28. Headphones

[[Hey! This is TRACK-A-sama! This is my first fanfiction story, and I'd like to welcome you to the world of Team World Adventure! Here we have some Milkshake and Kululu action, since this is the best story I managed to think up and write so far. This is also a little old, but I thought this would be a good start. I'm also sorry if my Japanese is incorrect, I didn't know that much when I wrote it. Thank you!]]

It was a seemingly normal day, but as everyone knows, the Violet Castle has never gone 2 hours without something weird happening.

It all started when Buttermilk had gone to get some more cleaner when she was cleaning Kululu's lab that morning, since Kululu himself was at a meeting with the platoon.

Milkshake, though wanted to ask her about a math problem she had, she found herself stumbling into Kululu's lab.

"Butter-chan! I need help! Could you help me figure out what the square root of 16 i—hey."

Buttermilk was nowhere.

Milkshake looked all around the lab. To be honest, she had never really seen Kululu's lab because she was too afraid of him to come down anyway. Even though she knew it was rude to snoop, she thought it would be great adventure if she took a look.

Kululu's lab wasn't as messy as she imagined, despite the many heavy wires lying around. She took a look at all the buttons on the control panel. There were many; some were blinking, some were big and red, and some had warning signs on them. Milkshake looked at the many computer screens above her. Some showed camera feed from the spy cameras Kululu had installed when he had come into the castle for the first time. She turned around and looked at the tiny kitchen Kululu seemed to have arranged, where his stash of curry ingredients and cookers were.

That's when they caught her attention.

Milkshake noticed that sitting on the chair Kululu always sat on when doing whatever he did, was his famous pair of headphones.

The headphones were gray, large and had large bulbs on the sides, and they were connected by a thick band that Kululu probably hid under his red hat.

Milkshake picked them up and examined them. At first she thought they just were tangled in cables. But as she untangled the headphones, the sides pushed out, showing how almost 40 wires were plugged into what seemed to be a cylinder-shaped motherboard in each side of the headphones.

Milkshake looked at the headphones. She looked around. It seemed no one was there, and Kululu couldn't watch his cameras unless he was in there.

Curious, she sat in the chair (which turned out to be quite squishy) and put the headphones on. She looked at herself in one of the screens; the headphones took up most of the sides of her head.

Milkshake looked around again, pressing her hands against the headphones so they didn't slip off her head. Kululu was much, much older than she was so the headphones were a bit big. No one was there.

Milkshake picked up the wires and ran her hands down them until she found where they plugged in. Finally she saw a button with a picture of Kululu's headphones on it. Triumphant, she pressed the button, even pretending to be Kululu and saying, "Clicky!"

At first, Milkshake was feeling excited as she saw the gray wires turn blue. But then…

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTT!

Milkshake was being electrocuted out of her mind. Finally, after a long screech and a loud buzzing noise, the wires gave out and it stopped, making Milkshake pass out, her milky hair turned black from being charred.

Buttermilk just happened to walk down the stairs with the bottle of Simple Green when she saw her sister passed out in Kululu's chair with his headphones on.

"MILK-NEE-CHAN!" Buttermilk ran over and checked her pulse. It was still going, to her relief. Buttermilk turned to Kululu's keyboard and started pushing keys, hoping she remembered to how to contact Kululu through his lab when he wasn't there. He had told her after she became his assistant.

Finally, the screen lit up with Kululu's bespectacled face. "Yes?"

"My sister just got electrocuted from your headphones!" she shouted.

Kululu said nothing. His head tilted to the side a bit, and his glasses cracked in the corners.

Buttermilk knew what that meant. She could hear Keroro saying in the back, "Kululu? Are you okay?"

"Don't move or touch anything else," said Kululu through his teeth. "Don't even breathe if you have to."

The screen went blank and Buttermilk knew it was time to be scared. Kululu's glasses cracked only when he was suppressing something big.

The doors to the lab slammed open, making Buttermilk jump.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" yelled Kululu. Then, he spotted Milkshake on his chair. "Oh."

He walked down the steps and looked at Milkshake. "I see," said Kululu. "She pressed the "Headphone Data Transfer" button. It overloaded the circuits."

"Can't we help her?" asked Buttermilk.

"If you get her to bed right away, maybe," said Kululu, taking the headphones off Milkshake's head and brushing them sadly.

Buttermilk lifted her charred sister off the chair and flew (literally) to her sister's room, where she set her in bed safely.

Later, Ryn's current band practice was interrupted by Tails calling about how the Kurubot seemed to be battling the .MO by itself.

Ryn made a dash out of the castle with her backpack on her back and saw the giant robots duking it out over the city. Ryn pressed the jetpack button on her pack and flew over the sky, and screamed at the Kurubot, "KURURU! NANI SHITERU DA YO [1]?!"

Suddenly, the Kurubot launched a missile right at her.

"AUGH!" screamed Ryn. "Oh no, oh no, oh no!"

BOOM. Ryn was knocked off course, her glasses scattering.

