"Giroro…"

Giroro moaned softly, turning to the side. He shivered slightly.

"Giroro…!"

"Mmm?" He opened his eyes into slits, seeing a familiar Pekoponian female staring down at him. "N-Natsumi-!" He scrambled to his knees and straightened. "Wh-…what are you doing here?"

She was dressed so beautifully- a bright yellow sundress, with flower prints. A large sunflower sat on top of her hair. She smiled sweetly. "Hi. Good morning."

What could this possibly be about? Giroro held her gaze. "Y-yes…. Natsumi?"

"I found out."

His heart skipped a beat. "You… y-you what-?"

"I know already, Giroro."

Giroro blushed deeply. "Y-you know wh-what?"

Natsumi leaned close to his face and whispered, "That you're Rio."

His heart suddenly pounded with the force of a thousand bullets. He widened his eyes and examined her in a desperate attempt to try and search out her reaction to finding out such information. Finally, after realizing he could not read her, he leaned back. Only one thing left to do.

"Who's Rio?" Giroro snorted, turning his head to the side.

Denial.

"Quit acting stupid!" Natsumi flicked his forehead. "I know you know who he is. I found out."

"How?" Giroro asked, folding his arms, but then unfolding them when he understood what he just did. He mentally slapped himself.

Having caught him in her trap, Natsumi smiled again. "I just know these things, Giroro…" Her voice was rich and smooth, like milk and honey. "I just… know."
Giroro found himself against his tent and Natsumi reaching over.

"You know what else I knew?" Natsumi's nose touched his own. He thought he might keel over if nothing stopped him. Her voice lowered to a much softer, more seducing tone, "That you wanted to kiss me last night." She fingered his lips with a single, slender finger, and leaned over.

Giroro braced himself…

…And woke up dead in the middle of the night, the sky still dark and the rain still pouring. He looked over at Ms. Furbottom, who was curled devotedly by his stomach. He massaged his temples, his face still entirely red by this… dream.

Why did it have to end? Giroro thought.

That's life. All good things must come to an end. That's the cold, miserable, bitter truth of life…

"And you know what was the best part of my dream?" Giroro snarled. "You weren't in it."

Oh, now that's cold, corporal…

Giroro sighed, staring down at his little mat. He felt different somehow, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He told himself that in the morning, he'd figure it out. He closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overcome him once more…

…Huh?

Natsumi's head rested on his shoulder. She seemed so relaxed and so peaceful.

Giroro's eyes adjusted to the light steadily. Wait, this place looks familiar.

Suddenly, it dawned on him.

The Ferris Wheel.

Giroro looked down at his lap. I'm… I'm a Pekoponian again…? But, how is this possible? I don't remember…

"Rio?" Natsumi straightened, caramel eyes staring deeply into his blue ones. "Kiss me."

Crimson spread to the base of both his cheeks. "Uh… umm.."

"I mean, if you don't want to…"

"I-I do…!" Giroro held her hands. I'm so bold here. Is it the choker? "I-I want to kiss you, Natsumi…"

"Good…" Natsumi said, stroking his red face delicately. She neared him. Their lips were just a few centimeters apart…

…When Giroro found himself transforming.

No! Not now! Not like this! He panicked, backing away from. There was no where to go. The cart was so small. He shot his head back toward Natsumi, whose face had first looked puzzled, then shocked, then disgusted, then angry.

"Giroro?" His name was like a slap in the face, or a deadly poison in her mouth. "You're Rio?"

"Na…Natsumi…" Giroro's eyes were wide with horror. "P-please, I-I… I could …explain?"

"Explain away, frog!" Natsumi growled. Her eyes, the ones that were so brilliant and dazzling before were sizzling with hate. Painful, no, excruciating hate.

Oh, where to begin. Where to begin?

"N-Natsumi…" Giroro stammered. He could feel the truth seeping through his lips, like his heart was too overflowing with emotions to restrain inside, to keep back. "I… I-I love you."

"…What?"

Keroro, help me. Please!

The choker was not on his neck.

"You… l-… love me?" Natsumi gaped, suddenly her expression completely void from emotion. Her voice was so small. "…It's… it's over… it's over, Giroro."

"Natsumi, please-"

"No, Giroro."

There was a strangled silence that begged to recover. Giroro began to feel tears coming on.

