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Peter Vaughn · **07-05-2022, 07:25 PM**

The Road So Far:

A Spirited Opportunity

A Spirited Journey, P1

A Spirited Journey, P2

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It seems like only a short time ago that Peter Vaughn was among the living, concentrating mainly on his wrestling life, as well as his new role as the Head Custodian in the Custodial Coalition. But don't worry, Vaughn's not technically dead. Not yet, at least.

It all started at the Adolphus Hotel, a place known for being one of the spookiest locations in East Texas. Vaughn was there to hunt for three missing custodians, solving the mystery of their disappearance. Unfortunately for Vaughn, he, too, disappeared, setting up a massive rescue force organized by Vaughn's #2, Bill. It has involved imposter psychics, feuding ghost hunters, and terrified truth-seekers who have vanished from this plane of existence as well. Despite Bill's own fear, though, he has joined forces with Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes to try and find the truth of the Adolphus Hotel... and possibly bust the ghosts that are interfering there.

For Vaughn, he's found himself sent down a twisted storybook path, thanks apparently to the spirit of a haunted young girl. Vaughn has rescued the three other custodians from various traps, bringing them with him as he searched for the way out. Vaughn soon came to realize, though, that it wasn't just an unwritten journey he was on. He was following in the footsteps, basically, of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. The trip through Oz had led them to this moment, as the evil, undead witch appeared to be making her appearance.

With the rules now clearer in Vaughn's mind, will he be able to achieve his goals of saving those that have been lost? Or will he fall, joining the rest of the people who have permanently checked into the Adolphus Hotel, never to check out?

~The picture comes up displaying the complete eternal fog of the dimension Down Below. We can see a figure in the distance. It's coming closer to the camera, becoming more distinct... allowing us to see that it's Peter Vaughn. He looks behind him, the urgency evident in his voice.~

Peter Vaughn: Hurry the hell up!!

~Vaughn races past the camera, as we see more figures making their appearance. We see Leon, the most recently found janitor, but also the one who's the most terrified. He's running his heart out, trying to catch up to Vaughn.~

Leon: DON'T LEAVE ME!!

~He zooms by, as we see two more figures hurrying down the path. Scarlette trips, almost falling, but Tim reaches out and grabs her, keeping her upright. It's not easy for the older custodian, but he manages it, pushing Scarlette on ahead of him. She looks back.~

Scarlette: She's getting closer!

Tim: I know, damn it, now run!

~She gets shoved forward, with Tim stopping for a second, spotting something on the ground. He reaches down and picks it up, lifting the rusty axe he found into the air.~

Tim: Nice!!

~An evil laugh erupts from above, with Tim immediately glancing that way, his face paling. He starts to book it again, willing his old joints to hold up, as he runs around us. The camera tips upwards, showing a figure flying on what appears to be a broomstick. The witch laughs again, before shooting what appears to be a fireball right at the lens. The shot, for a second, goes black, before we transfer to another view, as we see the group running onwards.~

Scarlette: What are we going to do?!?! We can't just keep running!!

Leon: Speak for yourself, doll, all I've gotta do is out-run you!

Tim: Find some courage, man!

Leon: Easy to say when you've found an axe!

Peter Vaughn: Quiet, all of you! Down there!! Is that what I think it is??

~Vaughn doesn't stop to hear anyone else's opinions on what he sees. He just keeps running. The others follow, trying to figure out what Vaughn's game plan is, but it soon becomes obvious as the group approaches what appears to be a dark, decaying river. Leon, Scarlette, and Tim all stop on the bank, looking with varying levels of disgust and terror at the 'water' within, but Vaughn's already jumped in feet-first.~

Scarlette: Ewwww!! You don't even know where that water's been!

Peter Vaughn: Trust me, I've been in worse. Now, where is that ugly bitch?

Tim: You mean "witch".

Peter Vaughn: Nope, pretty sure I'm right on this one. Anyone see her?

~The group looks around in different directions, surprised that the Wicked Witch isn't already on top of them. There's suddenly a strangled cry...~

Leon: Yaaaggggghhhh!!!

~Leon points to the right, then falls to his knees, covering his head. Vaughn looks that way, seeing the witch coming straight for them.~

Peter Vaughn: That works. C'mon, greenie, it's time for a meltdown! Take... THIS!!

