text: Clash! Clash! Bong! Swish! “This is getting boring.” “Better surrender soon then, pathetic pirate of the sea, Jaya.” the ugly Captain Roob sneered, puffing his chess and holding his black sword above his head. “First of all, its Captain Jaya. And every pirate is technically of the sea.” “You aren’t even human, sea monster!” “I am a sea person, ” I swirled my sword dramatically, “You wound me with words more than your sword.” I skillfully ducked another jab to the right. “I have hair, unlike sea monsters, though it is of different shades of blue, green, and a bit of purple, glittering skin that has a bluish glow, I am a Sagara , I am no monster. " “You are no natural human, you are a threat to all of-” he roared, but I cut him off, quite literally with a swipe at his wrist, his hand cut clean off. He howled in pain. “I am clearly a threat to your non-sword hand, ” I laughed as he crumpled to the ground, his sword thudding against the crickety wooden planks of The Prowling Sailor . “What,” I tilted my face, baring my fangs in a grin as he whimpered. “Can’t handle being unhanded?” He leaned against the wall and pushed himself, staggering from the rocking ship. Around me, my crew and the crew of the Sailor were dueling, my crew, of course was winning, with a few wounds. It wasn’t even us that invaded, we only signaled a basic hello. But of course... pirates. “Go drown!” He yelled, swiping but missing. “I literally cannot drown.” “Go drown in a volcano!” “Why don’t you?” He swiped at my black joot-leather boots, to which I danced away from. “Damn you!” He stumbled backward. “This is getting boring,” I feigned a yawn. “C’mon, old man-” “Old man?” “Yes, old man, I see white where there s’pposed to be whatever shade of shite brown your hair is.” I smoothed down my white button up silk shirt, bartered from a prince who wanted passage in our ship and didn’t have much else. “You old man, picked a fight with my crew, trying to board my precious Floating Palace of the Sea, hoping to slay me because you are so prejudiced against sea people,” I shook my head, my wavy short hair shaking with my head. “And all we wanted to do is break bread.” I said with mock dismay. “I’ll never break bread with a monster. ” he growled, a foot back, ready to charge. “Fine then,” I too got back into form, shoulders set and feet firmly planted. “Lets dance, old man .” He charged at me, yelling, his mouth revealing disgusting yellow teeth. Pirates. Blasted, unruly pirates. Can’t brush their teeth, can’t stop drinking rum, can’t stop fighting. Pathetic. Makes us calm pirates look bad. I turned to dodge the sword, missing my stomach by an inch. That’s how I play, on the edge. He knows he’s losing, because he’s pushing harder now, clarity and his need to win fighting to be in control. He immediately turns, waving his sword. Clang! I hit his sword with mine. I pushed, making him walk backward, but he did not falter. I raised an eyebrow, my only show of appreciation for his endurance. He lowered his sword and faked a jab to my right and swirled to stab me on the left. But that’s his fatal mistake. Sort of. My golden sword stopped his black one faster than a blink. I used the momentum to send his flying through the air, like a crow flying away in fear. His sword landed dramatically on the middle of the boat, sticking up from the floor, in plain sight of everyone. I pointed my sword at his chest, making him walk backwards toward his weapon. The fighting around us stopped, weapons falling around us. “It’s over,” I drawled. “You’ve lost a hand and probably your dignity. Surrender.” “No!!!” He screamed. “NOOOO!! I cannot lose!!” He unsuccessfully grabbed his sword, which refused to come out. He howled in pain again and fell to his knees. “I will never surrender,” he said with fake confidence. “Kill me.” My crew erupted in laughter, his crew was gathered into a corner. “What do you think, my mismatched crew!” I called out to them. “What should Captain Roob his crew be doomed for?” “Dragged by the boat in the sea!” “Cut off his other hand!!” “Take his eyeballs!!!” Different voices shouted out different ways to torture Captain Roob and his crew. All varying between bloody and partially humane. No one here has the heart for the death penalty, let alone for very bloody punishments of course. However, there is the case that this man is one of the worst to sail the seas and walk on land. He’s burnt entire villages, lead raiding parties on defenseless towns, kidnapped children, and harmed women in unspeakable ways. He’s got wanted signs pretty much everywhere. Even in my kingdom where I am the heir to the throne, I’ve had merchants and village chiefs complain about Roob. “Haven’t we seen his face on them wanted posters in many towns, laddies?” I called out. Resounding chants of “Yes Captain.” “I say we find the highest bidder and turn him in!” Everyone muttered agreements, but seemed confused. “Oi captain!” Sarge, a pale skinned former soldier who joined my crew after his military captain kicked him out, called. “Who’s the highest bidder? Surya