I present to you, the second chapter!
(***Keroro***)
Even in this chilly weather, the moist on Keron gave Keroro the urge to ... move. His legs trembled with excitement and energy, and his entire body longed to run freely. Despite that, however, Keroro forced himself to stay where he was. His only reason was that his heartbroken mother desperately needed someone to lean on.
They walked down the alley leading to the house that Giroro had grown up in. Apparently, Mum had slept over there since she had gotten the news about her husband's death. Now, Garuru had invited Keroro to sleep there, too. Keroro let Garuru and Giroro walk in front of him, so that he didn't have to talk to anyone.
Mum's eyes were as hollow as he felt inside. They were a perfect imitation of his feelings. Empty. Everything bathed in the warm colors of the sunset, but Keroro barely noticed.
Mum whimpered slightly and hugged his arm tighter when they reached Giroro's house, as if she denied that they were there, and looked for a reason to keep klinging onto her son. Not that Keroro minded, quite the opposite, actually; he wanted to keep her close.
Garuru opened the door and showed everybody inside. Keroro noted that barely anything had changed since last time he was here. The walls were still the same, navy blue colors, and on a bookshelf stood photos and souvenirs from several vacations. In the kitchen stood a round table with three chairs, much smaller than the ones on Pekopon, off course. The living room existed of big, round cushions and a TV. Keroro remembered how he as a tadpole had loved to build towers of those pillows.
"I will prepare some dinner", Garuru stated. If it hadn't been Garuru, Keroro would've offered doing it instead. But Keroro didn't actually dare to speak in this careless way with a man so much more succesful than himself. He felt uneasy talking to someone who probably looked down at him.
"You two can take a seat, I'm just gonna get another chair", said Giroro and referred to the lack of one chair in the kitchen.
"Thanks, Giroro", Keroro smiled, despite himself," come on, Mum." He led his mother towards the cushions in the living room. One cushion was big enough for both, if they sat close to each other. He wondered if Mum had always been this small and fragile.
"Hey, Mum, it'll be fine", he assured, although he didn't know if that was true.
"B-but I loved him", she whimpered, curling up and leaning on him. Keroro hugged her. There was nothing else to do, and he needed to feel someone's closeness just as badly as Mum did.
"I loved him too, mum..."
(***Giroro***)
Giroro woke up that night by a silent sound downstairs. He laid in his bed, listening to the sound. He knew what it was. It was Keroro's mother sobbing.
In an attempt to ignore his childish train-posters from when he was a tadpole, he closed his eyes.
Giroro had almost fallen back asleep when someone knocked on his door. With an annoyed grunt he opened one eye and saw Garuru standing there.
"What is it?" Giroro murmured, sitting up. Garuru simply arched an elbow. As if he found something really hilarious. "What is it?" Giroro asked, now a bit nervous.
"I just find it funny how you have forgotten this obvious thing, little brother", ´Garuru chuckled. There were many thing Giroro hated, and being teased was pretty high on the list
"Just say it!" he snapped.
"It should come naturally for you to ask how our own father is", his brother said, in a somewhat neutral tone, tinted with a hidden amusement.
Oh, right, Giroro thought, I still have a father...
"It should come naturally for you to tell me how our own father is", Giroro groaned, already tired of talking to Garuru. Garuru, though, seemed to enjoy this little conversation. He grinned his I'm-your-big-brother-grin.
"You mean you haven't thought of the possiblity that he was on the same battlefield as - may he rest in peace - the Demon Sergeant? It didn't strike you that he may be ... dead?" the purple keronian said with a dramatic voice.
"Is he dead?" Giroro asked, not actually caring. He never had a good relation with his father.
"No."
"I knew it was too good to be true", he sighed. And then, Giroro's phone rang. He picked up the phone, recognized Kururu's number, and put it back. Past lessons had taught him not to answer when ever that yellow freak called... However, when the phone went on for longer than usual, Giroro picked it up.
"What is it, Kuru-"
"G-Giroro...?" that was not Kururu. The voice wasn't creepy, it was so sweet that Giroro swore he melted.
"Na-Na-Natsumi?!"
