Imperfection

She stood, with her hands firmly holding the helm, controlling the rudder of her vessel. The parrot on her shoulder bobbed his head, dodging strains of hair dancing in the wind. The captain’s uniform, fitted meticulously to her figure like an armoured suit, making any sailor fall in line. Especially her hazel-eyed stare, when it glistened through the sunlight, could make almost anyone falter. She had the allure of a temptress, the wits of a mastermind, and the agility of a tiger.

While she gazed over the deck, a little girl starred marvelled at her from afar. But she didn’t notice her.

Then, the girl ran over the main deck, sidestepping loading cranes and cargo crates, until she reached the captain. With a sudden thump, she jumped onto the bridge, finally grabbing the attention of her idol.

“You are so perfect,” she glowed admiringly, “one day I want to be just like you.”

“Don’t let your eyes fool you, darling, the pursuit of perfection is merely an illusion making you believe you’ll never be good enough.”