Ema’s eye twitched as her phone began to ring. Who on earth was calling her at this ungodly hour?
She blinked at the name on the screen, only becoming more confused. Aoi didn’t typically call this late, even when it was important. Shrugging, she answered the phone.
“Ema!” Aoi’s voice came through the line, in an oddly sing-song tone. Ema frowned. Something was off.
“Aoi. Did you need something?”
She heard a bubbly laugh, something that was completely uncharacteristic coming from Aoi. “Did I ever tell you that you’re the best? Because you are!”
“Aoi, is something wrong?”
“We should go on a date sometime!”
Dead silence. Ema brought the phone from her ear, staring at it. Was this really Aoi she was talking to?
She brought it back up. “Go on a date with someone your own age.”
“But,” Aoi groaned through the phone. “I want to go on a date with you.” Then she burst into a fit of giggles.
Something clicked in Ema’s head. “Aoi, are you… drunk?”
More giggling. “What? Of course not! I only had a couple of glasses!” Aoi’s breath hitched, then she whispered in a conspiratorial tone. “But, don’t tell my brother, okay?”
She rolled her eyes. “Aoi, go to bed.”
“But what about the date?”
“We’re not going on a date.”
Aoi let out a keening noise. “Why not?” She moaned.
Ema groaned in annoyance. “Do I really have to go into it? Least of all, the fact that you decided to ask me out while you’re drunk.”
“I’m not drunk!”
Ema sighed. “Good night, Aoi.” She hung up the phone.
Honestly, what else was she supposed to do. She scrolled through her contacts, dialing Akira.
It didn’t take him long to pick up.
“Ema? Why are you calling this late?”
Ema’s voice was deadpan. “Do you have a liquor cabinet anywhere in your apartment?”
“I do,” Akira’s tone became more confused with every word he said. “Why are you asking?”
“You might want to check it when you get home. Aoi got drunk.”
“I’ve designed another avatar.” Blue Girl confessed exciteably.
Ghost Girl laughed, amused, “Can’t say I’m surprised to hear that. You’ve grown up a lot since coming under my tutelage, and I’d love to see it.”
Blue Girl cringed. She couldn’t believe how predictable she was being but oh well. She was just lucky that Ghost Girl found it more cute than vapid.
“I’ve already picked out a name and theme for this next avatar of mine.” she replied.
“Oh? I’d love to hear it.” Ghost Girl nudged her. She leaned up against the column.
“Blue Angel is my past, Blue Girl is my present and… Blue Maiden will be my future.” Blue Girl began to explain. “I’m sure you’ve already noticed. Like you said, I’ve grown up a lot.”
But not enough to get over silly, inappropriate crushes. It was so embarrassing. Still, Blue Girl grinned and beared it as Ghost Girl mulled over the idea in her head, she nodded along.
“Makes sense.” Ghost Girl replied. “Can I help?”
“Er, yeah, sure.” Blue Girl replied. “Aqua’s helped a lot as well, her Marincess cards were very inspiring.”
Speaking of Aqua, she needed some time to herself. A big battle was coming up and she was still licking wounds, grieving for her now dead lover whom she hoped she would avenge with Aoi as her weapon. So, she was above ground and in real life whilst Blue Girl and Ghost Girl had this sort of pre-war pep talk.
“Alright, let’s get to the montage, sounds good?” Ghost Girl suggested with a wink.
“Sure.” Blue Girl replied.
In her journey to learning the art and science of hacking, this was new field for her.
The Link VRAINS’ character creation screen was intended to be a one-person affair. With a bit of tweaking, one - or more - people could be forced into the so-called stalls of the wardrobe and that’s exactly what Ghost Girl did. Her presence in the lonely white of it all transformed it and honestly made it feel more mall-like.
Otherwise, the character creation screen was quite blank. It was a strange, liminal space which encouraged the player to move on as quickly as possible to start duelling - and then come back to get those premium items locked behind a certain amount of wins. Blue Girl stood in front of the mirror and called up the near endless parade of clothing selection screens.
Items could even be pinned, or more accurately, hung up on clothing racks for future reference. She already had quite a few from previous iterations of Blue Angel and what she had been chasing with Blue Girl, even some ideas from Aqua, too.
It was a cruel system, the more wins, the more items of clothing. That’s why most new players tend to look the same, and quite normie at that. There were some complementary outfits which were heroic looking but that furthered the homogenisation of the digital world. The fact that avatars could even be hacked and stolen worsened that.
