~The picture comes together from above, as we see a long string of collapsing monuments, the only proof that life once thrived in this location. It's the former city known as Troy, including the mound of Hisarlik and the fields around it. It is both a beautiful location and a solemn one, since much death had occurred in and around this site. The drone loses altitude, heading in towards the main hill, where a single man can be seen, standing and taking in the scenery. Peter Vaughn seems to be deep in thought, considering his facial expression doesn't change as the drone gets closer. That doesn't mean, however, he hasn't noticed it.~
Peter Vaughn: So I take it you're close by somewhere, boyo? You want to join me over here, or are you going to continue filming anonymously?
~After a few seconds go by, we see a man step out from behind one of the crumbling walls, carrying his own portable camera. The drone, controlled by him, zooms over his direction. For a moment, the cameraman seems unsure on how to juggle things, but he is able to set down one camera and catch the drone softly in his hands. He puts it away, then picks up the camera again, leading to a few jerky frames of content before everything settles down. He then approaches Vaughn, who is still standing in the same spot.~
Cameraman: How did you know it was me?
Peter Vaughn: You mean, other than the drone getting right in my face?
Cameraman: That could have been anyone, though. A member of the Turkish press, or maybe a fan...
Peter Vaughn: Let's just say I recognized your flying style.
Cameraman: Ahhh, yes, it's very distinctive. You know, I took training to be able to fly the top drones in the world...
Peter Vaughn: Uh-huh...
~The cameraman quiets down, realizing that Vaughn probably doesn't believe him. But hey, you need top-notch training to work at Sin City, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he's well-trained. It's just a little hard to believe. Either way, the cameraman moves to the side, making sure not to get too close to the downward plunge of the hill as he films Vaughn.~
Cameraman: So I wanted to see how you were feeling, Mr. Vaughn. I know it was a tough loss on Sunday.
~Vaughn doesn't speak right away, instead bringing his hand up to where he's still got a bandage, courtesy of the assault pre-match from Alexander Raven.~
Peter Vaughn: Yep. I guess you could say things didn't go the way I was hoping for. Once again, I couldn't do everything for my team, and once again... my partner couldn't avoid getting pinned. It's a rather depressing statistic, really. Still, we move on. I kept my championship, which Alexis couldn't take from me. I guarantee I'll be seeing him again... and soon. I always like to make sure and... fulfill expectations, after all.
~With that, Vaughn shakes his head, looking back over the archeological remains of the city of Troy.~
Peter Vaughn: You know, the wars fought here were legendary. Stories are still told to this day about the city of Troy and the Trojan War. Kids probably think it has something to do with condoms, but they'll be educated soon enough to the Iliad and the Odyssey. At least, I hope they do. There are some good lessons to be learned in a place like this, where it was believed that they could never lose... until they lost.
Cameraman: I can't say I know much about it.
Peter Vaughn: Oh, believe me, you know more than you think. I trust you at least have heard of the story of the Trojan Horse?
Cameraman: I've heard of those. I try very hard to keep all of my computer equipment protected from them, as well as other viruses. You know, the SCW IT department gets very upset when you allow them onto your laptops... er, so I've heard..
~Vaughn lowers his head for a moment, as if mustering his strength at what he has to deal with. He then looks over at the younger man nearby.~
Peter Vaughn: I'm talking about the original Trojan Horse, friend. The one that was left outside of the gates of Troy when the Greek army seemed to abandon the war. The Trojans, in celebration, brought the wooden horse inside of their gates. Unfortunately for them, the 'horse' was filled with the best Greek warriors, and they snuck out of the horse at night, opening the gates and letting in the rest of their army. It was a slaughter.
Cameraman: That seems... ridiculous. How big was this horse, exactly?
Peter Vaughn: It was built to look like a sacrifice for the Gods.
Cameraman: Still... how many men could be inside of it? And why wouldn't the Trojans check it?
