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Peter Vaughn · (05-25-2022)

The Road So Far:

Journeying Through The Force, P1

Journeying Through The Force, P2

Journeying Through The Force, P3

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This month began with Peter Vaughn being offered a 'gift' from his friends in the Custodial Coalition. They gave him access to the Star Wars Universe through their incredible Virtual Reality system, allowing Vaughn to experience the Universe first-hand before his May the Fourth match with Vita Valenteen. But, shockingly, things went wrong when the system malfunctioned, trapping Vaughn through a loop of different Star Wars moments while those on the outside worked frantically to find a way to free him. He also had help on the inside, as the Master Cleaner was able to pursue Vaughn's insane trip and aid him more than once, even as he fought krayt dragons, Jedi, and a doppelganger of himself.

It seemed that the error was due to Vaughn's wet hair when he first attached the Virtual Reality helmet. But a specialist who had been called in to help found that it was actually the reverse: due to the removal of safety protocols, Vaughn actually should have been placed in a fatal position, only to have the burnt fuses from his damp hair allowing him to survive. The specialist resumed the safety protocols, which enabled Vaughn to be rescued from the Star Wars/Quantum Leap trip he had been on. It seemed like it was a completely happy ending.

But some have begun to wonder... was it truly the ending they thought it was?

~The snow is still falling outside the cave. It's always falling on Hoth, really, in a continuous frozen loop. Inside the cave, it doesn't appear to be much warmer, although the two lightsabers going back and forth are surely heating up the air. They're certainly leaving deep cuts in the ice as swipes miss, sending a blast of steam through the air. The first fighter does an incredible flip powered by the Force to avoid a strike, landing on his feet and turning towards his opponent.~

Peter Vaughn: Nice try, but you're way too slow. Did the computer forget a few algorithms when it put you together to fight me?

~The other warrior steps forward, where we can see his face better.~

Peter Vaughn: It's not that simple, Peter. I AM you. The better you. The one who deserves to exist in the real world.

Peter Vaughn: Yeah, no way in HELL that's going to happen! Time to get wiped out, Evil Ash!

Peter Vaughn: YOU'RE the evil one!!

Peter Vaughn: Eh, maybe. I've been called worse. In that case, get ready to join my Army of Darkness!

~The two Vaughns come together, fighting even more furiously. Yet it seems that the rage of the 'original' Vaughn appears to be too strong. He's soon knocking back the 'new' Vaughn with strike after strike, keeping him entirely on the defensive. The original rears back, slicing downwards, with the new Vaughn barely avoiding it. He tries to grab at his opponent to slow his momentum, but the original responds automatically, catching the new Vaughn with a low blow! He staggers back, dropping to his knees, trying to recover as the original comes in.~

Peter Vaughn: As great as this fight has been for my psyche, I've got more important things to deal with. You understand, right?

~The original uses the Force to strip his doppelganger of his weapon, sending it off to the side. The newer Vaughn raises his arms in a helpless attempt at self-defense as Vaughn rears back... and freezes in place. It appears only his face is able to still move.~

Peter Vaughn: What.... what did you... why can't I...

~The new Vaughn gets up, smiling at the fortune granted to him. He gestures, with his lightsaber coming back into his hands.~

Peter Vaughn: It's nothing personal...

Peter Vaughn: You... you CHEATER!!!

~The man shrugs, knowing that his opposite self would have no problems taking advantage if the situation were reversed. Instead, he lifts his lightsaber high, swinging it downwards with all his power... ~

~There's a knock at the window. Vaughn starts, coming awake from the daydream he had been reliving. He turns, looking around, then puts on a big smile as he sees the Head Custodian standing outside his door. Vaughn reaches for the door, swinging it open and getting out to greet the man.~

Peter Vaughn: HC! Great to see you!

~Vaughn pats the Head Custodian on the shoulder, as the man returns the smile. He nods to where Vaughn had been drowsing off.~

Head Custodian: I didn't mean to interrupt your beauty sleep.

Peter Vaughn: Ah hell, I'm never going to be beautiful, HC. It'd take way too long a deep sleep to pull that off. Nah, I've probably just been training too hard lately.

