So sorry this chapter was so late. And sorry for the weird error when I first posted. Scissors wrote this chapter.


It was a full day until Fuyuki finally came out of his room.

Doctors and therapists tried to take him out by force, for his own good, but it was all in vain. At some point, Keroro offered his assistance, but that failed, too. When the doctors and therapists all left, Keroro sat down by Fuyuki's bed and placed a hand on the boy's back, not knowing what else to do.

Fuyuki was awfully quiet. Keroro took his hand of his back and realized from his soft breathing that he must have been asleep, or he appeared to be. It baffled him to see Fuyuki in this broken state. Normally, he was always the one who cheered everyone up, even if when he carried a number of problems himself. Keroro didn't know exactly what had happened that evening, or why Fuyuki had shut himself in his room, away from everyone, but it saddened him in a way, a way that was a little bit too familiar. It was a sickening feeling, worming its way into his gut and twisting around his heart. For an instant he thought he might suffocate from it.

So Keroro left the bed and read a manga instead.


On Tuesday morning, Fuyuki woke up as he normally would and resumed his morning rituals as though not a thing had happened two days before.

He had done a lot of thinking yesterday, when he had shut himself in his room. He thought a bit about why the Hinata House was changing in the first place. He realized something wasn't right—no—he realized that nothingwas right. Everything was wrong. Everyone was wrong. And from this he could conclude only one thing:

A conspiracy had taken place—in his very own house.

He hadn't a clue why this did not cross his mind before; it was all clear now that he realized this—the strict rules; the tight schedule; the doctors, therapists, and men in white. They were trying to make Fuyuki forget his old life; and the more he thought about it, the more it all came back to him.

He remembered how Dororo and Koyuki were an inseparable ninja duo, how Dororo stood by his own rules and moral code, abandoning his platoon when goals and values clashed. How Koyuki and his sister were the best of friends; how Koyuki was an awful cook and how her rice balls always turned into cannonballs instead.

—"No, I'm pretty sure that I'm not a ninja," Dororo told him when Fuyuki asked.

All Koyuki said was, "What? You think my rice balls taste bad?"—

He remembered the smell of roasted sweet potatoes wafting from the backyard as Corporal Giroro tried desperately to weave a small plot that would temporarily get Natsumi and him closer together; how the stalwart soldier would constantly nag Keroro about the invasion and whip out the guns to destroy things if nothing got done.

—"What?" When Fuyuki spoke to Giroro, he looked confused and angrier than ever. "That doesn't sound like me at all. I've never even met your sister! …Though… I've seen her in passing…" His voice got quieter. "…and admittedly, she was kind of cute…." He realized he had accidentally said that out loud, and instead he glared at Fuyuki. "How many times have I told you not to call me Corporal?!"—

He remembered not being able to sleep some nights because the maniacal laughter of Sergeant Major Kululu, the most dislikeable guy, would be ringing from the depths of their house. How the smell of curry plagued his lab in the base; how he and Saburo teamed up to defeat various nefarious villains, whether from the inside or out.

He remembered how Tamama lived in Momoka's mansion, and how his addiction to sweets sometimes sucked out bags of money from her funds, how Tamama's unpredictable moods might determine the events that took place that day. How Momoka would help Tamama with issues he had with a new animal or Pokopenian friend of his. He remembered how Momoka would sometimes spend lots of money for… reasons which Fuyuki knew not. Whatever those men in white said about Fuyuki being delusional, he knew that they were wrong, because how could Fuyuki make up something like Momoka's confusing behavior toward him?

—"Momotchi buys me sweets sometimes because we're friends, but I don't live in her mansion," said Tamama.

Momoka frowned. "Fuyuki, why do you act stranger around me than you do everyone else?"—

But most of all, he remembered his close bond with Sergeant Keroro, a friendship that extended all the way to the cosmos, beyond the barrier of enemies. He remembered how the two of them ran away together in humid summer afternoons to walk around the suburbs and meet new people. How Keroro's alien stories brought disappointment, laughter, and important sentiments all together. He remembered their friendship and how real it was; he remembered all the things they did together. It was all real; he knew that it was.

Running these thoughts through his head again, it only made him see more how wrong it all was that Keroro and the others were pretending not to remember the times they had all spent together. This wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't meant to be.

