Post by Divewire on May 20, 2024 19:26:12 GMT -6
“If there was ever a time for me to get UP, it’s right now!”
Arlington Catte is pacing back and forth inside a stairwell at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. His furrowed brow tells. His feet shuffle some. The sound of them echoing in the stairwell distracts him from his own thoughts.
“Who am I today?”
Cut to a wide shot high above the arena. Hundreds of EWC fans have swarmed the Lightning structure outside the building. There is a small stage with two large leather armchairs, each emblazoned with the Prime logo. Joe Danes stands in front of those two chairs and addresses the 360 degree crowd mob that has shown up.
“We go LIVE in 5… 4… 3…”
He strikes a pose and faces camera.
“Welcome, everyone, to our fan-friendly interactive interview! Joining me at this time… competing in the Indy Championship Elimination Chamber Match this coming Sunday night when Prime presents World Wide VI… please welcome The Gravity Neutralizer… DIVEWIRE!!!!!”
The Action Drone flies down towards where Divewire has just appeared through a curtain to a round of pyro and ballyhoo! Blue lights shine in all directions and the crowd is lit. ‘Pump It Up’ by Joe Budden. Big pop. Divewire fist bumps and high fives his way towards the stage. He spreads his arms out wide and the crowd responds in kind. Let’s fly.
“Arlington, have a seat, if you will, and let’s get straight to it. The very first question to hit Fighter Talk was from Hugo Goodman: ‘YOU LOOK LIKE YOUR STARVING. WANT SOME GUMBO?’ in all caps. Thoughts?”
Divewire grins and even chuckles briefly.
“Gumbo.”
Divewire stares out into the crowd.
“Gumbo! Gumbo! Gumbo! Gumbo! Gumbo! Gumbo! Gumbo! Gumbo! Gumbo! Gumbo! ”
“Glad to see Goodman back around. And while his question may not have been about my in ring career, I still want to reply. This Sunday night in the Main Event of World Wide VI, I will step inside that terrifying structure that the crew is welding and hanging inside that arena right this moment. I just came from watching them work on it and I am still in shock from the sight of it. But the only way to satisfy this simmering starvation is to go through the Elimination Chamber. I am fully dedicated to remaining Prime exclusive. Have you noticed? Sunday night Prime, Prime PPVs, and Quad Branders only! I’m not thirsty to individually dominate all of the EWC. No. What I am doing is standing up and standing out right here on the brand that I have chosen as my home. I am proud of what we do here and this is the only place you will see me. Our format is solid. Our work is tight. My hunger is fueled by the fear that I won’t ever be able to live up to the high, high standards that have been set by those around me. Good news in all of this. I don’t have to beat everyone. The rules of the Chamber Match are inherently unfair.
My objectives are clear to me:
Survive. Add damage. Avoid the wrong place. Capitalize at the right time.
Fact is, I only have to pin one person to win The Chamber Match and it doesn’t even have to be Jack! I might start the match or I might be pod 4. Either way, anything and everything in between is straight up survival mode. Get up. Climb up. Gravity on.”
“Hey!”
A fan stands up in the crowd wearing a Ganso Bomb T-shirt.
“You talk a big game when you’re only talking about YOU. Say something about your Elimination Chamber opponents!!! Why are you so afraid to mention the Indy Championship out loud?! What kind of champion could you ever be anyway compared to any of your opponents?!?!!? How can you promise you won't just choke again when the time comes???”
The crowd falls silent. A screech of feedback. More silence. Cameras remain live. Divewire stares blankly at the fan. He then looks into camera with the same blank stare. Fade to black.
*** TO BE CONTINUED ***
[ Watch for PART TWO later this week ]
