"Geez, Ms. Furbottom, you have no idea what kind of a day I had…" Giroro sighed, sitting down with a weapon. The little white cat purred in response and rubbed against him as he cleaned his gun with a rag. His kitten suddenly meowed rather loudly, indicating that someone was outside their tent. "Huh? Who's there?" His heart raced just a little faster than usual. Is it…?
"Psst!" Keroro poked his head through, immediately slowing his heart back to normal. "Giroro! PSST! GIRORO!"
"What do you want?" Giroro growled. "You do know you're not my favorite person right now-?"
"I wanted to discuss phase three with you!" The green frog helped himself inside and showed him a mini version of the calendar that Giroro had seen before. "Here! I'm thinking that maybe you could see her tomorrow when she's coming home from school. Maybe even impress her in front of her friends-"
"Keroro, I don't want to do this anymore," Giroro said, with a certain sense of finality.
"Really? You want to try to explain yourself out of that one while wearing the Word Choice Chooser?" Keroro asked him, perking a brow. "I mean, if you don't do it, we could always humiliate you in front of Natsumi…"
Giroro scowled at him, scratching his neck while his leader talked. The stupid choker still wouldn't come off, no matter how hard he pulled and yanked. He even tried several guns on it. Whatever Kururu did, he made it indestructibly impossible to remove.
"I wouldn't get too mad at Kururu," Keroro pointed out, almost as if he was reading his mind. "He made it so that you won't wear your birthday suit out in public, kero, kero. Apparently there was something about you losing your briefs on a bush and momentarily creeping Natsumi out-"
A gun had found its nozzle against Keroro's face.
"Okay, okay, I got it!" He pushed the gun away irritably. "So, Giroro, eventually, all your little bumping-into-each-other-moments are going to come together and create the ultimate romantic climax!"
"Yeah, yeah," Giroro mumbled, blushing at the thought of actually having the possibility that Natsumi could love him back. "But what are you going to be doing while I'm baiting her out of the way?"
"Wweeeeellll…. We haven't exactly thought of that yet."
"WH-?"
"What are you guys doing in there?" The little fabric door zipped open to reveal a curious Natsumi Hinata with a slice of cheesecake on a platter.
"Oh, nothing," Keroro said as innocently as he could muster. "Definitely not anything relating to the invasion of Pekopon or any- OOW! Giroro! What did I tell you about the guns?"
"Oh, boy, is this plan going to get you anywhere near hurting Fuyuki or my mom? Again?" Natsumi frowned.
"No, not at all," Keroro smiled sinisterly. "Oh, look at the time. I think I should be going now-"
"Well… I'll spare you since you bought the cake…" Natsumi side stepped out of the way briefly to let Keroro out.
"So, uh… what are you here for?" Giroro asked, trying his best to sound nuetral.
"We bought so much cake home, that I thought you might want some," Natsumi said, passing over the plate and the fork. "I mean, it's probably sweeter than your sweet potatoes, but I enjoyed it." She smiled kindly.
"…Th-thanks." Giroro took a small piece and chewed thoughtfully on it. "It's too sweet for my liking, but it's good, anyway."
"Whatever," She sat back and watched him eat the rest of the cake. "Umm, Giroro? Where did you get that choker?"
Giroro gagged on his bite, coughing and spewing out bits of the cake.
"Geez, relax!" Natsumi reached over and pat his back as he gasped for air. "Take smaller bites! Than maybe you wouldn't choke on your food!"
He cleared his throat and put down the plate, looking down at his accessory. "Uhh… it's… a fashion statement? Um, uhh… Keroro bought it for me… it's imported from Brazil."
"Oh," Natsumi stared at him for a few seconds longer, considering what he had just said. "…You know what? That makes sense. I met a guy earlier from Brazil-"
"That's great," Giroro's heart began to beat fast again.
"And he wore something similar to yours," Natsumi paused for a moment, thinking about it again. "Nah, you know what? His was cooler."
Ha, ha… "…..That's nice."
"Sorry, Giroro, but it's the truth," She laughed. "Can I get that for you?"
"Right, of course." He handed the plate to her.
"Good night, then," Natsumi said. "Don't let the bedbugs bite."
"Won't happen."
Natsumi closed up the flap in his tent and disappeared into her house. Ms. Furbottom, who didn't appreciate being momentarily forgotten, rubbed herself against his back. He stroked her carefully. "Aww, jealous much? Let's get some sleep. As much as I really hate to admit it, I've got a big day ahead of me tomorrow."
"Hi again."
Natsumi gasped slightly before realizing who it was. She took a deep breath of relief. "Hi, Rio."
"Cute friends," Giroro nodded at the two girls who were walking away in a different direction.
"Yeah, well…" Natsumi held her bag behind herself, realized that was an awkward pose, and then put it back in front of her. "Um, did you want to maybe hang out at the-"
"Natsumiii~!"
The hyped up ninja girl that everyone knows and loves squeezed Natsumi from behind, completely taking her by surprise.
"You wanna hang out?" She asked her, giving her an adorable kitty face.
"Uhh, actually…" Natsumi didn't know what to do. "Koyuki, this is my friend Rio. I met him at the bakery yesterday."
Koyuki let go of Natsumi and promptly began to examine Giroro. She studied him carefully, circling around him twice to make sure he was a worthy companion for her friend. She even patted around his sides to make sure he wasn't carrying any weapons or drugs or mutant teddy bears.
