"Zeroro! At last we meet!" yelled Zoruru. "Now I can have my revenge!"

"I'm sorry but who are you?" asked a confused Dororo.

"Huh? You know this guy Dororo?" asked Keroro from the imprisoned room.

"I'm not sure. I don't remember ever meeting him."

"I'm not surprised after all. The last time we were together was back at Ninja Camp." said Zoruru.

"But why can't I remember you?" implied Dororo.

"Maybe because you left me so you could graduate with a perfect grade!"

"What?! I would never have left my friends!" countered Dororo.

"Yeah!" agreed Giroro. "Dororo's not that kind of guy!"

"Oh, I remember it like yesterday. We went camping as a final test but we got separated from the rest of the group. It was night and it was so cold so we went to find a shelter and food. We found a cave but inside was dark and devoid of any sort of warmth. I stayed trying to cover the bare floor with branches while you gathered fire wood. The roof shook though and the entrance caved in. I pushed you out of the way but the falling debris hit my whole left side, trapping me. You said you were going to get help from the rest of the group while I laid there but you never came back leaving me on the cold floor in the dark. Even after three days of waiting for you I still believed you were coming back. I pushed my way out after days, crawling my way to camp area where I was found by another training group. I needed surgery replacing my side with this heavy machinery. I have trained years to defeat you. It's all your fault! If I had the aid I needed I would've been whole! You ruined my life you traitor!"

"No way." Tamama breathed shocked.

"Kukuku." Kululu's laughter ruptured. He was typing on his laptop he had hidden so carefully with furious speed, his fingers hardly visible flying over the keyboard. "Yes, years ago it seems that there was a training accident. But it didn't say anything about casualties. I think I have just gained a new found respect for the assassin squads secrecy, how horribly delicious."

"Dororo? You… how could you?" asked a shocked Keroro.

"No guys! I never-"Dororo's voice cut off. He fell to his knees holding his head.

"Dororo?" asked Giroro.

Dororo started trembling uncontrollably. "No- no way. Could I have?"

"Yes! Finally you understand!" yelled Zoruru. "You left me to die so now you must die!" He leapt towards Dororo with his blade-hand but Dororo blocked even though he was on his knees.

"Hey! How did you-?!" Zoruru exclaimed.

Dororo mumbled something under his breath. "What?" asked Zoruru?

"Did I?!" yelled Dororo. "Why don't I remember?!"

"Kululu!" Keroro called. "Can you see-"

"Already on it!" he yelled back. His glasses reflected the screen. Windows flashed open and closed and letters and numbers where being typed faster then a person could blink. "Come on! Come on!"

"Dangit!" Zoruru yelled in frustration. "Why can't I hit you?!" he kept trying to strike Dororo but was being pushed back. But Dororo just sat there blocking with his scabbard.

"Dororo! You have to fight back!" ordered Keroro.

"But I can't. I already-"

"Listen to me! I don't care what you did in the past. This is now and we need to focus on now! Too much is at stake here! Aki, Natsumi, Fuyuki, Momoka, Mois, Koyuki! They need you and if you don't fight back under my suggestions then as your commanding officer I order you to fight back! Come on Dororo! They believe in you! We believe in you!"

Dororo's body stopped trembling.

"I believe in you!" Giroro yelled. "Come on Dororo! All those countless hours training together has to mean something to you! Use those skills!"

"Don't you dare hurt him anymore you dumb wanna-b mechanical snake!" Tamama mocked and threatened.

"Come on blue boy." said Kululu. His voice sounded almost emotionless like he didn't care. Almost. But there was a hint of worry in his voice and his face showed concern but it disappeared in a flash. Their faces, concerned and scared caused Dororo's body to stop shaking and slowly get to his knees.

"You hurt them." He whispered.

"What?"

"You hurt them. YOU…HURT…MY…FRIENDS!" he roared and charged at him, attacking with vicious strikes. The sudden attack and change in mood made the rest of the platoon jerk back in surprise.

