Musings of an eclectic

The Siren’s Shark

The events of Arlong Park have come and passed, and this story starts after the Sabaody arc but before Marineford. However, one thing I noticed while watching more OP episodes is that you don't see Arlong or his men at Impel Down, even though, given their crimes and whatnot, they'd likely have ended up there. We do know that Hatchan escaped and reappeared in the Sabaody episodes (which just delighted my heart). I was also thrilled when they introduced Jinbe in the Impel Down arc. Such a cool character.

But still, no one knows what happened to Arlong as of this date (aside from Eiichiro Oda) and since I think Arlong and fishmen are cool, I wanted to do a story with Arlong regarding this. So this story, aside from flashbacks or backstory, starts after Sabaody and happens concurrently with Impel Down/Marineford and so on, but focusing on Arlong and his crew (and Siren!) Hatchan also appears in this story – he was in Sabaody but joins up with Arlong later on (which will be explained in the story)

Haki comes in three main forms as we see on the show, but given that all sorts of weird things can be done with willpower (with or without Devil Fruit, i.e. what Portgas D Rouge did with her pregnancy) I decided to play around a bit with that idea here regarding what the siren can do. And though it was meant to be an inside joke of One Piece about Arlong, Blue Haki spurred some ideas, and this is an Arlong-centered fic, after all.

Content Warning – There will be discussions/instances of slavery, racism, violence, sexual assault, torture, etc (nothing you don’t already see or hinted at in One Piece) This isn’t Game of Thrones, and I will keep most of that in the background/off-screen, but there will be scenes which some readers might find disturbing, depending on various tolerance levels.

o0o0o0o

Somewhere in the South Blue…

Arlong narrowed his eyes as he stared out at the chilly waters of the South Blue. The last months had been especially trying for him, with one challenge after another after these damn Straw Hats came to the Conomi Islands. Much as he wanted to deny it, the Arlong Park era was over. He could try starting over somewhere else, but where? He and his men had managed to break free of the Marines and throw the government off their trail, but he didn’t doubt that by now, it was known that the Marines who had arrested him and his gang were missing, never having made it to their destination.

The Marine ship had been useful for a while, but too conspicuous, so they stole a cargo ship, only to be attacked by a pirate gang that Arlong begrudgingly admitted were too powerful for him. As fishmen, they had the natural advantage of escaping into the water, but the vessel was not so lucky. They’d swum for a while with several lifeboats in tow with what they’d been able to pack during their hasty retreat, before coming across this small merchant ship laden with various goods – some more useful to the fishmen, others less so. He shivered before he pulled up the collar of his jacket. He missed the balmy atmosphere of the Conomi Islands and again cursed the Straw Hats and Nami.

The crew managed to keep itself well-provisioned with various catches from the sea, but certain things could only be obtained on land. Fishman Island was a long way off, and Arlong had gained a healthy sense of caution. His distinctive appearance was on wanted posters throughout the East Blue, and self-preservation tempered the recklessness he had sometimes. So they'd made a hasty retreat to the South Blue, going south enough to enter a climate that eight years in the tropical Conomi Islands left them little prepared for.

He huffed as he looked at the water, pulling up the collar of his jacket. Take had modified it to accommodate his dorsal fin, cutting a slit down from the neck before attaching a knit hat to it that Arlong could slide his fin into. Fishmen were hardy creatures, but even they could only tolerate so much cold before it became uncomfortable, and the carp fishman had an appreciable talent with needle and thread. Fortunately, between what was cobbled together from Marine uniforms and the various items on the merchant’s ship, the fishmen were able to find some level of comfort, but it still felt weird having to layer clothing after spending years wearing little more than shirts and shorts.

And now they were running low on booze. Arlong had a hard time sleeping many nights, overcome by anger, frustration, depression, confusion, anxiety, bitterness, and regret in a seemingly endless random cycle. The alcohol helped to take the edge off that. Dimly, Arlong was aware that it was not a healthy method of coping, but at this time, there seemed to be little else to do than hide. There was a reason he’d targeted the East Blue. Out of the Blues, it was considered by many the most placid of the seas, with pirates and criminals there being relatively minor compared to those in the other Blues, and he didn’t want to be fighting one of the Warlords, Emperors, or various families or organizations.

Life is a constant struggle. If you see an opportunity to exploit others, grab it. Get whatever breaks you can, he recalled the gruff voice. The fishman race has suffered far too long. Mercy is for the weak. Someone hits you, hit back twice as hard, if not more. Ajkul’s voice hissed at him from the depths of his memory.

Arlong created such a reputation for himself that if he tried to re-establish himself anywhere in the East Blue, the Marines, if not the World Government, would be on his ass, but as their flight from a gang proved, the other Blues had difficulties of their own. It was a humbling experience not only for him but for the fishmen who were still with him. They'd reigned high and mighty in the Conomi Islands, having twenty towns under their control and a steady influx of tribute money and good times. Aside from a few examples that had to be set, the humans had generally been docile in paying their tributes and doing their work.

Then the Straw Hats had to come and fuck it up, and Nami had gone off with them. He grumbled to himself as he narrowed his eyes, seeing a speck in the distance that could be an island. Turning around, he called a few fishmen over to do some scouting. There were a few grumbles as his subordinates faced the prospect of heading into the chilly water, but he was still the captain of his crew.

o0o0o0o

Since that little long-nosed bastard had beaten him around the head multiple times with his hammer, Chew suffered from migraines. They’d lessened some by that point, but he still suffered bouts of debilitating pain that made it difficult for him to focus.

And now, he was sick too. And there was no doctor to look after him or the other fishmen. Hatchan did his best, but there was only so much even a man with six arms could do. Some of the fishmen knew first aid and basic medical care, but there was no substitute for a well-trained doctor. Or even the loving care of the mother he barely remembered.

o0o0o0o

Kuroobi sat in the infirmary, hearing the soft groan as one of the fishmen rolled over, trying to get comfortable despite his aches. When the fishmen had taken over this ship, there were some medical supplies in the infirmary, but it wasn’t as well-stocked as it should have been. And with what had been going on lately, they were already out of much of their medical supplies and pharmaceuticals. Stealing was tempting, but the crew wanted to draw as little attention to itself as possible, especially from the damned Marines.

The ray fishman furrowed his eyebrows as he mused over his defeat at the hands of a human. A fucking human. It’d been months, but it still rankled him. He’d prided himself so much on his skills, but as he now bitterly realized, nearly a decade of living in the Conomi Islands had softened him. The humans he’d come across were easy to terrorize, even the Marines. And so he and his fellow fishmen and captain had lived eight easy years, relying on brute force and intimidation to keep things under control.

He frowned at Chew thoughtfully as he looked over his longtime nakama. Hachi was making soup for everyone here, and Kuroobi looked forward to having a bowl of his own. Cold weather was not kind to fishmen who had large fins like he did, so when it was possible, he spent his time within the ship, and looking over Chew and the others was as good an excuse as any to avoid going outside. Take had put together a coat for him using one coat and much of another, which he was grateful for, but it felt unnatural having his fins covered in the thick material of a jacket.

His stomach rumbled hungrily. Hatchan mentioned something about being low or out of some ingredients, but he wasn’t a picky eater. As long as it was hot and edible, he’d take it.

o0o0o0o

Hatchan looked over the ingredients, making note of what they were running low on on top of what he’d already run out of. When he’d rejoined Arlong, the sharkman was in charge of this ship, though it bore the emblem of the man who previously owned the vessel. Sorrowfree Wanderer wasn’t a bad name for a ship, but right now, there was plenty of sorrow.

