Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

El Coyote Cojo was as lively as ever, with the familiar buzz of conversations filling the air, accompanied by the clinking of glasses and the soft hum of music playing in the background. Asuka and Jackie sat at the bar, their stools close as Pepe poured them drinks with his usual warm smile.

Asuka couldn’t help but beam with happiness as Jackie recounted his stories from his recent trip to Mexico. He’d just gotten back, and the two of them were in a celebratory mood, tequila flowing freely. It felt good to have him home, safe and sound. The crew hadn’t been the same without him, and she missed their easy banter and shared adventures.

Jackie lifted his glass, raising it in a casual toast before launching into one of his tales. “So, there I was, chica, right in the middle of this insane shootout. You wouldn’t believe it—bullets flying everywhere, and this gonk that hired me? He’s getting pinned down. It was wild,” Jackie said, his voice filled with the same enthusiasm he always had when recounting his close calls.

Asuka smiled, sipping her drink. “And this gonk you’re talking about? The one who hired you? What’s his story?”

Jackie smirked, leaning in a little. “Oh, he’s got a story alright. His nickname’s V. But get this—I learned his real name while we were in the thick of it. Vincent Price.” Jackie leaned back, taking a long sip of his tequila before continuing. “Yeah, that’s right. Arasaka counterintelligence operative agent. Can you believe it? A corpo agent, but a damn good guy, surprisingly. Even with that corpo stick up his ass.”

Asuka raised her eyebrows, a little impressed. “Arasaka, huh? Not exactly the kind of guy I’d expect you to get along with, Jackie.”

Jackie chuckled, shaking his head. “I know, right? But trust me, this guy’s the real deal. Got a bit of a moral compass left in him, even for a corpo. Saved his ass more than once out there, and I think we’ve got a bit of mutual respect now.”

Pepe, who had been quietly listening while pouring their drinks, smiled as he placed another shot in front of Jackie. “Jackie, we’re just happy you came back in one piece, hermano. Every time you leave, it’s like a little piece of Heywood holds its breath. But look at you, back in one piece, as usual,” he said warmly.

Jackie grinned at Pepe, raising his glass again in acknowledgment. “You know me, Pepe. I always come back, one way or another. Can’t let you down, can I?”

As they continued to talk, sharing more stories, the back door to El Coyote opened, and in walked none other than Mama Welles herself. The older woman immediately spotted Jackie at the bar, her face lighting up with a mix of relief and happiness. She rushed over to him, wrapping him in a tight hug from behind.

“Jackito! Mi niño, I’m so happy you’ve returned home,” Mama Welles said, her voice filled with warmth as she held him close.

Jackie smiled, his tough-guy exterior momentarily softened by the affection of his mother. He turned in his stool and hugged her back, kissing her on the cheek. “I always come back, Mama. You know I wouldn’t leave you worrying for too long.”

Mama Welles smiled, her eyes a little misty as she pulled back, giving him a loving tap on the cheek. “You better not, hijo. You better not.”

Asuka watched the exchange with a soft smile. The bond between Jackie and his mother was something she always admired. No matter how tough or fearless Jackie seemed out in the streets, with Mama Welles, he was just her boy, and nothing could change that.

After a few more drinks and sharing more stories, Jackie looked at the time and stood up from his stool, stretching his arms above his head. “Alright, gotta bounce. I’ve got a date with Misty tonight,” he said, grinning widely.

Asuka smirked, leaning back in her chair. “The date, huh? Look at you, Mr. Romance. Where’re you taking her?”

Jackie shrugged, a playful gleam in his eye. “Ah, you know, someplace nice. Misty’s into all that spiritual, calm stuff, so I’m thinking of keeping it low-key, maybe some place quiet. I gotta make it up to her for being gone so long.”

Asuka considered telling him about what happened with Pink Kitty—the destruction of their beloved armored truck—but seeing how excited he was about his date with Misty, she decided against it. He deserved a peaceful night, something good before having to deal with the wreckage. She’d break the news to him later.

“Good luck with the date, Jackie,” Asuka said, her smile mischievous. “Just don’t go getting into trouble before dessert.”

Jackie laughed, giving her a wink. “I'm not Asuka Vektor to get in to trouble.”

---

The next day, Asuka received a call from Jackie. She had been expecting it ever since he returned from his date with Misty. She braced herself as she answered, already knowing what the conversation was going to be about.

