Disclaimer: I own nothing.

This was originally two chapters, but I combined the chapters because the first chapter was too short.

Natsumi remained staring at Kululu, waiting for him to answer her question.

"What now?" she asked again. She let her words hang in the air, echoing through their ears. What would happen to them? Would they forge an alliance, or would Kululu leave, not finding her interesting because he didn't remember who she was?

Kululu shrugged and stood up. He brushed some dust off himself. "I'm not interested in forming a permanent alliance with you. Friendship isn't something that interests me," he told her.

Natsumi looked disappointed, "Oh," she murmured. "So will you just leave? I mean, I doubt you'll attack me again. It didn't work in your favor last time."

"I didn't finish." He shushed her. "I'm not interested in a permanent alliance, but I am interested in a temporary one. My intelligence I assume could be very useful to you. I could make some devices to supply food to your friends so they don't starve. Ku."

Natsumi's eyes glowed. "What's the catch? For an alliance to work, you'd want something from me. Is it protection, since I'm strong? Or is it reaching high water bottles for you?" Her height was certainly an advantage.

She wondered what it was that Kululu desired.

"I want water," he said. "I will make the inventions you desire, but in return you have to help me gain territory. In the middle of this city, there's a large water tower," he explained. "I want it. We Keronians have been fighting over owning it, but none of us has gained it for very long," he confessed. "I want you to help me get it."

Natsumi paused at the object he desired. It made sense. "Is it good water? Doesn't it have a bunch of radiation or something?"

"Ku. No, after a year, the water's mostly purified itself from rain and wells," he said. "So... do we have a deal? Will you fight for me?"

Natsumi thought for a moment. Out of all the Keronians, Kululu was by far her least favorite, but he was the only one she had encountered. He didn't know her, though, and his primary personality was jerk. Would he double-cross her?

"Deal," she finally agreed. It wasn't like she had any better options for food. And it was a temporary alliance. He would give her food in exchange for her helping him get the water. They would both help each others' survival.

She shook his hand, feeling a sense of dread overcome her. If... If I get the food and go underground again, will it really be right, leaving Kululu to invade the planet? It might be mostly dead, but I don't want him to rule my planet. I don't want it.

She knew it was wrong, but sometimes she had to make tough choices for survival.

Kululu grinned. "Ku, ku, ku. Don't double cross me now, ya hear?"

"Okay," Natsumi agreed.

"Or else I'll make you suffer. Ku, ku, ku." He laughed sinisterly. He still had the sinister terrible personality that he had always been.

And Natsumi grew uneasy at her new alliance.

They left the grocery store to search for the water tower. Natsumi knew somewhat where it was located, much farther away. Perhaps a day's journey or so at top speed, maybe two days at Kululu's speed. Kululu was much slower than her, after all, and tripped over all sorts of stuff.

"Why don't you lift your tail instead of using it as a weight?" Natsumi asked. Looking at it closer, it definitely looked like it had a large eyeball at the end, covered in a firm layer of skin and closed like an eyelid.

Kululu lifted his tail for a moment. "I like it better as a weight. I only use it for balance anyway," he confessed.

Natsumi was confused. Did he not know that there was probably an eye he could open on the end of it? Or was the eyelid sealed shut?

She wondered if she should tell him about the eye, but decided against it. She didn't need Kululu more powerful than necessary.

"Lead the way to the water tower," Kululu ordered. "And I will make an invention that supplies food to your friends for life."

"Don't you know where it is?" Natsumi asked, flabbergasted.

"It's hard to find the way on my own," he told her. "I... I can't see very well. Just another of my disgustingly pathetic weaknesses. Ku," he hissed.

Ah. That's why he can't see my movements. Natsumi made a mental note of that, just in case she got in trouble with Kululu.

"I'll lead the way with my voice, then," she volunteered.

"More like led the way with your loud footsteps. Ku, ku, ku," Kululu teased. Natsumi frowned, but lead the way anyway.

They were halfway there when they decided to rest and make camp. It looked like it was about five AM in the morning and Natsumi was tired. It had been a long day and it was dark and she was hungry. She plopped down and her stomach growled.

