Peter Vaughn and his underground organization, the Custodial Coalition, has been at war with the Maintenance Mafia and a few other assorted factions in the industry for the past few months. If you're just now finding out about that, you've missed out on a lot.
In recent days, the war seemed to be swinging the way of the Coalition. They had tracked down one of the main bases of the Mafia, with their leader, Bernardo, said to be inside. The invasion and occupation of the True Value ran like clockwork... until Vaughn opted to pursue Bernardo on his own, in the hopes of keeping the slippery Mafia lead from once again escaping. For Bernardo, though, escape wasn't the goal.
When Vaughn chased Bernardo into a strange mirrored hallway, he found himself being pulled into what could only be described as a reversed dimension, located just on the other side of our reality. Everything seemed the same, only backwards. But that would soon change, even as Vaughn chased Bernardo throughout the bizarre reality, knowing that if Bernardo escapes him, Vaughn could be trapped on the other side... forever.
And that would be a major obstacle to defending his Supercontinental Title, wouldn't it?
~The camera brings us into the mirrored hallway, apparently on our side of the universe. That can be checked by the fact that the fire alarm is spelled correctly, without being reversed. Inside the hallway, various custodians are moving back and forth, with some using scanning equipment on the walls. They seem to be searching quickly, while trying to stay calm, as we see Bill Sykes & Luke Thompkins come into view. They're scanning back and forth with metal detectors, checking the floor.~
Bill Sykes: I'm not getting anything substantial. Just the usual small pings for nails and screws.
Luke Thompkins: Keep looking! There has to be a trap door somewhere! It's the only thing that makes sense! The cameras clearly show our Head Custodian chasing Bernardo into this hallway. They've got to have gone somewhere!
~As Bill & Luke continue to scan, Bill manages to press his mic button.~
Bill Sykes: How long until those poles get here? We need to check the entire ceiling of this wing!
~As a muted reply comes in, the camera moves away from Bill & Luke, showing the custodians now carefully pulling mirrors off of the walls on either side. They're making sure there are actual walls behind the display pieces. The camera continues to swing around, focusing on the one area not currently being worked on: the end of the hall, where the final mirror stands, motionless. The camera seems to head straight towards it, picking up speed...~
~... And then seems to go straight through it, taking us on a kaleidoscope journey through the wormhole before ending up on the other side. The camera continues forward, speeding through the halls, until we catch up to two running men. One, in the lead, is the Mafia leader, Bernardo. Behind him, slowly gaining on him, is "The Mechanic" Peter Vaughn. Bernardo is starting to look badly winded, as he's not really built to be a marathon runner. Mafia members are natural sprinters. Vaughn, however, is still running at full speed, having honed his resilience through years inside the wrestling ring. Bernardo looks desperately over his shoulder, trying to keep moving.~
Peter Vaughn: Give it up, Bernardo! You're never going to outrun me!
~Bernardo makes it around another edge of the hallway in this seemingly endless building. He stumbles around it, trying to gain a little ground with a tight corner run. As Bernardo looks back, though, Vaughn seems to run straight at the other side of the hallway, turning only at the last second. He runs up part of the wall, managing to keep his momentum as he takes multiple steps before coming back down to the ground. He's significantly closed the gap, causing a flash of panic on Bernardo's face. He turns forward, then sees something, as a grin appears on his exhausted face.~
Bernardo: Huff... Finally... huff...
~Bernardo darts suddenly to the left, banging open a door as he runs inside a room. Vaughn, still in hot pursuit, doesn't really check his area as he continues to follow. If he would have paid more attention, he would have seen the arrow subtly pointing Bernardo towards the room. As Vaughn enters, he comes to a sliding stop, shocked, as Bernardo has run past what appear to be a dozen men who appear to be wearing black coveralls underneath a form of iron plating covering their shoulders and chest. Vaughn looks around, his instincts going wild, and he turns to run, only to have the door slam shut behind him. Vaughn shakes his head, then turns, as the armored men approach him.~
Peter Vaughn: Well, isn't this a kick in the ass? Come on then!
~Vaughn immediately jumps in the air, landing a striking kick to one of the men to send them stumbling back. A second man grabs at Vaughn's arm as he lands, but Vaughn quickly turns it into a hip toss, launching him into two other men. Vaughn then does a leg sweep, sending another flying, before uppercutting a fourth. He seems to be holding his own for a minute, but his luck can't last, as two of the troops manage to grab his arms. As Vaughn fights to get free, the other men move in, quickly piling on as Vaughn fights, unable to withstand so many bodies. He disappears underneath, as we see Bernardo, leaning exhaustedly on the wall, laughing nearby.~
Bernardo: I... I told you... pendajo... time wasn't... on your side... it was on MINE! Welcome to your new home, Peter! Welcome to...
