Post by Peter Vaughn on Nov 20, 2022 18:59:23 GMT -5
~As the image clears, we find ourselves on the PMV Ranch. Just recently, the ranch faced one of its greatest challenges, as a deliberately set inferno nearly destroyed the entire area. It took some heroic efforts, as well as some strategic connections with higher-ups in the government, to save the ranch, or at least, the majority of it. We can see several burn spots still evident nearby, as clean-up crews continue to work to bring down the structures that couldn’t avoid the flames. We see a man walk out of the main house, walking over to where some of the work is being done.~
Thomas Hill: How are things going, Leon?
Leon: We’re doing alright. From what I’ve heard, some of the new building supplies are being trucked in later this week. Once this is done, I think we’re going to have a state-of-the-art warehouse to keep everything safe.
Thomas Hill: Cool. And, uh, it’s not going to be made fully out of wood again, right?
Leon: Hah, no, there will be a lot more concrete and rebar involved.
Thomas Hill: Okay, good.
~Thomas breathes a sigh of relief, as he knows that the majority of structures they lost in the fire were the older ones which came with the property. None of them were set to survive such a cataclysm. As Thomas nods to Leon, ready to walk away, Leon stops him. He takes a look behind him to make sure no one else is close before speaking quietly to the half-brother of Vaughn.~
Leon: So, uh… have you heard from Mr. Vaughn yet?
Thomas Hill: Oh, yeah, he should be on his way here right now. Why?
Leon: No reason… I mean, a few of the guys have been, let’s say a little displeased that he’d been gone for so long. It's never great for the leader to not be here when work needs to get done, y'know?
Thomas Hill: Yeah, well, he said he had to make some important pick-ups for the ranch’s future. Oh, hey, speak of the devil, here he comes now!
~The camera shifts to the right, showing Peter Vaughn pulling up in his pick-up. The dust settles from the quick stop, customary of Vaughn’s driving skills. He gets out, as Thomas, Leon, and several others walk his direction, curious about where he’s been.~
Thomas Hill: Hey, brother. About time you got here. The clean-up’s going pretty well. What have you brought us?
Peter Vaughn: Oh, I’ve got you covered, Thomas. Just look at these goods.
~Vaughn hops into the back of the pick-up, pulling the blanket away to reveal several strange-looking items and boxes. Confused, Thomas and the other employees inch closer, staring at them, as Vaughn starts to pull the first one out.~
Peter Vaughn: This box here contains a water recirculation system that can be set up for a sprinkler blast defense, if something like this happens again. I’m thinking we’ll construct it slowly around the entire property, in strategic locations.
~One employee steps forward to take the box as Vaughn slides it to him. He nearly falls over, and another man has to run in and help out. They carry the first box away, as Vaughn pushes another two boxes over for more individuals to take. Thomas is shaking his head, looking skeptical.~
Thomas Hill: I admire thinking ahead, Peter, but do you really think you can fireproof this ranch?
Peter Vaughn: You never know until you try, Thomas. If my dad taught me anything, it’s that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Now, these packs here are for the clean-up. They may look like proton packs from Ghostbusters, but they actually work in reverse fashion, as they’ll vacuum up any trace of the ashes we've accumulated to the west.
~Vaughn starts handing out the packs, even as Thomas’ eyes go wide. He steps back, avoiding one of the packs, as he looks out to the side where the fires had raged for hours.~
Thomas Hill: You… you seriously want to vacuum up the landscape out there? But… why? What good does that do?
~Vaughn doesn’t answer for a moment, as he grabs the last pack. He shakes his head.~
Peter Vaughn: It was… perfect the way it was, Thomas. We need to get it back there.
Thomas Hill: Okay, yes, the fire was a bummer, but we’re replacing some buildings with newer, more economical ones, and they’ll even have air conditioning. The ranch is going to look better than ever, Peter…
Peter Vaughn: No. I don’t want to go riding and see… reminders. We’ll get to work on this immediately, okay, Thomas?
