MERRY CHRISTMAS From StuffedCrustLord!

December 10th...

The winter weather was quickly spreading all across Tokyo as Natsumi tried desperately to get everything ready in time for Christmas. Being the busy teen that she was, Natsumi knew that she couldn't keep up with the pace of the season without some help. Aki had already given her all the money she needed to buy presents and a tree, but decorating the house and preparing the Christmas dinner was too much for her to handle on her own. So as much as it pained her to do it, she was forced to ask each member of the stupid frog's platoon to help her with the holiday preparations. In return, she promised to buy each one of them something special for Christmas; Gumdam models for Keroro, candy for Tamama, and curry for Kululu. Knowing that Dororo was already planning to spend Christmas with Koyuki, the only frog left to ask was Giroro.

Walking outside, she knew this wasn't going to be easy. Giroro was the most rebellious of the frogs, and hated the idea of Christmas with a passion. Every year his platoon would stay inside and celebrate Christmas by throwing some kind of massive party, and every year Giroro would stay outside and choose freezing to death over the holidays. She knew that he would never help prepare for something that he despised so much, no matter what she offered him. But with everything she had to do in only fifteen days, there really was no harm in trying.

Walking to the Corporal's tent, she peeked her head inside and saw Giroro sitting criss-cross next to a lantern, staring at a small picture he held in his hands.

"Giroro?" she asked, gently tapping his shoulder to get his attention. The soldier immediately sprung his head up when he felt her touch him, surprised that he didn't hear her come in.

"N-Natsumi. What are you doing here?"

"Listen, I know how much you hate Christmas, but..." she paused when she saw what was on the photo he was holding. It was a photograph of a young Keronian similar to Tamama in both looks and estimated age range. The Keronian's skin color was a sort of hot pink, along with red colored eyes and a sun shaped symbol. The Keronian also seemed to be laying on what looked like a hospital bed, sitting up and smiling at whoever took the picture.

"Who's that?" she asked, looking down at the photo. Giroro thought for a moment before concluding that there was no point in keeping it secret from her.

"This is my baby sister." he answered. Natsumi's eyes widened at this sudden reveal.

"Really!? I didn't know you had another sibling." she replied. The only other member of Giroro's family she had ever met or seen was Garuru, and she could easily see from him how Giroro's lust for battle and love of weapons and explosives ran in his family. He also mentioned his father once in a while, but this was her first time ever hearing about him having a sister. But then again, Giroro has never said anything about his mother before either, so it was clear to her that he didn't like to talk about his family that much.

"Yeah, well...I never did give her that much attention growing up, anyway. I never have been a fan of cute things. Her name is Netsusu, by the way."

Now Natsumi was curious. "Have you always had this picture?" she asked.

Giroro slid the photo under his hat and continued talking. "No. She's...well, I got this photo in the mail this morning. It also came with a letter." Giroro said, feeling a bit uncomfortable just telling Natsumi that much.

"Really? Can I see the letter?" she asked. Giroro's heart began to pound as he hesitated to say anything in reply. This was simply family business and he didn't want her getting involved. But then again, if there was anyone Giroro could trust with this kind of information, it was her. He finally gave in and pulled a red envelope out from under his seat, unfolded it and handed it to her.

"It's from the Keron Health Institution. According to the date it was writen, they apparently sent it to me a week ago, but it didn't arrive until just this morning." he explained. She took the letter and skimmed through it a few times before sadly looking back up at him.

"She's sick?" she asked with a bit of concern. Giroro nodded.

"She's been so for a whole week, and I have no idea how well her condition is. I sent a letter back, asking them how she's doing a few hours ago, and I should get a response from them soon." he finished. She looked at him with sorrow, feeling somewhat bad for the red Corporal. Looking back down at the letter, she eventually remembered what she came out here for in the first place. But after hearing this new information, she decided that the last thing he needed was to be asked by her to help decorate the house for a holiday he clearly didn't care for. Maybe right now, he just needed to be left alone.

"Natsumi-dono! Where do you want the second string of lights hung?" Keroro yelled from inside. Natsumi set the letter down and backed out of the tent to help the green Sargent, leaving Giroro alone once again.

December 14th...

The weather grew more and more fierce as the year came closer to its finish. The house wasn't nearly decorated enough and they hadn't even found the right tree yet. Natsumi began pushing the frogs harder each day as Giroro remained in his tent, not even coming out to roast sweet potatoes. As the cold of the season intensified, Natsumi would once in a while lay a blanked outside his tent, hoping that he would pick it up before he froze. But she eventually gave up when she noticed the blankets begin to pile up.

Inside the tent, however, Giroro was too busy thinking about Netsusu to notice the dropping climate. Recalling memories of his childhood with her, he began to feel guilty about ignoring her so much. He was almost out of school when she was born, and by then he already had a full life of training for war and planning his future in the Keron army. She was the last thing the young man had on his mind. But other than past guilt, Giroro still had one other thing on his mind.