is offering a plot of fertile land and a barrel of gold.” “What’re you going to do with a plot of fertile land sarge,” I asked, the mention of my kingdom bringing me memories of father declaring rewards for catching high profile criminals. “Besides, its actually the cardamom spice estates the king owns, north of the kingdom. The barrel of gold is correct though.” Father loves barrels of gifts. “Right...” “Cap’n Jaya, permission to speak?” A young man from the opposing crew asked. “Hmmm...” I took large steps toward him, the rest of his buddies taking a shuddering step backward. “Go on, speak.” “I believe,” he gulped nervously. “The kingdom of Sicily, is offering enough gold to fill a ship,” he paused and jumped backwards after looking at my eyes. “Your eye’s became purple, that’s not natural-” “Ah tut tut, my eyes are not the topic,” I rolled my lovely color changing eyes. “Besides, the color change is natural to me, considering I am not human.” “Right, erm... King Guiseppe doesn’t take kindly to pirates, even if they’re turning in other pirates...” “You don’t worry your head about it,” I spun back around to face my own crew. “Who wants a ship load of gold!!” I yelled, grinning ear to ear and raising my sword in the air. “US!!!” “And as for the crew...” I looked across the other crew, some looked scared, others looked angry. “Whoever is still loyal to Roobius Stupidius here can go with him, I’m sure Sicily has enough space in their lowest pits of prison for them. Maybe they’ll be forced to eat dirty rats!” I laughed, throwing back my head. “What about those of us who renounce our loyalty to him?” The same man that gave away the kingdom with the biggest bounty said. “Surely you’ll show mercy?” “I don’t know if you’ve heard of my reputation...” “You’re also known as the Blue Pirate, the Sagara Pirate,-” “I didn’t ask to know my nicknames, but yes...” “You mark any pirate crews that try to attack you with some kind of symbol, a you give anyone who surrenders that mark and give them a second chance. If they cross you, you hunt them down, and punish them.” “That’s right,” I crept closer to him, he flinched when I tilted his chin upward with my sword. “What’s your name?” “Simon.” “You seem well versed with the world, Simon. Did you get an education?” “I studied trade, Captain Jaya. I studied trade in France, and then I was,” his voice cracked, tears slowly flowing down. “He-he took me he-” I lowered my sword, my smile fading away. “He kidnapped you didn’t he?” “I haven’t seen my family in years.” His voice cracked. I put a hand on his shoulder. “There’s more like you aren’t there?” Hushed voices murmuring yes resounded. “Alright, well we’ll help you find your families, innit true crew?” “Yes captain!” “I’m still marking everyone, just because... Well I didn’t get this far by trusting everyone.” With that, I got to work. With my magical sea sapphire ring, I marked each person, a blue circle with a blue seashell in the middle. The mark stays blue for a whole day, and becomes invisible unless I or a different magic user touch it. During this ordeal, I had Roob strapped to a pole swinging off the back. He was shouting curses as he was tied with silver chains. At least I had the bleeding from the stump on his arm tied. After taking dive to my ship’s underside, where I kept enchanted seashells that force the truth from who ever is touching it, I tested each of his crew members to see who is loyal and who was kidnapped. Whoever was loyal was chained in different parts of their ship, which was towed to ours with an enchanted chain. Those who were kidnapped stayed on my ship, under careful watch. “Simon,” I got the attention of the young man, probably my age from what I could tell. “Since you were brave enough to speak up, I give you the chance of joining my crew. I could use someone versed in trade.” “I’ll uh think about it, sir-m’am, I’m sorry-” “Close, I prefer Captain.” I started to turn, but he cleared his throat to speak. “Captain Jaya, if its not too bold, um, where did you come from? They say you floated up from the sea and had the fish build you a magical ship.” I snorted. I could say I was born in the Kingdom of Surya, one of the southern kingdoms of South Asia. I’m the firstborn of the King, making me heir to the throne. A curse from centuries ago found its way to me, an ordinary human baby, turning me into a Sagara, whenever the scent of the ocean dares to entire my nose. I feared the curse, bullied by other children even though I’m a princess, until one day I decided the curse is truly a boon. And so I took one of my dear Father’s unused ships, decorated, and became a pirate captain. An identity with no history, only a future full of adventure and freedom. Someone who disappears and reappears, someone to be feared and to be respected. A crew full of ragtags just like the captain... “I am simply someone who ran away for freedom,” I answered, tipping my hat. “And I hunger for adventure.” “There has to be more, right? C’mon, no one knows where you come from!” I turned and laughed. “How very human. ”