A/N, not important: This was supposed to be the final fic, but I didn't have one for today and this is my attempt to not delete my account or brain out of stress lmao. Me and @astral--horrorshow both had similar ideas, but they're completely independent of each other. We were both talking about them on discord then realized how similar they were, but neither was taken from the otherđ. Any criticism is welcome, constructive or not. This is supposed to be a gender neutral reader, so if I screwed up somewhere, please tell me.
-Ollie
CW: Kidnapping, blindfold, needles, dehumanization, collaring, restraints, cage
Words: 2464
Summary: Draxum is working on eradicating the human race, but what happens when his son wants to keep one for himself?
The sounds of metal and cries pierce my ears, the blindfold and binds keep me hogtied and blind, not letting me do much else other than listen to sobs around me. My ears twitch at the sound of low footfalls, the clopping similar to that of a deer or horse nearing. I grimace, knowing the Baron was back. The quiet flapping of his gargoyles could barely be heard over the sobbing from the cage next to mine. I try not to let out a scream of my own at the loud bang of hoof against metal, and a skull against concrete. The sobs quiet, and the air goes still. I slowly let out the breath I was holding, my nerves firing off warning bells as I resist the urge to flail around and cry. It wouldnât do any good either way. Those who fight back fall first.
Another pair of steps joins the Barons while he makes his rounds. I can sense how everyone else stills, all us captives going completely silent to try and hone in on the new visitor. I couldnât tell how many of us there were. Anywhere from five to a hundred, I wouldnât know the difference. I rub my face against the rough floor, hoping to loosen the blindfold so I could finally look at my prison. While there were many of us here, people came in and out every day, taking someone away or adding another to the lot. I could always tell when someone was taken. Their screams reverberated around the walls of our keep, cries and pleads not reaching the ears of whoever took them. I assumed it was the Baron, although I was not sure. Itâs not like I could see the act either way.
âTake your pick, my son. Itâs time you truly learn my work.â
I grimace at the Baronâs low voice, shrinking back into my cage as much as I can while bound. Of course he has a son. Of course heâs going to be just as rotten as his father, doing who knows what with the poor souls who get picked. My stomach rumbles and I chew on my bottom lip, grinding down on the flesh with my teeth. The blood soaking out may be gritty and limited, but it was better than nothing. I just prayed I wouldnât puke.
The quiet scraping of free feet across the ground alerts me to the younger captors movements, my face moving towards the sound subconsciously so I could hear it better. A beat passes with no more movement, and I tense. Someone had been chosen. Or, hopefully, he would decide this was immoral and demand our freedom. I chuckle quietly to myself. Yeah right, like that would ever happen. A sharp sound in front of me catches my attention and I turn towards my cage, my face furrowing in concentration.Â
âThat one looks interesting.â An unfamiliar voice muses. His voice is sharp, unwavering, and oddly smooth. It alone was enough to make my blood run cold, but what really terrified me was how much closer it sounded than I expected. I couldâve sworn both of them were in the center of the room, but it sounded as if the voice was right in front of my cage. I shrink in on myself, tucking my chin to my collarbone and sitting on my ankles. Two sharp taps sound on the metal bars of my enclosure, a light chuckle sounding from the boy's chest. It wasnât a friendly chuckle, nor a comforting one. I try to keep my breathing steady, refusing to cry and refusing to beg. I wanted to go down with dignity. I would refuse to bow to these monsters.
âIf thatâs the one you want to start on, then so it shall be.â The Baronâs deep rumble sounds, a sharp clap bouncing through the room. The sound of flapping fills the room, heading towards my cage and closing in fast. I sit back, trying my best to not shake. I couldnât even tell if I was.