(****Keroro****)
Mum had just fallen asleep on his shoulder, when Giroro hesitantly opened the door to the guest room. Keroro gently placed his mother on the bed and walked over to his friend.
Giroro placed his phone in Keroro's hand, shrugged, and left. If Keroro didn't know better, he'd say Giroro looked a little baffled.
To his surprise, Keroro recognized the phone number as Kururu's.
"Hello? It's Keroro."
"Hey, stupid frog."
"Eh-? Natsumi-dono? What do you want? You said you could do my chores while I was gone", Keroro exclaimed in confusion, then quieted down and walked outside, to not disturb anyone.
The air outside wasn't any colder than it was during daytime, and it wasn't really dark, either. It never got as dark on Keron as on Pekopon.
"You, don't worry 'bout that. I just... I just wanted to know if you were alright." Natsumi said, in that way she always said emotional stuff. Hesitantly, as if she didn't want him to know she cared.
It surprised Keroro that Natsumi would bother to call him at all, and the simple fact that she used Kururu's phone made this entire thing so weird. But on the other hand, her own Pekoponian Phone couldn't possibly send calls to Keron? But Natsumi had actually called. He admitted, it warmed his heart to hear that she cared enough to even walk down to Kururu's place.
"Thanks, Natsumi-dono, I guess it could've been worse", Keroro said, trying not to think of what she meant by that question.
"Don't lie", Natsumi said.
"I'm not lying. De arimasu", he defended himself.
"Don't lie to me when I try to care!" she exclaimed. Keroro moved the phone from his ear, in case she started screaming. She didn't. He heard how she took a deep breath.
"Stupid frog. You don't want to know what I went through to be able to call, so I expect enough appreciation to hear how you really feel!"
"I said it could have been worse."
"It can always be worse! That's not an answer!" He imagined how she walked back and forth in frustration. Keroro couldn't give her a better answer, though; he hadn't decided how he felt yet.
"How are you doing, Natsumi-dono?"
"Don't change the subject!" There was a pause where Keroro imagined Natsumi trying to calm down. When she spoke up, her voice was silent and ... distant, as if she was deep in thought.
"I once had a papa too, you know", she said", I-I thought ... I thought I could help..."
Another long pause took place, but this time, Natsumi didn't have anymore to say. She had said what she wanted to say, and Keroro knew that she jus waited for him to say something. It took some time.
These past days, Keroro hadn't cried, despite his sorrow. It had always existed a reason to hold it inside him. Stay strong for your platoon. Stay strong for your mom.
Now he cried. Because he couldn't stop himself by reasoning.
First, he sniffed slightly. Then, the tears welled down. When he had started, he couldn't stop. So he stood there, outside his friend's house, with Natsumi on the hook, and cried.
"When Dad w-was home and sober enough, w-we used to go a pond where an old man took care of Pekoponian fishes", Keroro finally said, "I was just a little tadpole."
"Go on", Natsumi whispered. Keroro thanked her for letting him talk. It felt good.
"I-I always named the fishes, even though the old man said that they would soon be killed and eaten. Dad made up names, too. We could watch the fishes for a very long time. It was fun."
"I can understand that. "
They talked for an hour.
Keroro felt better after that.
(***Giroro***)
"You know, stalking isn't exactly legal", Garuru said when Giroro crawled through the window to Garuru's room.
"W-well... I just wanted to make sure that ... Keroro didn't wander off. Yeah", Giroro answered.
"Sure, by using the window as a door."
"... Shut up."
Giroro went to his own room, ignoring his brother's chuckles.
He actually wanted to know why Natsumi had wanted to talk to Keroro.
(***Keroro***)
"Thank you for showing so much hospitality", Keroro saluted to Garuru.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay? I assure you it's okay", the purple Keronian said, watching how Keroro took both his and Mum's bags and opened the door. The cool breeze hit his face. He turned around, meeting the older Lieutenant's yellow visors.
"Thanks, Garuru, but we don't wanna a burden, and I'm sure you want to spend some time with Giroro. You don't get to see each other that often", Keroro said smiling. Giroro, standing beside his brother, tensed and stared at Keroro. If glances could kill, Keroro'd drop dead. Maybe he'd meet Dad in heaven. "Well then, we'll see you later!"
