A Fish Out Of Water (Whitebrand and tigra9)

[Whitebrand]

Tristan stared rather listlessly out towards where he could smell the sea. It was so close and yet so far...freedom. But here he was, sitting on the auction block of these surface-dwellers, about to be robbed of it forever.

He was extraordinarily handsome for a merman, with an almost pretty face and muscular, slender build. Long hair that was so dark blue that it was almost black, and a faint tinge of blue to his skin. He was a rare creature as well...he had an ability that was usually restricted to the females of his kind...he could form his tail into a pair of legs and walk on the land if he so chose. He was now very much wishing that he had never developed that ability.

He stared down at his hands and the metal bands around his wrists without much hope. He was trying hard not to hate the people who were about to bid on him...but was finding it very hard to do so. Emotions like that were toxic and kept one from seeing clearly, and he wanted his wits about himself in case he somehow got a chance at escape.

[tigra9]

It was early morning in this coastal town that went by the name of Bronze town... a strange name as it had no signs of visible bronze to its design, Tristan had only been able to see a small portion of two story tall lengthy buildings that looked not well kept on his trip from the ship who's crew had captured him originally, the auctioneering platform with a square block upon which he sat was a long wooden platform that was on a platform, it looked like it could fit the role of an execution platform too at a different point in time, there were plenty of humans gathered in front and some seemed to be chatting among themselves, others just stared at him.

A few minutes of relative silence passed before the Auctioneer an older human man that looked like he had put on far to many pounds in the gut region and his short hair was black with dotted grey spots and he had a full handlebar mustache and goatee, unlike his hair though the facial hair was full on grey "And now we have our next article! a Rare sight outside of the Grand Line! so rare in fact most only have tales from madmen and legends to even recognize the name of his species! A real, life, MERFOLK!!" he spoke as he walked a half circle with one arm stretch out to indicate Tristan, at that the clamoring from the people who were gathered rose a volume "Now then in the Grand Line the lowest a Merman could sell for is 10,000 Beli's! but of course, nobody here has that kind of money...." a chuckle rose from the crowd along with the auctioneer "Therefore! his minimum bid will start at 900 Beri's!" it was a stark contrast in price and with that the bidding started, but a strange occurrence would meet tristan, after 5 minutes only three had bid on him and his current price was 915 beri... they made only minimal increases to his price!

At nearly the same time the Auctioneer seemed keen on ending the bidding a young girl forced her way out of the front of the crowd "oof!" she exclaimed as she tripped and hit the ground "finally got through" she commented cheerfully as she got up and patted at her clean pure white dress, she couldn't be older than ten judging by her appearance, yet even with how obvious it was that her body was that of a child with no figure to note, something about her was VERY attractive, her hair was light purple and had been done into two long ponytails off either side of her head, even standing at her 4 foot height they nearly brushed the ground. her eyes were pale purple hues as she scanned over tristan and she spoke in her sweet enticing voice as she raised her hand cutely "I want to bid! 1,000!" she said causing everyone to fall silent and stare at her though after a moment Tristan's ears would pick up the noise of people in the crowd behind her whispering something all over the place

The auctioneer who after taking a moment to recover from his shock at the young girl spoke up "Going once!, Going Twice?! ..... Sold!!" he shouted out motioning to the girl "... to the Young Lady!!" he said then frowned and motioned for a worker to come get Tristan off the auction block and knelt down "Lady Megara please go around behind the platform to complete the purchase, i am thankful that you even came out to such a dirty place" his demeanour was clearly different, not an auctioneer showing off like a businessman, but instead the tone of his voice, was one similar to reverence given to royalty

Megara smiled cutely and nodded her ponytails bobbing as she had walked to the edge of the platform "ok, thank you so much" with that she turned and walked around the platform an adult female dressed in what seemed to be a black and white dress catching up and speaking to the young girl though tristan wouldnt be able to hear that conversation as he was lead down the steps in the back of the platform back towards where other slaves were waiting to be sold in cages, in truth the binds on his arm were not the thing that kept tristan bound, instead it was the collar the strong merman wore, a thin piece of cloth with what looked like an oversized bar with strangely colored balls on it, from the bar extended the chain used to lead him and tristan had been shown what was to happen if he tried to escape, the chain would easily break before after a few minutes passed the collar would explode around his neck with lethal consequences

[Whitebrand]

Tristan allowed the men to move him, but didn't help them at all. When released he simply stood where he was until they had to move him again...the most passive resistance he could dare muster while the cursed collar was around his neck.