âWait.â The younger voice sounds. He taps my cage a couple more times before I feel a scaly hand brush across my neck, taking hold of my collar and yanking me forwards. I yelp, losing my balance at the tug and falling onto my face before him. I struggle to move back to my kneeling position, the ropes keeping me bound threatening to pull my arm out of its socket if I keep trying. I lay down, defeated. I couldnât get up. A deep heat settles in my cheeks from the shame of being at his mercy, and I can almost hear the smile in his voice at his next words. âI have a different idea for them.â
âOh?â The Baron asks, his footsteps nearing as well. I try to pull back from the grasp the younger captor had on me, but his grip just shifts from my collar to my chin. âWhat are you planning then?â
âI want to keep this one. For my own personal studies. I can experiment on that one,â Thereâs a brief swish of the air when his hand undoubtedly moves to point at another poor soul in the vicinity. âBut this one⌠I want to keep them.â
I hear a sharp breath from the Baron, his tone turning sour. âDonatello,â ah, so that was his name. I try and tug back again to no avail, my eyes widening under the blindfold as I realize he only has three fingers. âYou cannot keep a human. Theyâre pigs. The rot of the world. You must understand that.â
Iâm tempted to bite the fingers holding my face when I hear this, indignant anger bubbling in my chest. We werenât the ones kidnapping people and caging them to experiment on. Sure, thereâs a few bad apples in every batch, but you canât doom the whole of humanity for a small handfulâs doing.
The younger voice huffs, his thumb caressing my cheek. It was getting harder to hold back, every instinct screaming at me to pull back and run. âStill, why that may be, I think it would be interesting. Test their limits, experiment in different ways.â I can almost hear the sick smile in his voice. âPlus, itâs always nice to have company.â
âDo you even understand what goes into keeping a human? Theyâre very needy creatures. Not to mention clingy and violent. Youâll be responsible for its upkeep.â I feel sick the way they're talking about me, the hands of the scaled one still having yet to leave my face. He lifts my chin more and forces me to face him, my body screaming in protest from the position he was contouring me in.
âI do.â
The Baron sighs in defeat at his sonâs words. I hear him take a step back, his voice steady as he walks away and starts to audibly mess with another cage. âThen Iâll allow it.â
I hear the screams of what sounds like a small child and my heart breaks, knowing slightly of his fate. While part of me was glad I had escaped it, I still yearned to switch places. Hearing someone so young scream in such ways was unbefitting. It wasnât right. I feel the hand of the younger captor slip off my face, my own cage opening with a loud squeak. Strong hands hoist me up, fiddling with the ropes around my ankles and wrists. My two halves separate, my ankles freed from my wrists, but still stuck together as were my wrists to each other. I get slung over his shoulder, his muscle mass and metal backpack digging painfully into the soft of my stomach.
I consider trying to fight back, to even finally scream and curse them out, but I donât. Every step he took sent his shoulder straight into my gut, and I knew it would be useless to try and resist. He seemed solid, and his shoulders reminded me of jagged rocks as they push against my torso. I try to shift myself into a more comfortable position, my body rocking hazardously in his grip. For one awful, awful moment, Iâm certain heâs about to drop me, but his hands regain their steadiness as he tightens his grip to a painful degree.
âMove again and Iâll send you off to be experimented on instead.â He hisses, his voice as sharp as always. I settle down more, trying to ignore the painful lab of his arm.
He continues to walk for a while, his steps firm and sure. I wasnât sure where we were going, nor what my true purpose was. This was out of the blue and completely unexpected, especially from someone who was supposed to be experimenting on me. I hear a door open and let out a small cry as Iâm thrown atop a plush bed. I sit up, shaking my head to try and chase the disorientation away. A hand grabs my chin and holds me still, pulling the blindfold off of my eyes. I quickly close my eyes, shrinking back with a pained hiss. Iâve had the blindfold on since I was first kidnapped, covering my eyes and blocking my senses for weeks. I slowly open them, trying to get them to adjust to the new lighting. Once they can open, I glance around, taking in my surroundings as fast as I can.