~That's when two more of the armored guards step in from either side, grabbing Bernardo's arms as well. He looks left, then right, shocked.~
Bernardo: What? What are you doing?? This isn't part of the deal!!
~The guards start to drag Bernardo away, kicking and screaming, as the pile continues to shift, with each armored man managing to get in his own shots on the beleaguered Vaughn.~
Man, the numbers, they always get to you eventually, don't you? One way or another.
Let's talk about the numbers for ol' Charlie Nickles. The biggest one of note? 43. The current age of our 'hero', the aging wonder who still can get hardcore with the best of them. You know, Charles, a lot of people say that you start to seriously go downhill once you reach 40. Only a few guys have made it beyond that in the sporting world and succeeded, but then, wrestling's a little different, isn't it?
That being said, nobody's going to argue that you're still in your prime, Chuck. You left that behind years ago. It's rather sad, really, because honestly, you're not acting like your age. You seem more like a 50-60 year old, if I'm being honest. I mean, that senility is really starting to kick in, which is just sad to see.
I went to see what you might say about me, hoping that I might be wrong and you wouldn't hit all the same platitudes. What did I say you would talk about? My title reign being a joke? CHECK! My not being good enough to stand with you? CHECK! But even with all that, even I didn't think that you would basically show your lack of understanding that time has passed since I arrived here.
I mean, it's been a year, Chuckie. A full year.
And yet you still link me to Betsy Granger, who I barely even talk to anymore. You spend a lot of time talking about OCW, who is actually celebrating THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of the event that made me leave them. You connect me to the Exiles, a group that served me well... more than 8 months ago. Please, PLEASE tell me you realize that it's late October 2022? I know you've taken a ton of hits to the head, but there must still be some functioning braincells in there by now.
I've been the Supercontinental Champion since May, long after the Exiles dissolved and I instead became a force with Chronic Chris Page Enterprises. So much has changed since those first days I came to the XWF, and the fact that my time at the end of 2021 was all you could focus on is just... it's just sad, Chuck.
I mean, if that's the Peter Vaughn you want to prepare for, the man who everyone said was 'lucky' to get the Universal Title around his waist, far be it from me to dissuade you. After all, you will come into our contest even more woefully unprepared than even I would have expected from you. I've grown a hell of a lot in the past year, Chumlee. If I faced off with a version of myself at the beginning of 2022, I'd absolutely destroy him.
Of course, in all fairness to you, I'd definitely want to fight that version of me myself. It'd be a little easier for you, even though I'd still likely kick your ass. Meanwhile, I find myself wishing for something quite similar, even if it's basically the opposite of what you want. I wish I was fighting the old you, the one who dominated the Television Title division for a while, and not the stumbling loser who stands before me now. I want to face the Charlie Nickles of old, too.
I guess neither of us are getting what we wanted, huh?
~As the camera comes back up, we now see the custodians have made a pretty decent destruction of the entire hallway in the True Value base. At this point, with many ceiling tiles down, floorboards pulled up, and mirrors removed, the group has cut down on many possible exit points in the hallway. This has led them to the end of the hall, where custodians are finally scanning the final mirror. They're getting some strange readings, which one shows to Bill. For the first time in a short while, his eyes brighten.~
Bill Sykes: There's some sort of power source behind this wall! Quick, let's get this mirror removed, we need to see what sort of circuitry is behind here!
~Two custodians obediently move in, grabbing hold of the mirror on either side to try and pry it loose. For a second, both of them straighten up, seemingly staring at each other, before both collapse onto their sides, not moving. Bill and Luke quickly move in, checking on them.~
Bill Sykes: Get the medics in here!
Luke Thompkins: The wall is boobytrapped!
Bill Sykes: Maybe... that was such a strange fluctuation when they touched the mirror. We need to rethink this approach. Mr. Vaughn can't afford for us to take too long, but we've got to figure this out first.