Reeling from the loss of his beloved takoyaki ship at the hands of xenophobic humans, the octopus fishman left the Thousand Sunny in the care of Duval, Silvers, and the other friends of the Straw Hats, no longer feeling quite as safe at Sabaody, especially after what happened with Camie. Besides, as he’d reasoned, the Straw Hats needed his help, and perhaps if he traveled out into the world, he could find at least one of them. That would do more good than sitting around and waiting for them to come back.

And instead of finding a Straw Hat, he’d found Arlong, making his way down the South Blue.

Arlong knew none of his business with the Straw Hats, though. That was the last thing Arlong needed to hear: that one of his long-time nakama had befriended the Straw Hats, of all people. All the sharkman knew was his undersea stroll and how he had helped a village of catfish and gotten a takoyaki ship. When Hatchan recounted how his ship was destroyed by humans, Arlong gave him a bitter but regretful sneer.

“When you asked for some time, it was not easy for me to let you go, but I did. I am sorry that happened to you. We know how stupid humans are, but destroying your ship is an absolute disgrace. Fishmen aren’t even allowed to have their own damn takoyaki stall!”

Reeling from his loss and nursing the sting of justified anger and rage, Hatchan could only accept Arlong’s words, bowing his head and resuming his old position within Arlong’s crew, welcoming the protection and company they offered. He didn’t hate all humans like Arlong expected him to. Despite his loss, he knew there were plenty of good humans out there, and perhaps one day Arlong wouldn’t hate them so much.

Eventually, they'd have to go among humans again, if they didn't come across an island inhabited by fishmen. Arlong would grumble about how fishmen had a safe place on the surface until Nami betrayed them and the Straw Hats defeated them. It was tempting to remind Arlong that he’d betrayed Nami by finding a way around the promise he’d made her almost a decade ago. The one time he’d done that though… Arlong had gone into a blackout rage, alcohol and anger proving (for the umpteenth time) to be a poor combination for the sharkman’s already considerable mental and emotional strain.

Hatchan wasn’t sure if Arlong remembered that the next day, waking up with one hell of a hangover that had him snarling at anyone who came near him. And the octopus man never asked, nor did he bring up the topic again.

Hatchan simply hoped that in the next market, there would be no trouble and they'd be able to get in and out with the supplies they needed. Perhaps some hot and/or fried food would improve the captain’s mood.

o0o0o0o

One of Yolande Sato’s favorite things to do was look out at the sea, which was a good thing because Coldrock Island was surrounded by it. Sometimes at night, she would go swimming, going out further or deeper than anyone else on the island could. But right now it was too cold for that, so she hunched over the railing, taking in the vantage before her, the sea a deep but forbidding blue. She took a deep breath, feeling the cold air cut through her throat before she noticed a ship on the horizon. This remote island in the South Blue did not get a lot of traffic, but it was not so out of the way that a ship caused great excitement. Idly, she wondered if it was a Marine or merchant vessel. It revealed itself to be the latter when the sail came in view, a lighthearted caricature of a smiling face. She smirked to herself, wondering what sorts of stories these sailors would bring. Not to mention how much alcohol they would buy at the bar, and how much they might spend on supplies here while the locals looked over whatever trinkets they would offer for sale. She stood outside the pharmacy, enjoying the fresh air and letting her thoughts wander as there were no customers to serve.

She had to stop herself from doing a double-take when a trio of men from the ship came to the pharmacy. From a distance, they looked like ordinary large-framed men bundled against the nippy weather, but given her experience, she recognized what they were as one of them approached the bench she was sitting on. They looked worn and tired, but then many sailors coming to port after a long voyage did.

“Can I help you?” she asked with a friendly voice. The fishman in the middle had an especially bulky muddle and spiky white hair under his cap.

“We need supplies. Vitamins, first aid, painkillers…”

“Oh yeah, I can put that together for you, just let me know how much you need!” She glanced at the fishman’s frame and realized that his coat probably hid extra arms if her guess about him being an octopus fishman was correct.

“Thanks! Do you know where I can find the doctor?”

“Yeah, sure, he should be in his office now. Just, go up two buildings to the one with blue shingles. Ring the bell.” She afforded him the courtesy she would afford anyone else, regardless of race, but she knew not everyone viewed others the same way. Though the newcomers tried to conceal it, she could tell they were more than just tired.

She went back inside, pulling out some vitamins and other supplies, recalling the numbers she’d been given. Bandages, antibiotics, analgesics… she was experienced in putting together supplies for ships that sailed in.

After a while, and serving a couple of the villagers, she frowned to herself, wondering where the fishmen were. She stepped outside, looking around before going up to Doctor Flen’s office.

“Did a trio of men come by?” she asked, wondering for a moment if she had imagined the encounter.

“If you’re talking about these fishmen, then yes. I turned them away,” the older man replied with a small scoff.

Yolande stared at him for several moments before a sense of foreboding washed over her. “I see,” she replied flatly before retreating.

o0o0o0o

“The doctor refused to help,” Shioyaki said darkly. Arlong’s hands clenched into fists.

“The island has no Marine base. And no islands too close by.” Arlong grinned. He had no desire to lay claim to a godforsaken hunk of near-ice, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t wreak some havoc. He’d been forced to retreat from that pirate gang, but it looked like there were none in this part of the South Blue.

He’d lost some of his fishmen to Rorona Zoro’s blade, but he ran the numbers in his head. Even with those in the infirmary, he still had enough fishmen who’d recovered from the attack at Arlong Park. “Get the crew together.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” Shioyaki said with a grin. Hachi frowned thoughtfully.

o0o0o0o

The fishmen attacked the village with efficiency, showing Yolande that they’d done this before. She’d later learn that they’d done this to more than twenty other villages.

Fuck. She shot Doctor Flen an accusing glare as a fishman herded them.

“Don’t hurt her!” she heard the octopus fishman say, and turned to see him approach her. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the concern in his eyes. His extra arms were no longer concealed, now openly moving under the coat, his extra hands visible.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe,” he assured her. Even though they’d just met, she felt the urge to take his word for it.

“Is this because of the doctor?” she asked, waving her hand vaguely in the direction of the villagers being gathered at the town square.

“Yes.”

“Ha. Fuck.” She rolled her eyes. “For what it’s worth, I had no idea he was like that. I’ve lived here for years, and in all that time, no fishman ever came to our shores. If I knew, I’d have offered to help you myself.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’ve worked as a nurse, and still do it sometimes…” She paused, wondering if she’d said too much. However, the octopus fishman’s eyes lit up with relief.

“Hachi!” a voice boomed across the clearing, and Yolande’s head snapped in that direction, seeing a fishman with the most impressive nose she’d ever seen. She offered no resistance as Hachi ushered her past the other townsfolk even though all she wanted to do was bolt to the shore and swim away. It wouldn’t be the first time in her life she had done so.

“Captain Arlong. This one is willing to help us,” Hachi explained.

“And you are…” Arlong asked, staring down at her. There was a couple of meters between the two of them. She felt her heart thud in her chest as she stared up into eyes as clear as the sky, and as cold as the southernmost reaches of this sea. His shoulders were broad, the effect bolstered by the jacket he wore, and even though she wasn’t a short woman, he towered over her. Well, all of the fishmen she’d met were taller than her, but Arlong’s mere presence overwhelmed her, with almost as much physical force as a brick wall slamming into her, and she found herself unable to breathe for a moment. Thick black hair was held in place – just barely – by a dark, wide-brimmed hat. Aside from his eyes, the most arresting feature was his nose.

