Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

The next day, Asuka found herself riding through the streets of Watson, weaving between the heavy traffic and taking in the familiar sights of Night City. Her destination today was Judy’s apartment, a stop she had been looking forward to ever since she returned. The Badlands had been one thing, but being back in the city meant reconnecting with the people she cared about, and Judy was high on that list.

She pulled her pink Yaiba Kusanagi to a stop outside the run-down building where Judy lived, the neon signs above flickering, casting a strange blue-green glow across the pavement. Asuka took a moment to take in the sight, the buzz of Night City life around her oddly comforting, before she brought up her Kiroshi HUD and called Judy.

The connection opened, and within seconds, Judy’s familiar face appeared in the corner of Asuka’s vision. Her hair was tousled, her eyes wide, and when she recognized Asuka, her face lit up with genuine relief and excitement.

“Asuka? You’re back?” Judy’s voice was bright, almost childishly happy. There was a mix of relief and surprise in her eyes, as though she’d been holding onto worry for far too long.

Asuka smiled, her heart softening at the sight of her friend. “Yeah, I’m back, chica. Why don’t you come downstairs? Got something for you.”

Judy looked curious, but she nodded, ending the call quickly. A few moments later, Asuka heard the sound of the building’s door opening, and there she was—Judy, looking fresh-faced and happy despite the rough neighborhood around them. She had her usual style, casual and relaxed, with her short hair framing her face.

The moment Judy stepped outside, Asuka closed the distance between them in a few long strides, pulling Judy into a hug—one of those hugs that Judy had come to expect from her. She wrapped her arms around Judy, holding her tight against her chest, her soft and ample curves pressing into Judy in an almost overwhelming way.

Judy let out a muffled, half-surprised sound, her face squished up against Asuka’s chest. For a brief moment, it felt good—almost too good—but then she remembered she needed to breathe. Judy pushed against Asuka slightly, her voice muffled. “Asuka... air... need air...”

Asuka laughed, her arms loosening slightly as she released Judy, her smile growing even wider. “Oops, sorry, chica. Didn’t mean to suffocate you.”

Judy pulled back, taking in a deep breath, her cheeks a little flushed. She gave Asuka a mock glare, though her lips were quirked up into a smile. “You almost killed me, you know that?” she said, trying to sound annoyed, but it was clear that she was just happy to see Asuka again.

Asuka shrugged, her grin unapologetic. “Yeah, well, consider it a love chokehold. Good to see you, Judy. Been too long.”

Judy’s smile softened, and she reached out, touching Asuka’s arm lightly, almost as if to confirm that she was really there. “I was worried, you know. You disappeared, and there were all kinds of rumors... Are you okay? What happened?”

Asuka looked into Judy's eyes, her smile turning a little more serious. “Yeah, I'm good, promise. A lot’s happened, and I wanna tell you all about it, but maybe not out here in the middle of the street, yeah?” She glanced around, the bustling traffic and occasional passerby reminding her that this wasn’t exactly the most private spot to spill everything.

Judy nodded, her curiosity clearly piqued but understanding. “My grandparents are in the apartment,” she said, her eyes darting toward the building. “They’ve been around lately, and it’s a bit crowded. So, let’s go somewhere else, yeah? Where do you want to go?”

Asuka thought for a moment, a mischievous glint in her eye. “I know just the place. Let’s go somewhere a bit more... private.” She gestured to her Yaiba Kusanagi, winking at Judy. “You up for a ride?”

Judy smiled, rolling her eyes at Asuka’s enthusiasm. “You know I can’t say no to that. Alright, let’s do it.”

They hopped onto the bike, Judy wrapping her arms around Asuka’s waist as the engine roared to life. The pink Yaiba tore away from the curb, weaving through the traffic of Watson and heading out toward the quieter outskirts of the district. The air was crisp, the sun just beginning to dip below the horizon, casting an orange-pink glow over the city.

After about fifteen minutes of riding, Asuka brought the bike to a stop in a secluded spot—a quiet, unassuming park on the edge of Northside, with a few old benches scattered around and barely any people. It was a place that had long since been abandoned by the nightlife crowd, a perfect spot for some privacy. Asuka cut the engine, stepping off and gesturing for Judy to follow.

They found a bench beneath a flickering streetlight, the hum of the city in the distance like a comforting buzz. Asuka flopped down, her body relaxed as she spread her arms out, and looked over at Judy, who settled in beside her.

“Alright, chica, you’re about to hear the best tale of survival and sheer badassery Night City’s seen in a while,” Asuka said, her grin widening as she looked at Judy.

Judy crossed her arms, smirking. “Okay, color me curious. What the hell happened to you out there?”

Asuka leaned back, her eyes glinting in the dim light. “So, Wakako called me up, right? And she’s got this corpo she needs handled—big-time guy trying to push his way into Night City. Me and Jackie took the job, but we had to go all-in on this plan. I had to pose as a doll—yeah, you heard me, a doll—and get in close.”

Judy’s eyes widened, her surprise obvious. “A doll? You, Asuka? That’s... pretty wild even for you.”

Asuka laughed, nodding. “Oh, it was. But here’s the kicker—Wakako had this special chip made just for me. I was still in control the whole time, even when I was running the doll protocol. It was pretty slick.” She leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I got in, played the part, and bam—took him out right under his guards’ noses. Didn’t even know what hit ‘em.”

Judy let out a low whistle, shaking her head. “You’re serious? You went full-on undercover, took out a corpo, and just... walked out?”