~Hill sputters for a second, and then realizes that there’s no arguing with Vaughn at this point. He turns and hands the pack to a younger lady, Sadie, who takes it without argument. Thomas leans in towards her.~
Thomas Hill: Just, uh… do what you can for now. I’ll keep talking to him.
~Sadie nods and walks off, organizing the members of the crew who will be tasked with such an annoying job. Thomas then turns back to Vaughn, who is pulling one more gem out of the back. This package seems so large that Vaughn himself is having trouble bringing it to the edge. Thomas and others move in to help, getting it off the truck and to the ground. Vaughn then jumps down and begins to unwrap it, as Thomas worriedly looks around, as if thinking about telling the others to evacuate.~
Thomas Hill: Please tell me this isn’t anything explosive, right, bro?
Peter Vaughn: Explosive? Nah. I mean, I did consider landmines, but we have too many dreamers out here that like to go for long walks or horseback rides. I figured you’d tell me it’d cost us our insurance.
Thomas Hill: That it would have, that it would… so what is it?
~Vaughn peels back the last portion of plastic, showing the large ‘limb’ underneath. He rubs the metal on top for a second, smiling to himself.~
Peter Vaughn: This here is the hydraulic cylinder and bucket off of an old excavator I found. It’s brilliant looking, isn’t it?
Thomas Hill: Uhhh… I’ll take your word for it. So, uh, why do we need something like this, Peter? We already rented excavators and dozers for the clean-up, and we got those, y’know, already assembled…
Peter Vaughn: Very funny. No, this is for the future, Thomas. I’ve got some other plans to help deter attackers that won’t be too dangerous to our own staff, and to do that, I need to make some modifications to my monster mower.
~Thomas gulps, remembering the weird monstrosity that Vaughn had brought out and used to help start a backline against the fire. Vaughn has always been a tinkerer, and he may have gone to a new level with his new Frankenstein-style monster. Apparently, something new is needed.~
Thomas Hill: So you’re going to find a way to merge this onto your already-dangerous contraption? Are you sure that’s going to be… safe?
Peter Vaughn: Depends on who’s in front of me. Hey, boys, take this over to my main shed, will you? I’ll start work on it later.
~Having no other choice but to obey, the remaining guys start working on lugging the heavy ‘arm’ across to the shed. Thomas watches them go, conveniently missing out on all the lifting.~
Peter Vaughn: Anything else you need from me before I go?
Thomas Hill: No, I think everything’s coming out as expected… Wait, go? You just got here, Peter! We’ve still got a lot to do today to keep this ranch running! Seriously, some of the guys would rather you were out there helping them…
Peter Vaughn: Don’t worry, I won’t be gone that long. I just have something… I need to take care of, before I dive into the work here.
Thomas Hill: Is it… is it something you need company for? Like, back-up? We can get a few guys…
Peter Vaughn: No, no, Thomas, nothing like that. It’s not about revenge this time. It’s just… something personal. If anyone’s upset, just tell them that I’m going to be giving everyone a bonus for today. That ought to make them happy. It IS a holiday week, after all.
Thomas Hill: Uh, sure, I’ll tell them…
Peter Vaughn: See you soon, Thomas.
~Vaughn throws the truck into gear and pulls away, moving faster now that he’s gotten a lot of the load out of the bed. Thomas watches him go, then shakes his head before turning back to where he can hear the sound of vacuums in the distance.~
Thomas Hill: Vacuuming the desert… what are we, in the Spaceballs movie?
