Express Elevator To Hell! AvP, P3 (Conclusion)
Sept 28, 2021 16:19:27 GMT -5
Marcus Welsh, zybala, and 2 more like this
Post by petervaughn on Sept 28, 2021 16:19:27 GMT -5
"Listen to me when I say,
They will never go away...
Run, run...
Welcome to the jungle."
- Welcome To The Jungle, Tommee Profitt
*The view comes up on a burning wreckage of the Sulaco. The pilots tried their best, but they paid for it, with the front clearly having taken the worst of the damage. It's doubtful there are any survivors there.*
Vaughn: Sometimes the sacrificial play is the only way to go to have a chance to win. I'm hoping it won't go that far with you, Outcast. I'd love to defeat you soundly, without having to gauge the odds of loss of limb or a hospital stay. But this is my dream. My quest. This is the closest I've ever come to the top, where I've always felt I deserved to be. So I'm going to take whatever path to victory I can find, no matter what it takes.
*The camera slides downwards, showing that the rest of the ship appears to be in slightly better condition. The Predator's ship is over to the side. Apparently it didn't have time to undock before Vaughn sent them down. It looks in rough shape as well, although it weathered the impact better than the Sulaco.*
Vaughn: You may think I'm a disappointment, Outcast. You may say that I'm not staying true to who I was. But you're wrong. I'm more true to myself than ever before. I'm no longer Zybala's puppet or Ace's toy. I'm no longer a tool to be controlled by the powers that be. I've embraced everything it's going to take to become a champion, and it's brought me to this point: the moment I get to decimate you and preferably end your career, giving you one last glorious moment before you take that long ride through the tunnel, knowing it's all over.
*We focus on a shot of human blood, splayed out across the ground. Whoever that was, they didn't make it. It might be Newt... no, no, FUCK THAT, this is my dreamscape, and that means I decide what happened. Newt survived this crash, and she's already headed towards civilization. She's going to get adopted by a nice family, raised right, and become a bad-ass Marine in the future. You go live your life, Newt!*
Vaughn: I find I can't sleep that well at night currently. Every time I close my eyes, I see your face as my foot is headed towards it. I visualize the outcome again and again: you unconscious on the mat, with me flying in from the top towards you. Sometimes it's through a table, other times it's off of the set, but I never miss. That thought is the one that keeps me up the most, Outcast: the thought of hoisting that championship into the air and truly setting myself into the record books.
*We see what looks to be the dead body of a Predator laying on the ground near the ship. It's not moving, at any rate, and neon-green blood is shining around it. Was it thrown from the ship and died? Or did the alien kill it? Or Vaughn?*
Vaughn: I feel so alive now. It's no longer waking up to face a single day, thinking I've just got to get through it to enjoy a few hours before the next one. In front of me lies my destiny, the goal I've always been fated to reach. You're not going to be able to stop me, Outcast. You're barely going to get in my way. At Masters of Macabre, fate finishes you off. One way or another... your future takes the Plunge.
*The shot moves to the left, away from the wreckage, where we can see what looks like a jungle setting. A path has been cut through the trees, leading away from the wreckage. We head that direction as the shot briefly fades out.*
*We join Peter Vaughn inside the jungle, having made it a fair distance from the crash. He's got a few bandaged wounds from the crash, but he's ignoring the injuries, instead working on the ground to get something wedged in place.*
Voice: Make sure it's... concealed enough...
Vaughn: You don't have to tell me that, robot. I've got this under control.
*Vaughn looks over his shoulder, to where we can see that he's got someone strapped to his back. The view changes so that we can see the upper half of the android, Biff, hanging there. His wounds have been packed in to keep as much of him inside as possible.*
Biff: It's just... important... if you want to... win...
Vaughn: Look, I just saved your mangled ass so that you could give me eyes in the back of my head. But I don't need your advice. I know what it's going to take to kill this bitch. When it comes to mothers, I've got all the experience needed...
*Vaughn finishes up, then moves further down the trail, eyeing another area. He begins sharpening pieces of wood into mini spears. All the while, he's keeping his head(s) on a swivel, knowing that this bitch can attack without warning.*
Biff: I estimate... odds of survival... around 22.4%...
Vaughn: Odds mean nothing. Predictions have nothing to do with it. Most would probably say I lose here, that I don't have much of a chance. But I can make my own predictions come true. So fuck the odds. We're winning this.
Biff: I admire your... optimism... as an android... I have no such ability...
*There is a loud cry nearby, unmistakably alien in origin. Both turn their heads that direction.*
Biff: I think... we're fucked...
*Vaughn goes back to work, rapidly working as he tries to prepare for what's coming.*
You seem to think I don't know what's coming, Outcast. You talk about being dragged to Hell? Where the fuck do you think I've been for the past year? Hell has been my playground for months. You think I didn't take Zybala's soul, breaking his spirit and sending him on a downward spiral he's yet to recover from? You think Thomas will ever be the same after what I did to him and his family? You think you're going to walk away from this one without losing something dear to you? And I'm not talking about your broken body. I'm talking about your mind.
That's always been your true weapon. You found the way to push on because your brain won't let you quit. You believe in yourself, you believe in the mission. But I've been getting under that shell of yours, haven't I? You've begun to doubt whether or not you can actually make it. And the torture's going to continue, Outcast. I'm not done messing with you yet. By the time you come to the ring, I'll have weakened your strengths to a point that you won't be able to fully fight back. All I need is that one opening, and you're going to give it to me.
