A moment in time

Mars: I’m leaving I’ll see you later.

(Mars treats his cat like a true friend who he hates to leave behind without explanation, saying a farewell, he exits his condo lobby and awaits his limousine).

The driver exits the vehicle let’s him inside and they cruise past the California beaches of Marina Del Ray on their way to Mars’ meeting in LA.

Limo Driver: I absolutely love your neighborhood, such beautiful people and scenery.

Mars: I truly paid the cost to be the boss, my last album hasn’t come off the billboard charts since it first placed, they say they haven’t seen anything like me since Drake.

Limo Driver: who sir ?

Mars: you know Drake, the guy who basically was his own genre for decades, back in like the 2010’s era.

Limo Driver: I was born in 2045

Mars: it’s only 2075 man, do your googles. Dude was massive. He made CLASSICS.

Limo Driver: so are you saying you’re the next Drake ?

Mars: No, I’m the first Mars Lightyear, and after I close this deal you’re taking me to, I’ll begin to build my legacy and remain one of the driving forces in the culture forever.

Limo Driver : Forever seems rather permanent, an indescribable amount of time one might say… does that scare you?

Mars: No, my content and my message is timeless, I make music that fuels the growth of generations and inspires the masses. Why wouldn’t we want that around for an eternity.

Limo Driver: When you look at it that way, The “Shake it until you Slip and break it” Remix featuring Andromeda Atoms was SUPREMELY inspirational.

Mars: Thank you, Me and Andromeda spent Weeks working on that one in her loft up in NYC, the east coast has lovely food but it’s so dirty.

Limo Driver: Well, here we are. Good luck with your negotiations Mr. Lightyear.

Mars: Thanks, but I don’t need luck. (Gives driver a tip and exits the limousine)

Mars walked into StarFire records with the confidence of a lottery winner, he’d just recouped on his original deal and was getting ready to go renegotiate his deal to own his masters, which financially would change his life.

He walked into the office where his label’s chief executive would be waiting for him to begin the negotiations of a lifetime.

He opened the door and was greeted with a warm ovation by the executive and his team of advisors. They wanted to let Mars know that he’s a cornerstone to the label’s success and they couldn’t have possibly broken those billboard records without his talent and influence on the culture.

Moon Brightman: Please Mars, have a seat. The man of the hour shouldn’t be standing up in a room full of cushions.

Mars: Thanks for having me here today Mr. Brightman, I know you don’t let a lot of people in your office, it’s quite the loft you got here.

Moon: what did I say about calling me Mr. Brightman, you know my top sellers refer to me as “Moonie”.

Mars: okay… Moonie.

(The room exploded in laughter, not regular laughter… rich people laughter. The shady kind. )

Moon: I bought you these shades as a gift, you can wear them when you go back to the musk-gala on ACTUAL Mars, I think they fit the occasion, how about you ? (Handing Mars an ice-white case which contained the shades)

Mars: (opening case) No way… these look amazing… I’ve gotta — (as he tries on the shades he entered a state of paralysis, the glasses were like a portal to another universe).

Snow fell slowly as Mars wakes up outside the label building, clothes reeking of alcohol torn leather jacket skull and crossbones shirt Distressed jeans and Leather boots. He looked like he got too drunk on his way to see Green Day.

He stood up only to be pushed out the way by oncoming foot traffic.

Angry pedestrian: Get outta the way shithead ! (Shoving Mars into the concrete wall and continued walking)

Mars : I love you too bro ! (Sensing something was off, he began to investigate his surroundings)

He began to smell himself, the Burberry cologne, gone. observed his clothing, The Tom Ford business suit, and presidential Rolex Gone.

He looked up, the billboard of him smiling holding his Award for Best new artist, GONE. Instead the sign read “Aaron Carter performs at Slime Time live on Nickelodeon” . Mars didn’t know it, but he had just woken up in 1997, & not as a megastar, but just a hipster, unknown to the general public.

He ran back into the record label but this time security stopped him in the lobby.

Security Guard: Excuse me sir, there’s no entry beyond this point.

Mars: Do you want your job, I’m Mars Lightyear… please let me go before I get moonie down here.

Security Guard: “Moonie”, sir there’s no moonie here, please leave.

Mars: Dude, Moon Brightman runs this record label, I’m his top selling artist of all time, I’m here for a meeting and you’re in my damn way.

Security Guard: Look man This is Power Move entertainment, Ran by Cole Paine, I don’t know no damn “Moonie” and I damn sure don’t know you, so either you leave, or I’ll escort you to the same place we leave the trash, you clown !

The security guards associate lifted up his shirt revealing the top of a pistol, warning Mars that he should seriously leave and NOW.

The standoff took long enough for Mars to get lucky and catch “moonie” coming out the elevator, only… he was Cole Paine.

At first mars was excited to see his label executive, but he quickly realized while the body and the face were identical to that of his beloved “moonie”, the demeanor was NOT.

Cole walked out the elevator and gave the security guard and associate a handshake that looked like it came with an instruction manual.

Mars approached the figure to see how he’d be received, but before he could get too close he heard a pistol hammer being cocked.

Security guard: Do I gotta make a puddle outta you my man.

Mars: I’m not a threat, I’m a musician.

Cole: relax guys I can handle this (opening his coat revealing a golden pistol, he invited Mars to walk with him)

Mars: Moonie, what’s going on man. People act like they don’t know who I am around here.

Cole: I don’t know who you are around here with all due respect.

(Mars beginning to internalize he’s either in a dream or in another universe began to ask questions).

Mars: Am I in a simulation ? (Out loud to himself)

Cole: Look kid, I’m a busy man, you got a demo for me, something, people don’t get an opportunity to walk with Chicago Cole Paine just all the time.

Mars: No man, sorry I wasted your time.

(Seeming defeated he let Cole enter his limo and stood in complete shock outside the building for the label.)

Completely down and depressed he began to think “I hope I’m not stuck here forever” .

Just as the thought went through his head he saw hands removing glasses from his face as he woke up in Moonie’s office back at Starfire Records.

Moon Brightman: Did you feel it?

Mars: what was that?

Moon Brigtman: DID you… FEEL it???

Mars: Feel WHAT !?

Moon Brightman: The pain of being an irrelevant artist.

Mars: Actually…. Yeah man… I did. It Stunk. BAD!

Moon Brightman: it’s a tactic I use on all my most successful artists, before we celebrate a massive success we take a moment to be trapped in humility and began to understand the beauty of all we currently have.

Mars: wow…. you know that’s kinda deep man… creepy as hell that you own shades that can do so much, but yeah man, deep stuff. (Slightly frustrated and turned off) Sooooo… should we reschedule the negotiations for another day because that life lesson took a lot out of me.

Moon Brightman: Mars, did you come here today seeking ownership of your masters ?

Mars: Yes!

Moon Brightman: Their yours, just remember to always be humble and to never wear shoes in my office that aren’t brand new, see you later.

Mars left the office with is original goal completed but with a newfound sense of reality, although he was a megastar, there were people who were just as talented as him who felt as though they could be in his shoes but just didn’t have the resources. In his brief moment in time of being an underdog on the outside of the large corporation looking in, he was able to sense the many mental hurdles artists face when trying to make it big as creatives.

The imagery Aaron Carter, or the shining example of what YOU should be like, on billboards.

The “No time, no chance” attitude of all the people surrounding your idols or people who you’d want an opportunity to work with.

And the inner battle of wondering if you’re good enough, or is it worth it to even be subjecting yourself to these experiences, if you yourself may never make it.

He wrote an album titled “I feel your pain” based around his experience in the Twin universe 1997. It went Quadruple Diamond.