"Natsumi-"

"Giroro, stop talking to me!" Natsumi turned on him, teardrops staining her own face. "Why did you have to ruin this friendship, huh? Why? What we had… it was special the way it was!" She then turned away. "To think... to think I almost kissed you!"

"Natsumi-!"

"Don't." She used her sleeves to wipe her tears. "Seriously, Giroro. Just… when this ride is over… stay away from me, okay? Please. I don't… want to see you anymore."

Giroro woke up again, this time in a cold sweat, his hand clutching his heart like it had been stabbed a million times in the weakest places. He must've made some sort of noise, because his cat was staring at him worriedly, her head cocked to the side.

"M-Ms. Furbottom?" He struggled to bend his lips to a smile. "Did I w-wake you…? I'm sorry… come here." The cat lay back down beside him, still gazing at him anxiously.

"I'm fine," He assured her, stroking her gently. She purred against his belly, slowly falling back to sleep. He wished that his own sleep was as easy to summon, but thanks to that last dream… it wasn't.

"Geez, it's still raining?" Natsumi asked, looking out the window.

"I think it's nice," Fuyuki said cheerfully, sipping a glass of hot cocoa. "It makes it feel all the more homier, you know?"

"I guess." His sister kept flipping open her phone as if she was expecting something, but like the minute before and the minute before that, there wasn't. She sighed, exaggerated, and slipped it back into her pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for Rio's call. He promised he'd call or send a text." She made a face. "Maybe the rain did wash it away…"

"Natsumi? Have you seen Giroro?" Keroro called over a miniature action figure.

"What? Why?" Natsumi planted her hands on her hips.

"Because I haven't seen him all morning."

"Did you check his tent?"

"Are you frogging kidding me?" Keroro asked, shooting her a haughty look. "It's raining rats and hogs out there!"

"Hey, look, isn't that Giroro's cat?" Fuyuki pointed at the window.

The poor white creature was meowing loudly and scratching the glass. She looked positively soaked, her fur sagging on her pitifully as she hopped around, demanding for attention.

"Maybe it wants to come inside?" Natsumi wondered, opening the door. Ms. Furbottom ran inside, clawed at Natsumi's skirt pensively, and ran back out.

"What the heck?"

"It wants to show us something," Fuyuki affirmed. He took out an umbrella from the closet and slipped on his shoes. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

"Alright, but hurry up," Natsumi said. She looked outside. "I think it's getting worse."

"What is it, girl?" Fuyuki murmured. Ms. Furbottom was waiting for him, for anybody, and when she saw help, she immediately continued on her mission. Fuyuki stopped as she did, right in front of Giroro's tent. "…Giroro?"

Natsumi was sitting down on the couch, staring at her phone miserably while Keroro played with his latest model. He cast her an amused glance and fiddled with an arm.

"You look a little testy," Keroro said finally.

"I'm just waiting for a friend to call." Her voice was tight and impatient.

"Kero, kero! What kind of friend? Koyuki?"

"No." Natsumi bit her lower lip and flipped the phone open again. "Someone else."

"Ooh," Keroro said, pretending to act stupid. "Saburo, correct?"

Natsumi, annoyed, decided not to answer. Keroro, pleased, was about to probe her with more questions when Fuyuki entered the house with an unconscious red frog in his arm and a dedicated white cat at his feet.

"He's sick," Fuyuki said anxiously.

With one look, they could tell that 'sick' was an understatement. Giroro wheezed in his sleep. When he took a deep breath, it came out in either a shudder or a cough that sounded like it clawed at his throat. When Natsumi placed her hand on his forehead, she drew back in unpleasant surprise. His face burned like a furnace.

Natsumi gave them some room.

"Put him on the sofa," Natsumi ordered. "Keroro, get some towels and a blanket. And a pillow, too. Fuyuki, get some medicine. Maybe it'll work on him."

She stroked his hot face gently. Sighing, she rested her head against the palm of her other hand. Idiot. You must've been out on the rain last night, haven't you, polishing your weapons?

She could just see him now, struggling to clean his guns while being barricaded with heavy raindrops. The thought made her giggle. Idiot.

"I got the stuff you asked for!" Keroro announced, hidden behind all the pillows and towels and blankets he was carrying.

"Good," Natsumi grabbed a towel and patted Giroro dry. "Now let's try to make him comfortable."

"Is there anything else I can do?"

"…Yeah. Get him an ice pack. There are some in the freezer."

"Roger!" Keroro raced to the kitchen.

"C…Cold," Giroro muttered, turning in his sleep.

