Post by Peter Vaughn on Oct 11, 2022 17:50:20 GMT -5
The Road So Far:
A Day On The Ranch...
Nightmares And Cheesescapes
A New Day, A New Hire
Peter Vaughn. Rancher.
It's certainly a dream of his, albeit one that hasn't come to fruition yet. He's got the land and has been getting the facilities built, but you can't start a ranch in only a few weeks. It can take years. And Vaughn is willing to dedicate himself to that, in the pursuit of a future beyond wrestling, a place he can go once he's through breaking people inside the squared circle.
His half-brother, Thomas Hill, has shown he's willing to help, although he's mostly only available for the business side. Thomas, raised in the city, has barely seen any of the outdoors, leaving him a liability in the field. Of course, Vaughn's knowledge isn't exactly extensive, either, leaving him the need to build a core group of allies to help grow the ranch.
As part of that build, Vaughn held a mini tryout for new employees, and managed to bring two strong, capable young people on board. Leon and Sadie both seem to hold the qualifications necessary to help the ranch begin to take shape. The only issue? Sadie may be working for someone else. But who? And what are her motives in joining onto the growing PMV ranch?
October 11th, 2022
~The sunlight shines over the small cliff-face, illuminating the two riders who are slowly, carefully making their way down a path on two sturdy horses. The hooves hold, allowing them to get into a small valley. One of them tilts her cowboy hat back, glancing around left and right before looking behind her. She smiles, seeing him ride into view.~
Sadie: You doing alright there, boss?
~Peter Vaughn nudges his horse forward, seeming to at least know how to handle the reins. Unlike Sadie, he's wearing a regular baseball cap, which at least helps to block the sun somewhat. The horse is obviously well-trained, as it moves expertly next to Sadie's side. Sadie appears to be riding the horse she broke in a few weeks ago, showing that she's got complete control over it, or at least, as much control as you can with a powerful animal.~
Peter: I don't know if I like "boss" any better than "sir".
Sadie: Well, I ain't gonna call you Peter, so make a choice... boss.
~Vaughn grumbles for a second, before popping a canteen from his saddlebag and taking a quick swig of water. At least, we assume it's water. He puts it away and turns, glancing in either direction.~
Peter: So you said they went down this way. Which direction should we go? East or west? Do you need to get off of your horse?
Sadie: What, you want me down on my knees, scanning the dirt?
Peter: Hell, I don't know. Whatever you need to do to track these guys. I mean, if I have to, I could always have the Coalition hack into a few satellites and scan for them, but I'm trying to cut back on using them for my own devices...
~Sadie raises an eyebrow at that statement, but resists the urge to respond. She shrugs, then points to the left.~
Sadie: Water runoff would be that direction. That's where I would head.
Peter: Alright. Let's go get them, then.
~The two turn and ride off east, moving slightly downhill as they go. So what's brought them out here away from civilization? Well, to know that, we'll have to go back to a day before... ~
October 10th, 2022
~As we go back 24 hours, we see Peter Vaughn sitting inside the kitchen of his homestead, sipping on some coffee while reading through a Dallas paper. The paper is actually marked October 8th, with a stack of papers sitting next to it. Vaughn, having been travelling around the country, is back home and looking to catch up. He looks up, though, as there's a knock at the back door.~
Peter: It's open.
~The door shakes for a moment, then stays closed. Vaughn grins, then gets up and walks over, unlocking the door.~
Peter: Okay, now it's open.
~Thomas Hill walks in, rubbing a spot on the side of his head where he bumped into the door. He looks over at his half-brother with annoyance.~
Thomas: Thanks for that...
Peter: No problem. So what brings you here this time of day?
Thomas: Well, I just wanted to let you know I found you an accounting firm. Here's their card.
~He hands over the card, with Vaughn taking a quick look before tossing it on the table.~
Peter: So you had to go with a whole firm?
