Post by Peter Vaughn on Mar 25, 2023 22:59:55 GMT -5
Surprisingly, Peter Vaughn has been making some serious familial connections over the last few months.
First, Vaughn seems to have made peace with his mother, Angela Hill, along with her son (and his half-brother), Thomas. Considering that Angela left Peter and his father, abandoning the family in order to start a new one (for reasons that are too complex to go into now), the odds of reconciliation seemed unlikely. And yet, it seems to have happened, as Vaughn has found a way to put the past behind him. He's even hired his half-brother to work at his ranch, keeping the man close, despite frequently finding ways to insult him. Still, there has to be some brotherly love there, it seems.
Next, Vaughn recently discovered that he had a half-sister, Sammy Mitchell. She was born from a two women couple, occurring due to Vaughn's father making donations at a sperm bank in order to earn extra funds for the family.
Yeah, it's a whole crazy thing, but it did, indeed, happen.
For some reason, Vaughn has appeared to take Sammy fully into the fold as well, being extremely protective of her, in fact. It's surprised even Thomas how Vaughn seems to be willing to go out of his way to help the sister he never knew he had until recently.
It does seem that, if Vaughn does have any sort of weakness, it might very well be... family.
March 25th, 2023
~The picture comes up at full sprint, charging through what appears to be a heavily forested area. The branches are knocked aside as soon as they appear, with the shot crashing through every obstacle in its way. We're moving with extreme haste. Up ahead, we can see an upcoming grouping of bushes. Without hesitation, we leap through the group, tearing through them. The shot then immediately shifts, showing it's Peter Vaughn who lands from the leap, ignoring the scratches appearing across his arms and body. He looks around in both directions, appearing incredibly stressed out.~
Peter Vaughn: SAMMY!! THOMAS!! WHERE ARE YOU???
~There's no answer, as hard as Vaughn listens. He arbitrarily decides to go left, trusting in an intuition with zero evidence to guide him.~
Peter Vaughn: I'll find you... I'LL FIND YOU!!!
~Vaughn continues forward, recklessly running through the forest, as we may wonder how we go to this point. The shot then cuts out, taking us to a screen thst says:~
March 25th, 2023 - Two Hours Earlier
~The image shifts, bringing us to what appears to be a fancy camping site. We say this because there's not just a place to pitch your tents. There's also what appears to be outlets for electricity and what very well might be a working water pump. In camping terms, it's the height of luxury. There are two tents currently going up in the space right now. One appears to be fully constructed, a smaller version that can house one person comfortably. The other is a larger, two-to-four person tent that seems to be having some trouble, as the roof swings back and forth, almost coming down.~
Peter Vaughn: Just brace it in place, Thomas!!
Thomas Hill: I'm trying!!
Peter Vaughn: Try harder! Oh, damn it!
~Suddenly, through the side of the tent, Vaughn comes springing out, managing to get out just in time as the tent completely collapses. Well, completely except for the figure right near the center, who is now wrapped in the tent. Vaughn shakes his head, looking back.~
Peter Vaughn: It's really not this difficult.
Thomas Hill: I hate camping.
~Vaughn shakes his head, seemingly disappointed, but he's distracted as a female laugh can be heard near them. Sammy walks into frame, smiling at the sight of Thomas wrapped in the tent. She steps past Vaughn, pulling aside the fabric enough to help Thomas get out.~
Sammy Mitchell: You guys are always a trip to hang out with. Now, c'mon, Thomas. We can get this right. It's really NOT hard if you do it right.
Thomas Hill: Know what would have been easier? An RV. We weren't gliding in this time, we could have driven!
Peter Vaughn: Now where's the family bonding in that?
Thomas Hill: We could have played Uno or something inside the RV! We would have bonded!
~Vaughn can't help but smirk a little at Thomas' frustration. He nods to Sammy, and the two step forward, getting inside the fallen tent as best they can. Thomas watches from outside, confused, as the tent suddenly rises again... and the supports are quickly put into place. Vaughn and Sammy then step back out, looking pleased, before Vaughn turns back to Thomas.~
Peter Vaughn: That ought to work. Now, c'mon, let's drive some stakes in.
~Thomas just looks frustrated for a moment, before shrugging and stepping over to grab the bag of stakes. The work continues, and within a few more minutes, the tent is fully set up. The three look it over, before Sammy steps away.~
Sammy Mitchell: I still prefer mine. But you boys have fun.
~Sammy laughs again before heading back to her tent. Vaughn goes back behind them to get their gear, as Thomas can only stare at the tent that's given him so much trouble.~
Thomas Hill: They make tents that automatically raise themselves up. I've seen them. They're so much easier.
~Thomas sighs, before going to help with the loading. The camping trip is off to a wild start, although it feels rather... normal. A strange sensation for Peter Vaughn, and one, we know, that won't last.~
Do you know what it's like to live a normal life?
I've heard a lot about it, but I've never really understood it. What's normal, anyway? Living in your own house? Going to work 9 to 5? Being in a loveless relationship that you were stuck in due to mistakes made in your youth? It's really hard to say.
I know, for men like myself and Mark Cross, our "normal" is probably remarkably different from everyone else's. We're fighters, after all. Warriors. Gladiators. I'm one of the best in the world, a true icon, a five-time World Champion. Cross is... well, he's an old wrestler who once talked about retirement when he was trying to win the West Coast Rumble.