~Thomas chuckles for himself, then considers his options, before heading for the homestead. He’ll probably hide out there, ‘working’ on the financials, as the clean-up continues. We cut away from the ranch, as we’re shown what looks like an old-school Indiana Jones type map. The red line travels along the road past the ranch and heads into the Dallas/Ft Worth area, finally ending up at a very specific destination: the Crown Hill Memorial Park cemetery.~
~The picture comes up on a cold, dreary Sunday in northeast Texas. The camera focuses on the clouds hanging above before slowly panning down on the cemetery below. The camera moves forward, taking us past several families who are setting up Thanksgiving decorations on their loved ones’ graves. We move past them to the far side of the cemetery, where we see a single man standing above one tombstone, drinking a Lone Pint Yellow Rose beer. Peter Vaughn turns towards the camera, nodding to it, before staring back at the marker in front of him.~
Peter Vaughn: They say that Thanksgiving is a time for family. I suppose that’s what brought me to my father’s grave.
~Vaughn takes a final swig of his beer, then crushes the can. If you’re expecting him to litter, though, you’ve read him wrong again, as he calmly puts the crushed can into the trash bag he brought with him. The bag appears to be at least half full. Who knows how much garbage he cleaned up on his way here? If nothing else, Vaughn likes a clean cemetery.~
Peter Vaughn: People may not believe me, but I do actually miss the old man. He did the best he could with what he had. He was the only one growing up who loved me. This is the first Thanksgiving I won’t be taking him out for a turkey sandwich. I’ll have to head to Jersey Mike’s after this. Tradition is important.
~It sounds like an emotional speech, but they aren’t showing in either Vaughn’s voice or his face. He could be talking about the stock market. But if you look deep into his eyes, maybe, MAYBE you see a little bit of sadness.~
Peter Vaughn: This is the season where everyone starts talking about everything they’re thankful for. Their successes, their family, their ability to avoid instant death by walking into the street during rush hour. All worthy things to celebrate and be thankful for. But that leads me to wonder, what exactly am I thankful for?
~Vaughn takes a moment, glancing down at the tombstone again, before continuing.~
Peter Vaughn: Let’s run down the regular list. Am I thankful for my family? All I’ve got left is my mother who ditched me when I was a kid and my half-brother. Can’t say either one of them deserves my thanks for anything. Am I thankful for my job? Hell, I work at three different companies and plan to work at a lot more in 2023. They should be thankful they’ve got ME.
~This earns a slight smirk on Vaughn’s face, as he’s warming to the conversation.~
Peter Vaughn: How about a place to live? Well, yeah, I love my new ranch, there’s no doubt about that. But I earned that through my career. Why should I give thanks for something I got for myself? Am I thanking myself? That sounds conceited. But, yeah, go me, I guess.
~There’s a sarcastic pat on the back as Vaughn shakes his head.~
Peter Vaughn: Should I be thankful for my pets? Well, I don’t have any pets, so that’s out. What about friends? The closest I’ve got there is the members of the CCPE who don’t hate me. There are a few of them, I think. Oh, I know, the golden oldie: be thankful for your good health. Yeah, I don’t think any wrestler can really claim that on a regular basis. We’re breaking our bodies to make our way up the ladder. We’ll all be lucky to live past my father’s age.
~The smirk disappears as Vaughn glances back down at the tombstone. You can almost see him thinking about mortality, before shaking it off.~
Peter Vaughn: So, really, what AM I thankful for? What does the Mechanic see as the gift that’s come his way? Well, if I have to claim one thing, I think I’d say: I’m thankful to be me. That probably comes off as conceited as well, but that’s the only answer I’ve got for you. I’m thankful for everything that’s happened in my life, the good times and mostly bad times that brought me to this point. Without all of that, I wouldn’t be a four-time World Champion with so much success in the world today.
~Vaughn nods to himself, liking the answer, before turning and reaching down to pop open the cooler he brought with him. He fishes into it, pulling out another beer. The top makes a satisfying “pop” when he opens it, taking another drink.~
Peter Vaughn: Ahhh. Texas makes good beer. So then we have the other part of the equation. I’m supposed to talk about why I deserve the Axtgriff more than any of the other World Series finalists. It’s a little annoying, having to explain the obvious, but sure, I’ll go down the details as we head back to the truck.
