Solace Tatum, fresh out of her first three wins in the XWF confidently walks on location to meet the official interviewer, Steve Sayors. It's her first interview for the XWF and, without a doubt, has struck a nerve in her as she does her best to remain armored as the strong young woman she strives to be. She feels a flutter in her stomach and isn't sure if she's hungry or if it's butterflies seeing Steve Sayors as she turns the corner.

Her smile is bright and beautiful as she approaches him, his hand extended to shake hers with a polite greeting, and it isn't long before they are both seated in position and the cameras start rolling.

Producer: and three, two... *one finger left points to Steve.*

Steve Sayors: Thank you for joining me, Solace.

Solace Tatum: The pleasure is mine, thank you!

Steve Sayors: So, tell me... how does it feel being undefeated here in the XWF thus far?

Solace Tatum: It feels good, I just wish these wins were more than technicalities, lack of effort, or interference. It takes away from that feeling of accomplishment when the win isn't how it should be.

Steve Sayors: How it should be? Well, let's dig into that. How should your match with Joey Oddjobs have gone instead of how it transpired?

Solace Tatum: Look, Stev... it's just a gut thing. It's like a sense and I can't put my finger on just one thing, but I just know that it didn't feel like the victory it should have.. whether it was due to a lack of effort on his part, or he just wasn't in the fight, it just felt unearned.

Steve Sayors: Is it possible that you are just a perfectionist with unrealistic expectations? *Steve laughs* I'm only kidding.

Solace Tatum: Hey man, *Solace laughs also.* call it what you call it but my Daddy always told me there were two ways to do something... the right way and again.

Steve Sayors: Ah. And your father, how does he feel about your record thus far?

Solace Tatum: *Solace hides her face in guilt, smiling.* I haven't called him yet.

Steve Sayors: You haven't called him?

Solace Tatum: No, I'm terrible... I just don't feel that excitement to really call and tell him... 'Daddy, I won a big one." You know?

Steve Sayors: I get it. I do. But some people might argue that even given the circumstances, having a win over Kenzi Grey (Miss Anarchy) herself is quite the achievement.

Solace Tatum: And I get that. Again, I want to be able to know it was me who laid her out... not get handed a free body to cover. It just isn't good sportsmanship to do it like that, and seriously, those other cats did her wrong.

Steve Sayors: What was going through your mind when they left Kenzi like that in the ring? Clearly, you were conflicted on whether or not to make the cover.

Solace Tatum: I mean, yes, it crossed my mind that this isn't how to do it but at the same time, the ref wasn't stopping the match, and I had to make a decision. This is professional wrestling and this is the XWF, and that match was X-treme rules so I guess all is fair in love and war but still, that's not what I believe in and I really hope that kind of outcome is a rare event going forward.

Steve Sayors: Joey Oddjobs, Kenzi, and on Savage you faced Kris Vonn Bonn, The Hammer. This also doesn't feel like a legitimate win for you?

Solace Tatum: Dude, he's a misfit. I'm pretty sure those guys were hired just to make the actual wrestlers look better.

Steve Sayors: Well, I am keen to get on board with that, at least until Scarlett the Huntress came out of the woodwork just recently. What are your thoughts on that member of the Misfits?

Solace Tatum: I think poor Ash Quinn has her work cut out for her. I'll tell you what, THAT girl... she is having a rough time. My heart goes out to her.

Steve Sayors: So, March Madness Round 1 has ended and whether you count it or not, you advanced over Kris Vonn Bonn. That is a fact.

Solace Tatum: Tis.

Steve Sayors: You head now to Savage once again... to face...

Solace Tatum: Whoa buddy, let's not forget about Anarchy first!

Steve Sayors: You are... correct. Sorry about that. So, wow, yeah... now it seems the real test is being laid out for you and this one might provide you the challenge you are looking for in Big Money Oswald.

Solace Tatum: Yes. Big guy.

Steve Sayors: Very big guy. What's your plan going forward?

Solace Tatum: Tire him out, exhaust him... work on a supporting limb... bring him down.... finish him off. I said in my last promo that this one might be the first win I actually count considering the weight difference, and surely, he is strong as an Ox but... again, technique always beats Braun as long as you don't get caught.

Steve Sayors: You are very young... and yet very ahead of your time it seems.

Solace Tatum: People tell me that.

Steve Sayors: Is there some advice you would have for Big Money Oswald that you'd be willing to share if you were coaching him against Solace Tatum?

Solace Tatum: Better chase some chickens around if you want to catch me.

Steve Sayors: Like Rocky?

Solace Tatum: Yeah, just like Rocky.

Steve Sayors: Okay, so Anarchy, potentially your first major win, in your opinion... that brings us to Savage. Hanari Carnes. What do you know about your second round opponent?

Solace Tatum: What do I know about Hanari Carnes... hmm...

