systems of the factory are on a completely different network entirely. I'll be able to help you get in, but after that, it's all you."
"Joy." Ciri could hear the unspoken challenge from the hacker, so she smirked and disappeared in a silver flash, reappearing hiding behind some crates. She could hear Nix swearing on the headpiece and chuckled to herself as she allowed herself to fall into the practiced-art of sneaking around. She walked under some crates, stopping immediately when she sensed, then saw the Maelstrom guard walking on top of the roof right next to her.
A small wet sound and a thunk were followed by Panam's voice. "Got him."
Ciri took a deep breath and silently thanked the fates that her own world didn't have weapons like these yet. It was probably a matter of time, but she had centuries, if not thousands of years before that came to happen.
She snuck closer to the factory.
"I see an open window on the second floor on the east side if you can make it," Panam offered from the radio.
"Main door only has two guards outside which I can take out for you if you want," Nix added, "but that way is guaranteed to get all their attention on you. I know you're good, but how good are you at dodging bullets?"
"Not something I wish to find out," Ciri said, opting to stick to the wall and moving alongside it. "There's the cargo elevator Rogue showed us in the map, and it's active... I can probably sneak in that way."
"I see it," Nix said, "but activating it will draw a lot of attention when you start it up."
"Can't be helped," Ciri looked up at the second floor, then down at the elevator platform. "I think we should go for plan C, I can see traces of the wolves being here, and judging by how this looks, it probably goes further down than we thought."
"Plan C it is," Rogue's voice came from the radio. "Panam you and Robyn join Nix. Nix, get the van ready, but stay put in case we need quick hacks. Ciri, as soon as you three are in position, give me the signal."
Ciri smirked. "Roger that. I think it's time we really made whoever is behind this... pay."
To be Concluded
Well at least Sunset's having fun
Ah, this is getting complicated. Now to see if they complicate each other's plans.
Dot's always a hoot.
Luna: Sister, your daughter seemed to have fun at the idea of being capture. What did you teach her anyway?
Celestia: Well, she really like challenge, so sometimes I sent her to some ancient tombs as exercise exams. A couple times she was captured by natives or traps and I had to go bail her out. It was a nice change of pace comparing to the usual Day Court.
Luna: Somehow I have a feeling that was your true aim of those 'exams'.
Been loving this mix of worlds, especially these 3 (mostly WolfWalkers & Cyberpunk; never could get into The Witcher myself). Though, I do wonder... The Dragon Ball Z universe has been hinted at a time or two. Think we'll ever get to see some interaction there? Maybe even just Goku & Vegeta coming by the bar for a visit? I could pretty much guess how Goku would be around Sunset, but Vegeta... For some reason, I'm REALLY curious about how he'd interact with her even if it feels like I could guess him just as easily as Goku.
Hmm... or maybe G.I.T.S.
Magnificent as always. A One Piece chapter could be cool btw
10718661
Now I have this image of Major Kusanagi being dragged into a bar by Batou in the middle of a gunfight. He props her up on a table, and tries to stick his head out the door again, but it doesn't open. The gunfire is also mysteriously absent. Behind him, he hears the Major's cyberbody open up, and looks back to see a redheaded bartender tsk'ing as she pulls out a badly damaged power core, and swaps it with something half tech and half glowing crystal.
The whole thing buttons back up, and the redhead leans back to smirk at Batou as Kusanagi's systems start to power up. "This... should be interesting..."
I love the mental sound of that headshot.
10718729
Not gonna lie...but that sounds pretty bad. Not to mention that's not how prosthetic bodies in GITS works without extensive and expensive modifications.
But speaking of cyberbodies, I will admit I'm surprised noone's arms have popped open to reveal mantis blades yet.
hopefully we get to overwatch.
Ha ha love the casualness of that
10718900
Huh. Well, not every idea I come up with is a good one. :)
Sunset could be having even more fun.
She could be running Omega Psyker Aura.
I feel like we’re drifting into a different TTRPG.
Nice buildup to the big climax. Looking forward to the crap hitting the fan.
Someday, you're going to get called out on the fact that there isn't a distinction there.
Between the fact that they're more machine than man and Sunset's supposition earlier, this is bordering on dramatic irony.
10718729
I could also see Togusa being the one to find the bar.
Have to say, thought this story arch would have finished 3 chapters ago, but the finale looks like its going to be interesting. Maybe a digimon is involved
Oh, this should be a fun conclusion. :D
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Wow. Now I'm seeing the the story end with Sunset arriving post-mission in a quiet, unassuming version of Tokyo, and kicking back on the outside patio with a cool, relaxing wine... which is totally disrupted when a giant explosion down the street heralds a two-story wolf racing past her. Moments later, three kids with what look like a miniature red dinosaur, a yellow kitsune, and an adorable green and white teddy bear round the corner and dash after it while a handful of kids and their creatures cheer them on.
Sunset looks at the carnage, then at her drink. Deliberately downs it in one go, and stands up. "I need another before I do this again..."
10719496
Well it really does make sense, a digital creature, having evolved past the understanding of its creators is trying to restore the spiritual, magical side of the world. Why? For its own benefit, by doing so the digimon could spread out its influence and acquire more power. Digimon living in a cyberpunk world where reality can blur between the real and digital is a preferable habitat.
10720055
I wonder if D read that and kicked himself for not thinking of that crossover.
She just yawned off a muzzle made of metal. Holy crap
Remarks and corrections:
You got some "Rouge" in between your "Rogue".
It's a small thing , but this line REALLY sold the characters of Sunset and Mebh in this chapter for me... Something about this one line (and Sunset's response) made them both feel way more real to me!
Is it wrong that I want to see Lena but in on this arc or the next arc? I'm obsessed with ducktales and want more Lena damn it.
10727815 Lena is always a good thing! I can tell you we'll see more of her soon.
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Lena is one of my favorite DuckTales characters a love any kind of story that she plays a big part in. She's Sunset's student so I honestly feel she should have bigger roles in the adventures. Sorry kinda obsessed. Kinda want her to have her badass moment of awesome like the timestop thing.