Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

Out in the Badlands, the hot wind whipped up dust as Jackie, V, and Asuka gathered near the wreckage of an abandoned gas station. Jackie and V stood next to their vehicles, staring up at Asuka, who towered over them in her massive pink Dragoon. The sleek, heavily modified cybersystem gleamed in the fading sunlight, casting a stark contrast against the rough, desolate landscape of the Badlands.

Jackie crossed his arms, giving Asuka a look that was part bewilderment, part exasperation. "Chica, we’re just here to take down some Raffen Shiv. That’s it. They’ve been messing with Dakota’s balance, you know, like she’s always goin' on about." He raised an eyebrow. "You don’t really need a full-on war machine for this, do you?"

V nodded in agreement, her grey eyes wide with confusion. "Yeah, Asuka, this feels like overkill. We’re talking a handful of gonked-out Shivs, not an army."

Asuka, unfazed by their confusion, struck a dramatic pose in her Dragoon, mimicking Kars from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Her metallic limbs gleamed as one arm rose and crossed to her head, the other crossed over her chest. Her voice rang out from the Dragoon’s speakers with mock grandeur. "I am the ultimate creature! I do what I want!"

The sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows across the barren land. For a moment, the towering pink war machine in the middle of the Badlands seemed like a bizarre mix of absurd and awe-inspiring, framed perfectly against the setting sun.

Jackie and V exchanged looks, speechless. Jackie finally scratched the back of his head, trying to make sense of it all. "Uh… yeah, sure, chica. Whatever you say."

V just stared up at the massive pink machine. "Okay, that was... something."

Asuka sighed, dropping the dramatic pose as the Dragoon’s joints whirred softly. "You two just don’t get it," she said with exaggerated disappointment, though her expression was hidden behind the emotionless metal face of the Dragoon. "Smasher would appreciate this. At least he gets my epic sense of style."

Jackie shook his head, still not convinced. "Smasher? Now I know you’re losin' it."

V grinned and shrugged. "Well, ultimate creature or not, we’ve got some Raffen Shiv to deal with. Maybe save the posing for after we finish the job?"

Asuka’s laugh echoed through the speakers. "Fine, fine. But you can’t say I didn’t make this look cool."

As they arrived at the cave where the Raffen Shiv were hiding, Asuka didn’t wait for a strategy or plan. The moment they got close, she activated her Dragoon’s systems and charged straight in, bulldozing through the cave entrance. The ground trembled beneath her as the massive machine barreled forward, bullets bouncing harmlessly off the armored frame as the Raffen Shiv opened fire in a panic.

Without bothering to activate her Sandevistan, Asuka ran headfirst into the group of Shivs, her momentum unstoppable. The first Raffen Shiv barely had time to react before Asuka’s Dragoon slammed into him, reducing his body to little more than a mangled mess under the sheer force of the impact.

Spotting a nearby car, Asuka grabbed it effortlessly with her massive hands and hurled it toward a group of Raffen. The vehicle sailed through the air, crashing into the gangers with devastating force, sending bodies flying. Two of them charged her in desperation, but she grabbed them with ease—one in each hand. With a flick of her wrists, she hurled one into the cave wall, leaving a grotesque smear, while the other she lifted high above her head and brought down with a sickening crack, snapping his body in half.

The rest of the Raffen Shiv scrambled, firing wildly at the towering pink monstrosity. One fired a missile, but Asuka’s reflexes were faster. She activated her Sandevistan, the world slowing down as she sidestepped the missile with ease. Deactivating it just as quickly, she ripped the launcher from the terrified ganger's hands and used it like a bat, caving in his skull with brutal efficiency.

The adrenaline coursed through Asuka’s mind as she reveled in the power. Every movement, every crush and slam of her Dragoon’s limbs, sent a rush of exhilaration through her. It was intoxicating—more exciting than anything she had ever felt before. She understood now why Smasher reveled in destruction, why he enjoyed wielding so much power.

With a maniacal laugh that echoed from her Dragoon’s speakers, she grabbed another Raffen Shiv, lifting him easily in one hand, and swung him into another shiv like a club, knocking them both into the ground in a gory heap. One last Shiv tried to flee, his terrified footsteps echoing in the cave as he ran. Asuka’s Dragoon stomped after him, her massive foot coming down with a sickening crunch, leaving a bloody hole through the Shiv’s body.

Jackie and V arrived at the cave’s entrance just in time to witness the aftermath of Asuka’s rampage. The cave was a blood-soaked scene of chaos, bodies and wreckage strewn everywhere. Jackie’s eyes went wide as he stared at the carnage, watching Asuka’s pink Dragoon covered in blood and entrails, the sound of her laughter still faintly echoing in the cave.

"Asuka, calm down!" Jackie shouted, his voice filled with concern.

Asuka’s laughter slowly faded, and her Dragoon came to a halt. She glanced down at the mess that clung to her once-pristine pink machine, her voice taking on a note of disgust. "Ugh, these meat bags dirtied my Dragoon with their filthy blood," she muttered through the speakers, her tone cold and indifferent. The word "meat bags" left her lips with an almost unsettling detachment.

Jackie exchanged a worried glance with V. Asuka had always been wild, but this was different. There was something about the way she reveled in the violence now.

"Asuka... you okay?" Jackie asked cautiously, his voice laced with concern.

Asuka, still coming down from the high of battle, chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. I’m fine, Jackie." She paused, looking over the destruction with a detached smirk. "Just needed to blow off some steam."

Jackie didn’t seem convinced, but before he could press the issue, V was already calling Dakota. "It’s done. These Raffen Shiv won’t be causing any more problems."

At the dusty bar in the Badlands, Jackie, V, and Asuka sat at a worn table, the sun setting outside, casting long shadows across the cracked ground. As they nursed their drinks, they were called at the same time. It was Rogue.