All throughout the morning he thought these things, stuffing it down further and further till he could take it no longer. Keroro's intricate invasion plot was getting tiring. He hated having to go along with everything, having to go undercover for his sister just to find out more about their plot. He hated how they were keeping quiet. At the same time… that meant… if the whole platoon was this dedicated to the plan, then it might come close to succeeding. If the frogs invaded, then what would happen to their Pokopenian friends? It was during lunch when finally, with strained frustration, Fuyuki practically barked to Keroro:

"How could you just ignore all the time we spent together?"

Quickly, he clamped his hands over his mouth. All eyes turned to him, as he had spoken out of nowhere, without having previously uttered a word that day.

"Fuyuki?" Keroro furrowed his brow. "What's the matter?"

Fuyuki hushed down and dropped to his knees so he could speak with him without other people listening. "I'm tired of your invasion plan, Sarge."

Keroro blinked at him.

"I hate how everyone has to act like I'm wrong about things for this plan to work…. I know that you want me to stay quiet, but…. Can we take a break, just for a small—"

"Fuyuki." Keroro placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. For just a small second, he looked off to the side. Then he leaned in and whispered, "Not here."

Those two words were said with such ease, with such undeniable certainty, that Fuyuki felt all the tension wash out of him right then and there. He smiled and looked Keroro in the eye gratefully.


"He is a strange kid, isn't he."

Nubibi observed the two from his own table, sucking on his yogurt spoon thoughtfully.

Ýue had her arms folded across her chest. "Not really. There are a lot of strange people here. After a while it stops being so surprising." She glanced at him. "You're new here, so of course you'd be interested in every singlemundane thing that happens."

"It's not every day that a kid comes screaming back from a therapy appointment."

"Here it is. People are always overreacting. Such drama…. It bores me."

"I could hack you into a million pieces and that would probably bore you."

"Ew, you're starting to sound like Yanda. He's boring, too."

Nubibi furrowed his brow. "Why do you think that he told him that?"

"Yanda told who what, Nubibi."

"No, not Yanda. The guy in the frog hoodie. He told him 'not here.' Why do you think he said that?"

"I don't know. Because he's a liar?"

"Yeah, but…." Nubibi paused. "Have you ever thought for a moment that aliens might exist?"

"No. That's dumb, Nubibi."

"Here me out, I'm just saying. What if he was telling the truth?"

"Well, dishonest minds think alike." She shot him a dirty look.

Really, they did not know much. For the first time, Keroro felt guilty for not being truthful.


After Keroro was finished with his lunch, Fuyuki dragged him off to a place outside in the courtyard where nobody could here them talk. Fuyuki laughed and threw his arms around him thankfully. "You really were with me all this time!"

Keroro opened his mouth, thought a moment, and said, "That's right, Fuyuki."

"Those men and white were wrong after all!"

"Um… no. You see, there is no invasion plot."

That was something that Fuyuki didn't expect.

"No. There's… uh… a different thing going on. We're investigating a whereabouts of a dangerous alien here. And they're with me in this hunt."

"They… are?" Fuyuki looked confused for a moment, until he finally decided to believe Keroro. Usually he was an untrustworthy frog, but he had no reason to lie about something like this.

"Yes. They've actually been helping us protect Ear—Pekopon."

"You mean Pokopen?"

"Same thing. Anyway, Fuyuki, they're actually working with us. Not against us."

Another thing Fuyuki didn't expect.

"So—so they've actually been trying to help us all this time?"

"Yup."

"But then what do they mean when they tell me I'm just having delusions? Why would they lie to me like that, Sarge?"

Keroro was silent. No answer came to him; no shrug, no nod or shake of the head, nor anything.

"Unless…" Fuyuki's eyes widened. "…they're trying to… protect me from this alien they're investigating. By pretending that there aren't any aliens! And—And they want me to pretend, too!"

Keroro put his face into his hand.

"But… who could this alien be…?"

All of a sudden, Tamama burst into view.

"Here's where you two were!" He put his hands on his knees, panting. "Come quick! Yanda's causing trouble again and you don't want to miss the action!"


Momoka

Of all things that had to go wrong that day.

Tamama had led them to the scene of crime, an area a little ways off on the other end of the courtyard. A few people were crowded around, but with the help of an angry, frightening Tamama, Fuyuki and Keroro pushed past.

On the weekends, Momoka was always gone. It being Tuesday, she was back again, and the fighting spirit was in her veins once more… or so it appeared, since she was standing in front of Yanda Rechi. Both of them looked angry and like they were ready to break the other's bones. Fuyuki was immediately frightened. He knew what the guy had done to Giroro; he couldn't stand for a second just the thought of what he might do to Momoka.

