Legacies || Hermitcraft

Chapter XI - The Deviant

Timeline: August 2014

Word Count ~ 2.1k

TW: Blood/Injury

It was funny how one little deviation from what was considered 'normal', regardless of how big or small it was, could be twisted and manipulated against a person to essentially ruin their life. The world was unforgiving to those it considered unnatural, and as one of the unforgiven, XB often struggled to persist in a world that had no love for him.

It was a simple problem, one easily explained but impossible to solve. The humans thought he looked too much like a merperson, the merpeople thought he looked too much like a human, and neither side wanted to claim him as their own. At least the merpeople had begrudgingly permitted him to stay with them, even if they made sure that XB was reminded every single day that he wasn't truly wanted there either.

But XB found ways to make the most of it. The Guardians were always nice to him, letting him spend most of his time at their temple and bringing him food every now and again. Although XB often found himself in the vast grey area between being human and being a merman, it had always been the Guardians he identified most closely with.

They certainly seemed to think of him as one of their own. He shared their cyan scales and orange scales, and unlike the merpeople, they seemed to have no problem with his otherwise humanoid appearance. XB hoped that some day his peers back home (if he could even call it home) would be so accepting, but he knew that it was nothing more than wishful thinking. Things had never changed, they wouldn't ever change, and there was nothing he could do about it.

But that didn't mean that XB wasn't going to try. Hunting was an integral part of the community he was trying so hard to be a part of, but it was nearly impossible for him to do. He couldn't swim as fast as the others to catch fish, and he didn't have the sharp claws and teeth needed to kill them, but he was determined nonetheless to help.

XB didn't fear the fishing boats as much as the others did, and often found himself watching them go by each day. He took note of the way they caught their fish, and in particular the nets they used to do it. Perhaps, XB thought, if he were to create something similar, he would be able to catch fish too, so that was exactly what he did. Sure, the net itself looked awful, but for a first attempt, it wasn't that bad.

He'd waited until the next hunting group were leaving that afternoon, and had eagerly followed behind them. "Hey, do you mind if I come too?" He asked, proudly holding his little net up. "I made a net to help!"

The others had remained silent for a moment, exchanging confused glances as they tried to determine whether or not this was supposed to be a joke. Regardless, they'd merely sighed, replying with an exasperated 'fine'. But XB ignored their vexed expressions, the same way he ignored the whispers they shared amongst each other as they made their way to the hunting grounds, or the contemptuous looks they gave him as he excitedly set up his trap.

Eventually they wandered back to him, one gesturing vaguely at his net. "So... how exactly is this supposed to work?"

Thrilled at the idea of someone showing interest in his contraption, XB had exuberantly launched into his explanation. "Oh, I'm glad you asked! When a fish swims into the net, ideally a larger one or it won't work, it pulls on the rocks holding the corners down, and boom! The net closes around the fish, trapping it in place, and then you guys are free to do the rest and-"

"Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" One suddenly interrupted, crossing their arms. XB's smile faded, an odd sense of dread settling in when he heard their harsh and seething tone. "Almost reminds me of the ones the humans like you use to catch people like us. And I don't think I like that."