"Dororo, are you awake?" Giroro asked, finally opening his eyes after the doors shut. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head.
"Yes, Giroro-dono," Dororo answered, sitting up. "That food didn't seem to have as great an affect on me."
"All I had was water, he must have spiked that, too… Ugh, the room's still spinning, though. Looks like Kururu was right about this guy, as much as I hate to admit it," Giroro grumbled. "Do you have any idea where we are?"
"No, I'm afraid not…" Dororo stood and ran his hands against one of the walls. Metal, smooth, no openings….
"We should see if everyone else is here," Giroro stood and leaned against the wall uneasily. "Ugh, well, I think I just kicked the idiot…. Some leader, he's the first to fall asleep."
"I've got Tamama-dono and Kirere-chan here…" Dororo added.
"And this one's Kururu… I don't feel Romama around here," Giroro said. "Dororo… You don't think that they're all in on this, do you?"
"Including Romama-dono? No, I wouldn't think so."
"Are you only saying that because it's what you want to believe? That isn't like you," said Giroro, and Dororo answered with silence. "…We should work on getting out of here, there's no sense in waking up everyone and scaring them if we can get out on our own."
"Agreed," Dororo nodded, and then both continued to feel about the dark box, looking for any exit.
"Let's see what's on here," Fuyuki placed the disk into the laptop, and all gathered around it. There was a flickering, and then the screen flashed on. Lupapa sat there, looking offward and out of place s she sat there.
"Hey, get going!" came a voice from behind the camera.
"That's Miss Chu's voice!" Lee exclaimed.
"And that's my Auntie on the screen!" Marco added, pointing to Lupapa.
"Greetings… Pekoponians… If you're getting this, then, good… Well, not good. You're in a lot of trouble," Lupapa spoke stiffly in front of the camera, and sat there, facing straight ahead. Chunini gave a sigh of disgust and the camera was set down, and she stepped in front of the camera, and gave a wide grin.
"Excuse her, she's not used to people actually paying attention to her," said Chunini with laugh. She hugged Lupapa around the shoulders and continued. "What she's trying to tell you Pekoponians is that your friends have screwed up big this time."
"I knew it," Natsumi sighed, her shoulders falling.
"By the time you get this, they'll probably be in the hands of someone you're familiar with, and someone you're not so familiar with," Lupapa added after pushing away Chunini.
"We're here as your secret weapon!" Chunini added, coming back onto the screen.
"You're incorrigible!" Lupapa snapped.
"You shouldn't use words you can't spell!" Chunini answered quickly in retort.
"Hey, you two mind getting along for five minutes?! They won't be gone forever… My kids get along better than you!" Mahihi's voice came off-screen, and both women adjusted in their seats.
"Your friends are going to be located here," Chunini unfolded a large map and held it in front of the camera, and Lupapa pointed to it accordingly. "My advice? Stay as far away as you can…. But you can do what you want with this information. Next time you see us, we might not be as friendly toward you. Stay safe as best you can."
"…What do you think that means, Nee-chan?" Fuyuki asked as the screen then went blank after a moment, leaving the group standing around the blank laptop.
"I think this means we have to go rescue them, of course," Natsumi stood and folded her arms. "If they get captured or worse, who knows what'll happen? Someone competent might actually come and try to take over the planet."
"Nee-chan…" was all Fuyuki answered as he smiled at his sister, who stood with her hands on her hips and her head up in the air.
"It might be dangerous for children, I'll accompany you," Lee added sternly. "Understand I'm honoring a pact between Miss Chu and myself."
"Lee-san, you and Chunini-san really are best friends, aren't you?" Natsumi said in awe as Lee stood and removed her sword from the side of her seat where it had been sitting.
"It goes even beyond that," Lee answered, glancing at her reflection as she opened the blade slightly and then slid it back into its sheath. "Let's play that again, see if we can get a better picture of that map, also see if there's anything hidden on there we didn't catch the first time."
"And with this all of the pieces are falling into place…" Romama heard through the ringing as he began to awake. He attempted to open his eyes, but the room's harsh light was too much for him. The beeping noises around him sounded so familiar, but his thoughts were too fuzzy to place them…
"I have my prize, you can do what you want with those others," Romama immediately recognized the second voice, the deep, gruff one. Romama tried to raise his head, and after a few moments succeeded. The violet catlike eyes were chillingly familiar.
