Stein lay on his chest in the hotel room, his back wrapped up heavily with ace bandages, stuffed with ice.

30 minutes on... 30 minutes off. All day.

He sighed to himself, watching the NBA playoff games on the TV with the remote in his hand. His blonde hair fell over his head, and his baby blue gym shorts started to creep up his leg toward his knees. His eyes drifted over to the Iron Fist title. He flashed it a wink, then turn his attention back to the television.

Dan Stein: “Don't worry, cutie. Daddy's here to stay.”

Stein chuckled to himself.

Dan Stein: “Growing up, my parents told me not to concentrate on the materialistic things; Not to worry about the gold medals in swimming, or the batting title in baseball, and I never did. But still, I am a three time state champion in swimming, and I was the best hitter in baseball, and I was prom king, and I was student body vice president...”

Stein looked at the title, squinting.

Dan Stein: “Don't look at me with that tone of voice. I'd rather be the Vice President anyways. At least he gets away with shooting someone without any charges being pressed.”

Stein chuckled, wincing as he did. He motioned towards his back, but then stopped short as it hurt more to reach back there.

Dan Stein: “The point is, even when I don't care about the materialistic things – like holding onto you, my precious – I am still on the top of my game. Holding you... it's given drive to me, especially in a nationally, fuck... internationally federation like SHOOT Project.”

Stein nodded, looking back at the TV.

Dan Stein: “Look at the Bulls' dynasty. Year after year they came back for the title. The only time they didn't take it? Michael retired. He didn't need to want the title, he already had it. He just... he deserved the title because of the hard work he put into the journey. He deserved the title... just like I deserve you. Maybe nobody else sees it, maybe nobody cares to pay attention to it, but I... deserve you. Azraith DeMitri? I beat him once, he comes back and loses again. Why? Because I want it more than him. Kenji Yamada; I beat him once, he KNOWS not to fuck with me. He knows that he can't just walk up to me and fuck with me. Sure, the psycho nutjob beat me in Sky High, but even since then... where has he been? He knows not to fuck with me.”

Stein smirked.

Dan Stein: “Yeah, regardless of what he wants to think, that's respect. That's the respect I deserve. That's the respect that my parents taught me to take. Not beg for. Not cry about.”

Stein looked back at the title.

Dan Stein: “If Donovan King ends up breaking my back in that ring, I'll come back. I'll keep fighting. I'll 'Boden' it up if I have to. But I will not stop until I have the respect of every man on the SHOOT Project roster.”

Stein nodded, running his hand through his hair, smoothing it against his skull.

Dan Stein: “Not because I want it... but because it's the one thing that my parents told me mattered most. Not fear, not power.... respect. If it means I keep a hold of you for the rest of my life, if it means I never move on from this title, so be it. But if I want to be respected, I must respect those before you.

You are a symbol of their accomplishments. You are their symbol of respect, and you are mine to defend until the very time that my body breaks down and my mind gives up.

You symbolize the respect that those men deserve. I embody you. That's what keeps me fighting, even through the worst injury of my entire - Fucking – life.

Respect.”

Stein looked at the belt, turning his head to watch the glimmer bounce off of it. For a split second, he swore he saw his parents' reflections.

Dan Stein: “...Game on.”

* * *

The camera opened up on Stein in front of the SHOOT Project helmet. The blue of the logo matched the shirt he wore with the silver 'SHOOT Project' lettering across his chest. Stein wore gold rimmed aviators, with his title over his shoulder, and his wrestling gear on. His hands taped, elbow sleeve and all.

The Lights: “I'm ready, Donovan. I'm wearing my gear, if I have to sleep in this shit tonight, I'll be there tomorrow for you. I'll be there for you to tear limb for limb, I'll be there for you to absolutely completely destroy. I'll be there. I'll be fighting hurt, but I'll still be hot. I'll still be running on my streak of victories in SHOOT Project. Bet your house on that, you know... if you... have a house?”

Stein puts his hands up in front of him, as if to stop the anger from King.

The Lights: “Whoa, Donny, whoa. That wasn't a racial comment, that was just me saying, y'know, what do you have to fight for? Yourself? It's nice, right? You don't care about Obsidian, or OutKast because OutKast turned his back on you. You don't care about anyone else... but you.

You're alone in this world. You're alone in your mind.

You. Are. Alone.”

Stein nodded.

The Lights: “That's fine, Donny, that works for you. You do what you do to make you happy, not to please anyone else, that's fine. No pressure that way, and nobody to blame when you fail. Obsidian? Hardly a friend. Adrian Corazon? Well, we all saw what he thought of you during that little 'Walk of Shame' you had, didn't we? You're absolutely, completely... alone. That's what turns you, that's what keeps you burning. That's what got you that Revolution ti- wait... I thought you did that to prove to OutKast that you deserved to be considered a... a son, or a brother, something along those lines, right? You were driven to fight because... that's what you believed OutKast wanted from you.

Now, you've cut ties with OutKast. You've broken off all connections to Instant Heat, because, you're right. You did suffer a few reality checks, you are well versed in that subject. That move.

What about this reality check, Donny? What about the reality that you're left with nothing. That you have nobody there to pick you up if you fail. What happens then? You fail, you lose to Cade Sydal, worse – you lose to, gasp, me? What happens then? Do you keep coming back fighting?

Reality Checks aren't just wrestling moves, Donovan. Maybe you don't get one this week, maybe I don't show you the err in your ways, but when it does happen, and it will... what do you do then?”

Stein pauses for a few seconds, looking at the camera.

The Lights: “I understand that you make your living on exploiting the flaws of your opponents... isn't that what we all do? I understand that, Donny, that's fine. My back hurts, my ankle's been fucked up since Sky High, and if you want to know, I broke my collar bone when I was body slammed into the mat in high school, just fucking around. Exploit that shit, I'm ready for it, or I wouldn't be stepping into the ring with you. I wouldn't be ducking out of hospitals, away from my best friend so I didn't have to listen to him beg me not to step into the ring against you, but... I won't stop. Not when I'm fighting for this.”

Stein pats his title.

The Lights: “You're fighting for you. I'm fighting for Ben Jackman, Azraith DeMitri, Adrian Corazon... Cade Sydal... my fah... fans. I'm fighting for them. The day I beat Corazon, I was given the task of living up to and of furthering the Iron Fist title.”

Stein shook his head when he fumbled over the word 'fans', almost slipping in 'family' instead. Stein finally paused.

The Lights: “Marc Stanton. You know the story since you know 'Oh So Much' about my past. Laugh it up, I know. One armed man beats the current SHOOT Project Iron Fist champion, why am I bringing that up? Sure, he beat me on my way out of OPW. He beat me when I wasn't right up here, but the man taught me something, as mad as I was that I lost to him.

Injuries – Mean – Nothing, Donny.

Nothing. They drive the man to fight harder. They drive the man to out work his opponent. They cause him to scout his opponent harder, watch the matches he's been in, the battles he's faced... ask my best friend for advice since he knows you like the back of his fucking palm.

That's what injuries do.”

Stein held the Iron Fist championship up over his head.

The Lights: “Even though I wont be defending this belt tomorrow, I will be defending it's honor.”

Stein dropped the title back over his shoulder.

The Lights: “I fight for a lot of things, for a lot of people, for a lot of reasons. This week? Same as the rest.

Lights Out.”

Cut.