That had happened to Playmaker and Aoi had even done it to Ema. Then she recoloured and re-styled the base clothing into Blue Girl. Which is what people with decency do. Though her imagination very much shone more in Blue Angel and now Blue Maiden.
Blue Angel was based on a pre-existing IP, true, but the design was mixed into so many headcanons and other flairs which were uniquely Aoi that most people didn’t actually realise. Blue was a common favourite colour to have after all and there were plenty of things which could be blue and, better yet, had wings just like her beloved Trickstars. Angels just so happened to fit that bill.
As for Blue Maiden, however, the trifecta in this legacy of growing up and finding herself… Underneath the digital glamour, Aoi glowed with so much pride. She didn’t want to brag or seem vain but Blue Maiden was, one hundred per-cent, unique to her. She was born of her experiences, her memories, her values, her imagination. Her everything in short.
Yet she was missing something.
And Ghost Girl must have sensed that, too.
Ghost Girl’s lips screwed up in thought as she admired Blue Maiden in the mirror. Her big debut wouldn’t be for a week so there was no rush, in theory, but Blue Maiden’s completion appeared within grasp so they may as well try to find it. So, they studied - together - what Aoi had made thus far with this brand new avatar.
For hair length, blue Maiden was a return to form, to childhood and to Blue Angel. Merely lightened and instead done up with a more casual or mature-looking style with the half ponytail. On her cheek, she had the teardrop, inspired by the “twin ponytails” that floated above Aqua’s head.
Further down, as for clothing, it was clear she was harkening back to her friends and comrades with a fresh take on the skin-tight catsuit. Made modest, somehow, with additional layers - even if one of them was a mini-skirt.
The overall atmosphere of the new avatar was determined. Not necessarily peppy but definitely determined. It was cute but not too adorable. Beautiful and pretty but not supermodel hitting the runway levels, there was, instead, some honesty to the design.
Yet still despite, the culmination of elements harmonising, Ghost Girl and Blue Maiden concurred: something was missing. They stared at the mirror, Blue Maiden turning around and twirling, showing off her dress, leggings, and accessories from all angles. Her expression was frustrated and stormy. Especially next to Ghost Girl.
Ignoring even the fact she was getting eyed up and down by her crush, and it wasn’t anywhere near flirtatious in nature, Blue Maiden was all pent up with aesthetic confusion.
Her own upgrade had been so effortless. Seamless. Like she had always been that colour palette or in that outfit. It was maddening but it was exactly Ghost Girl’s touch for that intangible quality until…
“Eureka.” Ghost Girl smirked.
Blue Maiden could practically see the light bulb over Ghost Girl’s head as she seemed all too smug in her little ah-ha moment.
“What is it?” Blue Maiden asked.
Ghost Girl caressed Blue Maiden’s cheek and took her by the chin, forcing her to look at her straight on. Blue maiden was startled by the forceful affection and even more forceful gaze as Ghost Girl relished knowing something Blue Maiden didn’t in this epiphany.
“Why, a girl’s best friend of course.” Ghost Girl said. “A little bit of lippy.”
“You mean, lipstick?” Blue Maiden replied.
“Of course.” Ghost Girl teased.
She let go of Blue Maiden shrugged.
“Makeup has the potential to be a very reliable weapon, you know.” Ghost Girl replied.
Blue Maiden hesitated. As Zaizen Aoi, she used moisturiser and that was it. Her previous avatars flirted with the idea of a little extra, sure. Those eyelashes of Blue Angel’s were natural for all intents and purposes given that she was all pixels. But in real life, Aoi never used mascara or foundation, honestly she was fairly certain she would poke her eye out if she tried to apply eye shadow if she wasn’t careful.
Was lipstick going a step too far?
Blue Maiden caught the glint of artificial light off Ghost Girl’s lips. She used lipstick and plenty of it, in a burgundy shade. Bold and saucy. It was a pretty shade that looked good on her. Aoi had, in private, thought much about Ema’s lipstick. Or her lips in general, actual. Mostly about kissing them.
“What do you say?” Ghost Girl prompted her.
“We can try, there’s no harm in that.” Blue Maiden replied.
“Will you let me do the honours?” Ghost Girl teased.
“Be my guest.” Blue Maiden replied.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she made room for Ghost Girl. Not when it mattered when Ghost Girl was intent on getting up close and personal. From mere centimetres away, Blue Maiden saw every detail of Ghost Girl’s steely grey eyes and it was enough to make her weak in the knees.
