In a large cave in a seemingly other dimension, there dwells giants. These monsters are over a hundred feet tall, with terrifying teeth and sickly green skin. Their tick dreadlocks hang to their knees when they take them down, and all of them have terrible, red eyes.
The only thing in this cave that is not terrifying and ugly is a girl of a regular size who lays in a jar all day, emitting a soft glow. This glow is the only thing keeping the giants from eating her. That and her entertaining rants for them to let her go.
The girl in the jar has been there for years, or even decades, but no one really knows. She may look young, but she is wise beyond her hundreds of years. Little do the giants know, she has amazing powers that no one else in existence from any realm has. Her favorite is the ability to watch other dimensions and the going-ons inside them.
The dimension that the girl in the jar watches the most may or may not be just as terrible as the giant's world, but in many different ways.
Here, regular humans run amok, and pirates roam the seas. Kings rule the land.
The girl in the jar tends to watch certain people until they become uninteresting, and at the moment, her subject of interest is a girl in her late teenage years named Sylvie.
Sylvie was as fierce as the red flower, and her hair was just as fiery. She often slept by an open window just to let the angels bless her in her sleep. She longed for the sea, for the salty waves to spash her face and turn her smooth hair stringy. Sylvie wished for a ship to sail away from her problems. She wished to leave to a new world, a new page that was fresh and free of rips and wrinkles.
And yet, a girl would never own her own ship, would she?
Sylvie lives in a town on a shoreline, and she couldn't be in a worse state. She had always had anger issues, that was no question. Sylvie's mother was a small woman, who didn't talk much, and let herself be pushed around by her husband. Sylvie's father was a proud man who valued money more than his only daughter. He barely paid any attention to his wife and daughter, but he cherished and pampered his oldest son. The city hated him for taxing them, but he paid as much attention to their dislike as he did to the women in his family.
This was Sylvie's life. She stayed out of her father's way, cleaning the house all day. Running errands and trying to avoid anyone her age, who would scoff and scorn her for being her father's daughter. Sometimes she wished that she could steal onto a pirate's ship and sail the seas where she would be feared, rather than scorned.
One morning, Sylvie was getting dressed with her many skirts and frills to show her status when a shatter came from downstairs. It was probably her mother, dropping a plate of china as she cleaned. Her mother, who was once young, beautiful, and sharp in all of her senses, was now slow, small, and had wrinkles and gray hair. She seemed to have aged centuries in less than a decade.
Sylvie shook her head slowly, hoping that her mother would escape her father's yells, and took out a large wad of cash from a dresser. She looked at it, smiling softly to herself. Sylvie earned money any way she could, whether it was selling items that were personal to her, or doing a gypsy dance for simple coins. She stuffed it back where it belonged and hurried out the door to do the errands. Today she had to get bread from the bakery. She should probably grab a new plate of china, too.
She rushed down the stairs, picking up the basket and the few bills her father provided for things such as this. She wrapped a scar over her head to hide her face (she didn't want anyone to recognise her) and walked out the door.
The town was bustling with activity, even in the early hour. Sylvie had to keep her eyes trained on the ground in front of her, occasionally looking up to see where she was going.
Only a street from the bakery, she saw a small group of boys that went to the local school. She looked away determinedly, and quickly got past them.
The baker gave her the bread loafs she needed, and she paid him quickly, walking to the china store to get a new plate for her mother.
As she turned a corner to the street, she stopped. In front of the china shop stood the group of boys she had seen earlier. Sylvie tried to turn around, but it was too late. She heard them laughing, running to surround her. She felt a tomato splat on her neck, and pushed herself harder. She flew through the city, pushing her legs to get to her house on the hill. Her back was pelted with not only tomatoes, but oranges and grapes and squash and rotten letus. The laughing and jeering were coming closer, and it wasn't gradual.
Her scarf slid from her head, and she felt something slimy run down her neck. She tried not to care, to only focus on getting home. It was only a street away. No one was helping her. They didn't want to help her. Sylvie wouldn't be getting help here.
***
That night, Sylvie sat in her room, staring at the wall, wiping her tears away. The bread had been soaked with tomato juice, and that was all her father had cared about when she showed up. Not that his daughter was crying, or that the city hated them, or that Sylvie was covered in rotten fruit. He only cared about the bread.
She pulled the brush through her hair, gulping down any sobs. Sylvie's mother hadn't comforted her in years, she hadn't stood up for her ever. No one stood up for her, really. Sylvie was alone.
