Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

So yeah, Kululu's a main character in this fic too, because when I was making the concept for this fic and realized it was a fic where Saburo was the antagonist, I realized Kululu had to be the protagonist.

(I'll get to Giroro chapter 4-ish though if you're wondering where he is)

Hope you enjoy!


Kululu groggily opened his eyes, hoping for a second that the previous moments had been just a terrible nightmare.

A white light shined in his face, the walls reflecting it and making it brighter. He was in a giant white room. He tried to move his arms, but was greeted with the feel of cold metal. He seemed to be bound up in some sort of tube to ensure that he couldn't use his legs or arms.

Ku... this metal tube is probably for prisoners... I've been captured, he realized, knowing a little bit about what was happening. He had military experience, after all.

It wasn't a nightmare. It wasn't a dream. The Pekoponians had captured him and his platoon.

He tried to remember what had happened before he had blacked out from the sleeping gas. He briefly remembered Fuyuki asking if Saburo was some sort of "man in black."

Man in black...? Was he referring to the fictional Pekoponian agency under government sanction that hides and arrests paranormal threats? Kululu wondered, his head still pounding from being knocked out. But... Saburo... he couldn't be part of them, could he? I've known him for too long and he... he didn't con all of us... Kululu didn't want to face the facts. He didn't know the full story yet, after all. Perhaps there was something he didn't know about concerning Saburo and why he had done this. Maybe he had a plan.

He had to trust Saburo. That was what friends did, right? Trust each other. Kululu wasn't very experienced with friendships, but he had to give Saburo a chance.

Saburo hadn't betrayed him, he was merely doing something that Kululu didn't understand at the present moment. Something that he had faith Saburo would be doing for a greater good.

The facts remained, though, that Kululu was captured by Pekoponians. He had heard Keroro talk about if Pekoponians discovered them several times.

"Master Fuyuki says if we're seen, we'll be dissected! Like laboratory frogs!" Keroro screamed at his platoon. He insisted that they use Pekoponian suits instead because it didn't stick out for people to have frog heads at all... "Haven't you seen Lilo and Stich? One alien has four eyes and the other has one eye and nobody questions them! It'll be fine!" he told them. Nobody really cared if Keroro was wrong; some of them (like Kululu) even wanted Keroro to take the fall for it,

Sadly, Pekoponians were stupider than Kululu had predicted, and Keroro was right.

The facts remained that now that they were known as aliens, what was awaiting the Keroro platoon was dissection, or in best-case scenario, mass panic by the population at the fact that aliens existed. But if Saburo was a "Man in Black" he probably had a job to keep aliens a secret instead of putting them on the news.

That seemed unlikely if Saburo had really faced aliens before, though. It seemed it was more likely for them to face dissection, which Kululu understood. He had dissected plenty of small animals and organisms before. It wasn't something done with sinister intent - usually, with him it was different - but to learn more about another creature.

It was most likely that the Keroro Platoon would be dissected like Fuyuki and Natsumi constantly told them about if they really were captured by the enemy.

That meant, if a means of escape couldn't be found, death was imminent. Kululu wished for a moment that he could think like Giroro, seeing it as a military operation with the backed experience, or escaping enemy forces. He didn't have experience in escape attempts like the others. He had escaped his mentor Garuru a few times, but only after doing a terrible prank, not with the fear of death. He was an intelligence officer and wasn't used to escaping a facility.

Ku, ku, ku. Honestly I never gave the Pekoponians that much credit. Never thought they'd pull this off, Kululu thought.

He wondered when Saburo would come to him and explain the situation.

A door in the wall opened. That should be him, Kululu thought. A wave of relief washed over him. And just as he predicted, the white-haired boy walked through the door.

"Sorry about all this." Saburo's first words kept up his kind and perfect image.

"Ku, ku. It's fine. Just fill me in on what you're doing. What's the plan?" Kululu asked, easily forgiving Saburo. Saburo paused, taking no steps closer to Kululu. His smile faltered.

"You don't understand the situation? That won't do." He frowned and shook his head, "I thought you were supposed to be smart, Kululu." He laughed in a kind and playful way. The situation though made the laugh sound much more sinister though as Saburo stood over a captured Kululu.

Kululu faltered for a second, taking offense at Saburo's comment. "Whatever," he finally responded, dismissing it.

"Anyway, I came here to thank you. For all of your help. I could have never dreamed of befriending one of the most dangerous and intelligent of aliens," Saburo gratefully told him.

Although it almost sounded like Saburo was cutting him off, Kululu instead decided to take it as a compliment that he was the most intelligent and dangerous alien.

"Ku. Thanks," Kululu responded

"I've learned a lot from you," Saburo continued. "About your platoon and about your mission and just about aliens in general," Saburo smiled. "Without you, I could have never lured out the rest of your platoon and learned about things like Alien Street."

Lure? Little red flags began to pop up in Kululu's head as the conversation grew to have a more sinister atmosphere. Though Saburo was still smiling, Kululu was reminded again of how Saburo said he was "taking" the aliens.

