Black Sheep

“Black sheep, Go Home.” The group of Chinese girls chanted directly at Solace as she was shuffled down the school hallway by her teacher. In disarray from the chaos, Solace looks up to the only authority present, uneasy, as she too resembles those same girls and their features.

“Keep moving. We talk after.” The teacher all but scolds an eight year old Solace as the chants seem to follow them despite their pace.

Solace holds back tears, trying not to look up at the strangers around her, all looking back at her with the same kind of faces- faces unlike her own.

The chanting doesn’t stop, even as the office door closes behind them as they enter, a muffled rhythm of taunting persists on the other side of that door.

The teacher points to a chair and Solace obeys, sitting down, trying to control her breathing as her father has suggested in times of stress, but it’s too much to handle.

“No worry.” The Chinese woman orders, now sitting in another chair in front of Solace, “Kids are just kids. One day, they will look back in shame, so today, only look forward.”

Solace hears her broken English, understanding it well, but not understanding something else…

“What is… black sheep?” Solace asks as the stubborn tear finally breaks free to roll down her tender cheek.

“Metaphor.” The woman smiles, “They are using words like swords, but their swords have dull edges. They only cut if you let them push through.”

“Huh?” Solace narrows her eyes, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“It mean… you are different than they are, and they don’t understand. Small minds. Kids are just kids.”

“Daddy said I would love school, but I hate it!” Solace bursts into tears, covering her face, and her teacher moves towards her, trying to shush her comfortingly.

“This isn’t forever.” The teacher says, “The black sheep to them… is the weak one… but do you know the truth about the black sheep? They stand alone. They are different because they do not follow… they are strong, independent, and leave the flock alone. The white sheep will follow one another even to their death, but when the black sheep come back, maybe then they will wish they had followed her.” She smiles, “Most of the other sheep will be slaughtered.”

“O...kay.” Solace feels better, sort of.

“Metaphor!” The teacher laughs, “You hear this word in the West?”

“No... “ Solace says, “I only thought there were white sheep.”

“That’s because everyone is white sheep… They rather pretend black sheep don't exist than to admit they weren’t strong enough to think for themself.”

“Really?” Solace is suspicious.

“No, but we joke about America this way.” She laughs, before returning to a serious expression, “Solace… in life, there are many who challenge us… this will never cease. What you must learn is to embrace their criticism… and prove them wrong. That is how you win.”

Solace hears her words and begins to nod confidently, her lips sucking into her mouth as her face hardens with strength.

“Be the black sheep.” Solace says.

“And be proud of it.” The teacher reinforces.

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Challenges. Obstacles. Wondering if the men’s roster is as cut-throat, but being around professional wrestlers my entire life, it’s not the men who cut the deepest, it’s us women. Mayhem has it easy… problems settled with violence, sure… but here at First Class… Since debuting, it’s been manipulative, fake, conniving bitches who will smile in your face then stab you in the back quicker than an Ichunko run.

The camera turns on. Instagram has a new live entry from The Quiet Storm. Solace doesn’t wait for viewers to accumulate. There’s a spark in each of her pupils with a gaze that is ready to combust… but when her mouth opens, only the smoldering heat of a winter’s furnace comes barreling out like a baby dragon’s unregulated flame.

“How dare you?” Solace growls into her camera, “You weak bitch. I worked my ass off to protect this brand.. Not JUST for you, of course, but when you called… I answered. When you asked me to drop promos to hype up matches, I dropped everything to do so; and when The Coven was putting YOUR talent on the shelf… I was there to stand in their way, but YOU… you spineless coward couldn’t take the pressure anymore, huh? How the hell can someone like you represent First Class and have none? I wouldn’t be surprised if you weaseled Brandon Hendrix out of his position so you could sit down at the head of the table and take it for yourself; you, you… you opportunist!”

Solace is turning red, her eyes lit ablaze with a furious, fiery anger.

“I shouldn’t be surprised... “ Solace shakes her head, trying to calm down, “I should accept that I was too naive, and too stupid to have looked passed all of your tells. I mean, now it’s pretty clear why you didn’t just fire Mercedes the minute she started intentionally injuring talent? Of course, you were enabling her! I know now that it wasn’t Casie because there’s NO WAY Casie would go along with this… not with that Ego. There’s no way she could sit back and go along with this masterstroke that took the belt off of her waist and put it on her piece of shit Niece. No, so, how long has this been in the works, Jolie? How long have you and Mercedes been working together on this? Weeks? Months? Since the beginning? It certainly seems that way… and I may have been naive; I may have been stupid… but not anymore, now you’ve robbed me of something that I earned! No, can’t allow it… and I’m not going to sit back and let either of you get away with it- and I don’t give a SHIT if you’re the general manager!”

Solace takes a breath, but she isn’t concerned with her father’s life-long advice this time around. She holds nothing back.

“You think you’re the first little bitch to stick a dagger in me? I’ve dealt with snakes like you my entire life, you chicken head. I was ganged up on and berated just because I was the stand out half black half Japanese girl in an all Chinese school, then I was attacked and jumped by a Russian bitch at WoW… then, I went to the states and was targeted by a corny ass cult ran by another bitch in a cat costume; hell, I was even left for dead in a desert by that crazy chick… Now, I’m here… and now I've already beaten up witches, and Jolie Vexx is just the latest bitch in a long string of bitches that I have to beat the hell out of!”

Solace’s expression switches to one of disgust.

“What kind of General manager are YOU?” Solace asks, “You are supposed to be empowering these women and you’re only empowering ONE, and that’s because that one will do whatever you want her to do… but why, Jolie? Why would you intentionally team up with this psychopath that is doing more harm to your brand than good? How could that possibly benefit First Class as a brand? Either you are a self-hating woman who wants to bring the rest of us women and our entire division down or you are simply just… a shitty boss! Guess what… even if it’s one or the other, it’s both… and I know my right thumb nail could run this place better than you, you incompetent shitface… you wear a mask to attack me… then you wear a referee shirt to screw me… at First Class, you’re better wear a helmut because i’m going to put this foot… through your skull. And Mercedes…”

Solace smiles for the first time.

‘We have our short history, but in that short history, you have been less a rival… and more an annoying little fly that just won’t seem to reach the end of your useless existence… and look! Now you have the boss enabling you yet again, somehow keeping you and your delusional outlook on life verified as reality… but what you did to Ada was bullshit… and what you did to Casie… was the lowest a family member can go… but what Ada is going to do to you? Well, that’s something you’ve been asking for… for a long time, and since I’ve been getting a little closer with Ada- we’ve been hitting the gyms, and I’ve been training with her often and I can tell you this… you better wear a helmet too, because if I don’t put this foot through your skull, I know Ada is going to kick it right off that scrawny little neck of yours.”

Solace cracks her own neck, ready to fight both of them now if she could.

“I’m not gonna keep talkin’, I'm passed it.” Solace says, “I usually would tell you to search your souls right about now, but there’s nothing there for you to search. It’s depleted, just like your morals… just like the little respect people had for you… just like the time left for you to keep doing this to people. Depleted. Gone. Out of time. Take it personal, because it is… and when Ada and I get into that ring come Sunday… there’s not a power that Jolie possesses that will save her from what’s coming… and Mercedes, there’s not a spell you could cast that will protect you from us. See you soon, bitches.”

Solace ends the video, a stark warning for two women long overdue for a lesson in humility.

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