birth of venus
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- LOADING. . .initiating...heartless.exeHEARTBEAT CITY.Your city's a sucker, well my city's a creep . . .Eight million heartbeats and counting...
Heartbeat City, a monument to life, death, and endless opportunities. The hustle and bustle of everyday life urges the residents to keep up in fear of getting left behind, and thereβs always talk of bigger and better things to take Heartbeat City to unimaginable heights. Such an endeavor has been successful, perhaps more than had been previously imagined. Technological advancements like the world has never seen originate within the city, bathed in vibrant lights and sectioned by towering skyscrapers, flying cars and artificial intelligence. Heartbeat City is a place for people in search of opportunities.
As clichΓ© as it sounds however, all that glitters isnβt gold. Like a diamond, many facets of the city are left hidden behind bright lights. It is true that Heartbeat is home to towering skyscrapers and advanced technology, but it is only accessed by a select number of individuals. The gap between classes is as high as its towers, a divide that has proved it to be especially hard for the downtrodden to claw their way up. The rich tend to stay rich and the poor stay poor, with a few expectations here and there to give the illusion of equality. The upper echelon of society maintains their pristine lives above the noise and pollution of the surface, choking the sky of its sunlight and gapping the spaces between with bridges and walkways.
Here you have Elysian, the pristine image of a perfect society, and home to only the elite of the elite. The upper crust of society calls Elysian home, with housing provided as well for more well-known heroes. With everything that one could need at their fingertips, the residents never have to travel to the world below. Buildings have been crafted to connect to one another and some even float in midair. Everything from private schools and high end grocery stores can be found up in the clouds. There is no clutter, no noise to disturb them, itβs no wonder that they donβt like to leave.
If one were to ever find themselves kicked from the heavens, they will fall straight into Tartarus. It is here where the majority of society resides, and the average working citizen sees success as how high you can reach to the heavens. The typical worker wouldn't live above the fifth floor. Smog thickens the air most of the time, allowing only a mere glimpse of the luxury above. They gaze at flying cars with longing in their eyes. Crime runs rampant here and the city is fattened up with the blood of the poor. Children and adults litter the streets in equal measure and people tend to look out for themselves before anyone else, though you'll never see more solidarity than those born and raised in their own neighborhoods and barrios, never achieving a life to live anywhere else. Itβs better to keep your head low when out. The schools, or the poor excuses of schools, are overcrowded and underfunded. Thereβs little to look forward to in Tartarus. After all, it so easy to be snatched by the streets like so many others before.
HERO WORK.Do you need a hero? I think I'm the one you're lookin' for!
The world-famous superheroes of Heartbeat City are servants of the public. They are employees of the city government and must complete a rigorous training and certification process to officially don the title of a hero. The daily work of a superhero is more complicated than the average citizen would assume; heroes must take into consideration what area of the city they will work in, dealing with collateral damage from altercations, and even paperwork to report the actions they've taken and ensure that they were within their rights to act.
Many heroes work hand in hand with the city's police and detectives, can be involved with investigations, and more. Their work is what is recognized the most, however. They're extremely visible to the public, and the top heroes, such as Xiao Huo Yin, are revered and have celebrity status. It's common to see newer, less popular heroes working other jobs as well, or taking on other gigs to make money. Heroes grace the billboards and advertisements, appear on talk shows, have their own fan blogs and online fandom spaces, and even merchandise.
- LOADING. . .prompt...the_change.exeTHE CHANGE.Human beings in a mob, what's a mob to a king? What's a king to a God? What's a God to a non-believer who don't believe in anything?The Change was a worldwide phenomenon that occurred approximately twenty-five years ago, where nearly 1% of the population began to develop superpowers. This was an event truly witnessed and experienced by everyone. Whether it destroyed their homes, prompted them to run into hiding, or changed them permanently, it threw everything into chaos, with an extreme spike in terrorism, crime, assault, murder, and deaths. Many people developed abilities that they could not control, and either hurt and killed themselves or others. Because of the insane spike, the worldβs police forced and governments scrambled to gain control. The duration of the chaos varies region by region, and in the United States it can be said that a harsh military effort was made to enforce the law. Martial law fell into effect for many years following the Change, and disaster recovery efforts were made to help rebuild many major cities. The Change marked the new existence of superpowers into the world, and anybody alive after the Change now has the potential to develop superpowers. Any babies born during or after the Change also have the potential to develop powers now. An important factor is that not everybody is simply born with superpowers, but can develop them at any point in their lives. It is to note that many powered individuals develop their powers throughout early puberty, or even childhood.
Heartbeat City was nearly burned to the ground by the time things slowed down, and like a phoenix, it began anew. Many homeless shelters and camps popped up as the city slowly rebuilt itself, with new governmental positions put into place, and systems of identification and labeling of superhumans arose as well.
