Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

The neon lights of Joe’s diner flicker behind Asuka and Jackie as they step out into the chaotic, bustling streets of Night City. The sky above is a burnt orange, fading into a deep purple as evening settles in. Hovercars whiz past overhead, and the murmur of street vendors trying to hawk their wares mixes with the distant rumble of industrial machinery. Asuka stretches her arms and flexes her pink cybernetic fingers, still buzzing from the meal and the energy of the city.

Jackie wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, his ever-present grin plastered on his face as he surveys the street. "So, chica, this fight at the warehouse... how're we getting there?" he asks, leaning casually against a lamppost.

Asuka tilts her head, her sky-blue eyes narrowing as she scans the road. She throws her arms up dramatically. “Right, I guess neither of us have a ride. You know, after we finish that Militech gig, I really need to get a ride.”

Jackie raises an eyebrow, a playful grin creeping onto his face as he turns to look at her. “Wait, wait, wait... Ain't you rolling in eddies? Ripperdoc with ol’ Vik, right? Where’d all that scratch go?”

Asuka crosses her arms, her lips curling into a pout. "On my legs and hands, duh!" she says, shaking one of her gleaming, pink-metallic arms in front of him for emphasis. “These beauties weren’t cheap, choom.”

Jackie chuckles, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. “Fair enough. Guess priorities are priorities, huh? But we still gotta get to that fight.”

They both pause for a moment, glancing up and down the street, and at the rows of parked cars, none of which belong to them.

"Metro it is," Asuka finally says with a dramatic sigh, tossing her long, light-brown hair over her shoulder. Her thigh-length locks catch the last light of the setting sun, gleaming against the backdrop of Night City’s grime.

Jackie shrugs, pushing off the lamppost with his usual swagger. "Better hope it ain't packed with gonkheads tonight. C'mon, let's move."

Asuka and Jackie leaned against a pole, talking and laughing, when Asuka felt something off. A greasy-looking gonk had sidled up behind her, his hand creeping closer to her. The moment his fingers brushed her thigh, he froze, his eyes widening in horror as he realized he wasn’t touching skin.

A low, metallic swish echoed in the crowded metro as Asuka's mantis blade extended, its tip pressing threateningly against his groin.

The gonk’s face went pale, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he realized the situation. Asuka smirked, her sky-blue eyes glinting with dangerous amusement.

"Uh-uh," she said softly, her voice full of menace. "Touch me again, and you're losing more than just your pride."

The man let out a pitiful whimper, and Jackie, watching the whole scene, let out a loud laugh. The gonk, now shaking, stumbled back, his pants suddenly darkening as he pissed himself in fear. The stench hit the air as the other passengers recoiled, creating a path for him to shuffle quickly to the farthest corner of the train.

Asuka retracted her blade, a grin playing on her lips as she turned back to Jackie. He was nearly doubled over with laughter. "¡Joder! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!" he howled, clapping her on the shoulder.

Asuka couldn’t help but join in, her laughter infectious. "Guess that’s one way to clear the train."

The metro screeched to a halt in Santo Domingo, the district’s unique mix of towering megabuildings and broken-down remnants of a failed suburban dream greeting Asuka and Jackie. The air was thick with the industrial scent of nearby factories, and the oppressive skyline clashed violently with the sprawling mess below. The stark contrasts of Night City were never more obvious than here. Towering apartment blocks loomed over single-family houses that had seen better days, like giants standing over the forgotten remnants of a failed experiment in utopia.

Asuka stepped out of the metro, her cybernetic legs clinking against the cracked pavement. She let out a low whistle as she took in the scene. Rancho Coronado was its usual mix of rundown homes, crumbling sidewalks, and stray trash. The neon glow of shop signs buzzed dimly in the distance, and the murmur of machinery from the factories added an eerie undertone to the streets. Still, it wasn’t the decay that caught her eye. It was the arena in the distance—a makeshift battleground in the skeleton of an old paint factory.

