Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Not much happens this chapter, except build up and stuff. Story related stuff and the plot comes in and the main problem. So guess stuff does happen.

It's nice to have Momoka in the story again.

Natsumi dragged herself upward and watched as Momoka trudged back with a crying Fuyuki.

"H-he's dead," Fuyuki cried. Momoka calmly wrapped her arms around him.

"What happened to him and Tamama? They looked so different." She was confused.

Saburo moaned in pain and helped himself up from the ground. "That you, Momoka?"

"Yeah, it's me," Momoka nodded. "You all look like you're in pretty sorry shape."

Koyuki finally awoke with a yawn. "Ewww... I feel gross," she shuddered, Tamama's saliva still covering her body. "Natsumi? Are you okay?" She noticed that Natsumi was bloody and bleeding.

Natsumi nodded. "Giroro's gone, so I'm fine. And... And Momoka's back."

"Momoka!" Koyuki smiled and bounded up to the girl, giving her an affectionate smile. "Our little group of More Peach Summer Snow is mostly back together!" she optimistically told her.

Momoka rubbed Fuyuki's back, looking sadly at the poor crying boy.

"Yeah. I assumed you were all somewhere safe. Like in space," Momoka told her. Then she frowned. "And the group's not complete just yet."

"Oh... Oh yeah," Koyuki frowned. Angol Mois, similar to how she didn't know what happened to Dororo, was gone.

"We need to find shelter and heal our injuries," Natsumi groaned. "Figure out what to do and catch up with what's going on with Momoka."

Momoka nodded. "We should go to my fortress then," she suggested. "It's safe and it's got lots of people. Doctors, my parents, and all sorts of servants. You all don't need to live a hard life out here any longer. You'll live the rest of your life in luxury."

"There are other people alive?" Natsumi felt herself grinning. Her life... It was finally coming back together.

Momoka nodded. "So come with me."

They all agreed that going with Momoka was the best option.

Fuyuki and Natsumi were too weak to walk, so Momoka and Koyuki carried them on their backs. Saburo was bruised and injured, but he insisted on not getting help.

Eventually, Fuyuki stopped crying over Keroro and just lovingly snuggled up against Momoka. "I'm so happy you're back," he told her over and over again.

Momoka smiled.

"What caused him to cry?" Natsumi asked weakly.

"Keroro," Momoka told him. "He... He jumped over the cliff to his death." She frowned. "I'm sorry... If I had come sooner he might have lived, but... I didn't."

Natsumi frowned. Tears welled in her eyes. The stupid frog had been her friend, despite everything that happened. It was sad to hear that he had passed away.

But perhaps it was for the best. Sometimes someone being dead was better than them being a monster.

Giroro... Did I want you to be dead opposed to being a monster? Is there hope you'll remember who I am, or will you live a terrible half-existence only thirsting for water like Kululu was? Natsumi wondered. She couldn't bear to think of Giroro having that life.

But at the same time she didn't know if she was strong enough to put him out of his misery and end his life.

She had loved him. Very strongly. And although she was physically repulsed by him now, she still loved him. Her heart was still broken from his betrayal.

"What happened to the Keronians? Why was Tamama hurting Fuyuki?" Momoka asked, her eyes wide with confusion. "What's been going on? Why are you out here and not safe?"

"When the bombs dropped, we were brought into the base for safety. It saved us from the radiation," Fuyuki explained. "They... forgot to invite you. I thought you were dead... I missed you so much." He held Momoka tighter and tighter. "I will never let you go."

"You're going to have to let me go to get medical treatment, Fuyuki," Momoka smiled. Fuyuki nuzzled his face into her hair.

"You're so pretty, Momoka," he murmured. "I forgot how pretty you were."

Momoka blushed intensely. He was suddenly so clingy after thinking she was dead. And she approved one hundred percent. She felt his lips lightly graze against her ears.

"F-Fuyuki!" Momoka squealed.

"Sorry. Your hair's just so fluffy," Fuyuki apologized. "I didn't mean to touch your ear."

"N-not in public... Wh-when we get to my home... Later," she promised, stuttering out small promises.

It was Fuyuki's turn to blush. He buried his face into her shoulder.

"Anyway..." Saburo cleared his throat awkwardly. Guess things are over officially between Fuyuki and me. Would have been nice to actually hear an official statement from his mouth, but I won't push him since I pushed him into whatever we were into in the first place. "We were pretty safe in the base, for the most part."

"Then why'd you leave?" Momoka asked.

"Three months in, the frogs left the base to find Tamama and Mois who had been out grocery shopping during the bombings. They hadn't ever returned," Natsumi explained to her.

"And Tamama survived all that? Well... until he died, I guess... But I think Keroro only thought he was dead." She hoped to herself that it was the case. Tamama was her best friend, and she didn't want to lose him. "What about Mois?" Momoka asked.

"Actually I don't know what happened to her," Natsumi admitted. "We've seen her about as much as Dororo. Which is not at all."

"So you've seen the other Keronians?" Momoka asked. She had only been paying attention to Tamama and Keroro.

"Yeah, anyway." Saburo continued the story. "Keroro insisted on leaving to find Tamama. They left the base and never returned. Eventually, since Kululu wasn't doing upkeep, we ran out of food and had to leave the base." He gave the short version of the story.

"And what happened to the Keronians? Why... Why do they look so different?" Momoka asked.

"They've mutated because of the radiation since they've got a different biology than us. That's why they look like monsters." Natsumi tried to keep the disgust out of her voice.

"From what Natsumi told me about what Kululu told her, they've each lost a bunch of their senses to heighten one of their other senses into a super sense. I wish I could do that," Koyuki dreamed.