"Hey, chica, where's Pink Kitty? I haven’t seen her around," Jackie asked casually, though there was a slight edge to his voice, the kind of concern only someone who truly cared would have.

Asuka went quiet for a moment, biting her lip as she thought about how to respond. She had been dreading this moment, but she knew she had to come clean. "Uh… Jackie, about Pink Kitty," she began hesitantly, her voice softer than usual. "It… it got destroyed. I was too cocky on a gig, and, well, things went south."

There was silence on the other end of the line. Asuka felt a pit form in her stomach, fearing what Jackie’s reaction might be. She hated letting him down, especially when Pink Kitty had meant so much to all of them—especially to Jackie.

After what felt like an eternity, Jackie finally spoke, his voice calm but with a hint of resignation. "Hey, Asuka, this is the life of a merc, right? We live on the edge, always risking it. The important thing is that you and Sasha didn’t get flatlined. Things like this will happen. Life has its ups and downs, chica."

Asuka exhaled a breath she didn’t even realize she had been holding. Jackie’s response wasn’t filled with anger or disappointment like she had feared. Instead, it was filled with understanding and acceptance. She smiled, her chest feeling a little lighter. "Thanks, Jackie. I was worried you’d be pissed."

Jackie let out a small chuckle on the other end. "Nah, don’t sweat it. We’ll get another one. And when we do, it’s getting a new name. No more 'kitty.' We’ll call it something with 'tiger' in it this time. Something badass."

Asuka couldn’t help but laugh, relief flooding through her. "Alright, Tiger it is. No more soft, cute names."

"Damn right," Jackie said, the warmth returning to his voice. "We’ll make it better, stronger, and meaner. And next time, we won’t let it get trashed."

"Deal," Asuka agreed, feeling the weight of her earlier anxiety lift completely.

"Now, let’s get back to business, chica. You, me, and Sasha—gotta line up some gigs, make some eddies, and get that new beast of a truck," Jackie added, his voice full of energy and excitement.

Asuka smiled, her heart full. No matter what they lost or went through, she knew she and Jackie always had each other's backs. "You got it, Jack. Let’s make it happen."

---

As Asuka walked into the apartment, she immediately noticed Sasha sitting on the couch, deep in conversation with another woman. The woman had a striking appearance—black hair cut in a blunt bob, black eyes, and visible EMP threading on her face, giving her a slightly intimidating but intriguing look. One of the most noticeable features was her metal-tipped chin, an implant that gave her a cyberpunk edge.

As soon as Sasha spotted Asuka, she smiled and waved her over. "Asuka, this is my older sister, Stella."

Asuka blinked, a little surprised. She hadn’t heard much about Sasha’s family before. “Oh, hey. Nice to meet you, Stella,” she said, offering a friendly smile as she walked over and gave a slight nod. "So, what’s going on?"

Stella stood up to greet Asuka properly, giving a quick smile in return. "Hi, nice to meet you too. I was with Militech for a bit," she explained, her voice calm but with a certain no-nonsense edge. "But now I’m back in Night City. I’m thinking about becoming a police officer. And, well, since I’m back in town, I figured I should drop by and visit my sister."

Asuka raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "Militech, huh? And now you’re aiming to become NCPD? Quite the shift." She looked between Stella and Sasha, sensing some similarities in their attitude, though Stella seemed more direct and perhaps a bit more hardened than Sasha.

Sasha leaned back, crossing her arms as she chimed in. "Yeah, I know, right? I was kinda surprised when she said she wanted to go NCPD, but I guess it makes sense. She’s always been the one with the more 'law and order' mindset."

Stella shrugged, her expression thoughtful. "I’ve seen enough of the corpo life to know I don’t want any more of it. Night City’s a mess, but I figured I could try to do something about it from the inside, y’know? The city needs more people who actually give a damn."

Asuka nodded, leaning against the counter as she listened. "I get that. This city chews people up, spits them out, and then does it all over again. But you sure about joining the NCPD? It’s not exactly an easy life either."

Stella’s black eyes met Asuka’s, her gaze steady. "I’ve seen worse. And honestly, it’s better than sticking with Militech. At least with NCPD, I’ll know who I’m really up against."

Sasha, looking between the two of them, shrugged. "She’s always been the type to dive into the deep end."