~Vaughn scoops up a large portion of the dark water and throws it upwards, right into the path of the witch!! She flies through it... and all of the drops go straight through her ghostly form, falling back downwards with no sign that they contacted anything. Vaughn, stunned, tries a second splash, with similar results, as the witch begins to fly around him.~

Peter Vaughn: C'mon, damn it, that's cheating!! I know I haven't seen The Wizard of Oz in a long time, but that's supposed to work!!

Tim: But since she doesn't have a form, she can't be touched by the water! It's useless!

Peter Vaughn: But if the water can't touch her, I can't, either! So what do I do??

~The witch lets out another evil, undead cackle, before pointing something towards Vaughn. A flame can be seen, growing into a large fireball.~

Peter Vaughn: Hell... this isn't feeling fun anymore...

~The fireball blasts outwards, propelled straight at Vaughn, who desperately tries to dive away in time as it overtakes the screen, blocking out everything else in sight.~

Grant Wilson & Jason Hawes: Did You Hear That??

~Both original founders of The Atlantic Paranormal Society, aka TAPS, stop and listen intently.~

[Image: hunterslistening.png]

~Behind them, peeking around a corner, Bill looks between both men, torn between fright and annoyance.~

Bill: ... WELL?? What was it this time??

Grant Wilson: Maybe nothing... but I could swear that noise came from the room up ahead.

~Grant reaches behind him, moving along the side of the home-made proton packs that were built under his supervision. He flips a switch, causing a large squeal as the energy chambers warm up. Bill takes a step back around the corner. Jason stares over at his former partner, then goes along with it, switching on his own pack. Both seem to be building upwards in power.~

Jason Hawes: You'd tell me if these weren't safe to use, right?

Grant Wilson: No.

Jason Hawes: No, you wouldn't tell me, or no, these packs aren't safe?

Grant Wilson: No, I wouldn't tell you.

Jason Hawes: So they're safe to use, then?

~Grant doesn't say anything, instead pulling the gun portion over his shoulder and into his hands. Sighing, Jason follows suit. The two paranormal investigators step forward to the doorway, with Jason grabbing onto the doorknob with his free hand. He looks back at Grant, mouthing a silent countdown. At three, Jason bangs into the door, managing to knock it open. He and Grant jump into the room, as a blur of movement is seen across the bed. Both men open fire, launching beams of streaming protons outward to arch across the bed's surface, immediately setting it on fire. Grant shifts to the left, while Jason goes right, spraying the room with their blasts. There are scorch marks everywhere. After several seconds, both men cease fire. There's just the sound of burning sheets and items falling off the walls. The two men look around, then glance at each other. That's when it makes its move, sprinting towards them... and running between their legs. The poodle races off down the hall, past Bill, yelping all the way. Thankfully, it wasn't hit by any of the random shots, or else we'd have a pretty cooked pooch. Bill steps forward, coming around to look inside the destroyed room. He winces, as Grant clears his throat.~

Grant Wilson: Well... this WAS supposed to be a pet-free hotel.

Jason Hawes: They were breaking the rules...

Grant Wilson: Yep, should have known better.

~The two men move further into the room, pulling the sheets off the bed and doing their best to put out the flames. Bill steps in after them, shaking his head.~

Bill: I wonder if their insurance covers Particle Throwers...

~Bill joins in to put out the fires, as they don't want the hotel to burn down, especially without finding out what happened to everyone. We cut away.~

Mistakes are made all the time. It's an unavoidable circumstance of the human race. The truly worthy are the ones who learn from them and move on, rather than dwelling on the missteps along the way.

Over my career, I've learned from a lot of my errors, making changes in order to better myself. It's one of the things that's led me to become the Four-Time World Champion I am today. I'm always looking for ways to improve myself in the ring. But part of my issues have come outside the ropes, by not making an accurate appraisal of my opponent's skills. I've already talked about how I underestimated you when we were tag-team partners, Caley. But now, I have to wonder, am I now overestimating your talents?