Thomas: Well, after what you did to the previous solo accountant, they didn't seem too interested. A firm was the only one willing to take a chance.
Peter: Well, as long as they know it's going to take some time to pull off a profit here. We just got some chickens and pigs in, along with the horses. I wanted to get cattle, too, but apparently you have to earn that right here in Texas, so I've got to work up to it.
Thomas: Yeah, you don't want to go too fast, anyways. Chickens and pigs are a good start.
Peter: I suppose. Feels more like a farm than a ranch so far...
~Thomas laughs, picking up a piece of bacon from the plate on the table. He munches away, ignoring the glare from Vaughn, who pulls his breakfast a little closer. Thomas then starts to look around, trying to act disinterested.~
Thomas: So... is Sadie around, by any chance?
Peter: She and Leon are out checking on the livestock.
Thomas: Wait, so she might be rolling around in the mud? Hey, should we head out there? Y'know, to help?
Peter: Well, I should get out there at least. You, though... you'd probably be good food for the pigs, so sure, why not?
~Vaughn starts putting down the rest of his breakfast as he stands up, startling Thomas. He steps back, watching as Vaughn quickly wipes off his mouth and heads for the door.~
Thomas: Fed to the pigs, hah, good one...
~Vaughn doesn't say anything, as he disappears out the door. Thomas waits for a moment, considering the potential threat of heading to the stables, balanced against the sight of Sadie doing work. He sighs.~
Thomas: The things I do for unrequited love.
~Thomas heads out, too, with the camera shot switching to outside the homestead. We follow Thomas as he moves to catch up to Vaughn. They round the corner to the small pigpen and chicken coop, where we see Leon lifting up a large bag of food and dumping it out for the pigs into their trough. Thomas looks a little relieved to see them already eating.~
Leon: Hello, sir!
Peter: I already told you guys, stop calling me sir. How's the arm feeling today?
Leon: It's doing much better, s... Peter.
Peter: Glad to see the pigs are doing alright. Everything good here?
Leon: About that... we might have a problem...
~Vaughn stops, concerned, even as Sadie walks out from behind the chicken coop. She's carrying the remains of what looks to be at least two chickens. It shouldn't be that appealing a sight, but Thomas' eyes still light up as he sees her.~
Sadie: Afraid we've got some critters around here. They took a few bites out of these chickens.
Peter: Damn. Dealing with that already, huh? I guess we need to get a better fence up here to keep them out.
Sadie: Yep. But that'll take a few days. Leon can work on that, but I might have to ride out tomorrow and find them before they cause any more trouble.
Peter: By yourself? I don't think so.
~Vaughn shakes his head, as a dark look passes over Sadie's face.~
Sadie: Now don't give me any of that chauvinistic BS. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself out there...
Peter: Maybe, but nobody goes riding out there alone. That includes me. I'll come with you, and you can show me how to hunt these 'critters'.
~Sadie thinks it over, seeming to change her opinion of the idea. Taking advantage of the situation, Thomas quickly steps forward with a goofy grin.~
Thomas: Is there anything I can do to help you, Sadie?
~Sadie turns, as if noticing Thomas for the first time. She shrugs and hands over the two dead chickens, pushing them into Thomas' chest with a slight squish. Thomas looks down, the color draining from his face as he looks at what he's holding.~
Sadie: Get rid of those, so their scent doesn't bring anything else onto the ranch. Thanks, Terry.
Thomas: It's, uh... it's Thomas...
~Thomas staggers away, moving back towards the house, wondering what to do with the dead carcasses in his hands. Leon has turned away, shaking slightly, most likely hiding his laughter. Even Vaughn is cracking a smile at the situation. We cut away.~
Once again, I'm on the hunt.
There are several adversaries out there for me to be targeting. There's the Game Changers, who decided that Drake wasn't big enough to be a man and fight me one-on-one. He had to have his group attack me together, trying to put me away by launching me through a table. And hey, props to you, Drakey, that hurt. But you know what? You made the same mistake so many others have made over the past year.
