Path of Transcendence 1: Ultimatum of the Nameless God by Brian McGoldrick Page B

his lunch alone on a bench outside, like always. No one sat near him or tried to talk to him, his appearance and his cold personality made certain that no one would approach. His mood was especially foul this day, after being set up to be PKed (Player Killed) by Thug Horde. Ryouske Urehara's daughter Mei had led him into a trap, when her father asked him for him to help her in the game.
    “Uragirimono.” It was a flat statement of fact. There was no heat or malice in his voice.
    “I didn't betray you, you asshole!” Mei's voice was nearly a shriek. “Otousan asked you to go with us, because I wanted to keep my friends from being hurt. You aren't my friend. I have no loyalty toward you, so I didn't betray you. Don't you dare tell Otousan about what happened.”
    “You better be careful or people will realize that you know me. You wouldn't want that rumor to get around, would you?”
    Startled, Mei looked around, seeing dozens of people watching the exchange with varying degrees of interest. Some were people that she knew. She could feel the heat in her face and knew she was blushing form the embarrassment.
    “How dare you embarrass me like this! You are the lowest scum on the face of the planet!” Mei's voice was a fierce whisper.
    “Uragirimono.”
    Shaking with suppressed anger, Mei half-ran from the sunlit courtyard. Watching her go, Mark continued eating his lunch.
    A few students that Mark did not recognize approached him, swaggering like they thought they were tough guys.  The five of them formed a semicircle in front of him. They were all athletes, big, well-built and in shape.
    “You want something?” Mark's voice sounded as though he was thoroughly bored.
    “Fat, ugly freaks shouldn't be upsetting normal people. Losers like you should learn their place.” The one in the middle was doing the talking.
    “You're not worth my time. You should stop trying to look like bad boys in front of the girls or in your case it's probably the boys, and go back to taking turns dropping the soap in the shower.”
    “You asshole!” The leader grabbed Mark by the collar pulling him to his feet. “I'm going to beat the fuck out of you!”
    “Did I hit a nerve? Are you the one that likes dropping the soap the most? Go back to your monkey cage, and  I'm sure your buddies will be happy to pull a train on your ass.”
    “Hey, Bobby! Knock it off! If you get in a fight in the middle of the campus, coach will have a hard time covering it up. You don't want to get kicked off the team.” A young man came running over to stop Bobby. The person was someone Mark vaguely recognized. He had trained in Ryouske Urehara's dojo a couple years ago, another rich kid.
    Bobby looked around and realized that he was in what could be a bad situation. He tried to shove Mark backwards, but wound up pushing himself away from Mark, instead. His eyes widened in confusion, and he let go of Mark.
    “You're lucky! If I ever run into you someplace quiet, we're going to get down.”
    Mark's smile was mocking, but he did not say a word.
    “Let's get out of here.” Bobby led his fellow bullies away.
    The student Mark recognized but did not know the name of bowed to him. “I'm sorry, senpai. Thank you, for not hurting them.”
    “I don't bully the weak in public.”
    The student laughed nervously. “I'll be going, senpai. I apologize for their behavior again.” Bowing once more, he left.
    Mark looked around, with an expression that said he was looking at something he detested. None of the other students met his eyes.
    College is no different then high school. You would think that the retards would grow up or get weeded out. He returned to eating, while brooding about people and their actions.
     
     

*** Central California - Earth ***

August 24, 2077
     
    “That boy, Bobby, self-identifies as a homosexual, and so does the one on his left. You self-identify as heterosexual, even though you've never been seen with a girlfriend, or anything