To say nothing of how Ghost Girl handled her.
Once more, her fingers, well, ghosted along Blue Maiden’s face, examining her cheekbones, admiring the facial structure that Aoi had given her avatar in this instance. She looked older but she had never felt younger as there were sparks of yearning on Ghost Girl’s fingertips at every touch. Every caress. And all of it eventually trained on Blue Maiden’s cupid bow lips.
Blue Maiden felt as though she were going insane. She wasn’t sure when this attraction to her mentor began but once it started, it couldn’t be stopped. Everything about this situation seemed engineered to tease her specifically over this crush. There was no reason to feel this way but Bessho Ema was a force of nature.
She was a beautiful and sharp, practical woman, like a secretary bird. Her laughter was mischievous and her appetite was for all the best things in life, such as hot sauce. She was miserly and self-serving but not selfish, she just knew what she liked and where her limits ought to lie. She gave the impression of intimacy with such nonchalant demeanour and yet kept everyone at arm's length.
Even Aoi but for good reason. They were a team, mentor and mentee with a gulf of age difference between them. She had a lot to do if she was going to turn a Charisma Duelist into a treasure hunting hacker.
Aoi appreciated the attention and the studies. That’s why she couldn’t get Ema out of her head as something more to aspire to but rather admire, as a woman in a romantic way.
Ugh, stupid, silly, immature, Blue Maiden bit her tongue as her thoughts whirled around in her head whilst Ghost Girl was quiet, having conversations on her own in her mind.
She was also ten years older than Aoi… It would never work, it was inappropriate and stupid. Yet even under the cool, mature facade of Blue Maiden, Aoi couldn’t help herself and she grasped at straws, adoring every touch and murmur no matter how fleeting as a pitiful hope that one day, she really would grow into someone Ema could be with like that.
Ghost Girl, however, seemed oblivious to the reactions that she was giving Aoi underneath the veneer of her digital self, the near war of it all. She hummed and hawed whilst deciding the colour she ought to apply to Blue Maiden’s and then voila. She decided with a foxy smile, she gave a twinkling gesture with her other hand, she produced a tube of lipstick from thin air.
“Tada.” Ghost Girl cheered. “What do you think?”
She uncapped the tube and gave it a twist. The colour was revealed to be coral pink but Blue Maiden immediately noticed something incongruent with the lipstick. It was just a digital prop, not real in the slightest, and yet the product inside of the casing appeared used, with the rivulet of where lips had worn it down.
“Fun fact, this is a discontinued lipstick from a product placement promotion a couple years ago but I saved it just in case. I’ve experimented with it here and there but definitely have a winter complexion but you, dearest,” Ghost Girl explained, almost flirtatiously, “have a spring complexion. What do you say?”
“I say let’s try it.” Blue Maiden replied.
“Then hold still, and pucker your lips.” Ghost Girl said.
Blue Maiden nodded and did as she was told. She felt awkward and gawky as she puckered her lips for Ghost Girl. She felt like it was a kiss left hanging - not that she would know much about that, having never kissed anyone ever despite thinking a lot about it.
Especially with Ema.
And oh no… Did this count?
It was a fake lipstick in a fake lipstick tube, despite the impression Ghost Girl’s lips had left upon the wax but did this count as, like, an indirect kiss?
Aoi had to centre herself and imagine herself cool as cool could be to stop Blue Maiden’s cheeks from reddening. She took a breath and Ghost Girl applied the lipstick to her mouth. She started on the inner ridges of her lips, where they were most pressed and crinkled together. She dabbed it on with all the precision of a makeup artist.
“Now rub them together.” Ghost Girl told her next as she drew back ever so slightly.
Blue Maiden smushed her lips together, twisting them side to side to spread the colour over her lips. She wondered if this, too, was like kissing. It felt strange and awkward but maybe it would be less so with a second person.
“Okay, stop, let me re-apply.” Ghost Girl said.
Blue Maiden stopped and on went the second coat. Ghost Girl was delicate, stroking Blue Maiden’s lips at an angle with the tube, she got into the corners lightly and meanwhile, in the middle, was more heavy in sensation and attention. Her carefulness was soon rewarded, however, as the feeling of the lipstick was faint but real enough for Aoi to feel it through the sensory experience of the Link VRAINS. As a result, it felt silky and shiny. She smiled.
“Does it look good?” she asked.
Ghost Girl eyed her up, from head to toe and back again, then smacked her own lips together with a satisfied noise, “I think it looks perfect.”
