(Hey, as I was hoping, I managed to get another chapter up this weekend! YAY!

I only own this plot line and my own OC(s))

Natsumi Hinata

"Hey, Koyuki-chan!" I called. My friend, Koyuki, came bounding over, happy and bubbly as ever.

"Natsumi-san! What's up?" She asked.

"Oh, not much. What are your plans for New Year's? Mom, Fuyuki and I are going to try a new shrine," I replied.

"Ooh! May I come, Natsumi-san?"

"Sure! The shrine we're going to is somewhere in the middle of Tokyo."

"Are we walking?" Koyuki asked. Walk...? To the middle of TOKYO?

I sweatdropped. "K-Koyuki-chan, the shrine is several miles away. We're taking the car. Otherwise, we would have to get up the day befo-WAAAAAHHH!"

Suddenly, I don't know, some sort of red lion cub pounced on me and started growling.

Startled background voices buzzed in my ears as I stared into the lion's eyes. They seemed to be alight with some inner fire...literally! There was no mane, so I assumed it was female. But the weirdest part was yet to come...

What did you do to my friends...

My eyes opened wide...wider at this. This voice...It was inside my head. Was this the lion's voice?

My friends...What did you do to them...? You smell of us...

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I screamed. I started struggling against the cub's weight. Some men in black SWAT-like uniforms shot the lion with tranquilizers. It slumped into an almost drunken sleep.

My...friends...where...?

"Natsumi-chan! Are you okay, Natsumi-chan?" Koyuki-chan was bent over me, a worried look plastered over her face.

"What...what the heck...? That lion..." I sat up, dazed.

"Are you okay, miss? Did the lion injure you?" one of the men asked.

"I'm fine...I think..." I answered. "I think...I'll just go home..."

"I'm going with you," Koyuki-chan decided. "You are my friend and I am not leaving you alone. Who knows what might happen."

"Thank you...Koyuki-chan..."

~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{ ~{

"Ittekimasu"

Koyuki-chan and I got home without any more incedent, thankfully. As we walked through the door, the stupid frog walked up to us and ruined the rest of the day.

"Oh, Natsumi-dono! There is something I would like to ask you, de arimasu..."

"No," I replied instantly.

"C'mon, really quick! It's about lions, de arimasu."

That got me.

"Lions?"

Keroro grinned, obviously glad he had my attention.

"Yes, lions, de arimasu. Do only male lions have those mane things, de arimasu?"

The next thing anybody knew, there was a green blob flying through the sky.

Koyuki-chan and I went upstairs to talk. Checking to make sure there we no cameras, coughKururucough, I sat down on my bed and sighed.

"Koyuki-chan, don't think I'm crazy, but..." And I explained the about the lion's voice.