Yay I'm back.

Jackson: Hey Dan my man.

They shake hands.

Jackson: You ready to go meet with Mr. Lakeshore?

Dan: Yeah. Let's do this.

They walk into the club. The smell of overpriced cologne and perfume mixed with alcohol and smoke fill Dan's nostrils. He wipes his nose in a futile attempt to get rid of it. He follows Jackson, a tall man at about six foot four through the club. Dan feels numerous eyes watching and following them. At a place where there where time and money wasn't an object, they were the only ones treating them as if they were. They walked with purpose and objectivity, two things only a handful of people in the club had. The rest were self-entitled twenty somethings. Brat's and snotty bitches who expected their parent's to give them everything and anything they ever wanted with no questions asked.

There were a few turns during their trip but eventually they made it in front of double doors. Once they walked passed them they were in an empty corridor. There were no fancy tiles and flooring here. Only grey cement. A few items suggested that there was still work being done. A powerdrill and a bucket of paint were lying next to a few bags of unused cement mix. At the end of the hallway Jackson knocked on a door. After a few seconds a voice inside replied.

Voice: Who is it?

Jackson: It's me, Jackson. Open up.

The next minute they were inside the room. It was a little dark at first, Dan had to let his eyes adjust but once they did he saw a man leaning over a table and sniffing with considerable force. He quickly realized that the man was snorting cocaine. Dan looked around and saw three other men. They were all considerably older than Dan and Jackson. The man who had just did a line turned around.

Mr. Lakeshore: Hey Jackson.

He turned to Dan.

Mr. Lakeshore: Who the fuck is this kid?

Jackson: This is Dan. Dan Alexander.

Mr. Lakeshore: Who?

Jackson: The one who sent you the cd.

Mr. Lakeshore: Ah. That... take a seat kid.

Dan searched around for a free chair but there wasn't any.

Mr. Lakeshore: On the floor kid if you have to....

He turned to Jackson and mumbled: Jeez this kid ain't very bright is he?

Jackson didn't respond.

Mr. Lakeshore: Kid. I got the cd. And I listened to it.

Dan waited for a response as Mr. Lakeshore took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it up. He took a puff and then looked at Dan.

Mr. Lakeshore: It wasn't very good kid.

He took another hit of smoke.

Mr. Lakeshore: I have to be honest with you. It wasn't good. And right now it's a tough market. I truly can't invest my own hard earned money on some weak garbage. Don't mean to hurt your feelings kid but it's the truth.

Suddenly one of the other guys spoke up.

Mr. Brawnski: It's a tough business to crack kid. Why do you even want this in the first place?

Dan: It's my dream.

Mr. Brawnski: It's everybodies dream. But not everybody is going to make it.

Mr. Lakeshore: What else do you do kid?

Dan thought for a while.

Dan: I box.

Mr. Lakeshore: You any good?

Dan: Yeah.

Mr. Lakeshore: Do that. Do that kid. You don't want to do this.

_________________________________________

Dan: That was twelve years ago. I wanted a way out of boxing. I wanted a way out of this type of life. So I took an ad for a singer off a whim. I figured I could sing. I could write songs. I could be another Bon Jovi without all the overhyped sexiness.

Tori: But what fun would that be?

Tori puts on her cooking apron.

Dan: Not much darling.

They smile at each other.

Dan: But that was the plan. An oversimplified and not well thought out plan. But what do you expect? I was seventeen at the time. I didn't know what I really wanted and I was afraid I was going to be hurt. Not many boxers live past the age of fifty and if they do they can expect irrepairable brain damage.

Tori: Oh no. Poor sweetie.

Tori walks up to him and kisses him on the cheek before making her way to the kitchen.

Dan: So I couldn't just keep boxing forever. I couldn't just be in the fight game forever. At least that's what I thought. But somehow I could never escape from it. No matter what I tried. So I've decided to go with the flow. To accept my path and destiny. I'm going back to the IWF.

A sound of a glass cup shattering came from the kitchen. Tori stepped into view with her mouth agape.

Tori: No...

Dan: Oh yes, dear. I am going back to IWF. Very much so.

Tori: Well, if this is your decision. Then I guess I must accept it.

Dan gets up from the chair and looks at Tori with an expression of concern for her.

Dan: Oh Tori. You know that I would never mean to hurt you in any way shape or form. And the last thing I would want to do is lie to you. So I am telling you the truth now. I will be in the IWF once again. I will be away from home for three hundred days out of the year. I will probably, no, most likely get hurt. And we won't be able to see each other so often. I hope you understand.

Tori:... I understand.

Tori heads back to the kitchen and cleans up the shattered glass while Dan sits back down.

