The copper-orange light glowed against them, fighting to stay, fighting to keep the darkness from fully shrouding the entire beach, the ocean, the young ninja couple.

Koyuki was staring at him in absolute bewilderment, her eyes wide, her shoulders back.

Dororo had closed his eyes when his lips touched hers, a relaxed, simple expression on his face.

The kiss had only connected them to each other for about half a minute, thirty seconds, less than that, maybe- but it was a long time on their account.

When his eyes opened, they flickered down to her own, and his cheeks burned with immediate redness. He pulled himself off of her face, horrified.

"I-I'm sorry!" He exclaimed, waving his hands in apology. "I-I didn't mean to!

Koyuki pressed one of her hands against her lips, blinking in confusion.

"I-I'm sorry…" Dororo almost dropped the bag, what with his fingers loosened, but they tightened, hard, just as quickly. He noticed the drooping mask on her free hand, and immediately snatched it from her hold. He turned away, humiliated beyond humiliation. "I-I have to go!"

"Wait, Dororo-!"

The third word hardly came out when he vanished, to where, she didn't know.

But she could guess.

"I wonder where Koyuki and Damond are," Natsumi murmured, moving her rice with her chopsticks.

Damond? Really? Is that even a name?

Giroro flicked a strand of rice at the screen.

"Oh, here comes one of them now," He said, straightening. "Hey, uh, D! Get over here!"

Dororo silently acknowledged them and placed the white bag on top of the table, in between the couple.

"What's this?"

"Koyuki and I went to one of the cafés earlier," Dororo said quietly. "She wanted to buy you guys something…"

Natsumi peeked inside. "Oh! Cake! Thanks, Donny."

"It's… oh, whatever." He sulked away, hands in pockets.

She cast him a curious glance before she turned to Giroro. "Rio, is something wrong with…?"

"I don't know," Giroro shrugged.

"Maybe it has do with Koyuki."

"Maybe."

"Talk to him."

"Natsumi, we're guys. We don't… talk about things like that."

"Please, Rio?" Her eyes grew wide and sparkly, and he knew he couldn't resist.

"F-fine…" Giroro muttered. "I'll… bring it up…"

"Thanks, Rio." She leaned against him for a few seconds before she went back to the bag, pulling out the contents. "What time is it?"

Giroro looked at his watch. "It's-"

"I'm back!" Koyuki called out cheerfully. She sniffed Natsumi's food. "Mmmm! That smells good! Is there anymore left for me?"

"Yeah," Natsumi pointed at the stretch of people waiting in line for their meal. "Go right over there."

"Thanks!" Koyuki hopped over to the line, incredibly blissful despite her significant other so morose in another room.

"Huh… maybe it's not Koyuki after all."

"Yeah… But I still want you to talk to him."

Darn.

"I'll go talk to him after I find my room…" Giroro muttered to himself. "…If I can find him…"

He inserted his card into the slot and made his way inside. It was a small, nice room, with mint green walls decorated with the simplest designs. There was a long brown, mahogany dresser, next to a little brown stand with a television set on top of it. He could just make out two beds, although the bathroom, which was set up right next to the entrance, covered one of them. A large glass door was next to the viewable bed, with long, graceful, dark green curtains that were drawn together. The room was dark, so he flicked on the nearest switch, welcoming the light. He put his belongings in the corner only to realize that the corner already had someone else's baggage.

Ah. Must be my roommate.

He set his bag down quietly and walked over cautiously to see who-

…Oh.

Dororo was lying with his belly on the bed, his face buried deep in one of the thick, fluffy pillows.

I bet you all knew that huh? This anime is so predictable in more ways than one...

Must be asleep, Giroro decided, going over to his own bed. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, and went back to his suitcase to take out a plain white shirt. Being a stupid Pekoponian meant having to change your clothes several times… he found that sleeping in the clothes that he had been wearing all day made him uncomfortable and… dirty.

He cursed his misfortune while he tugged his sand-covered shirt off of himself.

"Giroro?"

The corporal froze.

"…What… wh-what did you just call me?"

"You are Giroro… aren't you?"

"…No… I'm… I'm Rio…"

"You're Giroro," The pink-haired man sighed, sitting up on his bed.

Giroro yanked his shirt off, staring at Koyuki's companion. "…How did you know my real name-?"

"I'm Dororo."

"…Wh…what?"