~Vaughn takes one more sip of the beer, then turns and pours the rest on his father’s grave. He puts the trash away, then leans down, patting the side of the tombstone.~
Peter Vaughn: Happy Thanksgiving, Dad. Hope you’re not too disappointed in me.
~Vaughn then gathers up his cooler and trash bag and starts walking, with the camera staying with him.~
Peter Vaughn: So we all know what a lot of these other wrestlers are going to focus on in regards to the Axtgriff: the ability to travel through time. You can almost feel the drool coming from their lips, which is rather disgusting.
~He makes a show of wiping off his hand on his coverall before continuing on towards the parking lot. He passes a couple of families that look up, but don’t seem to recognize him. Either that, or they just don’t like him. Either is possible.~
Peter Vaughn: Thinking about the list, we know what most will do with this power. Kido will probably travel back in time to try and be a heroic Samurai who gets his head cut off. Xavier would likely travel back to punch his dad a few more times in the face while he’s got the opportunity. Chaney, he’d… well, he’d probably go back and watch Robin Williams perform live, which isn’t that bad an option, really.
~The trek continues, as this is a fairly large cemetery. Many have come here. Many have stayed here.~
Peter Vaughn: Warstein, I think, would go back to his favorite matches so he can help himself win the ones that got away from him. He’s egotistical that way. Debonair would probably want to go back and corner the market on wines, getting himself a healthy supply in the future. Vhodka, well, I don’t think anyone could predict what she would do. You aren’t going to put her in a bubble, anything could happen, from nuclear catastrophe to humanity living on the moon.
~Vaughn shrugs, knowing that some things are just unpredictable.~
Peter Vaughn: So you can see the pattern: either someone will go back to ‘correct what once went wrong’, or someone will be selfish and try and change things for themselves. So which group do I fall into? Neither. If I won the truck, the time travel portion? It’d never be used.
~We’ve made it to the parking lot now, as Vaughn tosses the stuff into the back of his pick-up.~
Peter Vaughn: You might wonder, why wouldn’t I want to go back? I could travel back to when my mother abandoned me and slap her silly. I could travel to when Jonathan Barrows decided to train me through torture and kick his ass. I could head to earlier this year and make ALIAS disappear before our XWF match, so that I stayed the Universal Champion. So many possibilities, right?
~Vaughn nods for a second, then vigorously shakes his head.~
Peter Vaughn: No. You see, unlike everyone else, I know the consequences of making changes. You travel back in time to kill Hitler? Maybe someone with less of an ego and more of a strategic mind takes over, and we lose World War II. Travel back in time to steer the Titanic away from the iceberg? Maybe one of the people you save is a serial killer who will kill far more people in the coming years. You can never know the ripples that one change will inflict.
~You’d almost think Vaughn is speaking from experience here, but as far as the rest of us are concerned, he couldn’t be… right? Well, we’ll have to save that one for another time.~
Peter Vaughn: The fact is, every single instance that took place in my life led me to where I am today, and I LIKE where I am today. I wouldn’t change a damn thing in the past, and I have no interest in traveling any faster to the future. You know what I WOULD do with that truck? I’d drive it. I’d maintain it. I’d give it the best home of any of these other finalists, because none of them have the skills under the hood that I do.
~Vaughn turns and pats the top container of his pick-up, which has the universal sign for tools stenciled on the side of it.~
Peter Vaughn: So if you want your Axtgriff to last and not get trampled under the feet of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, I’m the guy you’re looking for. If you’d rather run the risk of letting one of these ‘noble’ or ‘selfish’ wrestlers get their hands on it, then the fate of the timeline is on you, my friends.
~The door swings open, with Vaughn easily hopping into the pick-up truck before turning back once more to the camera.~
Peter Vaughn: Happy Thanksgiving, WSOW universe. Here’s hoping we’re not all transformed into gorillas or something in the coming weeks.