She hit the ground, and threw her glasses back on. "What the H, Kululu?"

Suddenly, the DYNAMO landed right next to her. Buttermilk came rushing out of the robot and ran over. "It's not what you think!" she yelled.

"Dou iu koto nano[2]?"

"Nai yo da ze[3]," said a voice.

"Eh?"

The two turned around, and saw none other than Kululu, looking a bit put out.

"Kururu Souchou[4]?!"

"As you can see, there's quite an explanation, kukuku," he snickered.

"I bet, what's going on here? And if you're here, then who's in the Kurubot?" Ryn pointed at the Kurubot, which was descending down to the ground slowly.

"Saa, jibun miiniku nasai,[5]" said Kululu blankly.

Ryn and Buttermilk turned their eyes on the Kurubot, which had landed, making enormous clouds of smoke. As they girls got closer, they could swear they heard a faint, high-pitched "kukuku" laugh sounding from all the debris.

"S-sore wa…[6]"

The smoke slowly cleared, revealing a small girl in a lab coat and large, swirled glasses. And this girl was none other than Milkshake Milky.

"Kukuku, so I see you brought back-up, imposter!" said Milkshake in a voice that sounded exactly like Kululu, but feminine.

"Milkshake…is acting…like the Yellow Devil…?" Ryn stammered, pointing a shaking finger at Milkshake.

"Kukukukukuku," she laughed.

"Nee-chan! Please, snap out of it! Sameru[7]! Sameru!" cried Buttermilk, tears in her eyes.

"Ku~ku~ku~, Butter-dono, I thought you were supposed to help me, not shout at me, ku~" said Milkshake slyly.

"Milkshake! Enough stupidity! This is not funny!" said Ryn in her best hero voice.

"Dame da[8]," said Milkshake, her face shadowed. "You'll have to fight me first. Ku-kuku!" She launched herself back into the Kurubot and launched off.

"You'll need the DYNAMO, it's the only other robot and I can't make one on short notice," said Kululu. "But you'll need help."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Ryn. "YOU'RE helping us?"

"It seems so, kukukuku," answered Kululu, getting into the DYNAMO. "Let's go."

Ryn looked at Buttermilk. Buttermilk looked at her.

"Don't leave without us, Kuru-chan!" yelled Ryn, climbing into the robot with Buttermilk in tow.

Kululu plopped into the main control seat, while Ryn and Buttermilk took the seats behind. Kululu nodded at them, and they nodded back, in an agreement of readiness.

"Take-off!" said Kululu.

The DYNAMO took into the sky, and immediately chased after the rogue Kurubot.

Milkshake, her mindset still on Kululu mode, began to get irritated by the "imposter" following her. Snickering, she slammed the button that released the homing missiles.

Five big missiles came and shot straight at the DYNAMO.

"Kululu! Do something!" screamed Ryn, her eyes widening at the rockets.

"Oh, I'll do something all right," said Kululu, pressing buttons like crazy. Finally he yelled, "Counterattack activate!"

A huge sound wave came out of the DYNAMO's mouth, and the rockets exploded, with the mech passing through the smoke in victory.

"Nice!" he said, pumping his fist.

"Wait a minute…" said Ryn, looking at Kululu with a dead expression. "How come we didn't get to do that when I and MY team first used this robot?"

"I was bored and had free time and I LIKE this robot, okay?!" said Kululu defensively.

"Suuuuuuuure you did," said Ryn.

Milkshake, even more irritated, shot out the chain restraints, catching the DYNAMO's arms. Then, Milkshake maneuvered so it threw the mech across the city. The whole robot jolted with the impact.

"I know she's my friend, but I'm kind of hating Milk-chan right now," said Ryn, yanking the controls.

"Souchou-san, don't you have any idea what we can do? My sister's in trouble!" cried Buttermilk.

"Well…I could…nah," he said hesitantly.

"Sergeant Major Kululu, if we don't stop this, Milkshake's a goner," said Ryn sternly. "I know that, knowing you, I would hate to encourage this, but…"

Kululu's swirled lenses stared at her.

"…Do absolutely ANYTHING you want to!" she finished.

Kululu's eyes widened slightly. But, then, a cool but scary smile spread across his face. "Thanks, Ryn-chan," he said.

Ryn faced Buttermilk. "Butters, I need you to take a trip with me. I have an idea."

Ryn took Buttermilk's hand and said to Kululu, "Thanks a lot and good luck, Souchou!"

Kululu nodded and saluted.

Ryn saluted back and jumped out of the robot, and fired up her pack. She and Buttermilk flew in a beeline to the Violet Castle, Ryn's eyes filled with determination. Finally, they reached the castle's courtyard, where they found Sonic standing.

"Just the guy I was looking for!" said Ryn, landing gently.

"I wondered what was going on here," said Sonic slyly. "What do you need me for?"

