by Eden Redd
My Girlfriends are Pirate Elves!
Book 1
Eden Redd
My Girlfriends are Pirate Elves! Book 1
© copyright 2020 Eden Redd
All Rights Reserved
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Editing
Lucid Dream Editing
“Not all treasure is silver and gold, Mate.”
~Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean
My Girlfriends are Pirate Elves!
Book 1
One
Steam rose up from the cup of coffee like a ghostly spirit. It waved and flowed with the barely noticeable breeze, sunlight bathing the world in warming brilliance. Gulls floated on invisible thermals as the sounds of waves crested against several jagged stones rising above the waterline in the harbor.
Jon gave a contented sigh, drinking in the bright morning before taking a sip of his coffee. Staring out, he scanned across the harbor and admired its subdued elegance. Small boats powered along, leaving wakes behind them. A head turned in his direction and gave a wave.
Jon lifted his cup to acknowledge the boater as they continued on, weaving between the few stone spires that jutted up from the harbor depths. Bringing his cup back down, he leaned against the chest high metal fence and let out another warm sigh.
Jon’s gaze shifted to the east and he took another sip, his thoughts falling into order and planning out his day. Mind working, he kept his gaze on the billowing mists further down the length of the harbor, a few miles out. The foggy cloud writhed and pulsed like a living thing, tendrils of mists moving like a lazy octopus. Strange light flashed at different times and the sunny day was no exception. Purple, blue, and green lights flashed in slow, mild patterns. It didn’t matter the weather or activity in Southvale Harbor, the mystical fog stayed right where it appeared twelve years ago. It seethed and would change its size from time to time but it was there, always there.
Jon’s thoughts moved in an orderly fashion as memories colored the edges of those thoughts. Over twelve years ago, Southvale was just a small city on the edge of the vast Chimera Ocean. It was nothing spectacular and most citizens thought the city was pretty boring. The running joke was Southvale was a place you went to retire and eventually die a simple, peaceful death. It may have stayed that way until the misty portal appeared.
The moment the mystical fog appeared, it forever changed the simple city into a hub between two dimensions. The fog rose up from a strange vortex, filling the air above the water with flashing mists. Many citizens recorded the event as they stared in shock and awe. The event lasted for several hours before the fog settled and remained. A few days later, a ship appeared, carrying an odd crew.
Jon’s gaze lowered as those faint memories came roaring to the forefront of his mind. The ancient looking ship appeared through the misty portal, crewed by various people that resembled humanoids from ancient myth. Dwarves, elves, orcs, and halflings waved to the army of gunboats as they surrounded the rather large sea cloud. They were all smiles as they approached, waving white flags.
From that point on, it could not be denied that the newcomers were from a different dimension, one called Aquris. It took some time, but soon a common dialogue was reached. The crew of the old ship spoke of a magical battle that took place, the two mystical beings fighting to their deaths. When each one gave a simultaneous deathblow to the other, their energies crackled with so much power, it ripped through their world and Jon’s world. The sheer force of their deaths created a stable wormhole that has remained to this day.
Jon took another sip, blinked, pulled the cup away and looked into it. He didn’t realize he had finished his cup of coffee while his mind wandered. Lifting his chin, he soaked up the sunlight for a few more moments before turning and walking back into his home.
Faint thoughts whispered as he put the cup in the sink and made his way to his bedroom. The portal allowed for their two worlds to mingle and learn from each other. It didn’t take long before trade was established and soon, Southvale became a magical city to visit. The small population of one million soon ballooned to close to six million and it seemed every week that number was rising.
Jon picked up white shirt and black slacks from his closet without looking, a row of white shirts and black slacks filling the rest of it. Throwing the clothes on his wide bed, he opened his white robe and hung it on its peg. A few moments later, he was dressed and combing his hair. Once his hair was it’s almost natural spiky self, the young man made his way out into the living room and toward the kitchen. Arms and legs moved with mechanical precision as he grabbed his keys, ID, and tablet off of the counter. Keys and ID slipped into his pocket as he kept the tablet in hand. The morning routine was so perfect, anyone watching could set their clock to it, down to the very second.
Jon exited his home, locked the door and made his way along the small path to the sidewalk. Turning right, he walked as he turned on his tablet and began tapping at the screen. Words and numbers blinked onto the screen and the young man looked over his inspections for the day.
Birds sang while others watched from small trees along the sidewalk. They tilted their heads and sang louder as if to get Jon’s attention. The young man continued to walk, not bothering to look up as he swiped files onto the tablet screen. A cat sauntered out and followed Jon, giving playful meows. It sped up and leapt onto his neighbor’s mailbox right along the sidewalk. Jon moved his hand out and scratched under the cat’s chin as it stood on the mailbox, purring to his touch. Jon didn’t bother looking up, spending exactly ninety seconds scratching the cat before giving her a final pat on the head and moving on. The cat continued to purr as she leapt down and sauntered away.
Jon walked along, cars speeding by on the street next to him. The noisy sounds of construction touched his ears, but he ignored it, reading his tasks for the day and sending back messages to his supervisors. The sea air flowed, caressing his skin and hair as he focused on his directives for the day.
