Story 1: The Life & Tragedies of DJ

Chapter 1

Joshua Ramirez, a high school student, just finished watching a video about Lucas Kuo killing the police with his hazel eyes reflecting the screen in the afternoon.

"This is so schway, man!"

He later gets a call from someone name, 'Sanguina'

"Yo! Sanguina! I got the vid!" he sounds excited.

{You sound happy about it.} says a woman's voice over the phone in a Jamaican accent.

"Totally! It's fucking nova! How did you get good footage all the time?"

{Haha. That's a trade secret. But keep in mind that Modpsychosis shouldn't be taken lightly mon. Mod Psychos give us Punkers a bad rep along with some of those gangs that became raiders during the Collapse.}

Joshua smiles, "Still though. Wish I had some of those Cyberpunk 2077 implants to use the XBD." he holds up a small red cartridge. "But I got those Musk Foundation VR implants that prevents me from letting my brain experience it all."

{Well, I do know a tech-head that can make a special BD wreath that can bypass those restrictions.}

"Schway!"

{But you might want to hide it from your father. You know how he feels about those XBDs.}

Joshua then sounds cocky, "Hey, I've been selling these at the school for how long now?"

{*chuckles* For a year now. But I did upload a very special video for all your lonely nights. For a small fee, of course.}

"Huh?" Joshua is confused, "What did you just upload?"

{Check it out, young man.}

Joshua hangs up and see what is this new video on his phone. He check and sees a video of a naked, red-haired cat-girl (non-anime) with her breasts and crotch completely covered by black bars doing POV sex.

"Sanguina! The fuck!?" and turns off the video and delete it...sort of.

The next day, Joshua can't get the image of what he saw on his phone as he lies on his bed before his alarm clock goes off at 6:30 in the morning. He turns it off and gets ready for the day. You know; getting on his uniform, eating waffles, and then brushing his teeth. He is currently living in a middle-class house out in Oakland with many Puerto Rican decorations such as a wall hanging village, Puerto Rican oil paintings, and even a Puerto Rican flag. Surprisingly, there is even an old record player from the 1970's with many good records made of redwood yet Joshua secretly put a Pikachu sticker close to where his mother and father's initials are. Before heading to school, he sees his dad sleeping on a green couch with pictures of tree frogs on the cushions.

His father, David Ramirez, looks like an older version of Joshua yet is having a balding spot on his head. He is wearing the same suit with blue and black striped slacks and matching tie that he wore yesterday and left the TV on.

Joshua sighs as he says to himself, "Hope I don't get like that when I get old." He claps his hands together to wake him up.

David wakes up.

"Time to get up dad."

"Oh, Joshua." David sounds tired. "Sorry son, I had to work late last night."

"You should really get to bed instead of sleeping on the couch when you get home."

David sits up, "I know, I know. But I'm trying to win the election."

The news then comes on, {For this morning's news,} says a female news anchor that shows the blood covered parking lot, {The bloody fight of Mod Psycho, former Sergeant Luke Kuo of US Homeland Security, is still being cleaned up after two whole days with many family members of the officers leaving flowers and photos as a memorial to those that have lost their lives while trying to take down the Mod Psycho.}

The news continues on as David says, "I can't believe a veteran had to become a mod junkie. Why can't they just turn to alcohol like every other poor vet?"

Then the news changed the subject to show David in a clean suit with another man name, 'Thomas Dubois' who is wearing a black suit with a Celtic pattern green and brown tie, looking like he is in his sixties with gray hair and small beard with the headlines saying about the senatorial election. The news anchor talks about the race between David and Thomas.

Joshua smiles, "Look dad! You're on the news!"

David smurks with a small sigh before shutting off the TV. "Come on now. You don't wanna be late for school."

David looks at the time and it says 7:12.

"Ah crap!" he went, "See you after school!" and he runs out the door.

In this neighborhood, it looks like a typical suburban neighborhood yet a bit more cleaner with Trombia robots cleaning the streets of all the garbage and litter that people left out. Solar panels can be seen on every household roof. Up above, various drones are seen with many different models doing whatever it is that they are design to do. Such as Phantom 4 drones used by the police, the Zipline drones used for delivery, and there are very large drones that are delivering patients to hospitals. Yet further up is the Aether Cruise airship with the Google logo on it that is possibly a luxury cruise for some high-up executives. Coming in from down the street looks like a pod on wheels. But in actuality, it is a Climb-E mobile transport with a stylized 'S.F. Academy' logo on it and is yellow as it pulls up on Joshua's house.

Inside of this strange transport is three of Joshua's friends. One being Asian-American who is slightly chubby with his hair dyed blonde and have it look like Elvis with dark grey eyes. Another is African-American with dreadlocks tied in a bun with dark brown eyes. The last one is a Caucasian-American with brown hair that is combed back with blue eyes.