Good grief, his buyer was a kid...some rich kid. Probably some spoiled brat who thought little more of him than as a plaything...maybe a doll to dress up as she pleased or a source of entertainment.

He supposed that the price he'd been sold for was at least slightly respectable...it had cleared the thousand beri mark at any rate. He kept his eyes down and played the part of a defeated man...not a hard part to play, given the circumstances.

Right up until one of the men moving him twisted his arm painfully. Tristan wasn't sure for what...he hadn't been paying attention...but the look he gave the idiot who was on his arm could have melted lead if looks could kill.

[tigra9]

The guy didn’t flinch even under the gaze, he wasn’t a stranger to violence, or perhaps he was confident Tristan could be neutralized before the merman could do any serious harm it wasn’t clear. But after he got Tristan’s attention he used his grip to force Tristan to turn to the side wordlessly and stop there, the one who had lead Tristan off havin stopped as well.

A few seconds passed before Megara with the woman from before following her showed up from the opposite direction, no doubt having just visited the tent at the far end, though the rate at which she had appeared seemed far to fast for a full visit, the woman behind her though seemed exhausted though having a look like she had given up, the grown woman while not what a person would call a beauty wasn’t bad looking by any stretch and she stopped a few feet away even as Megara didn’t slow her own walking pace and moved to stand right in front of Tristan and hmmed “you two let him go... I’ll take him from here” she said reaching her hand up for the chain that got quickly moved out of her reach “Hey!!”

The guy holding the chain grinned “no can do, unless the boss tells us he is paid for its our job to make sure nobody walks off with him lest the boss not get paid and lose the merchandise at the same time”

Megara frowned “paid... I was going to pay him I just wanted to take my new slave with me ahead of time to his tent, do you really think I would drag the Athena Royalty name through the mud by not paying what I owe?!” She closed her eyes turning her head away and making an exaggerated movement with her hand to brush a ponytail back as if she were flinging some hair out to the side

At that the guy that had twisted Tristan’s arm let go and grinned stepping around and reaching out for the girl “Haha perhaps not... but you know missy isn’t it dangerous for royalty to walk around without a guard?” He clearly had intentions of nabbing her for something

Yet before the man could Megara opened her eyes and smiled cruelly “all our guards are weaker then me so at best I could only use them as meat shields” she ducked under the arm that had speed up its attempt to grab her and grabbed his arm then with the same visible effort one might use to toss away a small fruit casually she tossed the man that was clearly twice her size and atleast five times her weight away from her causing him to sail through the air and land a few feet away still smiling fearlessly, her expression closer to a beast then a human “now then, may I please get the chain? I would hate to explain while I’m paying why two of his men ended up with broken limbs” she said it casually and sure enough she was quickly handed the chain and the two left causing her to finally relax and sigh “really... plotting to kill a slave I just bought, the nerve of those weaklings” she looked up at Tristan “so what’s your name? Mine is Megara D Athena, nice to meet you” she gave an innocent childish smile to the merman

[Whitebrand]

Tristan had gone through the entire expereince with raised eyebrows, startled but not all that surprised at the human's treachery. When the child threw the fully grown adult human, though...that somewhat woke him up out of sheer surprise. He stared at the child with a confused expression on his face. How had she done such a feat so easily?

"Tristan," he found himself answering that disturbingly innocent looking smile.

[tigra9]

The woman had not shown any surprise at Megara’s feat merely shaking her head with a hint of silent disapproval

Megara hmmed “oh? That’s a pretty nice name” she looked at the woman “Rhea lets go complete getting him paid for” she said to the maid and then turned and started to walk though she patiently ensured Tristan was following before she really got to walking

The maid Rhea nodded “understood my lady, but please I beg you once again refrain from showing your strength... it’s no...” she got cut off though by an annoyed Megara

“I KNOW I KNOW! Don’t go showing off the abnormal strength I was born with because it isn’t ladylike!” She said in a huff “well sorry I once again meet everyone’s disapproval.... you can stop bringing it up!!” She said letting go of Tristan’s chain and quickened her walking pace some out of clear aggravation, well atleast she didn’t try to force Tristan to follow her pace. Though Rhea simply grabbed the chain that was discarded by Megara and went silent as she followed while leading Tristan towards the tent at the far end of the place

[Whitebrand]

Tristan followed the girl...mostly for lack of options. He found himself rather hoping that the men in charge of this auction were stupid enough to tick off the girl further. That would be amusing...

