Chapter 3:
"Eh?" Kirere blinked a few times and then bolted up, and immediately swung out of the hammock and onto the ground, falling into a mess of blankets and pillows. Kururu looked up from his magazine and gave a chuckle, watching but not approaching Kirere as the tiny girl fought her way out of the sheets and sat in the pile of them, looking up at Kururu.
"Looks like you have Senpai's temper when your right buttons are pushed, kukuku!" Kururu laughed, and went back to reading his magazine. Kirere groaned and put a hand on her forehead, feeling the bandage and wincing. "Luckily you have his thick skull, too."
"…What're you reading?" she asked after a silence, and he held it up for her to get a better look. "…A cooking magazine?"
"Eh?" Kururu flipped it, and looked over the cover of the scientific magazine, "Kukuku, why would you even think it was—"
He stopped then, setting aside his magazine as he heard an alarm sound, and rushed over to his main computer, Kirere was quick to follow, although at a much slower pace. Kururu took a seat and then began to type away at his keyboard, and Kirere took a seat at the foot of the chair, and watched him work in silence, as she often did. She rubbed her head once more and looked up at the large screen.
"…What is that?"
"Kuku, signals," Kururu answered bluntly, and continued to work.
"….Keronian signals?"
"Looks like they're all over the place…." he muttered, and Kirere watched the screens zoom in and out, and then the signals finally stopped. "Kukuku…. I see, they work in cycles. They won't shut off until someone overrides them."
"This is great, you can tell Romama-kun where his friends are!"
"Kuku, why would I do that? I'm not nice, remember?" Kururu shut down the screens, and hopped out of his chair. "…Plus I'm too busy."
"What?! So, you're not going to—"
"Kuku, not at all," he answered, and left, his back turned to her. Kirere looked back at the black screens, and then remained there a few moments in silence. She had seen where one had been, or rather the general area of where it had resonated from. What she didn't see as she busied herself by removing one of her gloves and writing down what she could remember with a pen on her hand, was the yellow Keronian watching quietly from the doorway.
"Kuku… A do-gooder, in my own bloodline… How disappointing," Kururu said to himself quietly, and then slunk away from her.
"Team building exercises!?" Giroro stood, slamming his hands down on the hard plastic of his desk and looking upward at Keroro in disbelief. "This is just another excuse to get a vacation and slack off!"
"Gero gero gero… Not exactly… After yesterday's series of outbursts, I think it's just what we need, Giroro Gocho! A functional team is a well-oiled machine… Right now as it stands we're in serious need of a tune up."
'…Mechanic talk….? ….Wait….' Giroro thought to himself, then caught in the corner of his eye an unusual gesture; Keroro gave a grin and briefly flashed a thumbs up, which Kirere returned.
"Could you say, an army of one?" Mois chimed in.
"Gero gero gero! I couldn't have said it better myself, Mois-dono!" Keroro laughed, and his voice dropped, "…Mainly because I don't get better lines, but we can't all chose our writer…. Ah, Dororo Heicho! How long have you been here?"
"A-a while… Teicho-dono, I think this is a good idea, for one. It's been a while since we've done anything like this," Dororo nodded sagely.
"Are we going to have to train in the middle of the ocean again?" Tamama asked with worry.
"Close, Tamama Nitohei!" the white screen behind Keroro lit up now, revealing a picture of the Hawaiian islands, "The American islands of Hawaii! After much research, I've come to the conclusion that its climate is optimal and ideal for a Keronian soldier!"
"Hawaii? I suppose this has nothing to do with it being a popular Pekoponian vacationing spot…." Giroro sat back and folded his arms.
"….Giroro, you really are a stick in the mud…." Keroro muttered. "…Then again, you were a boring child, too."
"That's going too far!" Giroro snarled, and Kururu interrupted this with a laugh.
"Kukuku, what an odd place to pick… I wonder if Teicho thought of this all on his own, or if someone else pulled a few of the strings."
"What's that you say, Kururu Socho? ….It sounds almost as though no one here has any faith in my decisions!" an awkward silence followed this; no one dare make eye contact with Keroro.
"Romama-dono!" Dororo called out as the teal Keronian suddenly made an appearance from the ceiling, and hopped down onto the floor.
"Looks like he's taking lessons from Dororo on how to make an entrance…" Keroro muttered. A bit of drywall from Romama's ceiling entrance then fell, and landed right on Keroro's head. The sergeant then gave a groan and slumped onto the floor. Romama paid no heed to this, and only walked over to Dororo.
"What's that? Are you… Certain…?" Dororo asked in disbelief.
"What's he have to say for himself?" Giroro glanced over to Romama, and Kururu gave a chuckle.
"He says that he wants to strike up a deal…" Dororo explained. "…He wants to join our Platoon's cause."
"What?!"
"And if we help him locate where the signal originated from, he'll guarantee a takeover in no time with his skills," Dororo added. "Even if it is indeed a faulty signal, he at least wants to see his ship one last time, and put it behind him and move on. He just wants this one favor of us… And he's asking Keroro-kun as… Family."