"I may not remember you but if you are trying to get revenge then you aren't my true friend"

"Yeah?! Well what about when we used to sit together for lunch in school or skip rocks at the pond on sunny days under the tree? Of course you don't because you don't even care enough? RWAHH!" Zoruru roared back.

The attacks were fierce and full of rage, so much that it seemed that the anger transformed into dark aura but soon Dororo started to falter, shivering slightly and holding his head in pain.

"What's wrong with him?" Keroro asked.

"I don't know." Giroro answered. Just then Kululu's computer started flashing. "YES! I did it!" he pumped his fists in triumph.

"What did you find?" asked Tamama.

"Well I hacked into the main hospitals medical files from one to ten years ago. It says that around o one hundred hours a student from the academy arrived injured and in extreme panic. The student said that a comrade was injured and trapped inside a cave. They calmed him and gave him anesthetic and gave him to the assassin squad so and assisted so that they could erase his memory."

"What?" everyone exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah it seems that to keep the assassins in perfect, emotionless condition they erase the memory of anything that could cause traumatizing conditions so the brain remains focused. And… of course I would think you know who this little student is. But for just you Keroro I'll tell you… his name was Zeroro."

"So it's not Dororo's fault he forgot!" Giroro exclaimed.

"AHHH!" a cry of pain came from the ground floor. They ran to the barrier to see Dororo on the ground shaking and trying not to fall over. Zoruru was using this opportunity to use this to his advantage and was throwing shuriken with precision and cuts appeared oozing blood on Dororo's body.

"DORORO!" Keroro screamed in panic.

"Get up!" Giroro more pleaded then ordered.

"YOU ASKED FOR IT!" Tamama yelled. "TAMAMA IMPACT!" He sucked in his breath and released his anger through a yellow blast of light hitting the barrier but it bounced back and hit Tamama in recoil, throwing him back.

"Private Tamama!" Keroro ran to his friend.

Kululu's face was angry as he looked around the room as if scanning for something. "We got to get out of here!" He put both hands up to his headphones, adjusting them. They slid outward, antennae popped out, sound waves bouncing around the room and finally finding a weak spot in the bright yellow field, cracks breaking the wall they were facing on the furthest side. "Giroro!"

But instead of answering he took the cue and jumped at the broken wall, breaking it into pieces. He landed and ran to Dororo's fallen body. Zoruru, distracted by the sudden noise looked up but he did not notice Giroro stand in front of Dororo arms spread out to defend his fallen comrade. "A.R.M.P.I.T platoon! Attack!" Keroro and the others let out a loud battle cry. They ran to Giroro and Dororo blocking him with their own bodies. By now Zoruru figured that his prisoners escaped and his target was being protected. He glared at them in anger trying to figure out what their next moves would be and what to do about it.

"Hey! You okay?" Tamama called back to Dororo, never taking his eyes off his new hated opponent.

"It's… it's all my fault." Dororo stuttered." I remember now. I let him down." His body started shaking even more, he clutched at his ribs breathing hard as his body finally started catching up to the reality his brain already knew.

SMACK! The sound echoed and the shadow of Giroro's hand reflected on the wall as he smacked Dororo across the face. Dororo's face shocked. "Get a hold of yourself!" he barked. "I know you're in there Dororo! This isn't you! Come on now, we need you!"

Dororo jerked his head up but he didn't answer just jumped up. "Look out!" he yelled. He pushed his friends out of the way as a blast of energy hit him directly in the stomach, sending him flying into the wall.

"Dororo!" his friends cried out. But suddenly Keroro fell. Then Tamama, Giroro, and finally Kululu. Zoruru stood there surrounded by their bodies.

"I always knew you'd take a hit for them and not for me." He said coldly as he slid his hand over the sharp blade, testing the edge to see if it would slice through the fallen platoon members backs.