Peter Vaughn: Because people have weaknesses, boyo. For Achilles, it was his heel. For Hector, it was trust. And for the Trojans, it was arrogance.
Cameraman: I'll say...
Peter Vaughn: We all have weaknesses, friend. Even me. You know what mine is?
~You can hear the cameraman start to say something, but he apparently opts for the smarter course and bites his tongue. He knows Vaughn pretty well after all this time, after all. Vaughn doesn't seem to notice, as he continues forward.~
Peter Vaughn: My weakness appears to be partnership.
Cameraman: Partnership?
Peter Vaughn: You know what my record in Sin City is at this point, after more than a year of competing here? Twenty-one wins, eight losses. That might be one of my highest loss totals in all of the feds I've been in, actually. And you know where half of those losses come from? Tag-team matches where my partner fell short.
~Vaughn shakes his head, as if seeing the losses flash before his eyes.~
Peter Vaughn: I watched Selena Zdunich get taken down by Courtney Pierce in my first Blast From The Past Tournament. I was too tired after defending the Roulette Title earlier in the night at Summer Xxxtreme to be able to push Kim Page to the Mixed Tag Titles in that Fatal Fourway. Goth & I went against Michael Harris & J2H in a random "throw the opponents together" match, and Goth ended up going down. That one in particular still bothers me. And now, Bobbie lost her belt because she couldn't stop Calaway, and I have yet another loss on my record. Tag-team matches, man. They are my bane. My curse. My kryptonite.
~Vaughn sighs, rubbing at the back of his head. He then glances back at the cameraman, who is keeping a polite (and safe) distance.~
Peter Vaughn: I guess I can't blame Milo for campaigning for this match.
Cameraman: Wh-what? You think Miles Kasey wanted this tag-team contest to be set up?
Peter Vaughn: I'd say it's fairly obvious, for anyone who can see the truth. I have beaten Milo three times now. Twice in the singles ranks, and once in a Triple Threat Ultimate X match, but really, The Troll eliminated himself, what, five seconds in? So really, that should count as a singles contest as well. So I have his number there. But Milo surely sees that my inability to save my partner is my biggest weakness. So therefore, right after I lose yet another tag match, he just HAPPENS to get paired up with his love to face Goth and I? Not to mention, Goth is still recovering from a brutal beating he took from some moronic Entity, and I've got my own wounds still healing. Truthfully.... it's a smart move from Milo. I didn't think he had it in him.
~With that, Vaughn steps away from the hill, walking back over to where one of the decaying walls are still standing. He looks it over, reaching out as if to tap it, but decides against it, knowing it's extremely fragile.~
Peter Vaughn: Maybe Miles is starting to learn how to play the game. It's about time.
Cameraman: I think you're jumping to a bit of a conclusion, Mr. Vaughn. Personally, I think they just booked this match to have a good contest, and seeing the Saviors back in action is worth it, isn't it?
Peter Vaughn: Oh, don't get me wrong. I fully respect Goth and all he's done in the business. The man has been a legend, and I know he's going to give his all as my tag-team partner. Milo & HBC are still in for a hell of a fight, and I still expect our team to come out victorious. But I have to grant Milo his due: he's becoming more devious, which certainly makes him more of a respectable threat.
~The cameraman doesn't know what to say, even as Vaughn looks at the wall in front of him, as if looking for where the perfect punch should go to break straight through it.~
Peter Vaughn: Everyone has a weakness, my friend. Everyone. For Milo, well, I've talked about his weaknesses before. But I must admit, I missed one... because I never talked about how he'd do anything for HBC. Anything to save him.
~With that, Vaughn looks back at the cameraman with a smirk.~
Peter Vaughn: And just like me, that's a weakness Milo can't do anything about.
