Five years after the events of the first Mechagirl Pitfighter Quest.
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=MechagirlThe bar is playing one of the fights. A gynoid with buzzsaw arms and angel wings picks apart one of the many catgirl models. Someone thought cat vs bird was a fun theme, but the cat is getting taken apart. She slashes again and again with superheated claws that glow bright crimson, but only hits air. Flight is such a powerful ability.
They used to have these fights outlawed on the moon.
Two guys start talking about the action. You keep you mouth shut. In a moment of weakness, you revealed who it was you worked for. It wasn't a good experience. People like the fights, they don't like who runs them.
It's good they don't. You probably wouldn't like you if you met yourself, honestly.
"Why always girl robots?" one of them asks the other. His accent indicates he's from one of the deep-space cannisters. He's a "canned human." He's not from around here, not from Earth, so he doesn't get it.
"Well, it's because of the Jupiter conflict." his friend replies. Conflict. Such an Earthman way to describe it.
"Gynoids were used a lot in the war. It was found enemies were more reluctant to fire on them if they looked like women. After the war, you had a lot of them running around and spoiling for a fight. So they started the fights to focus that energy, keep them from starting trouble."
"But why are the new ones girls? Why not any men?" the canny asks.
His friend shrugs. "I don't know. Beats me."
But you know.
Psychology and market research.
People care about them more when they're women. It activates the protective instincts, and other, less respectful instincts.
The catgirl takes a deep cut across her chest. Sparks fly in a golden arc. You can't tell if she's figured out she's going to lose or not. It's hard to read the expression of the model. She may not be the kind that's allowed to ever think she's going to lose.
You don't get to see how the fight ends. Not that you cared much, anyway. Paul wires you through the noosphere. A circuit in your inner ear rings with his voice.
"They junked her."