The place had been hollowed out, its windows shattered long ago, and now it was filled with noise—people, lights, and the unmistakable sounds of the Animals gang hyping up the upcoming fight. The gang had turned the factory into their personal arena, where strength ruled and blood was the currency of the day.

Asuka leaned closer to Jackie as they walked, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the Animal bouncers at the entrance, their massive frames bulging with muscle. "You sure they’re gonna let us in? I mean, I doubt the Animals want a couple randos getting too close to their business," she asked, her tone light but her eyes sharp, scanning the bouncers for any hint of hostility.

Jackie grinned, flashing his signature cocky smirk. "Chica, relax. They called people here to see the fight. How could they not let us in? They want a crowd. More eyes means more cred, more eddies." He adjusted the collar of his jacket, his bravado oozing confidence. "Besides, we're not here to make trouble. We’re just here to watch some skulls get cracked."

Asuka crossed her arms, her cybernetic fingers tapping lightly against her forearm as they moved closer to the arena. "Yeah, well… these guys aren’t exactly known for their hospitality." She threw a quick glance over at Jackie. "You got a plan if they decide they don't like the look of us?"

Jackie chuckled, not missing a beat. "Plan? I got two," he said, holding up his fists, "This one’s 'hello,' and this one’s 'goodbye.'"

Asuka snorted, shaking her head. "Real smooth, Jackie. Real smooth."

They approached the entrance, where a couple of beefed-up Animals stood, arms crossed, looking down at them with suspicion. One of them, a woman with cybernetic tusks jutting out from her jaw, eyed Asuka with particular interest. “You two here for the fight?” she asked, her voice low and gravelly.

Jackie nodded, his grin never fading. “Heard you got somethin’ special goin’ on tonight. Figured we’d come take a look.”

The bouncer stared them down for a long moment, her eyes flicking from Asuka’s pink cyberlimbs to Jackie’s bulky frame. After a moment, she shrugged. “Just don’t cause any trouble. You don’t wanna see what happens when you piss off the Animals.”

Asuka smirked, leaning in to whisper to Jackie. "Wasn’t plannin’ on it. I got enough excitement for one night." She brushed her hair back, showing off the faint glint of her mantis blades.

Jackie slapped her shoulder. “C’mon, let’s grab a seat. Front row, baby. This is gonna be wild.”

Inside, the place was even more chaotic. The factory’s old assembly lines and machinery had been shoved aside to make space for a massive pit, where two fighters—both ripped to the point of almost bursting—were warming up. The crowd was a mix of street kids, off-duty gang members, and a few curious corpos slumming it for the night. Neon lights flickered overhead, casting a sickly glow over the whole scene.

Asuka and Jackie found a spot near the front, the energy in the air electric as the crowd waited for the fight to begin. Asuka leaned back, arms crossed, a satisfied smirk on her lips.

"Now this is more my speed," she said, her voice full of anticipation.

Jackie nodded, leaning forward eagerly. "Hell yeah, chica. Let’s see what these Animals are made of."

Asuka leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she took a closer look at the two fighters warming up in the pit. Her attention zeroed in on one of them—a hulking woman towering over her opponent, wielding a massive hammer. The way she moved, the sheer presence she commanded, sparked recognition in Asuka’s mind.

"Wait... is that Sasquatch?" she muttered, her voice laced with disbelief.

Jackie turned to her, eyebrows raised in surprise. "You know her?"

Asuka nodded, not taking her eyes off the ring. "Yeah, I’ve heard of her. She’s a big deal in the Animals gang. Pretty sure she’s their top enforcer—or at least close to it." While also thinking “And the future leader of the gang.”

Jackie’s grin widened as he looked back at the woman in the pit, his eyes shining with excitement. "No shit? Heard about her too. She's a rising star, chica. Most of the poor bastards that step into the ring with her get their heads turned into mush. People are sayin’ she’s gonna be the next alpha, the next leader of the Animals."