"I'm Dororo," He repeated, pulling the Animal Animalizer out from under his pillow.

Giroro was..

He couldn't even describe how he felt.

"Dororo?"

"Yeah. It's me. The one nobody would've remembered had I not said anything. Wait. Or even if I did say anything."

"Dororo?!"

"Is it really that much of a surprise to you?"

This is what we call dramatic irony. In which the audience is well aware of certain facts that the characters themselves are not aware of.

"Gee, thanks for the history lesson."
It is not history, it's-!

"Can we get back to me now?" Dororo protested. "I seriously have something that I want to talk to you about, Giroro."

"…Wait. So… you mean… all those times…" Giroro stared at the ninja. "You were dating Koyuki?"

"We were not dating!" Dororo pouted. "We were simply going out as friends."

"Yeah, sure."

"Back to the subject!" He was blushing now.

"Okay, okay," Giroro said, pulling on the white shirt and sitting down on his bed. "So what do you need to talk about."

"I'm in love with Koyuki."

Giroro stared at him.

"…You're… what?"

To say it so bluntly… not even Giroro could do that.

"You… love… Koyuki." He shook his head in amazement. "Wow. That's… um…"

"Ugh! Kururu said that it might be a side affect!" Dororo said, almost frustrated. "I was hoping that these feelings weren't real, but…"

Giroro wasn't really sure what to say at this point. He just stared. When Dororo looked at him longingly, pitifully desperate for help, Giroro said, slowly, "The side affect… like… from the gun?"

Dororo nodded.

"Well…" Giroro rubbed his shoulders. "If Kururu says so… then it just might be from the gun, Dororo. The important thing is that you don't do anything rash, and it'll most likely just-"

"I kissed her."

Giroro's mouth was open in mid-sentence.

And again, all he could do was stare.

"I-I'm sorry!" Dororo said, holding on to his own head. "M-my mask was off and the sunset and the pretty mouth and-"

"How."

"Wh-what?"

"HOW."

"H-how what-?"

"HOW DID YOU KISS HER?!"

"Wh-wh-what do you mean?!"

"Do you have ANY IDEA how long I've been trying to KISS NATSUMI?!"

"…Oh." Dororo was silent for a moment. "It's just…you… used a lot of typeface, Giroro… it's a bit over the top-"

"Just tell me how you did it!"

"Hey, wait, wasn't I just asking you for advice here?!"

Why don't we leave those two arguing for a moment… I just happen to have a feeling that they'll be at it for quite a while…

"Oh, look. What are the odds."

Koyuki smiled up at her. "Hi, Natsumi!"

"This stupid show is becoming more and more predictable."

"Huh?"

Hey, that's my line!

"What's wrong with Dominic?"

"Wh-? Oh, Devon," Koyuki giggled, correcting her. She frowned slightly and tilted her head at her. "What do you mean?"

"He seemed kinda bummed out earlier."

"He did?"

"Yeah. Did something happen between you two?"

Koyuki was silent for a moment, her cheeks just turning the slightest pink.

"Koyuki…?"

"Um…"

"What?"

"He kinda kissed me."

"…What… do you mean… he kinda kissed you?"

"Well…"

And this is going to get boring because the writer has absolutely no knowledge on girl-to-girl conversations.

Hey, don't make me remove you! And besides, I'm the one writing the story here...

Sorry.

"Isn't the gun going to affect you?"

"Kururu said that this bracelet will prevent me from undergoing the same unfortunate transformation you're going through."

"….That son of a b-"

"So, Giroro…"

"What?"

"Are you going to help me?"

Giroro gazed at him, his grayish blue eyes stern and focused.

"No."

"What?! Are you serious?!"

"I won't help you unless you tell me how you kissed Koyuki."

"I told you! It just… happened. I-I got caught up in the moment!"

"I've been trying to kiss Natsumi for more than a month now. Don't frogging tell me it just happened!"

"Well… maybe you're trying too hard?" Dororo suggested, nervously.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, like… don't try to kiss her. It's Fate whether or not you kiss her, so…"

The blank fortune came to mind, and Giroro shuddered. "Maybe…"

"Just let the moment take a hold of you. Let it happen. Don't try to force it. That's… really all I can think of."

Giroro and Dororo stared at each other for a long time.

"This author is a crappy romance writer."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"Soooo. Your turn."