No... Saburo didn't capture us. He had a plan. We're friends; he wouldn't do this to me... Kululu reminded himself, needing to keep his faith up.

"You were truly easier to con than I thought." Saburo's smile grew to more of a smirk as he gazed at his old friend in binds.

"Easier... to con?" The situation began to sink in. Not only was he captured by the enemy, but the enemy appeared to be Saburo. At least Saburo was making it seem that way. It was almost like he had entered the room to gloat instead of help.

He couldn't believe it. Saburo had captured them because he had something up his sleeve, some sort of plan or good reason. He hadn't lied to Kululu all those years, he wasn't someone who had conned Kululu and easily captured him. Kululu was too smart to be conned. This couldn't be happening.

Saburo pulled up a chair and sat down to face Kululu. It was almost like he was preparing to interrogate him.

"So you're the most intelligent of Keronians. Can you tell us more about the planet and the technology? How do things work?" he asked. "What's their militaristic system? How did they become so advanced?"

It was an interrogation. Saburo had entered the room to learn about Keron's secrets and how they were far superior with their technology.

Kululu's faith in Saburo began to falter. Why did he need this information? What was going on?

"Saburo... Why do you need to know?" Kululu asked.

"My superiors want me to get some of your technological secrets out of you. They believe you can help bring us to a new age due to your vast intelligence. That's honestly the reason you've been kept alive this long. I suppose everyone can be useful in some way, right?" Saburo asked, shrugging. "Even if you have only one talent - oops, I mean... Shouldn't have said that; I know you feel touchy about that subject." Saburo laughed again, his voice friendly, his words not as much.

"Your... superiors?" Kululu repeated. So truthfully, Saburo was working for whoever had captured him.

"Yes. Now, could you begin explaining things? How do the mechanisms in my reality pen work, for example? How could one make another?"

Kululu didn't answer, so Saburo repeated the question, assuming that Kululu just hadn't heard.

"Why... Why are you doing this?" Kululu finally spoke after the fifth time Saburo repeated the question. "Why... are you working with the Men in Black?"

"I was born into it," Saburo replied simply. "A bit like a family tradition, I suppose. I was raised since birth to be far superior to normal humans, to be able to hunt and find the things that disturbed Earth's peace and deal with them. I was given more advanced curriculum than normal children, making me smarter, faster and stronger," Saburo explained. "It's nothing personal, Kululu. I just believe in my mission to protect the Earth. My whole family believes in it. My two brothers and father work here, but I myself was put on an undercover mission as a civilian, hoping to encounter aliens. And I did," he told him with a smile, almost proud of himself.

So... It was his life... His home... That's why he's doing this... Kululu realized. Saburo probably couldn't choose between his friends and family at the moment. He was merely misguided, in a tough position. Kululu would have to rely on himself to escape.

"Now. I've answered your confused questions. Can you answer mine now? I mean, we're friends, right?" Saburo had a friendly tone.

"No. I won't answer," Kululu refused. "Nothing personal to you, too, but all Keronians are taught not to give up Keronian secrets. It's part of our military training. I'm not telling you anything. Ku, ku, ku." Kululu took up the same stance as Saburo did, sticking to his mission.

"Aww... Come on, just a little information?" Saburo's voice was teasing, almost playful about his interrogation toward Kululu.

Kululu kept silent. He was done speaking. He now followed military protocol of being captured, to not speak to the enemy.

Saburo waited and asked again, trying to spark a conversation with Kululu about his various technology.

Kululu said nothing. He waited for Saburo to get bored and leave, but he didn't.

It didn't matter. Kululu could go on forever.

About an hour of questioning, Saburo finally seemed to be faltering in his questions, realizing that Kululu wasn't going to talk. His smile seemed to be falling, and he looked almost annoyed.

Ku... Good. Serves him right for capturing me. Kululu didn't hate Saburo; he was merely annoyed at the boy for betraying him, even if it was for his family.

"Mutsumi?" A speaker on the wall begin to play, a man's commanding voice talking out of it. "You haven't had any results in your investigation yet, have you?"

Saburo stood up out of his chair. "Not yet, father. He's close to cracking though."

"Yeah, right," Kululu finally spoke. So that voice is Saburo's father? Ku, Kululu laughed in his head.

"You did good capturing the aliens. You managed to get the entire Keroro Platoon," Saburo's father complimented. Saburo grinned at the praise.

It was clear now why Saburo betrayed him. He obviously had a deep admiration for his father, who seemed to be some sort of superior officer in this facility.

"But..." Saburo's father continued, "your information-gathering techniques do not suffice. It's disappointing. Please hurry up and retrieve at least some information. Don't be a disappointment, Saburo." There was a clicking sound as the speaker went off.

"Ouch. You were chewed out," Kululu teased. Saburo just stood staring at the speaker. His fists trembled in anger.

