Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

A few days had passed, and Asuka found herself hanging out with Judy at their latest accomplishment—the fire truck that they had been restoring for what felt like forever. It was finally finished, every detail polished, every ounce of rust scrubbed clean, and now it looked ready for action. Judy had a proud smile on her face, admiring the old truck turned into something new.

Asuka, always playful, pulled out a small figurine. It was one of the more suggestive ones she had taken from the creepy admirer’s hideout—a detailed model of herself, posed in a sexy stance, one hand on her hip, the other giving a peace sign while wearing little clothing.

"Hey, Judy," Asuka said, with a mischievous grin, holding out the figurine. "Got a little something for ya. Thought you'd like a memento."

Judy blinked, looking at the figurine, her eyes widening in surprise. She took it in her hands, her face going a bit red, but there was a little smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You serious? This... is actually kinda cool. Weird, but cool." She turned it in her hand, her eyes shining with a mix of amusement and curiosity.

Asuka just grinned. “Yeah, I thought you’d get a kick outta it. Plus, it’s rare collector’s merch—only available through some messed-up stalker operation, apparently,” she joked, causing Judy to snicker.

After admiring the gift, they decided it was time for a test drive. Judy jumped into the driver’s seat, excited for her first official spin in the fire truck. Asuka climbed into the passenger seat, her usual carefree attitude masking her readiness to leap into action if anything went south. Judy started the engine, and the old truck roared to life, filling the empty scrapyard with a deep rumble.

“Alright, let’s hit the road!” Judy shouted, and with a grin, she pressed down on the gas.

The fire truck was surprisingly agile for its size, and they made their way through the streets, Judy beaming with excitement. Asuka watched her, happy to see her friend in her element. The engine hummed, and the city seemed to flash by as Judy confidently maneuvered the vehicle.

But things took an unexpected turn. As they drove through the more residential side of Watson, a Night City Police Department car appeared in their rearview mirror, its sirens flashing. Judy’s eyes widened, her hands gripping the wheel tighter. “Uh, Asuka… they’re stopping us.”

Asuka rolled her eyes. “Ugh, seriously? Cops? Now?” If it had been her driving, she might have turned it into a chase, just for fun, but she could see Judy’s face, a mix of nervousness and annoyance, and decided to let her handle it her way.

Judy pulled the truck over, the massive vehicle coming to a slow stop. The cop car parked behind them, and a uniformed officer got out, striding up to Judy's side of the truck. Asuka slouched in her seat, giving the cop a sideways glance, already sensing the trouble brewing.

“License and registration,” the cop said in that typical Night City cop tone—arrogant, a hint of aggression. Judy handed over some documents she had prepared for situations like this. The cop took them, barely glancing at the papers before his expression twisted into a sneer.

“This truck’s gotta be stolen,” he muttered, clearly looking for trouble. “I’m gonna need you to step out of the vehicle, miss.”

Judy’s eyes darted to Asuka, nervousness evident. Asuka’s smile turned cold as she leaned slightly forward, her fingers brushing the edge of her seat. “Oh, hell no,” she muttered.

The cop reached for the door handle, but in that exact moment, Asuka made her move. Without even hesitating, she activated her Sandevistan—the world around her slowing almost to a halt. Her Mantis Blades ejected from her arms, the silver edge glinting menacingly in the streetlight. In a flash, she moved, her blade pointing directly at the cop's crotch as she positioned herself right behind him.

When time resumed for the rest of the world, the cop found himself immobilized, the cold edge of Asuka’s blade dangerously close to his most vulnerable spot. He froze, his breath catching in his throat, fear overtaking his earlier arrogance.

“What was that, choom?” Asuka said, her voice dripping with condescension. Her head tilted to the side, her eyes narrowing into a glare that promised pain. “You said the truck’s stolen? I want you to say it again. Go on.”

The cop’s face turned ghostly pale, sweat beading on his forehead. He swallowed hard, his hands slowly rising, and shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. “N-no, no, ma’am. The truck's not stolen... I-I made a mistake, alright?”

“Uh-huh.” Asuka’s smile was wicked, her blade pressing just a little closer until she saw him flinch, his knees shaking slightly. “Then get the hell outta here, before I decide to make an example out of you.”

Without needing any further encouragement, the cop turned, nearly tripping over his own feet as he stumbled back to his car. He got inside, his tires screeching as he drove away as fast as he could, the sirens going silent as he fled.

Asuka retracted her blade, turning back to Judy, who was looking at her wide-eyed, her hands still white-knuckling the steering wheel. There was a moment of silence, and then Judy let out a shaky laugh.

“You really are something else, Asuka,” she said, her voice a mix of admiration and disbelief.

Asuka shrugged, giving Judy her usual carefree grin. “What can I say? I don’t like when people mess with my close ones.” She leaned back in her seat, glancing over at Judy. “Now, how about you show me what this baby can really do, huh? We’ve got a truck, let’s make use of it.”