Blue Maiden smiled excitedly. It bubbled up through her and she felt much like a princess thanks to the application of the last dab of makeup. Ghost Girl let her go and she turned around to face the mirror. Just that little extra whip of pale pink was immediately noticeable - and changed the entire aura of Blue Maiden.
“It looks amazing.” Blue Maiden replied, hardly containing the girlish squeal from within.
“I’m glad.” Ghost Girl replied and she capped the tube of lipstick. “You are ready to rock and roll, kiddo. You are growing up so fast.”
That, too, got a rise out of Blue Maiden that she had to quell for the sake of face. She nodded and stepped back.
“Thank you, Ghost Girl, it’s all because of you.” Blue Maiden replied.
“Aw, not quite, don’t sell yourself short, Blue Maiden.” Ghost Girl said.
Blue Maiden got a thrill out of that too. To be called by her newest username like that, the one which was meant to symbolise the arrival of her soon-to-be adulthood. In a couple years’ time but who knows what that would look like given the battles so much closer.
“Let’s kick ass next week, yeah?” Ghost Girl said.
“Yeah.” Blue Maiden replied, determined.
They logged out shortly after that exchange. With the details of Blue Maiden’s avatar finalised to Aoi’s satisfaction, there was little reason to dawdle, after all. They needed to rest up, get affairs in order, pretend that everything was going to be normal for a little while longer whilst quite the storm brewed in the near horizon.
But until then… Aoi was happy. Satisfied. And totally crushing on Ema. Maybe even more so than before as she cherished the sensations of Ghost Girl’s hand against her face. She was so gentle, it was mesmerising.
Aoi sighed as she flopped into the soft middle of her bed. It was tucked in the corner of her room, the lights were dim and the pink of her walls turned a dusty rose. She smiled to herself, cuddling against her old Evilswarm Mandragora and she was comforted by its familiar scent.
Yet proved what a child she was still…
Aoi closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, thinking about the kind of adult she wanted to become. To bring the spirations that had inspired the creation of her Blue Maiden avatar to fruition. She imagined hair growing long again and perhaps becoming the kind of woman who used makeup in the day to day. The glistening coral pink lipstick of her mouth. The kinds of freedoms afforded to only adults, a debit card and a drivers licence for a motorcycle.
Her daydream evolved as she thought more and more about it on the brink of sleep but she knew, deep down, and it pained her heart, but a change of clothes was not equivalent to a change of mind. She would always be Ema’s little protege.
Akira looked up from his meal as the word left Ema’s mouth. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Aoi tense up, a frown appearing on her face. Then his focus returned to Ema, who continued to eat slowly.
“Yes?” He spoke tentatively, unsure of what the topic of the conversation was. He took another bite of his food, eyes trained on Ema as he did so.
“Can I,” Ema began again, stabbing at some food and leaning forward over the table. “Date your sister?”
Akira blinked. A groan sounded from Aoi, and he looked over to see her bury her face in her hands.
“Ema…” She moaned. “I know you said you would bring it up soon, but this is the wrong time.”
Ema leaned back in her chair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is a great dinner time conversation.”
Akira closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and running through his thoughts. This may have seemed out of left field, but maybe he’d just missed something.
They had seemed to be getting closer recently, but, with his job, he never saw them enough to actually notice anything more than that.
He opened his eyes again. Ema had a smirk on her face.
“Well,” he began. “I don’t particularly mind, so long as you treat her well and she’s okay with it.”
He glanced over at Aoi, and despite her face still being in her hands, he could still see a smile forming there.
Ema’s smirk turned into a grin, and his eye twitched. He was missing something here.
There were two possibilities.
First, they were playing a huge practical joke on him.
Second…
“You’re not actually asking for permission, are you.”
Bingo. Immediately, Ema’s grin turned into a pout, and she slumped in her chair for a moment. She quickly sat back up straight, a smile back on her face.
Tags: Post-Canon, Crushes, Puppy Love, Encouragement, Zaizen Aoi has Trauma
“Well?” Ema said with a wink. “Want to hop on?”
“Me? Really?” Aoi dumbfoundedly replied, she pointed at herself.
“There’s no one else around.” Ema joked. She revved the engine, too.
Smoke billowed out of her exhaust pipe, it made Aoi cough but even so. There was something majestic about her motorcycle. The long, winding pipes that glistened in the sun, the shiny leather of the seat, and more. It was something that was all hers. It was the freedom of the highway, darting and weaving through the cars and traffic without a care in the world.