"Looks like you finally awoke, Teicho," the last word was spat out, sounding more like a taunt than a title. Romama's eyes were now fully adjusted, and he recognized the room around him now, as well as both of the men in front of him, although it took him a few moments to register who the Pekoponian behind Rokiki was.
"Looks like he's seen a ghost!" Rokiki laughed and then growled. "…There really wasn't much of a hesitation for the rest of the team to turn you in… But when it's a choice between you, or someone they actually like…. Except for Fujuju. He turned you in for his books, because he's just like you. He has no one. But we both know why that is."
Romama wriggled in his restraints, and Rokiki gave another laugh, "Not even you'd be able to get through those. I have a new best friend who specializes in collecting alien technology like this. You're not going anywhere… In fact, you're going to get to watch the entire show…. You look puzzled. Nikolai hasn't told you, then."
The Pekoponian took a step out of the shadows, and Romama gave a start, knowing now why Kezanstav had been difficult to spot at first… Half of his face was covered in bandages, as were his hands. He wore a long brown coat over his usual black suit, and also a smile, as Romama wriggled even more.
"Your old platoon is going to put on a show for us, payback for what they caused to happen to me last time," Kezanstav laid a hand over the bandaged portion of his face, and his expression turned to one of sadness for a moment, then hardened once again.
"Do you remember how long you and I searched for your ship?" Kezanstav walked across to the large glass windows, which overlooked the forested property around them. Romama recognized the house as one of Kezanstav's numerous mansions, complete with a fine collection of alien technology. "Well… I found it. And without your help. I also found one of your friends, still in it. It turns out we have a lot in common, and we struck up an offer… He gets you, I get a replacement for you," he then held up a familiar collar, and the color from Romama's face left.
"So many options… That pink one is an obvious choice, but why destroy all of them when I could have two working for me? What did you think of that green one, Rokiki?"
"Hehe, that blue one isn't bad, either," Rokiki smiled, his white sharp teeth glinting in the shadows.
"How about we just see who survives, and make it their prize?" Kezanstav opened a glass door, which led out onto a large balcony. A force field surrounded the home and an expanse of the forest, and Romama looked down, his yellow eyes wide as he saw the circular ship parked almost directly underneath them. On the top of the ship stood four figures, all stanced and ready for battle.
"Looks like our gift is here!" Kezanstav clasped his hands together as a solid metal block floated down onto the large balcony, and he stood in front of it, grinning wildly. "…This is finer than Christmas."
He held out an arm to the metal box, and it became translucent, revealing the Keroro platoon. They were all awake now, and stopped their search for a way out as soon as the darkness vanished from the box.
"Ojiisama!" Keroro yelled out, rushing to the box and hitting his head against it.
"Ojiisama?" Rokiki wondered aloud, and Romama hung his head, and grit his teeth. "Kezanstav-san, it looks like he has more than Kodada afterall!"
"Let us go, bastards!" Giroro banged on the invisible wall, and Rokiki growled at them. It was their first good look at the dark, dark red Keronian with the purple, angry eyes. His symbol was on his stomach, and it was a crescent, almost like a smile. He wore black tattoos, two crescents (a larger and a smaller) beneath each eye, as well at on each shoulder. In the center of his head was another tattoo, a black upside down triangle.
His outfit was ancient… Two thick bracelets with purple stones on either of them, and a purple and black skirt-like cloth about his waist, with geometrical patterns decorating it. In the center of the cloth about his waist there was a gold square buckle, which were also present on his hat. His hat was black, circular, flat on top and decorated in a circular of the golden squares. A light purple cloth came down from it, forming a veil about the back of his head. His teeth were sharp, and formed into what looked like a permanent frown.
His appearance was enough for Kirere to hide behind Tamama, who narrowed his eyes, daring the new Keronian to lay a hand on his little pest/sister.
"That's a cute gesture your boyfriend's making for you, but it won't help you," Kezanstav leaned down at smiled directly at Kirere. "You caused me a lot of trouble, Kirere-chan… A lot of it."