But what she didn't know was that there was one person who wanted her to win, so succeed in life. The girl in the jar had been watching over Sylvie all her life, rooting for her and hoping she'd get to her goal. Because really, no one is alone in life. There will always be someone out there, whether you know they exist or not.
And yet, Sylvie didn't know this.
Sylvie got back up, and found the most simple dress in her closet, quickly lacing herself up and getting ready. She grabbed a bag, and carefully put all of the money in the room at the bottom of the bag. With a quick sweep, she took everything of value in the room and added that to the bag, then slung it over her back and (after grabbing one more bag), ran down to the kitchens.
***
The middle of the day the next day, Sylvie had gotten a whole new look with her mother's makeup, as well as much shorter hair. The whole night, she had been out selling, dancing, drawing, and singing. She had doubled her money. Her bag was still full of food. She didn't really know what she was doing, but somehow, no one had recognised her.
Sylvie approached the docks, her bag in one arm. Sylvie had a plan.
***
By the next morning, Sylvie was on a ship. A ship that she owned. She even had a very small crew of three young women. Two of them kind of knew how to man a ship.
Sylvie took a deep breath, looking out over the town she somehow called home for years. She now had a new home.
"Captain!" someone shouted. "We're ready to go. All supplies are on deck."
"Hold on," Sylvie announced. "Two things. One, I love the sound of Captain. Two, I need someone to run one more errand before we leave."
One of the women on her crew nodded, and Sylvie whispered her instructions to her.
***
The sea sprayed Sylvie's smiling face, and she took in the beauty of the sea. The wind was behind them, and they were on their way to another island to expand their crew. The ship was very large, and they needed a bigger crew.
Sylvie took one last deep breath and went back to watching her small crew.
Endaline was at the helm on the ship. Endaline had lived on her father's ship most of her life, and knew how everything worked. Once Sylvie learned this, she had immediately made her her right hand man.
Briar was up in the crow's nest, with a telescope and a book she had found in the captain's quarters. Briar had lived a particularly hard life, as she was married off to an abusive man at age twelve. She had just been buying food when Sylvie found her.
And lastly, Lydia was inside, sewing a project Sylvie had given her.. Lydia was around Sylvie's age, and knew nothing about anything related to the sea. She was given the job of cooking and housekeeping (both things she was very good at).
"Land!" Briar shouted. "I see buildin's! Not too ter'bly far, now!"
Sylvie nodded. "We'll get more supplies and crew there. Let's go!"
***
Soon, they were back on the sea with lots more supplies (all of the crew donated money) and more than double the amount of crew members. Though they still had an all female cast.
Sylvie was at the helm now, and Endaline was telling people what their jobs were. They would either cook and clean or help man the ship, or both even. Endaline was also listing punishments and rewards. No stealing from anyone on the ship, respect the captain, stuff like that.
Sylvie smiled to herself. Her ship was coming together.
***
"I see a ship!" Briar shouted. "Tho' yer'd like ter know!"
"Thank you, Briar!" Sylvie yelled back. "Can you see what kind?"
"I can't see it 'et, but I'll tell yer when I do!"
Sylvie nodded. "Full mast!"
***
After a few minutes, the mast was all the way down, and the ship was very quiet. Sylvie kept glancing up at Briar for an update.
"It's a pirate ship!" Briar suddenly screamed. "Turn around, turn around!"
Sylvie's eyes widened. They had nothing worth stealing, and the pirates might kill them all for that. She had to think quickly.
"Get any weapons! Endaline, get Lydia up here now! I need to speak with her about the project. All valuables in the captain's quarters! Spread them about, you'll have them back when we're finished here. Does this ship have any canons?"
Sylvie rushed to the helm, preparing to turn the ship. But she stayed sailing forward for the time being.
"Half mast!"
Lydia rushed up to Sylvie.
"It's almost done, Captain," she panted. "Do you want us to put it up now?"
"Yes. If it will stay together, it might just save our lives," Sylvie nodded.
Lydia nodded, rushing back down. Sylvie knew she wouldn't turn around. She'd sail on like she was moving to greet a new friend. She'd read books about pirates. She didn't know much about them, but she would act tough.
"Someone get me a sword!" she shouted. "A nice big coat would be nice, too."
A young girl handed her a coat, and she quickly put it on.
"We only had a few swords, ma'am," the girl rasped. She was barely thirteen. "But here you go."
Sylvie, nodded, taking the sword. "Two things. One, thank you. Two, call me Captain."
The girl nervously nodded and rushed off.
"Oh, and one more thing," Sylvie added. "Act tougher. Just for a little bit."
The girl nodded again, and then she disappeared.
