SOLACE CHOICE PART 1

The cries of a four-year-old girl should, by default, conjure empathic reactions from those closest to her. For Solace, one of her closest considered it weakness and a flaw rather than a normal human response. The emotion wasn't "useful" in making the humungous decisions her mother made daily and if to quote her, "She made all of her judgments at the emotional level, they'd be piss poor and foolish." Quotes like that stuck with Solace for the duration of her childhood, her mother's philosophy such as "Gotta break a few omelets," and "Love is for the poor." In this sense, despite her environment, she found herself more in tune with her father's beliefs... quite the opposite sentiment than her mother and her father was successful as well... but not as... globally invested.

Through grade-school, a small town wasn't fit to raise Solace, and since her mother always got her way, Solace went to elementary school in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. Her father was on business trips a majority of the week just as her mother was, but the only difference was during their sparse quality time, one would cherish the moments and the other would groom Solace to become an unstoppable woman of business. It wasn't Solace's dream but she tried hard to convince herself that it was; making her mother unsatisfied wasn't worth the joy of doing what she loved to do... sports. Her father made sure any basketball or softball games were not only recorded but would have copies made just in case one was lost through time. He named Solace. The one argument he won against her mother and his inevitable ex-wife.

Before their final signatures legalized the destruction of their union, Solace doesn't remember a version of her parents that were warm for longer than the hormonal and sexual needs her mother would bend herself to indulge. It was always a short-term sacrifice she'd make to soften only to achieve her husband's occasional warmth but when she realized she didn't need to soften for the men around her elsewhere, she felt that opening up at all was a chore and simply wouldn't bother after long.

Her mother was a strong woman. There was no denying that. Solace found it admirable for a while, but she also didn't know how toxic her mother was because there was no other mother-figure to compare her to. It wasn't until the divorce that she saw who her mother really was on the inside; a monster.

At the age of eight, no little girl should have to be pit against both parents by the other, but that's exactly what happened. She wanted them to work things out, but she knew it was something outside of her realm. She wondered why her wishes weren't enough for both of them to put their differences aside and just find a common ground, even if it was Solace herself, but she wasn't enough to ease the tensions. It was warfare short of actual bloodshed. This battlefield was in courtrooms with armies of lawyers and bullets made of word-bending and suggestive influence in front of people who had no business in her family's life. Nobody asked Solace what she wanted, they only insinuated that one parent would be the better choice, until one day, they finally asked Solace what she wanted... in front of both parents, unfairly expecting her to pick aside.

Mommy: Come on, baby. Tell them the truth.

She softens up for the audience looking on, but Solace knows it's a temporary moment sure to pass once she has what she wants.

Daddy: Honey. Sol. I'm sorry you are in this position... it's not fair for you to have to make this decision and it's sickening that these bloodsuckers are so desperate that they would put this on you-

"Objection!" *From the other side of the court.

Judge: Sustained.

Solace remembers the sad eyes of the judge turning to her, leaning towards her on the stand, and with a comforting voice he asks,"My dear, I know you don't want to do this at all but if you must, would you rather do this privately?"

Solace: Yes...

And so with a recess ordered by Judge Carlita, Solace, her Mommy and Daddy made their way back to his chambers to hear her decision privately. A tear streamed down either cheek as she dug deep inside of herself for the strength to choose, who in her mind, would interpret her decision as who she loved more.

This wasn't the case, at least in Solace's mind, and being eight years old with a combination of a fear of her mother all but decided for her.

Solace: I'm sorry, Daddy...

As Solace sobs, she embraces her father, who has tears at each corner of his own eyes.

Daddy: Baby, don't you worry. Don't you worry, your old man will be all right.

He looked up, tears now rolling down his own cheeks, and lands his gaze with his ex-wife. She doesn't offer sympathy, but a subtle and prideful smirk just at the corner of her lips. A quick flare from her eyebrow to let him know that she had won, and felt nothing watching him hug his daughter for the last time.

Solace: I love you, Daddy.

Daddy: I know you do, sweetheart. I love you too. I will always love you.

Mother: Okay, let's get this taken care of if you don't mind? Can we get going here? I have a pre-engagement; work-related.

Solace and her father break apart, but he holds her shoulders to look down into her eyes; perhaps for the last time.

Daddy: Don't become anything but what you want to be.

Solace: I won't, Daddy...

Daddy: Promise me...

Mother: Come on, Ekon. That's enough.

Daddy: Promise me, baby. Be true to yourself!

Solace: I promise, Daddy.

Her Daddy smiles through his tears.

Daddy: Good... now, you go on, baby. You treat your mother well, alright?

Solace: Okay, Daddy.

She pauses for a moment, wondering if she could change her mind, but her mother's eyes lock with her own and she loses her edge. She moves to her mother, her head hanging in regret, and joins her at her side.