Head Custodian: I heard you've been at the gym more often. I always thought you already were in peak physical condition. I honestly don't know any other custodians who could do what you do.

Peter Vaughn: Hey, as good as you are, you can always find new ways to improve, right? I want to make sure I'm more than ready to take on Mac Bane and win myself a championship.

Head Custodian: Well, I hope my asking you here won't take away from your training.

Peter Vaughn: This? Nah, this'll be more like Cobra Kai-style training. At least on the Miyagi-Do side. You don't have an empty concrete mixer here, do you?

Head Custodian: No, nothing like that. Just plenty of cleaning to do.

~The duo walks off away from the parking lot, with the Head Custodian leading the way. They're heading for an area of high activity, as we can see several individuals already working ahead of them.~

Head Custodian: I'm sorry I was late. I had to make a quick stop to get some more supplies.

~The Head Custodian shows off the bag he's holding in his left hand.~

Peter Vaughn: No problem. I needed the time to collect my thoughts.

Head Custodian: With all that's going on, are you sure you want to be here? I was surprised when you accepted, to be honest.

Peter Vaughn: It's my chance to give back to the community. Also, it's a chance to use my cleaning skills. Of course, I wanted to be here.

~They walk up to the group, where we can now see that most of them are sporting large brushes or hand brushes. They're scrubbing away at the walls of a freeway, working to get as much graffiti as they can removed from the concrete walls. Vaughn immediately breaks off from the Head Custodian, moving over to one of the larger brushes is sitting. He picks it up, spinning it in his hands as if he was holding a lethal weapon, before turning to the wall.~

Peter Vaughn: Wax on, wax off...

~Vaughn spins into action, furiously attacking one of the spots of graffiti that's already been sprayed down with a cleansing liquid. The Head Custodian stands back watching for a moment, still looking unsure at Vaughn's recent enthusiasm involving community service. He then shrugs and steps off to the side to hand off the supplies, ready to do his own part.~

It seems like people are always trying to leave their marks. They always want to be remembered.

I guess that's the same for you and me, eh, Mac? You might not admit it, but as your career has gone on and on, I'm sure you've wondered if you've left enough of an impression to be remembered by the fans once you're gone. Do you feel like you've done enough? After losing your World Title recently, I know the doubts must be creeping in a little bit. But trust me on this: don't let it happen. You're one of the few in the wrestling world I truly respect, Mac. You're one of the only guys I'll fight who I'm not going to be looking for that career-ending injury. I'm simply going to be looking to slow you down enough to win myself another championship.

You see, Mac, unlike you, I haven't had as long of a career. It's even shorter when you leave out my time in the GCWA, when I just didn't have the killer instinct necessary to destroy my opposition. This year, really, has been the first time I've been able to truly start making my mark in the industry. Maybe you'd say that I've been pretty successful at it, becoming a Four-Time World Champion and all. Hopefully, you're not one of the ones who sees my runs as flukes or lucky breaks. Those people don't know what I've put myself through to reach this position in my career.

I made it to the top of the XWF quicker than practically anyone else in the history of the company. I defeated the Universal Champion fair and square, crushing him and basically ending his career. But that's when the rumors started. Rumors about Jim Caedus being not fit to compete. Rumors about me taking advantage of an unearned opportunity and not deserving my spot. Rumors about my being unable to stay there once confronted by the previous champion.

I suppose that last one isn't really a rumor. But it's certainly a twisted view of things.

People like to view my reign as tainted, because I lost to the first person I fought. But that person was ALIAS. You know how undefeatable that man has been? Let's run down a quick list of some of the people he's wiped out. Lycana. Robert Main. Chris Page. Doctor D'Ville. Bobby Bourbon. Lycana. Thaddeus Duke. That is a list of some of the greatest wrestlers ever in the business, and ALIAS got past all of them. I took him to the limit, putting on the match of the year at March Madness, and yet for some reason, my loss is seen as different. It's seen as proof that I didn't deserve my place in the XWF.

