Monster Lineup

Ganrougel- Giroro

Kurse- Keroro

Krueger- Kururu

Taiki- Tamama

Aldmora- Dororo

Ganrougel returned to the Hinata household with Aki's requested food items. He set them on the counter where Fuyuki was preparing a sandwich.

"Oh cool, thanks for getting the stuff for dinner. I would have done it myself but I got caught up in research." Fuyuki smiled.

"No problem." Ganrougel kept his gaze to the floor before suddenly pulling his sweatshirt and t-shirt off in one tug. He dropped them to the floor before rubbing his back.

"Woah… is it too hot in here for you or something?" Fuyuki asked surprised by the act.

"Damn, I can't feel them. Fuyuki can you see anything wrong with my back?" Ganrougel gestured his thumb over his shoulder.

"No not really." Fuyuki answered honestly inspecting Ganrougel's spine quickly for abnormalities. "Why? Did something happen while you were out?"

"Yeah." Ganrougel answered in a distant hushed voice, his thoughts taking him far from his surroundings and back to the rescue earlier that day. "C'mon… how did I do it?"

Re-imagining the attack refilled his heart and body with the burning anger. The betrayed and killed trust between strangers all because one grew too greedy and selfish for whatever he wanted. He took a deep breath and slowly released it as he focused on the sensation more now than the event. The way his body swiftly went for the kill before he stopped himself.

His brow furrowed as the sharp pain returned and slowly traveled up his spine. He reached a single hand behind him and let out a quick breath as his fingers wrapped around the handle of his old bone blades. "I knew it."

"I don't think I'll ever really get used to that." Fuyuki whispered in awe.

Ganrougel opened his eyes and turned to the kid, but soon realized Fuyuki wasn't looking at his eyes nor the bones on his back. "Get used to what?"

"Magic, transformations, stuff like that…. The supernatural and paranormal have always been amazing to me so I can't help but be fascinated every time." Fuyuki pointed up to Ganrougel's head. Ganrougel looked up to see the points of his old antlers peaking through his hair. "I thought you weren't able to change to your monster form any more though. You know, seeing as your driving motive was uh..."

"Killed. I thought the same." Ganrougel admitted. Before he could explore more his antlers and blades returned into his body. He inhaled a piercing breath at the sudden pain. "This is different. I can't hold it on my own unlike before when it was my only form, besides the four legged deer one of course."

"You did change when you remembered different things. Maybe it's like when you change your perspective or motivation." Fuyuki theorized. "We probably should have guessed that you still had strange abilities or such since by all logic you shouldn't be able to become completely human again."

"True." Ganrougel agreed.

"What happened? That made you change again?" Fuyuki asked, almost worried that he wasn't allowed to.

"I found someone… being attacked." Ganrougel sighed, glossing past the sexual intent he could smell from the predator. "It made me angry, I used to kill people like that all the time before I met Natsumi. Even when I tried to find her I'd take out a few on the side. But I became so focused on her I forgot about actually going out to do it. They're still out there... Vile people."

Ganrougel paused as he sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. He looked down at his hands mulling over how much he wanted to admit to. He knew Fuyuki was a kind kid who wouldn't judge him too harshly, if it were Natsumi he was sure he would have poured his heart out, but he wasn't even comfortable thinking about it by himself anymore. Killing anyone used to be no problem. But now that I know her… now that I remember myself… It feels wrong but I still can't just sit here, letting them run around like roaches infesting other people's lives.

Fuyuki looked back to his sandwich and slowly finished preparing it, sensing they had reached the end of what Ganrougel was able to say aloud. "So what do you want to do now?"

"What do you mean?" Ganrougel glanced up to the kid.

"I mean like do you want a sandwich? Do you want to help your brother with your nieces? Cut down another acre of trees maybe? Or are you going to try to talk to Natsumi again? I don't think you'll open up your deepest… possibly darkest feelings to me, so our conversation can't really continue the way it was." Fuyuki explained.

Ganrougel smiled. "You're a good kid, and it's not like I don't want to trust you and go all bleeding heart and emotions it's just..."

"I understand. Also that never really seemed like a you thing anyway." Fuyuki grinned. "You could always talk to sis, I'm sure she'd love to hear from you…. Even through a crystal."

"I just don't know if I regained enough energy from the other day." Ganrougel sighed. "And talking to the crystal isn't the same."

"Always worth a try." Fuyuki carried his sandwich in hand as he left to the stairs and climbed up to his room.

With silent steps Ganrougel approached the crystal. He hesitantly placed a hand against the large shard as he sighed and sat carefully over the marks on the floor. He calmed his mind as much as he could with his eyes closed. Soon he could sense the shift around him and it wasn't long before he heard the soft giggle and glanced up to see her.

"Hi." Natsumi beamed with her smile.

"Hi." Ganrougel sighed as he felt his own smile grow.

"So…. What happened last time?" Natsumi rested her chin on her hand as her elbow bore into her knee.

"I uh… got too close to the crystal when I walked closer to you and you're grandmother stopped me. It snapped me back out, sorry. Where I am now is just outside of it." Ganrougel explained. "She said that I can't get too close or I might become trapped too."

"Definitely can't have that." Natsumi laughed.

"I really wish I could though. I don't care if I get trapped in here forever with you." Ganrougel admitted trying to subdue the blush sweeping his face.

"I'll kick your ass if you dare try it. I don't even want me inside here but I can't take on that jerk, I'm too weak." Natsumi puffed at her bangs in annoyance. "Now tell me how the fight went. How did you get out? If everyone else ok?"

"Everyone's just fine." Ganrougel sighed. He knew she would eventually dig into him for answers. It wasn't like she could see or hear anything from outside. His hands gripped tight and released in a quick moment as he thought about how he would tell her.

"Good." Natsumi smiled softly as she acknowledged his nervous twitch. There was something he wasn't telling her yet even as she could see his mouth attempt to form words, opening and closing like a gasping fish struggling to breath air above water. "Whatever you're struggling with I can take it. I'm a big girl you know."

Ganrougel could almost feel a laugh inside of him to her comment. He could feel it easing his nerves as he worked up to admit to what he did. "I don't know if… I want you to know. I regret it and I'm afraid of how you'll look at me for it. I did something horrifying."