Don't call her by her name!" Giroro snarled, and Kezanstav chuckled.
"This is going to be fun, and you can thank your good friend Romama for this," Kezanstav stood back next to Rokiki, and Romama remained there, with his head hung.
"Ojiisama? What's he talking about?" Keroro asked, and Romama only shut his eyes, and wouldn't look up to any of the platoon.
"I'm guessing he didn't tell you, then. I wouldn't expect anything less from him," Rokiki snorted. "The whole reason we crash-landed on this planet is because we had a pilot and a leader who both cheated their way into their positions!"
"What?!" Keroro yelped. "H-how dare you make up such stories about my Ojiisama! He's one of the most honest people I know! Sure, he doesn't have the best of tempers, but neither does Giroro, and we're still friends!"
"Watch it, idiot!" Giroro growled.
"He excelled in the physical tests, I should know, I was one of the ones overseeing them," Rokiki explained. "But when it came to the mental testing portion, he bombed every single time… Then his scores began to mysteriously improve, as did the pilot Kodada's, who was a brilliant test-taker but not the best of pilots. I caught them switching places and taking tests for one another."
"…O-Ojiisama?" Keroro choked.
"Romama?" Kirere asked in a weak voice.
"I reported both of them, but it was too late… He was already a golden-child, and I'd already been replaced. The generals would have looked like fools if they'd been found out, and this non-deserving cretin got to take my glory, my mission!" Rokiki growled. "They added me back on last minute as his subordinate!"
"Why would the military put their soldiers in danger like that!?" Giroro snorted. "I think your story's full of it!"
"An incompetent chosen to lead a mission to Pekopon? You're asking how the military could allow for that to happen?" Rokiki snapped, and Giroro's eyes widened. Keroro felt a number of eyes upon him at that moment. "They didn't want themselves to look bad, but they allowed me to go under the pretense it was only as help. I was there to make sure things went smoothly."
"Kukuku! Looks like you were less competent out of the two," Kururu chuckled.
"He's a funny one… Part of me hopes he's the one who makes it. I need a little entertainment around here," Kezanstav said in a light voice.
"Makes it?" Dororo repeated.
"We're going to have a meeting of the old versus the new," Romama's head shot up at this, and Kezanstav raised his hand, and along with it went the invisible box that held the platoon. It then sunk down slowly, and then zoomed off into the woods, crashing and disappearing into the forest.
"Rokiki! I want you to bring the pink one to me alive. Do whatever you wish with the others along the way," Rokiki nodded, and hopped onto the railing of the balcony, and then he, too vanished into the forest. "And you get a first-row seat to see what you've wrought," Kezanstav stood beside Romama's chair, and Romama looked up and out into the woods. Already a burst of flame shot up from one corner of the woods.
"I think I know who that is," Kezanstav commented as they both watched the burning woods in the distance. "Out of all of them, who do you think has the best option? I'm placing my money on your nephew. I love an underdog."
Haruki grumbled as he heard the frantic pounding on his door late that night, and trudged through his small, shack-like home, through magazines, food wrappers, and whatever else had been left out on the floor.
Natsumi gave a yell of disgust as the door opened, and Haruki answered in boxer shorts and a white plain shirt, "Don't you put on pants when you open the door!?"
"Wh-what—Do you know what time it is!?" Haruki exclaimed, pulling a pair of jeans up from his floor and then shutting his front door while putting them on.
"Suzuyama-san, something's happened to Gunso and everyone!" Fuyuki called through the door, and Haruki barreled out a moment later, his hair held back by a yellow band, and a pair of old sneakers on his feet.
"They're an hour north of here, Momoka-chan's going to help us fly there," Natsumi added.
"It was the least I could do," Momoka answered. Haruki now looked around, and saw Koyuki the ninja, Mois the angelic destroyer, a small Spanish boy he'd never met, and what was possibly the scariest, sternest woman he'd ever met.
"We came here for this bum?" Lee snapped, her arms folded. "We're running out of precious time!"
"Hey! I'll have you know this bum's only a dissertation away from a PhD!" Haruki snapped.