“Sato. Uh, Yolande Sato,” she managed to blurt out.

“And what exactly is it you do here?”

“I’m a chemist. I make products for the pharmacy.”

“She’s a nurse too,” Hachi added brightly. Arlong raised his eyebrow quizzically, and without thinking, she nodded in confirmation. She stared up at him, and his mouth spread into a slow grin, revealing sharp teeth. She was barely aware of Hachi's hand on her arm. She heard her name come from the sharkman in a rumble that seemed to vibrate through her.

Yolande blinked and took a step back. Arlong’s grin only widened. Hachi moved between them, whispering something to Arlong as the two stared at one another. She managed to pull her gaze away, wondering what the fuck that was.

-mate-

She wasn’t chaste – before marriage or after becoming a widow – but she couldn’t remember wanting to fuck anything as much as she did Arlong. It wasn’t even simply a desire to have sex. She wanted something more, and though she couldn’t explain it, she knew that Arlong felt the same.

What the hell? Her hand fluttered to her throat as she felt heat creep up her neck. Several whispered words were exchanged between him and Hatchan, but his eyes remained on her, cool azure under the dark brim, glinting from the shadows. His grin widened further, and it seemed that her breath was frozen in her throat.

“Very good. Go get the supplies from the pharmacy,” he commanded. “Hachi, go with her. Then bring her and the doctor on the ship,” he snarled.

o0o0o0o

It was a bitter pill to need assistance from a human, but Arlong couldn’t sit back and let Chew and the others get sicker and possibly die. They’d already been through so much, and he didn’t want to lose another nakama.

Going to Fishman Island had been – and still was – a possibility. But it’d been over a decade since he’d been there, and now a human protected Fishman Island. Could humans ever be trusted with such a thing? Apparently, King Neptune believed so.

And like the merman king was entrusting a human with the safety of his kingdom, Arlong was being forced to trust a human with the health of his fishmen. The doctor in Cocoyashi Village was easy enough to control, but this one was a stranger. He narrowed his eyes as the old man was pushed forward by one of his fishmen. He had a long but neatly-kept beard, his short white hair doing little to hide the redness of his scalp as the cold wind blew against it.

A few moments later, another person was coaxed forward by Hachi, this one a woman, very tall by Conomi Island standards. He wouldn’t have given her further notice, but he found his attention captured for a reason he couldn’t explain. Her form was lanky, her figure made masculine by the winter clothing she wore. Her dark red wavy hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

-yours-

Hachi made the introductions. When Arlong repeated her name, she looked up at him. He saw dark gray-green eyes, feeling that pull more intensely now. In his mind, there was a note playing, like she was calling to him, but she was not singing. For a moment, he wondered if there was something wrong inside his brain and he was having an auditory hallucination.

He was silent for several moments, staring at her as he tried to clear his head, but the note continued, soft and sweet for another couple of seconds. It couldn't be. It was impossible, but there was no denying what was happening. He’d heard the legends, what fishman didn’t know if they grew up in the Ryugu Kingdom?

“Boss?” he heard his nakama ask. He blinked, tearing his attention away from Yolande’s face. Impossible. It couldn’t happen with a human, could it? He waved in a dismissive gesture, instructing Hachi to take the woman to the pharmacy to collect the supplies.

o0o0o0o

“You will examine them and render the appropriate medical aid,” Kuroobi coldly instructed Doctor Flen. “Or humans on this island will find themselves in… dire need of such aid. Is that clear?”

“… Yes,” the doctor said with veiled irritation, a scowl hidden behind his face mask.

“And you,” he said, pointing to Yolande. “You will watch what he does, and verify that the aid he gives is appropriate, as well as render whatever aid you’re capable of.”

“… yes, sir,” the woman replied. Her voice was quiet and cautious. The ray fishman stood back as Flen moved along the beds, taking vitals, asking questions while Yolande stood behind him. She was nearly a head taller than the doctor, Kuroobi noted with faint amusement. After the doctor looked over several patients, Yolande drifted off to the next fishman.

o0o0o0o

The infirmary was guarded by a monolith of a pale-skinned fishman with dark hair and eyes, and impressive pectoral fins.

What the hell had the doctor gotten them into, she wondered as she clutched her med-bag to her chest while Hachi talked to the ray fishman. She could feel the heat of Kuroobi's gaze as he kept his attention on her and Flen the whole time. She was thankful for the octopus man's presence, as she took out her stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and thermometer, because it looked like Kuroobi expected her to pull out a bomb or poison.

What the hell happened to these fishmen to make them so fearful and paranoid, she wondered as she took vitals and asked questions. The blue-skinned fishman with big lips was delirious and moaned when she checked his temperature and blood pressure. She tutted over him gently, wiping his feverish brow, feeling the heat of her own breath against the face mask she wore.

“Vitamins and antibiotics,” Flen prescribed after every fishman in the infirmary was examined. “Some are more critical than others, so remedy must be administered quickly, and the patients monitored.”

Hachi looked to her, and she blushed faintly. Here, she had authority over the doctor. How that must chafe Flen’s ego.

“Given my experience, I must agree with his assessment. Of course, that’s just from the physical exam. I’ve seen plenty of fevers before, and they come from a variety of sources, but usually it’s the body fighting off something. It seems like you have been through a lot lately, haven’t you?” she asked. Kuroobi was silent, but Hachi nodded.

“Stress can make the physical response to illness more… drastic. Nonetheless, a good round of vitamins and antibiotics, and plenty of rest, generally cures most ills. Good thing you just got a fresh supply of all that, right?” Her voice bordered on almost sarcastic at the last sentence. Kuroobi narrowed his eyes, and Hachi just smiled.

o0o0o0o

Arlong waited outside the infirmary as the humans emerged. He listened as the doctor gave a run-down of his examinations and what he’d prescribed. Arlong nodded briefly, but had his gaze fixed on Yolande.

Vitamins. Antibiotics. Rest. Plenty of hydration. Yeah, he knew all that. Problem was, as he knew from childhood, resources such as these were not always so available.

“You may return to the island, but you are on call,” Arlong said as he looked down at Flen. “If any of my men die, I will hold you responsible.”

That threat had held well with Doctor Nako in Cocoyashi Village. It looked like it’d do just as well here. He looked to Hachi. “Go ahead and get supplies. If the shopkeepers object, tell them to put it on the good doctor’s tab.”

Her eyes widened for a moment as she stared up at him before they narrowed. With the face mask covering the bottom half of her face, her expression was much harder to read, but he could swear he saw amusement.

“I’ve rendered medical services already!” Flen protested.

“It’s called an asshole tax,” Yolande commented dryly, tearing her gaze away to look at the doctor.

At that, Arlong threw his head back and laughed.

“Clever girl.” He glanced at the old man. “You want me to leave, don’t you? I am not going to do so until my men are well. If you do your part, this should be relatively painless for you and your loved ones. Is that clear?”

All the doctor could do was bow his head.

“Stay,” he said as Yolande started after the doctor. She stiffened and turned back to him. Again, that distant, sweet note. The desire to claim her. To protect her. No, he told himself firmly. She was a human. He was just… lonely. Desperate.

“Have you ever been around fishmen before?” he asked, forcing his mind to mundane matters.

“Not for a long time, but yes. And for what it’s worth, I didn’t think Doctor Flen was going to be like that. If I did, I would have offered to help you myself. I’ve never seen a fishman here before, and I’ve been on Coldrock for nearly a decade.”

He didn’t detect any lies in her words. “And you’re a chemist. Do you do anything besides medications?”