~Vaughn then walks to the side, kicking a piece of debris out of his way. It hits the edge of the wall, which crumbles and tilts... but still stays up. The cameraman seems to breathe a sigh of relief, before turning and hurrying after Vaughn, wanting to get as far from that place as possible before it falls. We cut away.~
~We now find ourselves in a very different location, even though we have not travelled too far. The city of Canakkale, Turkey, sits along the Dardanelles, a stunning port city with a lot of history behind it. It's the closest place for those preparing to fight at the ruins of Troy to find lodging. This is where we find Peter Vaughn now, dressed comfortably in one of his usual coveralls, while he walks down a city street with his fiancé, Sadie Anderson. The two make a left turn, heading down to near the water, where we can see a large statue up ahead. It appears to be a man holding what looks like an artillery shell in his arms. The two take in the statue, walking around it.~
Peter Vaughn: Well, there's something you don't see every day.
Sadie Anderson: It says here in my guide that it's a monument for Seyit Ali Cabuk, or Corporal Seyik. Apparently he single-handedly defended the fort here by carrying heavy artillery shells on his own to load the guns, and managed to sink a British ship with them.
Peter Vaughn: My kind of guy... stubborn and tough.
Sadie Anderson: You ever think there will be a statue of you put up one day?
~Vaughn breaks into a genuine laugh, something that you really only hear when he's with Sadie. He has to compose himself after that one.~
Peter Vaughn: Something tells me that as good as I've been, I'll never be statue-worthy. But that's fine. I'll let my record speak for itself.
Sadie Anderson: Well, you never know. Maybe I'll have one commissioned. Would you be wanting to have it where you're holding a wrestler in a headlock?
Peter Vaughn: As long as it's Alexander Raven, sure.
~The two turn, looking out over the waterway, which is busy with commerce coming back and forth across.~
Sadie Anderson: This is a very beautiful place. Thank you for bringing me here.
Peter Vaughn: Thank Sin City. They're paying for the bill for this, which is always nice.
Sadie Anderson: I wonder... would this be a good place to get married, do you think?
~Sadie's eyes show that she's been thinking about this for a while. Vaughn, meanwhile, seems surprised.~
Peter Vaughn: Married here? Under this guy? I mean, don't get me wrong, his story is very impressive... but that would make for some strange wedding photos...
~Sadie smacks Vaughn on the arm playfully, although there's a little hurt hiding behind her eyes.~
Sadie Anderson: That's not what I meant, and you know it, Peter. It's just that... we've been engaged for a while now. But we've never discussed where we want to get married. With your funds and travel experience, we really could choose anywhere across the world... and I'd like for us to start making that choice, Peter.
~Vaughn quietly puts an arm around Sadie's shoulder, still looking out towards the water.~
Peter Vaughn: I know, Sadie. I owe it to you to start getting more details together about our big day. We keep talking about it, and then something else seems to come up, doesn't it? But I haven't forgotten. I still want to marry you, Sadie. You're the only one for me. Literally, no one else can stand me, so...
~Sadie breaks into a laugh, smacking Vaughn again, this time in the chest.~
Sadie Anderson: You know there are plenty of women who would love to swoop in and take you, Peter.
Peter Vaughn: Well, I've never seen them, personally. I can't say I've ever been thought of as a ladies' man. For the longest time, I wasn't even sure about it myself.
Sadie Anderson: Well, you're with me now. So how about it? Want to get married in Rome? London? Paris?
Peter Vaughn: I'd have no problems with marrying you on a deserted island. The ceremony isn't what will bring me there, just you.
Sadie Anderson: I know you've said before that you want me to take the reins and run with planning the wedding... but I really want to do it with your help, Peter.
~Vaughn nods, stepping closer to Sadie... as his watch goes off, sounding an alarm. He looks down, checking the time and turning off the sound, as Sadie looks on, a little bemused.~
Sadie Anderson: Saved by the bell again?
Peter Vaughn: What? That didn't even sound like a bell, more like a horn or something...
~Vaughn checks his watch again, as if to look up the sound effect he had set, but Sadie stops him, shaking her head.~
Sadie Anderson: You've got to go, don't you?