"That's terrifying," Natsumi said beneath her breath.
"Marco-san's going to stay at our house with Mahihi-san's wife and see if anyone shows up there," Fuyuki added, and Marco's faced showed he didn't like the idea of his at all.
"I came here to help my Auntie and her boyfriend!" Marco answered. "And that's just what I'm going to do!"
"Children are so annoying," Lee grumbled. "Kid, if you go I'll make sure Miss Chu comes to your birthday, that's a promise."
"She's helped us for years, and now my Auntie's in trouble, I just know it!" Marco's eyes welled up, and then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, and Koyuki smiled back at him.
"Your aunt will be just fine, my ninja senses never fail me when it comes to this sort of thing," Koyuki explained. "Plus watching the home base is one of the most important jobs there is!"
"It… It is?" Marco asked, and Koyuki nodded. "Okay, then. I'll do it!"
"…I'll stay behind, too," Haruki said after a moment of thought. "I have a feeling you guys have more experience in this sort of thing than me. I'll just weigh you down."
"Heh, maybe the bill dodger is smart after all," Natsumi said to herself as Haruki hopped onto his scooper and Marco climbed on behind him.
"Should we be worried with just them watching the house?" Fuyuki asked as the two sped off down the road. "We don't have Gunso or anyone there, really."
"I already thought of that," Koyuki held up a paper plane, then smiled, and sent it flying. It vanished into the distance, and Natsumi stood there, stunned.
"You really are amazing, Koyuki-chan," Natsumi murmured, and Koyuki gave a bashful laugh in return.
"Ow, my tail hurts… I landed too hard on it!" Kirere sniffed as she stood up and wiped her face. They had crash landed in the middle of over one hundred acres, or so it looked. Giroro and Dororo scouted about while Kirere and Tamama remained close together, and Kururu remained pounding on his keyboard and trying in vain to get any of his signals to go out. Keroro just stood there, his back to everyone. For once, the sergeant was a silent.
"It looks like we're trapped here, but fortunately it also looks like we're alone. Eh? What's wrong with you?" Giroro asked as walked back to the group and saw Keroro standing with his back to him. "Hey, I'm talking to—"
Keroro slapped away the hand Giroro had pushed him with, and Giroro was too stunned by this to retort with violence or verbal abuse.
"Gunso-san, what do we do?" Tamama asked.
"I… I don't know…." Keroro answered in a low tone after a pause.
"What do you mean you don't know?!" Giroro had recovered by now, and grabbed hold of Keroro, shaking him by the front of the neck. "You're the leader, you're supposed to think of things like that! So that little creep lied, that fact doesn't help our problem!"
Giroro grew frustrated after doing this for a few moments, and pushed Keroro away in disgust, "…You're hopeless…."
Just as he went to walk away from Keroro, he felt his friend's hand grip onto his arm, "…Eh? Don't tell me you thought of something."
"Gero gero… Not a thing, but that hasn't stopped me before," Keroro smiled, and Giroro looked at Keroro, puzzled by this statement.
"He's got that look," Tamama muttered in awe.
"Huh? What look?" Kirere looked back and forth between Tamama and Keroro. "What's going on?"
"Who needs a lot of smarts when you have a group of people who are great at winging it, like we are? We didn't always pass the tests with flying colors, either, but we're skilled in other ways," Keroro turned about and smiled. "And if we can get Ojiisama back, he'll be so grateful we forgive him he'll have to help us defeat Kezanstav-san and Rokiki-san! Even if he isn't smart, he's got strength!"
"I… I can't believe you're actually thinking!" Giroro said in awe.
"Gero gero gero… Someone has to be the smart one in my family, even though I always thought I'd inherited good looks more than anything. Onward to save Ojiisama!"
After raising his fist and rallying his troops, they quickly dispersed as Dororo came crashing through the forest shrubbery, dressed in his full assassin armor. He was soon joined by a Keronian in bronze-colored armor, who carried with them a sharp-pointed staff.
"Gerooooo! We run away in the direction general direction of Ojiisama!" Keroro cried, lifting up Kirere onto his back and then taking off running blindly into the dark, dense woods.