"Anything that can be done to a rat can be done to a human being. And we can do most anything to rats." - Bruce Sterling
The year: 2392.
Earth is a far cry from what it once was, the passing years watering down most of what little culture it's inhabitants had managed to accrue over a short span of time. Short that is, in the grand scheme of things. Few places are inhabitable now, the small percentage of land not yet taken over by sea damaged beyond repair by misuse and neglect.
Hubs of life jut out from the horizon, making impressive use of vertical space. A handful of goliath cities stand tall in the wake of a once beautiful world, sustaining nothing but themselves as humans and demons alike are confined to their city limits. Towering skyscrapers and monoliths teeming with whatever may be required to keep a city functional roll on endlessly, halting abruptly at the border of scorched earth. No physical boundaries separated the two vastly different ecosystems; there was no need for them.
The message was as clear as day; there's nothing out there.
As the world rushes to terraform Mars, Earth's inevitable doom as a habitable planet was within a few centuries at best. Political unrest is at an all-time high while empathy for fellow man is at an all-time low. High tech, low life. That was always on the cards as sentient beings began to rely more heavily on their mechanical counterparts.
Before long, the lines blurred, and at the turn of the 24th Century, it was a way of life. The way it had been before locked solely in the memories of those long dead, history rarely referred to as it held little to no importance in the modern world. A modern world that was dying at an alarming rate. Religion was no more, most realizing that existing and surviving was their religion.
Biomechanical procedures were a must, especially for those lacking in demonic blood. Once considered an elite practice, 'Enhancement' is now the norm. Individuals from all walks of life were using the advancement in an otherwise taboo technology to their advantage. Thugs, thieves and the lowest of the low flocked to have their bodies mutilated with mechanical and cybernetic upgrades in the hopes that it would further their chances of living comfortably in a place where they didn't matter. Those who were more fortunate used their money and power to undergo cosmetic enhancements, a blatant show of status amongst the masses. While some saw this as a bright spark in an otherwise bleak world, others watched on as the façade of society crumbled piece by piece.
Bright neon lights, colossal lit up billboards and colourful holograms the size of buildings flood every nook and cranny of Angel City, it's luminosity concealing the truth that lay under its citizen's noses. When the lights go out, and the streets are shrouded in darkness, all that is left are shades of grey, dampened by the near-constant rain and chilled by the unfeeling metal and glass that make up its structures.
If you're lucky enough, the bitter reality of living in a dying world reliant on its technology can be ignored through monetary ignorance. If you're not...well. You'd better carve a path for yourself if you hope to survive it. For those who don't make it, the cold, hard truth is clear.
You were not meant for this world.
And they will forget about you.
Fin