I defeated him. I defeated everyone, really, to win this championship. And did Cross retire? Nope. He decided that, if he made it to the end of the Rumble, he might as well take Page & Raven up on him becoming the #1 Contender to face me. But once again, I have to ask the obvious question: why? I mean, if I could take down Cross at nearly my worst, having no energy left after a grueling run in the Rumble, how could he defeat me now when I'm going to be fully healthy and ready for a war?
The answer is, he can't. And I wonder, will talk return again to Cross' retirement? Will he finally hang up his boots and head off into the sunset? Or is he going to continue to try and fight, to make his way to the top of the mountain once again, so that I can kick him off one more time?
Cross, I don't really have much against you. I mean, I don't like you, but there's nothing really causing me to hate you or anything. And yet, the fact that you think you deserve to be in that ring with me... it does touch a nerve. It reminds me, once again, of the lack of respect I seem to get, despite all of my accomplishments. It makes me want to, well, punch you in the face, like I did after our contract signing.
I can't help myself, Cross. Beating the hell out of you just feels... normal to me. And I can't wait to do it again.
March 25th, 2023
~The tents have been pitched. The campfire is burning brightly. The group is gathered around it, toasting marshmallows as they prepare for some s'mores. Vaughn himself seems to be enjoying himself, or at least he's pleased to watch Thomas burn another marshmallow. Thomas curses and waves it around, managing to put it out, before slathering it on his cracker.~
Peter Vaughn: You'll get the hang of it, brother. Just keep trying.
Thomas Hill: What's the point? They're all going to burn, aren't they? I can't get anything right.
Sammy Mitchell: Don't be like that, Thomas. It's just something you need to work on, just like everything else in life.
Peter Vaughn: Yeah, you don't see me quitting just because I've had a few ups and downs in wrestling. Things sometimes don't go your way. It happens. All you can do is get up and try again. Or so they tell me.
Thomas Hill: Didn't you just beat the hell out of your boss in another fed because he wanted you to try again?
Peter Vaughn: ... We're talking about you here, not me.
~Sammy expertly cooks her marshmallow, flipping it into the air before catching it between a graham cracker and a chocolate bar. She folds it, squishing the marshmallow between them, creating the perfect s'more. Thomas' mouth drops open.~
Thomas Hill: How are you so good at everything?
Sammy Mitchell: Genetics, I would assume. Peter and I have a lot in common, don't we, Peter?
Peter Vaughn: I... yeah, maybe.
Sammy Mitchell: No maybe about it. That's why you feel such a strong connection to me, don't you? More than with Thomas, for sure. I mean, he's always bumbling around, while I appear to be more in your family's element. And yet, I'm so different from you, too, aren't I? Doesn't that just mess with your mind?
Peter Vaughn: I... I don't understand. What are we talking about?
Sammy Mitchell: I'm just saying, brother... you are trying so hard to bring all of us together, setting up trips and arranging for us to meet you nearby wrestling events, and yet, you don't even know why, do you?
~Vaughn considers it for a moment, looking puzzled.~
Peter Vaughn: I suppose... I think we should all be closer together. Even though our family tree looks like something out of an Evil Dead movie.
Thomas Hill: Seriously, though, why me, Peter? You don't even like me.
Peter Vaughn: That's not true, Thomas. I may be a little... distant in my emotions, but it doesn't mean I don't like you.
Thomas Hill: Yeah... but would you even care if I just... disappeared?
~Suddenly, Thomas vanishes. He doesn't step off camera. He doesn't walk away. One moment, he's sitting in front of us, and in the next, his marshmallow stick is falling into the flames, and he's not there anymore. Vaughn jumps to his feet, extremely startled, to say the least.~
Peter Vaughn: THOMAS??
~Sammy, for her part, barely seems to react. She shrugs, getting out another marshmallow, even as she speaks up.~
Sammy Mitchell: It's pretty crazy, huh? You got us as your family, out of nowhere, and now, you're wanting to hang onto us. But you have no explanation why, other than that something inside that screwed-up brain of yours wants it. And yet... I don't think you need us. You've gotten along perfectly well on your own for some time, right? So... why be here at all?
~Sammy shrugs again... then disappears, just like Thomas. Vaughn stumbles over to where they're sitting, feeling around, as if they just got cloaked or something, but there's no sign of them. He whips around, looking in all directions.~
Peter Vaughn: No.... NO.... THOMAS!! SAMMY!!!
~Vaughn turns, racing into the forest, as we cut away.~
March 25th, 2023 - NOW
~We're back to seeing Vaughn racing through the forest, still frantic. He rushes around a corner, almost running straight off a cliff. He barely manages to stop in time, looking downwards at the far-off ground below.~
Peter Vaughn: What.. what the hell is this doing here? The ground's all flat here....
Sammy Mitchell: The ground's what you make of it, Peter, just like us.
~Startled, Vaughn spins around, finding Sammy and Thomas standing behind him. For a moment, he looks grateful, stepping towards them. But both suddenly reach out, shoving him backwards! He stumbles, unable to stop himself from slipping off the edge of the cliff. For a moment, he manages to catch himself, hanging on, but Sammy and Thomas both loom over him raising their boots.~
Peter Vaughn: No...
Sammy Mitchell: You have to figure this out for yourself, Peter. Do you really want connections with us? And will those connections destroy you? Decide fast... time to wake up.
~Both step downwards on Vaughn's hand, causing a scream that seems way too high-pitched for Vaughn. He falls...~
~And then he wakes up, darting upwards, looking around as the car horn goes off nearby. Vaughn rubs at his face, trying to pull himself together, as he's now got a lot to think about. The picture slowly fades out.~