Fake news. I belong here. And I'm going to prove it, Mac. Unfortunately, that means I have to use you as my evidence.

You see, I have my own Who's Who of wrestlers I've taken out in the XWF. Drew Archyle. Barney Green. Jim Caedus. Centurion. Vita Valenteen. It's not as impressive as ALIAS' list, I'll admit, but it's still pretty impressive. That is, as long as I leave off Tommy Wish and the Literal Gorilla. Honestly, I'm not sure which of those 'victories' I despise on my record more.

Who have you beaten in the XWF, Mac? I know about York, but let's not even count him. There's Marf and there's Xavier. That's about all I've found, really. And I mean, hey, props for beating Xavier. I've done that as well, and it's rather satisfying, isn't it? But really, you don't appear to have anyone on your list that compares to yours truly. Maybe I just need to expand to all the people you've fought on the outside of the XWF, like, well, Knox, who I retained against. Didn't work out as well for you, which sucks, but the troll is a tough fight. Who would you count as your biggest wins, I wonder... maybe you'll tell me.

But for me, even the biggest wins I've had just don't feel like they've been enough yet. In the XWF, it still feels like I'm an outsider, waiting for his chance to gain some momentum, despite everything I've done so far. To get where I want to be, it's going to take more. A lot more.

So you see, Mac, even after being to the top, I feel like I still need to make my mark here. I still need to add names to the list that people will respect. And, well, that brings me to you. I'm so pleased that you beat Marf, Mac (Marf Mac, there's a joke somewhere there, but I'll ignore it). I'm excited that you got the opportunity to go into Leap of Faith to face me.

Everyone respects you, Mac. That means you're exactly what I'm looking for.

~We return to the scene of the clean, as Vaughn and the other volunteers appear to be doing a stunning job at removing the graffiti from the various walls. Some might protest this 'destruction of art', but c'mon, this wasn't painting the Mona Lisa or anything, this was people writing "Let's Go Brandon" and "Kelly Is A Slut". The spelling's atrocious, too. It won't be missed. As we watch Vaughn work, the camera turns slightly, allowing us to see the Head Custodian watching him closely. A man we've seen before from the Coalition, only important enough to simply be known as Bill, walks over, nodding to his leader.~

Bill: I think we're going to be done with this project ahead of schedule. Peter's really an animal out there.

Head Custodian: Yes. Yes he is. Tell me, Bill... have you noticed anything strange about Mr. Vaughn lately?

Bill: Are you kidding? The guy's always strange...

Head Custodian: I'd go with "unique". But lately, ever since the Star Wars debacle, I feel like there's something... different about him.

~Bill takes a moment to think about it, glancing over at Vaughn, who's still working rapidly on erasing a "Joanie Loves Cockie" marking.~

Bill: Honestly, the only thing I can think of is that he seems... happier. You know, I never would have thought he would have shown up to an event like this. He's never seemed like the type to give back to the community, you know?

Head Custodian: I don't know. He shifts on that from time to time. But you're right. His personality... do you think it's changed since his trip in the Virtual World?

Bill: I haven't been around him enough to be sure. But he's all there, right? He's not spouting crazy sentences or babbling on about being a vampire or anything?

Head Custodian: Not that I've seen. But he has been talking more...

Bill: You keep mentioning these things like they're a bad thing. "He's happier." " He's talking more." "He's doing more for the community." I don't really see the problem here.

Head Custodian: I suppose not... yet you and I both know that Mr. Vaughn has a grand future ahead of him, one we must protect at all costs. If his path is changing, we need to know what's changing it.

Bill: If you say so. Best thing you could do is plug him back into the VR, because that would give us a baseline of his brain readings again. We could compare them to the previous ones. But I'd say that'd be a last course of action, considering what he just went through. Until you see something worse, is it really worth putting him through another trauma?

Head Custodian: Let me think on it, Bill. It might be a step we need to take, to get to the bottom of this. For now... well, he's doing enough cleaning that I don't have to strain myself, so I'm fine with sitting back and watching.

