Author's Note: I promised I would make this chapter better, and I think I succeeded- ha, ha! I seriously hope you enjoy!

For the last time, I'm sorry! I didn't know it wasn't done yet. Okay, okay, I'm back now, you can all stop panicking, alright? Sheesh, you leave for a few days and the writer freaks out… Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try and find out where exactly we are…

Natsumi folded the last particles of clothing neatly into the bag- the dresses, the shorts, the sandals. She gazed over it like a work of art, but considered deeply like she was forgetting something. She placed one hand over her hip and another one over her chin, "hmm-ing" and "what-is-it-ing", when finally she remembered. Her bathing suit, of course. She was going to the beach in an exotic island.

She walked over to her dresser and pulled it open.

She shrieked when she saw Keroro looking over the bathing suits, inspecting each and every one.

"You should wear this!" Keroro said cheerfully, pulling out a red bikini. "I think it'll suit you perfectly~"

Okay, I know where I'm- hubba hubba.

"YOU STUPID TOAD GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"

Natsumi grabbed the green Keronian and flung him out her door, sending him to kiss the wall across her room. The ritual was then completed with the official slamming of the door.

"Geez, you try to help someone out," Keroro muttered, rubbing his face.

Giroro, upon hearing Natsumi's scream, stood up protectively, prepared to come in with an assortment of guns, but when he heard the word "Keroro", he sat back down. He grinned with satisfaction when he heard a sickening 'SPLAT'- Keroro hitting something or something hitting him, no doubt.

Natsumi, 8:58 pm
im so sorry i wont b here when u com back ):

Rio, 9:00 pm
don't worry about it. hav fun, k?

Less time polishing guns, more time texting. One morning he was surprised to find his fingers swollen. When Natsumi noticed it, Giroro declared that they were muscles and brushed the subject away.

"Gah! Keroro!" Giroro jumped to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

"Just want to go over the mission with you," Keroro whispered, wearing a… bush.

"Why… are you dressed like that?"

"Shhh… I'm in DISGUISE." Keroro pointed at Giroro's tent. "Inside."

Giroro furrowed his brows. "Dressed liked that, no."

"But Giroro…"

"Do you have any idea how little room I have in there?" Giroro retorted. "Take off that pathetic excuse for camouflage and I might consider treating you like my superior again."

"Okay, okay, fine. I guess you have a point there." Keroro shed off the dirt and leaves, spreading them all over Giroro's fireplace. Before he had time to complain, Keroro crawled inside the tent, giving Giroro no choice but to follow him.

"As you probably figured out," Keroro said when the red frog was finally in, "you are coming with us to the island as Rio. Don't worry, I had it all prepared. I told General Mom that you're going to surprise Natsumi- meanwhile, Kururu, Tamama and I will look for the supplies that we need for the invasion plan."

At this Giroro jumped, startled. "Wait… you actually have an invasion-?"

"That you will have absolutely no part of," Keroro clarified. "Your job is to distract Natsumi, Giroro, while we complete this plan. Now the ONE thing that I didn't write in your calendar is what I wanted to discuss with you."

Giroro had been fooled more than once by Keroro's claim to actually begin the invading part of the mission, first basking in his leader's greatness, only to pummel his idiotic sergeant when it turned out that the true assignment was something involving toys or candy or yellow things or… any other stupid, selfish reason the leader had in mind. He was never sure how serious Keroro was, but unfortunately he was unpredictable, so even though he vowed to never truly believe in him, he knew he couldn't doubt him either.

"Koyuki is coming too."

Giroro perked a brow. "So?"

"She proves to be a danger to our mission, especially if Dororo is coming with her," Keroro said pointedly. "We're going to need your full devotion!"

What does he think I've been doing all this time? Giroro frowned sullenly, folding his arms and tapping his fingers impatiently against them.

"I mean, seriously- uh, not that you hacen't been doing a good job," Keroro backed away a step, knowing his friend's fiery look. "But I mean you've gotta step it up! You should've kissed Natsumi back at the Ferris Wheel, but you chickened out. It's okay, we all have our mo-" Keroro narrowly dodged a bullet. "GIRORO! Let's talk like CIVILIZED soldiers!" Giroro put his gun down. "That's better. Anyway, I arranged this trip so that you can have this one and final chance with her- I mean, what's more romantic then a beautiful day at the beach? NOTHING- so that means you can't screw up, okay?"

Giroro leaned against his gun and fought the urge to remember his one of his dreams- one of which took place at the beach. He shuddered involuntarily. "Okay, okay. I got it."