“Pretty much,” Asuka said, clearly proud of herself. “It was preem. But that’s not the end of it. Turns out, this guy was bigger than we thought. High-ranking corpo, and suddenly the whole City Center’s in lockdown. Me and Jackie had to book it out of there, barely made it through the bridge before they sealed it. It was like some gonk-ass action vid.”

Judy stared at her, part disbelief, part admiration. “That’s... intense, Asuka. And then what? You just disappeared?”

“Yeah, had to. Badlands was the only place to lay low,” Asuka said, rolling her eyes. “And let me tell you—Badlands? Not fun. It’s just sand, dust, and more sand. We did some races, took out some Raffen Shiv, but mostly, we were bored out of our minds. Couldn't go into the Nomad camps 'cause no one wanted the heat from corpos looking for us. It was like a month of just... waiting.”

Judy couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head at the mental image. “You, bored? That sounds like the worst punishment for you. But hey, you made it back.”

Asuka nodded, her grin softening slightly. “Yeah, we did. And now we’re back in the city, richer for it. Wakako paid out big—150,000 eddies for me, 100,000 for Jackie, and the same for Sasha. Gotta admit, it makes all that boredom a bit easier to swallow.”

Judy smiled, her eyes warm as she looked at Asuka. “I’m just glad you’re okay. It’s good to have you back, Asuka. It wasn’t the same without you around.”

Asuka shrugged, leaning back against the bench, her gaze drifting up to the flickering streetlight. “Feels good to be back. Night City’s dangerous as hell, but it’s home. And it’s got people I care about—like you.”

Judy looked away, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks. “Yeah, well, just... don’t make me worry like that again, alright?”

Asuka laughed, reaching over and giving Judy’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Promise. Now, how about we grab something to eat? I’m starving, and I swear if I even smell more sand, I’m gonna lose it.”

Judy chuckled, nodding as she stood up, Asuka following her lead. “Alright, alright. Let’s go get you some real food, Miss Badass Edgerunner. I want more stories, though—you’re not off the hook.”

Asuka winked at her, leading them back toward the bike. “Oh, trust me, I’ve got plenty more. Let’s roll.”

The two of them ended up in a small noodle joint tucked away in the backstreets of Watson—a place that Asuka knew served some of the best ramen, and it was just quiet enough that they could talk without the usual chaos of the city drowning out their conversation. They both took their seats at a small table, bowls of steaming hot ramen placed in front of them, the scent filling the air with a savory warmth.

As they started eating, Asuka looked across the table at Judy, her curiosity finally getting the better of her. "So, chica, enough about me. I’ve been talking non-stop about the Badlands and all the crap we went through out there. What about you? What did you do this last month while I was away?"

Judy paused, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth, then she set them down, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It wasn’t nearly as exciting as your adventure, that’s for sure. But it wasn’t all bad." She looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing, her eyes lighting up. "I spent a lot of time working on that firetruck in the scrapyard. You know, the one you helped me with a while back?"

Asuka nodded, her mouth half-full of noodles. “Yeah, I remember. How’s it coming along?”

Judy gave a small shrug, a spark of excitement in her eyes. “It’s coming along... slowly. But it’s getting there. I managed to patch up some of the engine issues, got a few parts replaced, and now it actually starts without sounding like it's about to explode,” she said, chuckling. “I’m still not sure what I’m gonna do with it once it’s finished, but it’s been fun—kinda like my little project, y’know?”

Asuka grinned, leaning back in her seat. “Hey, sometimes it’s not about what you do with it in the end—it’s the fun you have getting there. Besides, that thing’s gonna be a beast when it’s up and running. You’ll have the coolest firetruck in Night City.”

Judy laughed, shaking her head. “Yeah, yeah, maybe. But aside from the firetruck, I’ve also been working on some other stuff.” Her expression softened slightly, her eyes growing distant as she spoke. “I’ve been tinkering with virtues a lot more lately. You know, trying to make something new. I’ve always loved BD’s the whole process of creating them, of letting someone else experience what you see, what you feel. It’s just... different, y’know?”

Asuka nodded, listening intently. She could hear the passion in Judy's voice as she spoke about brain dances, the way her eyes lit up as she described it. It was clear that this was something Judy loved, something that meant more to her than just a hobby.

Judy continued, her gaze drifting to the steam rising from her bowl. “It’s not just about recording something exciting—it’s about capturing the emotion. There’s this one I’ve been working on, kind of a... memory of mine, but enhanced, with extra layers, trying to capture more than just what happened. It’s like, when you make a BD, you can show someone more than just images—you can let them really feel what it’s like to be there.”

Asuka watched her, a warm smile growing on her face. “Sounds like it’s something you’re really into. I get it. And I think it’s awesome that you’re diving into it headfirst. I mean, there’s a lot of joy in letting people see what you see, feel what you feel. That kind of connection, it’s rare in this city.”

Judy glanced at Asuka, her expression softening, her eyes glistening with something that almost looked like hope. “Yeah, exactly. It’s like... I want people to understand. To feel what it’s like to have those moments that mean something, even if just for a few seconds. And if I can make something like that, then maybe I can make a difference. Maybe it’s not much, but it’s something.”

Asuka nodded slowly, her voice gentle. “That’s more than a lot of people can say, Judy. Most folks in Night City are just out for themselves, looking for the next thrill, the next score. What you’re doing—putting your heart into something, wanting to share it—that’s real.”

Judy smiled, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “Thanks, Asuka. It’s not much, but... it’s what I love. And hey, maybe one day I’ll get you to test one of these out. Give you a glimpse into the world as I see it.”

Asuka grinned, leaning in slightly, her eyes glinting. “Oh, you know I’m game for that.”