She stared at him for a moment before blinking, as if shaking herself out of her thoughts. “Yes. I mean, if I have the ingredients and equipment. I also make drinks, sauces, and preserves.”

“Do you like it?”

“… Yes. Very much. It’s just thrilling to mix different things together and make useful things out of them.”

What the hell are you doing, Arlong, he heard an inner voice snap at him. “Very good. You can go, but I expect you and the doctor back this evening.”

o0o0o0o

“Are you all right?” Lena asked, her face pale with worry as Yolande returned to the house she’d lived in since her husband decided to retire here.

The older woman gave out a short laugh as she glanced at her stepdaughter. “Yes. But the captain of that ship is one very angry man.”

And also the sexiest man I’ve ever seen in my life, she added mentally. But at least Captain Arlong seemed like he’d hold off on violence… at least, as long as he wasn’t provoked. Hopefully, no one would do anything stupid. “Don’t draw attention to yourself. Stay calm.”

“I wish Dad and Hiro were here.”

Yolande regarded the younger woman with a wistful smile. She wasn’t sure how much Yoshi would have been able to accomplish if he were still around. He’d chosen this island specifically because it was a small, quiet one, and it did indeed serve his retirement well. As for Hiro, he’d joined the Marines not long before his father’s retirement and was off in the world, handling larger problems.

“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Yolande replied neutrally. “I have to go back there this evening.” She should dread it. She should want Arlong and his crew to leave Coldrock as soon as possible. But damn if she didn’t want to see Arlong again. That nose. These eyes. That smile. And the sheer build of him...

“You think they might be pirates?”

Yolande stared at her stepdaughter for a moment. She remembered what she saw of the ship and the infirmary. The hostility she saw in several of the fishmen’s faces when she and the doctor came aboard the ship. “I wouldn’t be surprised,” she finally said. Yoshi had told stories to his wife and children about taking down pirates, arresting the rogues that sailed the high seas and wreaked havoc through the world. There were plenty of such stories among others, but then, Yoshi was a Marine. “And if that’s the case, then you know how important it is to stay calm. Think of your baby.”

“Maybe after this blows over, we could find somewhere warmer and more populated to move to,” Lena offered.

“That’s worth looking into,” the older woman conceded with a small laugh.

o0o0o0o

The fever of one of his nakama had broken already, Arlong was relieved to learn. Refreshed supplies also meant a better meal that night. Arlong sighed to himself as he sat there in the mess hall, listening to the quiet chatter of his fishmen.

They’d gotten over several struggles since the loss of Arlong Park. But what came next? Another one? Would they drift for the rest of their lives, evading Marines and slavers? After nearly a decade comfortably ensconced at Arlong Park, with the promise of the park waiting for him and the others at the end of every trip and mission, it felt strange not to have a place to go to. Even months later, it was a hard feeling to overcome sometimes. He was a stranger in a strange land, dealing with racist pieces of shit while his nakama were sick.

Even with the apparent cooperation of the villagers, Arlong was still on edge and paranoid, which was a shitty feeling when you were also tired. What if the doctor or someone else poisoned their medicine or supplies? What if a Devil Fruit user came along?

He didn’t sleep well that night, but when he finally fell asleep after a cup of rum, he dreamed of her. Pale skin, lightly freckled cheeks, dark red hair, and dark gray-green eyes that made him think of stormy tropical seas. She beckoned him forward, wiggling herself at him, the sway of her hips apparent even with the thick clothing she had on.

Before he could tear off her clothes, he woke up.

o0o0o0o

With the fishmen taking so many supplies, Yolande stood in the pharmacy backroom, taking inventory. Some of it she could manufacture, but even then, she needed the raw ingredients to produce the various products the pharmacy carried. Doctor Flen really had screwed over the village, she mused. With the tab the fishmen ran up on his name, Flen would be in debt to many people in the village for a good time to come. Asshole tax, indeed.

The bell over the door rang, and she came out to see Hachi with a package in his hands.

“I know it probably hasn’t been easy for you lately, but I brought something I hope would make you feel a little better.” He opened the box to reveal dumplings, gyoza, and a container of soup. She hadn’t eaten much that morning, and her stomach rumbled as she smelled the food. “You made that yourself, huh? Are you the ship’s cook?”

“Yeah, I am! I just wanted to say thank you for taking such good care of my nakama.” He set the box on the counter, and she took the chopsticks he offered, trying one of the dumplings.

“This is better than mine,” Yolande said with a contented hum. The shell was firm but soft when chewed, and the pork and vegetable filling was well-chopped and flavored. She wasted no time in trying the other things as Hachi watched. “My cooking’s decent enough, but this is amazing!” She studied the octopus fishman as he did so. “…So. How did you become part of that crew?”

“We grew up together.”

She nodded. Made sense, given how, despite Arlong’s clear command, he respected Hachi. “And humans hurt you in the past.”

“More than once,” Hachi answered quietly.

“Mmm. I know what it’s like to be angry.” She took several sips of the red bean soup. “I guess all we can do is just… try to get through this. It’ll be easier with a stomach full of your cooking,” she added with a half-smile.

She saw his shoulders slump in relief and wondered just what he and the rest of the crew had been through, but she refrained from asking too many questions and enjoyed the rest of her lunch. His company was a welcome change to her work, and he was adorable.

Her thoughts kept returning to Arlong, though. Stupid sexy sharkman.

o0o0o0o

“More fevers broke through the night,” Hachi informed her with relief when he came back to the pharmacy the next day with another lunch for Yolande. She smiled at him before opening the box and eating one of the gyoza he’d made. He felt bad for having her get dragged into this mess, but she seemed to be taking it well, all things considered. So far, no one had attempted to rebel against the fishmen.

It reminded him of Cocoyashi Village. The tribute was paid. The villagers kept their eyes down and did not engage the fishmen unless they were spoken to or when there was an urgent matter to attend to. It didn’t take much to intimidate them, much like here. At least Arlong didn’t intend to take over this island. Too cold, he said.

There was not a single fishman on the crew who disagreed.

“Are you willing to tell me about Fishman Island?” she asked. Hachi smiled at that and nodded. No one disturbed them – the few who came to the pharmacy saw the octopus fishman through the window, his arms waving as he told her a story, and quickly turned away.

“I wish I could eat like this every day,” she sighed with contentment as she licked her fingers after finishing an egg roll. He grinned at that before his expression sobered.

“If you like my lunches, I’m sure you’ll enjoy dinner, too! The captain wants you to come for dinner tonight.”

The expression on her face was unreadable as she nodded. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “Arlong is pleased with your work! You’re not in trouble at all!”

More than pleased. She’s my siren. Fuck it, Arlong snarled when Hachi saw how on edge he was after the last time Yolande and Flen came to check on the patients. Humans are not supposed to be sirens! Is this meant to be some cruel joke by the gods?

Hachi had heard of sirens. What seafolk didn’t, assuming they grew up in the Ryugu Kingdom. Humans had their own definition of sirens – several of them, in fact. But for a seafolk, a siren was something bordering on magical. The perfect mate, some stories said. A wish-granter, others said. There were tales out there, not just myths, but history. It was said that King Neptune was descended from a siren who made a former prince a king.

And when a man met his siren, he knew. Arlong would not be saying this lightly. Especially about a human.

“The fishing around here is pretty good, so I’ll be grilling tonight,” Hachi said encouragingly.

“Some of your comrades don’t want me around,” Yolande said as she stared at him.

Hachi winced slightly, thinking of Kuroobi and Toma. “You’re under the captain’s protection.”

