Captive Scales

6

Phil watched the mer as he splashed Tommy with his tail. They had brought out a small inflatable pool for the mer, making sure to have the correct water in the pool. Phil will never forget the look on the pet shop cashier's face when he bought all the supplies.

"So mate, what's your name?" Phil asked, leaning against the edge of the pool.

"He can't talk above water." Tommy told him.

"Ah, I see." Phil nodded, "can you write English?"

The mer nodded.

Phil smiled, "alright. I'll grab something you can write with."

The father got up, walking back inside the house. Tommy was practically vibrating with excitement. His jumped into Wilbur's lap, shaking his brothers shoulder.

"We rescued there mermaid Wil!" Tommy laughed, "we did it!"

Wilbur shook his head, typing something out on his phone.

Tommy frowned when he saw the message, "you're right. We still have to get him to the sea."

Wilbur nodded, holding back a smile at the way too serious face the eight year old had. Phil walked out shortly after, a whiteboard in hand.

"Here mate, it's not paper so it shouldn't dissolve when you write on it." Phil handed it over to the mer, "now, can you tell us your name?"

The mer nodded, scribbling down letters on the whiteboard. He turned it around to show the humans.

Thine name be Technoblade

Wilbur let out a snort, covering his mouth.

Phil let out a small laugh, "that's uh, that's some pretty old English... How old are you?"

The mer- Technoblade- cleared the board before writing again.

XV

"Those aren't numbers." Tommy said, looking up at his dad.

"They're Roman Numerals." Phil explained, "old numbers. The 'X' means ten and the 'v' means five. Add them together and you get..."

"Fifteen!" Tommy chirped, "so he's fifteen?"

Technoblade nodded, flicking his tail through the water.

"Yep." Phil ruffled the boys hair, "he's just older than Wilbur."

Wilbur smiled softly. He dipped his hand in the cool water. Techno's fins brushed against his fingers, surprisingly rough. Like a shark.

Then there were scars. Pink lines and gashes across the scales and skin on the mer. Most of them looked newer, maybe a few weeks old. There was one on his arm that they had to bandage, reopened by the fight against the Aquatic Patrol.

"So mate, how did you end up in the aquarium?" Phil asked.

Techno shuddered, gripping the pen tightly.

I had been captured by the men three moons ago.

"And are they the ones that hurt you?" Phil asked quietly.

Techno nodded.

Phil sighed, "I'm sorry mate. You're safe here, we'll get you home. For now just rest."

The mer sunk into the water, stretching out on the bottom of the pool. Phil smiled softly, gathering up his son's.

"Come on, let's get something to eat." Phil told them.

The family walked inside the house. Tommy went to the couch, looking out the window at the mer. Phil walked back to the kitchen. Wilbur follow his father, typing on his phone as he walked. The brunette tugged on Phils sleeve.

Phil looked down at the message, "why don't I seem surprised mermaids are real?"

Wilbur nodded. Phil sighed, turning back to the pancakes.

"Do you remember the day we found you after the accident?" Phil asked.

Wilbur shook his head.

Phil hummed, "you were missing for a day. Everyone was searching for you, out as sea and on the beaches. Tommy and I were out on the beach that night. Tommy was asleep, I was just about to take him home for the night. Then a huge wave washed up. You tumbled onto the shore, right next to us. At the time I thought I imagined it, but when I looked out at the water a saw him."

Wilbur leaned forward, his eyes wide.

"I saw Techno swimming away." Phil told him, "he was the one who saved you."

Wilbur looked out the window at the mer. It all made sense now, how Techno got captured, how he made it to the shore. Techno risked his life to save him.

"Hey mate," Phil said, "why don't you get Tommy? The pancakes are almost done."

Wilbur nodded, turning his gaze from the mer. He walked to the living room. Tommy had fallen asleep on the windowsill. Wilbur smiled softly, gently shaking his younger brother.

Tommy hummed, blinking his eyes open, "Wilby?"

Wilbur smiled at the younger. He nodded to the kitchen, taking Tommy's hand and leading him from the window. Phil placed a plate of pancakes on the table. Then the family started to eat.