AC James is seen in a pool, wading along in an effort to work his knee out. With each step forward with his right leg, James winces and grits his teeth, the sharp, hot-knife-like pain from the beating it's taken over the last few weeks having obviously taken it's toll.

James, in just shorts, his hair soaked and slicked-back, his skin dripping, continues along, reaching the edge of the pool and stopping as he sees the camera.

"As you can see, I'm taking this seriously." James begins, "For this whole time I've been in HWA......what is it....several years at a guess, I've stayed injury-free, bar the odd muscle-strain or cracked rib, or cheek, or.....y'know one of the more 'minor' things. But right now I feel as if these years, not just in HWA, but before, are beginning to add-up, and that my body's not what it used to be, what it should be. Dumping my old-style and breaking out the old-reliable strong-style has kind've hurried all the aches, pains, strains and breaks along a bit more frequently, too."

James sighs as he runs a hand over his face.

"And it's frustrating not being able to work at 100%, not being able to charge across that ring, bust-up someone's nose with the Busaiku-Murder, crack their jaw with the Lariat From Hell." James continues, "For the last few weeks, for what's seemed like an eternity already, I've felt almost.......immobile. Not being able to take-off across the ring, not having any momentum to utilise my couple of 'big-moves'......and it's frustrating as-hell."

James pauses and laughs to himself, then bites his lip.

"It's a hell of time to have a World Title shot, quite frankly." James says, nervously amused, "For the first time in what seems like a long time, I'm actually doubting myself a little, and it's all because of this goddamn knee. It's the lack of mobility, it's the level of pain I've almost-never had to deal with, and it's the fear that my next match could be my last match, because this knee NEEDS work......but I'm too stubborn to give up."

"And how can I?" James says with a shrug, "I'm a tag-team champion helping breathe new life into a tag-team division that almost DIED before I got involved. I'm a perpetual top-contender for every belt going, because James-equals-money. AND, I've got a World Title shot at our Aussie PPV! How's a man supposed to take a break with so-many carrots being dangled before him, huh?"

James chuckles again, then sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"Seriously, though." James continues, "All this fear, all this trepidation, all this self-doubt.......and you know what?! I STILL can't convince myself to call it quits! Y'know why? Because I don't THINK I can.....deep-down-inside, I KNOW....I....CAN. That's all I need."

James thumps the edge of the pool with his palm, as if putting an exclamation on his words, then smirks and wades-off across the pool again.