Twelve years ago began the Census. The United States government implemented the Census with claims that it's intent is to record each type of superpower that has appeared. It is conducted each year and keeps a record of people who were either born with abilities, or developed abilities after the Change. Of course, there are some people who dodge the census, bribe census takers, or otherwise avoid it as to not be labeled. Purposefully avoiding the Census in any way is against the law, and violators can face jail time.
- LOADING . . .prompt..thefutureisnear.exeTECH & INDUSTRY.Even if the sky is falling down, I know that we'll be safe and sound.The arrival of the future beckoned a need for more, and technological advancements were seen as an uphill battle against a new threat to society after the Change. Heartbeat City is one of many, many examples of society delving deep into what technology can provide for us. Hailed as the city of the futures, the skylines of Elysian are a feat to behold. Many regard the Change as the time of the Great Blackout as well - due to the level of destruction, many areas could barely pick up the pieces, others were forced to start anew from scraps and destroyed data.
Kedron Corp. grabbed the opportunity, and sank their claws in deep. Wherever you go in the city, you'll see the name Kedron. The leading corporation with incredible advancements in technology and medicine, they are the household name brand of all things tech - everyday communicators, computing systems, holograms, as well as leaping forward in the world of medicine. The owners of all major hospitals across the country, working hand in hand in the production of pharmaceuticals and live-saving medical equipment as well. From the aisles of megamarkets, to the equipment of city morgues, they are the foundation of Heartbeat's functionality.
Though life as it is now would be nigh impossible without technology, the pressing question of human or machine has persisted. Cybernetic enhancements are not uncommon in this day and age - elders with new mechanical hearts, fully functional neuro-connected prosthetics, replacement eyes, but the government has begun a nationwide crackdown on black market enhancements. Bodily modifications with cybernetic tech are slowly trickling into everyday life. Medical devices are the norm when needed, but anything beyond is on crack down and heavily monitored. Artificial intelligence has made itself known as well - created originally for the sake of automation, whether it be automatically ordering new groceries when you run out, diagnosing emergency room patients, or reducing heads to pay in the workplace, the existence of AI has been on the upswing. - LOADING. . .prompt...hellhounds.exeTHE UNDERWORLD.This may be the night that my dreams might let me know, all the stars are closer, all the stars are closer...Deep in the boroughs of Tartarus, clawing their way out of hell, is where the Hell Hounds rest their head. A once lowly street gang of society's outcasts has forged their way into notoriety, rising to infamy as the largest mob and distributor of illicit product. Whatever makes the cache rain, they deal it. Every drug under the sun, cybernetic enhancements, black market military tech, arms dealing, you name it, they can supply it. The streets are ruled by Hades, a man who need not show his face to instill fear.
What has risen them to such infamy in comparison to the many, many other criminals borne and bred from Tartarus is image. Weaving their way into everyday installations, challenging the status quo, and wearing and desecrating the brands that corpo-suits love. The guy living in the upper block, with a hovercar and the year's latest tech? Likely one of their loan sharks. Police that turn a blind eye at the right price? Bought out by the devil himself.
Though they remain the kings of the streets, the rivals that exist outnumber them greatly. Tartarus is a place of shadows, secrets, and tricks, places where the sun no longer shines that the police rarely bother to investigate, only really strolling around to harass its disenfranchised citizens. Secret fighting rings, red light districts, alleyways with minute-doctors in cheap clinics, markets of stolen goods from the cargo of trains and ferries, it could all be yours - if you know where to look. - error - location unknown. . .prompt...findthem.exeQ&A.Other information and questions answered.Is there a real life or fictional media equivalent of Heartbeat City?
> Yes, Heartbeat City draws a lot of inspiration from New York City, as well as Los Angeles in Blade Runner 2049. It's the most well known location in the United States, and considered an enormous cultural hub and melting pot of different ethnicities, religions, and where you'd find the most supers living as well.
How well regulated is the use of one's powers?
> Due to the rise in fame and popularity of superheroes, slowly but surely it has become more acceptable to use your abilities in public, though it has become a hot topic of discussion and debate. Various jobs throughout society have begun to regulate the integration of abilities into the workplace - certain police officers may now gain qualifications to exercise their abilities on the job, though similar to hero certification, they are met with rigorous standards of control and the extent of their abilities. Others have seen examples of telepaths working for local government and crime scene investigation, even construction workers with super strength. It's a tricky tight rope to walk - use of excessive force or intent to harm is regulated, and use in public outside of a work environment can be a gamble, and subject to harassment by police or other citizens.
What is the penalty for being a vigilante (if any)?
> Vigilantism, like many other crimes, is considered by the local law enforcement to be taking matter's into one's own hands. Public use of powers, and use of excessive force, is already subject to heavy scrutinization from both the public and the law itself. Vigilantes operating with no hero certification would be subject to jail time.
code by Nano