You may think you have control of your demons. Prepare to get a new one added to the mix, one that will end you forevermore.
*The jungle sits, still, with a quiet breeze blowing through. At the edge of the camera's view, we see the head of the alien queen appear, letting out a slow hiss. She seems to be moving more cautiously, unsure of the new, exposed setting. This isn't where a xenomorph feels at home. The alien steps forward, following a tracking sense... and suddenly, a trap springs from the side! Spears of wood, attached to another log, swing into the queen, stabbing deep!! She screams, pushing at the log, even as her alien blood begins to destroy the invading pieces. She throws the lumber away, howling, as she turns... to encounter Vaughn, holding up a machete.*
Vaughn: If she bleeds, we can kill the bitch! You're going down!
*Vaughn charges forward, swinging the machete and cutting off one of her arms! The queen shrieks and jabs at Vaughn with her jaw, barely missing him.*
Biff: Watch out!
Vaughn: I know, damn it!
*Vaughn swings the machete again, ripping it into the queen's exoskeleton close to her neck. It goes in deep, then gets stuck, the acid doing it's work once again. Vaughn dodges away from the spray, barely avoiding it by turning around...*
Biff: Oh no...
*The spray hits the android in the face, causing him to yell out as he melts. Sensing the danger, Vaughn quickly throws Biff off of him and turns back, as the queen manages to remove the disintegrating machete. She snarls at Vaughn, who grabs for his knife. He's ready to go down fighting, set in place for the queen's final leap. A second later, though, a blast hits the queen right in the back!! She screams again, a large part of her back now blown away! Another blast hits at her feet, then a third, racking up the wounds. She struggles to turn around, to fight, to do anything, but another cannon blast hits her in the head! Luckily, Vaughn has leapt out of range at this point, as he watches the queen fall.*
Vaughn: Fuck you! Go back to hell where you belong!
*Vaughn laughs for a moment, before noticing the green light appearing on his chest. He looks up at the Predator who is standing nearby, focused on him. Vaughn then smirks.*
Vaughn: You are one ugly mother-fucker. You ready for one-on-one?
*Suddenly, a series of dots appear on Vaughn's chest. He looks down, surprised, then glances around as, one by one, more Predators appear. There was clearly a full army of hunters on board their ship. Vaughn sighs and drops his knife.*
Vaughn: Looks like you bastards have the edge right now. You've got me, dead to rights. I know you prefer mano-a-mano, but maybe you're not willing to go there after one of your own died. Fair enough. But if you think I'm just laying down, well, that's not me anymore. You see, I control my own fate. I'm master of my domain. And that means that when I want to win, god damn it, that's going to happen. Welcome to my world, boys.
*Vaughn raises up one hand, snapping his fingers. Suddenly, forms begin to coalesce around Vaughn. We see Ellen Ripley appear, along with Hicks. Dutch is there, with his crew. Harrigan, Royce, Isabelle, and more all pop into being, all armed to the teeth. The shot goes back to Vaughn, who's now holding a mini-gun.*
Vaughn: I ain't got time for this shit.
*The predators roar in unison, charging, as Vaughn begins to fire, cutting through their ranks. Ripley lets loose with a flamethrower, while Hicks and Dutch stand side-by-side, firing away with reckless abandon. The war spreads out, battling throughout the trees, as we see some of the heroes fall, while many of the Predators go down. From somewhere, we see face huggers bounce into view, with one catching Harrigan, who desperately tries to keep it at arm's length. Isabelle snipes it, saving him, while Royce steps past him, intent on saving his own skin by killing as many as possible. Blood of multiple colors splashes around, with the camera spinning... is that a clown? For a moment... no, never mind, it's just utter chaos here. We focus back on Vaughn, who has managed to take down the apparent leader of the Predators. He discards the minigun, getting in close, even as the Predator starts to press buttons on his arm.*
Predator: You are one ugly mother-fucker...
Vaughn: And don't you forget it, asshole!
*Vaughn laughs as he plunges his knife into the Predator's arm, trying to stop the explosion from occurring. He shakes him rapidly, over and over...*
Barrows: PETER! Wake up!!
*And Vaughn comes to, realizing that Jonathan Barrows has been shaking him. Vaughn sits up, with Barrows quickly taking a piece of technology off of his forehead.*
Vaughn: What?
Barrows: Damn this thing! I think it was malfunctioning! Your readings were going crazy! Are you feeling okay now?
Vaughn: Hyped up, but everything seems to be working. Where am I?
Barrows: You... don't remember? We came here to get you an additional... treatment, to help you with your conditioning against Outcast. But I think something went wrong.
*Barrows shakes his head, looking concerned for his protégé. But Vaughn is just smiling.*
Vaughn: I don't know, Jonathan. I think this helped me immensely. I've never felt more ready for Outcast. How have things been going with him?
Barrows: Ummm... well, things were going well for the last week or so. But, he managed to find one of the devices...
Vaughn: Huh. Too bad. But we'll make due with what we've got left. There's always another path to victory, Jonathan.
Barrows: And we'll find it together... champ.
*Barrows nods to Vaughn, who returns it. But as Barrows turns, walking away, Vaughn's eyes narrow, perhaps remembering Barrows' betrayal of him in the AvP world. Perhaps it's borne from his subconscious, realizing that things may have changed between him and the man who used 'treatments' to turn his career around. Vaughn watches Barrows carefully, considering his options, as the picture slowly fades out.*