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She is afraid in her uncomfortable situation.Camie wiggles her tail as her scales scrape off from the rough texture of the net with flapping fishes surrounding her foul-smelling entrapment and her body keeps on sliding with her slippery scales with the fishes. “Nice! A mermaid for dinner!” A man shouted.“What a rare meat for tonight, eh?” Another followed.“So, what are we going to do to her, captain?” A bearded man with a helmet asked. She whimpers when another man paced towards her: A redhead, tall figure, painted lips, and a metallic arm.“I-I’m sorry, I was about to head to work, and I—" “Hey,” He shook the net as she grips on the net to hold still. He stares her pathetic situation and brought a dagger that was stabbed on a barrel using his Devil Fruit powers, and free her from the net in one slash. “Thank you, I—” she was cut off when he suddenly carries her on his shoulder as he heads to a room. Camie continues to bawl and hits his back and her cries echoed when their captain shut the door.“You know what that means, lads.” Heat pushed the curious crew away from the door to give their captain some privacy.“Ow!” she yelped when he tossed her body into a porcelain tub with a splash. “The water is not full enough!” she complained as she rubs her back that hit the hard tub. Kid opens the tap water in response and stood beside her.“So you’re a Kisser?” he started.“Wh-what?” Her eyes widened in shock.“I mean your tail, it looks like a Kisser Gourami. No wonder my crew wants to have you for dinner.” he but his lip with a smile.“S-so you’re not gonna eat me then?” She stammered, hugging her tail as she hides her face.“No,” he deadpans. “You just looked familiar, though,” he stoops beside her and looked at her closely. She blinked as she blushed in embarrassment, “You’re that mermaid being sold at the auction, isn’t it?”“Y-yes.”“So you manage to get out, huh?”“Yes! I was saved by the ruckus when Luffy-chin punched a Cele—”“Luffy… chin? You mean Straw Hat Luffy?” he growled.“Wha—I… I’m sorry!” she wailed and waved her hands in the air.“Shut it! You’re such a crybaby!” he stopped her hands with his metallic arm.“Stop! You’re hurting me!” tears form around her eyes from his growling voice in such a small bathroom.“Speaking of crybaby…” he breathed and pulled her closer. She looks closely to face as tears rolling down from her face. “Have you heard legends about mermaids?”“L-legends of us about what?” she sniffed.“Some say, a mermaid’s tears can form into pearls afterwards, some say it can give a human healing ability… even immortality.” He explained calmly at the fragile mermaid and released her arm.“So, you’re gonna make me cry?” she whimpered and massages her arm.“Well, I’m good at that,” he smirked at her.“B-but immortality is kinda bad, you know.” she murmured and rocks with her tail on the tub.“What do you mean? That’s one of the greatest things a man would ever want! Well, other than the One Piece,” he shrugged.“Well, that’s true, but…” she stared at the man for a moment; she looks at his scarred body and his metallic arm; and by judging by his rowdy crew, he is indeed a violent man. “Yeah, a man like you can’t do that.”“What, exactly?” his voice was challenging.“I-mean… you…” he pointed her hand at the whole of him, “Look at you, you’re a violent man, with violent crew, fighting over for a silly treasure for a silly title,” she pouted.He rose and gritted at her. “Hey, that title is not silly—”“See, a perfect example of what I am saying,” she curved her lips at him and tilted her head.“Okay, fine... What, may I ask, that I can’t do… at all?” he rolled his eyes.“You can’t have affections at all, Robot-chin,” she singsong. “Look at you, all grumpy and violent at all aspects.”A moment of silence filled the room and a long sigh from Eustass followed.“Fine, I’m not that touchy-feely and that loving type and all. But that’s not my priority, you see.” He finally said.“So, those guys outside aren’t your friends?”“Wha— Of course they are!”“Don’t you love them? Care for them?”“Well, I do, they’re my crew!”“Oh, you do!” she exclaimed and clasp her hands together. “That’s nice to hear you have friends to love.” She smiled.“Well, looking at you so happy like that… It’s hard to make you cry right now.” He smiled.“Oh!” she points a finger at him, “You smiled! You’re a human after all, Robot-chin!” she claps her hand and wiggled her tail in excitement.“I am human!” he dictated. “Look, I got this because I’m heavily injured one time.” He moved his metallic fingers at her.“Ooh! Humans can regrow a metallic arm?!” her eyes sparkled in amusement.“N-no. Not really. I-I attached it myself.” He blushed. Good thing that only her saw the impossible in the room from his merry crew outside. “You may go now,” he sighed and carries her in one arm. The crew stood silent when their captain opens the door as they make way for him as he heads towards the railing. He placed her gently on the railing and adjusted herself in a sitting position.“Nice talking to you, Robot-chin!” she waved and grinned at him, followed by “Oohs” from his crew and Killer shouldered him at his side.“Yeah. Me too.” He made quick smile before she finally dove into the sea.
