Touch : Sergeant Frog/Keroro Gunso : Manga : Fan Fiction : Fiction : Main

Chapter 6

Touch

When Natsumi arrived at school, her senses were immediately assailed; the beautiful decorations in the once-dull auditorium brought the whole theme of 'Wings Toward the Future' to life: winged things of every shape and size were painted everywhere, from small bugs to shining angels. The smell of all the different finger foods made her mouth water, and the sight of all the gorgeous dresses and tuxedos that each person wore made her eyes glitter in delight. The lighting was perfectly low, with spotlights of color weaving amongst the crowd and focusing on a person or pair every moment or two. It was almost perfect as she watched the smiling and laughing couples dancing to the current popular song.

She also heard an altogether different sound: laughter, still, but it didn't sound very friendly. She glanced in the direction of the sound. There were a group of two couples hiding behind their hands and pointing at her. One nudged the other and they looked away, studiously avoiding her gaze. Her mood immediately plummeted. They're making fun of me? She thought, looking away and pretending she didn't notice. Then she realized with another glance around the dancing throng that everyone had a date.

Everyone, that is, except for her.

I don't care, she growled, lifting her head and confidently walking into the festivities. I came to have a good time, and that's what I'm going to do.

"Natsumi-chaaaan!"

Someone abruptly snatched Natsumi into a passionate hug that lasted longer than was necessary, and even breathing snuffled at her neck.

"I was hoping you would be here!" a familiar voice chirped.

"Koyuki?" Natsumi uttered in surprise. She batted away the ninja girl's wandering hands and held her at arms length to look at her dress; but instead she was wearing a kimono in earthy colors decorated with sewn autumn leaves of every color. "Why aren't you wearing a dress?"

"Oh, because I volunteered to be a chaperone!" she said with that ever-present three cornered smile. "They gladly accepted, one because they didn't have students asking to chaperone every day, and two because of my--Hey!" She suddenly yelled, pointing past Natsumi. A pair of males holding each other by the collar looked around at her. "Take that outside!" The two let each other go, blushing, as they continued whatever they were arguing about all the way to the doors.

Natsumi chuckled nervously. "I see. You can spot things a mile away." Koyuki smiled and nodded. She regarded Natsumi for a moment, and she immediately began to fill with dread. Here it comes, she thought, she's going to ask me where my date is. But before the teenaged chaperone could ask, she ran off to break apart a couple who were taking full advantage of a darkened corner. That was close, she sighed in relief.

Natsumi made her way to the hors d'ourves and began to snack on takoyaki, watching the couples dance under the steely eyes of Koyuki and the teachers. Three song changes later, no one seemed interested to ask her to dance; actually, every single unpaired boy she saw in passing seemed to be avoiding her like the plague.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

---

"Wow, who is he?"

"I've never seen him before."

"He's so handsome~!"

Giroro grunted in annoyance as he made his way through the gaggle of gaping, underage Pokopenians. Such shallow creatures, he mused to himself. The brightly colored decorations were gaudy and the smell of so many people in one area immediately gave him a headache. He was blinded for a moment as one of the colored spotlights landed on him, paused, and continued on.

What a distasteful way to celebrate absolutely nothing.

But even these most annoying conditions he would endure just for a moment of time with Natsumi. He walked around the mass of young, dancing Pokopenians until he finally found her standing by a table laden with food items.

And his heart immediately stopped.

She stood there, looking forlorn, in a two piece dress that fit her like a second skin. The top was a shoulder-less, corset-like piece that had deep, crimson lace, decorated with sequined flowers overlaid on the deepest black, with the back of the piece laced together and tied in a ribbon. The bottom matched with the same lace and overlay, but was much smoother. It fell all the way to her ankles, a split running up her right thigh. The strappy, crimson red shoes and the feathery thong that held her hair in a ponytail completed the set. Her midsection remained bare, as did her facial features: she did not sport all of that strange coloring that all of the other females had. His biomechanical hand reflexively came up and covered the area that would have held his heart; if it were his own body.

No time to stop and stare Corporal, he ordered himself. He began to approach her, when to his shock she sighed and turned, walking toward the doors. Not wasting any time, he sprinted the last short distance, dodging around milling attendees and nabbing her hand. Natsumi looked up at him in shock with teary eyes.

"Surely you weren't thinking of leaving without granting me the pleasure of your company?"

The way her face transformed from sullen to absolutely beaming stunned him, but not as much as the way Natsumi threw her arms around him. He stood in a daze for a moment before haltingly returning the embrace. The suit did not fail him; he felt the skin of Natsumi's bare midsection as he were touching it with his own hands. He shivered and hesitantly pulled away.

He noticed with smug satisfaction that nearly the entire congregation was gawking at them. Yes, go ahead and stare; be envious of that which you cannot have.

"Giroro," she breathed, voice shaking. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like I am doing?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm. "It is not every day that one can go to a social outing such as this and enjoy themselves."