"I'm just making a suggestion," Yanda was saying when they had arrived. "The kid's really no danger! Maybe you oughta put him in Group B instead."

"Why would you even…." Her eyebrows furrowed together and she looked downward, her fists quivering.

"It'd be easy. 'Specially for someone like you, Mistress Moneybags." Yanda grinned. "And then I could swap places with him."

"Yanda!" a kid cried from the side. Fuyuki recognized him as Nubibi, Yanda's friend. "Why would you want to leave us? We're so fun!"

"Yes, who could ever get tired of Nubibi," said Yanda's other friend, Yue, as she rolled her eyes.

"Sw-swap places?" said Momoka. "I don't have the ability to let you do that anyway, but I—I can't let you swap places with Fuyuki!"

A cold chill went down Fuyuki's back when he realized that they had been talking about him. What had he walked in on? Why was Yanda trying to switch places with him?

Yanda let out a hearty, craggy laugh. "The kid's got no danger level, though! Whereas, I'm Level 7. So wouldn't it be fun to switch things up a bit?"

Momoka clenched her fists. "This isn't some sort of game."

"Oh, come on! He can be with the rest of the delusional kids and weirdoes from my group!" Yanda gestured to a table a little ways away, in which sat Asami and two pigtailed girls: one with glasses and a notebook, and the other who clutched a black headband in her hands like it was some precious artifact as she uttered the word "Daddy."

Fuyuki didn't want to leave Group A. That would mean that he'd have to part from all his friends… Keroro, Tamama, Momoka, Giroro, Dororo, Koyuki, Mois…. He couldn't get separated from all of them, especially not after Keroro had trusted him so much as to tell him that this wasn't actually an invasion plot.

"You're the delusional one," Momoka spat, "if you honestly think that Fuyuki and you will switch places! Just—just do it yourself!"

With that, she began to walk off. From behind her, Yanda spoke, "Maybe I will, then," and she froze.

"What…?"

Yanda guffawed. "If only you could see the expression on your face!"

"Y-you can't do that," she objected.

"Or can I?" He raised an eyebrow. Just then, Fuyuki recalled what Keroro had told him a few days ago. The Rechi family was really rich. What if Yanda could actually swap groups with Fuyuki, just because he felt like it?

Fuyuki couldn't take it any longer. He couldn't watch from the side while Yanda talked about him and Momoka talked in his defense. He stepped out from the crowd.

"Yanda, I think it should be me who you're asking that question."

"F-Fuyuki!" said Momoka, a bit surprised. "Y-you were…?"

"Fukki! Don't be a hero!" Tamama yelled from the crowd.

Fuyuki did not listen. He planted his hands on his hips and faced Yanda bravely. This was about him, so it was his fight. He couldn't let people like Momoka get involved.

"Hm?" Yanda looked at him. "Kid, I can do whatever I want."

"No you can't," Fuyuki persisted. "Just because you're stronger… and tougher… and a bit more powerful than us… it doesn't mean that you can have any way you want!" He pointed a finger accusingly at him. "I know who you really are!"

Yanda looked surprised for a moment and took a step back.

"You're the alien that the men in white have been investigating!" he said. "The Sarge and the rest of his platoon will defeat you!"

Chatter broke out amongst the crowd. Faces turned to Keroro and Tamama, who fearfully began to back away.

Yanda only laughed at him. "Well, get me a towel, Alien Boy, because I think I just wet myself from fright."

From behind Fuyuki, Momoka swerved around and ran up to him. "How's THIS for frightening!"

She leapt into the air, and Fuyuki watched a transformation take place. Momoka's bangs turned into spikes, and her pupils shrunk. She raised her fist and laid a punch right in Yanda's gut. He stumbled back, clutching his stomach, and stood back up. As he flexed his biceps, causing his muscles to move under his short-sleeved shirt, Fuyuki saw the dragon tattoo ripple.

Yanda lunged, about to attack Momoka, but Fuyuki darted out and pushed her out of the way. They both fell onto the ground together; Yanda just fell past the area that she had previously been standing on.

"F-Fuyuki…." Momoka stood up and brushed herself off. Her face was a bit red.

Yanda turned to them and growled. "That kid… keeps getting in my way."

"I can't let you hurt Momoka!" he said defiantly.

