Post by Peter Vaughn on Sept 16, 2023 22:16:01 GMT -5
It's strange to think that Peter Vaughn may be at peace at long last.
After his adventures overseas, with his psyche apparently being reassembled and made whole, Vaughn has seemed more like his old self. He's been caring towards his half-brother, Thomas Hill, who was badly injured after an assault from cultists. Vaughn has even been making connections with his best ranch hand, Sadie Anderson, seemingly showing that he could actually care for someone again. Despite losing the WGWF World Title, Vaughn actually appears to be on the correct path.
The only caveat to that? A Doctor Roberts, who confronted Vaughn about not visiting Thomas enough in the hospital, pushing him to be a better brother in helping with his rehabilitation. Vaughn swore that he was a new man now, and that things would be different. But Dr. Roberts was badly assaulted that night, his condition still critical. His assailant? Unknown...
~The picture opens up at the PMV Ranch, Vaughn's pride and joy. He's rebuilt the ranch from scratch over the last year, immediately building it to be a force in the Dallas cattle industry. It's taken a lot of work, and has faced some derision from other ranchers, due to Vaughn's slightly peculiar decisions regarding automated systems throughout the ranch. Vaughn also made a lot of alterations to the buildings themselves, with many having secret passages and unexpected set-ups. One of these is inside an rather innocuous barn, to the west edge of the property, where Vaughn's beloved truck, Gabriella, can be seen parked outside. The cameras move into the barn, showing not the piles of hay and tools expected, but a rather complex medical rehabilitation set-up. It was originally built as part of Vaughn's need to be prepared, considering that anything can happen in the wrestling business. But it's turned out to be helpful for other reasons, as we see Thomas Hill making his way along a set of parallel bars, trying to move his feet along without falling. Vaughn is nearby, watching carefully.~
Vaughn: You're doing great, Thomas.
Thomas: You mean for a three-year-old? Because that's how fast I feel right now. Whoops!
~Thomas slips for a second, almost losing his balance, but Vaughn's right there to keep him supported. Thomas nods, showing that he's okay.~
Thomas: Appreciate it, bro, but I've got this. I need to get myself back to normal.
Vaughn: Since when were you ever considered normal?
Thomas: Hah hah. Let me just finish this, okay?
Vaughn: No problem, Thomas. Just get it done. Then we can move to the underwater treadmill.
~Thomas looks up, surprised, glancing over at Vaughn.~
Thomas: You have an underwater treadmill?
Vaughn: Well... it's less one that you find at a pool and more one that has a heavy-duty bag set up around the treadmill to contain the water. But it will do the job.
Thomas: Why the heck do you have that, though?
Vaughn: Hey, spare no expense when it comes to health.
~Thomas shakes his head, continuing to move on the bars, as Vaughn suddenly gets a beep from his phone. He takes a look, reading through the message, before sending back a reply. Thomas notices, as he's about reached the end of the bars and is ready to turn around.~
Thomas: Trouble?
Vaughn: Just some ranch business I need to get to. But you come first, brother.
Thomas: Yeah... I'm still not used to that. Look, we can do the "underwater treadmill" thing later. I mean, I didn't bring any swim trunks, for one thing, and I'm not going in there au natural.
Vaughn: ... Yep, I don't want to see that either.
Thomas: So let's go do what needs to be done, okay? I'm part of this ranch, too, after all.
~Vaughn nods, bringing the wheelchair over, with Thomas getting inside. He sighs.~
Thomas: Still hate this thing.
Vaughn: We'll get you out of it soon. Trust me.
~Vaughn pushes Thomas forward, towards the exit, as we cut away.~
There's nothing like actually caring about someone. Not everyone's lucky enough to get that.
For instance, I don't give a single damn about the man called Clyde Newton.
First off, Clyde, can I call you Clyde? I normally try to come up with different nicknames for my opponents, throwing whatever I can think of at them that sounds worse than their real name, but it's extremely hard to beat "Clyde". I mean, c'mon. That name hasn't been in vogue for some time, mainly because it's a stupid way to spell it. Who's the last guy who was able to really make something of it? Clyde Drexler? Admittedly, Clyde The Glide was cool. I get the feeling you'd be more like Clyde The Wet Ride Newton, but that's neither here nor there.
So, Clyde, let's talk about your recent career here in the WGWF. You came out to make your big debut, all pumped up at being at one of the greatest wrestling programs on the planet... and your debut was on WGWF Dark. I guess I shouldn't bash that, I mean, everyone's got to start somewhere, and at least you managed to win against the MIA Atara Raven and that DuBois guy, but considering it was only seen by the live crowd and some of us watching from the back, well, it was rather sad. You just... weren't impressive.