Three people stood on the sidewalk before the approaching Jon. A man in an orange vest stood with a sign that read “Stop.” Two older people stood, the woman patient, but the man clearly annoyed. Behind the man with the vest, two broken yet still live powerlines danced and zapped the cement sidewalk.
“What do you mean we have to wait or go back?” the older man said with a flustered edge.
“We have a pair of down powerlines. I’m waiting for my foreman to cut the power so we can move them away safely. I’m not sure how long this will take, so either you have to wait or go back the way you came,” the man in the orange vest said politely.
“Do we look like we want to go back the way we came? Our car is at the end of the block. Can’t you speed this up,” the older man growled.
“We are going as fast as we can,” the man in the orange vest said with a calm tone, distracted by the annoyed older man and not seeing Jon walk past him.
The woman spotted Jon. “Don’t go that way young man! It’s dangerous!” the older woman said with a strained voice.
The construction worker turned with wide eyes as Jon stepped toward the downed powerlines. “Wait! Stop! You’ll get killed!” he shouted.
Jon continued to eye his tablet, not hearing anyone as he was completely focused on his directives and duties. Live cables danced like hissing snakes, moving back and forth with deadly power. One cable sparked and slid toward Jon’s foot. Just as it was about to touch him, the young man lifted his leg and stepped over the power cable. It wormed to the side as the second cable bounced up and fell toward his leg. Jon stepped down, the cable missing his knee by inches. Jon continued to walk, the cable flashing back and missin
g his foot.
The three people stared in disbelief as the cables danced, barely missing Jon’s footsteps. No one breathed as the young man continued his steady walk, stepping beyond the range of the live powerlines and continuing his journey.
The three people exhaled all the air from their lungs as their shoulders sank down, not sure what they just witnessed. The older man stood straighter and eyed the man in the vest. He was about to say something when the powerlines went dead. A man waved from the construction site to his fellow co-worker.
“It seems we are all pretty lucky,” the older man smiled.
Jon made his way down the sloping hill, the Southvale Docks at the bottom. Keeping his steady pace, he reached a small grocery store where he was a repeat customer. Fruit stands filled the front and several people stood, eyeing the baskets of Ambrosia Fruit.
Jon was just going to pass the grocery store when the door flung open and a man ran out.
“Jon!” the man shouted.
Jon stopped in his tracks, hearing Mario’s voice. Turning around, he gave the store owner a kind smile as Mario ran up to him, one hand closed and the other holding a blue apple.
“Jon,” the owner huffed.
“Good Morning Mario. I hope everything is okay?” Jon inquired.
Mario nodded and returned Jon’s smile with his own. “I saw you walk past and remembered I had to give you your change from yesterday.”
Jon smiled and shook his head, “Mario, you didn’t have to do that. It was just seventy-five cents. You could have used it for someone else if they were short.”
It was Mario’s turn to shake his head, “My honor would never allow it. You’re a steady customer and it seems my store gets more people after every time you visit. It would never feel right if I didn’t maintain balance.”
Mario lifted a closed hand. Jon held out his hand, three quarters falling into his palm.
“Thank you, but seriously, next time just use it to help someone else if they need it,” Jon smiled.
Mario nodded, “Maybe, but for now, the debt is paid. In honor of it, I have a gift.”
Jon blinked as Mario handed him a blue apple. “I don’t know what to say?”
Mario smiled. “Simply accept it. Crime has been up in this city and me and my family are happy to know some good people are still here. Take it and enjoy.”
Jon bowed to the store keeper. “Thank you, Mario. This is truly a kind gift.”
The older man nodded. “Have a good day and I’ll see you later!”
Jon nodded, turned and continued down the street. The young man eyed the blue apple in his hand before he took a bite out of it. The first bite was euphoric without changing his reality. Ambrosia Fruit was one of the main trading items from the Aquris dimension. As a matter of fact, it was the only thing allowed for trade between the worlds. When the first people of Aquris arrived and gave the fruit as a peace offering, it’s blissful taste could not be denied. Not only did the fruit taste delicious, it helped ease small pains, headaches, and even changed moods for the better. It was non-addictive and extremely beneficial to the people of Aquris and the people of Urth. It changed how many lived, especially older people. Southvale’s elder population lived longer, happier lives because of the fruit and it became a staple in nearly every household. The fruit was expensive, costing nearly ten Sooze Dollars for a single one, but the return of the fruit’s healing power would last days.
Jon noticed the fruit’s properties as his body blissfully felt better. There was extra energy in his step as he made his way down the sloping sidewalk and reached the bottom of his hill. Biting into the blue apple, he chowed down to the core. Passing a trash can with a partially open lid, Jon flicked the remainder of the ambrosia fruit to it. The core stuck the lid, bounced and fell into the can, the lid closing shut over it.
Sea air flowed across the docks as Jon turned. One hand held his tablet while the other hand reached into his pocket and pulled out his ID. With deft precision, fingers clamped the ID to the shirt pocket and it hung for all to see.