~Vaughn drives off, leaving the camera behind. The camera pans over to a nearby statue placed at a grave spot. Strangely, with the sun behind it, you can almost picture the Statue of Liberty, if you really try. We slowly fade out.~
Thomas Hill: How are things going, Leon?
Leon: We’re doing alright. From what I’ve heard, some of the new building supplies are being trucked in later this week. Once this is done, I think we’re going to have a state-of-the-art warehouse to keep everything safe.
Thomas Hill: Cool. And, uh, it’s not going to be made fully out of wood again, right?
Leon: Hah, no, there will be a lot more concrete and rebar involved.
Thomas Hill: Okay, good.
~Thomas breathes a sigh of relief, as he knows that the majority of structures they lost in the fire were the older ones which came with the property. None of them were set to survive such a cataclysm. As Thomas nods to Leon, ready to walk away, Leon stops him. He takes a look behind him to make sure no one else is close before speaking quietly to the half-brother of Vaughn.~
Leon: So, uh… have you heard from Mr. Vaughn yet?
Thomas Hill: Oh, yeah, he should be on his way here right now. Why?
Leon: No reason… I mean, a few of the guys have been, let’s say a little displeased that he’d been gone for so long. It's never great for the leader to not be here when work needs to get done, y'know?
Thomas Hill: Yeah, well, he said he had to make some important pick-ups for the ranch’s future. Oh, hey, speak of the devil, here he comes now!
~The camera shifts to the right, showing Peter Vaughn pulling up in his pick-up. The dust settles from the quick stop, customary of Vaughn’s driving skills. He gets out, as Thomas, Leon, and several others walk his direction, curious about where he’s been.~
Thomas Hill: Hey, brother. About time you got here. The clean-up’s going pretty well. What have you brought us?
Peter Vaughn: Oh, I’ve got you covered, Thomas. Just look at these goods.
~Vaughn hops into the back of the pick-up, pulling the blanket away to reveal several strange-looking items and boxes. Confused, Thomas and the other employees inch closer, staring at them, as Vaughn starts to pull the first one out.~
Peter Vaughn: This box here contains a water recirculation system that can be set up for a sprinkler blast defense, if something like this happens again. I’m thinking we’ll construct it slowly around the entire property, in strategic locations.
~One employee steps forward to take the box as Vaughn slides it to him. He nearly falls over, and another man has to run in and help out. They carry the first box away, as Vaughn pushes another two boxes over for more individuals to take. Thomas is shaking his head, looking skeptical.~
Thomas Hill: I admire thinking ahead, Peter, but do you really think you can fireproof this ranch?
Peter Vaughn: You never know until you try, Thomas. If my dad taught me anything, it’s that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Now, these packs here are for the clean-up. They may look like proton packs from Ghostbusters, but they actually work in reverse fashion, as they’ll vacuum up any trace of the ashes we've accumulated to the west.
~Vaughn starts handing out the packs, even as Thomas’ eyes go wide. He steps back, avoiding one of the packs, as he looks out to the side where the fires had raged for hours.~
Thomas Hill: You… you seriously want to vacuum up the landscape out there? But… why? What good does that do?
~Vaughn doesn’t answer for a moment, as he grabs the last pack. He shakes his head.~
Peter Vaughn: It was… perfect the way it was, Thomas. We need to get it back there.
Thomas Hill: Okay, yes, the fire was a bummer, but we’re replacing some buildings with newer, more economical ones, and they’ll even have air conditioning. The ranch is going to look better than ever, Peter…
Peter Vaughn: No. I don’t want to go riding and see… reminders. We’ll get to work on this immediately, okay, Thomas?
~Hill sputters for a second, and then realizes that there’s no arguing with Vaughn at this point. He turns and hands the pack to a younger lady, Sadie, who takes it without argument. Thomas leans in towards her.~
Thomas Hill: Just, uh… do what you can for now. I’ll keep talking to him.