You'd think someone who proclaims themselves to be a big name, someone who's going to make an incredible impact in this company, would not make their debut in the dark after one of the biggest PPVs of the year. That kind of sounds like the higher-ups weren't sure that you were worth giving an opportunity to. Did you take it as an insult? Or did you just go along with it for the payday?
Anyways, at least after that, you got to take your match with DuBois to the main show, getting to appear on Brawl. You even got to humiliate a little person beforehand, threatening to throw them down the stairs. Yeah, I'm sure that made all the other wrestlers watching shake in their boots, but hey, it's all about exposure, right? The only problem? You got your ass whooped by DuBois. He beat you 1-2-3, in your first big televised match in the company.
Well, that's a lot of egg on your face, isn't it?
Not exactly the start someone who brags about being a champ elsewhere should have tolerated.
So you probably thought, I need a bounce-back match. I need something that'll make people care about me more. That's probably why you begged and pleaded the new runner of Melee to put you in the main event against me, the former WGWF World Champion. How much money did it cost you, by the way, to get this opportunity? You have to know that I would have signed either way, but I bet that didn't stop you from paying a fortune, anyway. You even probably fought to have this be a Three Falls match, so you could at least have a better shot of taking me down at least once.
Now, I can admire the initiative. A win over Peter Vaughn, in this day and age? It can go a long way towards making someone a star. Look at what it's done for Joe Montouri? He's a slightly less disgusting piece of shit now. But you, Newton? I'm afraid the odds tend to be against you going into this one. You want to know why?
Because the WGWF has been my home since the relaunch. I have wins over some of the top talent in the world, having taken them all on here. This is my home turf, and you're intruding on the natural beauty of this place. I don't like seeing whiny bullies showing up in my airspace. So I'm going to have to take a few extra measures against you in this one, to ensure that you start to learn a lesson about your place in the WGWF.
To tell the truth, it might end up getting you a fall on me after all. A disqualification counts, right? So maybe I get disqualified after blasting you with a steel chair upside the head. Well, it'd make the rest of my match easier, wouldn't it? Or what about this? I get disqualified after shooting you with a tranquilizer dart. I'm down 1-0... but you're down for the count.
Huh. That might be the easiest course of action. The old me would definitely take that path, no question.
The new me? Well, it's still undecided. I'm still working out what I feel like I want to do. But the itch is still there, Clyde "I Had To Reapply" Newton. So if I were you?
I'd watch out for the gun pointed in your direction.
~We're outside in the main ranching area now, where Vaughn has wheeled Thomas over towards where a group is gathered. It isn't exactly easy to get Thomas there over the dirt road, but Vaughn manages it, thanks to the adjustments he made to Thomas' chair, giving it a lot more stability with an extra wheel set-up. Vaughn is nothing if not a tinkerer. They pull up, with Vaughn glancing inside the circle of ranch hands.~
Vaughn: Alright, so what's going on? We having an impromptu rap battle here or something?
~The group turns to look at Vaughn, allowing him to see Sadie Anderson on her knees, sitting next to an injured dog. She's working to bandage him up, covering up a wicked wound in his side, which causes Vaughn to immediately kneel next to them.~
Vaughn: What happened?
Sadie: Best I can tell, the dogs encountered a pack of coyotes that tried to come into the ranch last night. Butch here must have put up quite a fight. We... we haven't found Sundance, yet. But he must be out there... somewhere...
~Vaughn takes a moment to pat the injured dog on the head, earning a lick his way from the stray that Vaughn had picked up a while back. He'd kept both dogs safe, for reasons known only to him. But now, he definitely seems more concerned, as he turns back and points towards one of his ranch hands.~
Vaughn: Mike, get your truck ready. We need to transport Butch here to the vet's clinic down the road. Kyle, get a group together, we'll need to take some horses out and search for Sundance. Sadie, can you go with Butch? He'd probably like you to stay with him.
Sadie: I can do that. He's been a good dog, hasn't he?
Vaughn: They both have. And they deserve better, protecting our ranch like that. C'mon, let's go, boy.
~Vaughn hefts up Butch, who whimpers slightly from the pain. Vaughn definitely looks sadder as he heads for Mike's truck, with Thomas watching from behind, still in his chair. He shakes his head.~
Thomas: It's still so weird to see him... caring.
Sadie: He always cared before, Thomas, he just kept it hidden.
Thomas: Believe what you want, but I definitely feel like something happened on that last trip overseas. I've asked a few people what he was doing, but nobody's talking.
Sadie: It's not exactly a bad thing, is it? He even asked me to come with him to the Cattleman's Ball. So... why are you trying to 'fix' anything?
Thomas: I'm not! I just... I don't know if I can trust it...
Sadie: Just trust in your brother. That's what I'm going to do.