Part of me started to wonder, if this wasn't all just a complete set-up, could Calypso be a wolf in sheep's clothing? Could he be someone that could take me down, putting my Supercontinental Title reign in jeopardy? Could he be a bigger threat than I first realized? But then I thought about it some more... and am I giving the 'superhero' too much credit? I mean, if it looks like a sheep, acts like a sheep, and bawls like a sheep... maybe I should stop assuming there's anything there but a wooly lamb chop.

I'd like to think you're going to give me a epic war in the ring, Caley. I want to believe you're going to bring the same plucky determination you brought to the Fatal Fourway match that got you here. That's why I'm going to go into this one at full speed, intent on bringing everything I've got against you to tear you to pieces. So if it turns out that I knock you cold with one move, land the Plunge, and walk away, well, let's just say that I'm going to be horribly disappointed.

You wouldn't do that to me, would you, Cal?

You wouldn't do that to a future partner, right?

I mean, if you let me just atomize you there in the ring, destroying all of your hopes and dreams in one easy swoop, you're not just letting me down. You're letting down your future War Games partners, whom you're supposed to be a captain for. You're letting down all those fans who look at you and see someone worse off than them, giving them hope that maybe their lives can have some meaning, too.

You'd be letting down the world, which isn't exactly super-heroic.

I don't want to underestimate you, Caley. I don't want to overestimate you, either.

I want you just right, for the perfect fight to put on my resume. I want to say with pride, "I beat up Calypso." I don't want to say it with disgust.

Don't take me there, Caley. Bring your best. Please. Show me.

Scarlette: Does anyone see him?!?!?

~We return to the Down Below, as the three custodians are now scrambling, shocked at what just went down. Leon is cowering behind both of them, as Scarlette looks towards the water, seeing no sign of Peter Vaughn after the fireball hit. The witch, laughing maniacally, swings around, coming down at the other three.~

Tim: Look out!! She's coming around again!!

~Tim takes up position in front of Scarlette, raising his axe up, for all the good it will do. He lets loose, throwing it straight at the witch... and, as you would expect, it passes right through her, falling into the river. Tim falls forward, due to his knee giving out on the toss, as the witch shoots off another blast of fire... which catches Scarlette in the legs!! She yells out, hopping around at the 'hotfoot' she's been given.~

Scarlette: HELP!!! HELP!!! AH'M ON FIRRREEEEE!!!!

~She screams, running back and forth, yet not going into the river, which seems like a strange decision. Tim, seeing this, shoves himself up and hops over, basically throwing his body into Scarlette and sending both of them falling into the water! Leon, looking up through his fingers, realizes that he's the only one left on the bank.~

Leon: ... DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE!!!

~Leon leaps after them, falling into the river as well. The witch circles above, looking annoyed. We switch to a shot further down the river, where Scarlette can be seen, sputtering and trying to get upright in the water. A hand sticks out, grabbing her arm. She looks up in shock to see Peter Vaughn, who hauls her out.~

Scarlette: You're... you're alive!

Peter Vaughn: Don't sound so surprised. Water usually beats fire.

~Tim struggles back up onto land, holding his shoulder. Leon starts to float on past, but Vaughn grabs him and hauls him in, despite his protests. Seeing the group coming together again, the witch growls and begins to fly their direction again. Vaughn looks her way, frustrated.~

Tim: What do we do, Vaughn?

Peter Vaughn: Hell if I know... the story was always that water took the Wicked Witch down. But there's no way for me to get her wet!

Scarlette: Sounds like a personal problem...

~Vaughn redirects a shivering Leon into Scarlette, 'accidentally' knocking her down.~

Peter Vaughn: Keep an eye on him for me. So let's see. The Wicked Witch lost when she got accidentally soaked. The other witch died due to a house falling on them, but that wouldn't work here, either. This story is all sorts of broken right now. I think this spirit is just playing a role, just like we are. That gives it a hell of an advantage, and I'm not sure what we can... eh?

~Vaughn suddenly glances to his left, as the ghost girl from earlier steps into view.~

Peter Vaughn: Hey! You! This is all your fault!

~The girl doesn't say anything, peering at him through dead eye sockets. Apparently, despite how they look, her vision still works, or maybe her other senses. She can also still gesture, pointing down a new path that's appeared behind her. It may have just been covered up by the fog... or it may not have existed until now.~

Peter Vaughn: You want us to go down there?

Scarlette: Why should we even listen to her?? She's the reason I'm wet... and burned!

