The motorcycles sped beneath the blazing sunlight.
The air was torn apart, giving rise to the sharp whistle of the wind screaming past their ears.
The man took a deep breath, feeling the cool wind brush against his skin, slipping through the strands of his hair.
The cool chill felt refreshing. Just like back then.
"S-So cool. Your driving is incredible," the girl exclaimed. A few blushing pixels appeared on the cheeks of her avatar, her eyes sparkling.
"It's nothing special. Of course, that's for me," Jawed replied calmly.
"Tch. Is that supposed to be humble or arrogant?!" a voice came from the dashboard of the motorcycle riding beside him. It was the side-parted guy.
"So, what do we do now? Where are we going? You're the one leading, you know."
Jawed pondered for a moment, then spoke:
"For now, we should head to the Mecha Human Union. At least, it's the only place I can think of right now that might be able to help us."
At the very least, from what these Mecha Humans had told him, that organization didn't seem to be connected to this incident.
And besides, those bastards and that factory didn't look very respectful of Mecha Humans' rights anyway.
Decision made, they all twisted their throttles, heading straight for the MSR building.
"..."
Along the way, the girl said nothing. She remained silent like a still photograph. The expression on her pixelated face seemed to droop slightly.
"So we're going back there." she whispered for a brief moment, her voice so soft it almost dissolved into the air. A hint of disappointment could be heard in it.
Jawed and the group of Mecha Human rode straight toward the Mecha Human Union.
Inside, the ones welcome him were still that pair of J 'twins'.
"Greeting, welcome to—oh, look at that, Jamedo. Isn't that the guy who somehow got lucky enough to pick up a beautiful Mecha girl? Wait, shouldn't that girl be staying at the residential center? And why are there a whole group of Mecha Humans here too? Could it be—"
The two put on exaggerated shocked expressions, like The Scream, their voices brimming with excitement:
"Could it be, Johndo? Is he planning to take all of them as his other halves?! There's even Mecha guy too! How scandalous~!"
"No, I'm not," Jawed replied flatly.
"Oh. Is that so." The two staff members instantly switched from warm smiles to expressions as cold as frozen fish.
Jawed sighed. He then explained everything that had happened.
After hearing the whole story, the two men's facial expressions turned serious. The playful tone from earlier was gone.
"Alright. We understand your situation now. Thank creator-ness everyone is safe."
"So do you have any information about those men in black, or about that factory?" Jawed asked.
"According to our speculation, from what you described, that place is most likely an illegal Mecha human enhancement facility. The symbol you saw is probably their logo. Let me explain."
The staff members took a deep breath, as if steadying themselves, then began to explain.
To become a top racer, a rider must have a powerful Mecha Human.
But a Mecha Human must win many races and go through a long, arduous journey to obtain the resources needed to advance their strength.
Therefore, there are those who, unwilling to endure the hardship, seek to rush the process; to reap the fruit without sowing the seeds.
Where there is demand, there will be supply. To meet the needs of those riders, unofficial organizations emerged, using unprecedented intervention methods to strengthen Mecha Humans rapidly.
And of course, shortcuts always come with consequences.
"Many Mecha Human have been found with severe mental and physical damage, all caused by those rapid enhancement methods."
Even so, the practice continues. Because the results come too quickly, too easily. And the riders themselves suffer nearly no real loss beyond a bit of money.
All the pain, all the damage, is borne entirely by the Mecha Humans.
Hearing that, Jawed's brows knitted together.
"But don't you worry. We'll report this matter to the higher-ups and send people to that factory area to rescue the Mecha Humans still trapped there," the staff members reassured him.
"Then what about the rider who sent these ones here to that place? What are you going to do about him?" Jawed asked, his voice cold, as if he already knew the answer.
In response, the two staff members only shook their heads gloomily.
"Based on the testimonies from you and the Mecha humans here, that man concealed his face, so we can't locate him through the identification system. Investigating through the transaction records of the residential center is also very complicated due to confidentiality protections. And, even if we did find him, without clear evidence such as messages or video recordings proving a deal between him and the illegal enhancers, we can't charge him. I... I'm very sorry...." Their voices gradually trailed off.
Jawed's expression turned cold.
It was easy enough to guess. This organization was little more than all bark and no bite. Eventually, when it came to those truly capable of harming Mecha Humans, they were powerless. The very existence of those illegal enhancement groups proved it.
If the girl and the others returned to the residential center, there was a high chance they would fall into the hands of people like that again, sinking back into despair once more.
Nothing would change.
Seeing the atmosphere grow heavy, the staff members hurriedly tried to change the subject:
"Uh, for now, we'll have someone process the information. You should all rest in the main hall. After all, you've been through a lot."
***
"..."
The girl sat on a chair outside the entrance of the large building, staring blankly into the empty space ahead.
She was thinking about something, or perhaps she was simply sitting there in silence.
"Watching the sky?" a warm voice suddenly asked.
The girl turned her head and saw the young man slowly walking toward her.
"U-Um. I was just thinking about a few things," she replied softly.
"What were you thinking about?"
"I was thinking about what you said earlier. Maybe.... not knowing who I was isn't so bad. I just need to keep living. After all, you know that I exist, and you want me to keep living. It'll be okay...."
Her gaze drifted toward the lobby of the Union's building, where a large statue stood at the center.
A statue of a rider and his Mecha human, both with indistinct faces.
"Maybe I'll find some kind of job so I can buy lots of canned meat. I can't keep freeloading off you forever," she joked lightly.
"I see," Jawed replied.
The two of them said nothing more, simply sitting there and enjoying the breeze.
"Hiya! What are you two doing here?"
A clear voice called out from afar. It was Rinne, the Mecha girl who had escaped with them. Behind her were the side-parted guy—Pardtrik, the bespectacled man—Joseph, and a guy with a not-so-pointy chin whose name Jawed couldn't remember.
"So, what are you all planning to do now?" Jawed asked.
"Hmph. Just like you said. Even if it's meaningless, I'll keep living. I think racing is hopeless for me now, so I guess I'll—"
"We're going to try finding jobs, make ends meet, and keep living"
"Hey! Don't interrupt me!"
"Because you talk too much, funny-hair"
"What did you just say?!"
Ignoring the two who were about to start a fight, Rinne ran over to the girl and grabbed her hands.
"Oi, I'm the same as those two. I'll give up too and go do what humans do. Want to come with me? We'll be good friends! Oh, by the way, what's your name? I'm Rinne."
"Ah... um..." The girl looked slightly flustered by Rinne's energetic enthusiasm.
"I don't have a name. But um.... I'll work too. I'm happy to work with you."
She said she was happy, but a faint sadness lingered in her eyes.
Seeing that, Jawed clenched his fist.
He remembered their escape from the factory, the turns he took, and the moment he was shot.
It was all so brief, yet it made his heart pound in his chest.
Why had he quit racing? Because racing had become dull and meaningless.
And yet, in that moment, he had felt so exhilarated, as if time had returned to the past.
Was that joy? Passion? A longing?
Maybe, just to confirm it, he wanted to feel that thrill one more time.
And, he also wanted to help the girl once again.
"Hey.... how about...."
"Um?"
"How about.... you become my Mecha human?"
...