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

Part 14

Ghost in the Machine – Part 14

For a while, they simply hovered in the night sky, wrapped in each other's warmth. The hum of Niihama's restless city life pulsed far below, distant and insignificant compared to the moment they now shared.

Motoko wasn't used to feeling weightless—not like this. Even in her cybernetic body, gravity had always kept her anchored to the world, to duty, to war. But here, in Power Girl's arms, floating above the chaos, she felt something new.

Freedom.

Power Girl smirked as she held Motoko close, her forehead resting gently against the Major's. "You're thinking too much again."

Motoko huffed. "Force of habit."

"Yeah, I've noticed," Power Girl teased, brushing a stray strand of violet hair from Motoko's face. "You ever just... let go?"

Motoko's cybernetic eyes studied Power Girl's face. "Let go of what?"

"The mission. The fight. The weight of everything."

Motoko hesitated. "I don't know how."

Power Girl's expression softened. "Then maybe I can teach you."

Before Motoko could respond, Power Girl shifted her grip, holding the Major closer, and then—

She let them fall.

Motoko's breath caught as the wind roared past them, their descent rapid, exhilarating. But before the Major's instincts could kick in, Power Girl pulled them into a smooth arc, soaring between Niihama's skyscrapers like a shooting star.

Motoko's grip on Power Girl's shoulders tightened, but not out of fear. The sensation was thrilling. She had jumped from high places before, had even experienced freefall in her cybernetic body, but this—this was different. There was no danger. No impact waiting at the end. Just the rush of the wind, the blur of neon lights, and Power Girl's steady arms keeping her safe.

"Okay," Motoko admitted, eyes gleaming as they weaved between buildings. "This is... different."

Power Girl chuckled. "Told you. You trust me?"

Motoko met her gaze, a small, almost mischievous smirk forming. "I might be getting there."

Power Girl grinned. "Good enough for now."

She ascended again, taking them above the city once more, this time heading toward the outskirts. Beyond the dense metropolis, the urban glow gave way to the shimmering coastline of Niihama's bay. The ocean stretched into the horizon, dark and endless, reflecting the moonlight like a sheet of polished glass.

Power Girl slowed, hovering just above the waves, letting them drift in the cool night air. The sound of the water lapping against the shore filled the silence between them.

"This," Power Girl said softly, "is what I wanted you to see."

Motoko looked out over the ocean. For all the artificial beauty of Niihama, the ocean was something else entirely—vast, unknowable, real. No cybernetics, no data streams. Just nature, unaltered and pure.

"It's..." Motoko hesitated, then exhaled. "I don't have words."

Power Girl smiled. "Then don't say anything. Just feel it."

Motoko turned her gaze back to Power Girl. The Kryptonian wasn't just offering her a view—she was offering her something much more dangerous. Something the Major had spent years avoiding.

A reason to stay.

After a long moment, Motoko finally spoke, her voice quieter now. "You're reckless."

Power Girl raised an eyebrow. "That's your takeaway?"

Motoko's smirk returned, just slightly. "And... maybe I do love it."

Power Girl's heart skipped at that. She didn't hesitate—she leaned in again, capturing Motoko's lips in another deep, slow kiss, their bodies suspended in the air, surrounded only by the night and the sound of the waves.

This time, Motoko kissed her back without hesitation.

For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to let go.

To be continued...