Dan: Now. Where were we? Oh yes. Stygian. Honey?!

Tori: Yes?

Dan: You can clean that up later. Can you come over here first? I want to show you something.

Tori heads to the living room

Tori: What is it dear?

Dan: Honey can you please press the power button on the projector over there.

Tori walks over to a projector that is sitting on a coffee table.

Tori: This one?

She points to a big red button.

Dan: Yes. Please press that one.

She presses it and within a millisecond an image is projected onto a wall. She looks at it for a while with an expression of confusion on her face.

Tori: What is it?

Dan: This was my match with Stygian on November thirteenth.

Tori: Oh wow... that guy is a monster!

Dan: Yes. It was actually a very good match. Underrated in my eyes. Whenever people reference my IWF matches they go to my matches with Brandon, or Shark, or Robbie. This one should be up there. It was back and forth throughout the whole endeavor. That's until this happened...

The video shows Dan lifting Stygian up and his head bouncing off the exposed turnbuckle.

Tori: OUCH!

Dan: Ouch indeed. You can see that he has a cut on his forehead and is bleeding now.

Tori: OH MY GAWD HE'S BLEEDING NOW!

Dan: I just said that...but anyways here I lock him into my armbar.

Dan chuckles.

Dan: Look at him reach for the ropes as if his life depended on it. I love that.

Tori: His life does depend on it...

The video goes to the referee as he counts to five.

Tori: Did you win?

Dan: No. I was disqualified.

Tori: How?

Dan: Well, when your opponent grabs a hold of the ropes you have to let go of any hold before the ref's count to five. Or else you will be disqualified.

Tori: But you were doing so good in that match.

Dan: I know. But sometimes that just isn't enough. You gotta win the match and I didn't do that.

Tori: Who are those two girls?

Dan:.....Prostitutes....

Tori: Oh my god... really?

Dan: Yeah... Stygian is actually a part time "hustler" if you know what I mean...

Tori: No I don't know what you mean... can you show me?

She gives Dan a playful smile. Dan get's up and chases Tori around the apartment. They eventually make their way back to the living room and Tori falls on the couch laughing as Dan pounces on her.

Dan: Okay playtime is over. We need to get back to work.

Tori: Okay I'll finish making dinner.

Dan: Go to it. Now back to business. Stygian. I know that match is a thorn on your side. I just know it. You don't have to pretend like it didn't hurt. I mean, if that happened to me? I would be pissed off. I deliberately disqualified myself just so that you wouldn't have the pleasure of beating me. And I am truly sorry for that.There you go Stygian. That's probably what you've been looking for. I admitted my wrong doing and I have apologized to you. But now that that's out of the way I have to address some issues...

Dan get's up and walks over to the dining table and picks something up. He puts it over his shoulder and walks back to his chair.

Dan: You see this?

Dan shows a replica IWF title belt he had received after his first reign.

Dan: This is a gallon of blood. This is buckets of sweat. This is weeks, and months of hard work. This is the IWF Title.

Tori looked over the counter.

Tori: It's beautiful.

Dan: Yes it is. Yes it is.

Dan lays it on his lap. His fingers run across the decal and his eyes wander the surface. He turns back to the camera.

Dan: I have undoubtedly spent years of my life on this one thing. On this piece of gold.

He stands the title upright on his lap.

Dan: I believe this is what you came for.

He sets it back laying down.

Dan: But it's not exactly what you got is it? No. Instead you got the High Impact Championship. Which is great. Congratulations. You've been here for a three months and you're already a champion.

He turns to the kitchen.

Dan: Can you remind me of someone else who did the same thing?

Tori: Ummmm... no.

Dan: No? No one else honey?

Tori: Not that I could think of.

Dan: Really? Not someone in this room...?

Tori thought for a minute.

Tori: ... No... but you did win the IWF Title after only two months.

Dan: OH! That's right. I did didn't I?

Tori: Yes you did. And I am very proud of you.

Dan: Aww thank you. That means a lot to me.

Dan turns back to the camera.

Dan: Yeah. Congratulations man. You've earned it. But about my title reign. It was actually pretty short. Only a month. And the man who took the belt from me? James Shark. Yes, the man you just beat at New Years Evil. What a coincidence uh? Well, I was injured that day when I had to defend my title against James. I had a broken arm. But that's no excuse. He beat me fair and square. He knocked me out cold two times.

Dan took the title and put it on the coffee table.

Dan: Two times. I just can't seem to beat him. He just has my number. But you beat him. You beat him soundly and decisively. Because he bet on himself to win when all he had was his right hook. You saw his bluff and called him out on it. Very impressive. Very methodical of you. Very cerebral of you. Now I'm not much of a gambling man nor am I much of an intellectual but I bet that you can't even beat me once.

