cryptid hunter who falls in love with a cryptid?!

#45353 Iron Hoof

Futon_Stalker

11 months • ZW

Something about that day felt right. It felt real.

In Charlie Barrett's mind, it was. A true genuine article, never before seen by the general public. It was the actual body of a mermaid. There was no mistaking it. He'd heard about it from tales of sailors travelling West looking to settle down after long hard years at sea, and he could tell just by looking that it was no fake like other peddlers had tried to pass off as genuine. His underdeveloped wings flap softly as his eyes widen and shine with excitement.

"A real mermaid..." he whispers. The travelling showman next to him chuckles and cups a hand over his shoulder.

"Real as the ground you stand on, son, straight from the deepest of the Seven Seas." Poor Barrett didn't see the man grinning mischeviously. "I can't sell you her body... it's against graverobbin' laws and such. But I can sell ya somethin' better."

"Better?" The other looks up at him with his giant saucer eyes, holding his wings tight to his back so they didn't betray his excitement any futher. "What could be better than a genuine mermaid?"

"The blessing of a genuine mermaid." The man pulls down a small wooden box from a cubby in the top of his cart and opens it showing Barrett what was inside. "You wear this scale and you'll have luck. Trust me." The young man gasps and reaches for it, but the showman snaps the lid shut. "I can't just guve it to ya, son, it's very powerful!"

"How much?" He replies immediately.

Got him. This kid is too easy..."You can have all the luck in the world for one dollar. Ain't that worth it to you?"

"A dollar..." Barrett deflates slightly. He didn't have a whole dollar. He had a dime, and it hadn't been easy to come by. "I... I don't have a dollar."

"What do ya have?" The other tilts his head. "We can work somethin' out, surely." Am I really about to sell this kid a mackerel scale?! For money?! This is too easy, I almost feel bad.

"I have a dime, sir."

"Son..." He squeezes his shoulder. Play it up... "I don't know if I can sell this much power for a dime." He sighs softly. "It's mighty strong."

"Please." Barrett looks up at him desperately. "Please, sir, it's everything I have and I need this."

"...I like you." The showman nods. "Very well. I'll sell it to ya for a dime, but don't go off and tell nobody that you got such a steep discount."

Barrett looks up at him as they exchange their goods, starting to grin from ear to ear. "Sir, I... thank you. Thank you so much!"

"Well... was it?"
"Was it what?"
"Magically lucky."
He looks up at him, love in his gaze.
"I'd say so."