She let out a slow sigh. “Your captain would not accept a rejection of his invitation, hmm?”

He looked down at the counter, rubbing the back of his head with one of his hands. She crossed her arms and glared at him, looking quite stern in the dark long-sleeved plaid shirt she was wearing.

“Well, it’s better than cooking dinner myself,” she finally conceded. “It’s not often the man provides for the meal, usually it’s the other way around.”

He could almost swear there was a smirk on her lips, almost as if the invitation privately delighted her.

Arlong’s delight was much more obvious when Hachi relayed the news, his lips stretching back to reveal a predatory grin.

o0o0o0o

Ajkul – Arlong’s mentor. Akula (and several variations of spelling, including ajkula) is the word for shark in Russian and several other Eastern European/Central Asian languages. Neat factoid – when I was looking for a name for Ajkul, I was looking up the word shark in various languages, and noticed that language families tended to have a similar word for shark. There were a couple of similarities (or differences) that I didn’t expect, which led me to brush up a little on geography and history, haha.

Hatred – whether it be racism, sexism, or homophobia, etc, tends to be passed down. It doesn’t come out of nowhere, and I figured that as Arlong has passed down that hate to Hody Jones, someone had to pass it down to Arlong. The talk of carrying on bitterness and vengeance and all that sounds like something that Arlong had been inculcated in. These hateful beliefs would only have been reinforced by the things Arlong witnessed, such as human pirates coming to Fishman Island/District to kidnap and enslave seafolk, which would only reinforce Arlong’s beliefs and give him justification and/or excuses for the things he did.

It's honestly fascinating. Judging Arlong simply by the Arlong Park arc in the anime, he's more of a one-dimensional asshole, but the live-action of OP, as well as what is revealed about fishmen in the Sabaody and Fishman Island arcs, gives the gorgeous sharkman (as well as the fishman and seafolk races overall) some depth.

Yes, Yolande is inspired by Arlong’s y/n from my very first One Piece/Arlong story. I had a lot of fun with Home from the Sea and setting a scenario where he got to keep Arlong Park, but this time I wanted to do something closer to canon. This also resulted in some serious consideration for Yolande and how I wanted to develop her (and Arlong), and I’m having a lot of fun so far. I am watching the anime on Netflix (as well as many of the movies) and hoo boy, the most recent episodes of OP certainly have come a loooooong way from the first season/saga of the anime.

Who knows if we will see Arlong again in the anime or manga, but I hope this story is a fun what-if of that. All feedback/suggestions/reviews are welcome.

III

o0o0o0o

Sharing his home with her while she was in human form was a heady experience. There was no denying his attraction to her – or the way his body acknowledged it – but Minato still held himself back. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel unsafe, especially since she’d revealed her secret just a day ago. He took a deep breath, steadying himself as he felt her hand, and he focused on her face.

“If you keep your hand there, then…”

“Then what?” she challenged. He swallowed thickly, blushing.

“I’m trying not to-” He trailed off, looking down shyly. Her hand slid down several centimeters, and he bit back a whine as he felt the pressure move dangerously close to where he ached for her, however much he might try to restrain himself. “I just want you to feel safe and I don’t want to scare you away…”

“If I didn’t feel safe, I wouldn’t be doing this.” Her hand finally settled over his groin, where his cock gave a definite twitch under the yukata and his boxers. “I do find you attractive, after all. But then, it’s hard not to be attracted to such a sweet and caring man.”

His cock gave a firm twitch at that, and he let out a low groan, feeling the heat rise up his neck. “If… if you really want to…” he managed to breathe out.

“I’ve seen you when you’re just out of the shower. I’ve imagined what it would feel like to have your arms wrapped around me… your chest against mine. Your presence between my legs. And I saw you masturbate one night…”

He made a small, strangled noise. “I always made sure I was alone…”

“Yes, you did, but one night, it was dark, and I was on the windowsill.”

He thought back to a couple of weeks ago. It was the new moon, so there was very little light from outside, considering his bedroom window faced the backyard. How easily a black cat could hide in that darkness. He’d wondered if he was being watched while he had his manhood in his hand, but he had chalked it up to anxiety acting up.

Despite his shock and embarrassment, the blood continued to flow downward, encouraged along by Hoshi’s hand, applying careful but insistent pressure.

“You have a very nice organ. While I watched you, I imagined what it might feel like inside of me. Of course, as a cat, I could not act upon that.”

“But now, you can,” Minato whispered, his hand clenching against the small of her back as she pressed down more firmly. He shifted, pressing back against her. The pulse seemed to roar in his brain as he processed the implications of what was happening. The possibilities. “Hoshi…” he breathed. His underwear felt too tight. There was so much he wanted to do. Where did he even start? Her scent seemed to fill his senses, warm, musky, and sweet.

“What do you want?” she asked, her breath warm against his ear as she nuzzled him, maintaining that gentle but insistent pressure.

“You,” he breathed out huskily. “Just you.” He lifted a hand to cup her cheek, feeling her lean her head into it. “Whatever you want to give me, I’ll be grateful for it.”

“You really are such a gentleman! Such chivalry! And honor!” She sat back, placing her hands over her heart in a dramatic gesture. Her expression softened. “I know you think some of the codes of our people are too rigid, that honor demands too much. But this speaks of your own honor, not what society expects of you. I truly am lucky you brought me into your home.”

She slid off the couch, taking his hand. Almost before he realized it, he was on his bed, with her tugging open his yukata. He abandoned all efforts to restrain his arousal. She tugged down his boxers and took him in hand, pumping him slowly. Oh, it felt so good! His eyelids fluttered as he looked up at her, squirming as she squeezed.

“Wait, what about… uh…” Minato let out a groan as she applied firm pressure to the base of his cock. “contra- cont-” He tried to form the rest of the word, but she rubbed the tip of his manhood with her thumb. He didn’t have condoms sitting around, and he tried to remember if the convenience store in town was open this late.

“The curse prevents that sort of thing from happening,” she said, continuing to pump him for a bit, like she wanted to explore him before she let him penetrate her. Her fingers slid down to his balls, and he groaned her name, blushing, lying there with his yukata open. He wasn’t a virgin, but he might as well be one, for how anxious intimacy made him despite his desire. But she wasn’t judging him. She was offering freely, and he didn’t doubt her sincerity. She’d seen all of him and still wanted him.

The bedside lamp was on, its gray-blue shade gently muting the bulb’s harsh light. Minato’s gaze moved between her hand and her face. She massaged him with a skillful hand, her fingers trailing around his groin, scraping along his inner thighs with just enough pressure to make him shiver pleasurably. She tugged his pubic hair carefully, and he was surprised at how nice that felt, the gentle tugging just around the root of his aching need.

He placed one hand behind his head, settling against a pillow, his other hand resting on her knee as if she were his anchor to this world.

Minato let out a small, instinctive whine when she pulled back.

o0o0o0o

Hoshi smiled down at him, admiring the sight before her, his yukara open to provide a view that was enticing. She shifted at his side, tutting at him reassuringly when he whined at her. He was adorable, blushing even as he ached for her, cock seeping a drop of precum.

She had practical experience in such matters, but she’d also gained much from observation, because few people noticed, much less objected to a cat sitting in a shadowed corner, or up on the rafters, or in the space behind a bed or chair.

Minato’s manhood stood at full attention; she’d ensured that he’d filled every centimeter he had available of his flesh. His fingers dug against her knee as she reached to cup his balls, squeezing them. His cock twitched, and he whispered her name.