"Dororo." Kululu called weakly. "It's…not your…fault. You were brainwashed so you would have…no recollection of Zoruru. Now that you know…beat him."

"SHUT-UP!" Zoruru yelled in a fit of anger. He stepped on Kululu's back causing him to cry out in pain. "Lies! All of it! He had no excuse for abandoning his comrade!"

"Save them." Dororo's voice was heard from the hole in the wall. "Save them." He said more clearly. "I must save them!" He launched his body from the busted wall into the air, Zoruru doing the same.

"Always knew you would care about them more then me! Your best friend!"

But before they clashed again a flash came from behind Zoruru making him cry out and fall to the ground, his body smoking. Giroro stood there, holding a smoking laser that was dropped from one of the troopers that Dororo defeated before the fight.

"Nobody gets to hurt my friends, 'buddy' and not pay a price."

"Zoruru!" Dororo's voice called to the falling Lance Corporal. "Hey!"

'Huh?' Zoruru thought. 'You remember me now?'

"I remember! You're my friend! Please don't die!" Dororo pleaded.

'I'm a…friend?' Zoruru's eyes started closing. 'I let my stupid feelings get in the way of our friendship.' All he could see now was Dororo holding his hand out to him, face filled with worry and regret. He flashed back to when he first me Dororo and how he held his hand out to him so very long ago. The one thing that saved him from the terrible loneliness that hangs around Dororo's very soul now. His eye finally closed but not before whispering "I'm sorry, my friend." before his limp body hit the floor.

Dororo landed beside him, on his knees. "Hey! Wake up! Zoruru!"

"He's gone." Kululu said as he walked up to Dororo. "Probably before he even hit the ground."

"He can't be!" Dororo pounded the ground with his fist until the skin cracked and started to bleed. "The first time I see him in years and he wants revenge and dies!"

"Dororo." Giroro put his hand on his elbow. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"he stopped as Dororo grabbed his arm.

"It's okay. Let's go find the others." He stood up, his knees wobbling but he walked away. His legs gave way before he even got close to the door, his head bounced against the ground with a sickening thud.

"DORORO!" Keroro screamed. They got up and sprinted to check on their friend. He laid there unconscious, trembling as the cuts continued to bleed and his stomach turned red from the blast.

"Is he… going to die?" asked Tamama nervously.

Kululu went over and turned Dororo on his back. He leaned down and put his head on his bloody chest. "He has a pulse, not very strong or steady though." The relief of knowing that he wasn't dead yet was brief. Very brief. "He's going to die unless we get him medical attention right now."

"But what about everyone else?" asked Giroro. "We can't leave him and we can't leave our friends."

"Umm, okay. You and Kululu take him back to the house and Tamama and I will go and see if we can find the others." Keroro thought.

"Right."

"Alright. Kuku."

Tamama and Keroro ran off. "We'll be back soon with everyone!" they yelled over their shoulders. Soon they disappeared into the dark hall and left the three Keronians alone.

"Okay so how are we going to treat and move him without having the wounds open even more?"

"Easily actually." Kululu pulled took a small box and pressed the red button causing it to unfold and grow. The box transformed into a giant Kululu robot. "Lay him down carefully or else it will be very painful for him."

"Um, okay then." Giroro very hesitantly picked up Dororo. If he hurt him then Dororo was doing a very good job of staying as silent and as still as he could. He gently laid him down in the nook of the robots arm. "Don't worry Dororo. We're here and nothing will get in our way."

"Get ready! Here we go!" Kululu called up to them from the bottom of the bot, suddenly they blasted off, and through the wall making a giant hole appear.

"Zoruru…" Dororo muttered.

"Dororo!" Giroro said in shock but his friend was still unconscious.

"Zoruru… grab my hand, quick! Please, I'm coming for you."

"Uh-oh! Kululu can you make this speed up?!"

"Sure! Switching to 2,500 horse power!"

"Whoa! What?!"

"Yeah it would probably be a good idea to hold on tight."