Asuka chuckled. "Well, you’ve got guts, I’ll give you that." She paused, then grinned. "Maybe we’ll be working together in some way. You’ll be keeping the city in check, and we’ll be... well, doing what we do."

Stella laughed softly, her metallic chin catching the light as she did. "Yeah, something tells me our paths will cross. Let’s just hope I’m not the one chasing you down when that happens."

Asuka smirked, already liking Stella’s bold attitude. "If you do, you’ll have your hands full," she said with a playful wink.

---

Arriving in Corpo Plaza, Asuka couldn't help but glance up at the newly built Arasaka Tower. The towering structure stood tall and imposing, its slick design a constant reminder of Arasaka's dominance over Night City. She made her way to the top floor, where she stepped into a room filled with familiar faces—Yorinobu, Hanako, and Michiko Arasaka were engaged in a serious discussion. On the sides stood Smasher, the hulking, menacing presence he always carried with him, along with two girls from Danger Gal, dressed in their tactical yet stylish cat-themed outfits.

Hanako glanced in Asuka’s direction as she entered, offering a brief nod before gesturing toward Smasher. "Asuka-chan, stay beside Smasher," she said, then quickly resumed her conversation in Japanese, talking too fast for Asuka to catch everything. Words like "shareholders on their side," "buying market shares," and "feeding false information to NUSA and Militech through Danger Gal" stood out.

It seemed serious, but she kept her cool, pretending she wasn’t trying to catch every snippet of the conversation. Then the vibe in the room shifted. Hanako looked at Smasher, Asuka, and the two Danger Gal bodyguards, nodding firmly. "You can leave the room now. We need privacy for this part."

Smasher, with a low grunt, motioned for Asuka to follow him. The Danger Gal girls trailed behind as they all left the conference room. Asuka glanced back, seeing the door seal shut before catching up to Smasher, who was walking with his usual metallic swagger.

After a short walk through the hallway, they arrived at a room with a massive TV while the Danger Gal girls stayed at the door of the conference room. Smasher plugged in a device, connecting it to the screen with a flick of his chrome fingers. Asuka raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What’s this, Smasher? I didn’t think you were the entertainment type."

Smasher grunted again, sitting down in a chair far too small for his massive frame. "We’re waiting. Might as well watch something worth my time." The TV flickered to life, displaying an anime with vibrant colors and high-energy action. On-screen, a vampire was battling a guy wielding the power of the sun, the animation intense and over-the-top in typical old-school fashion.

Asuka blinked, tilting her head slightly in surprise. "Wait, is this... anime?" she asked, sitting down beside him as the fight on screen escalated. "I didn’t know you were into this kind of stuff, Smasher."

Smasher kept his eyes on the screen, not missing a beat. "Now you do," he replied, his tone flat but focused on the action.

Asuka stifled a laugh, but her curiosity got the better of her. "You? Watching something so... human? I would’ve pegged you for old war flicks or something."

Smasher let out a low, mechanical chuckle. "This? It’s about power. Strength. That vampire’s trying to outsmart the sun, and the guy using sunlight? Pure, overwhelming force. Reminds me of what’s important."

Asuka grinned, settling into her seat. "Okay, fair enough. Gotta admit, this fight is pretty badass." She watched as the vampire made a desperate move, dodging fist of sunlight, only for the guy to counter with an even more powerful punches.

After a moment, she glanced over at Smasher again. "So, how old is this anyway? Looks ancient."

Smasher’s metal fingers twitched slightly, his eyes still glued to the screen. "Two thousand," he said, his voice lacking any particular emotion. "Good era for this kind of stuff. They don’t make them like they used to."

Asuka chuckled, her usual cocky attitude slipping into the conversation. "Never thought I’d be sitting with Adam Smasher, watching old anime. What’s next, you gonna tell me you’re a big fan of romance plots too?"

Smasher’s mechanical eye swiveled slightly, giving her a side glance. "Don’t push it, Vektor."

She raised her hands in mock surrender, grinning. "Alright, alright, I’ll shut up." But a thought struck her. "Wait, you ever see Cyber Vamp? It’s about this corpo guy who turns into a vampire and—"

Smasher cut her off, his tone flat. "Garbage. Don’t waste your time."

Asuka snickered, leaning back in her seat. "Alright, message received."

As the fight scene hit its crescendo, Smasher simply said, "Pay attention. The vampire’s about to lose."

Asuka smirked. "Bet he goes down in flames."