Asuka watched as Sasquatch swung her hammer with terrifying ease, testing its weight while her opponent—a man nearly as large as her—tried to hype up the crowd. It didn’t seem to matter to Sasquatch; her focus was solely on the fight ahead.

"You think she’s got what it takes?" Asuka asked, her voice steady but curious.

Jackie shrugged. "I dunno. Animals don’t just hand out leadership like candy. You gotta earn it—show you’re stronger than anyone else. But with moves like that… she’s already halfway there."

The crowd roared as the match started, and all eyes were locked on the pit. Sasquatch’s opponent came out swinging, his fists moving fast for someone his size. But Sasquatch barely flinched, sidestepping his strikes with a cold precision that only came from countless brutal brawls.

Asuka felt her pulse quicken, her cybernetic hands twitching as she watched the raw violence unfold. There was a dangerous grace to Sasquatch’s movements, the way she swung her hammer with devastating force, yet controlled enough to keep her opponent on edge.

"She’s a beast," Asuka muttered, half in awe. "No wonder people are saying she’s the next in line."

Jackie grinned, leaning in slightly. "Told you this was gonna be wild."

The fight didn’t last long. Sasquatch toyed with her opponent at first, letting him throw punches and wear himself out. But soon, it became clear she was done playing. In a single, brutal motion, she swung her hammer low, catching the man’s knee with a sickening crunch. He howled in pain, stumbling back, his leg buckling under him.

The crowd roared, sensing the end.

With a menacing grin, Sasquatch lifted her hammer high above her head. The man, now on his knees, raised his hands in a pathetic attempt to defend himself, but it was too late.

The hammer came down with a thunderous smash.

Blood sprayed across the pit as the man’s skull caved in, his body crumpling lifelessly to the ground. The crowd erupted in cheers, their cries of bloodlust filling the factory as Sasquatch stood over her fallen opponent, victorious.

Asuka winced slightly but couldn’t tear her eyes away. Sasquatch turned, her cold eyes sweeping the crowd, taking in their adulation with a detached indifference. For her, this was just another day.

Jackie let out a low whistle, impressed. "Damn. She didn’t just win—she made it look easy. Girl’s got skill."

As the fight ended and the crowd erupted in cheers, Asuka and Jackie exchanged a quick look. The brutal spectacle had lived up to the hype, but now it was time to head out. Without another word, they turned away from the bloody pit, weaving through the throngs of excited spectators, slipping back into the shadows of Santo Domingo.

The noise and chaos of the arena faded as they left, replaced by the distant hum of factories and the low buzz of passing drones.

The metro ride back was quieter, the adrenaline from earlier settling into a calm unease. Night City was always shifting, but heading back to Watson, especially Chinatown, felt like a strange kind of homecoming.

The district’s chaotic energy was palpable. Neon signs in Mandarin and Cantonese buzzed overhead, while the sounds of busy streets, merchants yelling deals, and the low hum of the Med Center filled the air. It was a part of the city that had seen better days—decades ago, Watson had aspired to be the next City Center, a place where corpos would slap down their credchips for high-end implants and indulge in expensive pleasures. Now, though, it was a district teetering between poverty and grit, where even the lowliest corpos rubbed shoulders with the homeless, and the neon glow masked the grime and decay that clung to every corner.

Still, there was something about Little China that Asuka liked. Maybe it was the food stalls with their sizzling noodles and dumplings, the tucked-away shops selling black-market gear, or the heavy mix of cultures that gave the place a unique life. She couldn’t help but feel at home here, even if it was rough around the edges.

"Home sweet home," Jackie said, adjusting his jacket as they navigated the bustling street. "Glad to be back in Watson. Santo Domingo’s cool and all, but this place? It’s got character."

Asuka nodded, her pace picking up slightly as they neared Vik’s clinic. "Yeah, and it’s a lot less… messy," she replied, dodging a couple of kids running down the narrow alley. "Plus, Vik’s place has all the best toys."