The wind slowly moved through Arlo's hair. He could feel the grass soothe him to near sleep. As he was about to fall asleep he began to wonder if he would dream of Fishman Island. That place was so much different from this village. Granted this was home, but still it was hard being the only fish-man in a village of humans. Lately in the dreams he saw himself on a pirate ship that had crossbones and a saw-shark profile on the flag and main sail (well it wasn't really himself, but his alter ego Arlong). This dream had left Arlo with a feelings of anger, hope, and maybe a little of fear, and a hunger to prove himself. Finally sleep came to overtake him.

The dream turned out to be a flashback to the first time he actually met a fish-man. At the time he was about thirteen his back fin hadn't developed yet. He was hunting a really big tuna (about his size). He had been on the trail of this particular tuna for about two days. He wanted to prove to himself that he could catch something that big. The tuna had finally slowed to rest. Arlo cracked a grin for today was going to be great one. He put more speed to his kicks. This was his favorite part of the hunt, the syncing of predator and prey's heartbeats.

At mere inches away from his prey, he had just started to open his mouth when a red blur darted in front of him. In the blink of an eye the tuna was gone. Arlo was still going too fast and crashed mouth and nose first into a rock. He pulled himself free leaving a set of teeth in the rock. Arlo saw red and no deep breathing exercise would cure this anger. He turned his head and saw the red blur and the stolen tuna.

The red blur turned out to be a slightly older fish-man. He was very thin. He also had on a ragged tank top and ripped clothed pants. He took a bite of the tuna. At any other time Arlo would have questions, but this wasn't the time.

"Hey you big jerk that's mine!" he yelled.

The red fish-man raised his head from the freshly dead tuna and snickered, "Tough luck kid, it's mine now," he answered and buried his head back into the tuna.

"It's not fair. I've been tracking that tuna for two days."

"Two days, ha, you think too much, kid. At least you tried. Thanks for cornering this for me."

"But it's still mine."

"Ha, still stuck on that? Well maybe you should rely on instinct," the red fish-man laughed. This time he got a really good look at Arlo. Suddenly he cracked a big smile as if he actually knew Arlo. "Hey, Arlong! Quite being so mad I won this fair and square. I'll give you a piece if you shut up. Since when do you have a star mark on your right shoulder? Why are you only wearing shorts?" Arlo ignored the questions.

He swam back to the rock he just slammed into. "Heh, you think I'll just shut up about this Fish-man? Think again," he said to himself. When he got to the rock he turned around and kicked off. He went head long into the fish-man. The force startled the fish-man into losing the tuna. Arlo caught the tuna and said, "I win." He took a bite of victory and swam to a sunken tree and started to finish the tuna.

The fish-man let out a laugh as he swam after Arlo to the tree. "Ha, Ha! By D. you're not Arlong!" He slapped Arlo on the back. "Hey, Star Shoulder, what's your name?"

Arlo took a swallow before answering, "Swete White Star Arlo," he took another bite. He was calming down now.

"Well I was close calling you Arlong."

"Yes sir, just two letters off."

"Heh, you're more polite when you're fed. I didn't know there was a fish-men colony this far west."

Arlo blushed, "Oh, there isn't, in fact I'm the only one on this island."

"That's a bit strange…"

"Help!"

"What?" asked Arlo's thirteen year old self.

"Help!" The voice seemed to come from above the water.

"Huh?" Arlo woke with a start. For a second he forgot where he was. Then he remembered that he was on his favorite look out spot on the beach. He stretched to wake up a little bit more. He couldn't believe that it had been five years since he met Fisher Tiger. He began to wonder what Tiger was up to. Then he remembered why he was now awake. Arlo ran to the beach shore.

He ran and saw a beached whale (no he was a bit small to be a whale and he was wearing clothes) maybe a demon. What or who the thing was he didn't look good. "What are you friend?" Arlo asked as he came closer. His question was quickly answered when he saw the demon whale more clearly. He was a fish-man. The second one he had ever seen.

This fish-man was a lot bigger and wider than himself. "Help," he whispered this time.

"Hang on, I'm here," said Arlo. The fish-man was blue with two tusk-like lower teeth. His hair was black on top and blonde on bottom. "Hmm, I've never seen someone that strange before," Arlo thought to himself.

"Arlon…" said the stranger before falling silent. The name gave proof to Arlo that the stranger was alive. Unfortunately the stranger was very warm to the touch.

"Damn it he's burning up and his breath is shallow and fast," Arlo thought and he was getting worried. With a little effort he was able to lift the stranger. "Man he's heavy. Please stay with me."