She reached with both hands to undo her sash, tugging it aside before letting her yukata fall open. She heard his breath hitch in his throat as she rose on her knees, offering him a generous view of her front. Soft, perky tits tipped a dusky rose. A smooth stomach with a faint swell above her sex, which was topped by neatly-trimmed dark hair. She let him stare at her for several moments before she moved forward, straddling him. His hands fluttered to her hips, and she nodded approvingly before she positioned herself and slid down on him, savoring the sensation as she controlled her descent.

She’d done this before for survival and safety, her mind going elsewhere, but with Minato, she was focused on him. His expressions shifted – tightening in pleasure, slackening for the same reason, the occasional utterance of her name. She increased her rhythm, reaching out at one point to touch his face, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. He grabbed her hand and pressed hungry kisses along her wrist and the inside of her arm, and she smiled at that as she continued to grind against him.

“Hoshi… hoshi! I-” He wrapped his arm around her middle, hugging her close as he ground against her, riding out his orgasm. She purred out his name as he buried his face against her chest, and she rested her hand against the back of his head, letting him hold onto her as if his life depended on it.

She rolled her hips several times as she clenched, feeling him shudder as his embrace tightened. He hugged her close for several long moments before his grip loosened.

He looked so cute, his expression bordering on dazed as he basked in the afterglow. She remained where she was, wiggling a few more times before she slid off him and settled at his side. He wrapped his arm around her, burying his face against her hair.

His skin was warm against her own, her chest pressed against his side. She nestled her head against his shoulder, feeling her breathing and pulse slow as she savored Minato’s presence and warmth. After a few minutes, he shifted, rolling onto his side to face her as he looked down at her. “How did I get so lucky?” he asked tenderly before he pressed his lips to her forehead.

So many men felt entitled to a woman’s body, but Minato expressed sincerity and gratitude for what she chose to offer him. She let out an approving hum at his words. He reached and took her hand, laying it on top of his chest, his hand warm as it sat on top of her own, and she felt his heartbeat.

She closed her eyes as he peppered kisses along her forehead and temple before moving down to her cheek and jaw, nuzzling her as he held onto her hand. She sighed and relaxed, cuddling him as he continued his journey downward. He pressed his nose and lips to one breast then the other, nuzzling them before he kissed a line down her stomach.

With his free hand, he lifted her knee, his gaze drifting to her most intimate areas. She shifted, settling onto her back to give him a better view, and he smiled at that.

“You’re so good at spreading yourself, regardless of whatever form you’re in… although this time, you’re getting a lot more than a tummy rub!” he teased her. She giggled at that before he leaned down to place kisses and nuzzle along her inner thighs. She gave out a sigh of contentment, purring softly under his tender attentions as he started rubbing her hips and outer thighs with his hands.

“Oh, Minato…” She didn’t normally let people rub her belly in cat form; that was a privilege others had to earn, as a practical matter of safety. His lips pressed just below her navel.

“Hoshi… I’m aroused again,” she heard him say. Her eyelids fluttered open to see him propped up between her legs, using a hand to steady himself on the comforter as he looked down at her. In the shadows cast by his torso, she could see the tip of his erection jutting out under the lamplight.

She wiggled at him enticingly, settling against the comforter and spreading her thighs in an unmistakable invitation.

He started off slow, nuzzling her, running a hand along her face and hair as he ground against her, whispering endearments. She clenched around him, returning his affectionate nuzzles and running her hands along his chest, arms, and back, feeling his sharp breathing as he increased his pace.

He choked out her name as he drove into her frantically, letting out a sharp squeal as he tumbled over the edge before burying his face against the side of her neck, shivering as his thrusts slowed. She ran her fingers through his hair and rubbed his back. He stayed where he was for a bit, keeping himself propped up on his elbows so she was comfortable.

Finally, he slid out of her and flopped down at her side, draping an arm across her middle.

“Thank you for everything,” he said, burying his face against her shoulder. She let out a soft purr as she closed her eyes, dozing off as she basked in Minato’s warmth.

After he fell asleep, Hoshi wrapped the yukata around herself and carefully tucked Minato in before going to the living room, turning on the tablet Minato gave to her to use. It was a bit old, but still worked well. She checked her e-mail and several of her favorite sites. Technology might have made some things harder, but she’d figured out how to use some of it to her advantage, especially wi-fi. With some of her former companions, she would figure out how to use their devices if she watched them input their passcodes, using their devices when they were at work or sleeping. In human form, she often made use of libraries.

Her fingers danced across the screen as she checked her accounts before downloading a couple of documents and relaxing on the couch as she typed. For so long, she’d dreamed of other worlds, like in the tales that her ancestors had passed down, of kami and spirits and monsters. As a cat, she listened to much, for who guarded their tongue around a cat? Bit by bit, she learned how to read and write, and whenever she had the opportunity, she would peruse the classics of Japanese literature.

When Japan was forced to open its doors to the world in the middle of the 19th century, she put herself to work at learning as much language as she could she from the foreigners who came to trade and enjoy the splendors of a country that had become so stratified through the centuries that upward mobility was all but impossible.

The foreigners saw none of this, however. They were dazzled by the beauty of the Orient, not simply by its art, textiles, furniture, or otherwise. It’d been easy to form casual liaisons with foreigners, using them to gain sustenance and shelter, and some gold or silver along the way. Gold and silver eventually became replaced by dollars and other currencies. Because of the unique life she’d led, she was able to adapt to the presence of foreigners better than many other Japanese did.

Out of necessity, she was an opportunist. That said, those who treated her with kindness gained a valuable companion in return, even if many of them never knew her secret. She smiled to herself, tapping the screen as she worked on her project. It’d been decades in the making. Perhaps even a century. But in her cat form, she had plenty of time to think and ruminate, and foster a desire to make herself heard.

She nodded to herself as she tapped out the last few sentences of a chapter of Samurai Kitty before saving and backing up the document. That done, she opened another one, working on more material for her project. Write what you know, was a piece of writing advice she’d heard once.

That had proven itself when she created the character of an anthropomorphic cat woman, the titular Samurai Kitty. Hoshi had never been a samurai, but she’d lived in the households of several. She’d watched a man commit seppuku. She’d pretended to be a vengeful ghost to help a companion who’d been assaulted and dishonored. She’d heard the tearful prayers, the reciting of sutras, the oration of classics, and haiku. She’d sat on the rafters and watched boys and men drill and practice combat skills, and done likewise for banquets and ceremonies.

The world she’d created was a fictionalized version of Japan, where magic was more apparent and society, while still bearing many traditional Japanese mores, wasn’t quite as stratified.

She’d posted the first chapter online a few years ago, and although she hadn’t gained fame, her success was modest. She’d received several positive comments and reviews on it, and since then had posted several more chapters of Samurai Kitty’s adventures. She might be using a pen name, but it made her feel seen and heard, almost as if affirming that she was indeed real, even if the tale she published was one of fantasy.

Well, mostly fantasy, because she was living proof that magic was real. She continued working for a couple more hours and doing a bit of research.

“Mmm. Couldn’t sleep?” she heard him ask. She’d been so absorbed in writing that she flinched in surprise before smiling and blushing.

“I find it difficult to sleep for a full night like a person,” she admitted. “Some nights I get a bit of the zoomies.”

He laughed at that and sat next to her. His hair was rumpled. “What are you doing?” he asked lightly.

“Just looking up some things. You mentioned wanting to go down to the city tomorrow afternoon, right?” she asked as she quickly tapped the screen, saving her work.