"Yo! Shiro, James, and Eric!" he says their names respectively. "Did you modified your eyes?" he asks Shiro as he gets in.

"Sure did! You like them?"

Joshua takes his seat, "They look awesome man!"

Then the pod takes off. The pod goes on the Oakland Bay Bridge to reach one of the cube-shaped arcologies. While doing so, the four talk.

"So," Joshua starts, "what are you guys doing for essays for history class?"

Shiro smiles, "I am doing a report about the fall of Communist China during the Collapse."

James then says, "As for me, I'm doing a report about the fall of the United States."

"Yikes!" Shiro went, "That's still a touchy subject for most people."

"What about you, Eric?"

"I'm doing a report on the Collapse itself with theories about Nanopunkers that caused it."

"Whoa!" James went, "And you thought my report was offensive!"

Eric looks at Joshua, "What about you, Josh? What are you working on for history?"

Joshua clears his throat, "Well, I'm doing a report on-" Before he can answer, his phone starts ringing.

He looks at the number and doesn't recognize it.

"Don't know this number." He then shows the number on his phone to everyone. "What about you guys?"

The three just look at each other for a moment and just shrug.

Annoyed, Joshua answers yet tries to maintain a friendly tone, "Hello?"

{Yo asshole!} There is an unfriendly teenage boy's voice on the other end. {About time you picked up!}

"The fu- Andy? How the hell did you get my number?"

{That there is a Dubois Family secret. I hope you saw the news about our fathers going head to head. Shame that some of the idiots of this state couldn't tell what good pedigree is because your father is ahead. I'm here to say 'FUCK YOU AND YOUR DAD', you pathetic peasant. See ya at school!} and then hangs up.

"Motherfucker." Joshua put his phone away.

"Motherfucking Andy Dubois." James is just as annoyed as Joshua. "That corpo imp think he is so cool that his father is one of the top execs at Google."

"Yeah." Eric and Shiro agree.

"Enough about that." Joshua pulls out some cartridges out of his pack. "I got these! One XBD of Luke Kuo. And for the other, a catgirl porno."

The three are impressed by what Joshua brought and are excited about what he brought.

"How the hell did you get one of those?!" Eric asks, "The video about Luke Kuo was posted yesterday and now you have an XBD!"

"I do have some connections to the Punker town of Claremont who has access to these sort of things." He grips them, "But let's talk about price."

Shiro is looking a bit bummed, "Sorry, I'm a little short right now."

James pull the collar of his uniform, "Yeah, my mom found some of the vids I bought from you and threw them out. Including my VR set."

"Harsh."

"I would buy them," Eric is unsure, "but I heard about a new form of human trafficking that involve turning human girls into sexual catgirls to be sold as sex slaves."

"But what about Luke Kuo?"

"Maybe another time."

While in the city, Joshua caught something outside of the window with a corner of his eye. What he saw was a girl with bright red, long hair with bright orange highlights. She is wearing a dark red maple leaf hair pin to the side. Her outfit is similar to a yukata that is crimson with bright red maple leaves on it with a navy blue sash with pink sakura petal patterns on it, yet the leg length of the yukata is up to her knees. She seem to be wearing goth boots yet the soles are three inches thick with the left foot sole being red and the other being orange. One of the peek interest is the fact she has blonde fox ears and a fox tail. It was only for a moment, but Joshua sees her clearly.

"Who was that?" Joshua asks.

"Huh?" James look out the window, "I didn't see anyone."

"The Punker with the fox ears and tail and in all red."

"I didn't see anyone like that." Eric states. "Must've been your imagination."

They then enter the cube arcology. The pod detached from the wheels and attached to an elevator track as it goes up. The pod stops on one of the floors as they exited out. They are on the 14th floor with the entire area looking like some indoor academy yet have an art deco design with blue being the main color followed by polished bronze. The floor has tiles that depict various time periods of California's history along with the timestamps on them. There is also a water fountain that shows miners of the California gold rush using their pickaxes on some stone where the water is squirting out. This is San Francisco Academy, or S.F. Academy for short with the halls light up by gold colored light that makes the gold color scheme in Deus Ex: Human Revolution look normal. The entire floor of this arcology is a school made by some eccentric that was obsessed with USA art deco and the California Gold Rush. That also includes a golden hologram of Charles H. Bennett, a historical figure that initiated the California Gold Rush, pops up in a miner's outfit.

"YEEE-HAAA!" the hologram speaks in a stereotypical cowboy accent, "Welcome to San Francisco Academy of Cubeplex 03! One of the greatest schools inside one of these dang fiddling cube thing-a-ma-bobs."