"Could you say, anything for the one you love?" Mois chimed in, and gasped as Keroro gave a squeak from beneath the shattered drywall. "Ojisama?!"
"Kuku, who would join us on purpose unless they were at the end of their rope? He must be desperate for resources," Kururu laughed.
"He's got a point…" Tamama murmured.
"Hmph. We'll see how he does on the training exercises. Let's just not hope he's rusty after all of this time," Giroro folded his arms and snorted.
"….It's settled, then…." Keroro announced flatly, and lifted himself up from his spot on the floor. "Ojisama will join us in our group activities, to see if he will indeed by beneficial to the Pekopon takeover…"
Another small piece of drywall fell, hitting Keroro on the head once more. The sergeant gave a moan and tumbled back onto the floor, KO'd.
"…Just remember this is what you wanted," Giroro said with a bit of forewarning in his voice to Romama, who already looked as though he were second-guessing his decision.
"Kii-chi, look at this! Look at all of the rows of buffets!" Tamama gasped in awe as he looked over the brochure, one of many he had in a stack beside him. "Mountains of sweets!"
"Look at this one! They have dolphins!" Kirere added, switching brochures with Tamama. "And you can even going swimming with them!"
"Good to see you two are friends for the time being, at least," Keroro smiled contently and adjusted his pillow. "Or you're both sharing in that youthful energy that comes with taking a trip such as this, so much so that it's overridden your sibling rivalry temporarily."
He sat beside a grinning Mois in Momoka's private jet, while the blue-haired girl sat beside Fuyuki, who looked out the window at the endless blue in awe. Kururu and Dororo sat beside one another, as did Natsumi and Giroro. In the back of the plane Haruki laid back, a magazine over his face while he snored. Paul looked over at the mechanic with nothing short of annoyance. Romama had the seat across from Haruki, and looked a million miles away in thought as he looked out the window silently.
"I hope you enjoy the summer beach home… It's not really that big, but… It's quaint…" Momoka explained quietly, and Romama sat up as the clouds just as soon parted, revealing a luxurious white and pink mansion, with a peach emblem on the very highest point. Kirere hopped up in her seat and pressed her hands against the window, and her eyes went wide.
"It's not bad, is it?" she turned around as Tamama spoke cheerfully. "It's one of Nii-chi's smaller homes, but that doesn't mean there won't be a lot to do!"
"…Just when I come to terms with the inadequacy of my own existence of Pekopon, he rubs salt of the fresh wound…" Keroro sighed, his head and shoulders slumping.
His head moments later met with Natsumi's first, "We give you a better life than you deserve, Stupid Frog! At least you're not in a zoo somewhere!"
"I would suggest everyone buckle up, we're getting ready to land," Paul announced, and glanced over as Haruki gave a particularly loud snore. The butler tapped Haruki atop the head and the mechanic gave a start, bolting up and then yawning and stretching.
"It's good to be home…." Haruki folded the magazine and sat back in his seat.
"Hrm… You look a bit familiar," Paul glanced over at Haruki as the mechanic adjusted the yellow band he wore to keep his bangs back, and Haruki shrugged this off.
"I'm a pretty plain-looking guy," Haruki answered, and yelped as they hit a bit of turbulence. Kirere started to go flying back, but Keroro quickly reached out and caught the young girl, and the sergeant gave a sigh of relief as she now gripped onto one of the arms of her seat.
"Kii-chi makes not listening a talent," Tamama said cheerfully.
"You're such a mean big sister," Kirere answered as she now buckled her safety belt, and Tamama and she shared forced smiles.
Paul remained unmoved, even with the turbulence. They landed not soon after, on the Nishizawas' private landing strip, and Keroro was the first to stretch and breath in the Hawaiian air, "Ah… Did you know that the Hawaiians use the very same word, aloha, for both their hellos and goodbyes?"
"Keep it moving!" Natsumi snapped, kicking Keroro down the stairs and then walking over him as they approached Nishizawa mansion.
"Gero!" the sergeant squeaked as the summer devil stepped over him, and the rest of the platoon hopped over him in succession, save for Romama, who didn't seem to mind stepping on the sergeant.
The teal Keronian looked at the mansion, his eyes wide with awe at the sight of something so large, and Keroro stopped at looked back as he noticed his uncle had stopped in one of the main hallways.
"Ojiisama?" Romama jerked to attention, nodded, and rushed down the hall.
"This is like a spa almost," Natsumi laughed in disbelief as she unpacked her bag, and Mois looked up from her own suitcase and laughed.
"Hello?" Momoka knocked on the opened bedroom door and grinned politely. "I just wanted to see if anyone needed anything."
"Kii-chi, what do you think?" Tamama stuck his head in, and Kirere, who had been sitting on Natsumi's bed while she unpacked, hopped down from her bed and ran over to the brother she'd adopted as her own.
