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Peter Vaughn · (01-04-2022)

The Road So Far:

Family Ties P1

Family Ties P2

Old Connections, New Suspicions

Family Ties P3

~The picture slowly comes up on a shot of Peter Vaughn. Even those he's facing away from us, anyone who knows wrestling knows it's him. At least, recent wrestling. For those who don't know, though, Vaughn's voice soon removes all doubt.~

Peter Vaughn: When Online Championship Wrestling's Purge took place, I walked away from the company where I was World Champion. While many understood the gesture, it seemed like most of you thought my career was done after that. Sure, "The Janitor" was a good novelty act, but surely he won't be able to succeed like he did in OCW. That was a fluke. That was a once in a lifetime kind of moment.

~Vaughn slowly turns to face the camera, allowing the viewers to see, for the first time, the championship belt held in his arms. He slings it up over one shoulder, as the camera is slowly backing away from him.~

Peter Vaughn: Apex was supposed to finish me. But they failed. They missed their shot. I didn't. From now until the end of time, the history books will proclaim that the first ever Thunder Pro Wrestling International Champion... is Peter Vaughn. I've reached the top once again. I've beaten the odds, ignored the skeptics, and denied the people in charge who wanted to hold me down. This mountain... is mine.

~The camera zoom out is getting further away, showing that Vaughn is, in fact, standing on top of a mountainside. It begins to go upwards, showing that the camera is actually a drone shot... or a cameraman with balloons or a jetpack attached to him. As cool as that would be, let's just assume it's a drone and move forward.~

Peter Vaughn: Some would say, when you reach the top of a mountain, your only job is to stay there and defend that spot. But that's not me. I'm still not where I want to be. As good as this gold feels against my shoulders, it's only another step in the climb to immortality. So I may have beaten this climb... but there are other mountain peaks all around me, just waiting for someone strong enough to place their flag.

~The camera angle changes, showing the mountain range around Vaughn is quite extensive. He looks around at another large peak to his left.~

Peter Vaughn: Next up? It's obvious. The XWF Universal Title. Nothing's going to stop me continuing to move up. Nothing.

~Vaughn starts walking off, preparing to start a vertical ascent to another championship. The drone zooms out, soaring into the cloudy sky.~

In the past month, Peter Vaughn's life has been turned upside down by the information that he had a brother, unknown to him due to his mother leaving their family when he was still young. Vaughn risked his own well-being to rescue his brother from loan shark thugs in a daring Christmas Eve raid, opting not to tell Thomas who he was. Peter thought he was giving his brother a new lease on life by settling his debts. But it turned out that Vaughn's business manager, Jonathan Barrows, had arranged the whole kidnapping, leaving doubt as to whether or not Thomas Hill is actually Vaughn's brother at all. The secret was revealed... due to the custodial union, eavesdropping on a Barrows' discussion. That information... has led us here today.

~The custodian who had been outside Jonathan Barrows' office finishes his story, retreating back into the custodial circle that currently surrounds Peter Vaughn. He shakes his head, looking a little shell-shocked.~

Peter Vaughn: So... does that mean that my brother... isn't my brother?

~The elder of the custodians in the building steps forward, shaking his head.~

Head Custodian: This, we cannot answer. But there was definitely a nefarious plan involved. Thomas Hill is not who he seems, and neither is Jonathan Barrows.

Peter Vaughn: I always knew Barrows was a deceitful man. The way he ran the GCWA, you always knew he would cut someone's throat if they were failing him. But... I've succeeded. I've become a top champion twice now under him. I'm the #1 Contender to the XWF Universal Title, with Jonathan having helped with the contract. What does he gain now, tricking me this way? I just... don't understand...

Head Custodian: There must be a reason. You will need to seek out answers, no matter what it takes. The truth will set you free.

~Vaughn slowly nods, agreeing with the head custodian's sentiments. He needs to know what Barrows is up to.~

Peter Vaughn: Alright, here's the plan...

~Vaughn turns, and the camera suddenly cuts away, Ocean Eleven style, to a shot of the Pryde Industries building at night. We see a version of Jonathan Barrows sitting in his office, seemingly playing a simple game on his computer. At least, that's how it appears to me.~

Peter Vaughn: The key will be getting Jonathan out of his office...

~We see a custodian come into the room, beginning to clean the floor. Barrows, glancing towards him, looks annoyed at the interruption and starts to say something, but the custodian 'accidentally' knocks over a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner, splashing it towards Barrows. He avoids the spray, but the fumes are almost immediately toxic, causing both men to run from the room.~

Head Custodian: Peter...

Peter Vaughn: Once the room has been vacated, we'll need to get his passwords for his computer, which I know he always keeps on him like a total tool.

~In the "recreation", we see another custodian, this one dressed to try and hide his connection by having a suit top on top of his uniform, 'bumps' into Barrows s he's running away, trying not to be sick. The custodian raises up the folded piece of paper he was able to commandeer from Barrows.~

Head Custodian: PETER...

