Chapter Text
For as long as Technoblade could remember, hybrids were adorned in chains and expensive jewellery, nothing but pawns to their owners as a show of their wealth. He had been brought to the fighting rings on his thirteenth birthday, where hybrids were pint against each other with the promise of seeing another day. He has watched as families bribed for a much weaker hybrid to be brought into the ring for an easy win, solely to witness sick bloodshed. He had attended parties where hybrids, decorated in fine gold that only furthered devalued their person, serving patrons or being thrown to the wealthy and taken into private back rooms.
Technoblade had even seen the hybrids his own family owned. Wealthy as they were, the hybrid trade was something they unfortunately had a hand in. They were often gifted rare hybrids – the rarest being an Elytrian. The gorgeous creature captivated Technoblade as a child. Though forced to their knees by chains, they were lovely. Hair as golden as the sun itself, with eyes as clear as the ocean. Elytrians were valued for their beauty; especially their wings. Often, wings were hung within homes, but this Elytra – with wings as black as the night, spotted with white at the ends – was kept in a cage.
His father said Elytrians had beautiful vocals, but this Elytrian never sang.
Nonetheless, Technoblade’s father was livid when he discovered the Elytra had escaped.
Technoblade had managed to return the key before his father noticed it was even gone.
That was many years ago, and the sad look in that Elytra’s eyes was all the young boy needed to see to know that this was unfair.
Now, Technoblade was walking through the marketplace. His intention was to simply purchase some lunch and a gift for his mother’s upcoming birthday; although you couldn’t escape hybrids. It was legal to buy and sell them in aboveground markets. As he walked, he was constantly stopped by merchants, showing off several hybrids bound in chains, forced to wear a plate around their necks that displayed their breed, age, gender and price.
He ignored them, not interested in ever partaking in this side of life. Techno often felt guilt about never speaking up or aiding hybrids, he just simply ignored it best he could. He already shouldered the guilt of his family’s part in this.
Except, until he heard a child’s cry.
Dealing of hybrid children was often a bit more covert. It too was legal to buy and sell, even before the child was even born; but that was often more underground. Not here though.
“Stop it!”
It was a child.
“Give him back!”
That was a second child.
Technoblade turned his attention to his right. There were more merchants, a tall and broad man was holding a…strange hybrid in his grasp. The thing was completely bound – hands were clamped tightly in full cuffs as well as a thick muzzle that forced the thing’s jaw shut. It caught Technoblade’s attention, wondering why an apparently dangerous hybrid was being openly sold in a public marketplace.
Another bulky man stood there, beating down what looked like some insect hybrid. The thing was screaming, shouting curses and slurs, only to immediately receive a punch or kick.
“You’re gonna break the merchandise,” the first man grumbled.
“Fuck it, I was thinkin’ of sellin’ this one as a bed slave at this point,” the second man answered as he delivered another swift kick, “sell the wings and venom separately. Smarmy thing but pretty face.”
“No! Stop! He can’t breathe!”
Another hybrid. For a moment, Technoblade thought it to be an Elytrian – but no. The wings were far too small with an unimpressive colour design. This was simply an Avian – behind a cage on a wagon. He screamed as the man grabbed the insect hybrid by the throat, shoving him into an empty cage next to the Avian.
Just walk away, he thought to himself, willing his body to turn. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t look away, dreading how the marketplace was bustling with people, yet everyone diverted their eyes from the scene. Ignoring what was happening. All because these children were hybrids.
Technoblade couldn’t watch this anymore. Any other time, he would bite his tongue and turn on his heels – but he couldn’t this time.
He thought of the Elytra.
“Excuse me,” Technoblade spoke, walking up to the merchants, “is that an Avian?”
The men’s demeaner immediately changed – plastering on fake smiles, their eyes falling to the clear pieces of gold and elegant cape on Techno’s person.
“Ah, a noble,” the first man spoke, “aye, that’s an Avian there. Male. Fifteen. Pretty face, thin but strong. I promise can be a good fighter or perform labour.”
Technoblade went over towards the cage. The Avian’s face was defiant, knitted brows and thin mouth – but Techno could clearly see the fear in the hybrid’s eyes. His hands and wings were bound, the plate around his neck confirming the information. He was worth only three pieces of gold.
“Looking to buy?” the other man questioned.
“What type of Avian?” Techno asked.
“We think chicken, sir.”
Techno hummed. The Avian’s wings didn’t look like a chicken’s, but that didn’t matter. His eyes went over to the hybrid in the neighbouring cage. Being this close, Techno could now see it was a bumblebee. The thing looked beyond beaten up, appearing almost sickly. He buzzed, bearing his teeth as he actually hissed at Techno.
His plate read that he was male, seventeen, and worth twenty pieces of gold – a far difference.
“I saw the way you handled this one,” Techno spoke, addressing the men, “twenty pieces of gold for a brat?”
The bee hissed again.
“Well sir, bee hybrids are treasured. Rare to come by. This one has a sharp tongue, but it’s wings and venom are of value,” the second man spoke. “I can sell you individual pieces, or at the very least, it can be used in the evenings.”
Techno didn’t miss the way the bee shrank in on itself. The horror of either being some kind of toy or being sold in parts was something Techno would never experience the fear of. It was sickening.
But now his attention was drawn to the third hybrid. The one tightly held in the first man’s arms despite being helplessly bound. Being closer, Techno identified the hybrid as Enderian. Their mismatched eyes were blown wide, sifting between Technoblade and the other two hybrids, their tail tightly wrapped around their right leg, ears pinned down.