Giroro leaned over Dororo's body. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't believe you." They landed at the house's enterance to the base. "Don't you dare die."

"How is he?" asked Kululu jumping onto the claw. Giroro put his head on Dororo's chest.

"I hardly hear a heartbeat! We have to hurry!"

Together the lifted Dororo and carried him to the base.

"Rrr… ah!" cried out Dororo in pain.

"Ah! Can't we be more careful with him?!" asked Giroro.

"Sorry Corporal no can do. I think we would like him in a lot of pain then being a lot dead."

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Giroro asked suspiciously.

"Of course not. I might be a super sadistic but I have my limits to what I feel. This is a friend's life I have in my hands. I can't say I have many to brag about and I rather die then be all alone again." He answered silently. "Not again. I couldn't do anything for them then but I can do something for him now."

"Kululu."

"Anyways we should hurry. Lay him down on the examination table. I'll x-ray him and stitch him up."

"Thanks Kululu." Giroro said preparing to leave.

"Corporal, where do you think you're going? I'm going to need some assistance."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but I need you to know that I can turn animals to people, turn back time, transport us from one nation to another but I can't bring someone back to life."

"Why?"

"Because, I've seen tried that before but it wasn't pretty. I've seen how they act when they come back and they don't like to see you, they seem to like it where they were."

"Oh-ok. Let's get going."

They x-rayed Dororo and placed the broken bones in his left arm and his broken right ankle. 132 stitches were used for his many cuts. The process was long and very painful but after two hours Dororo's surgery was finished. They moved him to a soft white bed with a life machine hooked up to his arm and chest. Just when they finished cleaning up the others ran in.

"How is he?!" everyone asked.

"He should be okay if he makes it through the night." answered Kululu.

"Thank goodness!" sighed Natsumi.

"It's all thanks to you guys." said Fuyuki.

"No," Giroro said shaking his head. "It's all because of Dororo."

"I heard you had a hard time too. And look at all your wounds!" Aki panicked.

"Not as hard of a time as he had." Kululu said shaking off her worried hands. "Anyways, we all need some medical attention."

"If you all come upstairs then I'll treat you." Aki offered.

"Alright, then we need some rest."

"Kids since you aren't hurt you all should go to bed. You're exhausted."

"I'm not leaving Dororo!" Koyuki argued.

"I don't expect you to. You and Mois and Momoka can all bunk in the living room."

"All right." Fuyuki agreed. "What about you guys?"

"The guys and I are going to stay here." said Keroro.

"No." Kululu sternly said.

"What?"

"No. You'll just end up make noise and he needs rest. I'll stay and keep an eye on him."

"No way, what if you-" Tamama cut off.

"I'll stay too!" Giroro suddenly blurted. His friends looked at him in surprise. "Um, just to keep and eye on him."

"Well… ok. Make sure you guys get your wounds checked though. Night." Keroro waved as they walked out the door. Then the door closed and the only sounds that could be heard was Dororo's labored breathing and the beeping of the life support machine.

"Giroro." said Kululu breaking the silence.

"Hmm?"

"Get some sleep, I'll watch over him."

"No way! I'm going to stay awake with you guys!"

"Giroro." Kululu had a dark aura surrounding him, making Giroro jolt back, frightened. "Do what I say. NOW."

"Yeah! Okay!" he nervously replied. He ran to a chair in the corner. He jumped onto the cushion. "Night." He was barely awake when he heard Kululu reply "Night."

Then the world went black as he closed his eyes.

Giroro woke up facing a clock. It said six o'clock am and Kululu never woke him for his shift. "Kululu?" he asked groggily.

"Corporal you're awake." came the exhausted reply. Kululu was standing over Dororo replacing his bloody bandages. He looked worn out like he could pass out at any second.

"Hey." He got up walking over to his superior. "You never woke me."

"I handled everything by myself so I didn't need you."

"Well did anything happen?"

