"I'll need everyone to know my name to get to the top. I don't care what they're saying as long as they're talking about me."
He sighs and places the license on his desk since this plastic version is only a keepsake. The official version of his license has already been scanned and uploaded into his H-Chip, a bit of personal tablet technology embedded in the underside of his wrist.
Not too long ago, people used paper slips to pay for things and little, plastic devices as phones, but that was before all communication, identification, entertainment, and banking functions became standard in H-Chips.
Each H-Chip comes fully customizable, with robotic personality programming that adapts to their habits and desires. There are three standard templates available for the robotic personality, so he decided to go with the sweet wife, he names his H-Chip "Aphrodite"
"Kudos on the license, sugar," H-Chip Aphrodite says inside Travis's head, sounding snappy.
All H-Chip functions are connected directly to his senses, so Aphrodite floats in front of his eyes thanks to holographic imaging wired to his retinas. Only he is able to see H-Chip Aphrodite, who appears as a majestic queen wearing long dress.
"You best work that career, honey!"
"Thanks, Aphrodite," Travis says, smiling.
"Aphrodite," Travis say, "Move the 'Show Stats' button to my homescreen and…"
"You all look insane, talking to those electronic voices in your heads," Grandma says from the doorway. "That's why I simply refuse to have one of those machines implanted in me. It just doesn't seem right."
"I know how you feel about H-Chips, Gran," Travis says, turning towards her. "And it's annoying because now that they've done away with landlines and cell phones, there's no way of getting in touch with you."
"Which is precisely how I like it," Grandma says. "But look at you! A born Fade hero."
"Well, this born hero had better get out there," Travis says, shaking off his nerves. "This career isn't going to start itself."
"Wait, before you go…"
Grandma walks toward him and he see that she holds an envelope in her hands. Travis stomach drops.
"It's such a big day," Grandma says, her eyes on the floor. "They'd want to be here so badly…."
His jaw goes tight—he knows exactly what Grandma wants him to do.
While The Devoid may not allow its prisoners to have any visitors, it does permit them to receive letters. So for years he wrote to his parents, telling them everything about his life. He thought writing those letters would make him feel better but it only made him feel worse.
Because The Devoid doesn't allow its prisoners to write any letters back.
"It's been years since you've written anything…."
Grandma looks up at him and his heart feels like it might break.
"I'm sorry," Travis say, "but you know how I feel about this, Gran."
He doesn't write letters to his parents anymore because he need to learn how to live without them.
He spent years hoping that his parents would somehow find a way back to him, but after all that wasted effort he finally accepted the truth: no one ever escapes a life sentence in The Devoid.
So what's the point of writing.
"All right, Travis," Grandma says, fighting to keep her face even. "Now listen to me, please be careful out there. Lord knows I won't be able to sleep until you're home."
"I will, Gran. I promise."
"Then off you go," she says, drumming up a smile. "And do try to kick some butt, yes?"
Ready to go, he stepped up on his window's fourteenth-story ledge and look out over the grandeur of Hoshi City. One of the advantages of living in the Eastern Fringes is the spectacular view of HC's iconic skyline. He takes a deep breath, letting the energy of the city run through him.
Standing on this precipice, he can't help but wonder what kind of hero he will become. And will he be able to survive long enough to achieve the Legend status he craves.
The choice is up to him, he thinks to himself…right before he jumps off the ledge.
He free falls to the streets below, dropping ten stories before he tense his muscles and feel his flight Powers kick in.
He allow himself one joy ride up into a bank of clouds before swooping back down toward the cover of the skyline. Having his Hero License makes flying legal but he still doesn't need to start his career with an unregistered flying ticket. So he cruised low against the buildings toward the heart of the city, toward downtown HC.
His flight from the Eastern Fringes takes him across the quaint brownstones of Rein Hill and through Valor Park. Pulling in closer to the high-end metal giants that mark downtown, he land on a ledge lined with silver statues of Greek gods and goddesses.
One of the hardest parts of being a rookie hero is finding cases—a fact he's reminded of as a pink-clad heroine bothers some teenagers in a nearby alley and three metal sentries thunder through the sky above him. Even if he's lucky enough to stumble upon a decent case, he'll still have to beat out dozens of other aspiring heroes to accomplish the mission and get the credit.
When his life was turned upside down by his parents' imprisonment, one of the only people he could trust was the PFPP agent assigned to his case, Jenny Yu. Even though Jenny doesn't have Powers of her own, she loves Powered Hero stuff just as much as Travis do. So when he had no one else to talk to, him and Jenny would spend hours gushing about all of their favorite heroes, games, and comics.
Of course Jenny is the first person he wants to call to tell about his heroic start, especially since she'll have advice on how to find a good first case.
He holds his arm up and presses a button on his metal wristband, popping open a panel to reveal his embedded H-Chip. He can't imagine what life was like before humans merged with their tablets—Aphrodite does so much for him. Hell, most days she even feels like his girlfriend.
He also has his H-Chip to thank for his Powers, since the current accepted "Powered Origin" theory is that advanced technology paved the way for Powered abilities. This theory suggests that once humans integrate with tablet technology, these tablets begin to cover many basic functions (like memory and navigation, for example). Once adjusted to this technological enhancement, the human body was able to evolve and unlock new potential in the form of Powered abilities.
These Powers then began to solve pressing global problems, since humans could now do things like generate natural resources and survive in harsher conditions. It seems that the early twenty-first-century technological boom laid the groundwork for the twenty-second-century Powered boom, which has once again caused the world to change in startling and exciting ways.
However, despite the H-Chip's ceaseless wonders, he currently just need it to make a call.
"Aphrodite," Travis say, "call Jenny Yu."
"Sure thing, sugarplum," H-Chip Aphrodite echoes in his ear. "Remind Jenny I have that makeover file ready for her, whenever she's ready…."
Jenny picks up right away, her face appearing holographically in front of him. Since she's such a geek, Travis tends to forget how pretty Jenny is—she's half-Korean, half-British. She always wears her hair in a tight ponytail and never applies a bit of makeup, causing her to appear sleek and no-nonsense at all times.
Actually, Travis think Jenny is super hot. Sadly, she also happens to be super gay.
Right now, Jenny looks a bit surprised to see him, probably because she has never seen his Gravitate costume before.
"I assume this means your grandma gave you your license?" Jenny says, traces of her British accent still present despite years of living in Hoshi City.
"You mean you knew Grandma had my license and you didn't tell me?" Travis ask, mildly offended.
"Please, your grandmother would have murdered me if I had ruined her surprise. Anyway, check your email for your birthday present," Jenny says, looking him over. "And just so you know, that costume makes your waist look bloody enormous."
That Jenny, such a charmer. Not missing a beat, he shoots back, "Says the girl who channels a pony every day of her life."