After their rather dramatic encounter with the NCPD and a good while driving through the streets of Night City, Judy eventually pulled the fire truck to a stop at the edge of an overlook, the city lights shimmering below like a restless sea of neon. Asuka jumped down from the passenger side, Judy following right after, both of them still riding the adrenaline rush of their earlier escapade.

They leaned against the truck, both taking a moment to catch their breath and take in the view. Night City spread out before them, a kaleidoscope of flashing lights, endless movement, and the cacophony of a city that never slept.

"So, you’ve got this truck," Asuka started, her gaze moving from the city below back to Judy, a curious look on her face. "What do you want to do with it now? Are we gonna start a mobile firefighting service? Or maybe roll into a Maelstrom party uninvited?"

Judy chuckled, shaking her head. “I honestly don’t know. I mean, this was just supposed to be a project, you know? Something to keep me busy, something I could fix up with my own two hands.” She leaned back, her eyes staring up at the sky for a moment before they settled on the truck, a soft smile on her lips. “Never really thought past the fixing part.”

“Just built it for the fun of it, huh?” Asuka nodded, a knowing grin on her face. “Fair enough. It turned out pretty preem, though. No doubt about that.”

“Yeah, it did,” Judy agreed, patting the side of the truck. “But now... I think I wanna put my focus somewhere else. The fire truck is cool, don’t get me wrong, but my heart’s still in BD's, you know? There’s so much I want to do with them—ways to make them more than just entertainment, make them something that actually helps people.”

Asuka gave a thoughtful nod, her eyes softening. “Yeah, I get that. BDs have a lot of potential, especially with the way you work on them, Judes. You always put in that extra bit of heart that makes it different.”

Judy blushed slightly, looking away as she shrugged. “Maybe... I mean, I hope so. I just think there’s more to it than what people are using it for now. Like, the edgerunners use them for gigs, the corpos use them for data storage and training... but there’s a side to BDs that people haven’t really tapped into. I think they could be... I don’t know, an outlet, a way for people to process stuff. Like therapy, but, you know... in Night City style.”

Asuka watched Judy as she spoke, the way her eyes lit up with passion when she talked about her ideas. It was clear to her how much Judy cared, and it made Asuka smile. “You’re a rare one, Judes,” Asuka said after a moment, her voice softer. “Wanting to make things better in a city like this. You’re really something else.”

Judy looked at her, a smile forming on her lips. “You say that, but it’s not like I’m out there doing what you do. You’re making real changes. You’re out there helping people—sure, sometimes you gotta do some questionable stuff—but you’re still out there, trying to make things right for the people you care about.”

Asuka grinned. “Well, someone’s gotta deal with all the gonks out there. And it might as well be someone who looks good doing it, right?” She gave a playful wink, making Judy laugh.

The two of them stood there for a moment, just taking in the view of the city, the fire truck still rumbling behind them, a testament to their hard work and determination.

“So, what are you gonna do with the truck?” Asuka asked again, her tone a bit lighter.

Judy tapped her chin, her expression thoughtful. “I don’t know yet... Maybe keep it as a backup getaway vehicle? Or maybe lend it out for gigs when someone needs a heavy ride. I’m sure there’s someone who’d find a use for it.” She shrugged, smiling. “Or maybe it’ll just stay parked in that scrapyard as a reminder of what we built. You never know, right?”

Asuka nodded. “Well, whatever you decide, just remember—I’m always down to take this thing for a spin. And if you need it for something big, you know where to find me.”

Judy smiled, a genuine warmth in her eyes. “I know, Asuka. Thanks.”

After sharing that quiet, warm look, something in the air shifted. Judy took a small step closer to Asuka, her gaze dropping to Asuka's lips, hesitating for a fraction of a second before leaning in. She kissed her softly, her head dropping slightly to close the gap—Judy being just a bit taller at 166 cm, compared to Asuka's 162 cm.

Asuka's eyes widened for a split second, surprised, but then they fluttered closed as she leaned into it, returning the kiss. Judy’s lips were soft, and there was a kind of nervousness mixed with the gentleness, but it was also full of unspoken words—affection, maybe a bit of longing, and a whole lot of care.

When they finally pulled away, Judy’s cheeks were flushed, her gaze a little shy as she looked at Asuka, as if gauging her reaction. Asuka, her eyes slightly widened from the kiss, let out a soft chuckle, her usual confident demeanor flickering for just a moment as she processed what had happened.

“Well... didn’t see that one coming,” Asuka said, her voice soft, but her tone laced with warmth and amusement. She gave Judy a playful grin, leaning back against the fire truck. “Not that I’m complaining.”

Judy looked away for a moment, trying to suppress the smile tugging at her lips, but failing. She glanced back at Asuka, her eyes sparkling with a mix of hope and nerves. “Guess I just... felt like the right moment, you know?”

Asuka tilted her head slightly, that signature smirk reappearing on her lips. “Yeah, I think you might be right.” She reached out, her fingers brushing against Judy’s hand in a subtle, affectionate gesture. “You know, you keep surprising me, Judes. In a good way.”