"You hungry?" Kululu asked.

"Yeah. I haven't eaten for the last two days," she Natsumi confessed. "What do you usually eat out here?"

Kululu paused for a moment and waited for something. A giant rat scurried out to chew on some charred corpse. Taking out a tazer, he approached the large sound and tazed it until he was dead.

He then chomped into it, without cooking it.

Natsumi covered her mouth, grossed out. "EWWWW!" She turned around to vomit. "Y-you don't expect me to eat that do you? Th-that's a giant mutated rat that was eating corpses!" She already felt nauseous again, even though she had emptied her stomach.

"Doesn't matter. I can't taste, feel, or smell it anyway," Kululu confessed, "and it gives enough sustenance. I've been eating these for months and they've been supplying me plenty of energy."

"I... I don't want to eat it," she gagged.

"I wasn't offering," Kululu told her.

Natsumi frowned. Rude. "I'll look around for my own food, then." Maybe she could find a can of beans or something.

She walked away from Kululu to go look. "I'm so hungry," she moaned. Her legs were getting weaker and weaker. Eventually, she collapsed on the ground, tiredly bringing herself up again.

In front of her, in a small tower, was exactly what she had wished for, like an illusion. Three containers of natto. Non-perishable and good.

She grabbed one and hungrily broke it open, pouring it down her throat.

Wait a minute... Where did this come from? she finally wondered, wiping away some bean dribble from her mouth. "Is this real?" It tasted real. But where had it come from? It was as if it was waiting for her.

She took the cans in her arms and looked around for whoever had given it to her. She saw a large hole to her left, tunneled deep in the ground, but she just suspected another giant rat.

Maybe it had been a coincidence?

Or... Or Kululu could be wrong! Natsumi was way too hopeful. What if Giroro's alive and well, and he made these beans for me? she hoped.

She looked around for a letter, any sign someone had left them for her. She finally found a small note written in the dirt.

It was cryptic and told her nothing, though. Get away from him. Stay away from him - he's dangerous. She knew the him the note was referring too.

Kululu.

"I know. But I need to do this. For my friends," she told the note. Then she whispered, "Thank you, Giroro."

She left, ready to sleep and camp in some sort of make-shift shelter. Even if Kululu was dangerous.

It hadn't been Giroro to leave the note.

She's still with him, Dororo realized, safely hiding out in the ground. Did she ignore my warnings? Natsumi shouldn't have been out of the base. Why was she there?

All he knew was he had to save her. He had to protect her from what was out there.

As the only one of the Keroro Platoon with all his memories, he had to be the one to protect their friends.

It took them a long while, but they finally made it to the water tower. Natsumi looked up in awe at the still intact source of water. It could help a lot of people, but Kululu wanted it for himself.

"I'll make you the food inventions, and you can bring it to your loser friends. But first I need to build a force field to protect my new territory. Then it'll be mine," Kululu told her.

"Couldn't you do this yourself?" Natsumi asked curiously.

"No. I need you to direct me to where parts are and how close I am to putting them together. It takes way too long on my own, now that I can no longer see or feel anything," he confessed.

Wow. He's incredibly weak, Natsumi realized. "I don't know how to make inventions, though."

"Just direct me to where parts are and how close I am to putting things together," he sighed. "I know you're not good at making things. It's because you're an idiot."

Natsumi frowned, offended. But she looked around and tried to describe their surroundings to help Kululu.

They didn't work together very well; in fact, it took a long time to put together just half of the device.

"Hey, Kululu..." Natsumi realized. "Didn't you say the frogs were fighting for this territory and wanted the water tower, too?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are they then?" Natsumi asked. "Are... Are they here?"

Kululu grinned wickedly. "This territory is currently held by Keroro and Tamama. They should be here soon, along with the second part of your task."

"The second part?" Natsumi asked fearfully.

Suddenly, she saw two figures approach, standing on the top of the water tower. "So you've returned, Kululu! And you've brought someone!" She heard Keroro's wicked laughter and looked up to the tower.