~As medics begin to lug the injured custodians out of the hallway, Bill goes back to scanning, trying to figure out the exact energy signature he's picking up. He doesn't seem to notice that the mirror itself is slightly undulating to the scanner, almost as if it was following it. We cut away.~
~In the reversed world, we find ourselves back in the specially built throne room we saw last time. There doesn't appear to be anyone currently in this room. That all changes when we hear the marching of troops. They enter inside, pushing along a clearly frustrated Bernardo ahead of them. They push him to the side, knocking him down towards the throne.~
Bernardo: Not so damn hard!
~At least Bernardo can still speak. Vaughn, for his part, can't say a word. He appears to be heavily tied up in duct tape, wrapped around his arms, legs, and even his mouth. Vaughn has many strengths, but even he's no match for the all-powerful duct tape, no matter what world he's in. The guards carry him inside, plopping him down next to Bernardo, where he can only scowl at the man. Bernardo shrugs, trying to pass off the fact that he's in the same boat as Vaughn.~
Bernardo: Blame me all you want, Vaughn. Once I get this straightened out, I'm getting out of here, and you're staying behind!
~Suddenly, there's a noise, as a door opens up behind the throne. One man walks forward, now wearing what appears to be a lead-strengthened crown on his head. Nghuav Retep comes around, taking a seat on the throne, as he stares at Bernardo for a second before smiling over at the incapacitated Vaughn. The smile fades slightly when he sees that Vaughn can't talk.~
Nhguav Retep: Cut that tape off of him. I want to speak to the man.
~The guards move in to obey, even as Bernardo staggers to his feet.~
Bernardo: What's the big idea, king? I did what you wanted. I got Vaughn here, just as I promised. So why drag me here, too? This is NOT part of our agreement!
~Annoyed, Nhguav looks over at Bernardo, before signaling to the guard.~
Nhguav Retep: THAT one you can gag.
~Bernardo sputters, but he can't get away as the men grab him, quickly covering his mouth with duct tape. In the meantime, the other guards are slowly removing the tape from Vaughn's mouth. Of course, no matter how slow or fast you go, there's still going to be a lot of pain. Vaughn bears it, though, and rubs his sore lips with his tongue before looking at the man in front of him. He slowly looks at Nghuav, tilting his head left and right. Nghuav just waits, patient, as Vaughn finally glances over at the taped Bernardo.~
Peter Vaughn: And who's THIS ugly dude?
~Nhguav straightens up, a look of shock on his face.~
Nhguav Retep: You're not serious. I don't look familiar to you?
~Vaughn takes a closer look, puzzled. To be fair, he's at a pretty strange angle on the floor, taped up as he is.~
Peter Vaughn: Did I wrestle you ten, twenty years ago? When you were in your prime?
~Nhguav doesn't seem to believe it, but he's got a much better sense of how things work here than Vaughn does.~
Nhguav Retep: I am your reverse, Peter. In many ways... I AM you... just from a different plane of existence.
Peter Vaughn: ... What? You're joking.
Nhguav Retep: Do I look like I'm joking?
Peter Vaughn: ... Nah. There's no way. I will never look as old as you do, and that goatee? C'mon, man...
~Vaughn shakes his head, but Nhguav doesn't seem too offended. He just leans closer to the man.~
Nhguav Retep: Believe it or not, Peter Vaughn, but it's still the truth. When I found out about your universe's existence from this... Bernardo... here, I knew that I had to meet you. I had to see the man who lived on the other side of the mirror from me. I wanted to see what you looked like, talked like, smelled like...
~Vaughn's eyebrows raise at the smelling comment, but he lets it pass.~
Nhguav Retep: Quite simply, Peter Vaughn, the more I knew of you, the more I had to bring you here. I had to ask you about your life... and why you've wasted so much of it.
~Stunned, Vaughn looks up at Nhguav, who looks deadly serious now. He waits for Vaughn to respond, as we see someone slowly creeping in from the side, towards Bernardo. We don't get a clear look before we cut away.~
What about you, Nickie? Ever feel like you've wasted your life?
I'm going to bet you'll say no. You probably think your life has been more than worthwhile. But then again, you do seem to suffer from bouts of depression and anxiety, so I suppose it's unclear how you really view what your mark on history will be. Will people remember you for the slaughters you've performed on XWF television? Or will they remember your biggest failures, when you came up short again and again and again?
I know what they're going to say about me. I've made my mark, a notch in the wall of history that can never be removed, and I'm just adding to it, day by day. By this time next year, I'll be known as the greatest Supercontinental Champion of all time. I'll be respected as a historic wrestler, one who left his humble beginning behind to take the world by storm. Maybe, by then, I'll even find a way to unify the Supercontinental and Universal Titles, bringing them together to form the SuperUniversal Championship.