Dan pauses for a second to let the words sink into Stygian's self-assured brain.

Dan: I know I know. Who am I to make such outragous claims when I can't even beat Shark and you can? Who am I to think that I can beat you when the last time we fought I had to resort to dirty tactics to pull myself out?

Tori: Dirty tactics?

Dan: Yes. Dirty tactics. I am a dirty fighter Tori...

Tori: Dirty.... and naughty?

Dan: That's for you to find out later. By the way when is dinner ready? I'm starving.

Tori: In half an hour. I just started.

Dan: What are we having?

Tori: Lemon chicken.

Dan: But I thought we were all out of lemons?

Tori: I'm using oranges instead.

Dan: ...But isn't that orange chicken?

Tori: ....I guess it is.

Dan turns back to the camera.

Dan: You are probably wondering why I took the time tell you that awe inspiring story about how I tried to pursue a career a music. Well Stygian, I wanted to reveal to you a time when my dreams were shattered. When I failed to reach my goals. I admit, I was crushed. It wasn't the best day for me. Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to be prepared for that kind of rejection. For that kind of failure. I want you to be ready when your heart is ripped away. Because that is exactly what is going to happen to you from this point on. You can completely forget about ever holding the IWF Title. There is no fucking way that is happening. And pretty soon you will also be without your precious High Impact title. Because it will be around my waist. And after your extravagant failure, one could only imagine your two lovely escorts leaving your side. Then what? You'll be all alone. Poor little Stygian. If only you have laid low. If only you had sat on the bleachers and kept your mouth shut. But no. You had to wear a big yellow sign on your back that says "kick me". You had the audacity to claim the IWF Title as your own your first week here.

Dan looks thoughtfully.

Dan: That reminds me of somebody.... Oh that's right it was me. Except I actually won the title. Except I actually fought Chuck, Brandon, Death Angel and anyone worth mentioning. And you? You're just tooting your own horn. Singing your own praises. When you haven't even really accomplished anything yet except beat a couple of guys on their way out. Oh yeah and also reference Walt Disney films. How could I ever forget that? You know what else I can't forget? The look on your face after you beat me. For some reason you weren't smiling. You weren't standing tall and proud like you usually do. Instead you were slumped over holding your arm which was throbbing in pain at the time. And on your face was blood. There was so much blood that I couldn't even see the expression on your face, but I hope you were happy. You got the win. Didn't you? I mean even if I practically dismantled every part of your game. Your superior strength. Your superior speed. It didn't really mean anything. You might as well have gotten every attribute maxed out without even knowing what to do. You're a comic book fan right? It was like you had gotten a hold of the Ironman suit, but had no clue how to use it. You just ran into walls and defeated yourself. Shot yourself in the foot basically. But you won. Like I said, I'm not proud of what happened. But I did what I had to. And that is exactly what I am going to do this weekend. I will do what I have to, but will you?

At this point Tori comes in the living room.

Dan: What is it?

Tori: Dinner is cooking in the oven.

She takes a seat right beside Dan and looks into the camera.

Tori: What is this for anyway?

Dan: It's for our friend Stygian.

Tori: Oh hai Stygian. I like your name.

Dan shakes his head.

Dan: Anyways, Stygian. You say you want the IWF Title, but are you really going after it? I mean I also wanted the IWF Title. And I went after it. I got it. And you? Well, you are the High Impact Champion. But that's like getting the silver medal when you really wanted the gold medal. You came up short Stygian. Now I do recall you saying the same thing to me a few months ago. You said that I came up short against Brandon. That I did. I was this close to winning the tournament. Brandon won by inches, but winning is winning. And losing is losing. But I had already proved myself. Anyone who still doubted my abilities after that would always doubt me. Much like you do. Much like you do to everyone. You basically called every past IWF Champion out. You said that we weren't real champions. Well what constitutes as a real champion in your eyes? You? A particularly large man who thinks of himself as an intellectual? Accompanied by two women who might as well be groupies? All the while cutting promos as if you were trying out your comedic standup routine on us because you didn't have enough confidence in yourself to bomb in front of a real audience. I'd rather have Chris Matthews as IWF champion. Atleast he won't fall over in a slight breeze like a cardboard cut out.

The oven started beeping.

Tori: Dinner is ready!

Dan: Great I'm starving.

Tori: Is that thing done yet?

She pointed to the camera.

Dan: No. I still need to say a few things, but I'll finish it up some other time. Let's have some dinner.

Tori: Is that all?

Dan: Then dessert...