A Day had passed since last. All Leroy had to drink had been the bottle he sipped from. The carbohydrates inside of it. After he woke up, he took one last swig from the now flat soda. God he needed some water.
The bed was surprisingly warm and comfortable to sleep on. It was clear that no had been in this cell in a long long time. At least this particular one.
It made him wonder however, if they were so against men, then why wpuld they put him in such a place? Go theough all of the trouble of threatening him and despising him only to treat him well?
Could it have been an impression that he left on them?
Maybe in spite of their hostility they keep a semblance of respect that was not shown to them?
Or perhaps something deeper. That much of this is a visage? False veneer of hostility?
Or maybe all three?
A noise from behind startled him. Made him turn around. It was a woman, of course, but she had an air of curiosity to her. She was average build, small face, and had average length hair that was brown.
She stood in the doorway. Looking at him like one would an animal in a cage. With curiosity, caution, but reassured safety of the constraints and captivity
She held a tray of food that had two cups on them. He figured one was water
"So come to gawk or what?" Leroy said a bit rudely
She flushed and sauntered forward and slid the tray under the Cage. Meat which was orange with bread rolls. A brown liquid in one and clear in another
Leroy dropped to his knees and smelt it. It was tuna! Drenched in buffalo sauce. The Captain dug in, forking the meat into his mouth, the brown liquid was a sweet tea! And the bread was soft and warm. He combined and ate them. Itd been nearly 4 days since hed last ate and had only persisted since yesterday on flat, warm, sugary caffeinated root beer
The woman looked at him with surprise "They..,the cooks…made it spicy thinking you wouldn't eat it. A prank or something…" She spoke with a bit of awe to her voice
"Heheh" He smiled with full cheeks "Unlucky for them i like hot tuna. One of my favorites." He licked the plate and wiped it with the bread to get as much off as possible
"You ate it pretty fast. Must've been hungry"
"I haven't ate in 4 days."
Her eyes widened at that
"4 days?! Why didnt you say anything? Maybe one of the gaurds couldve gotten you something!"
"I'm prisoner remember?"
"Yeah but that doesnt mean you dont deserve food or decent treatment..,even if youre a man"
His eyes narrowed, and she didnt even flinch. He stood to his feet "What does that mean exactly? Why are you here beyond just leaving me food?"
"I uh. Never seen a man up close before."
"Was it everything you've expected?" Leroy asked as he stood up slowly and leaned against the bars. Causing the woman to become more cautious in her body language "You're…Better than most."
"Better looking and act better. We're usually told that Men are angry, vengeful, vindictive. And tend to have an ugliness inside them that is reflected outwardly even if they have attractive features." She said, feeling something in her chest that this was an opportunity to actually speak her mind with someone about these things.
"Is it…True?" She asked hesitantly as he stepped back, holding her arms close to her.
Leroy took a moment to speak. Thinking it over. He knew the answer right away. But wanted to find a way to word it. "Well for starters. I'm all of those things. I have a short temper on occasion. I'm vengeful if I believe myself to have been wronged and the solution and consequences haven't been met. And I'm vindictive."
"I'm rude, harsh, blunt. I'm an asshole who speaks his mind and is never afraid to say it like it is. I say mean things when I probably shouldn't. I have no sense of manners whatsoever. And theres a good chance that I'll be thought of as the worst person you'll ever meet."
"But if one things for certain. Men. Men out there?" He leaned against the bars.
"They're worse. In every regard. They'll act nice to you just to get in your pants because it gives them a sense of power. They'll then toss you away. They'll parade you around and treat you well, but you're nothing but an object to them. Same as men. They'll do the same thing to men too."
"But those same men wont learn. They'll be just as mean, as spiteful, and misogynistic as those before him."
"Men Rule this world. Its Men who make all the decisions. Keep other men and women under their boot. They'll beat, rape, and rob you of everything. Emotion, Dignity, autonomy, sense of self, if it means getting a few more Berries in their pocket they'll do it again and again and again."
"They'll use force to keep their way of life in line."
"If I may take a moment to continue however. This is just the start. The System in which is currently in play is Tailored to men. Certain types of men. Giving them a since of inherent authority and respectability. But its more than just men. Men can be victims just as much as women, or Fishmen, minks or other races."
"Its either your with them, or your against them. On the surface that doesn't sound so bad, huh? In the way that you'd want to discern whos for your cause and whos not. And those who aren't are either spectators or against you. Much like how it is on this island."
"But its when thats used for nothing more than a few individuals, or a specific group of individuals based on things that don't matter, it all goes to shit. In the 'Real' world. Power, Money, Influence, and how its used to crush the competition or gain sway in the world. Is all that matters."
"Get what I'm sayin?" Leroy gripped the bars. And he could see the fear in her eyes. He wanted to leave it at that. Just stop and let her hear the horrors of the world because in his heart currently he felt that it didn't matter. All of that didn't matter. Because he felt his life was over…But something in him spurred him.
His eyes softened. And she looked at him with pleading eyes. "But thats only one side of the story. Theres plenty of good men out there. True men, who don't define their masculinity on something so shallow like power over another."
"But confidence in oneself. Pride in themselves and those around them. Positivity. Defining what being a man is in their own terms. Not just accepting what the rest of the world has to say. Real men are what they make of themselves because its who they want to be. Self Determination."
"Men who are kind. Reach out a hand. Men who will fight tooth and nail for others. Women who do the same to. All others. Working together. Not because one man is supposedly labeled as being inherently 'Great' or 'Greater'."
"People who lead because they know that they can. Not because they wish to oppress and reign. People who become great. By the actions in which they take. The actions that define them."
"Good people people. Exist. You just gotta understand that they come with their own set faults and flaws that make them…"
"Human."
"Because no on in this life is perfect. And that? That's perfectly fine."
The woman quivered her lip as tear welled at her eyes. It was something about the way he spoke. The way he sat there and looked so empty and yet spoke with such vigor and passion that was bringing a pang of emotion to her chest.
"You have kind eyes, Mister." She smiled before turning and walking away.
The Door opened. And closed with a thud. Lock going into place as Leroys head hit the bars of the cage.
On the other side of the door however. Eliza sat in a simple shirt and short torn jeans. "So. Did you hear what he said?" The woman from before, Beau, asked the short queen
Eliza had a reserved look on her face. Arms crossed under her bust as she leaned against the wall. "Yeah. I heard it…All that remains now is to hear what happened back with Bibli, Boudicca, and Zora."
"But for now. He's still got more to show. He can talk all he want…But if he truly believes what he says. It'll be the actions that define and prove himself to us…"