"Just some minor difficulties. Nothing serious, plus you wouldn't have been much help anyways."

The clouds over the moon moved causing light to shine through the window. The light rested on Kululu's body showing the old bruises mixing with new ones, his face swollen and scratch marks had dry blood crusted underneath.

"He clawed you!" he exclaimed.

"I'm fine."

"Kululu look at you!" Giroro placed a hand on Kululu's shoulder. "We were captured. I know you are devious, cunning, and I really know pain is one of your favorite things whether it's happening to you or others. But even so, we all have our breaking points. You were tortured mentally and physically. They showed you tapes of us getting tortured while you were getting beat. You have bruises and are bleeding and are tired. You aren't invincible. You have to rest."

"How can I?" Kululu stopped working and his hands dropped to his sides. "I keep remembering. Remembering how you guys saved my life, how you all stayed by my side when I was deathly sick. You stayed by my side without sleeping for three days. Dororo went and found the cure for my illness even though it was so far away and it was so dangerous to get it. He even got injured for me. I remember hoping, praying that none of you would have to lay in a death bed like I had but now it has. No I'm staying here until he wakes up."

"Kululu." Giroro turned to look him in the glasses. "He'll wake up. You and I will be there for him. I know we might be you're closest friends but that doesn't mean that him risking his life for us results in you getting yourself sick. I'll wake you, just rest now."

"Thanks…Giroro." Kululu started wobbling and he fell into Giroro's arms. "Don't you dare tell anyone about this. Me, of all people having a soft side."

"Don't worry. I won't." And Kululu dozed off in his arms.

"Because we already know." A voice said.

Giroro looked up to see Tamama and Keroro standing in the doorway.

"Guys."

They came over and helped guide Kululu over to the chair Giroro slept in and covered him with a blanket.

"How much have you heard?"

"Oh, like I was devious and cunning. But don't worry we won't tell." said Tamama.

"Okay good."

"How is he?"

"Well, his wounds aren't infected and he has a broken ankle and sprained left arm. He has 132 stitches but he shouldn't have too many problems… at least internally. How could I?"

"How could you what?"

"How could I sleep when he needed me? When they needed me."

"Giroro it's not your fault. Kululu probably had it all under control and Dororo was in good hands. Creepy but good hands."

"Yeah but Kululu did need me. He just didn't want to wake me because Dororo and I watched over him when he was sick. I should have been awake for them."

"Giroro! It's not about your feelings. It's about our friend's life. Okay?"

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

"Mm." A mumble was heard. "Not you're fault."

"Dororo!" the three yelled in shock. "Kululu! Kululu!" Giroro shook him awake. "Dororo's talking!"

"What?!" Kululu bolted up from the chair. But he quickly calmed down and tried to act uninterested when he saw Tamama and Keroro. "I mean cool. Great to know my little guinea pig didn't croak on me."

"Yeah, whatever you say." Giroro grinned.

"Dororo! Hey buddy! Wake up! Lance Corporal!" Keroro was shaking his arm.

"Here let me try." Kululu walked over to the bed. "Vipers here and he's trying to make Koyuki marry him. He's also mixing all the recyclables and glass together."

"Whoa!" Dororo bolted up straight, arms flailing to ward off attacks. "Koyuki you're too young to marry! You can't marry him! And the trash won't be recycled then and they'll be put into a landfill OW!" he clutched his ribs.

"Kuku."

"Where? The base?" Dororo looked around in confusion.

"Dororo!" tears swelled in Tamama and Keroro's eyes. They wrapped him in a hug but also crushing him. "Ow!"

"Well this is touching and all but I got things to do, people to mess with, and weapons to steal or sabotage. Oh, and make sure he doesn't move around to much. I don't want to waste my time stitching him up again even though I always love cutting something open." Kululu waved as he walked out the door.

"Man. He just won't quit will he?" Giroro shook his head in mock amusement. He looked at Dororo. "He's really a good friend. He really is."