~Sadie nods and walks off, organizing the members of the crew who will be tasked with such an annoying job. Thomas then turns back to Vaughn, who is pulling one more gem out of the back. This package seems so large that Vaughn himself is having trouble bringing it to the edge. Thomas and others move in to help, getting it off the truck and to the ground. Vaughn then jumps down and begins to unwrap it, as Thomas worriedly looks around, as if thinking about telling the others to evacuate.~
Thomas Hill: Please tell me this isn’t anything explosive, right, bro?
Peter Vaughn: Explosive? Nah. I mean, I did consider landmines, but we have too many dreamers out here that like to go for long walks or horseback rides. I figured you’d tell me it’d cost us our insurance.
Thomas Hill: That it would have, that it would… so what is it?
~Vaughn peels back the last portion of plastic, showing the large ‘limb’ underneath. He rubs the metal on top for a second, smiling to himself.~
Peter Vaughn: This here is the hydraulic cylinder and bucket off of an old excavator I found. It’s brilliant looking, isn’t it?
Thomas Hill: Uhhh… I’ll take your word for it. So, uh, why do we need something like this, Peter? We already rented excavators and dozers for the clean-up, and we got those, y’know, already assembled…
Peter Vaughn: Very funny. No, this is for the future, Thomas. I’ve got some other plans to help deter attackers that won’t be too dangerous to our own staff, and to do that, I need to make some modifications to my monster mower.
~Thomas gulps, remembering the weird monstrosity that Vaughn had brought out and used to help start a backline against the fire. Vaughn has always been a tinkerer, and he may have gone to a new level with his new Frankenstein-style monster. Apparently, something new is needed.~
Thomas Hill: So you’re going to find a way to merge this onto your already-dangerous contraption? Are you sure that’s going to be… safe?
Peter Vaughn: Depends on who’s in front of me. Hey, boys, take this over to my main shed, will you? I’ll start work on it later.
~Having no other choice but to obey, the remaining guys start working on lugging the heavy ‘arm’ across to the shed. Thomas watches them go, conveniently missing out on all the lifting.~
Peter Vaughn: Anything else you need from me before I go?
Thomas Hill: No, I think everything’s coming out as expected… Wait, go? You just got here, Peter! We’ve still got a lot to do today to keep this ranch running! Seriously, some of the guys would rather you were out there helping them…
Peter Vaughn: Don’t worry, I won’t be gone that long. I just have something… I need to take care of, before I dive into the work here.
Thomas Hill: Is it… is it something you need company for? Like, back-up? We can get a few guys…
Peter Vaughn: No, no, Thomas, nothing like that. It’s not about revenge this time. It’s just… something personal. If anyone’s upset, just tell them that I’m going to be giving everyone a bonus for today. That ought to make them happy. It IS a holiday week, after all.
Thomas Hill: Uh, sure, I’ll tell them…
Peter Vaughn: See you soon, Thomas.
~Vaughn throws the truck into gear and pulls away, moving faster now that he’s gotten a lot of the load out of the bed. Thomas watches him go, then shakes his head before turning back to where he can hear the sound of vacuums in the distance.~
Thomas Hill: Vacuuming the desert… what are we, in the Spaceballs movie?
~Thomas chuckles for himself, then considers his options, before heading for the homestead. He’ll probably hide out there, ‘working’ on the financials, as the clean-up continues. We cut away from the ranch, as we’re shown what looks like an old-school Indiana Jones type map. The red line travels along the road past the ranch and heads into the Dallas/Ft Worth area, finally ending up at a very specific destination: the Crown Hill Memorial Park cemetery.~
~The picture comes up on a cold, dreary Sunday in northeast Texas. The camera focuses on the clouds hanging above before slowly panning down on the cemetery below. The camera moves forward, taking us past several families who are setting up Thanksgiving decorations on their loved ones’ graves. We move past them to the far side of the cemetery, where we see a single man standing above one tombstone, drinking a Lone Pint Yellow Rose beer. Peter Vaughn turns towards the camera, nodding to it, before staring back at the marker in front of him.~
Peter Vaughn: They say that Thanksgiving is a time for family. I suppose that’s what brought me to my father’s grave.
