"Power in the Shell" A Ghost in the Shell x DC Universe Romance Crossover story

Part 13

Ghost in the Machine – Part 13

The city stretched before them in an endless sea of neon and steel, its skyline illuminated by towering holograms and the glow of countless advertisements. New Port City was always alive, always shifting, its cybernetic pulse beating beneath the surface.

Power Girl took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp night air, then glanced at Motoko. The Major was still scanning the wreckage of Kurosawa's lab, her mind already working ahead to the next step, the next battle.

But Power Girl had something else in mind.

Before Motoko could react, Power Girl scooped her up effortlessly in a bridal-style carry, her arms cradling the Major's surprisingly light frame.

Motoko tensed. "What the—"

"I'm showing you something," Power Girl interrupted, grinning. "Hold on tight."

Then, with a single powerful leap, she launched them into the sky.

The wind howled past them as they shot upward, breaking through the city's smog and rising into the clear night above. The streets below shrank rapidly, neon lights blending into a river of color. The air grew cooler, and the chaotic hum of technology faded into silence.

For a moment, Power Girl simply held Motoko there, high above Niihama, letting her take it in. The cybernetic metropolis stretched in every direction, its architecture a fusion of old and new, human and machine. Beyond the city's borders, the ocean shimmered under the moonlight, its surface untainted by the neon glow.

Motoko's expression softened as she took in the sight. She had spent so much of her life down in the trenches—hunting threats, surviving battles, living in the chaos. But up here, in Power Girl's arms, it was quiet. Peaceful.

"...It's beautiful," Motoko admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Power Girl chuckled. "Told you."

Motoko glanced up at her, arching an eyebrow. "And you thought grabbing me without warning and flying off was the best way to show me?"

Power Girl smirked. "Hey, you didn't stop me."

Motoko rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Instead, she let herself relax just a little, trusting Power Girl's strength to hold her.

The Kryptonian's expression shifted into something softer. "You know, I don't just trust people easily. But there's something about you, Motoko. You fight like hell, but I can tell... you're tired."

Motoko stiffened slightly at that, but Power Girl continued.

"You don't have to carry everything on your own," she said, her voice gentler now. "You've got me."

Motoko looked up at her again, something unreadable in her gaze. For a moment, she hesitated—then, with a quiet exhale, she reached up and cupped Power Girl's cheek, her fingers brushing against her skin like a ghost of a touch.

"...You really mean that?" Motoko asked, her voice unusually vulnerable.

Power Girl didn't answer with words. Instead, she leaned down, closing the small distance between them, and pressed her lips to Motoko's.

The kiss was soft at first, hesitant, as if Power Girl wasn't sure how far Motoko would let her go. But when the Major didn't pull away—when she responded, tilting her head slightly and pressing back just enough to deepen it—Power Girl knew she wasn't alone in this.

The cold wind of the night didn't matter. The war waiting for them below didn't matter. Right now, in this moment, it was just them, suspended in the sky, wrapped in each other's arms.

When they finally pulled back, Motoko exhaled, shaking her head with the smallest of smirks. "You're impossible."

Power Girl grinned. "And you love it."

Motoko didn't confirm or deny it. But the way she let herself rest against Power Girl, her fingers still brushing her skin, said enough.

For tonight, at least, the war could wait.

To be continued...