She saw Tamama's arm draped around Keroro, a long tongue coming out of his mouth, much longer than his own body. His hands were bony and skeletal. He was taller than normal and looked like his limbs were more slinky, almost elastic.

She drew her breath, knowing that the frogs had mutated, but didn't know it had been this bad. Keroro also looked like a monster, two long insect-like antennae growing out of his head. His eyes were pale and glassy, and his hands looked like they had small little hairs growing out of them.

"S-stupid... Stupid frog..." Natsumi stuttered. Keroro laughed as Tamama shot his tongue out to a pole and the two of them lowered themselves to the ground.

"Ready to get your butt kicked again, Kululu? You might not be able to escape with your life this time," Keroro laughed.

"Your second task is to kill them. But... leave Tamama somewhat alive. I have plans for him. Ku, ku, ku," Kululu told Natsumi.

"You aren't going to hurt him!" Keroro yelled. "That's the one thing I can't forgive you for, Kululu, your hatred for my lover!"

"Hehehe... Mr. Sergeant said I was his lover. His mind is all mine." Tamama kissed Keroro's cheek. "Mr. Sergeant? Kill him for me," he ordered.

"Anything for you," Keroro smiled, unable to think much for himself.

Natsumi frowned. "Stupid frog!" she yelled. She had no intention of killing him as she ran up to the two of them. She was horrified by their appearance, but she was happy enough to see that Keroro and Tamama were alive.

Keroro paid her no notice. He put his hand on the ground to feel the vibrations of her movement and as she approached, he waited. When she was within touching distance, he easily placed a hand on one of her pressure points and pushed down.

Natsumi crumpled to the ground in intense pain. She had forgotten that, from what Kululu had implied, the Keronians were all stronger from mutation, all except him.

"AAAH!" she screamed. "Why? Don't you remember me?" she asked, curling up.

Keroro put his foot on her, ready to crush her into the ground. He was a lot heavier and stronger, it seemed. He just frowned.

"I only remember Tamama. I only care about Tamama. I live for him. Not some stupid pekoponian," he told her.

Tamama giggled. "Exactly, my love. Now, do you want me to do the honors?" Tamama looked down at Natsumi, licking his lips and ready to feast.

Natsumi shivered at the way Keroro and Tamama's minds had detracted. Only remembering each other seemed like a cute idea in theory, but they were monsters. Keroro seemed to follow Tamama's every order and Tamama kept a firm control on him, enjoying more painful things in life.

Power seemed to corrupt. She was so glad Kululu was weak and wasn't as terrifying as them.

"I'll do it. After all, you requested I kill everyone from my past. That way you'll be the only one, past, present and future for me!" Keroro hummed. "And it seems like this pathetic Pekoponian knows me. Pity I have to kill her, she would have made a nice slave when invade the planet."

Keroro was about to stomp on her, but Natsumi rolled over, avoiding the blow. The ground shook a little from the vibration of his movement, like he had his own rhythm of all the vibrations that he was a master of and controlled.

Natsumi quickly got up, ready to fight. She barreled at him head-first. He was hit away from Tamama's side.

"Snap out of it, stupid frog! You're not like this! You aren't a murderer! You're a funny, stupid little frog. And... And my friend!" she confessed, holding onto his elbows. "Please... remember who you are!" She wanted to cry.

Keroro felt Natsumi's touch and focused on it. He brought his leg up and kneed her in the stomach, causing her to fall backward toward Tamama. Tamama's tongue twirled around Natsumi's waist and he opened his jaw.

"You taste delicious. Fresh meat is always the best!~" he hummed. "I wonder how your fear... your feelings, your screams, will taste!"

Natsumi tried to struggle. She shivered as Tamama's tongue constricted around her. They were tougher than she expected. "Kululu! Help me!" she begged.

Kululu had finished his little tiny box, about the size of his hand. He tossed it at Natsumi and it stuck to her shirt.

There was a beeping sound.

"A force field?" she wondered.