Peter Vaughn: Afraid so. I'm supposed to meet up with Goth and play some cards. Melissa should be there, too. You're welcome to join us, you know, even if we ARE going to be doing two things you hate: playing poker and talking strategy.
Sadie Anderson: Maybe I'll come by later. For now, I want to hit a few of the tourist traps here and buy myself a few things. You give Goth my best, okay?
~Sadie gives Vaughn a kiss, then walks away. Vaughn watches her go, and then looks upwards at the statue above him.~
Peter Vaughn: I really am a lucky son of a gun, aren't I, Corporal Seyit?
~Not surprisingly, the monument doesn't respond. For a few more seconds, Vaughn considers the size of the statue, and what he's carrying.~
Peter Vaughn: I still think I could have taken him.
~With a smirk, Vaughn turns and departs as well, leaving the statue behind.~
You ever consider yourself a hero, Milo?
I know you like to act like the heroes you watched in your youth, emulating some of the great wrestling studs you watched in the UK. As cocky as you can be, I know you like to have the fans on your side in all your matches. You like to hear your name chanted, just not in the way they chant mine. I always seem to have a "Sucks" added on afterwords, or other words more colorful.
The crowd always seems to have a delightful version of the English language at their disposal.
So I know you're wanting to get that praise from them, Milo. I've seen it from HBC as well. You both always seem to want a little bit of approval from the people who pay money to see us. Now, me? I want them to respect me, even if they hate me, because I deserve it. But if they want to hate on me? It's their right. I have no problems being the villain in our little scenario. I mean, what are they going to do, boo Goth? The man's legendary career is coming to an end and he just got assaulted by a masked buffoon.
Nope. I'm going to be getting all the fury directed at me for this one... and I'm going to fully accept being the bad guy.
After all, people are still mad at how our championship bout ended. They're still raging, and I know you still are, too, Milo. But it's not like I came into our contest hiding my intentions. I told you that I would be willing to do anything to win. I tried to show you the truth, wanting you to assault your opponent after the bell and show you could be ruthless, too. But you wouldn't do it, and you left the door open when you couldn't put me away... and a three count later, your reign ended and mine began.
I may be the villain, but this is no comic book story, Milo... because I won.
So now we'll see if you've begun learning the correct lessons. You already managed to get a match made that could put me at a disadvantage, thanks to Goth's injuries. You made me fight a week after my last contest, while you took it easy watching your brother get his clock cleaned by Aiden Reynolds. But are you leaving the door open to taking more chances during a match? Are you willing to see how far you can take it?
This is your opportunity to leave the hero worshipping behind, Milo, and really become someone great. It doesn't have to be a villain. Just maybe an anti-hero... or a vigilante, perhaps. They're willing to break the law in order to do what is needed. Why do you have to stay Captain America?
Or I guess I should say, Captain Britain? Although I've never liked that guy myself... too uptight.
So if you're the hero, Milo, what does that make you, HBC? I don't picture you as a sidekick, by any means. I've fought you once, and you weren't an easy victory. I mean, I still won, but it wasn't a simple matter of the 1-2-3. At the same time, it's hard to picture you as the triumphant Superman flying into the midst of battle.
Although if Goth gets his hands on you, you really might learn how to fly... if not how to land.
You see, the three of us, truth be told, have very similar styles. We may not be the same in talent level, but we're all willing to do that leap over the top rope if it means destroying our adversaries. But Goth, well, he might occasionally take that risk, but he'd much rather grab you by the head and smash you headfirst into the mat... repeatedly.
Goth has a lot of anger to get rid of at the moment, and you guys have ended up becoming the targets. Congratulations.
Now, I'd rather Goth stay on the sidelines, if I'm being honest. I know he's not 100 percent coming into this. But I know better than to even suggest that to the big man. He would probably want to knock some sense into me for even saying it. And I'd team with a guy like Goth on his worst day, because I know that while he's a Hall of Famer, he still doesn't mind getting his hands dirty from time to time.