"Uh, sure."

"So why did you say 'not your fault'?"

"What?"

"You said not your fault. Were you dreaming?"

"Oh, yeah. I dreamt I was in a grassy, open field. I was facing Zoruru. He asked if I would forgive him but I insisted that none of it was his fault, it was all mine. He wasn't satisfied with that answer and asked for one last sparring match. He attacked me but I pinned him down even though my whole body ached. I had to start grabbing at his arms and since I didn't have my sword I just started clawing and punching him."

"So that's why you clawed Kululu and punched him in the face!" Giroro said finally understanding.

"I did?!"

"Yeah but don't worry. He's just happy you're awake. Anyways go on."

"Well after I pinned him down he actually smiled a small smile under his mask. Then there was this giant gust of wind and he started breaking apart and floated away like he was turning into the leaves that fell from the trees. He said that this was his punishment since he betrayed me. I told him that even though he was still my friend. I told him that I forgave him and that it wasn't all his fault, it was also some of mine. Then he finally disappeared from my grasp."

"Man!" Keroro exclaimed. "I had a dream that a cow wanted me to apologize for eating his sweet, sweet cow flesh. Then he started chasing me."

Tamama sighed. "Yeah but that dream isn't nearly as deep." Then the friends started laughing.

"D!" a voice rang out. In came Koyuki, Natsumi, Fuyuki, Aki, Momoka, and Mois.

"Man! It's good to see you!" Fuyuki exclaimed.

"I was so worried!" sighed Natsumi.

"You could say alls well that ends well?" pointed out Mois. They all yelled and hollered at the same time but they immediately went silent and moved apart so that Koyuki could get to him. She fell to her knees and wrapped him in a hug, sobbing on his shoulder.

"I knew nothing would keep you down D!" she sobbed.

"Koyuki I'm sorry I made you worry but you're crushing me!"

"Oops! Sorry!"

"How'd you know I was awake?"

"Kululu came and told us. Did you see his face and wrists? They were all bloody!" Aki said in shock. "He told us that you were awake and if we didn't believe him then we'd have to see for ourselves." She looked around the room to survey the bandaged group, their arms, legs, faces covered in wraps.

"I better go apologize to him later." Dororo said.

"For what?" asked Momoka.

"I had a dream and in the dream I was fighting while actually that's what my body was doing and I accidentally started hitting and clawing Kululu." He said miserably, like that was the worst thing he could think of doing.

"That's alright. I'm sure he doesn't mind. I bet he just cares that you're awake."

"Yeah, sure. Anyways guys I'm kinda tired now. It's probably noon or so now."

"OH MY!" exclaimed Aki. "I'm late for work! Bye guys! This will make a great story!" she ran out of the room not even looking over her shoulder for a wave.

"Oh, mama." Natsumi and Fuyuki said speechless at their mothers' boundless energy. "I'm really tired too." Yawned Natsumi. "How bout some more sleep?"

"Yes." Mois rubbed her eyes. "You could say good plan, no?"

"Great idea." Fuyuki nodded drowsily. "Dororo, you get some rest okay? You too guys."

"We will." Keroro sighed. "Night everyone. Well...actually good evening. Does that even make sense? I sound like a vampire or something." Then they all left the room with Tamama running after Keroro. "Sarge! I'm really hungry! Buy me a burger and some candy!"

"Just shut up Tamama!" Momoka growled. Then the door slammed shut leaving only Giroro, Dororo and Koyuki.

"Aren't you going?" asked Dororo.

"Mm-n." she shook her head. Her green ponytail flying around like a whip but resting on her shoulders like a water from a waterfall. "I'll stay here to watch over you."

"Koyuki."

"Hm?"

"Who are you trying to fool? I can see bags under your eyes."

"D, I'm fine I –"

"Go Koyuki. I'll be fine. I just want you to take better care of yourself. Okay?"