Peter Vaughn: Yeah, well, she's also the only one trying to offer solutions, and that witch and her flamethrower are getting too close for comfort. Let's go!

~Vaughn grabs Leon by the scruff of the back of his neck and yanks him painfully up, shoving him forward on the path the ghost girl indicated. Leon whimpers at the sight of her, but runs past, followed reluctantly by Scarlette and Tim. Vaughn takes up the rear, taking a moment to taunt the witch before continuing. He then runs after the group, stopping short when he realizes that they've come to a halt not far from where they started. They appear to be surrounded by a variety of old-school mirrors, each sitting at different angles in the field.~

Tim: This is just too weird...

Scarlette: Are there... are there people in them? I think I see people...

~Confused, Vaughn looks closer, and realizes that Scarlette, for once, is right. We see various members of the ghost hunters pounding on the mirrors, having no success in getting free. There are others there, too, members of the hotel staff and guests who had not been reported as missing yet. It's a crazy scene.~

Peter Vaughn: Son of a bitch...

~Vaughn moves over to one of the mirrors, considering the man, Dave Tango, trapped behind it. Behind them, the witch begins to swoop in, once again cackling away, as we begin to zoom out... ~

~And we're suddenly coming through the mirror that, somehow, is still in one piece despite the destruction that just rained down in this room. Grant and Jason are about finished putting out all the fires they caused, while Bill has thrown some water on some smoldering embers. Grant looks around the room, putting on a small smile.~

Grant Wilson: The good news is, it's not our room, so there's no security deposit to lose...

~Behind him, Jason grumbles and stands up, clapping his hands together to remove some of the ashes that he had collected.~

Jason Hawes: This is ridiculous. I can't believe I let you talk me into getting into this mess.

Grant Wilson: Talked YOU into it? You're the one who showed up where you weren't wanted, trying to rig the hotel with spooks when you didn't have to!

Jason Hawes: Yeah, well, maybe if I'd been able to keep my concentration on my team instead of on your guys, they wouldn't all be missing right now!

~The two men square up at each other, as if ready to start brawling.~

Grant Wilson: If your FAKE ghost hunters hadn't been in the way, I bet we would have already solved this one!

Jason Hawes: What, with your little destructive toys here? Without me, you'd probably have burned down the hotel already!

Grant Wilson: These things are state of the art! I just have the wrong person wearing that one!

Jason Hawes: Yeah? Well then why don't you come and take it back!!

~Grant jumps forward, grabbing hold of Jason by the straps, and they wrestle back and forth. Bill, alarmed, jumps forward, working to push them apart.~

Bill: Guys! GUYS! GUUYYSS!!!!!!!

~After a brief struggle, Bill manages to separate them, at least for the moment.~

Bill: Far be it from me to get in the way of your personal beefs, but is any of this helping your lost people? Or mine? We need to work together, remember?

~Grumbling, the two men step back, still angry at the other man. But they both want to get their friends back, so they manage to swallow down the bad feelings. Bill gives a relieved smile.~

Bill: There, that's better. Now, what should be our next...

~Behind Bill, the mirror suddenly gives a loud crack, right up the center. The mirror shudders, as Bill freezes in place.~

Bill: Did, uh... did you guys... hear that?

~Bill slowly turns around, looking back at the mirror, where a bright light has started to shine through the seams of the crack. As it gets brighter, the three men back off, with both Grant and Jason getting their weapons ready for what's coming... ~

You never know when friends are going to turn into foes, or vice versa, do you, Caley?

Don't get your hopes up. I don't see anything changing between us after this fight, although the respect level may change depending on how poorly you do... or how well. But the odds are pretty low on me becoming your sidekick and forming a super-team with you. I know, I know, I can hear you now: "But low odds means that it's not zero". Yeah, well, I just say that because our business can be... extremely strange. But I'd say you're more like to get hit by a meteor while a shark is chomping on you mid-air as you're flying into a fireworks factory than us being a tag-team. It's just the way things are.

Still, there are things I'd like to know more about you, boyo. For instance... why Calypso?