Peter Vaughn: This will get us access, but it will take some great skill to access the computer itself.

~The passwords have been passed off in this scenario, and now we see, lowering from the ceiling (for some reason), Peter Vaughn, wearing a gas mask to protect himself from the dangerous cleaning fumes in the room. He begins to type away on the computer, using the passwords.~

Peter Vaughn: Once I have access to Barrows' files, we can also plant bugs in the room...

Head Custodian: PETER!!!!

~The shout finally knocks Vaughn out of his planning vision, causing him to stagger for a second as he looks over at the building's head custodian.~

Peter Vaughn: WHAT, man?? I had a good flow going on that plan...

Head Custodian: It is a brilliant plan. With some corrections, it could even succeed. But... it will not happen.

Peter Vaughn: What? What do you mean?

~The head custodian shakes his head, looking saddened by what he has to say.~

Head Custodian: You proved your janitorial skills to us, Peter. You showed that you are worthy. But we do not work for you. I had our fellow custodians aid you once to honor the bond, but we cannot be put to full-time work helping you in all of your quests.

Peter Vaughn: I thought the bond would be strong enough...

Head Custodian: You know the rules of our organization. I cannot act more without consent from... above...

Peter Vaughn: You.... you mean.... him?

Head Custodian: Yes. Him.

~For the first time, Vaughn shows a bit of nervous energy, realizing what he might have to do next. After a few quiet moments, he finally responds.~

Peter Vaughn: Then it's time.... finally time... that I meet him.

~Some of the custodians in the circle look frightened, and the lights even flicker for a second. That could be because one of them backed up into the light switch accidentally, but it was still effective. We fade out for the moment.~

On the next Wednesday Night Warfare, I get to face another living legend.

Barney Green has been in the XWF for a long, long, long time. He may have been here at the beginning. I don't know, it seems like so long ago. But I know he's got an amazing resume in the business. A former World Champion. A former X-Treme Champion. The Daddy of Violence. I can appreciate a nickname like that. Violence is the name of the game, after all.

Honestly, looking at it objectively, Barney and I have a lot in common. We both appreciate the use of a good weapon to the side of the skull. We both are under 6 feet tall, but make up for that height difference with the willingness to do whatever it takes to win. We both get underestimated due to our former professions, me as a janitorial wrestler, Barney as a half-blind scraggly garbage man. In another world, Barney and I could probably get along famously.

The key difference between us, though, is that while Barney's time has just about passed, I'm entering my prime.

Barney, you're looking at a man whose taking the wrestling world by storm. Two companies down, lots more to go. My climb in the XWF hasn't been gentle, but it's proceeding nonetheless. The Exiles will be taking over the entire industry by the time we're done. I'm on the rise. You're on the decline. I guess it makes sense that we're passing each other at this point.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to underestimate you. Even though this one's not booked under hardcore rules (a first in my XWF run, incidentally), I still know you have the skills to give me a challenge. I welcome it. As I said to Mark Flynn, if I want to make it to legendary status, I have to fight all of the legends, no matter what condition they're in when I face them. My resume grows with each passing month, and I learn more with each foe I face. Mike Zybala. Dylan Thomas. Outcast. Supreme Machine. Drew Archyle. Xavier Lux.

After Wednesday, your name gets added to the list, Barney. It's a prestigious list. I hope you know the respect I have for you by adding you to it. Better than the gorilla, at least. So take some pills. Loosen your old bones up. Come out and give me a fight like old-school Barney Green. Because I don't want to just run over you and get an easy win. Oh no. I want to be able to say I faced Barney Green at his best... and I crushed him.

Otherwise, where's the glory in it?

~The van pulls up into the parking space, coming to a full stop before the engine is cut. The doors open, and two custodians step out. They bring with them Peter Vaughn, who is wearing a blindfold. He listens intently, trying to pick up any clues about where he is. The head custodian gets out of the driver's side (thankfully, Peter wasn't driving) and makes his way over. He reaches up, pulling the blindfold off of Vaughn's eyes. He takes in the sight in front of him.~

Peter Vaughn: He's.... here??

Head Custodian: Not exactly.

~The group moves forward, as the camera turns to show what they've all been looking at.~

[Image: homedepot.jpeg]

~They proceed inside, making their way through the store and all of its great deals on hardware and building supplies. The group doesn't stop, though, heading towards the back. The head custodian pushes through one of the sacred doorways, listed as Employees Only, and after a brief hesitation, Vaughn follows. They make their way down a line of stairs, with the head custodian adjusting something on the wall, revealing a hidden doorway. They go inside, to where a sacred shrine has been set up. There is a seat in the middle of the room, seemingly waiting for Vaughn. He heads there, steeling himself for what is to come. The head custodian nods to one of the assistants, who walks around, offering Vaughn a choice of different colored pills. Vaughn immediately chooses the red one, swallowing it whole as another assistant offers water. Vaughn shakes his head, saying he's good.~

Peter Vaughn: So when does this begin?