A small smile rose to her lips. "Alright." She got up and walked to the door. "I love you D. Good night." Now only he and Giroro remained.

"Dororo."

"Yes?"

"By… by any chance did you hear anything Kululu was saying about you?"

"No I didn't. Mind filling me in on what happened and was said about me?"

"Sure." They sat their in the dim room talking about what happened to them the past few days. From their time in the cells to their torturing to the night watching over Dororo. Each detail was told and Giroro ended up telling the story for hours after everyone left. The evening went by in a blur while he talked and Dororo listened. Dororo yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Oh! You must be tired. I'm sorry." Giroro apologized getting up to leave Dororo to rest.

"It's okay. Do…"

"What?"

"Do you know what's ironic?"

"No."

"Never mind, it's pointless."

"Nope, to late now. You have peaked my interest." Giroro sat back on the stool he was using.

"Well, how do I put this? I have always chased after you guys. From back when me, you and Keroro were kids to now. I'm constantly ignored and neglected and so, so abused." His eyes started watering like his trauma switch could turn on at any second.

"Yeah and I have to say we're really sorry!" Giroro said before Dororo had the chance to think of all the tortuous memories.

"Yeah but what's strange is that the one person who looked up to me, as a senpai, friend and rival is dead because I killed him. Now I have nobody to remember me. I'll just fade away like he did." Dororo rubbed the back of his head. "Weird."

Giroro just sat there not knowing how to respond to that. He knew that Dororo felt un-needed but that didn't mean it was true. "Listen Dororo. First of all you did not kill him, I did." the words not tasting right on his tongue. Sure he did kill Zoruru but he only meant to stun him and he never killed someone that was a friend of his friend. "But…" 'Come on Giroro, think!' he thought. 'I can't say something stupid and cause his switch to activate! Think before you talk!' "I want you to know that you've never been alone. From the sidelines Kululu and I have been there. So has everyone else! You're not alone anymore! All of us are in this together and if one of us goes down, all of us go with him!" Giroro stopped startled at his own words. He didn't mean to pour out that much of his heart. So much for thinking before talking. But he looked up from the floor to see Dororo staring at him with shock and confusion and maybe even happiness in his eyes. "Um… anyways goodnight!" he yelled running out the room in embarrassment.

"Thanks Giroro. That's all I needed to hear." He just sat there in the dark lost in his thoughts.

"Ow! I never knew it was this hard to get on the roof when you're hurt!" Dororo moaned as he sat on the roof for some mid-night alone time.

"You know that being up here might not be the best of ideas." A voice said from behind him. Dororo jumped into fighting position, a kunai in his hand pointed at whoever snuck up behind him. But there was Kululu totally undaunted by the knife in his face. "What kind of 'hello' is that to the one who stitched you up?"

"Sorry." Dororo hastily put the knife away. "Anyways what are you doing here?"

"Just some observations. What's that thing that the Pekopons do when it's night?"

"You mean star-gazing?"

"Sure. Let's go with that. Anyways how did you get up here and why?"

"Oh, I just climbed...very slowly and painfully. Plus I needed air. It was getting way to hot down in the base."

"I see." Kululu sat next to Dororo and leaned on his back gazing at the moon.

"So why'd you do it?" Dororo blurted.

"What?"

"Getting tortured by the guards and you went and pretended to be the commanding officer so they'd leave Keroro alone and Giroro was going to lie and say he was. When you heard everyone getting tortured you acted undaunted so that the guards torturing them would come to you. Why? You always love it when we get hurt."

"It wasn't really torture or anything. Those guys hit like ballerinas. Plus like anything could break my sanity…. correction. What's left of it. Cause I'm sure you've noticed by now I'm not the most how do you say it? The safest in a nuclear weapon in an army."

"Umm… okay?"

"Plus you really think I'd put myself in any real danger?"

Dororo looked at his friend. His cuts were cleaned but they were still clearly visible. The bruises left his face black and blue and his wrists and ankles were wrapped in bandages where the chains cut into his skin. Even his fingers were wrapped up expertly since he seemed to cut them all on something.