It was very much not something that Aoi thought she would ever ride on or experience. It was, however, second nature to Ema. She looked so good in her leather, too, it clung to her body in all the right ways as she further coaxed Aoi to join her for a joyride.
“Look, I even have a spare helmet.” Ema said as she reached around.
She unlatched the hood and accessed the small but fair sized storage unit that her bike had. The helmet was similar to the one that Ema usually wore but with the colours inverted: so, a prominent red with black streaks. It caught and reflected the sunbeams well.
“Then looks like I have no choice…” Aoi replied but she couldn’t hide the smile of intrigue on her face.
Ema had very much won.
Aoi reached out in turn and she accepted the helmet. It was heavier than she expected, and the Velcro unfriendlier than she would have liked but she got it over her head and strapped up just fine. Ema, meanwhile, scootched along the seat of her motorcycle and gave Aoi just enough room behind her to sit there but truth be told.
There wasn’t any room at all.
They had to get nice and personal and with no seatbelts, Aoi’s hands buckled in front of Ema’s stomach would have to do. Aoi shuddered as she came so close to Ema. The sleekness of her motorcycle leather, the scents that she exuded: perfume mixed with polluted smoke, it was heady and gross but Aoi kind of liked it when she searched for Ema underneath the notes of sandalwood and gasoline. She snuggled into Ema’s back and her bushy ponytail. She had an athletic, lithe body: she worked out every other day, probably.
Aoi blushed and she held her own hand to keep herself secure. With her legs squeezed tight and her heart already racing a million miles an hour, they were ready for kick off. Ema revved the engine and the motorcycle roared to life.
The city streets came alive in a whole new light – based on what Aoi could eke out from her limited perception. The motorcycle helmet was heavy and the visor tinted everything to a cinematic tone but goodness. It was the most fun ever.
They left the plaza behind them without a second thought. The asphalt of downtown called. Ema drove with precision and Aoi appreciated the finesse, but to her, it was all reckless abandon as it was full of sharp turns and dizzying inertia. They left a plume of smoke behind them as Ema’s indicators lit up in streaks of amber and scarlet, too, becoming a butterfly within the smog.
It was honestly such a thrill, Aoi got lost in it all.
Not just the physical sensation of gliding over the streetscape but what she felt on the inside, too. Such as the crush that she felt towards Ema, too. It had been there for a while, small and eating her from the inside out: the admiration that she had towards Ema was well encompassing. The wild side to her, the nurturing side to her: the way she was the big sister that Aoi never asked for but was thankful that she got as she tried to navigate the shadowy underbelly of the virtual world by her side.
She was a fount of inspiration and Aoi would be thankful for how Ema had helped her time and time again so she could stand on her own two legs. It was embarrassing puppy love and yet, Aoi kind of loved it. Ema was everything that she couldn’t have and yet look at her.
Aoi had her arms wrapped around Ema’s body and buried herself in her back and was in the thrum of adventure with her right now. Ema was toned and well endowed, too. Aoi tried not to think about it but her hands were right there. Every so often Ema piped up, ever so blithe and chatty, about different things they saw. Neon signs, the feel of the balmy weather on their backsides, and more. Aoi had never taken a ride a motorcycle before but it was fast becoming one of her all time favourite things as she experienced it in the same seat as Ema. It was all so exciting and how guilty she felt to be pressed up against Ema’s body.
They shared so much in the plush leather of the motorcycle’s seat and felt it all. The hum of the motorcycle and how it sped along the various motorways of Den City like it owned the place, how Ema controlled it and more but the way Aoi’s heart raced, too. It pounded as hard as jackhammer against her chest but she relished as there was so much to enjoy on their ride together.
From the way the wind whipped around them, to the engine’s purr and the heat that it exuded. It was all so intoxicating and free in ways that Aoi had never considered before. Or at least in meat space.
Motorcycles and D-Boards don’t have anything in common. Not really, not beyond being dangerous modes of transportation but still. Aoi would think that the point would stand apparent. One had wheels, the other had nothing, one had a seat and the other had jet engines. But they were similar in how they commanded attention and symbolised freedom. It was so much fun, Aoi couldn’t help but miss her heyday in the wild, blue and violet gales of the Data Storm but this had its own appeal.
The concrete jungle melded into suburbia. Aoi had no idea where she was, or how far they had come. She had completely lost track of time as she let Ema take her for this joyride. Or journey that it had apparently become given how little there was to recognise in this section of Den City which Aoi had never had any reason to explore previously.