I did some research on the name, because I recognized it from my school days. Calypso, in Greek mythology, was a nymph who was supposedly beautiful AND a little possessive, trying to force Odysseus to be her husband. There's really nothing there I would connect to you, personally, but then, I don't know how you grew up. Oh, she was also stuck on an island by a curse the rest of her life. Are you cursed? Does that explain all the weirdness?

I might be willing to forgive a few things, if that's the case. I won't take it easier on you, but maybe I won't try to end your career. Wouldn't want you to be... stuck.

There's the Calypso music out of Trinidad and Tobago. Were you a dancer in a previous life, before you came to wrestling? Hey, I'm a former janitor, I won't judge you for what you did in your youth. Everybody had to start somewhere. But you don't seem to be that rhythmically inclined, so again, this seems unlikely. I mean, some of those songs have a serious beat to them.

Let's see. There's that one-eyed girl from the X-Men, but I think her name was spelled Callisto, not Calypso, so I guess that wouldn't be it. Unless you were just being creative with the spelling. At least she was a tough bitch. Oh, wait, there was that other Voodoo girl from Pirates of the Caribbean, she was Calypso, wasn't she? Man, it's strange how almost every reference I'm finding of the name "Calypso" is held by a woman. Again, though, no judgement. I've fought some extremely dangerous women in my career. The War Queen, in particular, I'm good with never facing again, especially since I won that feud. But I digress.

Really, I'm just not finding anything to justify the name, Caley. So at this point, I just have to ask the source: why Calypso? Did it just sound cool to you? Was it close to your birth name, whatever that was? Did you just pick it out of a hat? I'm just really curious. But you don't have to tell me, if it's some dark, dirty secret in the family. I don't want to send you into a depression before fighting me. I want you clear-headed.

God knows I still get grief for victories over people who aren't all there.

So tell me if you want. But if it's not for prying eyes, then keep it secret, keep it safe.

Not like your name's origin is going to be the knowledge that puts me over the top. I'm going to be annihilating you either way. It'd just be nice to know, you know? To satisfy my curiosity. But curiosity can't kill the Calypso... at least, I doubt it can.

It'd be fun to try, though.

Peter Vaughn: Well... here goes nothing!!

~Vaughn lifts the mirror with Dave Tango trapped inside, preparing to smash it across a rock. We can see Tango desperately shaking his head and waving his arms, terrified. Tim, frantic, jumps up from behind and grabs the mirror, trying to hold it in place.~

Tim: What are you doing?? Are you insane??

~The motion is stopped, as Vaughn glares back at a suddenly nervous Tim.~

Peter Vaughn: A lot of people ask me that. No, I'm not insane, I'm just... me. So what's up? Don't we have to free these guys?

Tim: And how do you know it'll free them? How do you know they won't shatter into a million pieces??

Peter Vaughn: Well, I don't. But you never know until you try, right?

Tim: Or maybe we don't risk that man's life!

Peter Vaughn: Ugh. Okay, fine. But we're low on options already...

~Vaughn lowers the mirror back down, with a relieved Tango leaning against the mirror from the other side. His eyes go wide, though, and he starts pointing forward crazily, getting Tim's attention. Tim turns and sees the undead witch bearing down on them, still appearing to be quite deranged. She laughs hysterically, as Tim leaps out of the way, crashing to the ground and moaning from the impact. Hopefully, he didn't break a hip. Vaughn, seeing the witch coming at him, does the only thing he can think of: he raises the mirror in front of him like a shield, to take the brunt of any fireball coming his way. Tango looks like he's screaming as the witch floats to a stop in front of him... but then Tango disappears from sight, and suddenly it's just the witch's face in the mirror. She screams, the first time she's sounded like she's been hurt, and starts to back away, shielding her eyes. Vaughn, surprised, quickly puts two and two together.~

Peter Vaughn: Quick!! Everyone grab a mirror!! Get up, Leon! This is our chance!!

~Vaughn moves forward, keeping the mirror as close to the witch as he can. Nearby, a shaking Leon looks up. He seems to reach deep inside of himself, finding a little drip of courage to pull on. He gets up, shuddering, and manages to grab a mirror with a young staff worker in it. Turning his head in fear, he points the mirror at the approaching witch. The same effect happens: the mirror occupant gets replaced by the witch, who lets out another shriek.~

Peter Vaughn: Tim!!

Tim: I... I'm on it!

