Morrow stared annoyed at the crumpled form of the farmer. I knew he might be scared, but I've never seen someone actually faint before. Get a spine, would you?

He gave the farmer a few shakes by the collar until he woke back up.

"...wuh? Demon!"

"Hello, I'm not a demon but a fishman. Heard of fishmen before?"

Morrow tried to stretch it out like he was talking to a child instead of the other way around, and that seemed to focus the farmer as a note of anger could be seen in his eyes.

"Those are fairy tales to scare children, you won't fool me!"

Morrow just pointed to himself. He was down to only a ragged pair of shorts, so there was no room to hide any tricks unless he was game for full body art. The answer was obvious.

"Now can you tell me where this is? I was shipwrecked. By the way, sorry for the late introduction but my name is Morrow."

"...This is called Orange Town, and it's part of the Organ Islands. My name is Basil, and as you can see I'm a farmer."

Really, Orange Town isn't too bad. If I remember right the place was peaceful until the main storyline and Buggy.

"Thank you Mr. Basil. This might be abrupt, but is there any temp work in this town? I'm broke and I would like to buy a ticket out of here."

"That's up to Mr. Boodle to decide. I'll take you to see him, but no funny business."

Morrow rolled his eyes but followed anyway.

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He was very relieved when finally they made it to the confines of mayor's office. Everybody and their mother seemed to have come out to watch the rare animal that was himself, and while logically he could understand them that didn't make the urge to yell at them any smaller.

A man with a poodle haircuit came out, and while significantly younger and less comic looking Morrow recognized him from the manga.

"Who are you supposed to be?"

"My name is Morrow, and I'm a fishman. You should be the Mr. Boodle I was told about. I was shipwrecked here and would like to find temporary work to make my fare. Basil said it had to go through you."

Boodle looked at him appraisingly before giving a snort.

"What work is a kid good for? Where's your parents?"

"I am much stronger than I look and I can fish in ways humans can't. I really only need a place to sell. As for my parents, they died a few weeks ago."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Boodles face softened and Morrow was a little glad that the orphan routine still worked regardless of species.

"More fish is always welcome, and you can sell them in the market during the day. I'll pass on word to have the pub owner let you stay in his spare room for 3 days, but you'll have to earn your own way afterwards. Fair?"

"Sounds good."

15 minutes later he had satisfied Boodle's curiosity about fishmen and they went to Drinker's Pub. What an imaginative name. Inside Boodle talked to the owner, a man by the name of Jovis, and gotten his lodging squared away. Morrow himself asked about further stay, but had been told "that depends on you." He took that to mean Jovis was still skeptical about his race, but was willing to give him a chance.

Could be much worse.

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Morrow was currently working up a sweat shadowboxing after doing his morning run. He had stayed in Orange Town for much longer than he had planned while studying to make himself literate, but a decision could not be put off any longer. He did not want to stay in this sleepy little town for the rest of his life, so despite the townspeople warming up to him over these 2 years he had decided it was time to leave. It was only a question of where to?

He wanted to live the dream of a famous strong man of the seas, and to do that he needed strength. His current training was starting to slow down from the rocket-like growth of the past due to a lack of a teacher and real experience, so he had made plans to fix that.

The problem was, it kept coming back to a solution Morrow really didn't like. He was eyeing the fishman martial arts, but short of going all the way back through the Grand Line to Fishman Island, the only place he knew of to learn it was from Arlong's crew.

Ugh. I really sympathize with what they've been through, but most people in East Blue had never even heard of fishmen before they came. What exactly are they accomplishing for their cause? It's hard not to look down on them when they flee the Grand Line to hike out in the boonies terrorizing tiny villages. It just justifies the discrimination to others. Still, Arlong's crew did have camaraderie between fishmen...

Morrow didn't think they would refuse if he asked for training even if he refused to be a pirate. It's not like he wanted to completely leech either, as he had even prepared extra money just in case it was needed. He had been lucky to find a sunken ship while fishing last year, and it had contained some 1,400,000 berry among it's wreckage. Coupled with his savings from fishing, and he had decent lump sum altogether. Not a huge fortune he'd grant, but more than enough to pay any reasonable teaching fee they asked.

I'm just putting off the inevitable at this point. There's good logical reasons to go even if it's risky.

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"Evening, Mr. Boodle."

"Oh, if it isn't Morrow. I was beginning to wonder where you'd gone. I haven't seen you in the market for days."

"Actually, I finally came to a decision. Thank you very much for letting me stay and covering for me, but i've stayed here too long already. I've already cleared it with Mr. Jovis and the captain of Calm Seas."

Boodle had a look on his face like he had expected it, and his next words confirmed that impression.

"Where will you go?"

Morrow decided he owed some honesty at this point, so he came clean and told him about his desire to find a teacher and to become famous on the Grand Line. He fibbed a little about how he would accomplish it, but that was mostly because those plans weren't set in stone yet. He was leaning towards getting a front row seat to the end of the story with the Straw Hats, but that would depend on them and himself. If he felt Luffy was weaker than himself there would no reason to call him captain, and by the same token being strong wouldn't necessarily catch Luffy's interest. He'd leave it to fate.

"Well, if you've decided. When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."