That has a nice ring to it.
I want to get hyped about facing you, ChamWow. I really do. I want you to come into this match, handicapped as it is for you, and really find a way to compete. I want you to show me why people used to talk about you as if the Universal Title belt was destined to be around your waist, a prophecy that has since gone unfulfilled. I want you to show me that you're deserving of having the gold, and that you're not just going to just show up for the paycheck and walk away without giving me the competition I crave.
But do you have it in you still? Or did you leave that behind with the Bastards? Did the motivation come out of you in the toilet one night after a particularly fierce battle with a bag full of burritos? What do you have left in your aging tank that can compete with me at my best?
I'm looking to see it, Charlie. I'm not lying. I want to see you have a moment or two before you fall off the walls of time and disappear into history.
But I'm probably going to feel like I've wasted my time, won't it?
~Slowly, Peter Vaughn shakes his head, disagreeing with the question posted to him by Nhguav.~
Peter Vaughn: I don't know what the hell you've been watching, but I certainly haven't wasted my life. I'm a four-time World Champion!
Nhguav Retep: That's right, you have your little wrestling career, where you perform for the masses and take what pay you can get from the promoters on any given night.
Peter Vaughn: They usually pay pretty well, too. Especially the XWF.
Nhguav Retep: But let's compare our lives, Peter. You went from being a lousy janitor to fighting people for a living. I'm now the ruler of the entire state of Saxet, a king among his people, one of the most powerful men in the world. Which of us has truly wasted his life?
Peter Vaughn: Ummm, I'm pretty sure that would be you, clone. I never wanted to be a ruler over anyone. I can't think of anything more boring! Just sitting there, having to keep track of all the finances and the people's well-being and everything else that goes with it? It sounds fucking terrible! No, I'm more than content to be facing new challenges every month, taking on guys who people say I shouldn't survive, and beating their asses down. Give me a World Title over an Iron Throne any day of the week.
~Nhguav looks confused for a moment. But he reluctantly nods his head.~
Nhguav Retep: I suppose I can see your point of view. After the first ten executions or so, this job did get rather predictable at times. I can't deny that I wouldn't mind some excitement every now and then.
Odranreb: You want excitement, Master? As you command!
~Surprised, Nhguav turns to his right, where Odranreb is standing. He's managed to free Bernardo, his duplicate. The two have a lot in common, more than Vaughn & Nhguav. The only major difference is the goatee on Odranreb's face, apparently a major trademark of power in this reality.~
Nhguav Retep: What's this, Odranreb? I thought I ordered you to lock down the southern side of the castle?
Odranreb: Yes, where you wanted me to go, so that I wouldn't find out you were betraying my double! You never could follow through on your word, Nhguav!
Peter Vaughn: Really? Never? That sucks, dude.
Nhguav Retep: Oh, come on! I've seen you use low blows, sneak attacks, and all sorts of cheating to win your matches!
Peter Vaughn: True, but when I say I'm going to do something, you'd better believe that I'm following through with my promise.
Odranreb: You see? Even your clone agrees with me!
Peter Vaughn: Shut up, tool.
Nhguav Retep: Yeah, shut up... tool.
~Nhguav seems confused by the slang term, but goes along with it.~
Nhguav Retep: Besides, I planned to talk to Bernardo about his world once Peter and I were through. It would be a perfect fit for... expansion.
Peter Vaughn: Hey, whoa, wait a second... expansion? I don't think so, Nhguav. One of me on any world is more than enough!
Odranreb: Don't worry, Vaughn. You don't have to worry about your doppelganger anymore. Nor do you need to concern yourself with returning to your world. Guards!
~Several troops march into the throne room, taking up sides around Nhguav and the still-bound Vaughn. Nhguav looks around at them with a bit of disdain.~
Nhguav Retep: Commanders, I hereby release Odranreb from his service. You do not accept his orders anymore. Arrest him at once!
~None of the soldiers move, as both Odranreb and Bernardo grin simultaneously.~
Odranreb: Sorry, 'Master', but these men are loyal to me. Your reign has been fun, I'll admit, but everything comes to an end eventually. TAKE HIM!!
~The guards move in, with Nhguav trying to fight back. He doesn't appear to be as near a capable fighter as Vaughn, though, as he's quickly swarmed. As for Vaughn, he struggles on the floor, still secured with duct tape. He watches through gritted teeth as Odranreb pulls out what appears to be a blaster, stepping towards him.~
Odranreb: Goodbye, Vaughn.