He's a Savior. That's in the job description.
So I could easily see Goth locking HBC into the Gothic Dream, taking him to the mat and choking him out as I hold Milo back, forcing him to watch as poor HBC succumbs to oblivion. Would Milo wait for the referee to make the call that HBC is unconscious? I don't think he'd tap willingly on his own, he'd sacrifice everything for Milo... and Milo would do the same, right?
Will we have any white towels handy?
If you're really stuck with being the hero in this scenario, Milo, you may have no choice in the matter but to save HBC from himself... and protect those brain cells that keep him going from losing oxygen. In this case, only you could be the hero that the guy needs, Milo. You could save him.
Even Superman has had to quit under the right circumstances. I'm sure Captain Britain has to.
Even if he sucks.
~The car that we're shown begins to sputter, as it begins weaving towards the side of the road. Thankfully, it makes it there, out of traffic, before the smoke begins to pour from the front hood. The driver steps out, looking stunned, as he goes around to pop the hood and take a look. The back door opens as well, with Peter Vaughn stepping out in frustration.~
Peter Vaughn: Damn. Really? This is actually happening?
~The Turkish driver says something in his language, which can be interpreted by anyone who knows it. We here just don't have the funds to cover extra stuff like this. Vaughn, who can't speak it either, just pulls his bag out of the car.~
Peter Vaughn: You ever hear of coolant? That might have been helpful for you here, considering how hot it is. Damn it. That's what I get for trying to use Uber in Turkey.
~With a sigh, Vaughn just walks off, ignoring the shouts behind him from the driver, who probably has already called Triple A... or whatever it's equivalent is in Turkey. Vaughn doesn't care. He's got places to be. He breaks into a jog, carrying his bag on his shoulder.~
Peter Vaughn: Looks like some unexpected training!
~Vaughn's pace quickens again, and now he's running hard, the slight smile on his face showing that no matter how his personality is, he still enjoys the burst of adrenaline he gets from challenging himself. He also apparently has a good sense of direction, as soon the hotel he's headed for comes into view. Of course, it also shows he wasn't that far away from it, which might be the reason he decided to run rather than wait for another ride. Still, he's later than expected as he comes into the hotel.~
Peter Vaughn: I hate being late. But not much I can do about it now. Where did they say to go? The third floor? Or was it the second? Hmmm.
~Vaughn makes a choice, heading up the stairs to the third floor. He gets through the door, looking around, as he hears the elevator door ding.~
Peter Vaughn: Huh. Maybe I should have just used that.
~The door opens, and a waiter comes out, pushing a tray of food in front of him. Even with the lids closed, Vaughn can smell what's been prepared. He smiles.~
Peter Vaughn: Excuse me, is this for the Goth room?
~The waiter looks confused at Vaughn for a moment, but it's less of a language barrier and more of a 'phrasing' barrier. After a moment, he gets it.~
Waiter: Evet. It is for a Goth.
~Vaughn nods, studying the tray, and the tablecloth across it. He smiles as he pulls out his wallet.~
Peter Vaughn: Then have I got a deal for you...
~As Vaughn and the waiter continue to talk, we cut away.~
I really don't want to give HBC a raw deal.
By that, I mean I don't want to really portray him as the weak link in this tag-team match, even though I know many might think that way. I mean, sure, Milo's had a lot more success with championships. But as little success as HBC has had in title matches, he's still no slouch. You don't get to 16 wins in Sin City simply by showing up on time.
Hell, HBC has a win over Michael Harris, something I can't claim.
He also probably has the best name in Sin City. Seriously, even with "The Mechanic" added, my name is admittedly fairly generic. Miles Kasey? Sounds like a post office delivery man. Neither of our names really sound out of the ordinary. Then you have Goth, who has turned that nickname into a full-on warning of what's to come when you're facing him. But even that doesn't compare to Helluva... Bottom... Carter.