Joshua asks James, "Do you ever get tired of that stupid hologram?"

"I got sick of it since middle school."

Along comes a fellow male student with high riser blonde hair and sunglasses going, "Better get used to it...minors." That was Andy Dubois that walked by.

"Just ignore him." Joshua says to his friends. "Let's just go."

Later during school hours, Joshua is taking chemistry class. The whole classroom actually looks normal with the usual science posters, human skeleton on a rod, lab tables with sinks and Bunsen burners. Even the desks and chairs look ordinary with nothing special. He takes notes with the teacher lecturing about hydrogen along with helium. There is some talk about some of the inventions that use hydrogen such as cars that are powered by hydrogen such as hydrogen paste and helium used in some of the airships. However, he is also making some sketches of himself if he was a Punker. So far, he is still working on how he should look.

"Mr. Ramirez!" says the teacher.

Joshua quickly looks up, "Yes, Mr. Cloverhill!"

Some of the students snicker at Joshua's nervous response.

"Can you please tell us the uses of noble gases?"

Joshua stands up, "Right um... Helium is used for balloons and airships, neon is used for filling sodium vapor lamps, argon is used for gas chromatography, krypton is used in miners' cap lamps, and radon is used for radioactive research."

"That is correct. So you were paying attention."

Before class can resume, the PA system give out a loud 'ding-dong'.

{Would Joshua Ramirez please report to the principal's office? Joshua Ramirez, please report to the principal's office.}

"That can't be good."

Andy laughs, "Hope you get detention!"

"That's enough, Mr. Dubois!" the teacher sounds serious, "Anymore remarks and you will be in detention!"

As Joshua exits through the automatic door, Andy secretly gives a middle-finger behind his back.

Joshua enters the principal's office and sees his father, who isn't happy. The female principal is sitting at her desk and isn't happy either. On her desk, there are the same two cartridges that Joshua brought to school.

The principal stands up, "Joshua Ramirez." she sounds serious, "We need to have a talk about selling these items here at school."

Joshua gulps, (I am so slag.)

Both Joshua and David leave the arcology in a red Toyota Mid Box with David angry at his son for selling XBDs. Joshua is feeling really bad about it. For his punishment, he is suspended from school.

"Joshua?" David speaks in a calm yet angry tone, "Son?"

"I am so sorry." Joshua feels guilty.

"Why the hell were you selling XBDs?"

"The truth is, dad, I thought you'd be too busy and with our finances the way they are, I thought I would make some money with those braindances."

David gives a big sigh, "Son, you do know how I feel about those things."

"I'm sorry!"

David simmers down a little, "Now look, Joshua, I know things have been tough since you're mother passed away."

"Here we go again." Joshua is annoyed by the same speech.

"Please just listen. It's hard enough that- Hmm?" David notices something is wrong with the steering wheel. "The hell?" He lets go and the steering wheel is steering itself and the car starts driving itself. "What the frack is doing on?!"

"Dad?"

"Shit!" David tries opening the door but to no avail, "Dammit! It must be them!"

"The hell is going on, dad?!" Joshua is getting scared. "Who is them?!"

David continues to struggle some control of the car, "Listen, son. If something happens to me, I want you to head towards the Punker town and hide. Stay low and don't let them find you."

Joshua is even more scared, "W-What are you talking about?!"

The car is on the Golden Gate Bridge.

"Please just listen. There are those in power that seek control and dominance. In truth, they operate in the shadows and will do anything to ensure things run in their way. Anything that goes against them will meet a swift end and they will cover it up."

"What are you saying? This isn't some Saturday morning cartoon bullshit from the early 2000's!"

David then maneuvers over to the trunk and tries to pop it open with a crowbar. He did it with success as the car then turns into a forest close to the Kirby Cove campground.

David pulls his son, "Whatever happens, I need you to hide and head towards Claremont. Seek shelter with Sanguina and her gang. No matter what you see, don't make a sound and just run."

"Dad, this is nuts!"

David tosses his son out, "Just go! Find a safe place to hide until the coast is clear! Run! NOW!"

Joshua looks back but does what his father told him and hides in the bushes. He lies low as a police car suddenly approaches. David exits out of his car as the police car pulls over with two officers stepping out.

David puts on a smile, "Can I help you officers?"

"You David Ramirez?"

"Yes." David still has his smile, "I am running for senator for the state of California of the Pacific Commonwealth."

The cop pulls out a pistol and shoots him point blank at David's forehead. Shooting him dead. Joshua watches in horror as his father was killed in front of him. Tears stream down his face as he tries to cover his mouth to prevent himself from screaming. His body shakes from what he just witnessed as the officers radio in.

One officer says, "His son should be in the car. Must've gotten out."

