Perhaps one day you would like to visit our city...
The words echoed tranluscently while the immeasureability of time crept by in the simulation. A lone warrior she seemed these days, lurking for endless hours upon the Vauxton turf--watching without seeing, sensing and hearing--these territorial, roaming exiles would no longer get the best of her, she would see to that. Day after day, hour after hour--she spent her time there, in safe distance, observing her newfound enemies. One of the gang members broke away from the others, crossing an imaginary line in Wolfess' mind. She crept forward and steadied her silenced rifle, pausing for further judgement of the target's location. She closed her eyes, though it wouldn't have mattered, but instinct instructed her to do so in concentration. She listened, body still and breathing hushed. Her focus sharp, the scuff of her target's boots clarifying in her ears. She exhaled slowly, directing the gun toward the noise--kkreee--her bullet wailed out into the still air. A well trained sniper would had scoffed at her attempt, but she was trying her very best. Dispite her use of a silenced gun, the bullet broke the silence, attracting the attention of both her target and two of his friends.
****.
She couldn't jump away, and there was nowhere she could run without confrontation with a staircase. With a huff of fury she stood and fought, knowing she couldn't defeat them. Bullets came at her from three directions at once, confusing her judgement. Her shots became wild and desperate, all the while attempting to put the pain of burning lead to ease.
It isn't real. It isn't real. It can't hurt me.
It seemed real enough. She went down in agony, each bullet sizzling into her flesh. Blackness overcame the white of her sight, and she collapsed onto the hard pavement.
- - - -
She awoke in color, as much color as there could be on a dark ship in the lifeless Real. Her chest was heaving as the jack was jerked away from her head with mechanical indifference. She sat up slowly, taking in gulps of air as her eyes squinted--her mind slow to adjust to the sudden renewal of sight. Still panting and shaking like a lowly beaten dog, she lay for a moment, muscles twitching involentarily. Finally, her eyes adjusted and her gaze met the lapis lazuli eyes of her wolf-headed cane. It stared with blunt intensity, as if scolding her of her poor combat skills.
Sorry, friend. I tried.
She smiled appologeticly and swung her good leg onto the floor, bracing her palm against the head of the chair as she carefully lowered her other leg. It wasn't an issue of pain, but sheer stiffness. From that "leap of faith" that brought her to this reality, she was partially paralyzed on her right side.
She shifted her left leg and reached for her cane, which lay in waiting on the side table. It greeted her in glum silence, and she gave one of its silver ears a little kiss before lowering the tip to the ground. She released her other hand from the chair and relied on her familiar tool for balance instead.
Months ago, she would have been appauled at the idea of letting someone see her in this condition. However, after being inflicted with a sudden blindness that she prayed was temporary, she felt that her image in the Real was now her better half.
Today is the day I will go.
She gradually made her way to the front of the small ship, settling into the pilot's chair. She stared at the controls blankly for a moment before remembering a piece of paper in her pocket. She fished out the folded slip and held it with one hand, returning her other hand to the keyboard. She glanced between the paper and the screen, careful not to make an error in her co-ordinates. She placed the paper on the dash and engaged the autopilot. The small engine of the Domus coughed to life and electricity jumped the exterior pads. Wolfess checked behind her, just to make sure no one was nearby, before announcing:
Whee.
- - - -
Several hours later her enthusiasm fizzled away and she conjured up a few bleak poems to pass the time. Eventually, she fell asleep with the notebook in her lap. Time lapsed more quickly then, until she was awoken by the chirp of the navigation system. She yawned into her hand before noticing the notebook, and tucking that away underneath the chair. She leaned up straighter and flipped a few switches on the control panel, at least pretending to know what she was doing. Finally she found the broadcast switch and leaned into the microphone, as her ship hovered into view of the domain.
Captain Wolfess of the Lupus Domus.. requesting access to the City--Abaddon.
