This week's CotW comes to you courtesy of the pages of notes I've made for an upcoming project. Here's Club Ninja's first official introduction to the world of PaIn, and of one of its heroes.

-- Mani

So what exactly is PaIn about? At the forefront is the Paladin Invitational (the Palin, as some have taken to calling it, or Pain to others), an annual martial arts tournament entering its second year. The year is 2010, and the world is one where the martial arts are revered and respected by the general masses- the Paladin Invitational happens to be the largest and most televised tournament in the world. Of course things aren’t nearly as simple as a mere tournament, and so as to be expected, there are many odds, ends, and undercurrents that come to light over the course of the story. While I can willingly admit that a lot of the inspiration came from the likes of Street Fighter, Hong Kong cinema, professional wrestling, my older brother, and the Fatal Fury series (very much so the latter), I’ve been trying to keep from falling into too many stereotypes of the genre. But when dealing with a genre that is in itself a stereotype, you can’t help but sneak an archetype or two in there. Nonetheless, I’ve tried to keep things fresh- even with that being said, I’m sure that if you look hard enough, you’ll be able to find a parallel or three...

-- Excerpt from PaIn: Welcome to a World of Hurt

Name: Cunningham, Derek B.

Sex: Male

Age: 23

Nationality: United States

Personality: Because of his fame, people are usually surprised as to how open and down-to-earth Derek can be. Having never forgotten his upbringing in some of Atlanta's worst neighborhoods, Derek is always trying to give back to the community some how. Despite his career as a musician, the slender African-American young man has a very clean-cut look about himself (he does, however, sport a nice-sized tattoo on his left shoulder). Being an accomplished Tae Kwon Do practitioner (and frequent patron to dance clubs all over the metro area), Derek prefers to wear loose and baggy clothes as not to hinder his movements. He is quite intelligent, and speaks a respectable amount of both Spanish and Korean.

History: Derek grew up in an area of the city called Wells Homes, or Hell-Homes to those that lived there. Being one of the roughest areas in Atlanta, Derek constantly found himself fighting just about every day. Unlike most young men his age however, he didn't believe that this just how life was to be for him- Derek wanted out of Hell-Homes, and was willing to just about anything to get him, his mother, and younger siblings out of there. Knowing that it would break his mother's heart for him to get caught up in something illegal, Derek immersed himself in not only his music, but his school studies, taking to heart a basic truth he had read about in the autobiography of Frederick Douglas- the idea that freedom comes through education.

When Derek wasn't studying or pursuing his career as a musician, he was usually found working at the local YMCA, volunteering his time to the youth in the neighborhood. It was here where he met Carl Johnson, a former resident of Hell Homes that had won the American Martial Arts Championship some years ago. Recognizing his potential and admiring his dedication to do something with his life, Carl and Derek quickly became good friends. Suddenly, Derek found himself with a new love in his life- a love for Tae Kwon Do, being taught to him by one of America's best.

His hard work paid off, and eventually Derek scored a full scholarship to a local college. Keeping up with his music, martial arts training and his studies wasn't easy, but Derek managed to get by. In order to keep some money in his pockets, Derek and a couple of his friends would on occasion perform at a few local clubs and Frat parties; people just didn't know what to make of the funky elektronica-styled beats, combined with Derek's abilities as a rapper, but the group never ceased to amaze the crowds.

It came as a total surprise when the group was eventually offered a music contract- they eagerly signed, and with that, The Fury was born. Having finally graduated, Derek was able to pursue his music career full time. And it seems to be off to a good start, as The Fury's debut release went Platinum in just a few weeks.

Strangely absent from these joyous times in Derek's life was his sensei and close friend Carl Johnson, who had suddenly vanished. The young man decided to check Carl's office at the Y, where he found a number of documents inviting his sensei to participate in the Paladin Fighter's League, each one more stern than the previous- the last one struck him as being an outright threat. Derek didn't know if he was meant to find the letters, but it really didn't matter; all of the signs pointed in the same direction, to Paladin. The very next day, Derek was signed up for the tournament.

"Destiny may have some big plans for you, but that doesn't mean that you should just sit around and wait for them to happen. You have to take hold of that one thing that matters and make it a reality, no matter what!"