[Parand Ara]

 

Some might find it strange to be out on this beach paradise before the sun had even deigned to make itself fully known in the horizon, but this was perhaps the most peaceful of times. Plus, the myriad of colors that washed the early dawn sky over the sand an ocean waters were both lovely an bountiful, a palate to the eyes to take utmost pleasure in.

It was the perfect distraction for a mind that would not slow down and a heart that had grown cold with fear over things that were simply beyond her control.

If there had been anyone else strolling along the beach, or watching the sky as she was, they would find it a curious sight as the Syrian's bare feet walked close to the shores in the cool, wet sand, enjoying the feet of it between her toes. As was her custom, the rest of Parand Ara's body was kept from the view of men behind her traditional attire. Some would fit it a traditional faux pas for her to be walking out here without her footwear, but it was early enough that she saw nobody else out here, least of all the prying eyes of any males.

She was alone, and for this once, was able to draw some sense of enjoyment from this tour of the Caribbean beaches of the world.

Pausing briefly, she turned to face the waters and took a few steps closer toward the water's edge and simply waited, neither moving nor thinking about all that had been troubling her for these past number of weeks. She cleared her mind as best she could and just watched the ocean waters and the reflection within them of the artistry of colors in the sky above. One would almost thing she had not a care in the world.

Almost.

A flow of the tide drew the waters toward the beach shore in small waves and Parand closed her eyes as the cool, dark waters that would in a few hours be a beautiful shade of blue, washed over her bare feet and got the very bottom rim of her robes wet. She didn't care. She actually relished in this brief respite from turmoil and wondered if this was what normalcy felt like.

She had attempted only once before to try to enjoy some of the tour that had begun a mere two weeks ago, but when she made her first appearance to look out at the sun and sand, she was met with hostile stares and murmured threats and insults against her faith and person. It was a reviled trait she saw in the masses; that any one who did not share the same Christian beliefs and thoughts was seen as inferior and hated by proxy. Also, it did not help that the world looked at any one person of a Muslim faith and saw within their mind's eye a terrorist looking to wreak havoc on the lives of all around them. It was bigotry in its most pure and arrogant form. After that, she simply kept away from the public eye, rather than deal with their insecurities. Surprisingly, she even had others within the SCW make subtle attempts to get her out in the open to enjoy the touring as others might, yet she rebuffed any and all offers, citing her desire to simply be left alone and not deal with, as she referred to them as, 'idiotic pigs'.

Parand then turned away from the ocean and walked a number of steps back to the drier sands of the beach and found a lone beach chair, perhaps one forgotten or abandoned. She turned it around to face the waters and calmly had a seat so that she might be comfortable during her last moments here out in the open, on the beach, before she retired to her room until it was time for her to walk back out to face the competition; this time as part of a tag team combination rather than simply competing against another female athlete, one-on-one.

It had surprised her greatly when she had been contacted by the hierarchy of Sin City Wrestling, informing her that they would need her on this leg of the journey and as part of a championship encounter. Up until now, she had not even given thought to competing for one of the few titles available to the 'Bombshells' of Sin City Wrestling. She had simply sought to compete as often as needed and raise money for her own ends.

She had her reasons.

Yet here she was, on this paradise beach of Cane Garden Bay of Tortola, preparing to team with another woman and challenge for, of all things, the Sin City Wrestling Tag Team Championship. Her partner; Joanne Canelli, the woman dubbed the Jersey Devil Diva. Their opposition would make this task even far more daunting, for even she could not deny the success rate of Odette Ryder and Misty. Individually, those two women were uncanny competitors with a championship track record behind each. Yet as a team, they surprised the entire world by coming together and wresting the belts away from long-time champions, the Fallen. Now experts believed Misty and Odette to be simply unbeatable, if they could get past their hatred and loathing toward one another.

That was the hurdle that Parand and Joanne had to overcome if they wanted to walk away from this encounter with the golden belts around their waists.

Yet for all the glory that went with becoming a champion in this the world of professional wrestling, the prestige was lost to Parand Ara. She felt nothing for her partner, and even less for her opponents. She was slowly growing accustomed to how things were played here in this part of the world around her, and how she was to combat the lifestyles and tactics in which she had been opposed. Inside of the ring, she had been praised for the crisp display of ring awareness she had bestowed against opposition such as Jessie Salco and Vixen. Many had also been caught quite unaware at the brutal nature she would also bend the rules in order to better gain the advantage against whomever she fought at the time. She simply desired to win; she had to come out ahead if she were to manage to do what she held deeply within her heart.

She had her reasons.

Her eyes remained all that could be seen behind her niqāb as she focused on the calm waters of the ocean as the hues of golden yellows, blues, purples and reds tinted the horizon both above and below. She knew that she alone was the proverbial 'wildcard' of this contest as she was the newest amongst all of the four involved.

Misty was a veteran of the ring and a champion many times over throughout the years. A three-time SCW Bombshell champion and here she was again, at the top of the competition, but this time in the tag team division. Odette Ryder, Misty's hated rival and ironically, tag team partner, has had unparalleled success here in Sin City Wrestling, a Bombshell champion within the singles ranks and one that many might state as unbeaten as she had never been personally pinned nor forced into submission in order to lose the cherished title. Ms. Ryder was also now a two-time Tag Team Champion, proving her mettle in the ring and ability to work with others to successfully achieve her goals. Never before was that more evident than when she teamed with the very woman with whom she shared a violent past and had caused injuries and spilled much blood with, Misty. Say what one might; they were champions for a reason.

Now she was paired with Joanne Canelli, another woman who knew well what it felt like to have championship gold around her waist. This made her a valuable partner in which to have as she would obviously much desire to know that feeling again. It was Parand herself that was alone in the championship field, still being relatively new to SCW and thus had yet to know the feel of championship glory.

There was also the difficulty in whether or not the Jersey Devil Diva would feel comfortable at teaming with Parand herself, a woman that was reviled the world over for such simple matters as her faith and beliefs. Would she trust her to do her part? What are her feelings in regards to being signed to team with the Syrian Bombshell, as she had been dubbed?

Parand heard soft words from down along the beach and glanced up, and down several yards away, she witnessed a young man and woman walking along the waters, ankle-deep in the ocean. Her eyes fell to their joined hands and she looked away. In her right hand, she held her own softly woven shoes and slipped them back on over her bare feet and stood up. She turned away and headed back in the direction where her hotel was, leaving the world behind her.

She had her reasons.