"Good!" Keroro began to step out of the tent, but stopped himself midway. "Oh! Before I forget!" He tossed Giroro an orange.

"Huh? What's this for?"

"Practice smooching on that, will ya?"

Before Keroro turned around, his face came in contact- quite painfully- with the orange fruit.

Or the remains of it, anyway.

Orange juice, anyone?

The gun was in between them, shadowed slightly against the lanterns that burned around the hut. Dororo and Koyuki stared at it wonderingly- the invention that started this whole mess. Koyuki "forgot" to return it- accidentally on purpose. No big deal. Besides, she could always easily return it without anyone else noticing.

"This plan won't work, Koyuki!" Dororo protested, albeit weakly. He was sitting down cross legged, averting his attention from the device to her.

"Why not?" Koyuki mused, placing her clothes in a little bag. "If Natsumi gets to bring her boyfriend, why can't-"

"NOT boyfriend!" Dororo said worriedly. "I'm anything but. Maybe a distant uncle, a long lost cousin, heck, I can even be your brother, twice removed!"

Koyuki laughed. "You're silly. You look nothing like me!"

"I can be if you squint."

"You're going as my boyfriend, D."

Dororo groaned. "I don't think I'm gonna like this."

"We're pretending! Just for fun!" Koyuki told him.

"Why can't I go?" Dororo insisted. "I-I mean, why can't I go as good old Dororo?"

"You said your friends are planning something, right?"

"Y-yeah, but-"

"They'll be less suspicious if you don't come," Koyuki said cheerfully. "We can say that you wanted to stay to look over my shack or something." She closed up the bag and left it against the wall. "Oh! And while we're talking about this, let's give you a name! Like Rio."

Dororo massaged his forehead.

"How about… Dorito?"

Dororo looked up at her from behind one of his hands.

"Okay, that's a bad idea." Koyuki sat down next to him and thought. She closed her eyes, and thought. "Maybe I should hang upside down…"

Dororo thought she looked funny with hair falling over her face, her cheeks and forehead turning from pink to red to blue…

"Okay, Koyuki, I think you should-"

"Devon!"

"H-huh?" He blinked up at her.

"How about Devon?"

"Um…"

"If you don't like it, I'll have to stay up here until I do-"

"Okay! Okay! Devon it is! Now get down, please, before you hurt yourself!"

Koyuki jumped off and landed clumsily, her legs wobbling slightly. "Dororo, is it normal if the room is spinning?"

"I think you should sit down now."

The Hinatas were awoken by an extremely noisy, windy alarm clock.

"What the-?" Fuyuki mumbled, rubbing his eyes and looking out the window. A helicopter was struggling to land on the backyard. "Oh. It's Momoka."

"Wow, when you said early, mom, you weren't kidding," Natsumi yawned, meeting Aki at the foot of the stairs, fully dressed. She put down her suitcase along with the others.

"Yeah, well," Her mother responded by a small shrug of the shoulders, a small smile playing at her lips. "Momoka insisted."

The doorbell rang.

"That's probably her now." Natsumi nodded. "I'll get it."

"Go ahead."

When she opened the door, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

"Hi."

"R-R-Rio!" Natsumi stammered, her cheeks reddening. "Wh-what are you-?"

Giroro smiled mysteriously, also blushing slightly, holding a small bouquet of flowers.

"I was invited to go with you guys?" Giroro stated, although it sounded more like a question then a reply. "Umm, here." He gave her the flowers awkwardly.

"These- there are…"

"It was my idea!" Keroro announced, appearing in between Giroro's long legs. He grasped on to them like they were some sort of stilts. "I noticed you were looking so sad, Natsumi, so I invited Rio on the trip!"

Touched, but not sure how exactly to express it, she ignored him and gave her attention to Giroro. She watched his reaction for alien existence, but she couldn't find any currently on his face. Maybe he had panicked before, when Keroro had randomly appeared toward him? How did Keroro even get his address?

"I-I, umm, th-thank you!" Natsumi said, deciding not to let it bug her, staring at the ground, unsure of what else to say.

"Surprise!" Aki cried out cheerfully. "Rio's coming with us on the trip!"

No wonder Keroro was upset when I invited Koyuki! Natsumi thought guiltily. What is Koyuki going to do?

Almost as if on cue, Koyuki appeared at the door, good and ready, carrying the small bag she had packed last night. You didn't need to be a ninja to sense the thrill in her aura.

