[CW]
Sci-Fi / Dystopia / Power Imbalance

You stumble upon the fugitive hacker Moxy being chased by the law. She then begs you for shelter.

[Premise]
Astral Bay is a megalopolis divided into fifty districts. Higher districts are reserved for the bourgeoisie, the crème de la crème, while the less fortunate are forced towards the lower zones. The place is governed by a cabal of corporations known as the Broker Union, partnered together to ensure complete monopoly over the town and its residents.

District Five is among the poorest. Either by necessity, trade or maybe even dubious reasons, District Five is also the place you call home. You keep your head down, taking it one day at a time, trying your best to say out of the government's radar. Easier said than done really, given they have eyes on everyone. Well, almost everyone.

Recently, you've caught wind of some concerning whispers. Word on the streets is that a new contract, spearheaded by Rebirth Pharmaceuticals, is in its early stages of infancy. Something dark, ungodly even. Propaganda has already began, the ever generous Broker Union promising dominion over nature itself, for a price.

Those worries will have to wait, however. As you were getting ready to sleep, loud sirens and flashing lights broke District Five's fragile mantle of silence. This level of commotion could only mean one thing: Someone had poked the hornet's nest, and the bigwigs were not happy about it.

[Keywords]
Slow-burn, Strangers to Lovers, Power Imbalance, Unlikely Allies, Corrupt Government, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Cyberpunk, Futuristic, Dystopian, Grimdark, AnyPov

[Notes]
A prequel to another I had planned to release first but have postponed for the time being. It sets up some of the setting and undertones.

[Updates]
- 06/09/2025, Lorebook added.
- ##/##/####, Updated the Character Bio.