"But you hate social gatherings."

"Not when I am with you."

It had the desired effect; Natsumi looked away and blushed prettily. Giroro had never seen her blush before; he thought it was very becoming of her, and was tempted to reach out and touch the flaming skin when the currently playing song ended and there began something fast and rhythmic and edited and remixed, which called to him, made his body want to move.

So instead, he bowed low while taking her hand. "Shall we, as you say, sever a carpet?"

She nodded even as he led her to the center of the floor. The synthesized trumpets played wide and expansive to a clicking backbeat. Giroro swung Natsumi to arm's length. He leaned from her. His foot toe-heel tapped the rhythm: toe-toe-HEEL-toe; toe-toe-HEEL-toe; toe-toe-HEEL-toe. She nodded the rhythm in response.

He spun her into him as the music twirled through a repetitive circle fifths and sixths.

He released her. Reversed her. Caught her under her arms. Spun then dipped her low over his arm as the music slid.

Let's dance in style, lets dance for a while
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies

Natsumi kicked high. Gripped his shoulder. Propelled herself to her feet and spun and dipped him.

Hoping for the best but expecting the worst
Are you going to drop the bomb or not?

He flipped and spun to two sudden drumbeats. Slide left. Slide right. Heel-toe-TOE Heel-toe-TOE Heel-toe-TOE on opposite feet which Natsumi mirrored. They took each other and spun together.

Let us die young or let us live forever
We don't have the power, but we never say never
sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
The music's for the sad man.

Lean right. Lean left. Counterpoint. Heel-toe-TOE. Heel-toe-TOE. Heel-toe-TOE...

The lyrics washed over them and vanished on their ears. The beat that drove them, pulsed their hearts and slid them around and around the floor and they danced hard. Their acrobatics sliced a wider and wider circle. The crowd pushed back to the walls of the auditorium. At times they were a single tornado and at others a perfectly matched pair of dustdevils moving in opposition. He advanced on her, spinning and kicking, and she retreated. She advanced on him sliding and kicking low and he back-flipped away from her.

They joined and parted. Rolled through the air. Darted, and spun, and spun each other. Giroro found himself with his back to her as the song wound down, slowed again.

He relaxed back against her, three beats, bent double back, one hard beat, and lifted her by her waist. The trumpets and voice soared.

Forever young, I want to be forever young.
Do you really want to live forever? forever? For-ever?

He spun her overhead as the music rose to a crescendo, dropped her and caught her as the instrumental crashed to silence.

Forever young.

And set her on her feet.

The air was still as they both panted and even the DJ paused in queuing the next song.

The teachers were the first to clap and the students followed their example. The crowd cheered and applauded for them as they retreated back to the punch bowl.

"Where did you learn to dance like that?" Natsumi asked incredulously, panting with exertion as she poured glasses of punch for the both of them.

He was about to play it off as being natural Keronian instinct, but hesitated. She trusts you, he reminded himself. Isn't it about time you returned it?

"It is...a mix of many different things," he answered slowly, finally catching his breath as he accepted the proffered cup of punch. "Most of it is just improvised hand to hand combat. You must read and know your opponents moves even before even he himself does, and act upon them."

"Really?" She asked, a glint in her eye. "You were fighting me?"

He coughed behind his free hand. "You could say that."

She locked eyes with him and Giroro quailed under her gaze. "What?"

"You said it was a mix. You only told me one part," she pouted.

He sighed in resignation, but smiled at the memory of his other 'training.' "Before we are sent to basic training, we live with our families." He answered, almost shyly. "My grandmother passed down some of the traditional Keronain folk dances to us." He snorted derisively. "My older brother, Garuru, would have none of it. I was the only one who practiced."

"I'm glad for that," she mused aloud. They lapsed into silence as Giroro noticed a faraway look in her eyes. She must be thinking deeply, he thought as he watched her, taking a swig from his punch.

"I want to visit Keron one day."

Giroro snorted into his cup, coughing, the motion sending a stream of artificially sweetened liquid down his front and over his boutonniere. "WHAT?" he choked, grasping his throat.

Natsumi dodged the spray, flailing around ungainly. "I'm sorry! It was just a thought!" she exclaimed, hurriedly turning to find the napkins sitting by the punch bowl. "I just don't think its fair that you get to see our planet, but we never get to see yours," she mused, mopping up Giroro's mess, dabbing at the cloth around the flower.

"You know that is impossible," he stated as he tried to ignore the sensations of her hand on his 'chest.' "We are trying--"

"To take over the planet. I know," she sighed, reaching up to dab at the dripping red face. "But just maybe, we could try to stop them from wanting to take over? Maybe if they met me, they wouldn't want to invade?"

He was at odds again. The invasion of Pokopen was the top priority, yet he was here dancing amongst its inhabitants, with one that had inadvertently stolen his heart. Had he really strayed this far from the mission? And now she wanted to stop their forces enough that she would volunteer to be an envoy? His mind boggled.

