Get the hardware for your new bike

You arrived at another Hideki facility across town, Hideki Technology. Hideki itself was an umbrella company that operated a variety of spinoff businesses, from the biotech field that you worked in to entertainment electronics, like the game division that created the popular Hideki Snap console, to the transportation sector. The headquarters, based in Tokyo, was always talking about searching for 'synergies' across the departments, to find ways to combine fields into new and promising tech. One of the hardest synergies had been between the biomedical applications and transportation, given how wildly different the projects were. Other than ways to monitor the health of a driver while operating a vehicle and more efficient ambulances, there wasn't really much by way of collaboration.

You weren't really thinking about that collaboration as you walked into Hideki Tech's transportation building, piloting Zoe's body toward the receptionist in the front lobby. Both you and Zoe were excited about the potential for what you were going to suggest, but you needed a sympathetic ear who would entertain outlandish ideas. Fortunately, you had a friend that might help...

"Name?" The receptionist asked, trying to recall where she'd seen you from.

"Em--" you started, before Zoe cleared her throat in your ear loudly, to remind you that you weren't exactly yourself. "...Zoe. Zoe Hildebrand. ...Doctor. Doctor Zoe." Smooth. You pulled out Zoe's Hideki badge, putting it on the counter. Her clearance inside Hideki Labs gave her the same level of clearance at any other Hideki facility in the city, so access wasn't going to be an issue. Your inability to maintain your disguise, however...

"I see, Dr. Hildebrand. Do you have an appointment?"

You shook your head. "No appointment, this is a bit of an impromptu visit... I was wondering if you could let Kazumi Ishida know that I'd like to meet with her? Please let her know it is a top-tier project."

Kazumi Ishida is a long-time friend, even back to when you were kids. She was a prodigy when it came to technology, having this natural understanding for the mechanics and electronics of whatever she got her hands on. She was captain of the robotics club in college, and more importantly for your purposes, she loved motorcycles. You knew how to ride because she wanted a friend to take the motorcycle training course, but until this new opportunity, you hadn't really thought much about more seriously riding outside of your scooter you'd make trips to the grocery store on.

You'd heard for a while that Kazumi had all sorts of amazing ideas that could change how Hideki does things. You'd seen her blueprints and drawings for concepts that she claimed could change the technology used in cars completely, going so far as to design a new type of engine that could be used for low-ground hovering vehicles without the dangers of exposed spinning rotors. Despite her brilliance, her ability to work within the Hideki bureaucracy was limited, and she was stuck working on a lot of half-baked ideas for other departments. But you thought she might find this project interesting, so you called it 'top-tier', which was her phrase of choice to describe something she really liked as a kid. It became a codeword over time that Kazumi's friends would use when they had something to share they figured she'd be interested in.

The receptionist turned to you, leaning on the counter after putting in the call. "Miss Ishida is at test track four, she's reserved it all day. She says she's pretty busy but if it's 'top-tier' then she'll make some time."

You smiled and nodded, as the receptionist gave you directions to reach the test track. You hurried along the hallways, badge affixed to your cardigan, as you excitedly approached Kazumi's workspace, tapping your badge and opening the door.

Kazumi in a lot of ways was similar to you, at least in stature. Her long, raven black hair was tied back into a ponytail which rested over her jumpsuit, as she tinkered with something on a console nearby. The indoor track, designed for vehicle testing, was about the size of a football field, although with ceilings only about two stories high it made the room look a lot longer than an open space might. She was remotely controlling a vehicle, or trying--some distance away, a car would rev up, start to move, and then shut down again.

"This stupid thing..." Kazumi muttered, banging her hand on the console. "If I didn't have to use Don's stupid operating system changes I'd have this done by now!" With a huff, Kazumi turned around, her scowl disappearing, turning into curiosity and confusion as to why you were present on the test track. "Do I know you? How do you know about top-tier stuff?"

"Do you know me... yes and no." You smiled a little, putting a hand on your hip. Kazumi never hid the fact that she was attracted toward women, and she was clearly eyeing Zoe's body up and down without much thought. "You don't know Zoe Hildebrand, but you know Emily Lockard..."

Kazumi's face brightened up a little when she heard your name. "Emmy's here too?"

You stepped closer, your voice dropping in case any audio or video recordings were active. "Kazumi, I'm Emily... I'm in Zoe's body." You saw Kazumi's nose scrunch up, as she did when she found something hard to believe. "It's easy to prove. Can we go somewhere a little less out in the open where everyone can see? I told you this is top-tier stuff and from my Hideki Labs work, I'm telling you, it's extremely top-tier and this will be a big deal for you."

Repeating the phrase 'top-tier' steadily weakened her defenses. You knew it would, that was her trusted phrase. She looked around, and led you to a small workshop room nearby, where she closed the door and flicked on the lights. "Okay, if you're Emmy, then prove it."

Kazumi's confidence that she'd resist whatever sort of goofy game this was disappeared with a shriek as Zoe's back opened up, allowing you to step out of her and to the side, fully dressed as you had been when Zoe last enveloped you. The dumbfounded Kazumi just gaped as one girl became two in front of her, only able to see the faintest hint of you exiting Zoe's body but it was shocking nonetheless. "You... you weren't kidding, then...!"

"Zumi, this is Zoe, she's what we might call a living bodysuit. You remember those adaptive bandages I'd been working on? She's just like that, but... a full person that can talk and also do science." Zoe just smiles in response, with a little wave. Clearly she was uninjured, as were you, so Kazumi calmed down, shaking her head as she saw the strangest magic trick she'd ever been exposed to.

"I'd say that's impossible, but... so wait, you were just in her body? Is she hollow or something? Can anyone wear her? How do you account for the fact that she's taller than you?" Kazumi always had a ton of questions in the things that interested her, and she stalked around Zoe's body, this time examining it with even more scrutiny, looking for some sort of zipper or buttons that might explain how you could get in and out of her, at the very least.

Zoe smiled at Kazumi when she came around front. "Since you're one of Emily's friends, I'd be happy to give you a live demonstration that would answer all those questions, if you wished. But, we did come here with something in mind that Emily thinks is suitable of your skills."

Kazumi turned to look at you, waiting for whatever it was you were going to propose.

You took a deep breath. "Kazumi, we want you to turn Zoe into a motorcycle."