"Kang Tao convoy needs to be taken down. They’re moving something that doesn’t need to make it to Night City. You in?"

Jackie looked at V, then down at their bikes. "Rogue, we’re not exactly heavy-loaded for a convoy hit. Just got our bikes, no heavy support."

Before V could agree, Asuka stood up. Her Dragoon’s towering figure loomed nearby. "Accept it," she said, her voice carrying a confident edge.

Rogue’s voice crackled through again, amused. "Alright. Just remember, Kang Tao’s coming through tonight. Don’t waste any time."

As the call ended, Jackie looked up at Asuka, still half in disbelief. "You sure, chica? That’s a whole convoy, not just a couple gangers."

Asuka’s grin couldn’t be seen behind her Dragoon’s cold, expressionless face, but the excitement in her voice was unmistakable. "We don’t need heavy support. We’ve got me."

Night had already fallen by the time they positioned themselves near the highway. The cool desert air mixed with the tension of the upcoming job. Jackie and V crouched behind a rocky outcropping, their bikes parked nearby. Down below, the Kang Tao convoy was approaching fast—four armored cars and two large trucks, their headlights cutting through the darkness like beacons.

Asuka stood with them, her Dragoon towering over them like a mechanical giant. She took a deep breath, watching the convoy closely as it rolled closer, the engines of the armored vehicles humming in the quiet night.

"Stay back," Asuka said to Jackie and V, her voice calm and filled with confidence.

As the convoy got closer, Asuka activated her Sandevistan, the world around her slowing to a crawl. She launched herself forward, her Dragoon runned faster than most cars on the road. Combined with the speed of her Sandevistan, she was nothing more than a pink blur, a flash of chrome and speed cutting through the night with a deafening roar.

The first truck barely had time to react as Asuka slammed into its side, the impact denting the armored plating like it was made of tin. With a grunt, she lifted the massive truck off its wheels and threw it onto its side, the weight of the vehicle crashing to the ground in a violent roll. The second truck, too close to avoid the wreck, smashed into the first, metal crumpling under the force of the collision.

The convoy came to a screeching halt. Kang Tao soldiers spilled out of the vehicles, their rifles raised, firing wildly in Asuka’s direction. She deactivated her Sandy, the world returning to normal speed as she barreled into the soldiers without hesitation. Her Dragoon moved with devastating precision as she slammed into the men, their bodies crushed beneath the weight of her massive cybernetic limbs. The roar of her footsteps echoed as she tore through two of the armored cars, crushing them into twisted wreckage.

More soldiers fired at her, bullets bouncing harmlessly off her chrome-plated Dragoon. Asuka didn’t stop, grabbing one soldier and throwing him into another with ease. The rest of the convoy was already in disarray, panicked shouts filling the night as Kang Tao forces scrambled for cover.

Behind her, Jackie and V made their move. They came in guns blazing, picking off the last of the disoriented Kang Tao troops who hadn’t already been crushed by Asuka's assault. With smooth efficiency, they took down the remaining soldiers, clearing the area as the smoke from the wrecked vehicles began to rise.

Jackie let out a low whistle as he walked up to Asuka, staring at the blood-streaked, gore-covered pink Dragoon. "Damn, chica. You really went all out this time."

Asuka chuckled, stepping back from the wreckage. "Told you we didn’t need a tank."

V nodded, surveying the destruction. "You definitely handled it. Rogue’s gonna be pleased."

Asuka looked around at the chaos she’d unleashed. Her Dragoon was covered in the debris and remains of the soldiers she’d torn through, but there was no regret in her eyes—only excitement.

With the convoy completely destroyed, V called Rogue. "It’s done. Convoy’s down. No more Kang Tao in this part of the Badlands."

Asuka watched as they finished the call. "See?" she said to Jackie and V, her voice filled with a strange mix of pride and exhilaration. "Told you it’d be fun even without a heavy duty ride."

Back at her apartment, Judy stood behind the massive pink Dragoon, her hands deftly working as she opened the back of its head unlocking it with a chip. With practiced ease, Judy pulled out a sleek, white-and-pink metal container shaped like a brain—a top notch Arasaka housing that contained the brain of Asuka.

"I’m never going to get used to this," Judy muttered with a soft chuckle as she carefully transferred Asuka’s brain back into her main body, securing it in place and locking it with the chip.

Moments later, Asuka's eyes fluttered open, her fully human-like body coming to life as she stretched out with a grin. "You’ll get used to it," she teased, her voice playful as she sat up. "You should try it sometime. Being a brain in a jar is fun."

Judy couldn’t help but laugh, rolling her eyes as she leaned over Asuka. "Yeah, no thanks. I’ll stick to my ganic body. I don't think my nervous system could handle all the wild things you do without shutting down."

Asuka smirked, leaning in to kiss Judy, their lips brushing softly as Judy’s hands wandered down, playfully squeezing Asuka’s breasts. "I like these things the way they are," Judy said with a mischievous grin, her tone teasing but genuine. "And I gotta say, the engineers who made this body? They did one hell of a job. Feels even better than the real thing."

Asuka laughed, leaning back against the bed with a satisfied grin. "What can I say? Top-tier Arasaka tech."

Judy smiled down at her, running her fingers along Asuka's skin, marveling at the seamless blend of synthetic and real. "Well, whatever they did, they nailed it. But you... you're still you, no matter what body you're in."

Asuka reached up, gently pulling Judy into another kiss. "Lucky for me, I’ve got you to keep me grounded."

Judy chuckled softly, her hand lingering on Asuka’s chest. "And you’ve got me to remind you to not go full Smasher on me. I prefer you a little crazy... but not that crazy."