“An Enderian,” Techno noted, reaching forward. The poor hybrid flinched even though the human was reaching for the plate. Gender unknown. Sixteen. Worth fifty gold. “Why are they bound?”
“It can be dangerous, sir,” the man holding the hybrid answered.
“And you’re selling a dangerous hybrid in an aboveground market?”
“This particular one hasn’t proven to be dangerous,” the man added, “but you know how strong these things are. Claws. Teeth. Could easily overpower. It’s properly restrained though, I assure you.”
“Alright,” Technoblade said, reaching for his satchel, “I can pay full price right now.”
A terrified trill escaped the Enderian, a noise that they were immediately punished for as the man grabbed at their hair, yanking their head back.
“Don’t you dare make any noise,” the man hissed, his tone instantly changing as he turned his attention to Technoblade. “I apologise you needed to hear that.”
“None necessary.”
“But we cannot sell it to you. This one was promised to that nobleman over there.” The man gestured towards a rather plump man, adorned in fine jewels and robes. He was chatting with two other nobles, glancing over when he noted eyes were on him. Technoblade nodded towards the man, raising a hand to indicate he wanted to talk.
“You, good sir, you’ve purchased this Enderian?”
The plump nobleman nodded, grinning as he looked towards his prize. “Aye, a gift to my daughter. She’s a fine one. Beautiful. Single, too.”
Technoblade ignored him. “Will you be keeping them in a cage?”
“No,” the man responded, his tone a tad curt at having been dismissed, “I’m having it stuffed.”
“NO!” The Bee and Avian shrieked, their voices quickly overlapping into curses and shouts. The second merchant roughly rattled their cages, shaking the two inside, effectively silencing them.
“Ugh, muzzle those things too, won’t you?” the nobleman muttered.
“We’ve been considering it,” the first merchant answered.
“Well,” Technoblade cut in, “Enderian are extremely rare. I want them.”
The nobleman laughed. “I claimed it first.”
“Have you paid yet?”
“Not yet–”
Without waiting, Techno turned to the merchant who had now forced the Enderian to their knees. “I’ll pay you double what you’re offering. A hundred pieces of gold for the Enderian.”
The nobleman blinked, his face immediately turning red in his fluster. “What! No! We shook on it! Fifty gold for the Enderian!” He turned towards the merchant, hoping the men would be loyal to their deal – but to now be offered double? The merchants made it very clear by their body language alone that Techno was the obvious customer. The nobleman cursed, “One fifty!”
The Enderian whimpered.
Technoblade narrowed his eyes. “Two hundred.”
“You can’t!”
“I can,” Techno glared, “you hadn’t paid yet. And I will put down two hundred gold right now.” He smirked. “Will you match that?”
The noble snarled. “I know you, Technoblade. House of the Syndicate. Your family may be of high regard; but I will not stand for this disrespect. Your father will hear of this.”
“Go on. Tell him I say hi.”
The noble reached for his pouch, holding it out towards the merchants. “Two hundred and thirty pieces of gold right here.”
Techno smirked. “Three hundred.”
The noble stared, completely slack jaw.
“Offer three hundred for the Enderian!” the first merchant announced, earning a low warble from the hybrid.
“Oh no,” Technoblade interrupted, garnering a confused look from all three men, “indeed I will pay three hundred pieces of gold – per each hybrid. I want all three.” Technoblade held out his hand towards the nearest merchant, assuring that he would take the trouble off their hands as well as pay up front. “That’s nine hundred gold. Do we have a deal?”
“Deal!”
The plump noble sputtered, kicking up a fit rather childishly towards the merchants for not remaining loyal to their deal; however, they no longer cared. Techno dipped his head mockingly towards the noble, smirking at his furious face. With a turn of his heels, he faced his back towards the man as he looked at the hybrids.
The Enderian was tossed to his feet. With their hands bound, the poor hybrid couldn’t break their fall.
The second merchant opened the cages, grabbing the two hybrids within rather roughly, also tossing them towards Techno. The Bee put up a fight, sinking his teeth down into the man’s arm. The man swore, drawing his arm back, intending to punch, but Techno wasn’t having any of that. He held out the promised gold, tossing it towards the man, distracting him long enough for the Bee to move out of reach.
“Do not damage my merchandise. I paid for them.”
“Of course, sir. Apologies.”
“Where is the key to their restraints?”
“Here you are, sir.”
Techno was handed an iron key, the men immediately turning towards themselves and their gold, elated with their earnings. Techno turned towards the Avian first, the thing still pretending to be defiant, stepping forward as the Bee assisted best he could for the Enderian to stand with their limited mobility.
“You,” Techno addressed the Avian, reaching for the bound wrists, “I’m going to remove the ones on your wrist. The key is yours to free your friends.”
The Avian’s eyes went wide, completely taken aback by the human’s words.
Techno was met with no resistance as he knelt before the Avian, reaching for his cuffs. With a click, the restraints fell from his wrists, freeing him. Techno noted how the cuffs had bit into the skin, the wrists rubbed raw to the point of drawing blood. He held the key out. The Avian instantly snatched it.
“Leave this city immediately. You’re free only until the next poacher finds you.”
The Avian gripped the key tightly, his expression a strange morph between confusion and gratitude. In a soft voice, he whispered a ‘thank you’ before turning to free the other two hybrids.
Technoblade stood there until all three were free; the restraints, muzzles and key falling to the ground. Before they touched the dirt, all three were gone in a flash of purple particles.
Techno turned away, none too surprised to see people have finally turned their heads, likely judging him for his actions. No matter, his parents’ money had finally bought something useful.