~Limping badly, the older man nonetheless has gotten up, getting another mirror. He directs it towards the witch, earning another scream. They move in from all sides, trying to corner her, with the witch shifting her attention to Scarlette, heading towards her.~

Leon: DAMN, GIRL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!

Tim: You're holding it WRONG!!

~Scarlette is shown, holding the mirror towards herself. She seems to be admiring the man who's trapped within it, who appears to be winking at her and trying to stare down her top from the angle he's at.~

Scarlette: This guy's really cute!

Peter Vaughn: TURN THE DAMN MIRROR AROUND!!! NOW!!!

Scarlette: GEEZ! You don't have to yell!!

~Reluctantly, Scarlette turns the mirror, catching the witch just as she got close. The witch slides backwards, looking for any way out, but the four mirrors close in, trapping her from anywhere but up. She seems to be trying to figure out how to get out that way, but it's too late, as Vaughn has gotten extremely close to her now. The reflections appear to be stronger in the mirrors now, as if the witch is being pulled inside. She struggles to go upwards, but can't manage it, weakened by her predicament. Vaughn smirks at her, seeing that she's in trouble.~

Peter Vaughn: Looks like it's game over for you, witch. What a world, what... a... WORLD!!!

~Vaughn rears back, this time having a new target in mind for his mirror. He slams it straight into the witch, who, instead of shattering it, appears to go THROUGH it, screaming all the way. There's an enormous explosion of light, blinding everyone, as it takes over the whole area...~

~The cracked mirror begins to bulge, as if a great pressure was put on the other side. The light coming out of it begins to intensify.~

Bill: Guys?

Grant Wilson: Everyone Get Down!!

[Image: Jde.gif]

~Grant, Jason, and Bill dive for cover as the mirror shatters, sending shards flying in every direction. They would have been lethal projectiles, but surprisingly, they seems to evaporate in mid-air, sparing the three men. In place of the disappearing shards, figures began to appear, crashing to the ground. Suddenly, the hotel suite was feeling a lot more crowded, as missing person after missing person ended up on the floor. Bill gets up, looking around, and then goes to one of the people he recognizes.~

Bill: TIM!!

Tim: Billy? Oh fuck, are we out? Are we back in the real world??

Bill: Damn good to see you, my friend. What's going on?

Tim: It's a long story...

~Suddenly, there's a shriek from the mostly shattered mirror, and another scrap seems to drift out. The witch begins to appear, transfixed in the center of the room.~

Tim: ... but the short story is that she's evil!! We've gotta run!!

Bill: Holy crap!!

~The witch's colors seem to drip off of her, along with her outfit. Instead, it becomes more of an early 20th-century look. The ghost looks at herself, then at the people cowering around her, and begins to scream like a banshee, sending many grabbing at their ears. But two people reacted instantly: the energy lashed out from both sides, trapping the woman in the midst of the proton chains!! The spirit struggled, still screaming, as Grant's voice can be heard.~

Grant Wilson: BILL!! THE TRAP!!

Bill: Oh, right, right!

~Bill jumps to the right, having to climb over a few terrified people, before grabbing the fallen trap to the side. He throws it under the ghost, looking at the trigger.~

Bill: I don't see how this works...

~Nonetheless, Bill hits the trigger, and the trap is sprung. Unlike the movies, the trap seems to work almost instantaneously. One second, the spirit was there. The next, it had been yanked violently downwards, disappearing from sight. The room becomes deathly quiet, with only a few whimpers here or there. A weary Grant steps forward, picking up the trap. Jason steps over to join him, with both studying the sealed contraption. Jason then glances back at Grant, sharing a smile with him.~

Jason Hawes: We need to talk about a new television show.

color=#98FB98] Grant Wilson: Damn right we do, partner.[/color]

~Grant and Jason start moving around the crowd, checking on their people, as Bill gets to his feet. His relief slowly fades as he realizes that there's one person still missing.~

Bill: Mr. Vaughn? Peter? Are you in here? Does anyone know Peter Vaughn?

Scarlette: Why, yes! Peter was the one who saved us!

Leon: I still can't believe we made it out alive! I promised I'd quit drinking if I got back here! Well... I'll try to cut back, at least...

Bill: Do any of you know what happened, or where he is??