~The trigger finger flexes...~
You never know when the end is right around the corner, do you?
You could just be walking down the street, minding your own business, and a Jeep plows into you after it jumps the curb, its driver having been too distracted by trying to find his cell phone to be able to stop in time. Bang! It's over.
You could be enjoying a meal at your favorite local hole in the wall, slamming down their fried zucchini sticks like they were going out of style. All of the sudden, you jam one too fiercely into your mouth, and BANG! You choke to death.
You could be just sitting in bed, thinking about all those years of putting your body through the worst abuse imaginable, and dreaming about what might come next... and BANG! Heart attack. Your time on this planet is over, and you're on your way up... or down. Being not much of a religious guy, I'll leave that up to other forces to decide.
So yep, Charlie, all you've put yourself through, and it could all end... on Wednesday. You could get to the top of the steel cage, trying to navigate those planks despite your utter ineptitude at walking straight, and I opt to knock you straight off the top, causing you to land skull-first on the floor below.
Ever seen a cantaloupe or a watermelon fall from a great height? It's not pretty.
It could happen inside the steel, if I gave you one too many head-slams into the cage. Maybe one causes that brain legion to finally burst, and I'll be known as the man who killed Charlie Nickles. To be honest, as amazing as that nickname sounds, it's not what I'm going to be going for. I don't want to kill you, Chuck... physically, at least.
I just want you to realize that your career is truly on the decline, especially when you see how easily I defeat you in our match. I suppose, really, I want to mentally end your wrestling life. Sounds kind of sadistic, doesn't it? And yet... also it would be supremely satisfying.
The End of Charlie Nickles, brought about by The Mechanic Peter Vaughn. Yeah, I like the sound of that.
It doesn't have to mean you're gone from this plane of existence, Nicks. It just means that you will have to accept, once and for all, that you are in the back with men like Ned Kaye, Calypso, Jim Caedus, Barney Green, and a Literal Gorilla... and you are nowhere near ready to carry a championship like I have.
Prepare for the End, Charlie... and prepare for the Plunge you're going to take, one way or another...
~Just as Odranreb is about to fire, he's grabbed on one shoulder. He turns, looking back at an anxious-looking Bernardo.~
Bernardo: Not that I'm adverse to blood being spilled, but I think the deal we made was that Vaughn would spend the rest of his life here, trapped in the dungeon... or whatever you've got down below.
Odranreb: As you said, my clone... he will spend the rest of his life here.
~Odranreb turns, once again aiming at Vaughn, with Bernardo hesitating on what he wants to do. The choice is taken from him, though, as a large wooden tonfa comes flying in, catching Bernardo across the chest! It knocks Bernardo backwards, sending him crashing into Odranreb. The two duplicates fall to the ground, both having met skulls enough to stun both of them. Vaughn relaxes for a moment, as he knew how close that was, then tries to turn to see the assailant, even as the man gets behind him and starts working on his bonds.~
Man: Don't worry, young one. I'll have you free soon.
~Vaughn suddenly tenses, recognizing the voice. As the tape on his arms is cut away, Vaughn rolls over, staring up at the shirtless man above him.~
Peter Vaughn: Head.... Head Custodian??
~For a few moments, Vaughn is blasted with flashbacks to the man who brought him into the Custodial Coalition, the former leader of the organization. He remembers all the good times he spent with him, and he remembers, to this day, how his friend HC died... sacrificing himself so that Vaughn could live. Vaughn, for once in his life, is speechless. The man, however, is not.~
Man: I don't know any head custodian, or what that means. My name is Ragde. Now come on. We don't have much time.
~The duplicate of Vaughn's deceased friend helps him up, pointing towards the doorway. Vaughn starts that way, then hesitates, looking back at the beating that Nhguav is taking. Nearby, Bernardo groans, showing that both men are starting to recover.~
Man: Forget about him! We must go!
~After another second, Vaughn opts to fall in line, trusting in his former mentor's voice. He jogs off with Ragde towards the exit, all the while looking back over his shoulder at what he's leaving behind. We slowly fade out.~
CWF Paramount Champion
GCWA Hardcore Champion
Outsiders Champion (x3)
OCW Craze Champion
OCW World Champion
TPW International Champion (First-Ever) (x2)
PW Valor World Heavyweight Champion
XWF Universal Champion
Level Up Game Genie Winner
XWF Supercontinental Champion
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