Judge Carlita: This is highly unorthodox but as both lawyers have agreed to these terms, it would appear that the decision has been made and will be legally binding.

Solace would be with her mother for a short time before she began to feel more alone than ever before. Her mother's warmth was forever absent when Solace needed her the most and the mere mention of her father would spark a fury that eventually would cause Solace to hide how she felt. Without being able to talk about her father's memory coupled with the constant negative light her mother would shine on him, it became clear to Solace that her father was systematically being disenfranchised to remove his memory altogether.

This was the beginning of a dark time in Solace' life...

To be continued...

---------------------------------PRESENT DAY----------------------------------

Solace Tatum's face glows in the laptop screen's illuminating ora, her eyes squinting, shifting, fixated on her studies. She swears for a moment she recognizes this girl, scowling at her arrogant smile; superficial... a mask. She already read Anya's full biography countless times, but that's an understatement, for she has it memorized as she does prior to any match with every opponent she has ever faced.

"Mommy issues." Solace mutters out to herself, her eyebrows jump accepting that she and Anya already have that in common, but her eyes return to a squint once again as she rules out any other similarity.

"Russian. Technical. Oh." Solace was nearly impressed before arriving at "The Russian Queen Bee." She now understands why there wasn't much buzz to be had, but she already decided to squash this bumble, even if it meant extinction in 5 years. So be it, she smiled to herself.

Just then, her own phone buzzed at her peripheral, she scoffs.

"Shit." She blurts out, remember she was supposed to send in a video promo to build hype for the event. Something she never had to do in China, and something she surely felt uncomfortable doing anywhere.

REMINDER: NEED 2 PROMOS FOR QOTR. THANK YOU! AND GOOD LUCK!

-IIW Office

"Wonderful." She sarcastically succumbs, grabbing her phone as she shuts the top of her laptop to the keys below it. She brushes the curly hair away from her face, takes a breath, and hits record on her phone. As it counts to begin, 3... 2... her cheeks lift and her bright white teeth glisten in a contagious smile.

1.

Solace: Hello IIW! I'm the new blood, if you will... Solace Tatum. The Quiet Storm. and I have to be honest, for me... first impressions are so important, and introducing myself this way is, well, frankly, a little out of my character. I'm all about energy and I much rather would have introduced myself in person...

Solace's eyes leave the camera for a moment before returning.

"Well, I did meet that Russell guy, but it was kind of a strange situation... we'll get back to that a little later. For now! I just received an invitation to, not only make my debut in the IIW but enter the first round of the IIW first ever... Queen of the Ring!"

Solace swells up with contained excitement.

"I am totally stoked about it too. I think it's the perfect way to truly introduce myself to the fans, to the sponsors, and I'm really, really looking forward to making an electrifying first impression to some little Russian firecracker named Anya. By the way, if you had just told me you were Russian, I could take a stab in the dark 9/10 and know your name was Anya... Is your wrestling as mediocre as your mother's name choices? I mean, when I was named... I was literally the only Solace in a hundred thousand miles, and throughout my life, I lived it just as unique... but reading your bio, Anya girl... It's pretty clear to me that you are not only a walking cliche, you are not even a clever one.

Queen Bee? Really? I guess we'll see... I can't imagine you'll carry around that moniker after losing in the first round of a Queen of the Ring tournament, but it's not like anyone here takes that moniker serious now to begin with anyway, right? Look, I'm sorry if I'm coming on a bit strong... it's just, my whole life I've had a chip on my shoulder... always taught to be my very best me every single day... and this day is no different, nor is the day that you and I first meet at First Class.

Speaking of which, I see you've been classically trained in the wrestling world, consider yourself a technical wrestler, and that actually is music to my ears. I am truly glad to step into the ring with someone who knows their way around it, something I can probably assume isn't the case for many of the female talent in that locker room... but i'm not the assuming type. I treat every opponent as if they are a threat... big, small, technical, or delusional... it's going to be YOUR First Class when we meet... so pay attention, take notes, and maybe after our match ends with me heading for the second round you'll learn a thing or two... but here's some homework until then... A little advice if you will...

Don't take this personally... search your soul... because the card is up, the match is made, and there isn't much else you can do but to accept your inevitable humiliation. After all, what's a bumble bee to a stomping boot?"

With a stern gaze on her final threat, as quick as a rattlesnake, her eyes twinkle and a genuine smile crawls quickly across her face.

"Well, I'm excited. Can't wait for First Class! See you soon, Queen B."

With that said, Solace ends the recording, sending it to IIW's office to be edited and uploaded for the show's hype machine. She hopes she did well, but doesn't anticipate or need feedback... her results will be clear as day, and if she is to lose, she'll climb back up and better herself tomorrow. Her Daddy always told her those kind of people who become champions.