A solitary man had been journeying for quite a long time, this last trek.  He walked and walked until finally he could see the glow of the city at night, far off in the distance, illuminating the patches of sky that could be seen between the forest canopy.

After a few days, the forests gave way to fields, and he could start to make out the outline of the city.

Finally, he got to the city, feeling excitement well up in his chest, but not breaking his slow, steady pace.

He kept the pace up, taking in the sights of the city, finally arriving in a slummier section of the city.  He found a place for cheap lodging.

"How much for a room?"
The man across the counter was old, fat, and reeked of body odor.
"How long you wanting it?  20 minutes, an hour?"
"A month."

Blank look from the clerk.

"Oh.  I see.  We don't get many residents, usually just tricks being turned.  6 for the first month, 4 for any after that.  2 for the deposit, ya know.  No fires, no fights, no disruptin' the neighboring customers.  The girls gotta run a business, ya know."

"'K."

The loner pulled out the bills and coins from a small pouch, pulled the drawstring and returned it to his belt, paid the man across the counter and helped himself to the key off the rack.

"By the way, name's Dave."
"By the way, don't care.  So long as the money is good, I don't care if you're Derek Reaper, so long as you don't hide the bodies in the walls."

Dave chuckled at the mention of the nearly-forgotten serial killer of the previous century.  I didn't think anyone knew about him anymore.

Dave went up to his room, looking over the shoddy decorum.  He stashed his small bag under a floorboard, made note of the flimsyness of the door, and looked the room over again.  He threw some junk in the drawers to make it look like he'd unpacked, just in case anyone happened to come in and snoop around.

Dave left and walked around the city some more, finally finding what he was looking for.

Lambda Corp.

He'd heard of this group that paid fighters, had heard whispered rumors of the wild lifestyles led by some of the more flamboyant contestants.  He'd even fought a few on his journey, getting a taste of some of the "Strongers" as he called them.  Apparently this was a common occurrence in mainstream society.

He'd avoided mainstream society for at least a century.

Dave made his way to the Lambda headquarters, not noticing the local styling.  He was wearing his basic-issue wardrobe, form-fitting clothes underneath a dark grey hooded cloak.

He made his way to the building, attempting to sign up for the fights.  He wasn't allowed to beyond the main desk - the attendant didn't think Dave was in well-enough shape to fight.  He stood there, waiting for her to finish talking.

Dave even waited patiently as the attendant refused him again after he explained.

"Ok whore, here's the deal.  You are going to let me go have an interview, or I'll take some pills for ED and we'll find out if there's anything besides air in your skull.  How's that sound, darlin'?"

Dave got the response he was hoping for - the young lady pressed a button for security.

Dave flashed a smile and apologized.  He noted the way that the clerk's eyes lit up when she saw his smile.  Women... always fall for the jerks.  Too bad I don't really have it in me.

"If I did, I'd have it in her.  What say you gentlemen?"
Dave looked at the approaching security guards, three large men in the traditional attire of such position, suits and such.  They barreled down the long corridor towards him, one speaking into a lapel-mounted microphone.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave forcefully.  If you don't wish to leave forcefully, we'll see to it that you don't leave."

"Really, boys?  You youngin's ought to show some respect... wouldn't want to be rude would ya?"

Dave turned his back on the approaching men, flashing a smile at the young lady behind the desk.  
Attracive hair, I like that red streak down the front, makes the brown all the prettier.  And those eyes, man oh man.  Oh man!

Dave ducked as the first man came at him from behind, trying to grab his shoulders.  Dave slumped the man over his side, allowing the oaf to fall on his face.  Dave kicked backwards, catching the second man in the groin.

"Lovey, would you be a doll and set me up with an interview now?"

Dave kept his eyes on the young woman as he reached behind his black, taking the club from the third guard.  The man stopped in shock, stepping backwards from Dave.

"You see dear, as you didn't let me explain, I'm not a normal schmuck.  I'd hate to have to hurt Bubba back there, he's just trying to do his job.  But you see, I need the financial benefits of a position here."

The third guard decided it'd be a good idea to help the second one up, and the first lie in a slow-pooling puddle of blood - his head had connected with the marble floors with a sound similar to that of two coconuts colliding.

------

That's how Dave made his entry into the Lambda fights.  He took the guards out to dinner (with the young lady at his side), as a way of apologizing for the misunderstanding.

Dave dropped the young lady off at her place, passing on the cup of coffee that her words promised and so much more that her eyes suggested.

Dave walked away from her condo building, wandering around until he found himself at a bar in the wee hours of the morning.  He figured he'd stop in and get a feel of locals' attitudes and thoughts.