Post by Robert Daniels on Jul 20, 2022 16:01:16 GMT -5
PREVIOUSLY RECORDED…
A sweeping drone shot gives a panoramic view high above New York City. Some of the tallest buildings in the world stick up out of the ground like daggers as the heat wave laying across the northeast continues to lift steam from the humid air like a blanket.
The view arcs northwest and heads past the Empire State Building, passes over Madison Square Garden, and makes its way to Hudson Yards. 30 Hudson Yards, the North Tower, looms over Midtown directly in front as the drone makes its way straight ahead toward the Edge - the 1,100 foot high observation deck.
There, standing in the middle of the transparent observation floor with nearly a 360 degree view of the greatest city in the world, stands Cartier. She is dressed from head to toe in glimmering green emeralds string together like beads, cascading down her brown skin.
The camera stops directly in front of her, and she smiles. The view is tight on her, showing her face, chest, and shoulders.
CARTIER: You know… I have spent a lot of time in Mainstream. More than anywhere else at this point. I used to be a bit of a wanderer in this business, moving from company to company chasing opportunities this way and that way. Back when I was wit’ SILK, we used to just have offer after offer roll our way to come chase whatever tag team opportunity was there. We won them all. We pulled fledgling companies into the limelight because we was there to give them some name recognition. We had a half dozen straps around our waist an’ we still wanted more.
She laughs, looking to her side for a moment. The city sounds hum in the background, a low buzz generated by millions.
CARTIER: I came to Mainstream because of SILK, because we was a team. He had already dominated this company on his own, he saw it as my turn to soak up the glory that being the Mainstream Champion could bring. He knew the tag titles was the easy first step, but that the rest was gonna have to come from my own hard work. An’ he was right. SILK didn’t last much longer, but I did. I won those tag titles more than once. I broke out on my own an’ won the Television Championship as well… not only won it, but redefined it. My name is synonymous with that title in Mainstream anymore. Ask anyone. They probably couldn’t tell you who the current champ is, but they know it used to be me. But the powers that be here in Mainstream seem to feel like I got a glass ceiling on top of me. A limit that keeps me from breaking through to the top. I came here today, on top of the motherfuckin’ world to show all y’all that I’m the one above it all. That y’all’s glass ceiling is just a floor for me to walk on, on my way to greater and greater heights. I’ve done my time in Mainstream. I deserve my name on the top of the pile… I ain’t got nothin’ to prove to nobody, but if y’all need to see evidence? I’ll give y’all the evidence.
The camera sweeps backward, showing all of Cartier as she walks slowly across the glass floor, with her dark green heels clicking against it - she looks as if she’s walking on air.
CARTIER: The Emerald City Classic. We know what it means for people in Mainstream. It’s probably the single best victory someone here can achieve. You enter as a name and if you win, you leave as a legend. Usually I dress myself up in diamonds and pearls. Silver and gold. The finest of the fine, the best that money can buy… but you know what? I look damn fine in green too, boo. Emeralds are the color of money, and they’s the color of jealousy… and what better way to turn all these other bitches green with envy than for me to win the ECC? And to use it as a way to propel myself to the top of Mainstream, where I told myself years ago I would be. I promised I would be. I KNEW I would be. Yet here it is, 2022, an’ I ain’t been anywhere near it yet. Because I guess I ain’t made enough noise. Somehow, defeating me for my TV Championship was enough to propel others to the top, because of how impressive it was to actually WIN against me… but does that respect come my way? Not yet. Almost four years later an’ it ain’t happened yet. So I guess I got to go out there an’ remind these people why people like me don’t stay down… because we came from the top of the damn world.
The drone flies up, showing Cartier as a shrinking green figure in the center of the Edge… like she’s walking across the top of the city itself.
CARTIER: I will win the Emerald City Classic, Mainstream… an’ after I do, I will become the Mainstream Champion. If you don’t like it… then you can come try an’ stop me.