~Thomas reluctantly nods, even as Vaughn calls for Sadie to come over, wanting to get the dog to the vet. Sadie hurries over, as Thomas works to turn himself around. As the truck drives off, Vaughn walks back over, with Thomas shrugging his shoulders.~
Thomas: Sorry I can't do that much right now, brother. Wish I could help.
Vaughn: Actually... there IS something we can do... I hadn't planned on showing it yet, but... come with me...
~It's kind of a funny request, as Vaughn is the one pushing Thomas along again now, so it's not like Thomas has much choice. But he obediently sits back as they head off, even as we cut out again.~
Sometimes no matter what you do, you end up with blood on your hands.
I, myself, have a history of putting wrestlers into the hospital. I can't exactly say I'm proud of that, now, but it's certainly worked in my favor. And I've definitely done it against much higher wrestlers on the totem pole than someone like you, Clyde. So if your blood ends up on my hands after this one? Hey, it happens, right? But maybe you can find a way to avoid that. Maybe you can pull out a miracle and make it out of Melee relatively unscathed. To do that, though? You're going to have to draw on some of your wrestling talent, Clyde "Denied" Newton. So let's take a look at that and see what we're dealing with.
Wait... there's some there, right? I mean, you CAN wrestle, at least so that's what I've heard... at the very least, you know the basics, right?
After all, you have your finisher... a spear. Basically the most boring finisher in the world today. I mean, it's just a tackle, after all. Football players get tackled numerous times a game, and you know what they do afterwards? They get up. Sure, I won't be wearing protective padding like them... but I could be, underneath. Hmmm, another plan comes together, doesn't it?
But yeah, you've got a spear. And you've also got... a stunner. Again, a basic finisher, one that hundreds of people have copied and used over the last twenty-thirty years in the business. But it's more effective than a simple spear, at least. If you can land it. The problem with using a move that everyone's seen a million times is that people specifically train to block that type of maneuver. They're ready for it. There are about fifty different ways to counter it.
I'm extremely good at 48 of them. Still need to work a little more on #49 and #50, but I'll get there.
So that's your main moves, a spear and a stunner. Let's bring up my repertoire. I can knock you senseless with the Revenged, a dangerous Zig Zag styled maneuver that I've made my own over the past year. I've got the Keyholder, a Ripcord DDT that can zap your spinal cord a lot faster than any stunner. But if those aren't enough, I've got the ultimate weapon.
No, not the Plunge, although that is truly a finisher that people can appreciate.
My ultimate weapon... is that I don't have to rely on just these maneuvers to win. I have a variety of other moves that I can pull off, both of the high-flying variety and of technical expertise. Not to mention, I'm well-versed in the hardcore aspects of our world. I can turn almost anything into a weapon, given the right circumstances. I've proven in the past that I have excellent timing, waiting for just that moment when the referee's attention is turned elsewhere to pull off the most surprising of assaults.
And I usually don't fail in those attempts, unlike, say, someone trying to use an exposed turnbuckle and ending up eating the metal themselves. Boy, that was embarrassing, wasn't it, Clyde The Slide? I've watched it about 20 times now.
It's still funny.
So overall, Clyde, I'd say the talent levels are looking like you're going into this at a serious handicap. The only thing you've really got going for you is your mouth, as I've heard you're a pretty extreme trash talker. You know what happens to most guys like that? They get their traps smashed shut.
I wonder, if I ended up forcing you to get your mouth wired shut to allow your broken jaw to heal, would I face a penalty from the WGWF for costing them one of their competitors, albeit temporarily? I mean... it's still tempting. And the WGWF would easily continue onwards, the way we keep bringing new wrestlers in from dead companies over and over, thinking they can be a big fish here only to dive headfirst into the shallow end.
No, I don't think your talent is ready yet, Clydesdale. Yeah, I had to use that one. After all, you definitely seem like a horse's ass, overall.
Certainly not someone who's on my talent level. But also certainly someone whose blood may end up on my hands.
~We're now out further across the acreage of the ranch, towards where it's definitely less developed. Being Texas, there are a few hills here and there, but it's mostly flat, as we can see a patrol of horse riders making their way in the distance. Calls for "Sundance" are heard, as they continue to search for the missing dog, even though hopes are low that they can find him. There's also a strange rumble that seems to be getting closer. After a few seconds, we see what it is, as two ATV's come roaring over the top of a nearby hill, sliding down towards us. Driving one, with a big smile on his face, is Thomas Hill. Behind him, Peter Vaughn is revving up his own custom-built engine. The two slide to a stop, with Thomas taking a moment to look around.~
Thomas: Gotta admit, this is the best I've felt in weeks, Pete.
Vaughn: Glad you like it. I tweaked the engine for an extra .5 percent power on the acceleration. I'm still working on adding in a little more torque...
Thomas: That part I really don't care about. But I'm glad I'm riding, at least. So where to next?
Vaughn: Butch couldn't have been too far from the ranch house, or else he wouldn't have made it back. Let's try to the east. Maybe we'll get lucky.