~Both men laugh, as the camera turns back to where Vaughn is working. He's still going at the wall at a strong pace, but a close-up of his face shows that his smile now appears a bit forced. It's hard to tell exactly how much he was able to overhear from their conversation, but it's obvious he heard some of it. Vaughn keeps working away, as his thoughts once again return to that snowy cave, where the fatal battle took place: the battle that ended in his favor. He still remembers sweeping the blade down, cutting through like a hot knife through butter, ending the battle just as the Master Cleaner made his last appearance. He remembers the light flashing around him as he was pulled away, into the real world. That light was so blinding, so bright... ~

~Just as the darkness felt like it was all-consuming... the light began to appear. First as little glimpses of brightness, but then slowly merging into a tunnel that could be followed, as if swimming to the surface after a long dive below the waves.~

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~Arms appear, seemingly pushing themselves along towards the light. It grows brighter and brighter, filling up the screen... ~

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~And then... we once again find ourselves standing in the frozen cave on the planet Hoth, a place where so much violence took place. The camera slowly swings away, turning around to show the figure emerging into view. Peter Vaughn stumbles forward, gasping for a moment, trying to get his bearings.~

Peter Vaughn: Where... where am I? What happened? Wait... he froze me. Somehow, that son of a bitch froze me. And then... oh, damn...

~The wrestler studies his hands for a few seconds, and then looks down at his body and feet, realizing that everything looks very different. The color change, for one, is extremely noticeable. He puts two and two together, sighing.~

[color=#87CEFA] Peter Vaughn: I'm a damn Force ghost, aren't I? Well, crap...

~Vaughn does appear to look like Obi-Wan Kenobi or Yoda, shining like they did after death. Apparently, with the Star Wars Universe still running and Vaughn being portrayed as a Jedi there, whether good or bad, his form after being struck down was shifted into a different reality. He walks forward, looking at the ground where his lightsaber is laying. He reaches for it, but his hand goes right through. He sighs again.~

Peter Vaughn: Right. Well, that makes sense. Hmmm. Computer? Are you fixed yet? Can you just end the program?

~There's no response. Vaughn shakes his head.~

Peter Vaughn: Connect to Master Cleaner. Master? Can you hear me?

~Again, nothing happens. Vaughn, looking more annoyed now, stands near the wall of the cave, looking upwards as if that will help his reception.~

Peter Vaughn: MASTER CLEANER!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU??

~Frustrated, Vaughn lashes out at the wall, going through it. He steps back, roaring at the inability to even let out his rage. He swings again and again, with no luck, even as behind him, we can see pebbles and debris begin to fall from the wall due to a pressure being pushed against them. Vaughn, not noticing it, finishes his tirade and stops, breathing heavily. He walks over to the front of the cave, looking out at the falling snow.~

Peter Vaughn: At least I can't freeze to death anymore. But where the hell do I walk to? How do I get their attention?

~As Vaughn steps into the snow, not being affected by it, we hear a noise in the distance. Vaughn looks up, hearing it as well. A smile cuts across his face as some of the computerized bots appear, the maintainers of the Virtual Reality world. Vaughn gives a small cheer, happy to see them.~

Peter Vaughn: You guys did hear me! So, can you open a channel to the Master Cleaner for me? Or is he offline right now? What time is it in the real world, anyway? How long has it been?

Bot: Unknown program detected.

Peter Vaughn: Unknown... what?

Bot: Error: code violation in progress. Deletion routine authorized.

Peter Vaughn: Wait, wait, hold on a...

~A blast comes from one of the bots, causing Vaughn to have to leap aside. Even in his current shape, those blasts might well be lethal, as they're not just contained in the Star Wars Universe. Vaughn staggers away, raising his hands.~

Peter Vaughn: Damn it, stop! I'm not an unknown program, I'm a human being plugged into your system! Don't you have a rule about first doing no harm or something??

~A second blast rips across the landscape, with Vaughn barely avoiding it.~

Bot: Malicious code must be neutralized for the good of the system. Start primary computations for continued counter-attack.

Peter Vaughn: Oh, you little sons of... if that's how you want it, then fine! Because The Mechanic isn't going down without a fight!