~Vaughn takes a final swig of his beer, then crushes the can. If you’re expecting him to litter, though, you’ve read him wrong again, as he calmly puts the crushed can into the trash bag he brought with him. The bag appears to be at least half full. Who knows how much garbage he cleaned up on his way here? If nothing else, Vaughn likes a clean cemetery.~
Peter Vaughn: People may not believe me, but I do actually miss the old man. He did the best he could with what he had. He was the only one growing up who loved me. This is the first Thanksgiving I won’t be taking him out for a turkey sandwich. I’ll have to head to Jersey Mike’s after this. Tradition is important.
~It sounds like an emotional speech, but they aren’t showing in either Vaughn’s voice or his face. He could be talking about the stock market. But if you look deep into his eyes, maybe, MAYBE you see a little bit of sadness.~
Peter Vaughn: This is the season where everyone starts talking about everything they’re thankful for. Their successes, their family, their ability to avoid instant death by walking into the street during rush hour. All worthy things to celebrate and be thankful for. But that leads me to wonder, what exactly am I thankful for?
~Vaughn takes a moment, glancing down at the tombstone again, before continuing.~
Peter Vaughn: Let’s run down the regular list. Am I thankful for my family? All I’ve got left is my mother who ditched me when I was a kid and my half-brother. Can’t say either one of them deserves my thanks for anything. Am I thankful for my job? Hell, I work at three different companies and plan to work at a lot more in 2023. They should be thankful they’ve got ME.
~This earns a slight smirk on Vaughn’s face, as he’s warming to the conversation.~
Peter Vaughn: How about a place to live? Well, yeah, I love my new ranch, there’s no doubt about that. But I earned that through my career. Why should I give thanks for something I got for myself? Am I thanking myself? That sounds conceited. But, yeah, go me, I guess.
~There’s a sarcastic pat on the back as Vaughn shakes his head.~
Peter Vaughn: Should I be thankful for my pets? Well, I don’t have any pets, so that’s out. What about friends? The closest I’ve got there is the members of the CCPE who don’t hate me. There are a few of them, I think. Oh, I know, the golden oldie: be thankful for your good health. Yeah, I don’t think any wrestler can really claim that on a regular basis. We’re breaking our bodies to make our way up the ladder. We’ll all be lucky to live past my father’s age.
~The smirk disappears as Vaughn glances back down at the tombstone. You can almost see him thinking about mortality, before shaking it off.~
Peter Vaughn: So, really, what AM I thankful for? What does the Mechanic see as the gift that’s come his way? Well, if I have to claim one thing, I think I’d say: I’m thankful to be me. That probably comes off as conceited as well, but that’s the only answer I’ve got for you. I’m thankful for everything that’s happened in my life, the good times and mostly bad times that brought me to this point. Without all of that, I wouldn’t be a four-time World Champion with so much success in the world today.
~Vaughn nods to himself, liking the answer, before turning and reaching down to pop open the cooler he brought with him. He fishes into it, pulling out another beer. The top makes a satisfying “pop” when he opens it, taking another drink.~
Peter Vaughn: Ahhh. Texas makes good beer. So then we have the other part of the equation. I’m supposed to talk about why I deserve the Axtgriff more than any of the other World Series finalists. It’s a little annoying, having to explain the obvious, but sure, I’ll go down the details as we head back to the truck.
~Vaughn takes one more sip of the beer, then turns and pours the rest on his father’s grave. He puts the trash away, then leans down, patting the side of the tombstone.~
Peter Vaughn: Happy Thanksgiving, Dad. Hope you’re not too disappointed in me.