Jinbei woke up in a strange room. The walls were adorned in strange posters of the "Green Isle Geckos", "The Lone Rider", and a band poster for the "Panda Bats". "Where am I?" he asked himself. He turned his head to see a strange black haired human girl sleeping in a chair next to the bed he was in. Was this a dream? He was sure that his brother Arlong had saved him from illness. If that were the case why was there a human sleeping in a chair? This was the first female human he had ever seen.

He wanted to wake the human up to find out the truth. He shook her leg. She stirred a little and mumbled, "No, Lo, don't dunk me." That didn't work he tried again a little harder this time. This worked a little too well. The human let out a scream and landed a kick on Jinbei's chin. She then toppled over in the chair.

"Oh," she said, "sorry I kicked you." She got up off the floor and straightened her glasses. "Did I hurt you? If I did sorry again," she said quickly.

Jinbei rubbed his chin, "A little, but there is no need to apologize. Where am I?"

"Oh, you're on Green Isle. My name's Nymphodora most people call me Nym."

Jinbei smiled, "Pleased to meet you Nym. My name is Jinbei. Is Green Isle close to Fishman Island?"

"No, we're about a few months ship ride from there, but no one ever goes there." Had he been blown that far off course? Now that the question of where he was had an answer he could smell frying pig and something else. The smells couldn't beat his hunger of questions.

"Where's Arlong?" he asked.

Nym smiled, "Oh, here he comes! Come on boy, do you want to check on the sick fish-man? Come on boy," said Nym.

Had his friend suffered brain damage? The question was swiftly answered when a big lean ball of fur and tongue landed on his chest. "Sorry, he's been sleeping on you for the past three days making sure you got better. I think he also gets you mistaken for my brother because you smell like him and you kept saying his name," laughed Nym.

"That's not who I meant," said Jinbei once he caught his breath.

"Who do you mean? That's the only Arlong I know of, unless you count my brother's imaginary childhood friend," answered Nym.

This was strange. Jinbei could have sworn that Arlong had carried him from the shore. He tried to explain, "No, Arlong is a fish-man like me, well not at all really. He has sharp teeth, bluish grey skin, a huge dorsal fin, and a saw like nose."

Nym's head was cocked until the last description. "Wait, did you say a saw like nose?"

"Yes, do you know him?"

"No, but you did almost describe my brother almost to a T. Wait a second I'll be right back," said Nym. At this she left the room. Jinbei pulled himself into a sitting position. Was there a fish-man colony on Green Isle? Nym didn't seem too scared by the fact that he was a fish-man. Truth be told he was a bit scared to be having a civil conversation with her.

When Nym returned she was carrying a picture, "Is this the fish-man you're looking for?" Jinbei took the picture. In it there was Nym and Arlong at a Panda Bats concert. Both Nym and Arlong were wearing purple and black face paints and Panda Bats tank tops. Nym was using his dorsal fin as a seat. The more he looked at the fish-man doubts began to form. He looked a lot like Arlong sure, but a few things were off.

The first thing was his hair. This fish-man's hair was black, yes but too short. For about five years Arlong had tried growing out his hair. The second and strangest were his smile and eyes. They were really happy. He had seen Arlong smile sure, but not like this. This happiness seemed to come from an inner light. The last and least strange was a wine colored star mark on his right shoulder. He thought he had seen that mark somewhere before. "Is this a tattoo?" he asked pointing to the mark.

"No, it's a birthmark. Mom says he's always had it since she found him."

"What do you mean she found him?"

Before Nym could answer Arlo stuck his head in the room and said, "Hey Nym and Demon Whale breakfast is ready." The demon whale man looked confused. Arlo tried to explain farther, "You know first meal?" He still looked confused. Arlo let it go. "Do you want to come down or I could bring you a tray?"

Jinbei shook his head, "You know what, I think I'll come down and eat with the both of you."

Arlo smiled, "Great, I've been meaning to wash those sheets. Oh, by the way Nym washed that outfit you were in. It's on that desk over there." He pointed to a desk in the corner.

"Thanks," said Jinbei. Nym and Star Shoulder left the room.

After they walked a few steps Arlo cracked a toothy smile. "That demon whale seems a few boards short of a shed doesn't he? But how cool is it to see another fish-man?"

"Oh, I don't know I've been talking to him and I think he's very smart and polite."

"Heh, yeah that cock-eyed look screams intelligence and politeness. I know when I look like that." Then he stuck out his lower jaw and turned his head.

"Shut up," said Nym and she punched him the right rib, "besides, aren't you a fish-man too?"

"Ouch! Yeah but, he actually grew up there. Still how cool is it to have a real fish-man here? I have so many questions," said Arlo. He then headed down stairs to set the table.