You left me in one piece.
So we'll be dealing with you soon enough, Drax, I can guarantee you that. But I've also got other business to attend to, as I've once again been placed in a "random" tag-team match. It's funny that I haven't been able to pull any tag-team I've put together to a championship this year, and yet I've been so successful in these random confrontations in Level Up. Don't ask me to explain it, it's just pure talent.
I will say, Chelsea Skye is a step up from last time. She at least proved that she can hang in the tag ranks last show, carrying Emily Simms to victory over Kennedy Matthews and Jason Ryan. I've seen her in action in multiple feds, although our interactions have been few and far between. I'm actually interested in being in the ring with her this week, to see if the hype matches the talent. If I were a betting man, I'd say it's going to match. I guess we'll see.
Of course, the other part of tag-team wrestling is being able to work with your partner. So the question is, will Skye come into this contest willing to trust the Mechanic? Or will she be like so many others who simply expect me to backstab them right out of the gate? I guess I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. But then, I hope she'll look at the recent evidence. I've made the decision never to desert a partner again. I'm going to stand and fight, no matter the odds. So, y'know, take comfort in that for what it's worth.
Just don't let me down, Skye. Don't be like Monty & Riggs running for the hills. Prove yourself to me.
And we'll get along just fine...
October 11th, 2022
~The ride continues, as Vaughn and Sadie make their way deeper into the valley. Sadie lets Vaughn get a little further ahead of her, even as she checks something on her phone. She nods, putting it away, careful not to let Vaughn see it.~
Sadie: I think they should be right up here.
Peter: What are you, part Jedi?
Sadie: No, but I do have good hearing. Don't you hear it?
~Vaughn listens for a moment, realizing that he does, indeed, hear a few yelps and growls coming from around the corner. He nods to Sadie, pulling a rifle from behind his saddle. The two move around the corner, where we find... two wild dogs, jumping back and forth, apparently in the midst of a game of 'dog tag'. The dogs snarl at each other, but there doesn't appear to be any bloodshed as they work around each other. Vaughn takes aim... then slowly lowers his weapon.~
Peter: Hell. Wolves are one thing. But dogs? Damn it.
Sadie: You want to take them alive? It could be dangerous.
Peter: I'm not scared of a couple of mutts.
Sadie: Don't forget, they are killers. They've tasted blood.
Peter: Hell, so have I, many times.
Sadie: .... okay then. Let's get them. You've got a rope?
~Sadie confidently brings out her rope, quickly knotting the end into a loop. Vaughn gets his own rope out, staring at it. He turns to Sadie, who just grins.~
Sadie: Follow my lead.
~Sadie urges her horse forward, charging towards the dogs, who look startled by the sudden appearance. They start to book it away, scared, as Sadie journeys up beside one of them. With an expert twist, she swings the rope overhead, then lets it fly, catching one of the dogs around the neck. She pulls back, managing to stop the dog without injuring it. With a yelp, it starts trying to fight against the rope, but Sadie steadfastly hangs on. She looks back over her shoulder.~
Sadie: You see? It's just as easy as...
~Vaughn's horse races past her, startling both her and her horse. She manages to calm the horse down, even as Vaughn races after the second dog, who is trying to get away. Vaughn has the rope in hand, but he doesn't have it curled. Instead, he pushes the horse on faster, getting him close to the dog, who is running as hard as possible. Vaughn, though, immediately leaps off of his horse, flying down and tackling the dog!!! There's a yelp, followed by a lot of snarling and fighting, as Sadie hurries over, her own dog in tow.~
Sadie: Peter!!
~She gets close enough to see that Vaughn is on top of the dog, holding it down, whispering to it even as it still struggles to be free. After a few more seconds, the dog calms down, realizing its hopeless, or perhaps hearing something in Vaughn's voice. The dog lets Vaughn release his grip enough to wrap the rope around him, leashing him. He gets to his feet, glancing back at a relieved Sadie.~
Peter: Thought you weren't going to call me Peter?