~Vaughn brings up his fists, for all the good it seems it will do, as he prepares to battle for his life... or his 'after-life'... ~

It seems like there's always something else placed between myself and my goals. But that's never stopped me before.

I suppose you could say that's just part of professional wrestling. There will always be another challenger coming up the pipeline, ready to put themselves over you. I know you'd probably like that victory over me, Mac. I can understand it. I mean, I want the same thing, after all. It's too bad that when it all comes down to it, you were given an extremely raw deal in our fight.

After all, a Ladder match is practically my specialty.

Okay, maybe some would say that the Broom Closet Brawl is one that could be more accurately pinned to the name of Peter Vaughn. But while I do enjoy the violence & bloodshed of that style, I've been in far more Ladder matches in my career. In OCW, they had a specialty called the Hazardous Ladder match. In this fight, you'd climb the various ladders towards the belt, knowing that there was a greater than average percentage that the ladder you were on would come collapsing down at a specific height. It took a lot of guts to make that climb, but I did it, and I ended up retaining my championship there. Then you've got Level Up, where I just recently competed in the Cheat Code Ladder match against eight other individuals. Once again, I made the most of the stipulations, even pulling out a burning ladder, and once again I was victorious.

I'm just naturally built for Ladder matches. I'm one of the quickest wrestlers in the world, while also adept at making the climb look effortless. I've been climbing up ladders since I was a little boy, helping out my father. You could say it's as familiar to me as walking. Of course, Ladder matches aren't just about the climb. You've got to be able to use them in many different, unique ways in order to keep your opponent off his game and off his feet. Let's just say I'm heavily trained at 1,001 ways to utilize a ladder, and I'm prepared to use all of them at Leap of Faith.

You're a big guy, Mac. A Big Mac, even. You're a powerful dude. You definitely have more of an extended reach than me, there's no doubt about that. That does come in handy in Ladder matches, I can't deny it. But your length isn't everything, boyo. It's all about how you use it.

You were never the most agile guy, even in your early days in the sport. You were never the one who could run circles around anyone. You never wanted to. And if I'm being honest, you're not built to absorb that kind of terrifying falls you might take in a brutal match like this one. Someone like me goes falling out of the ring from the top of a ladder, it'll look scary, sure, but I'll be able to bounce right back up. But someone like you, Mac? A fall from a major height could be extremely dangerous for you. And taking that fall again and again?

Well, let's just say that I worry both for you and for Chris Page, since I don't want him to lose another client.

It really is unfair to you, Mac. I'll tell you what: once I've won the Supercontinental Title, and once you've had time to heal up from your various injuries, I'll guarantee you a title shot down the line in a perfectly normal match. That way, we can remove the advantage they've given me and make it a more clean contest. I'd still plan to win, of course, but you'd come in with a much better chance than you do at Leap of Faith. When it all comes down to it, the deck is badly stacked against you. No help from Page, since it's all CCPE. No pins or submissions. No count outs or disqualifications, either. It all comes down to the climb, the person who can take the quickest advantage of the situation and fly up the rungs to grab the gold.

You really think, deep in your soul, that you can beat me up a ladder? I'm sorry, Mac. But that's just not happening.

You're standing in my way, and I'm climbing right over you to get my championship.

~The clean-up has completed, and the group has started to disperse. The Head Custodian smiles proudly at one of the nearby walls, now shiny and new. He knows someone will likely be spraying it in the next 24 hours, but that's not his problem.~

Head Custodian: Thank you all for your hard work! We'll see you next week!

~There are some returned cheers, while others grumble about having to do it all over again. But the job of a custodian is never done. The Head Custodian goes over to where Peter Vaughn is relaxing, drinking a Gatorade to restore some of the balance in his body.~

Head Custodian: How are you feeling? You really went into overdrive there.

Peter Vaughn: I'm doing alright. This drink is really helping.

Head Custodian: I'm glad. Are you ready to head back to where we parked?

~Vaughn nods and gets up, with both men grabbing a handful of supplies left behind and taking the equipment with them. They head for Vaughn's truck first, tossing the items into the bed. Vaughn looks satisfied, nodding back at the work they did.~

Peter Vaughn: It's nice to see things so clean.