"I'm giving you a blanket," Natsumi said soothingly, tucking the thick quilt around him. He squeezed it with one hand and pulled it around him tighter.

"I got some medicine," Fuyuki said. He put them down on the table near her, letting her examine the contents of the bottle.

"I wish we had frog medicine," Natsumi huffed.

"Ice pack!" Keroro handed it to her.

"Keroro, do you think you can get Kururu to make something for Giroro?"

"Sure!" Keroro turned to his friend and patted his back. "Get well soon, buddy."

"Wow, Sarge," Fuyuki said admirably. "You really look out for your friends, huh?"

"Of course!" If he dies then the mission is in jeopardy. "Take care of him while I'm gone!"

Keroro hopped down toward his room, toward the secret base.

"Should we make him anything to eat?" Fuyuki asked, watching Giroro steadily.

"Huh?" Natsumi glanced up at him. "Eat…? Oh, yeah, definitely!" She got up and headed for the kitchen. "Keep an eye on him, Fuyuki! I'm gonna make some soup."

"Guh…?"

"Shh…" Natsumi stroked his cheek. "Don't get up too fast-"

"What… happened?" A splitting headache suddenly declared him dizzy. "Ugh… Why do I feel like I'm in so much pain…? Everywhere?"

"You're sick, Giroro," Natsumi said gently. "Lay down. I'm going to feed you some soup, alright?"

Giroro blushed, but it didn't matter now. He felt awful. While on his healthier days he would be mentally celebrating, right now, all he wanted to do was rest.

"Say 'ah'," She took a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

Mm. Tomato.

"It's good," Giroro coughed.

"Try not to say anything," Natsumi murmured. "Just relax."

After a bowl of soup, Giroro fell asleep again. His cat lay down on his feet, watching him and Natsumi fixedly. Natsumi still looked at her phone from time to time, but it didn't have much priority as it did before. She focused all her healing powers toward helping Giroro get better.

"Kururu was able to make some medicine," Keroro said, relieved. "He said he's sending some here now."

"That's good," Natsumi said, taking off Giroro's third ice pack. "He's still really hot…"

Giroro coughed again.

Keroro grimaced. "Yeesh, that sounds really bad." Seriously, Giroro, if you die then we'll have to find someone to replace you!

Giroro didn't bother responding. He simply turned his back toward him and clutched his blankets tighter together.

"Keroro, what did you do?" Natsumi frowned. "Are you trying to make him feel worse? Go away! Come back when Kururu brings back the medicine!"

"This is what I get for helping a friend out?" Keroro asked himself. "Desertion? Fine! I'll go hang out with Fuyuki."

Giroro wanted to say 'thanks' but his throat hurt too much. He decided he'd bake her some sweet potatoes when he was done and feeling better…

"The rain definitely makes earth look that much more beautiful," Dororo commented. Koyuki handed him a cup of warm tea.

"How's your head?"

"It's doing much better, thank you."

Thankfully they were able to get back home before the rain had soaked them to the bone. Dororo had turned back shortly after they dried themselves, much to his relief.

"D? Why were you acting so weird last night?"

The words gave him Goosebumps. "H-huh? I… wasn't acting weird."

"Yeah you were," Koyuki said, sitting down.

"Must've been the gun…"

"Sure."

Dororo played with his hands while Koyuki watched him. She then sighed and leaned against the wall. "It was fun yesterday, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was," Dororo said, eager to change the subject. "Which ride was your favorite?"

"The Ferris Wheel."

Dororo jumped slightly. "Wh-why?"

"The fireworks!" She replied simply. "Didn't you like them too?"

"O-oh, yes." He nodded, trying not to think about it too much. "I liked it too. It made me appreciate this beautiful girl even more."

"….Girl?"

"What?"

"You said 'girl'." Koyuki repeated, trying not to laugh. "You said that the Ferris Wheel made you appreciate this beautiful girl."

Dororo's face turned a bright shade of pink. "I-I meant earth-! Uhh, planet! Anything but that word!"

"I know what you meant," She finally released her mirth. "You're so silly, D!"

Dororo hoped that wasn't a Freudian Slip. Anything but that horrible inclination. He muttered unintelligible words to himself, trying to convince himself that he had not made that stupid mistake out of semi-consciousness and just made a simple slip of the tongue. He squeezed his hands, and un-squeezed them, and squeezed them again, and un-squeezed them….

"Dororo, you're acting weird again."

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