The buildings got smaller and blockier the further away from the central business district and similar precincts they got. There were even houses with front and back yards scattered through the industrial streets of this part of the city which seemed to stretch onwards and outwards forever until it met the glistening sea. It was beautiful in how raw, cracked, and misshapen it was, Aoi thought as the motorcycle slowed the quieter it got out here.
Ultimately, their joyride culminated when they arrived in the carpark of this segment of the docklands. Here, despite there being bright blue skies overhead, the air was murky with salt and distant smoke. Through the rigid, mostly uniform shapes of the storage units and warehouse facilities, the ocean could be glimpsed in between.
Even though there were cargo ships in the distance, almost in the sky like a fata morgana illusion, it didn’t seem like there was a soul out here except for them as Ema pulled up in a rubbish and graffiti ridden carpark. Grass grew in between shards of fragmented concrete and weeds clung to the chain link fence similar to them as they stopped and paused. Despite being turned off and keys removed, the motorcycle’s engine puttered as they disembarked.
Ema took off her helmet and shook out her hair. Aoi, meanwhile, was not quite as graceful as she took a step or two away from the motorcycle before doing the same. The relatively fresh air hit her skin with a sting as she exhaled contentedly, enthralled by the ride.
She turned around with the biggest smile that Ema had ever seen her wear, “That was so much fun!” she gushed, enthusiastic.
“Glad you enjoyed.” Ema smiled like a cat. She leaned over the handlebars of her motorcycle.
Aoi’s smile became smaller as she became self conscious how childlike it seemed. She toyed with her hair, the fluffy strands had become crinkly underneath her helmet so she tried to flatten them as she looked around.
The shipyard in the distance was interesting. They seemed to be backed onto an office or the like, and then there was all the storage around them, on the other side of the tall, chain link fence that semi-secured the perimeter of the dockyards. It wasn’t doing too good of a job since they had gotten in there, wasn’t even a boomgate nearby from what Aoi could tell. So, it made her curious.
“Why out here?” Aoi asked. “Anything special about it?”
“It’s a little special.” Ema confessed and her voice became frayed but fond. “It’s where my Father took me to learn to ride this thing.” She patted the handlebars.
There was a lot Aoi didn’t know about the situation with Ema’s parents, especially since she was the child of the second wife and the second wife, she was fairly certain, was the mistress. She assumed there would never come a day, any time soon, when Ema would feel it appropriate to share the depth of her family issues and drama therein with her, so even this crumb…
It felt intimate.
Aoi’s heart thumped in her chest. She looked over the languid way that Ema sat in the seat of her motorcycle, how casual it was for her, like it was for her, as though it were an extension of her body. Aoi had never really considered if she would want to learn something like this. Even getting her driver’s licence as beyond an item of identification seemed unnecessary to Aoi and yet. She kind of liked the idea, if only as a means to bond with the woman she admired.
“Well?” Ema prompted her since all she was doing was staring off into space. “Do you want to try?”
Aoi’s eyes went as wide as wheels, “You really want to teach me to ride a motorcycle?” As though the idea was absurd.
“Only if you’re game.” Ema teased.
Aoi’s stomach knotted. Of course she was game. She stepped forward, boldly, and nodded.
“I’d love to.”
“Sweet.”
Ema’s leg flung outwards and she got off the motorcycle. She beckoned Aoi closer and she obliged. Aoi put her helmet back on and irked herself given she had only just re-adjusted her hair after getting a case of helmet head. Nevertheless, she hopped onto the seat and slid to the front of it, where it was way too warm feeling and that made her blush. Ema pretended not to notice in lieu of giving Aoi the low down on what the different things did, what they were. The basics, pretty much, of what a motorcycle even was.
Some of which was necessary to fill in gaps in Aoi’s knowledge. In physics class, she recalled, they touched briefly on combustion and how it worked inside of cars but a boy asked about motorcycles so they discussed that, too. It wasn’t nothing but at the helm, Aoi realised it wasn’t enough at all.
Luckily she had a great teacher right here and now to show her the ropes.
Ema was patient with her, doled out the right amount of information that Aoi needed per part of the motorcycle’s front and went down it systematically. Aoi absorbed it all like a sponge. By the end of it, she felt comfortable to take the first step: start the engine and let it rev.
Maybe she used a bit too much power but the motorcycle jerked to life with a huge noise. Ema stepped backwards, to get out of the danger zone but she whooped and hollered, enthused by the promise that Aoi showed. Even if she was daunted by it.