Head Custodian: It is, isn't it? Thank you again for your participation today.

Peter Vaughn: It's my chance to give back to the community. Also, it's a chance to use my cleaning skills. Of course, I wanted to be here.

~The Head Custodian looks at Vaughn strangely for a moment, with Vaughn noticing the change.~

Peter Vaughn: What's wrong?

Head Custodian: Oh, I suppose it's nothing, but... you pretty much said that same sentence, word for word, earlier today.

Peter Vaughn: Did I? How strange.

Head Custodian: Yes, well... did you enjoy yourself?

Peter Vaughn: Completely, HC. It's so great to be... out in the world.

~Vaughn takes a deep breath, seemingly enjoying the expansion of his lungs. The Head Custodian raises an eyebrow, but doesn't respond this time at first. He thinks for a moment, before deciding to dive all the way in.~

Head Custodian: So, Peter, how have you been feeling since your VR experience? Have you noticed anything... out of the ordinary?

Peter Vaughn: Why... why, no, HC, nothing at all. Why do you ask?

Head Custodian: I don't know, really. But I was wondering if you wanted to head over to the complex and get a check-up. Just to make sure everything's good before your Supercontinental Title match. I know you'd hate for anything to interfere with that.

Peter Vaughn: You know, HC, I would. I really would hate for anything to interfere with it.

~Suddenly, Vaughn has the surprised Head Custodian by the head. Before he can even react, the Head Custodian's head is smashed into the side of the truck at full force!! He would have fallen to the ground, if Vaughn wasn't holding his now-unconscious body up. With one motion, Vaughn gets him in the air and drops him into the bed of the truck along with the scrubbing supplies, leaving him laying there. He looks around, making sure nobody else noticed what went down. He then smiles and starts whistling to himself an unknown tune, as he unlocks the truck and gets inside, starting her up. The truck drives away, heading for the highway, disappearing from view.~

~The snow disintegrates into a vapor where the blast hits, once again missing its target. We see Vaughn racing across the frozen wasteland, the drifts having no effect on his Force ghost body as he continues to maneuver around the attacking bots, looking for a way out.~

Peter Vaughn: Did you guys get taught by the Stormtroopers or something? Because your aim sucks!

~The bots don't respond, as they're not affected by taunting. They just continue to compute their attack sequences, slowly getting closer and closer to entrapping the 'unknown program' of Vaughn. Another shot comes much too close, with Vaughn only just barely avoiding the strike. He rolls to his left, coming up and facing off against an approaching bot that came from the side, attempting to ensnare him.~

Peter Vaughn: Do you bastards know who you're dealing with? I'm Peter Freakin' Vaughn!! You think you're better than me?? NEVER!!

~Instinctively, Vaughn raises up his hands, gesturing towards the bot... and a blast of Force lightning comes out, briefly illuminating the bot before completely obliterating it. The explosion shocks the other bots, who float in place for a few moments. If a bot can feel fear, they just felt it. Vaughn looks at his hands and turns to him, his sick smirk reappearing on his face.~

Peter Vaughn: Now you've done it. Prepare to feel the full power of the Force, you robotic rejects!

~Vaughn lets loose another blast, catching a bot before it can escape. With a squeal, it flies backwards. Another bot swings around, trying to blast Vaughn from behind, but a large rock suddenly levitates upwards, smashing into the bottom of the bot and sending it spiraling into another bot, the two exploding as soon as they collide. Vaughn continues to battle, using all the abilities he once again has to hold off the stream of bots.~

Bot: Error, error. Unknown program showing unexpected counter-measures. Replication of forces required for deletion.

~Just as Vaughn seems to start having the upper hand, a series of portals open all around him, with an army of bots streaming outwards towards him. The problem with fighting a Virtual Reality program is that it has control of the Virtual Reality, making it almost a Kobayashi Maru test for Vaughn. But he doesn't back down, continuing to duck, dodge, and blast his adversaries, refusing to acknowledge the odds against him.~

Peter Vaughn: No! It's not ending this way! I will never give up! I will never give in! It's my time! My Time! MY TIME!!