I'm sticking with calling you HBC just out of respect, but still, props on the name, once again. It serves a dual purpose of bragging about yourself, while also possibly making your unaware opponents come into the contest expecting an easy win. Many of those wins you've gotten has been due to your opponent's miscalculation, and I'm all for using whatever you've got to win.
That's basically my motto when it comes to pro wrestling.
So I'm not going to take you too lightly, HBC. I know you can be a threat. I know that underestimating you will lead to nothing but trouble. With all that said, I'm sorry, but pairing you next to Milo is a tough comparison. He and I are like two sides of a coin, having won the same championships here in SCW. We're ying and yang at this point. He could be my evil twin, not that he would ever admit to it. So obviously, people are going to compare the two of us in this competition, and that pairs you across the ring from the legendary Goth.
I mean, he has about as many wins in Sin City as we three do, COMBINED. How do you top that?
I don't think anyone has "HBC beats Goth" on their bingo card this year. Now, yes, you proved that you can have a miracle or two up your sleeve... but I'm curious to see what luck you've got left after Harris, and, y'know, after Milo. Because I'm afraid the odds are stacked against you, bro. You're going to be the main target for our team, and this time, I don't have to get out of the ring if Milo tags out. I can keep right on punching away, and that's what I plan to do.
You will be astounded by the double-teams that Goth and I have worked out together. They will be the maneuvers that you usually only see from Tag-Team Champions. Hell, Goth and I would try for those together, except, of course, it's Mixed Teams only, and neither of us can pull off a dress.
Plus he's retiring, so this may be my last chance to team with him. I want to make sure that this one comes with a victory. That means throttling the two of you.
Really, HBC, you did end up with a bad deal... by this match being signed. I guess Milo has a lot of faith in you, pushing for this fight. Surprisingly, I do, too. But I don't think it's going to matter.
One of you is going to the realm of the Gothic Dream. The other one might be taking the Plunge. I guess we'll see how it ends up, won't we?
Deal the cards and let's begin.
~We find ourselves inside the room of Goth and Melissa, where the two are patiently waiting for Goth's tag-team partner to arrive. There's a knock at the door.~
Goth: Finally.
~Melissa goes to the door and talks to the waiter there. She nods to him as he brings the room service cart into the room, placing it nearby. Melissa thanks him and gives him a tip, with the man quickly getting out of there.~
Melissa: Did that guy seem nervous to you, Gerrit?
Goth: You're too beautiful, Mel. Every man should feel goosebumps when around you.
~Melissa smiles as she pats Goth on the shoulder and walks past him.~
Melissa: Where do you think Peter is?
Goth: He might have gotten lost. I'll call him.
~As Goth gets out his phone, he fails to notice the room service cart moving behind him. Slowly, Peter Vaughn raises up behind it, smirking at the unsuspecting Goth.~
Goth: I guess his phone is off...
~As Goth turns towards Vaughn, he gives out a battle-cry, jumping upwards.~
Peter Vaughn: URRAAAHHH!!!!
~Goth doesn't break down or fall backwards. Instead, he reflexively swings, the punch barely missing Vaughn as he matrixes out of the way, leaning back as far as he can. Goth stumbles, then finally realizes who it is.~
Peter Vaughn: Hah! You should have seen your face!!
Goth: Peter!!!
~for a moment, Goth looks mad. But he can't help but laugh as well, as the two partners do a fist bump. Melissa, in the background, is just shaking her head.~
Goth: That was sneaky, Pete.
Peter Vaughn: I've been called that nickname before. What can I say? It's what I'm good at. And it worked for the Greek. Now let's sit down, play some cards, eat some food, and talk about how we're taking Milo & HBC down.
~With that, Vaughn works to get the cart over near the table, where a deck of cards is already waiting. His tag-team partner joins him, as they begin to prepare for another Climax Control war. We fade out.~
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