~Vaughn then gathers up his cooler and trash bag and starts walking, with the camera staying with him.~
Peter Vaughn: So we all know what a lot of these other wrestlers are going to focus on in regards to the Axtgriff: the ability to travel through time. You can almost feel the drool coming from their lips, which is rather disgusting.
~He makes a show of wiping off his hand on his coverall before continuing on towards the parking lot. He passes a couple of families that look up, but don’t seem to recognize him. Either that, or they just don’t like him. Either is possible.~
Peter Vaughn: Thinking about the list, we know what most will do with this power. Kido will probably travel back in time to try and be a heroic Samurai who gets his head cut off. Xavier would likely travel back to punch his dad a few more times in the face while he’s got the opportunity. Chaney, he’d… well, he’d probably go back and watch Robin Williams perform live, which isn’t that bad an option, really.
~The trek continues, as this is a fairly large cemetery. Many have come here. Many have stayed here.~
Peter Vaughn: Warstein, I think, would go back to his favorite matches so he can help himself win the ones that got away from him. He’s egotistical that way. Debonair would probably want to go back and corner the market on wines, getting himself a healthy supply in the future. Vhodka, well, I don’t think anyone could predict what she would do. You aren’t going to put her in a bubble, anything could happen, from nuclear catastrophe to humanity living on the moon.
~Vaughn shrugs, knowing that some things are just unpredictable.~
Peter Vaughn: So you can see the pattern: either someone will go back to ‘correct what once went wrong’, or someone will be selfish and try and change things for themselves. So which group do I fall into? Neither. If I won the truck, the time travel portion? It’d never be used.
~We’ve made it to the parking lot now, as Vaughn tosses the stuff into the back of his pick-up.~
Peter Vaughn: You might wonder, why wouldn’t I want to go back? I could travel back to when my mother abandoned me and slap her silly. I could travel to when Jonathan Barrows decided to train me through torture and kick his ass. I could head to earlier this year and make ALIAS disappear before our XWF match, so that I stayed the Universal Champion. So many possibilities, right?
~Vaughn nods for a second, then vigorously shakes his head.~
Peter Vaughn: No. You see, unlike everyone else, I know the consequences of making changes. You travel back in time to kill Hitler? Maybe someone with less of an ego and more of a strategic mind takes over, and we lose World War II. Travel back in time to steer the Titanic away from the iceberg? Maybe one of the people you save is a serial killer who will kill far more people in the coming years. You can never know the ripples that one change will inflict.
~You’d almost think Vaughn is speaking from experience here, but as far as the rest of us are concerned, he couldn’t be… right? Well, we’ll have to save that one for another time.~
Peter Vaughn: The fact is, every single instance that took place in my life led me to where I am today, and I LIKE where I am today. I wouldn’t change a damn thing in the past, and I have no interest in traveling any faster to the future. You know what I WOULD do with that truck? I’d drive it. I’d maintain it. I’d give it the best home of any of these other finalists, because none of them have the skills under the hood that I do.
~Vaughn turns and pats the top container of his pick-up, which has the universal sign for tools stenciled on the side of it.~
Peter Vaughn: So if you want your Axtgriff to last and not get trampled under the feet of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, I’m the guy you’re looking for. If you’d rather run the risk of letting one of these ‘noble’ or ‘selfish’ wrestlers get their hands on it, then the fate of the timeline is on you, my friends.
~The door swings open, with Vaughn easily hopping into the pick-up truck before turning back once more to the camera.~
Peter Vaughn: Happy Thanksgiving, WSOW universe. Here’s hoping we’re not all transformed into gorillas or something in the coming weeks.
~Vaughn drives off, leaving the camera behind. The camera pans over to a nearby statue placed at a grave spot. Strangely, with the sun behind it, you can almost picture the Statue of Liberty, if you really try. We slowly fade out.~