Head Custodian: As soon as you put this on.

~The head custodian brings out a virtual reality headset, offering if to Vaughn. He takes it, confused.~

Peter Vaughn: Wait... it's just VR? Then what was the pill for?

Head Custodian: Just a dose of vitamins, something every good cleaner needs. What, did you think this was the Matrix or something?

Peter Vaughn: No, no. Of course not... although that would have been cool...

~Vaughn brings the VR headset up, putting it over his eyes. The head custodian pushes a button on the side, preparing it.~

Head Custodian: Are you ready, Peter?

Peter Vaughn: Bring it on. LINK START!

~Nothing happens. The head custodian shakes his head, then flips the switch on the side, beginning the system. We now see inside Vaughn's view, as the power comes on and we seem to be streaming down a long tunnel. It moves like a rollercoaster, up, down, side to side, honestly it's making me a little nauseous, hang on.... okay, okay, I'm better. Finally, the tunnel opens up, and we find ourselves in a massive white void. We can see Peter Vaughn, or at least his avatar, standing there, looking around.~

Peter Vaughn: Cool.

~Vaughn takes a few tentative steps, looking around and seeing nothing.~

Peter Vaughn: So what do I do next?.... Guys?

~There is no answer from the outside world. Apparently, Vaughn is on his own.~

It's pretty wild, when you think about it.

Barney Green gets assigned my opponent, giving me the chance to possibly retire a long-running star. But then they also announce that for Fire & Ice, I'm going to be on Team Diamond with Thunder Knuckles, Elijah Martin, Ruby... and Barney Green. I suppose that's why our match is a regular 1-2-3 affair, huh, Barney? They don't want anything catastrophic to happen to their squad.

It's a little discouraging to be separated from my Exiles brethren. We could have easily taken the whole thing as a single team, after all. But I'm more than proud to represent our squad for Team Diamond, and if that means that I need to keep you in one piece, Barney, so you can compete, then so be it. I mean, at your age, I can't promise not to break any bones, but I will promise to try and avoid it if at all possible.

As of late, I've gained a reputation as a hardcore dominator, competing in all sorts of contests. Tranquilizer matches, No Disqualification, Broom Closet Brawls, Falls Count Anywhere... I've been more than up to the challenge. But I think it's caused some people to forget that I'm actually a complete wrestler in there. I'm an epic high flyer, who can launch at his opponents from almost any direction. I've learned from some of the best on how to ground my opponents with submissions as well, negating their height advantages. Sure, I'm not going to brute force up a powerbomb on you, but otherwise, I've got plenty of lines of attack for any adversary.

I don't know if you can say the same, Barney. You're almost exclusively a brawler, right? Okay, you've got that Green Dream submission, I'll give you that. I'll make sure to avoid that as much as possible, because that's likely your only chance. You're not going to beat me any other way. Meanwhile, I could knock you out with Revenged. I could plant you with the Key Holder. Or I could just take flight onto you with the Plunge. So many possibilities, so little time.

Of course, all of these choices lead to the same event taking place...

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Again, all the respect to you, Mr. Green. But you're not getting to stay in my path.

You're a booster shot to the top, and I'm taking it.

~As Vaughn walks around the white void, he seems to be lost. We see him walk off the right side of the screen, only to immediately appear on the left, with no clue that he's actually walking in circles.~

Peter Vaughn: This is ridiculous.

~Vaughn takes a seat in a meditative pose, knowing that his real body is still waiting back in the real world. He thinks it through for a moment, nodding slowly to himself.~

Peter Vaughn: No... this is another test...

~He calms himself, working to remember all he's ever heard about virtual reality. In something like this, a lot of it is going to be about control. He closes his eyes, visualizing what he wants to see.~

Peter Vaughn: I'm ready. Take me to the man in charge of the Custodial Coalition.

~All around Vaughn, color begins to blossom in the virtual world. Grass seems to appear out of nowhere, spouting all around Vaughn. In front of him, a structure is 'built', quickly coming together into what looks like a golden doorway entrance. Vaughn slowly gets up, taking it all in, before walking forward. He 'pushes' the door open, showing that he's mastered control of this environment. Inside, the golden decorations continue, all pristinely clean as you would expect from someone of this position. Vaughn stops just inside the door, noticing that someone is now walking towards him, cloaked in shadow. The man stops before him, with Vaughn, almost in awe, drops to a knee before him.~

Peter Vaughn: I come... to seek your wisdom, Master Cleaner.

~The camera turns and pans upwards, showing the man waiting for Vaughn.~

[Image: mrclean.jpg]

Master Cleaner: Let us begin.

~The buff, bald cleaner steps forward, offering Vaughn a hand up. We fade out on this surprising image.~

[Image: exiles.png]

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