[tigra9]

When they reached the tent Megara entered the tent after sticking a hand out to stop Rhea and Tristan outside the tent

Rhea frowned but just stood there and waited looking Tristan over with eyes that clearly disapproved of him even being bought yet she didn’t say a word the entire time

After what felt like a long time Megara finally emerged lookin even more annoyed then when she entered and firmly snatched Tristan’s chain “ok Rhea you can go home I want some time alone with my new slave but I’ll be home in two hours, I don’t need a bodyguard and I most certainly don’t want you keeping an eye on me so oppressively” she said not waiting for a reply before she started walking leading Tristan towards an alley way that she knew would be a fast way out of the area

Rhea tried to argue “my lady it is not...” she tried to follow but after she received a death glare from Megara she stopped and frowned and then bowed and left the two alone knowing she was likely to suffer injury if she pushed the issue further

[Whitebrand]

Tristan waited until the woman left before he looked down at the girl. She was only a few years younger than he was, but he suspected that it wasn't wise to underestimate her.

"Well," he said as he trailed along behind. "You have me. Now what will you do with me?"

Truth be told, he was hoping that the child would make some kind of mistake and he would have the chance to get out of his collar and make a run for the sea. It was so close he could almost still taste it. He wondered if he would get the chance to see the sea again.

[tigra9]

Megara once it was just the two of them in the relative privacy of a back alley let out a deep lengthy sigh of relief “nnngh finally free for a bit....” she said stretching her arms and then turning to face him “well, I’m going to have you trained to be my butler” she smiled happily “i would be so much happier having a personal servant that I picked over all the servants my parents places on me in order to keep me under surveillance” she pouted crossing her arms “I hate it... because I’m different they are scared of me and do their utmost to keep me caged up” she looked him in the eyes “a lot like a slave is treated if you ask me” she smiled “... something I suppose we can relate on right?” She let go of the chain and held out her hand in and offered handshake “so let’s redo our introduction since we don’t have any prying eyes here, my name is Megara D Athena, I go by Meg as a nickname though in your case Lady Meg will be just fine”

[Whitebrand]

“A...Butler?” Tristan repeated as he stared at the little girl. “What makes you think I would want to become a butler? What makes you think I won’t run for the sea the first chance I get?”

He held up his bound wrists for emphasis.

[tigra9]

Megara blinked and dropped her arm and her body slumped “because I’m not removing that collar, and before you ask, what sets off the explosive on your neck isn’t the chain.... they just say that to make slaves try not to break it” she looked away “it’s proximity to a particular button, if I press it your collar explodes, or if you get to far away it explodes” she looked back at him sadness and weakness in her eyes, leave it to a child to show those feelings to someone wanting to take advantage of just such a thing “I would rather not ruin my only day outside the house this year being responsible for your death.... so how about a deal instead, one year, serve me for one year and I’ll remove the collar, after that whatever you decide to do I will not stop you”

[Whitebrand]

One year. That was by far a better prospect than never. Hope lit his eyes. She could see it as he straightened and slowly nodded.

"One year of training," he said. "I will give it my best. At the end of that time I will be freed from the collar...and then be free to decide where I want to go. That is the deal, yes?"

He held out his bound hands.

"Deal."

[tigra9]

Megara shook his hand “yep” she said seemingly happy again, then after the handshake she looked at his bound arms “well time to take these iron bands off” she said gripping hold of one, and with some hard effort she managed to by brute force break it off before panting “oh wow, that was actually kinda solid... guess the makers knew what they were doing” she complained a bit, yet.... even a fishman attempting the same feat would’ve had a lot more trouble then she just did! “Ok time for the other one” she commented once her breathing settled and repeated her feat, not caring how dirty her hands now looked from the iron bands she just broke

[Whitebrand]

His eyes widened at the sight of the little girl tearing the metal cuffs from his hands. He rubbed his wrists and stared down at the child.

"Your...ability," he said. "You said you were somehow born with it? I have never heard of such power in someone so young."

Like he had room to talk...he was only a few years older than she was. Then again, at their respective ages, a few years made quite a bit of difference.

[tigra9]

She blinked and frowned looking at her hands then looking around for something to wipe them off on “yes.... for as long as I can remember I’ve always been super strong, a traveler compared my strength to a race he called “giants” that exist in the grand line, yet both of my parents are human and I’m....” she frowned looking up at him “well I mean I don’t look like I’m tall for ten do I?” That was true, if she were a merfolk she would be just about the right size for that age if Tristan were to compare the two, yet why did her voice sound almost saddened as she spoke about her strength?