~The two men immediately peel out again, moving quickly to the east. Not surprisingly, the two brothers also seem to be unofficially racing, because, really, who can resist in this kind of situation? Thomas is doing well, but he still doesn't have the reflexes of Peter, who's making it around obstacles at a much closer range than Thomas is, allowing him to stay in the lead. They come around another bend, with Vaughn suddenly braking. Thomas is able to stop behind him, although it's closer than he would have liked.~
Thomas: Signal next time you're going to do it that quickly.
Vaughn: Look here. There's a blood trail.
~Thomas glances down, having not noticed the faint trail. He whistles, admiring his brother's vision.~
Thomas: Which way do we follow?
Vaughn: This way...
~Vaughn starts up again, moving a little slower now as they head along the trail, following the faint blood markings. Thomas doesn't seem too confident as they come around another turn... and find a couple of coyotes there, outside of their small cave, growling at them. Vaughn immediately comes to a stop, reaching behind him to pull out his trusty tranquilizer gun. Perhaps having seen weapons before, the coyotes begin to back up, still growling. Vaughn takes one shot, hitting the lead one, who yelps and rushes back into the cave, with the others following. Thomas nods, ready to go in pursuit, but Vaughn puts his hand up.~
Vaughn: Leave them.
Thomas: What? You've traced them back here, you've found their lair! We should do something about this now before we lose any more animals.
Vaughn: We'll find them again. But for now, that's not our mission. We need to find Sundance... which means we need to follow the trail back the other way.
Thomas: But...
~Vaughn's already turning around, heading away from the cave. Thomas hesitates, then sees a couple of eyes staring at him from the darkness. He gulps, quickly turning around as well, since he didn't bring a gun with him. They fly away, leaving the coyotes behind. Thomas, still in shock, follows behind Vaughn, keeping up with him as they move quickly back down the path, following the trail in the opposite direction. This time, Vaughn raises up a hand, following through with signaling, as Thomas stops behind him. Vaughn jumps off, hurrying over to the side, where we see a weak movement in the tall grass. He quickly picks up Sundance, who is in pretty bad shape, all things considered. But he's still alive.~
Thomas: Oh, man...
Vaughn: Let's go. Every second counts now.
~The two quickly drive off, departing quickly from the scene, as the camera focuses on the blood on the ground.~
When it comes down to it, you always have a choice.
You still have options, The Clyde Who Cried. You could simply not show up at Melee. That would be a choice. Of course, you'd probably be fired, and it'd be a huge hit to the Melee morale if the main event didn't happen, so maybe you could be a man and avoid that one. Of course, your only other choice is to get your ass handed to you by one of the greatest wrestlers walking the earth today, the Mechanic. You're almost guaranteed to take a serious beating, both physically and mentally.
But at least you won't be seen as a pussy, so there's that.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you bring to the table, boyo. You've got a rare opportunity to change your trajectory in a wrestling business from going to the bottom of the heap to sitting near the top of it. Will you come out fighting? Will you pull out all your tricks trying to salvage a victory against me? Or will your only strength continue to be that mouth of yours, which I can promise you will have zero effect on what happens in our match... other than to possibly piss me off.
Trust me, you don't want that.
In the end, you should just cherish the option you've been given, Clyde. After all, it's a rare thing to be able to Take The Plunge twice.
The Plunge Squared.
Your neck may never be the same... but you'll be marked down in history, at least. All due to your choice. Good luck, kid. You're going to need it.
~We find ourselves back near the ranch now, as we see Thomas sitting on the porch of the main homestead, taking a moment to relax. It was a lot of fun to drive the ATVs around, but the vibrations didn't do much for his recovering muscles. As he leans there, the door opens, with Chris stepping out, carrying a pitcher of lemonade. He pours out a cup for Thomas, who takes it happily.~
Thomas: This have the 'special ingredients' added?
Chris: Of course.
~Thoams takes a quick sip, smacking his lips, before settling back again.~
Thomas: Heard anything from the vet yet?
Chris: Sounds like Butch is doing well. Sundance, well... I don't know. There may have to be a decision made there.
Thomas: That sucks. Damned coyotes. So is Peter over there?
Chris: Not that I'm aware of. Gabriella's parked over there, so it seems unlikely.
Thomas: Hmmm. I haven't seen him since we got back with Sundance and they took him. Wonder where he's hanging out?
Chris: He probably just needed a few minutes to himself.
Thomas: Yeah... that's probably it...
~Thomas takes another sip from his drink, looking unconvinced. But there's nothing he can do. We cut away from the porch, suddenly finding ourselves back out at the cave to the east of the ranch. We can't see anything inside, but we can hear a lot... the sound of coyotes yelping, along with the sounds of something violent going down. We slowly fade out.~