~Vaughn begins to yell out, over and over, with the power of his voice amplified to an intense degree. The Force Yell spreads among the incoming bots, sending them rocketing away, with most of them exploding into massive fireballs that bring to mind the end of the Death Stars. The echoes of Vaughn's screams shudder throughout the cosmos, with the wave of destruction even making its way upwards, out of the realm...~

~The camera view shifts, showing us what appears to be a massive library, a collection of some of the greatest works ever written. Down one of the aisles, we see the Master Cleaner, expanding his knowledge by reading a work from Grisham. He looks up, though, as the whole library seems to shake with the echoes of Peter Vaughn's voice.~

Master Cleaner: What in all the worlds was that? ... Vaughn?

~The Master Cleaner closes his book and puts it away, immediately turning to investigate what he just heard.~

I refuse to let my voice be silenced, Mac. I will not go away quietly into the night.

I know we had some good times in that match you had with York. I know you really didn't need my help. That guy was a complete waste of time, from what I could tell. But he put his hands on me, the referee, and there needed to be a punishment for that. He got a taste of the Keyholder, and then he got to take your finishers and lay down for the 1-2-3. You see, I couldn't let him just push me aside like I was nothing. I had to teach him a lesson, an important lesson: never underestimate the Mechanic.

I hope you won't be doing that, Mac. I believe you're smarter than underestimating me. I think you'll be coming into this match expecting the greatest, most intense fight of your life. I mean, I can't quite say the same, but that's because I've fought ALIAS. Supreme Machine. The Bogeyman. Knox. It's hard to really rate my toughest competition, but I will admit that you're probably up there. Somewhere. I'll do you the honor of not fully calculating out your placement. Just know that you're on the list, I swear.

When it comes right down to it, though, Mac, since we both need this victory, we're both going to fighting our hearts out. My heart might be in a little better shape due to not being that big of a drinker, but that's neither here nor there. In the end, I do expect you to give me your very best, from whatever you can muster up from your veteran muscles. I want you to call upon that greatness that still exists in your bones to make this the battle that steals the show at Leap of Faith. Corey Smith did his part to make the Supercontinental Title on a level close to the Universal Title. It's up to us to continue its trend upwards.

Once I've defeated someone as great as you for the championship, I'll be on my way again. I'll defend that belt against the best of the best, continuing to show how incredible that title is, and maybe, in the future, I'll get my opportunity against ALIAS again. And hey, it'll all be because of what you do at Leap of Faith. I hope that gives you a sense of comfort, Mac. Losing isn't easy, I get it, but losing for the right reasons? It's honorable that way. At least, that's what I've been told. Never believed it myself, but maybe it'll work for you.

You're going down, Mac. You're taking the Plunge. And a plunge off a twenty-foot ladder? It won't be pleasant. But look at it this way: the fans will be talking about us. We will be heard. We will be remembered.

And we'll both be better off for it, in one way or another. See you soon, Mac.

~The truck pulls up in front of a nondescript home somewhere to the south of Dallas. It couldn't have been that far, because the Head Custodian is still unconscious in the bed of the truck. He doesn't stir, even as his arms and legs are tied up and Vaughn hauls him out of there. He carries the Head Custodian over one shoulder, showing his recent training has really been paying off as he approaches the building. He knocks on the door, giving a glance from side to side to make sure no nosy neighbor is paying attention. After a short time, the door swings open.~

Peter Vaughn: I'm sorry, sir. There's been an incident. Per procedure, I've come to you for assistance.

Specialist: Oh dear, oh my, it looks like we've got something to take care of, doesn't it? Bring him in, bring him in.

~The specialist, as strange as ever, steps aside, as Vaughn carries the Head Custodian through the doorway. The specialist looks around, a creepy grin appearing on his face.~

Specialist: This should certainly be interesting and entertaining, oh yes, it should be, yes...

~The specialist shuts the door, hiding away what's happening from the world. We fade out.~

Threaded Mode \| Linear Mode Dealing With Our Reality, P1
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