The other officer says, "We get a bonus if we kill him." he then cock his pistol, "Find him."

Joshua tries to get it together as he crawls his way out of sight. Using some of the fallen leaves and pine needles for cover. The two officers then head out in two directions as Joshua continues to stay law and hide in some of the bushes and undergrowth.

"Fuck it." one of the officers say as he radios, "Gonna need some drones out here or some K9 units."

Joshua quickly made is way out of the woods and gets close to Horseshoe Bay in order to get a boat. However, some officers started firing their pistols with suppressors at him.

"Dammit!" Joshua says to himself, "So close!"

He made his way towards the docks yet three police officers were waiting and ambush him with one shot grazing the left side of his head. Joshua then takes cover in one of the ships in hopes of somehow getting past them but he is trap as a rat. Seven officers slowly approach Joshua as they prepare to kill him. However, as Joshua close his eyes, he hears the officers getting killed with the sound of their bodies hitting the ground. He slowly peek his head out and see the police officers completely torn apart with blood and viscera scattered all over the docks as if they were torn apart by some incredible force. Joshua also sees a familiar figure. The foxgirl in red yet has a better view of her. Her eyes are as gold as the sun, her nails and lips are of a brighter red than the rest of her, and she also has an amazing hourglass figure with a large chest.

Joshua's eyes open wider as he stands up.

"Its you." he muttered.

This stranger in red moved fast as light as she somehow stands closer to him. She pointed the tip of her nail at his forehead.

"Sleep." she says.

Joshua then collapse once she said it.

The stranger then pulls out her phone, "I got Joshua. I'm bringing him back."

{Good work.} Sanguina's voice says over the phone.

Joshua wakes up not long after. He wakes up in some sort of living room on a black velvet gothic style couch. He looks around and see a dark purple room with a chandelier that look like it came from the Addams Family. But in front of him is a group of people that are watching him. The first is a large African woman with her hairstyle that looks like a tapered afro made of dreadlocks that stick out. Her complexion is a little pale yet as bright red eyes with black silt pupils. She is wearing a gothic style leather jacket with some bat wings where spikes are suppose to be along with three belts, have black army boots with some metal plates that look like the symbol of the Batman, and black jeans. To her left is a man that stands five feet tall and has long, messy, dirty blonde hair with wolf ears and a wolf tail to match with yellow eyes that look like a grey wolf's. This mans is semi-muscular despite his size. He is wearing a black tank top with a picture of a full moon yet has green silhouettes of a forest and a werewolf while wearing tan cargo shorts, and black flip flops. His outfit doesn't scream punk, but he is wearing a minimum for obvious reasons why.

Further is a young boy in his tweens wearing a white and light blue hazy cap that is on sideways with a black smiley face on it. His hair, barely visible, is dyed pastel blue that almost make it look like it matches his hat along with having the sides of his head shaven. His eyes are hazel, he wears a brightly colored tie dyed shirt with an island with two palm trees with a circle made of two dolphins and wears baggy jeans that are painted lavender while wearing sneakers with wavy blue and dark blue lines with the laces having yin-yang symbols on them. It is obviously a reference to Seapunk yet appears to have no mods. To the right of the obvious vampiric figure is the same woman with red hair. Yet next to her is a teenage girl that dressed like she came from Cyberpunk 2077 along with some cybernetics. She has long black hair with green highlights with the right side of her head while also wearing a cap that is identical to the young boy's yet opposite where it is position while having a cyberdeck on the back of her head. Her eyes have black scalera with white irises and slit pupils with edges of them, despite being almost unnoticeable, say 'Kiroshi Optics Mk. 3' while she also having dark green lipstick. Parts of her skin shows signs of cybernetics with her arms look like they carry something deadly. She is wearing a crop top that is green in color with yellow sleeves yet have yin-yang symbols on each of her breasts with a sapphire dolphin piercing on her bellybutton. She is wearing faded green and yellow shorts with a belt buckle that is identical to the Mox's logo made of gold while wearing sporty flexiweave work boots that are green and yellow.

"Sanguina?" Joshua says to the vampire woman, "Where am I?"

Sanguina leans and speaks, "Welcome home, Joshua."

TO BE CONTINUED...

AN: Hey guys. Hope you are enjoying the new story so far. And I hope to get plenty of followers of this new story as well. Keep in mind, this just one of many stories that will appear in Punk'd Up. Let me know what you guys think so far as I will try to do my best to make more. But don't expect a lot. If you like it, spread the word. And I also like to thank Nowhere Productions and his show, What's Up Punks?, for the inspiration for this along with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Expect a lot of different kinds of sub-genres of cyberpunk, steampunk and punk in general. Till then, see ya!