The drone heads upward further, and the scene fades.
A sweeping drone shot gives a panoramic view high above New York City. Some of the tallest buildings in the world stick up out of the ground like daggers as the heat wave laying across the northeast continues to lift steam from the humid air like a blanket.
The view arcs northwest and heads past the Empire State Building, passes over Madison Square Garden, and makes its way to Hudson Yards. 30 Hudson Yards, the North Tower, looms over Midtown directly in front as the drone makes its way straight ahead toward the Edge - the 1,100 foot high observation deck.
There, standing in the middle of the transparent observation floor with nearly a 360 degree view of the greatest city in the world, stands Cartier. She is dressed from head to toe in glimmering green emeralds string together like beads, cascading down her brown skin.
The camera stops directly in front of her, and she smiles. The view is tight on her, showing her face, chest, and shoulders.
CARTIER: You know… I have spent a lot of time in Mainstream. More than anywhere else at this point. I used to be a bit of a wanderer in this business, moving from company to company chasing opportunities this way and that way. Back when I was wit’ SILK, we used to just have offer after offer roll our way to come chase whatever tag team opportunity was there. We won them all. We pulled fledgling companies into the limelight because we was there to give them some name recognition. We had a half dozen straps around our waist an’ we still wanted more.
She laughs, looking to her side for a moment. The city sounds hum in the background, a low buzz generated by millions.
CARTIER: I came to Mainstream because of SILK, because we was a team. He had already dominated this company on his own, he saw it as my turn to soak up the glory that being the Mainstream Champion could bring. He knew the tag titles was the easy first step, but that the rest was gonna have to come from my own hard work. An’ he was right. SILK didn’t last much longer, but I did. I won those tag titles more than once. I broke out on my own an’ won the Television Championship as well… not only won it, but redefined it. My name is synonymous with that title in Mainstream anymore. Ask anyone. They probably couldn’t tell you who the current champ is, but they know it used to be me. But the powers that be here in Mainstream seem to feel like I got a glass ceiling on top of me. A limit that keeps me from breaking through to the top. I came here today, on top of the motherfuckin’ world to show all y’all that I’m the one above it all. That y’all’s glass ceiling is just a floor for me to walk on, on my way to greater and greater heights. I’ve done my time in Mainstream. I deserve my name on the top of the pile… I ain’t got nothin’ to prove to nobody, but if y’all need to see evidence? I’ll give y’all the evidence.
The camera sweeps backward, showing all of Cartier as she walks slowly across the glass floor, with her dark green heels clicking against it - she looks as if she’s walking on air.
CARTIER: The Emerald City Classic. We know what it means for people in Mainstream. It’s probably the single best victory someone here can achieve. You enter as a name and if you win, you leave as a legend. Usually I dress myself up in diamonds and pearls. Silver and gold. The finest of the fine, the best that money can buy… but you know what? I look damn fine in green too, boo. Emeralds are the color of money, and they’s the color of jealousy… and what better way to turn all these other bitches green with envy than for me to win the ECC? And to use it as a way to propel myself to the top of Mainstream, where I told myself years ago I would be. I promised I would be. I KNEW I would be. Yet here it is, 2022, an’ I ain’t been anywhere near it yet. Because I guess I ain’t made enough noise. Somehow, defeating me for my TV Championship was enough to propel others to the top, because of how impressive it was to actually WIN against me… but does that respect come my way? Not yet. Almost four years later an’ it ain’t happened yet. So I guess I got to go out there an’ remind these people why people like me don’t stay down… because we came from the top of the damn world.
The drone flies up, showing Cartier as a shrinking green figure in the center of the Edge… like she’s walking across the top of the city itself.
CARTIER: I will win the Emerald City Classic, Mainstream… an’ after I do, I will become the Mainstream Champion. If you don’t like it… then you can come try an’ stop me.
The drone heads upward further, and the scene fades.