"Sure. I suppose."

Kululu looked over. "You don't sound very convinced."

"It's because I'm not. You're wrapped in bandages. I don't know whether you have more wraps on or me." He joked. He looked up and stared at the stars. "Hey look! It's a shooting star!"

"You mean a falling ball of gas plummeting around Earth's gravitational pull never to be back in the sky again?"

"Yes? Do me a favor? Don't make something so beautiful so… emo?"

"Just a little?"

"Fine."

"Kukuku."

"Kululu?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being you."

"I don't know how to be anyone else."

"I know. Thanks for that. Thanks for always having my back and caring."

"What?!" Kululu jumped up. "What did Giroro tell you? Tell me or I'm gonna have to get it out of him myself! And you know that surely it won't be pretty."

"Umm… nothing I couldn't hear myself. You didn't check to see if I was conscious at times." Dororo thought quickly.

"Oh. Okay then. He better have not spilled to anyone." Kululu grumbled under his breath.

"Pfft." Dororo stifled back a laugh.

"What? Tell me."

"Hahaha!" Dororo holding his hurt ribs and laughing so hard he almost fell off the edge. "I don't know how you do it! You try acting like such a jerk and scary but really you're really nice and caring! I don't know how you do it!"

"We have a very weird definition of 'funny' then."

"Well you're squirming and freaking out so bad! How is it not funny?"

"I'm freaking out and you think that's funny? We must be more alike than I thought. And the thought of me not being a sadistic, egoist, jerk is an interesting notion in its own way."

"But anyways, I'm going back inside but again thanks. Don't worry. You're secrets safe with me. Just promise me. You'll stay my friend no matter what."

"Um. Okay?"

"Oh, I almost forgot. Who was 'them' that you couldn't help before us?"

"Who were they? Well, alright I'll spill. I was an general before I joined this team. One of the great wars on Keron caused my social with drawl. I was always an odd one and a sort of outcast even in my platoon but even if they didn't know it, they were my closest friends and the one thing that was as close as a family as I could get. We were scheduled to do recognizance, a simple border check but we were ambushed. All thirty five of my men, slaughtered. I couldn't help them though, the blast from a cannon knocked me unconscious and I woke to see my injured sergeant crawl his was over to me, lay on top of me as a shield and die to make sure I was safe. Because I couldn't help them, if I could then maybe, maybe they'd all be alive today." Kululu's voice was seeded in deep regret. Dororo just remained silent as the his back story soaked in.

"Don't worry." He finally said. "You did manage to save me, you helped all of them. I want you to know you might not have been able to help them at the time but we're your family now, all of us and you help us plenty. Now it's our turn to help you to repay the favor. I got to go, Koyuki's coming to change my wrappings in five minutes and if I'm not there she will panic and wake the house. See you!" Dororo waved before he slid into the window below. "Sorry that I clawed you! Just go and ask Giroro why."

"I don't mind. Just make sure that you get enough rest! You'll be out of commission for a while. 132 stitches and broken bones and plus the mental trauma. Losing a friend is always hard."

"Yeah, sure. Get some sleep." Dororo said sadly before his head disappeared.

"Oh man!" Kululu slapped his forehead. "Why did I say the friend thing?! I should have told him but how would that go? 'Dororo you Giroro and Saburo are my best friends so I want you to know… my sickness didn't go away. It's hit stage three now. I don't have much of a chance so my time will probably be pretty soon. I don't have any regrets though. I won't die lonely like I thought I would.' But if I told one of them they'd tell everyone including Saburo. Plus I can't get them involved anymore. They'd get turned into lab rats and that sure isn't happening. Oh well." He leaned back. "My time will come but you were wrong Zoruru. I do have something worth protecting and something to live for. That's why I distracted the guards Dororo. It's because I have friends." And he closed his eyes and dozed off.