After spotting a discarded cloth she went and wiped her hands off on it and grumbled “I’ll need to wash them before we go home I guess....” she looked at the sky with a look of longing, Tristan would be familiar with this sight from his brief imprisonment on the ship with other slaves, yet she wasn’t a slave clearly so surely there shouldn’t be any reason for her to long for freedom right?

[Whitebrand]

Tristan tilted his head as he saw the emotions play over the girl's face. In a sudden flash of insight he realized something.

"It appears you have chains of your own binding you," he said. "Perhaps one say I will be abe to return tha favor that you have given me, and break your chains as well."

He had no idea how he would do that. He wasn't much older than around fifteen or so himself, or so he was told.

[tigra9]

She blinked and suddenly looked back at him startled "ah i let them show?!" she panicked patting her face and looking down, something about her reaction seemed cute. However after a few moments she calmed herself down and shook her head and quickly changed the conversation not wanting to reply to his comment about returning the favor "ah now i need to wash my face.... well come on the closest place for me to wash off real fast is over that way" she said pointing in a direction then turning and walking that way immediately though she was patient enough to make sure he was following her before she left, she ended up passing through a few small alleys that she turned into before stopping in what seemed to be a backyard that held a well in it and she walked over to a girl who seemed to be working in a garden and after talking to the girl for a moment she went over to the well and drew water using the water to clean herself up before helping out the girl by bringing a clean bucket of water fro what she used to clean herself before leaving with him wandering the town, it was actually a pretty lively and well kept town now that they were far from the seedier part of the town. Megara herself even seemed to be enjoying their aimless wandering

Eventually though the fun had to come to an end and she lead the way up out of the town itself and up along the hill towards a large and extravagant mansion, her feet slowing their pace a great deal and her body taking a more strict posture, but her face while she carefully worked a neutral expression to it, held a hint of sadness and reluctance even in her neutral expression, of course there was a reason for this, her family consisted of herself, two older brothers, a mother, and a father... yet all four other members absolutely despised her and her brothers in particular took every single opportunity to bully her and her eldest brother regularly hit her too if they met. Megara currently was hoping she could get to her bedroom without seeing any of them, she wanted more then anything to not see any of her family but if her previous ventures out were anything to go off of, then she knew her eldest brother was likely already awaiting her return in the entrance hall and she couldn't avoid going through there

[Whitebrand]

Tristan seemed to sense the little girl's trepidation as they approached the mansion. Truth be told, he was a bit intimidated by the size of the place. The entire thing struck him as more of a highly decorated prison building than a home.

“Perhaps there is a side entrance that you might bring me in through,” he suggested...uncomfortable with the notion of walking in through the front door in his state of dress.

[tigra9]

Megara stopped and looked back at tristan looking him over, his current attire was a dirty shirt and shorts that didnt fit quite right and shook her head "i'm sorry, you'll need to bare with that, you see my room has one way to access it normally and i cant reach there except by the front entrance, of course as my slave which you are officially even though i don't consider you being it... you would stay in my room with me" she then turned her back to him and started walking "come along... and no matter what..." she frowned and balled her hands into fists a sign of pain crossing her face for a moment "...no matter what.. don't defend me" she leaked out before returning to her elegant neutral state and finished walking to the front door entering it, the entrance area was a tiled square room that a little further in opened to a large open round area as the centerpiece of the mansion structure, there were two doors leading off on either side of the entrance hallway and it all held a classical but modern marbled stone feel to it in structure, there was carpeting and decorations littering the visible areas including one large family portrait, that suspiciously had Megara absent from it. With all this though Megara's pale purple eyes darted to the young man standing there, in terms of looks the man wasn't what a normal person would call handsome, but he certainly wasn't bad looking by any means... it was her eldest brother, Perseus, but flanking him were two armored and well equipped guards, these two she in particular knew as well, after all they were guards who's role in this house was to keep her locked away in her room and protect her family from her

Megara though moved without any apparent hesitation and stopped in front of her brother curtsying respectfully "I have returned Brother Perseus, i am thankful you took time out of your busy schedule to once again greet me upon my return" she spoke respectfully like a proper noble girl, but she knew her manners meant nothing to him, after all he like the rest of her family despised her and took every chance they got to rub it in her face that she was nothing more than an animal they could beat as they pleased

(mind playing Perseus? i figure he could be a real jerk and asshole towards Megara, yet be incredibly respectful and elegant when dealing with anyone that isn't her, he would know he can hit her as he pleases as long as its something that can be hidden such as by her clothes, oh and no real limits on verbal abuse)