He had received the response letter he had been waiting for just yesterday, and he was up all night reading it. It said that the medics are unsure about her condition and whether it's getting worse or not. Giroro was about to send back an angry letter, demanding an actual report on his sister's health, but what the letter said next is what really had him thinking.

The second part of the letter came straight from Netsusu herself. She was told by the medics that Giroro had sent a letter back asking about how she was holding up, and she asked them to send him back a message straight from her own words.

Hi, big brother.

Don't worry about me. The doctors are taking very good care of me, and I'm getting more visitors than I have in a long time. But since you're still doing your job on Pekopon, can I ask you to do something for me?

Ever since I heard where you and your friends were sent to, I've been interested in Pekoponian culture and have been studying it for a long time. I also know that right now, a holiday called 'Christmas' is happening there. I've heard so many great things about Christmas, my favorite part being a person called Santa Clause. I hear he travels all over the planet and gives every person there presents in just one night. I wish Keron had a day like that. So I'm asking you big brother, if while you're there, you could ask Santa to give me one of those 'toys' that I always hear about. Maybe a Sumomo doll. She's my favorite and I love her so much. Could you please do that, big brother? I'm sure Santa won't mind.

...Netsusu.

Giroro was heartstruck. He knew something as ridiculous as 'Santa' couldn't exist, but if his sister really did believe in him, he just couldn't let her down. But how was he supposed to get her a Sumomo doll before the twenty fifth of December, which was only eleven days away. He had no money left in his bank, since he had spent it all on extra supplies before winter started to help survive Pekopon's harsh changes in climate. After spending the entire night trying to think of ways to raise money for both the Sumomo doll and delivery, he decided to just go for broke and ask Natsumi for help.

December 15th...

"You need money? Why?" she asked the pleading frog, who was currently bent down on his knees in front of her, facing the floor.

"I-I'm sorry, but I can't tell you why. It's just...really important to me." Giroro stuttered.

Natsumi stood there, looking down at the desperate soldier and wondered why he would plead to her like this. At first she thought he was just low on ammo and needed money for more clips or something ridiculous like that, but then she remembered the story he had told her a few days ago, about his sister getting sick. Did this have to do with her?

"Well, alright. I could use some more help around here with the Christmas decorating, and of course that Stupid frog can't do anything right the first time I tell him. So...if you help me prepare for Christmas, then I suppose I can pay you a decent amount of spending money." she said.

Giroro sighed and rose back up to his feet. "Thank you." he said, not wanting to sound too desperate.

December 20th...

Giroro had been extraordinarily helpful with the Christmas preparations, and Natsumi was feeling more than grateful. He had already found them a Christmas tree, done all the decorating, and finished all of the food and present shopping that Natsumi had sent him on in just a few days. Things were working out so well, she thought that she ought to give the guy a day off.

"Giroro!" she yelled, walking outside to tell him about how thankful she was. Hearing no response come from his tent, she decided to quickly climb inside to if he was there. Finding nobody home, she was about to head back into the house before her hand slipped onto a small sheet of paper. Looking down at it, she noticed that it was the same color as the letter he had received from the hospital about his sister. Except this letter was more recent, as she could see from the date that it was written. It had to be recent news about his sister. Grabbing the letter, she unfolded it and began reading.

"Hey, Natsumi-dono!? We're back with the wrapping paper!" Keroro yelled as he and Tamama walked outside, both of them holding a plastic bag in each hand filled with red and green rolls of present wrapping. After calling out to her, they saw Natsumi slowly walk out of Giroro's tent with a shocked look on her face, making Keroro and Tamama curious as to what had surprised her.

"Na-chi? Are you alright?" Tamama asked, Natsumi too deep in thought to notice them.

'So that's why he wanted money so badly. He wants to buy his sister a doll for Christmas.' she thought. It suddenly became clear to her why he was working so hard. He was doing it for her. She thought hard about how amazing it is that this war-driven, invasion-loving soldier had such a caring and heart-warming side to him.

"Natsumi-dono!" Keroro snapped his fingers in front of her face. Natsumi's eyelids burst open as she instantly came back to reality. Looking down at her side, she saw Keroro and Tamama holding the bags of wrapping paper she had asked them to buy. She gave them both a pat on the head before taking the bags and walking inside, smiling cheerfully and not saying a word.

"What's wrong with Na-chi?" Tamama asked his Sargent, who shrugged in reply.

December 24th...

(The Day Before Christmas)

The time had finally come. Christmas was tomorrow and the Hinatas had finally finished all of the preparations. After giving Giroro and all the other frogs their payment, she went to work on Christmas dinner, which was going much faster with her mother finally by her side, who had taken the day off work. So at long last, after hours of cooking and cleaning, the table was set and the annual Christmas feast was ready to begin. Everyone had taken a seat by the table and gotten their plates ready to be served. Looking around the table, Natsumi noticed that there was still one empty chair. Doing a quick head count, she suddenly realized who was now missing.

