Hey everyone! Here's the first chapter of Flashback Series: Two of a Kind featuring Rico! The first bit here is just something to explain what's going on, then it goes to the real story. Enjoy!

"The time has come, my friend." Dr. Blowhole said, turning to face the penguin. "Captain Skipper will not remember our slip-up with the walrus - at least, not right away. You're certain it will work?"

"Yes, doctor. My brother is a member of the Captain's team, and our birthday is the same day I arrive. That will be my excuse for coming."

"And you still don't care if he doesn't survive?"

The penguin shook his head coldly. "My brother was - is - a nuisance to me."

"Good. You leave tomorrow - remember, send me as many of Lieutenant Kowalski's inventions as you can, we may need them, but stay unknown. Then, lure Captain Skipper and the team here with your own ransom note. I will take it from there."

"Yes, Dr. Blowhole."

Dr. Blowhole chuckled. "Let's get started."

…

It did seem like just another day at the Central Park Zoo, but no one but Rico knew that it was a special day. He didn't really want to trouble anyone, but he did take the liberty of taking a couple of extra fish at breakfast, and even played the rare practical joke on the lemurs during down-time, involving Julien's crown and a small-ish firecracker.

It was his birthday. There we no gifts, no cake, no special greetings, but it didn't really matter to Rico. He knew, and that's all that mattered.

But, of course, the ever-sensitive Private noticed the change in his comrade's behavior.

"Hey, Rico!" Private said, lagging behind while going back from daily recon. "you seem quite happy today - I KNOW that was you who almost made Julien's head explode today! Something goin' on?"

Rico shrugged. "B-day."

"Ooh! Happy birthday, Rico!"

He smiled. Maybe the special greetings were nice, but he didn't want it to get out of hand.

"No tell Skip-walski?" he asked.

"All right." Private agreed, but smiled as they got through the fence separating the rest of the zoo and their habitat.

They all dropped through the hatch. Skipper immediately figured out that something was wrong.

"Smoked salmon!" he cried out, for sitting on a concrete block was what looked like a carbon copy of Rico, minus the scar and instead of a mohawk, all the feathers stood up in a single point on his head. Skipper, Kowalski, and Private simultaneously looked at the penguin, at Rico, and back at the penguin.

Rico gasped. "Chico!!!"

"Rico!" They ran towards each other and engulfed one another in a bear hug.

"Rico, do you know this guy?" Skipper said.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Bro!!"

Kowalski was intrigued. "A twin brother? How is that possible, penguins come from… oh, sweet scientific theory, that explains so much…"

"Kowalski?" said their leader.

"Skipper, I don't think you want to know." said Kowalski with a small shudder.

Rico began to babble in his and his brother's native language. Kowalski gave them a rough translation:

"I haven't seen you in years… who are these guys?""This is my team: Skipper is our leader, Kowalski the tall one, Private the shortest-"

"A-hem??" Rico said, turning to Kowalski, annoyed.

He continued: "Why are you telling the rest of the team my personal conversa- oh, sorry."

Rico continued to speak to his brother:

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, haven't seen you in years, what better time to come than our birthday?"

"It's really great to see you. How long should I tell Skipper you're going to stay?"

"A week, maybe a week and a half. I have some things to do, here in the city."

Meanwhile, the others shuffled off, leaving them be. Kowalski went to his science table, which no one was allowed or even wanted to touch, Private to the TV, Skipper to the counter where the coffee maker was.

"What have you been doing with yourself?" Rico asked.

"Oh, this and that, nothing too interesting. I see you've still got that scar." Chico said, somewhat evasively.

Rico, however, paid no attention to this. "Yeah… if that firecracker had detonated about three seconds later, instead of while it was still in my mouth…!"

Rico sighed and placed his flipper on his twin's shoulder.

"We've got a lot to catch up on, bro."

Chico chuckled to himself. "More than you would care to know."

Review!!! Note: The words are in italics because they're not actually speaking English.