~Sadie clears her throat, perhaps a touch embarrassed, as Vaughn calls his horse back over to him. We fade away again.~
Sometimes the fight isn't against your worst enemy. Sometimes it's against your best friend.
Okay, Mac Bane doesn't quite qualify in that regard. Although, to be fair, I don't know who I would call my "best" friend. Bam comes to mind, maybe Xavier or Chris. But Mac's in the group. He's one of the guys I actually have been able to get along with over the past year. If I was told I'd be tagging with one of the three other people in this match, I'd definitely assume it was going to be him.
Mac's a tough customer, a strong partner, and a relatively decent guy from what I've seen. He also hates the Game Changers and came down to help me last show, which I appreciate. So, of course, we're facing off this week.
But it's not the first time, is it, Mac? You and I have met in some pretty violent affairs in the past. Hell, we last met in the XWF Supercontinental Title Tournament Finals, and that was a pretty damn good fight. Of course, I'm still wearing the strap, so it's obvious how it eventually went, but I can definitely say I earned the gold by winning that brawl. So I'm not coming into this, for once, laying a bunch of insults at the feet of my opponents.
Well, maybe Paulie, but that's just for fun's sake.
After all, Freedom and I have fought a few times as well, and it's gone either way. Has Freeballs earned my respect like Mac has? Eh. I mean, he's not an incompetent fool like some others I've fought, so I guess I can give him a little credit. The kid is getting better, and maybe someday he'll be up at the top alongside some of the other greats, like Mac and I.
Damn. It really sucks to be in a match where I don't hate anybody.
That doesn't mean I'm going to treat this contest lightly, though. Mac and I have proven before that, friendship or not, we'll gladly beat the hell out of each other for a victory. Freedom Fries, there, I have even less compulsion to avoid injuring him. I mean, things happen inside the ropes, don't they?
But I'll say this much: I'm not looking for any deliberate dislocations or decapitations. I'm just looking for the victory against two men who will look great on the victory list at the end of the year. Whatever it takes to continue boosting my record in Level Up on my way to the top.
So make sure you're ready to give me your best, Mac. Same to you, Paul. You'll have to deal with a Nightmare Angel and a slightly sociopathic Mechanic, so you'd better be locked in for this contest. Otherwise, it's not going to be near as much fun for me, and I'd hate to waste an evening of unbridled violence.
Hope you guys are prepared for a Plunge after your wings have been clipped.
It could end up being a long way down...
October 11th, 2022
~Leon and Thomas are currently working around the yard, with Thomas trying to help Leon get a small fence started around the chicken coop area. They both look up as we see Sadie and Peter riding into view, each with a dog trotting next to them. It's interesting how willingly the dogs have come along since being caught, maybe showing that they were once owned by somebody. Of course, it could also mean that they were planted out there, but that thought doesn't even cross Thomas' mind. He only has eyes for Sadie... so he can't help but see her glance over at an oblivious Vaughn with a look of interest. Thomas shakes his head, slowly putting down the fence piece in front of him.~
Thomas: I should have known. You'd think she'd realize that Peter's not looking for anything, and probably never will...
Leon: What was that, Tom?
~Leon straightens up, startling Thomas, who had almost forgotten he was there.~
Thomas: Oh, uh, nothing, Leon. I'm going to go find out the story on those dogs. I'll be back, er, later...
~Thomas hurries off, likely not to come back at all. Leon watches him go, then stares over at Sadie and Vaughn. He reaches down, popping what looks like a pen out of his pocket. He presses on the end of it.~
Leon: Look into a woman named Sadie Walker. She could be part of the enemy. End transmission.
~Leon slides the 'pen' back in his pocket and goes back to the fence work, whistling a jaunty tune as he gets a post into place. We slowly fade out.~