"Hi!" She said, waving her hand eagerly. "I'm here!"

"O-oh, Koyuki," Natsumi stuttered. What should I do…?

"Oh, hi, Rio," Koyuki gazed at him, pleasantly surprised. "Are you coming too?"

"Y-yeah…" Giroro muttered.

"Cool!" She grinned widely. "I want you to meet my friend Devon!" She held out her arms, as if introducing a person, but there was no one there. Natsumi, Giroro, and Aki blinked at Koyuki perplexedly. Koyuki laughed. "You're so silly-!" She pulled someone that was clearly trying to hide away from them- the familiar pink haired ninja that she went out on a date with just a few chapters ago. "This is Devon!"

Pink. Those were Giroro's first thoughts as he stared at this "Devon"- what was he, some sort of "Real-Men-Wear-Pink" protesting punk? Well, he looked nice enough. The eyes were the key to the soul, but the mouth was the lock to the mind. This "Devon" had pale blue eyes- familiar, but not uncommon- and the bottom half his face was covered with a pink scarf, like he was trying to hide his mouth.

Dororo noticed his staring and shuffled his feet nervously, trying to stay behind Koyuki. The one time I actually want to be ignored and I'm not… why is fate so unfair?

She smiled apologetically. "He's shy."

"It's nice to meet you," Aki said, breaking the silence. She held out her hand. "Are you coming too?"

"I hope you don't mind," Koyuki said as Dororo quietly and respectively shook it.

"I don't think Momoka will," Natsumi added. "I mean, we can ask her before we take off-"

"Here I am!" Momoka proclaimed. "Is everyone ready to go?"

"Hi, Sarge," Tamama said, snacking on a bag of potato chips. "What's going on?"

"Our Koyuki problems are solved," Keroro whispered to him. "If this Derik or whatever his name is what I think he is, then we don't have anything to worry about."

"Oh," Tamama's eyes widened. "I didn't even notice him!"

"Yeah, he has that… thing about him…. Kinda like…" Keroro thought for a moment. "Like that one guy."

"I think his name started with a 'Q'…"

"If we can't remember, then it probably wasn't important," Keroro said, waving it off.

Dororo, hearing this, began to enter into his Trauma switch.

"S-so!" Koyuki cried out, surprising him. "Are we going or what?"

"Where's Fuyuki?" Momoka asked politely.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Fuyuki was hopping on one foot, trying to get a shoe on the other. "Sorry! I'm here now!"

Momoka sighed, placing her hand on her heart. Oh, Fuyuki…

Keroro had convinced Momoka with just a single person, telling her that their plan was to create the ultimate, perfect, romantic atmosphere. Of course, he didn't say who for, but he let her fantasize and assume on her own. After all, it wouldn't be his fault if she had false, unfortunate implications, was it?

"I've got everything, Uncle!" Mois said happily, coming out the door with the family's bags. "You can say, 'packed and ready'?"

"Wow, we've got a lot of people here," Momoka murmured, mentally counting every head. **** THAT KERORO I SHOULD KILL HIM.

"I hope you don't mind," Natsumi said timidly.

"Oh, of course not," Momoka said softly, sweetly. Welll… as long as it could make me more agreeable to my future sister-in-law, then I guess it's worth it in the end….

"We're gonna have lots of fun, right, Momoka?" Fuyuki smiled.

And DEFINITELY worth it if you do!

"R-right!"

After everyone boarded the helicopter, each person separated neatly into groups, sitting down with their own little posse of friends and enemies.

Dororo kept his distance, not that it was needed.

"And here I thought they would be wondering where I am…" He whimpered. "Not even Giroro noticed!"

"They probably did!" Koyuki said reassuringly, patting his leg gently. "Just because they didn't say anything doesn't mean they don't care about you!"

"It looks like the gang's all here!" Keroro affirmed, planting his hands on his hips. "We're missing one person, but he'll always be in our thoughts while we're enjoying ourselves, right?"

"Right!" Tamama exclaimed, holding up a coconut cup. Kururu simply typed in his computer, nodding aimlessly at whatever Keroro was talking about. Mois smiled and held up her hand, wondering what on earth they were talking about.

Koyuki turned to Dororo. "See, D? They care!"

Dororo straightened. "Y-yeah! I'm glad they finally do-!"

"To Giroro!" Keroro pumped his fist against Tamama's cup.

Dororo sobbed in the corner.

"Wow! It's more beautiful than I remember!" Natsumi said.

