Chapter Text
How much is a mermaid worth?
Must be a fortune. A creature that’s only existed in myth and fiction… it would draw enormous attention from scientists and researchers. People would pay a huge sum just to look at it. And with that attention would come the government, every country would be desperate to be the first to get their hands on something like this…
Ah. The government.
Come to think of it, they’d probably claim it was for research. They wouldn’t reward the person who found it, they’d just use force and take it. Selling it to the black market makes more sense, but even then, making sure the buyer pays, doing background checks… it’s too much trouble. Not even worth it.
Kakuzu looks at the creature caught in his net. There’s no doubt—it’s a mermaid.
Its upper body could pass for a handsome young man. Messy silver hair, dark purple eyes. Muscular. Even has six-pack abs. The arms are strong too, the net would’ve been torn apart already if it weren’t made from special material. Below the literal V-line, a long silver tail thrashes in the sun, the scales glint like blades every time it moves.
So far, this… mermaid only growls and snarls. No sign of language or any attempt at communication. More wild animal than an intelligent being.
Kakuzu had caught it off his private beach. He was here on vacation, driving his personal fishing boat around to see if he could catch something big or special enough to sell.
Big and special, it is.
It had taken him considerable effort to drag the heavy thing onto the deck without killing it. The mermaid’s nails are sharp. One of them had poked through a hole in the net and sliced his arm cleanly, it bled immediately. It’s been fifteen minutes, and he hasn’t dropped dead yet, so maybe it’s not poisonous.
He’d been excited at first, imagining the possible price. But once the adrenaline faded and he started analyzing the pros and cons, he found it was way more trouble than selling a whale.
What should he do?
He isn’t particularly interested in collecting or displaying rare items, but letting go of something like this is out of the question. It must have some kind of value, and until he figures out exactly how to use it, there’s no way he’s taking the risk of someone else getting their hands on it.
He looks more closely at the creature’s face, still twisted in a snarl. Oh, Sharp teeth, of course.
There are plenty of risks in taking it home. What does it eat? Can it survive in his indoor pool without seawater? Would it die on the way back to his villa? …There are so many questions without answers.
Regardless, he’s going to take it home. If it dies along the way, or inside his villa because of the wrong environment, then so be it. Kakuzu will still be the one who has it.
*
Kakuzu is glad he bought a villa with its own private beach. That way, no one sees him dragging a heavy net all the way back.
He shoves the net into the pool without bothering to untangle it. He’s not about to let the mermaid attack him the moment its hands are free. Besides, dragging it across the property has already left a significant trail of seawater and sand. He’s a little pissed off about that.
Underwater, the mermaid thrashes violently inside the net, creating heavy swells across the surface. Kakuzu watches for a few more minutes, just to make sure it doesn’t drown. Once he’s confident it won’t die, he turns around and locks the door.
The mess outside still needs a house cleaner to take care of.
After sending the cleaners away, Kakuzu heads to the surveillance room to check the feed.
It’s been a few hours. Apparently even a mythological creature can get tired. The mermaid is now lying still under the water, only the occasional slow flick of its tail confirms it’s still alive.
Kakuzu considers a few ways to untangle the net without getting attacked. Every method seems risky, and he doesn’t feel like dying in his own pool. Eventually, he decides: Fuck it. Worst case, the mermaid dies.
He’s going to dump a ton of sedatives into the water.
The solution works just fine. Not long after he empties the entire bottle into the pool, the mermaid goes completely still. (Kakuzu makes a mental note to restock his sedatives.)
He changes into swim shorts and dives into the pool, knife in hand just in case the mermaid is faking. It looks ridiculous, but one can never be too cautious.
Turns out it’s not that smart. After Kakuzu cuts through the net, the creature simply sinks to the bottom, limbs loose, no sign of waking. Kakuzu doesn’t linger. Who knows what might happen if he stays in a pool of sedatives for too long.
He climbs out, dripping, then glances back at the water.
It’s clear. Through the surface, he can see the mermaid lying on the bottom. Small bubbles escape its slightly open mouth. Its chest rises and falls, slow and steady. Silver hair drifts around its head like seaweed. The tail catches the light, glinting faintly in the blue.
For a brief moment, the scene looks unreal, Kakuzu forgets himself. Then he comes to his senses and turns away. He should drain and refill the water and find something to feed it.