"…Good night!"

"Hey, Giroro-! Giroro!"

Light spilled through the spaces between the curtains, shining, unfortunately, toward the corporal's face. He moaned and turned uncomfortably, throwing the covers over his head.

"Rise and shine, 'Rio'!"

The curtains were dragged open, and immediately sunlight poured in, making Giroro groan even louder.

"This is payback for not keeping your promise last night!" Dororo said, rather eerily. He yanked the blankets off of him.

"Dororo." Giroro immediately sat up, wincing under the biting light. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. "What time is it…?"

"Already breakfast time, I believe." Dororo gazed out the glass door. "If the sun is correct, and it usually is, then it's about 7:00 am."

"You woke me up so early," Giroro muttered. He searched for his bed sheets aggressively before he realized that the covers were on the floor. He released a throaty growl.

"Natsumi might be waiting for you downstairs!" Dororo said quickly, shielding his face from Giroro's exasperated fists.

Giroro seemed to be frozen with the thought in mind. He grunted. "Okay, okay, I'll get up."

When all else fails, mention Natsumi.

"Hi, sleepyhead!" Natsumi grinned.

"Hi," Giroro yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "You wait long?"

"Yeah, for a while. I didn't mind, though." She smiled widely. "You hungry?"

"Uh… did you eat?"

"No. I was waiting for you."

"Oh." Giroro said, touched, almost shyly. "O-okay."

He glanced over his shoulder and saw his pink-haired friend trailing slowly behind him, almost like he was reluctant to follow them to the dining room.

He never would have expected for those two to become close…

Well, closer.

And to think he kissed her first! Giroro pouted. Life is so unfair.

Tell me about it! Once I met this really hot babe at a bar… and then I found out she was a man.

Ignoring the… extremely disturbing narration, Natsumi, Giroro, and Dororo made their way to the breakfast room where it was clattering with noisy dishes and chattering teenagers. Giroro could make out the familiar figure of the white haired boy in the corner, bopping his head to the music from his earphones as he doodled on a creamy pink napkin. Natsumi blushed as she passed him, like she normally did, making Giroro turn green with jealousy.

But then he remembered that it was Natsumi's arms wrapped around his own, and he was comforted in the fact that he had the girl, and not Saburo.

"Devon!"

Dororo yelped slightly as he hid behind Giroro. Natsumi and him shared a knowing look.

"What are you doing, silly?" Koyuki giggled, trying to peek behind Giroro's frame to catch a glimpse of the suddenly timid ninja. "Are you playing hide and seek?"

"W-w-well…" Dororo stuttered.

"I don't mind that you kissed me! Really!"

GAH. THAT WAS BLUNT. Dororo hid his face, humiliated.

"Actually, if it makes you feel better, I really liked it."

"K-Koyuki…"

"Yes?"

"Can we… talk about this when everyone isn't staring at us…?"

"Oh." Koyuki looked around, suddenly aware of the fact that, not only were Giroro and Natsumi watching, but everyone in the room that heard her.

"Oh."

Koyuki turned back to Dororo, but was really surprised when she saw he was gone. "Where'd D go?"

"I didn't even notice he left," Natsumi said, equally shocked. "Is he a ninja like you, Koyuki?"

The ninja girl smiled. "You can say that."

Giroro rolled his eyes. More like you should say that…

"I'm gonna look for him," Koyuki said, excusing herself. "Enjoy breakfast for me!"

"We will," Natsumi promised, watching her friend dash off. She was so fast that several cups and plates flew into the air, including a few unfortunate patrons' breakfast. "Geez! I forgot to remind her to do that until after she goes outside!"
Giroro found himself laughing at this, for some odd reason.

"Let's go find a seat," Natsumi said, gently pulling his arm. He followed, more than eager to comply.

Maybe today I'll actually get to do the legend…

he thought dreamily. That would be great.

Garuru watched in amazement as Natsumi seemed to get closer and closer to his younger brother.

This plan was absolutely ridiculous. But it was admirable that he always did such a good job…

He picked up his binoculars and continued to watch carefully. The way he laughed so easily, the way he smiled… looked at this young girl.

Garuru was always aware that there was some sort of attraction toward her from his brother. And it was completely reasonable. She had a decent charm about her, but that was nothing too enchanting. Her strength was actually incomparable to any other Pekoponian girl he had researched on Pekopon… and she was intelligent, too. But other than that, she was plain, normal.