"Bomb," Kululu corrected. "Tamama will have trouble unentwining himself from you now. Ku, ku, ku. Thanks for helping me, Natsumi. You served as the perfect bait."

Natsumi's eyes widened in fear at the double-cross. Tamama tried to desperately get himself away from Natsumi, but his belly rumbled and she continued being drawn closer to his mouth.

"Tamama!" Keroro screamed, running over to him. He wasn't tall enough to get the bomb on Natsumi's shirt though.

"Ku, ku, ku." Kululu laughed as they all screamed. Keroro ran over to him and punched him in the face, causing him to fly a few feet away. His body crumpled into the ground, but he continued to laugh.

"I will kill you," Keroro told him.

Kululu just slinked away, feeling very accomplished at striking a blow at Tamama. He was wounded, but he got away, anyway, in Keroro's panic, since he knew Keroro couldn't see him.

The timer beeped down and Natsumi closed her eyes, waiting for her to death to come. Suddenly, Tamama's tongue left her body, along with the front of her shirt, which had the bomb attached.

PHWOH! It exploded a distance away as it was thrown to the side.

Tamama sobbed as Keroro cradled him.

"Your tongue... Let's retreat for now," he told him. "It'll grow back. I'm sure of it."

Natsumi looked down to see Tamama's tongue on the ground, severed from the rest of his body. It was bleeding.

A hand squeezed hers. "I'm here, Natsumi. I won't let them harm you." She looked up to see her friend, Koyuki, a ninja blade colored with blood in her hand.

"Koyuki!?" She hugged her friend as if she was an illusion. Keroro and Tamama ran away.

Koyuki looked to the side, waiting for Keroro and Tamama to be away. She looked more calm and at peace, now that she was outside again. Natsumi hugged her friend, mostly to contain her decency since half of her shirt was now off and also to hug her, happy to see her.

"I faced my fears, Natsumi. I'm still the same ninja I was long ago," Koyuki told her. "You're safe now."

Natsumi cried. "Why are you out here? It might be dangerous. I don't know if the radiation will get to us! I mean... I'm happy to see you, but why are you here?" She felt so frightened at her near death.

"I came here to save you," Koyuki said. "I was called to help you. And when I saw you were in trouble, I attacked."

"How did you know where I was?" Natsumi asked.

"I followed the string," Koyuki confessed.

"The string?" Natsumi was confused.

It had been hours after Natsumi had left. Everybody was pretty down at sending Natsumi out there alone.

But they had forgotten to do one thing. Natsumi hadn't locked the door.

Wandering around the hallways, Koyuki found a string. It was a red string, and it lead to the outside. Someone had sneaked in and put it there.

She wondered if she should tell anyone, but she remembered one important thing.

Dororo... He said that we were connected by a string like that one, she realized. Could Dororo be calling her? Did he want her to join him in death?

She was scared, but at the same time, she knew she had to face her fears. She needed to follow the string.

If the outside had death, she would follow it. If she was no longer the person she once was, the strong ninja, she would deal with it.

But the string commanded her to leave. And she had to follow her fate.

Not telling anyone, she left, picking up the string and following it.

"It lead me to you," Koyuki explained. "Maybe it wanted to tell me that you were in trouble."

Natsumi hugged her. "You survived out here! I... I survived out here." She smiled. "And you saved me!"

"I still have it." Koyuki grinned, twirling her blade. "I was a bit rusty, but I was fast enough."

Natsumi smiled. "We faced our problems... And I think that's something we need to do. Living underground in safety is wrong, we should face our problems. We're not mutating, the air... It seems safe," she spoke. "I should have never trusted Kululu. I should have trusted my real friends all along and asked for their help. We should all work together. No more abandoning one person to do the work of many."

Koyuki smiled and nodded. "You trusted Kululu? I mean, I saw a bit of him and Tamama and Keroro... But they're alive?"

"They're no longer the frogs, though. They're monsters. We shouldn't trust them," Natsumi advised.

Koyuki nodded, trusting her friend more than anything.

Please review! Well, that alliance lasted like half a chapter. Truly a temporary alliance.