Giroro gazed around. It looked the same as last time- it wasn't much different. The weather was absolutely beautiful, though. Blue, blue skies, even bluer ocean. Smelled fresh and salty. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

….Yeah. He wasn't much into nature. Even as Rio.

"Uh, Paul arranged the volleyball court so that we can play it, for starters," Momoka said softly, looking endearingly at Fuyuki.

"Sounds like fun," Fuyuki said. He looked at Momoka expectantly. "Is there anything going on with the island?"

"Well…" Figures he would ask. "There's a mysterious rock that's underwater… but it'll still be there tomorrow! So let's try and enjoy ourselves, alright?"

"Oh." Fuyuki tried not to look disappointed. "Okay. We'll look tomorrow."

Keroro's romantic plan better be worth it! Momoka could only imagine what it could be. But just in case it sucked (which was over half the time), she had a backup plan. What could possibly be more romantic than a sunset at a beach? She sighed, swooning at the thought. The two would be sitting on the sand, their hands interlaced. She would be resting her head on his shoulder, and together they would watch the sun descend into the ocean…

"Momoka?" Fuyuki waved a hand in her face. "Are you okay?"

"Kero kero. Is everything to plan, Tamama?"

"Yes, Sarge!"

"Is our submarine near and ready to use?"

"Yes~ Ku-ku-ku-ku~!"

"And the target is still where we last observed?" "Right, uncle." "Kero kero! Perfect. Now the only thing we should keep our eye out is toward the two lovebirds."

GYAH!

Natsumi sat down, staring at her bag, or, more specifically, the bathing suit inside it. She never factored in the possibility that there were going to be other guys besides her brother and the stupid frogs. And she definitely never suspected that Rio was coming, too-or Koyuki's (attractive) friend, which made it that more unbearable.

She groaned and hid her face.

"Natsumi?" Fuyuki knocked on the door, his towel and trunks in arms. "You alright in there?"

"Why don't you go to another stall, Fuyuki?"

"No, it's just… you've been there a while. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Everything is… fine. Don't wait up on me; I'll be out in a minute."

Fuyuki glanced at the door in front of him dubiously, but moved on to find an empty stall.

Natsumi groaned, glared at the screen, and covered it up.

Well, it is a kid's show. What did you expect?

"Dororo, you aren't going to change?" Koyuki whispered.

"No." Dororo said, weakly. "I can't wear the scarf when I'm in the bathing suit… besides! Everyone will suspect that I'm Dororo if I have my mask on."

Koyuki didn't even dare suggest he take it off. She just stood and observed him carefully. "I don't think they'll notice." She said finally. She pulled on his arm playfully. "Come on! Don't make me do it myself!"

That was all that was needed to convince him.

Wow.

Giroro struggled not to faint, pass out, collapse, black out… (same in every language) while he imagined Natsumi walking toward him with nothing- nothing- but a bathing suit on. Well, he imagined it, anyway. She just about refused to take off her towel until she got to the water, leaving him to his imagination. Still, she looked… hot. What did Kururu call it? Layman terms? Well…

Hubba hubba.

You got that right.

"Stop looking at me like that," Natsumi said, giving him a weak smile. "It's embarrassing!" Giroro paid attention to something else instead, although he repeatedly shot her quick glances. While she was wrapped around like a little tortilla in that towel, he freely walked beside her in the red trunks Keroro had provided him with. One thing that he hated about being a human was the restriction of clothing. It was too luxurious, too comfy- not a feeling he could get used to so quickly after conforming to a life of discomfort and hardness in the battlefield. There was a reason why he preferred the tent to the Hinata household…

"Hey! Look at all these seashells!" Natsumi cried out, bending down to pick up a pale, spotted spiral. She finally got to her knees when she saw that there was more hiding in the sand.

"Do you need help?" Giroro laughed, falling beside her. "Here's one." It was smooth, navy blue.

"It's pretty," She said politely, taking it. She screamed when it suddenly grew legs and poked two curious eyes at her. She threw it at the sand. "It's alive!"

"Oh, would you look at that, it is." Giroro watched fascinated as it crawled away.

"Natsumi! Rio!" Tamama yelled from across the beach. "We're gonna play volley ball now! You wanna join?"

Giroro stood up, brushing sand off his arms and legs. "Well, Natsumi?"

"Do I get to beat up the frog?"

"Probably."

"Then it's on."

Score: 15: 5.