"Come by when ever you need anything", Garuru said.
"Thanks. We'll manage."
Keroro closed the door and started walking down the path. Mum took a hold of his arm, letting him lead the way. They walked in a comfortable silence, down the nostalgic streets of Keroro's tadpole-hood.
They hadn't gotten far when Keroro spotted someone at a bus stop, among some other Keronians, looking lost and a little insecure. He slowed down and stopped.
"Other-me?" Keroro asked, quite baffled at the unexpected meeting.
"Keroro?" DaiGunso said, looking just as surprised as Keroro felt. Mum looked up, eyeing the other guy with her warm black eyes.
"Who's this?" she asked, "he really looks like you."
"Ah, Mum. I'd like to introduce you to DaiGunso, he's like a brother to me." DaiGunso saluted quickly.
"Oh", Mum said, managing a weak smile towards Keroro's clone," Well, as you are so close a close friend to my son, I find it an honor to meet you!"
"Same goes for me", DaiGunso answered, quickly taking a liking to the woman. Keroro couldn't help but get a bit happy at how easily these two got together.
"Why are you here? I didn't expect to see you here", Keroro asked. DaiGunso bit his lip, but straightened none the less.
"I have come to attend to the funeral of out father", he said soberly, though insecurity glowed in his eyes. It was silent for a moment too long, before Keroro finally found his voice.
"You've got anywhere to sleep?" he almost choked. DaiGunso had never gotten to meet his Dad, and now Keroro wished that DaiGunso really had been his brother since the beginning.
"No", DaiGunso shook his head, "I got here on a very short notice." He scratched his neck rather sheepishly. Keroro looked at his mother, who seemed saddened and confused.
"Mum, DaiGunso has no family, and never got to know how it feels like to have one. It would be nice if we could let him in", the original explained. Realisation dawned in Mum's eyes and she managed a small smile.
"I see. You seem to be very close friends already. I would love it if you want to be part of our family", Mum said to DaiGunso, who looked surprised. Keroro nodded reassuringly.
"Thanks ... Mother", DaiGunso said after a while, his eyes showing a warmth Keroro hadn't seen there before.
"Great, Brother. Come", Keroro said, leading them to their home. It was like being hit by a wave of nostalgia. Keroro realized why Mum rather be in Giroro's house than here. On the walls hung thousands of photos on Keroro, Mum and Dad, from all different times and places. Between the photos were drawings Keroro had drawn as a tadpole. "Welcome home", Keroro breathed. The memories burnt.
"Wow", DaiGunso breathed," It looks nice." Keroro swallowed the hurt and dropped their bags.
"Make yourself at home. I'll prepare some dinner", Keroro said. He took Mum's had when he noticed her broken expression.
...
Keroro sat down on his bad and watched as DaiGunso make himself comfortable on the makeshift bed on the floor. Mum was already asleep in her own room.
"We'll put up a room for you later", he said.
"I am grateful for your hospitality", the clone said. Keroro waved his arm dismissively.
"You're my brother! Don't worry about it!" DaiGunso nodded ans wrapped a blanket over his shoulders.
"Brother, I don't know how to behave at the funeral", he said quietly, an ashamed look crossing his face. Keroro looked down. The funeral would take place in a couple of days.
"I'll explain to you later, what's going to happen", Keroro sighed. Later, as in when he had the strength to think about the funeral.
"Ah", DaiGunso said, looking down. They sat in silence for a long time. "How was our father?" Daiguso said finally. Keroro bit his lip.
"Dad was ... great. We did a lot of stuff together. Sure, he drunk a lot too, and sometimes really scary. But, he was still my Dad, and I loved him and he loved me."
"I wish I got to meet him", Daigunso whispered and laid down.
"Me too, you'd like each other..." Keroro laid down too and nuzzled into the fabric. Sleep was much welcomed.
...
Yup, that was the second chapter! It was fun to write!
Next (and last) chapter will concentrate on the funeral and the travel back to Pekopon. Not revealing anything more...
Reviews will be greatly appreciated!
/Saga