"He'll have a ton for you to, Lo," Nym said under her breath.

When Jinbei got out of bed, he felt really dizzy. Had he really been out for three days? Other questions seem to leave when the dog, Arlong, was scratching at the door. Jinbei opened the door to let the dog out. Once the dog left the room questions came running back. He started to put his outfit back on.

"How could there be only one fish-man be this far out? Could he really be a brother or twin to Arlong? That's absurd there's no way Arlong could have a twin brother. Well there was his half-sister and he only found out about that until three years ago. What did Nym mean when she said that their mom had found him? Did that mean he was raised by a human?" Jinbei put other questions on hold because he was starving.

Jinbei walked down the stairs to the smells of food. Star Shoulder was wearing plaid sleeper pants and a black shirt with a white star. He and Nym were already sitting at the table. Star Shoulder gave one of those strange smiles as he stood up to greet the guest. "Hey Demon Whale welcome back to the land of the living. Hungry?"

"Starving, by the way my name is Jinbei," he answered. Star Shoulder gave a laugh that actually reminded him of the real Arlong. He stuck out his hand and they shook. Jinbei then sat down at the open seat next to Nym.

"Pleased to meet you, Jinbei, name's Arlo." He sat back down. Then noticing the bruise on Jinbei's chin he let out another laugh. "I see you've already met my sister Nymphodora. Did she kick you? I heard a big commotion upstairs while I was making breakfast, but then it stopped."

Jinbei was startled at Arlo's lack of worry over his sister, "Why didn't you come in and stop us? I could have killed her."

At this Nym laughed, "Really a fish-man three or more days sick with fever could kill me? I know your people are strong, but right now Jinbei you're too weak." At this point Jinbei's stomach let out a deep growl.

Arlo laughed to break the tension, "Well that settles it Jinbei's hungry. Let's eat!" The table was set with ham steaks, scrambled chicken eggs, flat bread looking things, and a pot of warm brown liquid. Whatever the last two things were, Nym and Arlo were scarfing them down. "Um, Arlo?" he asked. That name felt strange to say and it also reminded him of Arlong's stuffed toy bob cat. "What are these?" He pointed to the flat bread and pot of liquid.

Arlo swallowed, "Oh, you mean the pancakes and syrup? You've never had this before? Don't worry it's the best." He stuck his fork into the stack of unclaimed pancakes and pulled out three. Jinbei was taken aback by his eyes. Arlo placed the pancakes on his plate. Nym had the syrup and passed it to Jinbei. He poured the liquid on the stack of pancakes and sliced into them. He took a bite and smiled.

Arlo laughed, "Told you." The three of them kept eating. Nym was the first to finish. Arlo and Jinbei got into fork fight over the last piece of ham steak, but eventually Jinbei won.

"Ahh, that was good," said Jinbei.

"Yeah," said Arlo with a stretch, "Crude I need to change clothes and open the store. You got afternoon right Nym?

"Yes now get going, Lo." Arlo ran upstairs to change.

"What type of store is it?" asked Jinbei.

"A candy store, it's been in the family for about three generations," answered Nym.

"Is your mother working today also?"

"No, she's sailing in the West Blue selling candies. She's been gone for about four months and should be back in a couple of days."

"She sails the world's oceans selling candies? Why?"

"Pirates love candy from their childhood. She gathers ingredients to make new different flavors of candies for the store and sales routes. For example she makes West Blue candies for the North Blue and all the rest. It's really fun to test the candies," explained Nym.

"I noticed Arlo was a little fidgety at the table. How come?"

"Arlo's getting restless because he's ready to sail himself."

"Why?"

"Man, you're full of questions aren't you? I don't know why, he just gets restless. Normally around this time he sails with his friends, Drac and Timbo, but since Drac left last year Arlo really hasn't felt the same. He could go alone with Timbo, but it's just not the same with the two of them," said Nym.

"You're right, Sis, it's just not the same without Drac," replied Arlo as he came back down the stairs.

With a full stomach Jinbei was able to get a clear look at Arlo. From what he saw Arlo was the same height as Arlong, but he seemed to hold himself very straight. He was wearing a white button-up shirt with rolled up sleeves, khaki cargo shorts, a red sash around his waist, and plain black sandals. His hair was longer but still shorter than Arlong's. He also had a real tattoo of a wolf on his right forearm. Something that gave Jinbei a pause to laugh was a gold ring in his dorsal fin. He laughed. "How could someone so strange feel so familiar?" he thought to himself. Then out loud he asked, "Umm, Arlo, mind if I come with you to the store?"

"Sure I could use some company. Let's head on down," smiled Arlo.