"I love it! Papa said I wouldn't be able to stay at a place like this usually because I'm too uncouth," from the wide grin the girl gave it was clear she had no idea exactly what 'uncouth' meant.
"Nee-chan, Mois-chan! Nishizawa-san and I were going to go down to the beach, there's going to be a surfing competition!" Momoka grit her teeth and her hair straightened out into spikes as Fuyuki announced this to his sister from the doorway. So much for their romantic walk on the beach…
"For real?" Natsumi blinked. "We'll be right down!"
"…I don't need floaties, those are for babies…" Kirere moaned and shooed Giroro away.
"I… I just don't want you to—"
"Keronians are great swimmers, I'm no different!"
"Kuku, and submarines are usually supposed to be able to come back up, but you've proven that wrong…" Kururu laughed as they waited for the last of the group on the front steps of Momoka's mansion.
Haruki, grinning widely with his hands on his hips, looked over to Paul and nodded, "Great weather, eh, Paulie? Can I call you Paulie?"
"…No," Paul's glance at Haruki was severe. "…It'd be in your best interest if you refrained."
"…Oh, 'kay…" Haruki rubbed behind his neck and cleared his throat.
"Ready!" Natsumi ran out in flipflops and her bathing suit, as did Momoka. Giroro went bright red and the only thing that stopped him from collapsing to the floor was Keroro, who gave a sigh and propped the corporal.
"Come on, Gocho, let's get going…" Keroro patted Giroro on the shoulder and they walked down the steps of the Nishizawa mansion, through the small surrounding beach town, and then to the beach itself. It was full of activity, with a DJ playing, numerous vendors, and both tourists and locals swarming about the hot white sand.
"…So where does the team building begin?" Giroro glanced at Keroro critically and folded his arms, but his annoyance was soon forgotten as Natsumi removed the T-shirt she had been wearing, slinging it over her shoulder and wiping her forehead.
"The sun's so bright!" she exclaimed happily. Giroro went a deep shade of red, and only watched, stunned as she walked off with Mois to a drink stand.
"Fuyuki-kun, look at this!" Momoka cried in excitement, and before he could say anything he was following Momoka away from the Keronians. Keroro looked about and noticed that Paul, too, had vanished. Tamama surmised that he was away orchestrating Momo-chii's next great plot to win Fuyuki's love.
"Kuku, all right, we're here, so now what's your plan?" Kururu asked Kirere with a chuckle, and she turned her head to her father, puzzled. "I said I kept you around because you made things interesting, I'm curious to see how you find one signal on an entire island, kukukuku!"
"I'm gonna make a sandcastle!" Tamama exclaimed brightly, taking up his pail and bucket.
"Sounds like a fun endeavor, Tamama-dono. I think I'll join you in it," Dororo added, and the two were off.
"Ah, and I think I'm going to go stake out the territory," Keroro stretched and placed his hands behind his head. "Could be some good… Researching…."
"Eh?!" Giroro yelped. "Keroro, wait—" but it was too late. Giroro looked back, and he was now left with Kururu, Romama, Kirere, and he slacker Pekoponian.
"Kukukuku…" Kururu walked off, only chuckling to himself, and no one questioned him. Kururu did as Kururu pleased.
"Ohhhh lookit!" Kirere's eyes went wide, her mission forgotten as she say rows and rows of motorcycles on a platform, a ways away from the sand. "Haruki! Look, look!"
"….Eh, I… I don't see anything…" Haruki looked away in the opposite direction, and Kirere climbed up his arm and rested on his shoulder, and turned his head to the motorcycles.
"Look! Let's go, come on!" Kirere begged. "Please?!"
"…All right…" Haruki's tone was puzzling to Giroro; it was as if the joy he'd previously been showing had been completely sucked out, and he walked Kirere over to the motorcycles like he were walking to a funeral. This distracted Giroro so when they were finally gone, he saw it was only Romama and him.
The teal Keronian's eyes met with Giroro's, and the corporal sighed, "You can leave, too."
Romama said nothing of this, which was also no surprise, and Giroro found himself alone on the beach. His shoulders relaxed a bit, and he, too went off walking after a few moments to himself.
Giroro found himself away from the party, away from the Pekoponians and his teammates, and on a much quieter strip of white sand. He stopped, having hit something with his foot, and bent down, picking it up and seeing it was a perfect shell, bleached white on the outside while a pearly pink on the inside.
A gift for Natsumi; a blush came across Giroro's face as he thought this over, and then a wide, wide grin as the possibilities flashed through his mind.
This was soon stopped, however, as he became aware of a large wave. More importantly, the large Pekoponian on the large surfboard riding the large wave.
Giroro's world blacked out for a few moments, but when he came to he found himself imprinted in the white sand, and the large Hawaiian man now taking up his board.
"Sorry, man!" he shouted out, his back to Giroro as he ran towards the crowd.
"Eh?... Was he talking… To me?..." Giroro wondered aloud as he saw no one else on the beach.