Natsumi high-five'd Mois, Momoka, and Koyuki. Aki and Fuyuki cheered from the sidelines. Tamama was unconscious, Giroro had a bump the size of Texas, Keroro managed to survive with nothing more than a black eye, and Dororo (who didn't want to play but was pushed by Koyuki ["It'll be a great way for you to hang out with your friends!]) was suffering from a current Trauma Switch that not even his ninja companion could pull him out of (it involved volleyball, mustard, and jelly worms… Koyuki thought it best not to ask).

"Sorry about that, Rio!" Natsumi giggled, putting an icepack on the corporal's head. "I was aiming for Keroro."

A quote about war would have been appropriate, but the shock from his choker had stopped him from doing just that. As per usual.

Well, at least she got rid of that stupid towel. Though he was afraid if he gawked at her too closely he'd get a nosebleed- from a slap expertly delivered by Natsumi. Ha, ha.

"Rio," Natsumi said gently. "D-do… you want to lay your head on my lap?"

Natsumi's knee-pillow? He flushed, feeling dizzy.

"I mean… it is my fault… that you got hit in the head." She searched his face for any signs of confirmation. "I think it'll be more comfortable…"

"Sure…" Giroro mumbled, his face turning a new shade of crimson.

Natsumi smiled sweetly. "Hold on. Let me get my towel. Oh! And while I'm at it, would you like anything to drink?"

"Sure."

Natsumi gave him the icepack and left to get the objects she described. His head pounded with pain… but also, clearly, vividly, with memories of distantly near dreams.

They were at the beach. He transformed back- Natsumi was happy.

But the other dreams- she cried, she screamed, she turned away.

He couldn't bear to let that happen.

"I'm back!" Natsumi sang. "Here." She gave him a bottle of water and then went on to roll her towel against the sand. It overlook the ocean. But, best of all, they were isolated from the others- something that he'd much preferred, especially if his so-called friends had already told him that they were going to be keeping a very close eye on them. Well, wherever they are (probably tending their wounds and such), they were alone. Or, at last, it felt like they were alone.

"Come," She beckoned, getting on her knees, waving her hand forward. Giroro clumsily sat down beside he but didn't bother put his head on her knee pillow. She didn't object.

They watched the ocean run toward them, only for it to foam and fizz and shiver back to where it belonged. The water sparkled under the sun, and the clouds drifted by without a care in the world.

At least it wasn't sunset.

Sunset was when he began to turn back.

It's just a dream, he coaxed himself. It was only a dream.

He popped the bottle open and took a huge swig of water.

"Geez! Relax- you're gonna get a bellyache!" Natsumi snatched it away from him, dousing them both slightly with water. They both stared at each other, their eyes glittering. Their lips formed into a small smile, starting off shy at first but then growing into a similar, crazy grin. They both had the same idea.

"Catch me if you can!" Natsumi laughed, running toward the turf. Giroro smirked and followed her, eventually splashing her with the salty water as soon as he came into contact with the sea. She shrieked playfully, but was not afraid to defend herself. She splashed him with the same amount of burst and power he splashed her, and he again found himself admiring her strength and capability of a warrior princess. Both equally powerful and stubborn, they found themselves soaked and panting- but evenly matched in the end. They finally agreed to peaceful draw, but only because there was a slight chill in the air- the water was beginning to grow cold around their feet. They walked quietly toward her outstretched towel that was wrinkled and sandy due to their childish chase and sat down, finally embracing the world that had continued without them.

They hadn't noticed the clouds that had started to bunch up together, like cotton- they hadn't noticed the sky turning from blue and blue to rose and copper- they hadn't even noticed the white disk that turned into a golden jewel, slowly dropping smoothly into the ocean without a single wild splash.

But now, they had captured a moment together, at just the right time.

The golden gemstone that was so difficult to look at earlier in the day had dimmed enough to enjoy it's glorious beauty as it began to disappear behind the mysterious abyss of the sea. They weren't alone, but they might as well have been- to them, they were the only ones there. Natsumi slid her hands into Giroro's.

His hands were strong, coarse, but they felt strange and familiar as they curled protectively against her delicate fingers.

Similarities.

Natsumi looked at him- but not like the way she usually did. More intense, mystified, adult-like.

Giroro fought the urge to look into her eyes, but ultimately lost- he found himself wandering aimlessly into her deep, caramel eyes. And, he didn't know when exactly it started to happen, but just a second too late, he noticed his eyes had drifted to her slightly parted lips, and he found himself just a little bit too close to her face...

Kiss me, please.

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