"Koyuki! You'd look like a monster," said Natsumi.

"So? I'd get a super sense!" she said excitedly. Natsumi sighed.

"Why was Tamama being so mean?" Momoka asked.

"It's a side effect. All of the frogs have lost all their memories. They only care about the invasion and water. Giroro attacked me... He tried to kill me. Kululu didn't even know Saburo's name. He discarded him. I think they remember each other a little, but not us. Anyway, Tamama wanted to do whatever it took to keep the stupid frog with just him. Even kill," said Natsumi.

Momoka frowned. "That doesn't sound like any of them... That's horrible. You've truly been through a lot."

"What about you, Momoka?" Fuyuki asked. "What struggles have you gone through?"

"Uhh..." Momoka had been living in luxury eating cake while Fuyuki had been crying about her and everybody had been losing it from boredom. "I've actually lived quite peacefully. The Nishizawa company is trying to figure out how to bring the world to greatness again and sometimes I attend those meetings."

They all blinked at her. Her life sounded vastly better than hers. She even got to be with her family.

"That's great!" Fuyuki was honestly happy for her. He hugged her tightly. Momoka smiled. She was happy he was happy.

They continued traveling.

Eventually, they came to the ruins of Momoka's old mansion. "It's underneath," she explained. Using a key, she opened a hidden door and brought them in.

"Mistress Momoka." Paul bowed. "We were all worried for you, you know it's not safe out there... Is that Fuyuki?"

"He needs medical treatment! The best that we have! Natsumi and Saburo, too," she yelled. Guards came out of nowhere to take them to a medical bay and treat them.

"All I really want is a bath. I'm fine," Koyuki insisted. She didn't want Tamama all over her. Momoka granted her a bath.

And they all tried to heal from the attack.

"Natsumi," Saburo called to her, who was across from him. "You really fought hard, despite it being against your friend. I'm impressed."

"Thanks, I guess." She frowned. "Nothing to be impressed about. I should have fought sooner."

"We might have found more adults here and a lot more people, but I think we're still a small group. And I think everybody would agree that you are the leader of that group," he told her. "You deserve it."

Natsumi smiled. "Thanks."

Saburo and Koyuki clapped for her.

Fuyuki was away getting foot surgery so he couldn't clap.

As soon as Fuyuki woke up, he squeezed Momoka's hand as she stood by his side.

"I never want to wake up and see that you're gone again," Fuyuki whispered to her.

"I don't want to be separated again, either," Momoka told him. She leaned down, as if to kiss him.

She recoiled though, too embarrassed. "S-sorry..." she apologized. Fuyuki brought a hand up and caressed her cheek.

"Don't be," he told her. "It's fine. I... I want to kiss you too. I've wanted to for a long time."

Momoka turned pink. "Really?"

"I told you, didn't I? I never want to be without you again. I love you," Fuyuki declared.

A big smile grew across Momoka's face. She leaned down and gently covered his face in kisses. "I missed you so much. I'm glad we're finally together."

"I was so sad when you were gone," Fuyuki told her. They just continued sweetly kissing.

Natsumi was still confined to medical bay to sleep, but she was somewhat able to wander around the Nishizawa fortress during the day. She elected her group to not bother Fuyuki, since he was busy with Momoka, and they all agreed that Fuyuki deserved some happiness after the death of Keroro.

Natsumi noticed that it was loads bigger than the base. She was also informed that little fortresses for the Nishizawas were all over the world, and there were tunnels connecting them.

Nobody could get bored there.

"Hey," Natsumi waved, greeting Momoka's dad, Baio. She was happy that Momoka got to stay with her parents and that both of them were safe. It sent a wave of jealousy down her spine, though, as she thought of her own mother.

Aki likely hadn't survived. She was strong, but strong enough to survive a nuclear apocalypse? She didn't know.

"How is the world revitalization project going?" Natsumi asked him.

He typed on his computer. "Good, well, good enough. We've got plenty of people who've survived thanks to our efforts and shelters, and the water has gotten better rather quickly. Thanks to your group, we also know that the atmosphere and air are safe now so we can finally venture out to the surface instead of sending probes out there, but... Not everything has bounced back," he admitted.

"What hasn't?" Natsumi asked. "We won't mutate out there, will we?" she shivered.

"Not unless you spend a lot of time around a constant source of radiation," he chuckled, "No, it's something else. When you were out there, did you notice what was lacking?"

"Hmmm... People?" Natsumi asked, she remembered the barren wasteland above.

"That too, but mostly plants. Not a single plant has been able to grow. Not even down here artificially. We have seeds, but they just won't grow. It's not even that they're duds. We dig up the seed six weeks later, and the seed hasn't even sprouted." Baio's face grew darker. "Without plants, we won't be able to replenish the food source. We won't be able to farm animals because no herbivores will ever be present. And most importantly, our air will eventually run out. We will all die," he said.

Natsumi's face grew horrified.

Momoka's father chuckled. "Don't worry, the adults are working on it. So don't you worry about it, it's not your fight. I'm sure we'll figure out what's going on with the plants soon enough."

Natsumi still was a bit frightened, though. Things was more serious than she had thought.

That means world revitalization isn't going as well as they think... she realized.

She hoped they learned how to grow plants soon enough. But she remembered that in Dororo's garden, his plants had started dying after a while, too. She had thought they just died because he had left, but if she remembered correctly, his garden had an automatic sprinkler system just in case he was gone.

It shouldn't have died, even with him not present.

So why had it?

Natsumi was worried for her planet.

Her hope couldn't end now.

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