"Punk, I can do whatever I want!" He raised his fist. A familiar voice sprung out from behind them—"No, you can't."

Fuyuki turned around to see who it was; even Yanda did, too. Sai Uru now stood before the crowd, crossing her arms in disappointment of what was yet again a disruption caused by Yanda.

She shook her head. "Yanda, Yanda, Yanda. What is the matter with you?"

He was silent as doctors appeared at either side of him.

"I thought the Healing Room had done something for you!"

His face paled. "You're not taking me there again, you crazy woman!"

Yes, thought Fuyuki. Take him there!

Sai sighed. "Unfortunately, the Healing Room is out of service at the moment." She smiled. "However, we will be taking you to therapy at once!"

Yanda made a groaning sound and drooped his head. As he did so, Fuyuki caught sight of something that he could have sworn wasn't there before—a small scar, right on his forehead. Yanda's head lolled for a moment, then raised again, eyes locked on Fuyuki.

"Just you wait, Fuyuki Hinata. Soon you'll think twice about standing in my way." His lips peeled into a sneer. "And when I'm done with you, say hi to your Mom in Hell for me, won't you?"

Fuyuki's legs started shaking. How does he—Who told him that lie! A cry emitted from his throat and he fell to the ground. Momoka sat down beside him, her hands on his shoulders so she could help him breath.

"Mister Yanda Rechi." Sai's mouth was gaping open. "You are not allowed to trigger other patients!"

"Hypocrite," someone scoffed from the crowd. Fuyuki shakily tilted his head up and spotted Giroro.

"Why would you say that, Giroro?" said Sai with a pout.

"He's just bitter against me, too," Yanda put in.

Giroro glared at him. "Do you want me to rip your throat out? Because I will. Trust me, I will."

"Violence is not permitted in the Hinata House!" she warned him. "This is supposed to be a peaceful pla—"

"Peaceful?" Giroro laughed at the idea. "This is an insane asylum! The richest one in the country! And yet everyone shoves the most dangerous people here. That's why we have guys like him!" he gestured to Yanda. "That's why we can never get rid of him!"

"Well, then, we just need to find a way to work with each oth—" Sai closed her mouth. "Oh… you weren't just talking about Yanda, were you…."

"This is crazy. This whole place is crazy," Giroro snarled.

"G-Giroro, you don't have to—" Fuyuki tried to get him to stop, but his head was overtaken by another shudder, and his body curled into a ball.

"Oh, Giroro," said Sai. "I'm sorry that you think that. You won't always have to think that, though. Soon, you'll get bet—"

"Get what? Get better?" He narrowed his eyes at her, and his scar wrinkled. "I am never going to let myself get better! The only people here who want to get better are idiots! Not even Yanda wants to. You can't get us to bow to the authority of the enemy. I won't. No one here will."

"Giroro, we're not your enemy—" she tried to insist.

"I! DON'T! CARE!" he yelled. With that, Giroro stomped off.

The whole courtyard was silent. Never before had Fuyuki seen someone that angry for what appeared to be no reason at all. Giroro had a problem that needed to be solved. Maybe the therapists were right. You couldn't get better unless you accepted the help. Why wouldn't Giroro want to get better? …Did Yanda not want to get better too? It would have explained his behavior, certainly.

For a painful moment, Fuyuki moved his eyes back to Yanda before he had to lower his head again.


Later, after lunch, and after Fuyuki could go back to standing up properly and thinking straight, Momoka, Keroro, and Tamama helped him walk through the hallways. Fuyuki decided finally to ask what was on his mind.

"Why would someone not want to get better?"

The other three were silent for a very long moment. Momoka finally started to say something, but so did Keroro, and both of them shut their mouths at the same time. There was silence again for a moment, until Keroro decided to speak.

"Some…. Some people… they don't have anything, you know?" He looked downward. "Maybe no family… no friends… no Gundam… no anything. It's a bit sad… don't you think?"

Tamama's eyes were red. Even Momoka didn't look completely okay.

"So if they don't have any life waiting for them outside of the Hinata House…then they don't really have a reason to try to get better."

Fuyuki thought about that. It was a shame that Giroro evidently had something wrong with him, and even more of a shame that he couldn't fix it. He was sure that those men in white would help him, though. Or therapists and doctors, if that was what they were called. After all, people like those were here to help—just as they were helping Keroro and his platoon investigate that dangerous alien.

Fuyuki had no doubt in his mind that the identity of that alien was Yanda.