Steve Sayors: Yeah, it would seem that you had studied each of your opponents thoroughly and to a greater degree than most. Maybe I shouldn't assume but based on the pattern, I think it'd be safe to assume you've at least taken a look at your opponent...

Solace Tatum: What do I know about Hanari Carnes? That's the question?

Steve Sayors: Yes. Any thoughts on your second-round match on March 13th?

2 days ago

Solace receives word that her next opponent will be a man named Hanari Carnes. Sounds Hispanic, she thinks. She hasn't heard this name before but then again, she hadn't heard of any of the other competitors she had previously faced and defeated. She wasn't the type to go in blind, and she certainly wasn't about to change her routine, after all, "routine breeds excellence" as her father taught her. Repetition being the father of learning, she had spent her career putting in the effort to study her opponents so that she could begin ergonomically outsmarting them, using various martial art techniques to disassemble her adversaries. She was a surgeon, and that ring was her operating table.

This 'routine' would apply to giants like Big Money Oswald with the same effort assigned to first carders like Joey Oddjobs; and on the same token, she lived by the personal belief to treat every opponent as a threat, even if she thought very little of their capabilities.

Hanari Carnes. The name meant nothing to her, and even in the locker room, she hadn't heard a whisper of this man's name. Perhaps Hanari was another first carder, or maybe, another fill-in for absentees when actual talent wouldn't show up to shows. It's one thing to speculate, but sometimes, her intuitions would prove accurate.. she's seen it all before.

Still, her routine was God, and God was good to her. For the time spent researching her opponents, she felt the reward time and time again when that knowledge would prove useful in their match, and ultimately, her wins. Only once had she forgone studying an opponent during a tournament in Japan; she was young and dumb, and chose sleep in place of familiarizing herself with her opponent, who was an American professional wrestler named "Darwin Summers."

Darwin was lanky, looked sleep depraved, but had long arms... long enough to reach Solace when her quickness failed her. This loss cost her the tournament in the semi-finals, and she has never stopped beating herself up about it since. That was years ago, and Solace had grown from that failure, but now, to her own detriment, has become a perfectionist... studying, to a fault, until she has each detail stored and organized in her mind.

She did it with Joey. She did it with Kenzi. She did it with The Hammer. She did it with Oswald, and now, of course, she will do it with Hanari Carnes. She will learn all there is to know about Hanari, origin, weight, height, background, experiences, move lists, even his entrance music. For Solace, It's never getting the information, it's where to start looking for it... and in 2021, The internet is a beautiful, wonderful, dangerous, potentially evil thing.

Solace starts at the XWF roster page. She types in his name... Hanari Carnes. There he is. Her eyes fiercely gazing against the brightness of her laptop screen as she reads top to bottom.

Solace: Interesting... I mean, not really, but I found him at least.

She writes down on a piece of paper anything that would be important to commence strategy, but after thoroughly examining his bio, realizes she has only written a few notes.

Solace: Whack. *She says out loud, clicking her pen closed, biting her bottom lip in frustration.*

Solace: Ah, first round.

Solace begins searching for his first-round promo and studying any comments he might have made that could lead to more research.

Solace: Voila! *click*

She studies the previous year's March Madness results with a big smile.

Solace: Aw. So close.

After writing down what was learned, she decides to use the full power of Google and all of its wisdom in expanding her investigation. She first finds another professional wrestling organization called the World Wrestling Headquarters. This was a company that never popped up on her radar while searching for the 'right fed' to join and when the plane from China landed on an American runway, it was XWF that became the focus.

Solace: Roster. *click* Dystopia. *click* Oooh. Finally, something interesting.

Solace's smile grows so large that her white teeth shine with the screen's reflecting illumination.

Solace: Good shit. *She continues writing, now filling up an entire first page with notes.*

Solace: There's got to be more, right?

Solace extracts what she needs and leaves the WWH website so she can continue checking out the search results.

Solace: Nothing... nothing... nothing...

Solace clicks to page 4 and the third link down reads:

Solace: The Unofficial Hanari Carnes Fan Page Extravaganza! Yes!!

Nothing in her expert-level of research could have prepared her for what would load once she clicked that link.

Solace: What... the... F-

The sounds of a midi version of Danza Kuduro begins obnoxiously playing, startling Solace in her seat, but triggers immediate laughter as the rest of the webpage loads.



]



Solace: This some 90's shit. Geocities??? For real?

The background is a pattern of dominican republic flags, a banner made in paint, and the eye-piercing colors of text is enough to feel that the fans of her opponent might be going through a mid-life crisis of sorts, resorting to their only knowledge of website design to praise their favorite wrestler... part of Solace wonders if he IS the mid-life crisis in question and maybe he made this site for himself... Is there really someone out there who would take the time to make this for this guy? After everything Solace had learned, her intuition suggests:

Solace: Nah.