"Giroro! We're eating! Come inside!" she yelled out the back door. Today was the first day it had snowed all year, so she figured Giroro would probably be in his tent right now, trying to stay warm. But to her full surprise, she found him standing outside his tent, head facing the ground with a Sumomo doll in his hand.

"Giroro?" she softly asked. Walking a bit closer, the sound of snow sloshing around her feet with each step, she continued to repeatedly call out his name, trying to get some kind of an answer from him. She was just about a foot away from him before he finally answered her call.

"I just got home after buying the doll...when I found that while I was out...they sent me another letter. It told me that Netsusu passed away this morning. I was too late."

Natsumi couldn't believe her ears. Giroro had been working so hard for the past nine days to get ready for Christmas, and THIS is how he's repaid. She never knew she could feel so badly for someone, especially for an alien like him.

"Giroro, I..I'm sorry." was all she could think to say. Giroro said nothing in return. He simply dropped the Sumomo doll and walked back into his tent. He stayed there for the remainder of the night.

December 25th...

(Christmas Day)

"It's Christmas!" Keroro yelled while he and Tamama jumped atop a sleeping Fuyuki, unable to keep their excitement in. Giroro could hear their cheers from outside the boy's window, and it made him sick. He always hated Christmas in the past, but this was something bigger. This was a new, stronger, deeper hatred. After so many days of preparing for it, after all the painful hours of decorating and shopping he had to do, he actually expected the so called 'spirit of Christmas' to come through for him. But instead, he just wastes his time with it only to get stabbed in the back at the last second.

"Giroro." he heard her whisper from outside his closed tent. "We're opening presents. I'd really appreciate it if you came inside with us. After all, none of this could have happened without your help."

Giroro remained silent, expecting her to keep talking until she forced him to say something back. But instead, he just heard her walk back inside and carefully shut the door. Taking a quick peak outside his tent, he saw no one in sight. With a small sigh, he climbed back into his tent, hoping to not let any more anxiety get the better of him.

The minutes slowly passed by as Giroro hid away in his tent, listening in to all the cheering and laughing that was taking place inside as everyone gathered into the living room, opening each present one by one. Giroro wished that they would just open them all at once and get this whole Christmas thing over with. Finally, as all the joyous screaming started to dim down, he heard the back door once again open. Knowing it was Natsumi coming out to tell him that Christmas was over, he sat there patiently, waiting to hear her innocent voice. But instead, the voice of Aki, her mother, was heard instead.

"Giroro. There's still one present left. It's for you." she kindly said. Giroro's eyes widened as his Sargent's voice appeared next.

"Come on out, Corporal! We're all waiting for you!"

Everyone stood outside his tent, dressed up completely in winter coats and newly opened Christmas sweaters. After a few seconds of silence, the red frog finally stepped outside, his eyes bloodshot and his face covered in sweat. He looked upon the crowd of people that stood in front of him, Natsumi standing in front with a small, green box in her hands. Walking forward, she knelt down and handed him the final present.

"Merry Christmas, Giroro." she said, letting go of the box and walking back into the crowd. Giroro stood there, looking down at the sudden present he had received. Wanting nothing more than to go back into his tent, he decided to just get this over with and open whatever pointless gift they had gotten him.

Opening the box and throwing the lid to the side, his body immediately froze when his eyes laid upon what was sitting inside. Reaching his hand inside to pick it up, he lifted the small photo out of the box, his eyes never loosing sight of what was on it.

It was Netsusu, laughing joyfully at the camera with a Sumomo doll wrapped tightly in her arms. She looked happier than Giroro had ever seen her before. It almost brought a tear to his eye as he looked back up at everyone, who were all smiling warmly.

"It took a couple of phone calls, but we did manage to get all of our families to pitch in and buy her that doll. She got it a few days ago and held on to it until the end. And don't worry, we told her it was from you." Keroro said cheerfully.

"But...how...?"

"Na-chi told us your sister wanted one. She told us how hard you've been working and that maybe we could help you out. So you can thank her."

Giroro looked up at Natsumi, who was giving him the happiest grin Giroro had ever seen appear on her face. "Turn it around." she said. Giroro flipped the photo around and found words written on the back. He began reading.

Thank you so much, big brother! I love it! Everyone told me how hard you worked to get Santa to send me this doll, and I'm so glad you did. It doesn't matter how sick I am, you've made today the best day of my life.

I love you. Netsusu.

Tears rained down onto the photo as the soldier finally let everything go. He couldn't keep his feelings hidden anymore. Giant droplets poured out of his eyes as Natsumi walked up and gave the red Corporal a tight hug, helping to slow down the tears.

"Thank you...everyone." he cried, causing everyone to tear up a little themselves. Natsumi, feeling the most joyous of all, tightened the hug as she gave the frog a long kiss on the forehead.

"Merry Christmas...Giroro." she whispered, letting him cry on her shoulder for as long as he wanted.

Thanks for reading, everyone! And Happy Holidays!