Coming to, Michael opened his eyes and felt the cold, hard pavement underneath him. Rolling onto his back he could see two moons in the dark night sky; one red the other violet. Suddenly, a flood of information caused him to hold his head and groan, as he curled up in a ball.

As the information, the memories of the previous Michael Inton, flooded into his mind, it finally settled into the back of his consciousness. As the memories settled a middle-aged man approached looking worried and terror-stricken.

"Hey! Are you alright?! Talk to me and tell me you're alright!"

Michael looked around and saw a car behind the middle-aged man. The car door was open and the road had skid marks leading up to where the car was stopped. Looking at himself, his clothes were tattered and he had varying degrees of wounds on himself, though none too serious.

After analyzing his current situation and considering what 'God' said to him, he decided he should get somewhere safe to further evaluate his current situation. So, he coughed for a while, feigning injury, and said to the terror-stricken middle-aged man:

"I'm alive… though my body aches a lot. I was on my way home, so as long as you drive me I'd be thankful."

"Of course, I'll give you a ride. So, about this incident…"

"As long as you drive me, I won't make a fuss about this incident."

"Sure…"

Offering his hand, the man lifted Michael up off the ground as he looked like Michael saved his life.

In the car, he was looking at the interior to assess the situation further, when the middle-aged man asked, "Where do you live?"

Startled, Michael realized he had no idea where to go. While trying to think, he seemed to tap into an ocean of information as tidal waves of memories slammed against his consciousness. Hissing in pain and grabbing his head, he attracted the worrying looks of the middle-aged man.

When the pain finally stopped and he was covered in sweat, he saw the worrying looks from the middle-aged man. Before the pain receded he managed to recall some details about his current life and the world he was currently in.

The world's name is Demacia and there is only one continent on the planet, which is named Pangea. Further, there's only one nation on the continent, which is called the Central Government. The nation is completely democratic and every inhabitant, legal or otherwise has a right to vote.

The Central Government and its structure has a rather strange origin. It began due to a religion called the People's Religion, wherein the people believe not in a god or in deities, but a concept which is known as the Collective Consciousness. 

In the beliefs of the People's Religion each believer contributes to the Collective Consciousness and the Collective Consciousness is all powerful as it is the will of all the believers. As the religion developed, so too did the nation it was founded in. That nation eventually became the Central Government.

As if enlightened, Michael suddenly understood why the middle-aged man would be terror-stricken. Looking at the worried face, Michael told him:

"Don't worry, it's just a little headache. Anyway, my house is on the eastern side of town near the only park in the area. Don't worry about anything else. Just get me home and we're fine."

The man looking almost reassured responded, "The name's Strauss, yours?"

"Michael."

Turning to look forward, the middle-aged man, Strauss, started the vehicle and started driving towards the destination.

Arriving near the east side of the town, the houses became dilapidated with streets in a state of disrepair. Further in, the housing got worse and it seemed the alleyways had eyes, as while staring into the darkness a chill would creep up one's spine.

Deep into the east side near a run down park with a shabby playground, Michael pointed out a shack and said, "Over there."

Replying Strauss nodded and said, "Okay, thank you."

After getting off the vehicle and looking as it drove away, a deep look appeared in Michael's eyes as he thought back to the look of terror on the man's face and the tragedy of his past life.

"Is it the same everywhere?"

Shaking his head and looking back towards the run-down shack, he started to walk in its direction. It seemed to be too small to house even one person. In fact, all the houses in the area seemed to be inhospitable for people. At the door, he laughed as he saw the multitude of locks and the general state of disrepair the little house was in. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a key, he opened all the locks and stepped into his home.

In the house, there was only a living room attached to the kitchen and a wall closing off a small bedroom. The furniture was old and worn-out, with the couch being the only exception. Actually, it could only not be considered worn-out when compared with all the other furniture. There was no table for dining; the TV was old and it's questionable whether it even works or not; the only other place to sit other than the couch a worn-out chair; the stove for cooking was an old gas stove with a small oven.

The house's area couldn't be more than 300 square feet. Add to that that there were two people living here.

Remembering that piece of information which he got, Michael sighed and said, "a sister, huh."

The parents of the previous Michael Inton died in an 'accident' and he was left to take care of his sister. The 15-year-old youth had to drop out of the education system and look for a job. Actually, thanks to his background, it wasn't easy finding a stable job. Most work came from around the area and provided cheap pay.

Though, with reckless abandon, the previous owner of the body worked until he was dead-tired day and night for the little bit of income. That continued for two years.

Of course, the bedroom was the sisters. After all, his dream was his sister one day getting out of this hell hole.

Now transmigrating over into this body and thinking back, the new inhabitant of the body, sighed.

"After finally getting a decent job, the guy was run over by a car."

Before passing, the previous inhabitant of the body had gotten a job working for a Manager of Public Image. In this world where everyone has a say, politicians require an even greater focus on the image they project; they must maintain a clean shadow to be cast upon the people. So, the occupation of the Manager of Public Image entails managing the image of politicians and promoting them unto the people.[1]

After thinking through all of what happened to the past owner of his body, Michael felt a tinge of pain appear abruptly and heard a familiar voice.

"Um, my first gift is the technique known as the Flowing Heart Sutra. The second gift is in the 'Status' screen. Now, I know what you're thinking but it's not a system. Did you want a system? Too bad. Beggars can't be choosers. You were supposed to die anyway.

"Anyways, before I leave I'll get you started. Status."

Charles_de_Gaulle_of_France

[1].  In case you didn't get the reference: The Allegory of the Cave