Jon lifted his head and with tablet in one hand and rays of sunlight touching his body, the Dock Inspector was ready to start his day.
Time to go to work.
Jon smiled slightly to himself before walking the length of the dock. Checking his tablet, he looked at the time and lists of ships coming in. For a bright and sunny day, there would be only three ships to inspect. A surprisingly quiet day considering most days it was orderly madness with shipments coming in and out.
Jon moved to an empty dock and stood, his gaze firmly on the time.
Do they not understand time and schedules?
In the distance, the foggy portal pulsed. Lights flashed in a myriad of colors before the mists parted and a ship appeared. Jon stared as the small wooden vessel cleared the misty tendrils and made its way toward the dock. Jon drank in the ship, sail catching the small wind and pushing the vessel. It had a single mast and resembled an early Urth Sloop, which meant it was built for speed. The crew would be small as it didn’t need a lot of hands to help pilot it. The ship’s hull was made of a dark wood with metal bands running along the bow. A metal statue of an elven mermaid graced the bow, her face in anguish.
Jon kept his gaze, seeing several cloaked figures on the deck and a woman handling the wheel on the upper back deck. The sail billowed as they approached and when they were close, some of the cloaked figures moved to ropes and began to pull. The sail lost the wind and the ship glided on the calm waters, right for the dock Jon stood on.
Jon stood his ground as the ship seemed to come in fast. He looked down at his tablet and tapped away as the ship drew closer. It rushed into the dock section and slowed. Jon made no attempt to step away as the crying mermaid statue loomed close. The metal sounds of anchor and chains rattled. A splash followed and just as the bow was about to crash into the dock, the ship shuddered to a stop.
Jon looked up to see the crying mermaid just a few feet above him. Turning, he made his way to the side dock and waited as a gangplank slid out and landed on the metal and wood surface. Jon lifted his head, watching as three cloaked figures stepped down the gangplank and continued walking.
Jon lifted a hand, ready to ask for their Visitor Passes when the shorter cloaked figure in the front lifted up three pieces of paper. Jon lifted his tablet, scanning the passes as they passed each other. The moment the tablet dinged, Jon waved them through even though they didn’t bother to slow down for authorization.
The three cloaked figures continued their way down the dock when Jon looked up from his tablet, his heart skipping a beat.
“Hail handsome,” a sultry warm voice drifted down from the top of the gangplank.
Jon slowed his step as time seemed to stand still. The woman standing at the top of the gangplank looked down with the brightest smile he had ever seen. Her long red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but it still couldn’t hide its fiery glow. The hair wasn’t orange like many redheads, but a crimson red. Being in the sun, her skin glowed an alabaster white. High cheekbones gave her a majestic beauty as almond shaped green eyes slowly blinked. Jon reached the bottom of the gangplank, his gaze drifting to her billowy white shirt, the leather corset around her waist and hanging belt off her hips. She wore leggings, but they were engulfed in leather thigh high boots. The breeze caused her ponytail to bounce slightly, bringing attention to her pointed ears as her smile never diminished.
Jon woke from the living dream, pulling his thoughts together as he stepped up the ramp.
The elf eyed the man as he approached and soon, they stood before each other, the elf having the slight high ground.
“Documents?” Jon asked, falling into business mode.
The elf gave a wry smirk before reaching into her ample cleavage and pulling out some crumpled papers. Hands working, she smoothed them out and held them up. Jon lifted his tablet, allowing the sensor to scan the strange, arcane symbols used for authenticating documents between their worlds.
“Captain Lillian Silk of the Dark Heart,” Jon stated while not looking up from his tablet.
“Please, call me Lilly,” the elf said slyly.
Jon gave no reaction.
Lilly’s brow furled slightly before she lifted an arm and sniffed at her armpit. When it came away clean, she looked down at the inspector’s badge.
“Inspector Jonathan Song,” Lilly stated.
Jon nodded. “Please, call me Inspector Song.”
Lilly lifted an eyebrow.
Jon stepped up the rest of the ramp and onto the deck, Lilly stepping back to give him room.
“This is your first visit to the Urth Realm. Your cargo is fifty crates of Ambrosia. That’s a smaller shipment than we normally receive,” Jon said while not looking away from his tablet.
Lilly nodded. “I don’t normally carry such cargo. I’m more of a transport ship on Aquris, but I have heard the many tales of this realm and I had to see it for myself.”
Jon nodded. “Your crew went ashore as soon as you arrived. Why?”
Lilly’s smile returned. “They have been very excited to see the Urth Realm and didn’t want to waste any time.”
“You have a three-day pass. I’m afraid they won’t have much time to enjoy too many sights,” Jon said while he tapped at his screen.
“Every moment will be precious. I’m sure they will come back with tales to tell for generations,” Lilly grinned.
Jon gave a practiced smile before turning and stepping toward a door to the lower deck.
“I have to inspect the shipment,” Jon said robotically.
“Of course, Inspector Song,” Lilly said as she moved past him, took hold of the door and opened it with a bow.