"Yes... Yes, I was," he admitted. He turned to Kululu and stared at him. His gaze was much colder, as if he was directing his anger toward disappointing his father at Kululu. "Now. You will give me the information I desire, or else I might have to resort to drastic measures," he threatened.

"Oh? Like what?" Kululu asked, laughing for a moment. "Ku. Glaring at me with your pretty-boy stare? What, do you think staring hurts me or something?" Kululu asked, laughing again, rather nervously now. Maybe that line was a little too close to the truth. I mean... It kind of does, but Saburo's staring doesn't... Saburo's staring surely didn't hurt him. There was still one person whose staring did, though. Kululu tried not to think about Angol Mois and her pretty golden eyes. It wouldn't help him at all in his present situation, it would just distract him.

Good thing she didn't come to the party. Ku! I can probably tell her that when I get out of this. Maybe she'll be less mad, Kululu thought. He shook his head, trying to rid the thought of Mois. He didn't know if the Men in Black and Saburo were trying to capture aliens or just the Keronian invaders. Maybe he still hadn't done anything good for Mois.

Saburo stood up. "I know what could hurt you."

"What?" Kululu was now honestly curious. He hoped Saburo hadn't picked up on the subject he was thinking about. If Saburo somehow had an Angol Mois past those white doors and was going to make her stare at him, he would easily give up the Keronian secrets. He was weak.

"Torture. I'll get those answers out of you one way or another." Saburo threatened.

Ku. He's really mad about the aspect of disappointing his father, Kululu realized. The Saburo he knew would never torture anybody, especially him.

"You don't seem like the type to torture your friends. Forgive me for not believing you can do it. That and you're too goody-goody for that type of thing," Kululu told him.

Instead of answering, Saburo just laughed. "You really haven't grasped the situation if you still think we're friends! I just threatened to torture you!" he pointed out. "Truth be told, Kululu, to me, you were never my friend. Just a cover for my mission," he told him.

Kululu's glasses cracked a little bit. Torture wouldn't hurt him, but Saburo's words truly did. He would not let him know, though. "I don't care," he lied, trying to ignore the hurt feeling he was getting. He didn't want to think that Saburo's words were true. He wanted to believe that he was just talking out of anger, like Mois had been. A part of him was self-doubting, though. What if they both hated him? What if Saburo really had never cared for him as a friend?

"Anyway, I'm licensed in torture. I know how to do it. I could totally do it, and you'd talk then." Saburo's voice was low and threatening.

"You're the stupid one if you think torture would work on me. If you really observed me for several years, you'd know I'm too twisted to be hurt by torture. I'd probably enjoy it. It'd be pointless," Kululu told him, half-telling-the-truth and half-lying. Getting tortured by Saburo would hurt as the betrayal literally would cut into him.

Saburo frowned, knowing more than anyone that this was true. "Tch." He turned away from Kululu and toward the door. "Then you can rot for the day for all I care. I'll get some information out of the others."

"You'll fail. And you'll disappoint your beloved daddy. Ku, it will be hilarious to see," Kululu mocked. Saburo opened the door, his face fuming with anger toward Kululu.

"You'll talk eventually. I promise that this isn't a victory for you. You may think you've won, but you're still our prisoner. Eventually you'll crack and become useful to Earth, or you'll be dead. I just need to figure out how to handle you." Saburo left the room and Kululu was left to his own thoughts.

Denial over Saburo's betrayal remained after the threat of torture. It was true that Saburo cared nothing for him. It wasn't just anger in Saburo's voice, he truthfully believed in his mission to protect earth. He had always believed in it, but Kululu didn't know that Saburo was using him.

Saburo was a Man in Black, an agent who had used Kululu to lure out the rest of his platoon and gather information on Keronians.

The only Pekoponian he had befriended had been filled with lies and cared nothing for him. Ku. What a horrible planet.

Kululu wanted to ignore the pain inside of him from the fact that Saburo and he had never really been friends. Every experience had been a lie, and he was filled with anger and sadness because of that.

He's not going to choose me over his home... I wish he would, but that's seeming more and more unlikely, he realized.

His Pekoponian friendship was a lie, but as he moped he realized that only he had experienced this fate.

Fuyuki, Natsumi... Momoka and Koyuki... They weren't lies. Natsumi and Fuyuki were gassed, just like the rest of us, he realized. His comrades had friends that would fight for them, unlike his relationship with Saburo. Their Pekoponian comrades wouldn't stand for them being locked up.

They would come to rescue them. Kululu just had to sit tight until that happened. He had to put faith in something he knew was truer than his relationships - other people's friendships.

But it was likely that it would save his life.

Fuyuki... Hopefully you care enough for the Captain to risk your life on an insane rescue mission... Because if you don't...

...it's very likely that we will all die. Because none of us will ever give up the information that they desire.

Kululu was left to his own thoughts, the fact that he was probably going to die, and that Saburo was no friend of his.

It was a very lonely feeling, but it was a feeling that Kululu needed to guard so Saburo wouldn't see it.

He was alone and captured.