It was a large room, one larger than I was expecting. There were different mechanical parts and machines strewn across the room, as well as a desk piled high with similar junk. I look in front of me, finally fully seeing my captor. He was only a couple inches taller than me, but his foreboding stature made him intimidating nonetheless. I scan him for a moment, my eyes taking in his green scaly skin and the metal shell upon his back. I lean backwards, wary of his domineering nature. He seemed to command respect, as if it was owed rather than earned. I felt no desire to give it to him.
âWhy am I here?â I ask rudely, my tone clipped and eyes narrowed. The turtle doesnât seem phased by my attitude, if anything, he was delighted.
âIâd suggest youâd hold your tongue. As lovely as your voice is, I do admit I have a short temper.â He walks across the room and picks up a small case, like he had been preparing for this for a while. âAnd Iâm sure you would rather your tongue stay inside your mouth.â
I shift uncomfortably at his words, trying to decide what to do. I watch him carefully as he takes the case and opens it, four needles showing. My eyes widen at the sight as I back up on the bed.
He takes out the first needle and grabs a small vial from a miniature fridge next to him, getting the shot ready. âIf you have any allergies, speak up now.â
I barely register his words, my eyes focused solely on the large needle in his hand. âWhat is that?â
âA couple of vaccines and boosters. Itâs come to my attention that most of you have not had proper shots nor care, and while the others donât matter, you do since youâll be living here now.â He stalks forward with the syringe in hand as if he did this every tuesday, not a care nor concern on his face. I try to lean back, but he grabs me firmly by the elbow, not allowing me to move away. âIâd suggest you stay still and relax.â
I turn away from him, my heart thundering in my ears. I feel him inject the first into my arm, the sharp sting making me want to jerk away. It feels like hours, but he eventually lets go of my arm and backs away, disposing of the needles and setting the syringes back in their case.
âNow that thatâs out of the way,â He starts, turning back to me. âItâs time we get started.â
âWho are you?â I interrupt, my mind hazy from the adrenaline coursing through after the shots he administered. He frowns at my interruption, his face pulled tight.
âI donât like being interrupted. But, as youâre a human with no manners, I guess I canât fully fault you. You havenât learned the rules yet.â The turtle clears his throat, bowing with a dramatic flair. âI am Donatello, your new owner and savior. You, however, may refer to me as âSirâ or âMy Saviorâ.â
My nose scrunches up at his introduction, a chill running down my spine. My arm was sore, and my head was blaring warning bells left and right. This guy was seriously messed in the head. Well, of course he was. I was part of a group of humans he and his dad had kidnapped to experiment on.
âSo, pet-â
âNot my name.â I interrupt, partly without meaning to but not fully regretting it. I refused to be called âpetâ.
âDid humans never learn it was rude to interrupt or speak back to their superiors? Or is this just a you thing?â He hisses, clearly displeased. I shrug. My non-answer seems to anger the terrapin even more, his fists clenching at his sides. âAs I stated before, I saved you. If it werenât for me, youâd be cut open on a table with your guts spilled out. And while I would gladly return you to that fate, I felt it would be a waste to use someone like you in that manner-â
âSomeone like me?â I interrupt again, tilting my head in confusion.
âWould you cut that out!?â He hisses, his face turning dark in anger. I shrink back, pursing my lips. I didnât really want to anger him. I didnât trust him. He continues to glare at me as he straightens his back. âAs I was saying, you have something about you that I felt needed to be preserved. Therefore, here you are now. Serving as my pet rather than an experiment. And mind you, Iâll call you whatever I please.â
I glare at him, trying to pop his head open with my mind. Unfortunately, no such thing happened, and he continued to drone on.
âSo, pet, I have something for you.â
He turns around and grabs something off his desk. I recognize it immediately, the bright collar jingling the bell as he moves closer. I try to lean back but he quickly hooks the offending item around my neck, his eyes and markings glowing for a moment as he holds the two pieces together. I rub at it with my chin, scowling. âThere you are pet. Now youâll never forget your place.â
It takes everything in me not to spit on him.