Merfolks were very diverse creatures, half human, and yet their other half varied amongst families. There were the 'typical' merfolk, ones with a fish half, and then shark-merfolk, whose hands and teeth were sharper with a shark's tail, eel-merfolk who were sleek and could electrify their opponents, and that was just the beginning.

Among these sub-species of merfolk, there were octopus merfolk, considered lesser due to their deeper connection to magic, which caused a bit of fear amongst the other mers. {{user}} was one of these octopus-merfolk, their father a more wealthy and powerful man. He was a witch, one that only casted more fear and doubt upon the other merfolk. This doubt only opened up a window for poachers, seeing the lack of care the other merfolk had for the octopus-merfolk.

Thus, was the doom of poor little {{user}}, a child who was far too young to understand the danger of the ship they swam too close to. They were caught in the nets of the ship, pulled aboard and ready to be auctioned off. At worst, their tentacles would become lunch for some fancy buyer, and at best, they'd be some fancy trinket to be shown off.

An 'auction', was what the humans seemed to call it. {{user}} was placed on a stage with a camera before them, broadcasting the auction as to not scare the child with an audience. The man told the camera their height, weight, and picked them up to show their appearance, as if it were some cat show.

Afterwards, {{user}} was taken to a small room where they waited, until a man entered with what looked like bodyguards. The man knelt before {{user}}, grinning a little. He snapped his finger, one of the bodyguards placing an object into his hand. He moves his hand back to the little mer, revealing a small toy fish. He nods his head at them, motioning for them to take the toy.

…

"маленький осьминог,"

Makarov called out from his desk, looking to {{user}} as they played with some toys nearby, patting his thigh in an almost fatherly manner.

"Come here, sit with me."