"Okay, he's clean!" Koyuki clarified.
"Great," Natsumi said, sighing. She turned to Giroro. "Rio, this is my friend Koyuki."
"Nice to meet you," Giroro said, holding out his hand.
Koyuki stared at him, her eyes widening. "Hey, you sound… a little familiar."
Giroro's mouth dried. "Um, well, you see-"
"Where are you from, Rio?" Koyuki asked.
"I hail from Brazil." Hail… from Brazil? Am I in some sort of cowboy movie or something?
"Brazil, huh?" Koyuki repeated. "Is it cool there?"
"Very cool," Giroro nodded. "The animals… are nice."
"I like animals-!"
"Koyuki, Rio and I were thinking about going to the little café over there," Natsumi interrupted.
"What a great idea!" Koyuki grinned. "We could all have some ice cream! The ice cream here is yummy, Rio! But be careful not to eat it too fast or your brain might freeze. It's called something, but I forget what.."
"Actually…" Natsumi said weakly, struggling to come up with some sort of excuse.
"Ice cream sounds good now," Giroro said finally. "Why don't we get some now? My treat."
"I'll get the Chunks of Chocolate Clusters, my friend'll get the Banana Cream Swirl, and my other friend will…" Natsumi turned to Giroro expectantly.
"What do you recommend?" He asked.
"Do you like sweet stuff?" Natsumi looked back up at the menu. "Because I heard the Strawberry Shortcake is really rich."
"Is it… good?" Giroro inquired.
"I haven't tried it before."
"Well, then, I'll try it out."
"Can I also get the Strawberry Shortcake, please?" Natsumi turned back to the man taking their order.
"Okay, you guys are number 56," The man said, giving Giroro a receipt. "We'll call you in a bit."
Giroro maneuvered this strange body to follow Koyuki and Natsumi to an empty table. Granted, it was easier to walk now, but it still had it's complications. He was going to sit next to Natsumi, but Koyuki was faster and had done it before he did. So, he robotically sat down on the seat opposite of them.
"Do you have any pets, Rio?" Koyuki asked.
He was about to mention Ms. Furbottom, but then he remembered. Natsumi had recalled that he and his pekoponian form had similar chokers. He didn't want her to find any other resemblances that could ultimately connect her to realize that Rio and Giroro were the same person.
"No," Giroro said, nervously. "I don't."
"Oh," Koyuki leaned back, watching him carefully. "Rio, do you believe in aliens?"
Giroro stared at her. "…Aliens?"
"Koyuki, you are so silly!" Natsumi laughed anxiously. "Of course, she's just joking. You're joking, right?"
Koyuki gave her a funny look. "Why would I be joking-?"
"Number 56?"
"I'll get it!" Koyuki leapt out of her chair and ran to get their ice creams.
"Geez, I'm sorry about that," Natsumi said, embarrassed. "Koyuki still needs some time conforming to society. I mean, I don't blame her, it's just…"
"It's fine," Giroro waved it off. "Honestly, it doesn't matter. I think she's kinda cute, talking like that."
"Do you." Natsumi frowned slightly, cocking her head at him.
Giroro coughed. It was strange not having much control over his speech. And not to mention annoying.
"Mm, you know what I like, Natsumi!" Koyuki said, passing over the ice cream to each person. "Banana Cream Swirl, come to mama~!" She dug in happily.
"How's your ice cream?" Natsumi asked, after taking in a small spoonful.
His normal reaction would have been, "It's too sweet."
Similarities.
"Just right." Giroro said. Feeling creative, he spooned another and held it out to her. "Here."
Natsumi turned red. "Wh-what?"
"Didn't you say you've never tried this flavor before?" Giroro couldn't tell if it was his brain or the collar talking. "Taste it."
"U-umm…" Natsumi leaned in slightly. "Ahh…"
Koyuki popped in and bit into the spoon, taking both Natsumi and Giroro by surprise. He released the spoon and let it go to the ninja.
"Mmm!" Koyuki gave him a thumbs up. "Great choice! It's really good!"
It was his brain. He completely lost the nerve to do it again. "Glad you liked it."
Koyuki smiled sweetly and gave him his spoon back.
"That was delicious!" Koyuki sighed happily. "Thanks for the ice cream, Rio! It tasted sooo good!"
Giroro smiled weakly and glanced at Natsumi. Suddenly, he stopped. His hands began their familiar tingle…
"Rio?" Natsumi stopped and looked at him curiously. "What's wrong?"
"I-I have to go," He stammered.
"What?"
"I-I just remembered, I'm late for something!" Giroro turned around and ran. "I'll see you tomorrow!"
"O-okay!" Natsumi waved. "Bye!" She lowered her hand when his form disappeared in the distance.
Giroro had turned back when he fell into a bush for cover. He panted from as much exhaustion as he had endured yesterday.
"You did good!" Keroro complimented him via the collar. "Your mission for today is over, corporal. See you later today to discuss the plans for tomorrow!"
"Roger…" Giroro sputtered.
"And corporal? You might want a drink of water…"
"….Nooo. I feel like a real quenching for dust and dirt, Sergeant."
"Oh, well, have it your way, kero." His voice clicked off.
Commercial Break~!