“If that’s all right with you. You still want these candles?” he asked with an affectionate smile. She nodded before setting the tablet down and leading him back to bed. Several hours of reading and writing made the darkness of the bedroom and Minato’s warmth against her an especially welcome sensation.

In the morning, she made breakfast, yogurt with granola and some strawberry preserves. As they were eating, the package arrived, and Minato beamed as he received it, setting it down on the kitchen island. Part of her wanted to open the package now, and her gaze drifted over to it as she finished her food.

He’d gotten her everything she selected, but the corners of his eyes crinkled in excitement as he pulled out a few more items. All she’d gotten for herself was a pair of sandals and a pair of comfortable canvas shoes, but Minato had gotten her a pair of light but sturdy boots as well. He also got her a bag and a winter jacket, dark gray on the outside with deep pink lining.

“You didn’t have to,” she said gently as he held up the coat, beaming down at her. It was the same pink as the shirt she’d selected for herself. She giggled softly at that, how thoughtful! Thankfully, the boots were a sedate black and dark gray; most of the items she tended to choose for herself were more muted in color as blending in was part of her survival tactics. Even so, she couldn’t help but be drawn to deep and bright colors, especially fuchsia and electric blue.

He’d gotten a few pieces of clothing for himself as well, along with a few teas and treats to share. Opportunist she might be… but she was very capable of gratitude. She moved around the island and placed a kiss on his cheek.

o0o0o0o

Later that morning, they’d taken the train down to Sapporo. It wasn’t Tokyo, but it was lively enough for Minato, and from the looks of it, Hoshi was enjoying herself as well. He had not been to Sapporo in a couple of months, but he didn’t feel so overwhelmed now that he had Hoshi at his side. They’d bought some onigiri before walking to one of the parks, taking their time. She’d even allowed him to take a couple of pictures of her, and a selfie of the two of them in front of a waterfall. As it got dark, they went downtown to shop at some of the high-tech stores. He bought her a phone and a new tablet, telling her he’d set it all up and connect it to his own devices so she could communicate with him regardless of her form.

“You really are too generous, Minato! Your old tablet works fine!”

He smiled at that. At least she wasn’t greedy and demanding like some of the beautiful but deceptive women he’d heard about in fairy tales. “I want you happy and comfortable,” he reassured her as he looked down at her, studying her face.

“You really mean that?” she asked in a soft, almost shy voice.

“Of course I do, little shadow. If it’s money you’re worried about, it’s fine! Let me take care of you; that makes me happy.”

“In that case… would you please get a tablet stand? It’ll make it easier to use once I…” She trailed off with a meaningful nod.

“Of course!” His gaze swept the display cases as he perused the various accessories.

“And a keyboard? I prefer that for when I…” She flexed her fingers. They ended up with a new tablet, a tablet stand, a keyboard, and a phone among a few other accessories. He would have balked at spending all that on most other people, but Hoshi was worth every yen he spent. What the hell, he told himself as he bought a spare charging cord as well as a new bag for his laptop.

With the purchases divided up between his backpack and her bag, they made a leisurely stroll along several downtown streets, doing window-shopping. They stopped at a yakitori restaurant, where he watched Hoshi lick her fingers and the skewer after she ate the meat off it. He regarded her with a faint smile, and she blushed self-consciously.

“The sauce is just really good.”

“You’re right, it is good! Don’t let a drop go to waste!” he admonished lightly, wagging his finger at her, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. Music played in the restaurant, and the sounds of traffic and chatter filtered in from outside, but right now he felt at peace, enjoying his treat and the fair cat-maiden that was sharing it with him.

Less than a day remained before she had to go back to cat form. He’d already marked the calendar in his phone for the next full moon and the days around it. He tried not to think about that and simply enjoy the time he did have with her. Human or cat, she was still Hoshi, the sweetest soul he’d ever known. When she asked for more yakitori, he did not think twice before ordering more. In the corner of the restaurant, a television was playing a football match, but he wasn’t paying attention to it. Why should he, when he had Hoshi at his side?

Full from yakitori and buzzed from the beer, they took the train back home, Hoshi leaning against him as they relaxed against the seat, her arm hooked around his. After the din of Sapporo’s downtown and its nightlife, the silence in town was almost deafening but welcome. Leaves rustled quietly, an occasional engine punctuating the autumn peace as they walked the final leg of their journey to his house. Already, he was thinking of what they could do next month. He could take her out for taiyaki. They could go to the seaside. Hiking up in the mountains.

It was quite late at night and the house was quiet. Hoshi moved around in the dark, sliding off her shoes and hanging up her jacket without stumbling into anything while Minato was closing the door.

“How the hell are you doing that?” Minato asked with a soft laugh as he turned on the light and made sure the front door was locked.

“Cats have excellent night vision.”

“Oh! Of course,” Minato replied with a sheepish chuckle. She took his backpack and her bag, setting them aside.

“I can make us some tea, if you like. I’m not ready to go to bed even though it’s late.”

They had tea while watching a couple of episodes of Star Trek while Hoshi cuddled up to him. He wrapped his arm around her, nuzzling her contentedly and smelling a faint trace of yakitori sauce. Hoshi had made sure to choose the caffeine-free tea, and in due time, Minato felt himself relaxing, his head lolling to the side. The stirring of desire was there, but it wasn’t urgent.

When the episode wound down to an end, Hoshi nuzzled him. “Should we go to bed?” she asked.

He stared at her for a moment before nodding quickly, feeling his desire rise. He had just enough presence of mind amidst the influx of erotic thoughts to remember the candles he’d bought for her. “Get ready, then,” he said warmly. “I just need to use the bathroom first.”

Minato freshened himself in front of the mirror, splashing water on his face before he studied his features. He didn’t consider himself handsome, but Hoshi thought otherwise, and that warmed his heart. He regarded his reflection with a quick smile before brushing his teeth. He went to his backpack, pulling out one of the shopping bags from his outing with Hoshi. In it were three scented candles and a lighter. Hoshi had selected two of the scents, one was cinnamon and apple, the other jasmine and freesia. The third candle was his choosing, sandalwood and citrus.

He selected the freesia and jasmine, carrying it and the lighter to his bedroom. His breath hitched in his throat as he saw Hoshi sitting there in his yukata, her hair down.

He set the candle on the nightstand and lit it before turning off the lamp, plunging the room into a mixture of shadow with candle- and moonlight, deep golds contrasting with cool silver. His bedroom had relatively few modern-day accessories visible; if he removed them, one could almost believe they’d stepped back in time, especially with the wooden furniture and the few watercolors he had on the walls. His bedding was a mixture of navy blue and dark gray, lent a warmer hue by the candle.

“You’re stunning,” he breathed, standing there for several moments as he stared at her, studying and memorizing the image before him. It seemed like something out of a romance novel, or the happy ending for the hero after his adventure. Or a scene in a hentai game or the opening to a porno... the baser part of his mind whispered, recalling media he’d watched or played with in his younger days. He pushed these thoughts aside; this was reality, and Hoshi deserved all the love and respect he could offer.

“I know,” Hoshi replied with a soft purr, instead of demurring as societal norms dictated. He smirked at that. She held out her hand to him, and he let her pull him onto the bed.

“Do you want to…” He looked down at her, seeing the candlelight dance across her features.

“Do I want to what?” she replied in a light tone, cuddling up against him and giving a strategic wiggle, her hip against his groin.