Giroro could easily find a Keronian girl with the same strength, wits, and alluring personality. Possibly even more beautiful.

But was it really just this simple attraction that distracted his brother so severely?

Garuru's lips curled to a slight frown as he examined the gestures between the couple.

…Maybe it was more than that. No, he was sure that it was more than that.

It all had to happen someday. Giroro just happened to get it before he did, not that it bothered him.

"How's it going, Garuru? He kiss her yet?"

"No. No he hasn't, Sergeant."

"Don't worry, then. We devised a plan that he is sure to follow-"

"Keroro. Why did you choose Giroro for this mission?"

Keroro stared at Garuru for a moment, a bit taken aback at the sudden interest. "Uhh… well… he's the bravest." Better to make something up, although I'm not totally lying… "He's the, uh, only one who's not scared of her. Trust me, Lieutenant. She is not someone you want to get on their bad side."

"…I see." Garuru put down his binoculars, but continued to watch the spectacle that currently wasn't seen as clearly without his aid. He lowered his voice enough so that the green leader wouldn't be capable to hear it. He smirked a little.

"…I do believe I understand…"

"What else can we do?"

Seashell hunting. "Uh… whatever, I guess."

"The beach was pretty crowded yesterday, huh? Let's not go there today."

Frog. Frog, frog, frog. "Okay."

"Besides… you might get kidnapped by the fish queen again."

"Don't even kid about that!"

Natsumi giggled. "Sorry. I couldn't resist."

Giroro drew a little closer to her and pulled her fingers against his. Oh, the sweet and tender feeling of Natsumi's hand…! I'm in heaven. I'm in heaven!

"Rio?"

"Yeah?"

"I beat them up for you."

The frog? "Beat who up for me?"

"Keroro and his stupid friends."

"…Why?"

"For stealing your cell phone, of course!" She seemed so pleased at herself.

Oh. Okay, that makes sense. I guess. "Well… what about Giroro?"

"Oh, Giroro? I'm sure he wouldn't have stolen it."

Better them than me any day. But still… "Why not?"

"Well, he's visiting his dad, so I don't think it's possible for him to actually steal your phone. I'm sure I would've noticed had he come back."

"Ah."

"Oh, look! A bookstore!" Natsumi pointed at the glass case with the a number of books on display. "Let's go inside!"
Before Giroro could object, she disappeared inside the shop, with him following reluctantly behind.

But he was surprised, and not to mention overwhelmed, with the shelves upon shelves of books. It was as if he left the real world and entered a swirling, maze-like library. He stared in wonder as he passed by, marveling at the numerous display of books. And manga.

You can't go wrong with manga. Keroro would have a field day!

So many titles…

How to Make Your Dog Cry. How to Lose a Woman With Three Words or Less. Captain Geroro. Captain Gerlock. Love is a Staring Contest. The Bastion Heir. Reversed. Baby Fat.

"Rio!"

Giroro shot his attention toward the source of the voice, to who ever just called out his pseudonym with a quiet voice.

"Hey!" She held a book against her closely, squeezing it against her chest. "Do you mind if I buy this?"

"No, go ahead." He flattened himself against one of the shelves gently and let her squeeze by, let her skip to the cash register that was just a few aisles down. He turned back to the shelves and fingered the binds, noting the variety of ages of the books; sometimes his fingertip would feel the dusty old tomb of one, and the plastic, clear cover of another.
So many books…

A title caught his attention.

"Dating the Enemy?" Giroro whispered, pulling it out. He read the first couple lines on a random page and snorted. "What a stupid book."

"I'm done," Natsumi said quietly, no doubt not wanting to disturb the other readers in the book shop. She noticed the book in his hand and looked up at him. "Did you want to buy a book?"

"No," Giroro grunted, snapping the book shut. He shoved it back into place and followed Natsumi, who once again led the way out the store.

"So! What do you want to do next? Browse the other stores and see what we find?"

Giroro shrugged with one shoulder. "Anything you want."

Although it would have been nice to look for the seashells for the legend…

And Natsumi remained absolutely blissful, as always, while Giroro suffered in internal agony.

Commercial Break~

In order: RunwithscissorsXXXbattlescar s, FutileCrux, Words make the story, and Pharoah-chan. I really recommend you look into them; they're a very a good read!