In the early hours of the morning, soft sun light filtered in through a glass window, ornately carved all around its' frame. The rays bounced and played all around an opulent bedroom, adorned with pearl white dressers and a nightstand, all with acutely designed detail, even up to the glass handles brandished on every drawer. A grandfather clock sat on the far side of the room, a pendulum swinging quietly from within. Across from it, on a the nightstand, laid a folded cellphone, complete with a cupcake charm and another in the shape of a yellow star. Next to it was a platter with plates and forks neatly set, the center commandeered by a large stack of french toast with freshly poured syrup, and a container of cream and butter by the side. Next to the faithful nightstand was a king size bed, dressed to the nines with pillows and fluffy blankets, cute beanie plushes and held on a frame with sweeping curtains around it. A huge comforter sat on top of the other blankets, thick enough to wear as a coat, and warm enough to insulate properly even in winter. And from deep within this pool of warmth and comfort, someone stirred sleepily.

A cozy blueish-black head raised, covered on top by a large sleeping cap with a cotton ball at its' tip, and a small insignia over the forehead in the shape of divided shield. Two sleepy eyes slowly opened against the sun, and grew accustomed to the lighting before shining with their familiar eagerness. The blankets were smoothly pushed away in a mechanical and welcoming way, and a small, plush-like being was revealed. A tail wagged behind it, as it caught scent of breakfast.

"Ah! I smell cinnamon! Paul must've- eeep!" The small being chirruped excitedly, and leaped across the remaining bedspread, pouncing on the unsuspecting platter. This innocent soul was only Private Tamama, of the Keroro Platoon. Tamama shoved a fat slice into his mouth, licking powdered sugar from his lips. He was about to dive for a second piece when a dull ringing caught his attention. Tamama looked down to see his small phone ringing gently to the tune of some cheery pop song. He reached out and touched the edge of it, before picking it up and twiddling the charms with his free fingers. He swallowed his mouthful and sang happily into the phone, "Hello! You're talking to the one and only, most adorable tadpole ever, Private 2nd Class Tamama!"

"P-Private?" Tamama bolt upright, eyes staring and heart beat skipping. No, it couldn't be, he never called...

"S-Seargent...?"

"Ah, Private Tamama! I need you!"

"Need me...?" The air was thick and he felt breathless. His leader, his mentor, the one he looked up to... needed him?

"I've got a new invasion plan-"

From the background came a hoarse shout and Tamama held the phone away as the Corporal's battle cry came through loud and clear,

"-KERORO, DORORO'S THE ONE WHO SUGGESTED WE WORK WITH ANIMAL PARTNERS! AND KULULU'S THE ONE WHO SAID TO USE- OH DAMMIT, JUST TAKE THE CREDIT, ANYWAY. ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME? DID YOU TELL TAMAMA TO COME ALREADY? DOESN'T HE KNOW WE NEED HIM? TELL HIM IF HE DOESN'T GET HERE SOON-"

"KERO! Corporal, quiet down! I'm telling him, just settle down-"

Tamama's heart fell. They needed him.

But then his lips curved upward again, into a shy smile. They needed him. His smile widened into a grin.

"I understand, Seargent! I'll be right over!"

They needed him.

...

"So... Platoon, do you know why we've met here today?"

Tamama waved a free hand wildly in the air, hopping forward in his seat. Next to him, McGrouchy-Pants-Extrodanaire, otherwise known as Corporal Giroro, sat cross-legged, his arms folded over each other in a similar fashion, and an extremely impatient expression plastered onto his face. He was gritting his teeth, and the edges of his fangs were just barely visible, sharp as ever. Tamama wished he'd lighten up, but at the same time, he felt the pressure of his experience and sharp-wit crackle into intimidation. He might think that Giroro took this way too seriously, but there was no way he could say it.

