The woman jumps up to the other side, startled. She rubs her eyes to clear her drowsy eyes before looking at the figure.
"Hi there," the figure says.
"Who are you?" asks the woman, now able to fully make out the figure, a female pilot stands beyond the window.
"I was asked to come here by a fellow pilot. He told me that there is a passenger waiting to go to the Rope. That would be you, yes?" she questions.
Hesitant, the woman pauses before responding, "Yeah, that would be me."
"He explained the situation to me briefly and requested that I escort you to the Rope because it seems to him that his current task might take longer than expected."
"Understood. Can you take me to the Rope, then?"
"Of course," says the pilot as she raises her hand and a seal shaped into a Rope forms at the palm. She places her hand at the window and the glass enclosure slowly starts to rise.
"No, don't open─ stay closed!" the woman sitting inside the plane shouts suddenly.
Taken aback, the female pilot slips and falls back, causing the glass enclosure to close again.
"What? Why?" she asks, blinking up at the woman inside the plane, bewildered.
"I don't think I should get out of here . . . I fear I might walk back in there," says the woman gesturing towards the Castle doors.
"I see, what do you suggest we do in that case?" asks the female pilot.
"Can you get into the pilot's seat and drive this plane instead?"
The female pilot sighs, shaking her head, "That is not possible, a pilot can only drive their own plane. The only reason I am able to open this glass enclosure is due to the seal your pilot gave me."
"Maybe I should contact him?" suggests the woman.
"Whatever for? He will not leave this place until he asks the person he came with if he wants to go to the Rope or not. It's his duty."
"Well, any ideas then?"
"How about you go to sleep? I can pick you up and carry you to my plane while you're asleep. By the time you wake up, we will already be on our way out of here."
"That sounds doable, let's try it out!" the woman gets comfortable on the couch once again.
"Alright, I'll wait here," says the female pilot, perching on the wing of the plane.
. . .
"Can you tell me more about the Rope?" asks the woman after a peaceful silence.
With her head resting on the glass enclosure and her eyes looking around at the planes of her fellow pilots, the female pilot begins, "It is a temporary place to reside in and has most of the facilities that this place has with the restriction of just a few and some being non-existent altogether. The community is just living there waiting for the day of the Rising."
"The Rising? Is that when the Rope goes up and takes everyone on it along with it?" questions the woman.
"Yes," the female pilot nods in confirmation.
"And when will the Rising take place?"
"None of the pilots know. All we know is that we will be informed when it does so that we can head back."
"I see. How much do pilots know? I have always wondered what the life of a pilot is like."
The pilot chuckles, "Shouldn't you be trying to sleep?"
". . . I can't," says the woman.
Conflicting thoughts occupy her mind once again, feeling as if every part of her is driving her mad, begging her to go back inside the Castle. Her left leg shakes continuously, every passing second results in her heartbeat rising and the mental strain finally pushes her to the limit.
On one hand, the urge to go back is powering her, and on the other, her will is overcoming that urge. She feels mentally exhausted switching between the two states continually. Her eyes water as she feels her heart about to burst.
"Win."
A voice cuts through her thoughts, bringing her back to reality, she struggles to breathe as she looks at the female pilot.
"I don't know what you are going through. But I can tell that you are struggling. All I can do is be here and provide you with words. So, overcome it and, win," she says.
"I know we haven't known each other for long but can you do me a favor?" asks the woman, trying not to scream out in anguish.
"What is it?"
"Never, and I mean never, let me or leave me to go back in there. No matter the measures you have to take."
"I don't think−"
"Please. It will be temporarily," interrupts the woman.
The female pilot stares at her, "I promise. I want you to promise me to win in return."
The woman laughs, "You can count on it."
"Try your best. This is your war. I won't physically interfere unless I find it necessary."
The woman feels her mind relaxing as she finally calms down.
. . .
The female pilot keeps checking up on the woman occasionally, helping her with whatever she can.
After five days, her wait comes to an end.
The female pilot stands up, looking at the woman.
You finally pulled it off.
The female pilot uses the seal to open the glass enclosure. She lifts the woman gently and jumps off the plane. The instant she is off the plane, the Castle gates behind her creak open.
Confused, the female pilot looks at the gates with wide eyes, wondering what is happening.
She sees a small army holding weapons she knows are called guns.
"Finally! It took long enough," exclaims the person standing at the front. As the figure advances towards them, it becomes clearer who they are. The female pilot notices his suit, and his handsome face.
He halts and pulls out a gun, shooting at the female pilot without hesitation.
The sound of the shot echoes through the place as the bullet flies towards the pilot. But a different sound dominates instantly; lightning. It terrifies everyone present.
The female pilot's body is electrified. All the man in the suit sees right after is the bolt of lightning moving towards the side. He sees that she is now a safe distance away from her original location and only two things fill his mind as he grins.
Marvelous, I knew this was not going to be easy.
He glances at the woman in the female pilot's arms.
Time to wake up, love.