“That,” he groaned, his eyelids fluttering before he said the word. In response, she ground against him again, and he wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close, burying his face against the side of her neck. “Hoshi, please…”

She took his free hand and guided it to the sash that held her yukata closed.

o0o0o0o

This time, it was Minato who rose before her, leaving her nestled comfortably on his bed, the blankets tucked under her chin, before he retreated from the bedroom. It wasn’t until she smelled ramen that she roused herself from bed, pulling on the yukata and doing her morning ablutions. She had just a few hours left as a human until next month.

Minato was at the counter, finishing his cooking. She slid up behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle, hearing him give out a happy sigh. He reached down with one hand to squeeze her own before she pulled back.

Minato was a fair cook, and she ate breakfast with gratitude. She’d been willing to make it for him, but she would not object to having her care reciprocated. This one is a keeper.

“Is there anything you would like to do, before…” he trailed off.

“I think a walk would be nice. The sun’s out!”

He smiled in assent. The autumn morning was brisk, but the sun took the chill away. Minato lived just inside the borders of town; much of the land beyond it was farmland and orchards, along with some forest.

“This is how I want to spend all of my mornings,” he said contentedly as they strolled by the side of the road, looking out at the fields and trees. Red and gold liberally peppered the trees, and he saw clusters of kabocha pumpkins, their dark green rinds gleaming dully in the morning light. Under other plots of ground were sweet potatoes or taro. A few plots held persimmon trees, and dew sparkled on the fruit and leaves. “This is so much better than going to work!” he laughed.

Suddenly, she felt a tingle at the back of her brain. The countdown had started. She’d timed it several times in the past, it was always between 45 minutes to an hour between the tingle and her cat form. Generally, she didn’t get that tingle until about two or three hours after sunrise. She asked him for the time. He checked his phone’s display, the background was a picture of Hoshi stretched out on the sofa in her cat form. He’d taken it several weeks ago.

“9:34,” Minato said. She took a deep breath, pushing back the sensation, focusing on the pleasure of her walk.

Walks were something she often did as a cat, and it did have its benefits – a heightened sense of hearing and smell, good night vision, the fluid grace of a feline. But a walk as a human was a different experience. To be seen and acknowledged, to be spoken to, asked questions or given small talk, and entertained with anecdotes or jokes.

To the farmers that greeted Minato on his walk, she presented herself as a friend of his from university. It was an identity she’d taken several times as needed. She was Hoshi Sato, a student of Japanese history and the English language. Considering her life and experience, she was capable of holding a deep discussion on either subject – and several others – despite having no formal education.

She read books whenever she could, though that was much easier as a human than as a cat. At least with Minato, he’d assured her he’d maintain access for her when she was in cat form – the tablet stand was to hold up the tablet to make it easier for her to use in feline form, and he said he was looking into getting some spiral-bound books so she could easily flip the pages with her paws and not have to hold pages down.

She smiled to herself as she entered the house. 9:51 read the clock in the bedroom as Hoshi changed out of her clothes, setting them in the laundry basket.

“Do you want some tea?” Minato asked. She smiled and shook her head.

“I find it best not to eat or drink anything for a couple of hours before.”

He glanced at her thoughtfully before his eyes widened in comprehension. “It’s not good to be too full when your body gets smaller, huh?”

“Less comfortable, yes,” she affirmed.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked. She shook her head.

“It did hurt the first few times when I transformed back and forth. But now, my body is used to it. Come sit with me on the couch. We can talk until then.”

He sat on the couch with her head on his lap as he stroked her hair. She could feel how tense he was. He was being sweet and thoughtful, but that didn’t change the fact that he was trying to rein in his anxiety. He was about to see something very few people ever got to see. His free leg jiggled as he ran his fingers through her hair, and she purred to soothe him.

“I’ll still be here, regardless of my form,” she reminded him gently.

“I… I know that. I mean, yes, the logical part of my brain understands that. I remember what you’ve told me, I’m able to comprehend it, but at the same time… it’s just…” he let out a short, bewildered scoff.

“Just relax. Keep petting me, and take a deep breath,” she coaxed. Some of his tension slipped away, and she smiled.

She lifted her head and sat up, and she heard Minato’s breath hitch. The tingle came across her, this time from outside her body, like it was trying to press her down and mold her like clay. She arched her back, fingers digging against the seat before they turned into claws. Suddenly, her yukata was too large for her, the dark fabric covering her like a blanket. Her head, covered in black fur and topped by pointy ears, slid out from under the collar.

Minato let out a breathless laugh, staring at her for several moments. He extended his arms toward her, and she slid into his lap, feeling him wrap them around her carefully as he nuzzled the top of her head.

“Sweetheart.” He rubbed her behind her ear, and she purred, swishing her tail happily.

o0o0o0o

Minato didn’t want to go to work the next day, but he’d missed three days and had already gotten a text from his father. The message was polite, but couched in it was the unmistakable steel of his father’s authority. The older Yashida was less concerned about his son’s personal welfare and more concerned about him having another breakdown and possibly impacting the company’s reputation.

At least this time, he knew Hoshi would be there, waiting for him at the end of the day. He could vent to her as he did before, only this time he was secure in the knowledge that his cat actually understood him, that he was cared for beyond the affection an animal felt for its owner.

He stepped out of his shoes and set his bag down, putting away his jacket as he let the scent of home wrap around him, the faint scent of lemon polish on the floors mingling with the scent of years of cooking when he moved toward the kitchen. He actually liked the smell; it made the place feel more rustic and homey instead of the cold, steel-clad kitchen in his parents’ house. The distant, savory scent that hovered around the kitchen walls like a comfortable ghost reminded him of his exile, but also his freedom.

He heard a meow and saw Hoshi approach him, coming down the hallway from his bedroom. No, their bedroom, he corrected himself.

“Your tom has come home!” Minato said in a light voice. “And I picked up some salmon, how does grilled salmon for dinner sound?”

In response to that, she purred loudly and wound around his legs before he scooped her up in his arms, nuzzling her cheek and pressing a kiss against the soft fur.

Later, when he cooked the fish and added the maple syrup and soy glaze before plating it up, he sliced Hoshi’s serving into several pieces, laying them out on the plate and garnishing it with a side of rice and several pieces of grilled asparagus. He’d researched meal options they could share, considering the differences between a cat’s digestive system and that of a human.

A water bowl sat next to Hoshi’s plate. “Come on up,” he coaxed, patting the island counter where their meals sat. “You’re my girlfriend, I’m not letting you eat on the floor while I eat at the table!”

He sat at one side of the island, eating his own dinner while watching Hoshi chomp on the salmon and asparagus with a contented expression, licking her lips. He was worried he’d overcooked the salmon, so he was gratified to see a better cook than he enjoy his humble offering.

o0o0o0o

In Japan, last names typically come first, with the personal name coming second. So Minato would be Yashida Minato and Hoshi would be Sato Hoshi, but given that this is being written in the English language, I’m using the naming convention more familiar in the English language.

It was hard for me to decide on a last name for Hoshi. The name Hoshi is relatively common and means star. I thought it’d be nice to give Hoshi a name like that, but when I was looking up last names, I was trying various Japanese surnames, and usually the name Hoshi (Lastname) was already in use either by real people or characters in anime/manga. So I finally decided on Hoshi Sato, whose real-life counterpart is an actress in Star Trek Enterprise, which I actually didn’t know until I was researching last names for Hoshi the cat-girl and had already established her and Minato to like Star Trek. I’m going to take that as a happy coincidence, haha. I’m a Trekker as well, but I will admit that Enterprise is the one I’ve never watched, except for one or two episodes. I know I should at some point after having seen the other series, but there are so many things to watch, and I guess I forgot about Enterprise until I was working out Hoshi’s full name.