10 The University Orientation (2)

Once Ryker's soul came back to earth, the gears turned and the cogs groaned as they spun with reckless abandon to come up with a solution.

"I could have run...sadly the situation no longer allows for that" observed Ryker's rational mind as he was now surrounded by nerds pushing him towards the front of the group.

"Ladies and Gentlemen" began the head nerd, using a megaphone to project his voice, "Today we have two fighters who are more than happy to engage in M-M-Mortal Combat!"

Cheers rang out as a ring was created out of pipes and pieces of fencing that were lying around, an effort that both nerd and jocks alike took part in.

"Now they work together, how nice of them" thought Ryker, who had just been pushed into the ring with chicken wire being put behind him to block his escape.

All the while he was waiting for inspiration as to how to get out of this in one piece. Out of nervousness he put his hands in his pocket, where he felt something that he had been given earlier when he was 'asked' to hand over some of his bread by the homeless.

"Of course...I can roll with this" thought Ryker.

Pulling out what was in his pocket, he gave a sigh and took out a cigarette and lit it up. Popping it in his mouth he gave it a few puffs while slicking his hair back with his hand.

"I am sorry master, I must go all out. For it has been awhile since my fists have tasted blood, far too long indeed. The mountain of corpses that lay beneath my feet...oh how I long to increase their number."

With each word uttered the aura and demeanor of Ryker changed, from a nervous young man to a hard boiled killer with no remorse or regret.

The Herculean man who was to be his opponent, who was snickering silently to himself upon first seeing his apparently weak opponent, now could almost see the mountain of corpses that his enemy had tread through to stand where he was now.

"What a man...so scrawny but so terrifying. But I still have a chance, I just have to be faster than he is" muttered the brawny man, tensing his leg muscles in preparation for an explosive burst of speed.

"Cht, he is still not backing down. I have him rattled though, time to take it up a notch."

Ryker then shook his head in disapproval, as if mocking the very act of resistance against him. Taking another large puff of the cigarette, tears began to form in his eyes from his complete and utter inexperience with such a thing.

Inwardly he thought, "Damn it this hurts, I have always hated these bloody things. I should buy some fake ones to use as props..."

Outwardly, however:

"I pray to the gods, forgive this sinner. Today a man dies due to his foolishness, let his soul be reincarnated into someone not as stupid as he is now" said Ryker, acting as if he were crying tears of sorrow and praying to some deity up above.

The scene of a man crying due to how certain he was of murdering his opponent was quite unsettling, as even those outside the ring could not help but take a step back in fear that after Ryker is done mauling his opponent he might turn on the others in his blood-lust.

"I...I have to go the the bathroom. Forever" said the Hercules suddenly.

The man then proceeded to tackle the side of the ring that he was on, breaking clean through the metal pipes and fences as if it were made of grass.

Ryker, who was now coming out of character, thought to himself:

"Dang, what a freak. I would have been dead if I had fought him."

Which was coincidentally exactly what the Hercules was thinking as he fled in terror, struggling to keep his bowel movement from splurging forth as it so desperately wanted to.

"In my previous life I just acted in a few commercials, I was definitely not this good. Is this body somehow a natural at it, and my experience just makes it more believable or is it a feature of the world itself...either way it sure is handy" thought Ryker, considering how effective his acting was.

Breaking him from his thoughts, the leader nerd carefully walked up and cleared his throat.

"Comra- Uhhh, Sir thank you for lending aid to our just cause. May I know your name?" asked the nerd, extremely respectful and even a little fearful.

"Hmm, did I just stumble into something useful?" wondered Ryker as he answered the question asked of him.

"Honorable Ryker, Vanquisher of Jocks and Hero of ALL Nerdkind! PRAISE BE HIS NAME!" shouted the leader nerd, which was echoed by everyone present. Even the jocks were crying his name, and I mean crying as they were all scared shitless...literally.

It was amid the cheers that the bus finally arrived, quieting down both sides as they filed up in two lines and slowly boarded the bus one by one.

The driver at the front collected either cash or had the student swipe their student ID card to prove they were a tuition paying member of the university.

After Rykers turn had passed, he gawked at the lavishness of the bus.

"Its so much bigger on the inside than in the outside, woah..."

The lead nerd stopped Ryker from sitting in the random seat he was about to sit on saying,

"Sir, do not sit in such seats meant for peasants. Come to the back area...where your horizons will be broadened."

Being as agreeable as he was when he was not playing a character, Ryker allowed himself to be led all the way to the back of the bus were a walls and a door separated it from the rest.

Opening the door and stepping through, Ryker was introduced to Paradise.

"Why does the back of a bus have its own title...and a entrance sign with said title on it" thought Ryker as he walked past the "Welcome to Paradise" plaque that was hanging from the ceiling.

"This is what we fought so hard for, what you earned by showing off your superiority. Welcome to Paradise!" said the lead nerd, as he led Ryker past the refreshment bar and pool table to the far back where several lush VIP seats were.

"Sit down, oh glorious leader. Your loyal servants will handle any needs or tasks you might have for us, it is the least we can do for the one who has earned us this right" said the lead nerd with extreme deference, even bowing slightly as he walked away to give Ryker his privacy.

The ride in the back was so smooth, so much so that the difference between the bus moving and the bus stopping could barely even be felt.

"At least I get something for all my hard work...I wonder if I can use these guys further. Hmm, though they might keep asking me to fight for them in various duels and brawls which I have absolutely no talent for. All it takes is one guy to decide to risk both life and death to fight despite his fear and then everything would blow up in smoke" analyzed Ryker.

He was then handed a warm towel and cool beverage by one of his new servants, which threatened to change his mind ever so slightly...

"No, I will not falter in the face of material gain. Think of what will happen if I meet an actual psychopath, or maybe one of those fighting nuts who love to take on strong opponents...yep, lets abandon them."

Having come to a conclusion, Ryker leaned back in his seat and made to enjoy the luxury while it lasted.

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