Solace leaves the page up, laughing until she snorts, covering her mouth to hide its exposure out of habit as she laughs hysterically.

Solace: No way... no way. No fucking way. I think this is enough.

She clicks bookmark page and makes sure to save it.

Solace: So fucking funny, man. What a clown!

She takes her pen up, still laughing a bit, and closes her laptop. She stands up with the notebook in hand and makes her way over to her bed where she would spend the rest of the night devising a strategy against her second-round opponent. A sharp focus turns back into laughter a final time as she remembers the website, and returns to the plan.

PRESENT

Solace: I'm sorry, what?

Steve Sayors: Hanari Carnes... any comment?

Solace: Oh, haha, yeah. Where should I start? That should be the question. What can I say about an egotistical, obnoxious, flag-waving Dominican beta-male that gives submission wrestling a bad name?

Steve Sayors: Okay... that was a pretty good start...

Solace: Steve, you're a sweetheart... and I have enjoyed this interview, and you are doing a swell job but I'm going to need you to kinda.. just sit there for a second and let me talk.

Steve opens his hands, permitting her to do so, then folds them with a grin.

Solace: Can I get the camera to... uh...

Steve Sayors: Oh! Yes, of course!

Steve motions to the cameraman to focus solely on Solace Tatum for the remainder of the interview as she goes solo, turning what was a scheduled conversation into a promo to Savage.

Solace: Hanari Carnes, my "mang" I see you got to the finals of last year's March Madness II. Normally, that would sound impressive except it was against Madison Dyson... who isn't even here right now. Before that, you managed to defeat BigD. He's still here with the XWF, and I guess you can call that something- but can I ask what you have even done in the XWF since SUNDAY 29TH MARCH 2020. Even runner-ups on American Idols can go on to obtain celebrity or a life-long career, but not you. You actually went backward! I guess I understand why you would try another company out, but what happened?

Solace shrugs, her hands up next to her shoulders.

Solace: I've done a little research, as always, to prepare for my coming match and It seems that my next opponent and I have something in common, that I'm not very proud of, but there is a huge difference in our shared relationship. You lost your first match in WWH, went on to lose your second match to Josh Kaine, and then my guess, you'll go on to lose again for the third time to Jacob Striker. You are still waiting to win your first actual match and so am I! Well, I mean... it's different, of course... I won mine, but choose to dismiss them as actual accomplishments, while you... well, you just can't seem to accomplish anything. I guess that makes us opposite in a way, me being 3-0, you probably going to be... 0-3.

*Solace cringes*

Solace: It really paints a picture though, maybe this is why you are trying to win the XWF March Madness tournament all over again! In Hanari's mind, maybe he can regain his self confidence and it maybe it worked after defeating Hawaiian Hardhead in the first round this passed Savage, but let me stop you there. Literally. You see, Carnes, you might believe you have a chance this year to finally prevail because Madison Dyson isn't here, unfortunately for you, Solace Tatum IS.

I'm not going to lie. It's going to get ugly for you. I mean, after watching you parade around with your flag, it's just such an amazing, original style you have landed on. It's never been seen before, except for like, in every wrestling promotion ever. But, it's true... that is the flag of your real home and you are representing your real heritage, so kudos to you. I mean, it would be fine except You spend a lot of time giving people ideas for a wrestling gimmick, all while being the closest replica of Razor Ramone that you can muster... now, i'm from China, as you all know, and when people in America joke about knock-offs, I have seen it first hand.. and it looks like I'm seeing it again, Mang.

We both set goals. I set a goal to win, each and every time and time and time again, it seems you miss yours. I won't rest until I win.. and I plan on winning this match against you as well, making me 5-0 by that point... and for you, well, it'll be just another loss... so, please DO take my words personally... take them personally and hold a grudge because you're going to need all the veracity and gusto you can manufacture. I'm bringing it right to your face, boy. I'm not only bringing to your face, but I'm going to enjoy leaving you in the second round, and let's see if, after, you run away to the WWH to continue your losing streak... or you stick around the XWF to start a new one.

Steve Sayors waits for a moment and realizes Solace is finished when she smiles at him.

Solace: That's it! Thank you!

Steve Sayors: You are one seriously determined individual, young, and talented...

Solace: Why thank you, Steve.

Steve Sayors: You are very welcome, and thank you again for taking the time to sit here and hijack my show so you can do a promo. Much appreciated.

He says it with a smile and she returns the gesture.

Solace: Maybe next time, I'll interview you!

Steve Sayors: Sounds like a plan, Solace.

They both stand up, once again shaking hands with a polite farewell, before departing ways. Steve watches Solace walkout as confident as she came in until she turns the corner out of sight.

Steve Sayors: Wowee. I need some ice to chew on.