“Okay, let’s just try and ride in a circle. Get you used to being upright.” Ema called out.
“G-Got it.” Aoi stammered.
Aoi urged the motorcycle forward and despite her uncertainty, she was able to get it to ride in a straight line. Mostly. There was a slight wobble to the motorcycle’s gait but as long as Aoi went slow and did it carefully, she managed to follow Ema’s instruction.
“There we go.” Ema encouraged her. “Try again, get some more practice in.”
Aoi nodded, exaggerated as she could, and tried again. She worked up some more confidence and that helped straighten the path the motorcycle took. Ema looked like she was going to get dizzy as she tracked the circles that Aoi rode but she improved with every loop.
“Excellent, you're a natural, girl!” Ema cheered.
“Heh, thanks.” Aoi said as she pulled up at Ema’s side.
She vibrated slightly with excitement. It was one thing to experience it all from the passenger seat, another thing entirely to be at the handlebars but Aoi loved every second of it. Even if she became all the more heightened to how dangerous driving was: whether a wrong steer would send her too far around the corner, or if she would crash and burn.
Still, the responsibility was good for her. Gave her a thrill from the inside out.
“What do you say?” Ema asked next. “Do you want to give me a test drive?”
“Huh?” Aoi gawked.
Ema laughed at her naivete. Surely, this was the obvious next step in her mentorship with the motorcycle.
“C’mon, let’s hit the streets instead of doing circles here.” Ema continued to poke and prod. “You're not even doing doughnuts – not that I’m encouraging that, but.” She ended her sentence playfully but sharply.
Aoi swallowed her fears, “Sure, let’s go around the block. Maybe?”
“Deal. We’ll end up here again when you're done. Go as far as you feel comfortable, or have the fuel for.” Ema said.
Aoi glanced down at the fuel tank. It was a surprisingly economical vehicle, at least half a tank left based on where the little, white needle was pointed. Still, Aoi wasn’t raring to go that fast nor far.
Especially with Ema in town.
Nervousness swallowed Aoi from the inside out but she felt a jolt within as Ema saddled up behind her: a reversal from their time before. Ema, meanwhile, wasn’t nearly as touchyfeely. She wasn’t scared at all. Her hands were loose around Aoi’s hips, in front of her scrawny belly and she cuddled in. Their helmets clinked against one another as Aoi kicked off.
The engine roared and they were off in a blare of noise and smoke. Aoi white knuckled it as she steered the motorcycle onwards and outwards past the opening in the road and chain link fence they had gone through. This was undoubtedly her best stroke yet. The motorcycle was upright and steady as she zoomed down the streets maybe a little too fast, in the way only a learner could be.
Still, Aoi relished it. The sensation of Ema’s arms around her waist, the feeling of the wind drag over her helmet as she scanned the street left to right, showing all the awareness needed to ride safely. She really was a natural, even if she was nervous.
Together, they wrapped the block twice. Once more than needed but Aoi wanted to prove to herself she could do it: that she was responsible, keen, and learned. This part of the city looked even more different again through the sepia tinted visor and the feeling of deciding where they were going, not just taking the ride.
They passed run down office buildings and holes which probably belonged to the yakuza. It was great. There were dandelions in the concrete and clouds in the sky. She saw them all the same way she did stop signs and the like.
It was good fun even as the mileage dwindled and they came to a halt where they started. Aoi pulled up in amongst the chipped asphalt and cracked concrete in the parking lot from before. She put her foot down on the tar and took the key from the engine.
Aoi reached back to hand the key to Ema. Ema flashed a smile from behind her helmet. Even through the hard plastic, her lips were shiny and sparkly: from a cherry red to a vivid mauve, however.
They both dismounted from the motorcycle but it was Ema who pulled out the kickstand. She gave it a moment and it settled. Aoi took off her helmet and she held in between both her palms as she looked around.
“This afternoon’s been fun, by the way.” Aoi said. “I needed this.”
“Me, too.” Ema admitted.
She rested her body all too casually against her motorcycle. It creaked with her weight but didn’t budge. Though, the hair on the back of Aoi’s neck did raise as she watched cautiously. There was something awfully conspicuous about how nonchalant Ema was trying to seem. Aoi stared at her with her wide, brown eyes and Ema smiled a small smile in response.