"I have a plan…"

Kululu, raising the slightly damaged robot from the rubble, chased after the Kurubot. He pulled out the microphone and shouted, "KU~kukuku! Hey!"

Milkshake, perking at the sound of the voice, whipped the Kurubot around.

"I have a preposition," Kululu said into the microphone. "We determine who the real Kululu is by a mono-on-mono robot mecha battle!"

Milkshake smirked. "Sounds good to me," she called.

The DYNAMO descended to the city, and so did the Kurubot, throwing a first punch. The DYNAMO blocked it, and seemed to maneuver it over to chop the opposing bot. But, the Kurubot, however, pulled out the sound wave antennae and switched them on high.

A loud ringing sound screamed through the area, Kululu's glasses shattering. He covered his ears, his head hurting from the sounds.

The Kurubot then doubled back and punched the DYNAMO across the face, throwing Kululu right out of it.

Kululu fell, his red eyes widened in the sudden turn of events. He closed his eyes, awaiting his inevitable death.

Milkshake, at first, was happy that she had defeated the "imposter". But, then, it clicked.

Who was that?

That was…

"Kululu!" said Milkshake, the amnesia wearing off so sudden it was like a light switch had been flipped on.

Shedding the glasses, lab coat and the like, Milkshake dived off the Kurubot, shooting like a bullet towards the falling scientist.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Perfect timing!" said Ryn, who was in a little ball.

"Time for Phase 1?" asked Sonic.

"Yep!"

Sonic picked her up, and whispered, "Do your best, got it?"

Ryn looked into his eyes and smiled warmly. "I always got it."

Sonic grinned, and then threw Ryn as hard as he could. Ryn soared to the Kurubot, and she narrowly landed on the hull of the bot. Trying not to slip, Ryn took out her pen and drew a square right where all the machinery was, and it disappeared, revealing the small cranny behind. Ryn swung herself in.

She looked around at the things inside. She noted everything she needed, and started to work. She unplugged this and that, untangled this and that, charged this and that, sparked this and that, reprogramed this and that, and finally plugged it in. She nodded shortly in her victory and flew out of the Kurubot, waiting.

"Phase 2," she whispered.

Milkshake dive-bombed to Kululu, reaching for his coat, hoping she could snag it. They were getting closer and closer to the ground.

Milkshake sped up, and grabbed his shoulders.

"Ha!"

She flew up in a light loop, rescuing him just before he hit. She hugged him, hoping she would never have to go through that again.

Kululu opened his eyes, but managed to see a very blurry image of Milkshake. He smiled, and closed his eyes again.

BOOOM!

Milkshake was blasted away as the Kurubot self-destructed. Ryn covered herself as well, grinning that her handiwork had been successful, even if Kululu would totally kill her for it later.

Milkshake floated, her eyes wide.

That night, everything was sorted out.

Kululu told Ryn that she was proud of her for being so smart, but that he would get his revenge for blowing up his own robot. Sonic volunteered to fix the DYNAMO later, and everyone forgave Milkshake for the entire incident.

Later, Kululu sat on the roof of the tallest building in the city, watching the moon. Milkshake, though, still feeling guilty, found him and sat next to him.

"I'm sorry, hakase," Milkshake said, her head lowered.

"Why are you apologizing?" he asked, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," she evaluated.

"Oh, forget about it," said Kululu, smirking lightly. "Tch, why are you people so hard to forgive and forget?"

Milkshake blinked, and smiled. "You're really funny, hakase. Could you teach me how to work your headphones sometime?"

Kululu's face seemed stuck. After all the madness today, he really would prefer Milkshake not touch anything for at least a day or until he could get all his robots fixed. But, this was Milkshake we're talking about.

Kululu grinned his signature crazy grin. "I guess, if you promise not to turn into me again."

"Oh hakase!" Milkshake grabbed him and pulled him into a hug as they laughed.

You have a small body, yet you encourage me.

Hora, hora, hora…

With your two big eyes, you make me smile.

Hora, hora, hora…

If you were trapped in darkness, and didn't know where you were

I'll take all the lights and bring them to the sky.

I'll come and catch up to you.

Wait for me.

Just believe, just believe

In our password.

Everlasting, never dying

The flowers in my heart

Are of your smile…

[[Darn me and my love of KuruShake...

This turned out way cuter than I intended, but it was fun to write. Kululu was a bit less OOC except for the end, so...yeah.

Plus, I thought the 13th Keroro ending song would be perfect here, tee hee!

Disclaimers!

Ryn, Buttermilk, and Milkshake belong to me.

Kululu belongs to Mine Yoshizaki.

Sonic belongs to SEGA.

The DYNAMO mecha name belongs to Craig McCracken (I'm thinking of changing the mecha name, but I don't have one yet).

The song "Our Password/Bokura no Aikotoba" belongs to...whoever wrote it.

1 "What are you doing?!"

2 "What do you mean?"

3 "It's not."

4 Souchou – "sergeant major"

5 "See for yourself."

6 "That is…"

7 "Wake up!"

8 "No."