And then the flag went up.
Sylvie looked at the black fabric, waving in the wind so the skull was visible. It was just the skull, but Sylvie had wanted to add hourglasses on each side.
"Full mast!" Sylvie shouted. Some of the crew were slow to obey, and they kept on glancing up at the flag. "Oh, come on!" she yelled. "Faster, faster! Act tougher! You've been doing this for years!"
Of course, they'd barely been working on the crew for a day. But they had to act like long time pirates if they were really going to survive.
"We're pirates!" Sylvie shouted. "Act like it! Be prepared to fight, if it comes to that!"
***
The pirates they met were not friendly. Luckily, they were just as weak as Sylvie's crew. The only problem was their captain. Sylvie knew that captains must fight captains, so it was likely that he would go after her. And he was big. He had a big sword, too.
Sylvie gripped her sword, standing by the helm as he charged at her. She ducked.
"You b-!" he started to scream at her, but she shook her head and clicked her tongue.
"Now now, kind sir. You should use better words than what I assume you were about to say. Didn't your mother teach you better?"
"She taught me to win all my battles!" he roared, and charged at her again. She slashed at his arm, and he howled out as his brown coat arm turned dark red. He took an empty rum bottle out of his lumpy coat and threw it at her head. She ducked again, and the glass
"My mother taught me not to break glass," Sylvie said. She lunged forward, knocking his sword out of his hand with more ease than she thought necessary. "Oh, and winning battles is something I learned from my dear old dad." She smiled, her sword tip at his chest. "Though he never told me firsthand, I guess."
She prodded at his chest, pushing him back until he was next to the edge of the ship.
"Jump," Sylvie said. "I'll tell your crew you won. But you missed your dear family and wanted to see them. You decided you'd swim there. It'd be faster than your slow old boat, wouldn't it?"
The man didn't move. Sylvie pressed the blade against his chest.
"Or would a quick jab through the heart be preferable?"
He stuck his chest out. Sylvie nodded.
"Ah, yes."
She closed her eyes, thrusting the sword forward. She opened her eyes and saw him slump to the ground.
"Your captain is dead!" Sylvie shouted. All the fighting stopped. Everyone was looking at her. "Go home."
Surprisingly, the man's crew left Sylvie's ship. She couldn't help noticing that there were one or two new proud, beautiful faces in her crew.
Yet the thing that surprised and even disturbed Sylvie the most was that as they threw the dead pirate over into the ocean, she felt nothing. Just pride that she had won her first fight.
***
The girl in the jar was watching Captain Sylvie, smiling at how brave she was. The girl in the jar couldn't help thinking that Sylvie was better than her. But maybe the girl could be as brave as the Captain.
Slowly, the girl in the jar stood on her two feet. She may have powers like no one else in the universe, but she was very physically weak after living in the jar for millennia. She held her hands together, raising them toward the sky, her eyes closed, and she focused on how strong Sylvie was. How skilled and smart.
Sure, she had killed someone, but she was brave enough to do it.
The girl in the jar would be strong enough to break the magical jar. She would be brave enough to escape and risk being caught. She would be skilled and smart enough to get past the giants.
Only seconds later, the girl in the jar felt her body warm with warmth she hadn't felt for ages. She recognized the power in her fingertips that had longs since vanished from everywhere but her soft, ancient eyes. She called to the fire that had died to burning embers in her gut. She gathered her strength, and for only a second, the world went white.
The girl in the jar was free.
***
Sylvie watched over her crew. She felt more like a pirate already. She would just have to get the hang of it.
"Excuse me?" someone said behind her. Sylvie turned around with a scowl, expecting to find a member of her crew. But instead, there stood a girl with long, messy blonde hair down to her feet. Her dress was white, and it draped around her like the leaves of a willow tree. Her face was as white as the moon on a black night, and her eyes were as green as the water below the ship. There was certainly no such girl on Sylvie's crew. She would have remembered.
"How in the heck did you get on my ship?" Sylvie roared.
The girl smiled softly. "I'm magical. Listen to me, I wanted to thank you. I know that you think no one has been looking out for you in life. But just know, I have been rooting for you from the beginning. You gave me the strength to be free. I know this may all sound crazy to you, but it's true. I must go now, but I do hope you remember me."
Sylvie was about to laugh in her face and wish her good luck on getting off in the middle of the ocean, when the girl vanished into thin air.
My first pirate story (it's not even really that...), yaay! This was also written in 8th grade, and I (again) feel sorry for my teacher. I got this story from a picture prompt, sooo. Yep!
Thank you and GOODNIGHT!