On Tamama's other side was only Kululu, fingers of one hand absentmindedly tacking away at his keyboard, the other hand preoccupied with flipping a pen over and over in his palm. Though, even he seemed more serious than usual. What was normally mistakable for normal internet browsing flickering across the screen of his laptop, was now quite unmistakably hundreds of rows and columns lining up on spreadsheets, filled to the brim with numbers of all calibers. Some added up at the bottom and others ended up turning a searing red color, indicating where the numbers just didn't add up. Kululu waved his pen at the computer, "Tsk-Tsk"ing it, before throwing a dozen more numbers into the mix until they turned a dark and acceptable black.

Keroro watched their activities with little interest. After a moment of consideration, he waved his hand widely, and indicated a large, empty screen behind him.

"Does no one know what we're doing this time? Or are you just too self-absorbed to add to the mission?" A pointed insult, he was probably trying to get a rise out of Giroro, the only one who was still insulted by the thought of letting down the invasion at this point. To some extent, he succeeded.

"You thought of another invasion plan, haven't you? I don't want to lay around talking about it, let's just do it already." Giroro growled to no one in particular.

"Patience, Giroro! You'll never win an audience if you just give away the ending to them! You have to have build-up, a conflict, a climax, and a spectacular ending! So let me build it up..."

"I'll supply the god damned conflict if you don't get talking about this so-called 'Master Plan' you've thought of."

"I'm glad you asked, Corporal!" Keroro crooned. "I think it's time to fill in our green-horn," here he twirled his hand at Tamama, "about our plan! I already have things set in place, but we just need the team's full cooperation to make it come together!"

Keroro turned his back to them, facing the empty screen.

"There is only one animal the Keronians, with all their advanced technology, have never been able to tame. It has remained wild and vicious as the day it was discovered, never bowing its' head to anyone! We will become like this fierce animal, so we can win Pekopon without anyone stopping us! And to become like it, we'll have to think, eat, and breathe like this animal! And what better way to do all this, and more, than by studying one up close and personal?"

Tamama could feel a nervous feeling creep up on him, and gulped, asking the question he wasn't sure he wanted answered,

"A-And just what animal's that, Mister Sergeant?"

Keroro whipped dramatically back towards them, raising one hand in back of himself, towards the blank screen. At a signal to Kululu, an image flashed across the entire board, edge to edge. Keroro let loose the fatal words,

"Obviously, the Space Cerberus!"

At the appearance of the image, Tamama had recoiled back in his seat, tipping his head back in horror. To his side, Giroro grunted dully, but his eyes sharpened and the grip on both of his arms tightened intensely. He could probably recall fighting fiercely against one some years ago, and probably still remembered the wounds.

The image was simple: it was of a three-headed animal, covered in thick metal plates and with three eyes per head. Teeth as large and sharp as a shark's stuck out of it's fearsome maw, while claws that looked like they could tear an iron wall like it was tissue were splayed across the ground as the animal wound itself into a pouncing position. It was an understatement to say it was intimidating.

"Uhm, Sergeant, how can we learn from those things? They'd rather eat a keronian than conquer it!"

"But don't you see? We can learn to be just as tough and untamable as one of these! And that pitiful human, Natsumi, will submit to whatever we want!"

Suddenly the Sergeant's words "studying up close and personal" flashed through Tamama's mind, and he felt a cool chill go down his spine.

"S-Sergeant, what do you mean, when you said we'd study them... did you mean, we'd go to the zoo-?"

"Oh, dear, dear, Private. Not at all! To get into the personality of this animal, it simply won't do to read a textbook or google it! No, I was thinking something much more... hands-on." At yet another signal to Kululu, the screen behind Keroro went reeling towards the ceiling at a ridiculous speed, and more stage was revealed behind it. Tamama leaned forward in anticipation, unintentionally gasping a little when he saw what had been revealed.

Behind Keroro was an enormous cage made of some metal predictably much stronger than iron, with a thick gate for entering the contraption. And it seemed that deep within this barred prison was...

...nothing?

Oh no.