“I’ve missed you.” Ema said with a sigh. The jig was up and Aoi had twigged that they weren’t just hanging out for the sake of hanging out. “In the Link VRAINS, I mean,” she then clarified with a shrug but she clamped her hand over her other elbow and strained, as though it weren’t a casual admission at all like initially intended, “it’s a lot of fun, I promise.”
“I’m just nervous is all…” Aoi replied, melancholic. “I miss my fans and my fans miss me but, am I Blue Angel anymore? And if I’m not, am I Blue Girl? A knock-off of you? I don’t think so, I’m my own person, I don’t need a crutch anymore but as Blue Maiden…”
“You still lost it all.” Ema finished her sentence for her.
Aoi fumed but yes. Ema was correct.
Aoi had seen her brother disappear before her very eyes. The water which had once been so warm and welcoming, had become a tsunami which drowned them both. It was harrowing and she hadn’t really had the urge to log back into the Link VRAINS since.
But people were waiting for her. They wanted her to redebut in the brand new era of the Neo Link VRAINS. She wanted to as well. Whether it was to test new plays with her Trickstar deck or to further learn Marincess, and maybe even create some kind of crossover between the two, would mean a lot to her. Miyu meant so much to her and Aqua… Aoi wanted to believe that Aqua’s data was just beyond her fingertips, that she would be safe again soon.
She just didn’t have the same propensity for the network like the others, like Yusaku or even Ema. So, she couldn’t help the way she wanted. She didn’t feel like she had ever helped, despite her insistence, her perseverance, her heroism. It never paid off in the way she wanted, in beautiful, blue glory. All she got was pittance and heartbreak. It enfeebled her.
But Aoi realised the purpose of this little trip. Ema missed her little protege it seemed. She smiled bittersweet. This was all encouragement to build up her confidence again, wasn’t it?
The realisation was written across Aoi’s face. Truth be told, she didn’t mind and Ema reached out. She caressed Aoi’s face and held her by the chin. She tilted her head back slightly to better meet Aoi’s eyes from underneath her fluffy, brown fringe.
“You are a brilliant duelist, Aoi and no matter what avatar you wear, you are always you and I think that’s beautiful.” Ema consoled her. “But, for what it’s worth, if you can ride a motorcycle, you can ride a D-Board again.”
Aoi laughed hesitantly, “I think you're right.”
“Of course, I’m right.” Ema boasted. “I’m your mentor.”
And my brother’s ex and everything I want but can never have, Aoi stopped herself from saying her inside thoughts out loud. The best she could muster was a bemused expression as Ema studied her lips. Her smile turned all crinkly as she smouldered beneath Ema’s touch, the scant trace of her acrylic nails and her smooth fingertips.
“You ready to go home?” Ema asked.
“Yes, I think so.” Aoi replied.
“Sounds good, I’ll drop you off out the front of your and Akira’s place, yeah?”
Aoi nodded. That was fine by her.
Ema smirked and she tapped Aoi’s skin with her fingertips before letting her go. Aoi exhaled in relief but she felt a shudder through her shoulders and down her spine. Ema, meanwhile, sashayed off. Aoi hid her feelings by putting her helmet on but the damage was done.
Ema knew. She was perceptive and observant, she saw the angel where others saw the moth. That was probably fine. Dumb puppy love. But even so, Aoi relished it as she had the opportunity to once more wrap her arms around Ema and enjoy the luxury of her body. Her musculature, the sleek feel of her biking leathers. It made Aoi’s heart skip a beat.
With a kick off the stand and a whirr of the engine, controlled, incremental, unlike how Aoi had driven it, they were off to the races. They sped off down and into the street, headed for uptown and the late afternoon sunshine heralded their return home to the luxury apartments and skyscrapers Aoi had become more used to associating with Den City.
Amid it all, Aoi held tight. She didn’t need to but she wanted to. Ema’s posture was stern as she faced directly into the wind resistance. Aoi, meanwhile, closed her eyes.
If she compared it, if she contrasted it, if she imagined it: then the wind around them could become the gale of the Data Storm. Deep down, she did miss it. She might have even liked it more than driving a motorcycle, actually: flying through the air atop of a D-Board. The feeling of the wind in her hair, rather than razored off a helmet, how she had to keep her feet hips width apart to maintain balance, and finally, best of all: the roar of a crowd all chanting her username.
Fine.
Blue… Someone might be making a reappearance soon in the Neo Link VRAINS. Just as long as Ghost Girl was there, to catch her when she falls and hold her hand. Surely, that wasn’t asking too much of her mentor nor the illicit love that she felt towards her.