Tim: I don't know, Billy. He was right next to us when it all went down...

~Bill looks around, even more concerned, as there's no sign of Peter Vaughn.~

Sometimes you don't get the happy ending.

I know, Caley, it would be such a great conclusion to your recent story if you made the climb back from obscurity, defeated three other wrestlers to get the shot, and then dethroned me for the championship. It has the feeling of a Hallmark movie. Maybe even one that gets a limited release to the theater. Sadly, it's not going to work out that way. This one's going to end more like the first Rocky. You may get the moral victory from showing up, but in the end, the title's coming back home with me, as I get my first successful defense under my belt... so to speak.

You're not going to get to stand on that rooftop with the spotlight shining on you, wearing the championship around your waist. You're not going to get to pretend that it's your new utility belt. You won't even get to have your simple, sloped sidekick spit-shine it for you. No, Calley, I'm afraid your dream ends tomorrow night. And I can see you campaigning for another shot. Maybe another attempt at impressing me, to make me your tag-team partner or something. But I'll tell you this, Calley: once I've beaten you fair and square, and you have taken that brutal loss to kill all of your momentum, well... I'm done with you.

Finito. Finished. Completed.

You won't get another shot, unless you fight your way back up to a contenders match, and c'mon, what are the odds of you getting past that mountain twice?

Hey, you've enjoyed the journey, right? Sometimes it's not about the destination, or so they say. For you, it's going to be about the climb, not the summit, because I'm king of this mountain, you son of a bitch, and ain't nothing changing that anytime soon.

That's the bottom line. Because you're going to be taking the Plunge.

Oh, and as for that happy ending? That one's all mine, boyo.

~The bright lights slowly fade away, as Peter Vaughn stands there, blinking rapidly. He looks down, realizing that he's back in his normal garb, thankfully with less gray hair again. He looks around himself, realizing that it appears that he's in some sort of palace. He chuckles to himself, a laugh without humor, before turning around and looking towards the supposed 'throne'.~

Peter Vaughn: I suppose it wouldn't make sense if I didn't have that last visit with the all-powerful Wizard of Oz. So, you going to come out and greet me? Huh?

Voice: All you had to do was ask, Peter...

~With the lights finally dimming, the man stepping forward can be seen more clearly. Vaughn's eyes show the amount of shock that just ran through his body.~

Peter Vaughn: H-H-Head Custodian!!!

~The deceased former mentor of Peter Vaughn steps forward, reaching out towards Peter. In a rare show of emotion, Vaughn responds, giving the man a heart-felt man-hug. The two separate, with Vaughn still stunned.~

Peter Vaughn: How could you be here, Head Custodian?

Charles: You can call me Charles now, Peter. After all, YOU'RE the Head Custodian now.

Peter Vaughn: I know... but I never wanted it, He... Charles. You were the one who was so great at it. I never wanted the responsibility.

Charles: Sometimes that's when the person is best for the job, Peter. I wanted you to know, I'm completely proud of you and the job you've been doing. You saved all of the custodians under your care... as well as this young lady's soul, to boot...

~A properly dressed young woman appears next to Charles, looking surprisingly shy. It's not easy to see the ghost girl she used to be. She steps forward, giving Vaughn a quick hug, then walks away, disappearing into mid-air. Vaughn shakes his head.~

Peter Vaughn: This is a hell of a simulation.

Charles: If that is what you wish to believe. You're doing great things, Peter... and you've only just begun. Have faith in yourself. I'm sure I'll see you again... just not so soon this time, okay?

Peter Vaughn: Okay... and Charles? Thank you.

Charles: I'd do it all again in a heartbeat, had I one of those remaining. Goodbye, Peter. Have a great life.

~The light in the room suddenly intensifies again, blocking Vaughn's vision... ~

~And when it returns to normal, Vaughn is now standing in the middle of the Adolphus Hotel lobby. A startled voice can be heard.~

Bill: MR. VAUGHN!!!

~Bill races up to Vaughn, extremely happy to see him back and in one piece. Vaughn, though, for once, doesn't look like he's feeling like doing much talking. He nods to Bill, who's talking non-stop about what happened after Vaughn disappeared, as we slowly fade out.~

Threaded Mode \| Linear Mode A Spirited Journey, P3
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