As she turned to toss the soaked napkins away in the trash bin beside the table, the control panel hidden behind Giroro's boutonniere began to fizzle and spark. Giroro gasped and gave it a smack; it gave a whir and a clunk, then was still. Thankfully, the sensations of the suit weren't affected.

When she returned, a slow song began to play, with lilting tones from a piano as the opening sequence, drums slowly playing to the beat. Giroro saw her eyes change instantly; they were lost within the song. She advanced upon him and grasped one of his hands in both her own. "Dance with me," she pleaded, "I've loved this song ever since I was six."

He didn't get to answer because she was already leading him to the dance floor. This song wasn't fast, nor were the people dancing. They all seemed to be caught up in each other, rather than the dancing. "Natsumi," he urgently called. "I may know how to dance quickly, but slow is another matter."

"Nonsense," she insisted, facing the red frog and placing her right hand on his shoulder. "Put your left hand on my waist," she instructed as her free hand took his right. "Now just sway to the music."

Deep in my soul

Love so strong

It takes control

Natsumi smiled at him as he began to get the hang of it. "There now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Giroro smirked faintly as he followed along, swaying in a slow circle like everyone else; but unlike everyone else, he held a beauty the likes of which he's never known. Until now, he thought, a bright blush consuming his face as he held her hand for the first time, and his other hand yet again on her bare waist.

Now we both know

The secrets bared

The feelings show

The words that were being played, simple as they were, struck a chord within him; something about them made his heart thud harder. A spotlight passed over them momentarily, making Natsumi shine ethereally.

Driven far apart

I'll make a wish

On a shooting star

The rest of the world seemed to melt away around them, as they gazed at each other not as Pokopenian and Keronian, invader nor enemy; but as close friends and equals, sharing a tender moment.

There will come a day

Somewhere far away

In your arms I'll stay

My only love

Even though you're gone

Love will still live on

The feeling is so strong

My only love

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you, Giroro," Natsumi stated as the instrumental part of the song played, now backed up by a soft guitar strumming. The frog started, breaking him out of the strong pull of her eyes.

"Hmm?"

He flinched a bit as Natsumi's hand slid up from his shoulder, along his neck to cup his face just under his earflaps. Her thumb traced his scar where it began just below his helmet, following the grooves down upon the indented skin, his eyes closing as the gentle touch passed over his eye. He inhaled shakily, his steps faltering.

"How did you get this scar?"

His eyes opened in surprise, a small blush forming as the hand resting on her waist came up to take hers, stopping her unintentional torture. "It is a memento of a great battle," he declared pompously.

"Liar."

Giroro blinked at how quickly she knew it was a falsehood, and was about to open his mouth to argue the fact when the music built up again, the soft guitar now becoming more forceful.

There will come a day

Somewhere far away

In your arms I'll stay

My only love

Natsumi's gaze changed; something appeared within the smoldering colors that called to him. Their hands, still joined, came up between them as they inched unconsciously closer.

They had stopped dancing long ago.

You've reached the deepest part

Of the secret in my heart

I've known it from the start

My only love

Her eyes fluttered shut, her lips parting expectantly; Giroro bent to meet her.

My only love...

Every girls' dream is that of how, when, where and with whom they would receive their first kiss; it is long imagined as soon as they learn that boys do not have cooties.

But for Natsumi, this was not the time. Instead of the pressure on her lips and the taste of her first kiss, she felt a nuzzling at her cheek and heard a low purr. She blinked open her eyes slowly; Giroro was holding her as close as he dared, rubbing his cheek against hers in slow circles; the purring in her ear, she realized, was actually a very soft resonation.

Natsumi couldn't help but smile. This must be a froggy thing, she mused as she rested her head on his shoulder. I was silly to think that an alien would know how to kiss.

This is the most romantic thing a Keronian can do during courtship, Giroro thought confidently. She must be putty in my hands.

As the song wound down, Giroro reluctantly pulled away from her; his eyes shining. Their hands remained firmly clasped as they continued to gaze into each others eyes, the other dancers walking around them, giving them odd looks.

They would have spent the rest of the night as such if Natsumi didn't suddenly realize that nature was calling her quite insistently.

"Giroro," she said hesitatingly as she released one of Giroro's hands to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, but I've got to use the Ladies' Room."

The red frog blinked slowly out of yet another Natsumi-induced trance. "Oh..o-of course," he said nervously. Why did I think that a Keronian cheek rub would have any effect on a Pokopenian? he thought, disappointed.

"I'll be right back," she assured him, walking away, keeping their remaining hands' hold until they were too far apart, her fingers slipping slowly out of his.

Giroro felt the loss of her touch acutely, bringing his fist to his chest as he watched her walk towards a realm forbidden to him.

---

Within the tiled walls and floor of the lightly scented bathroom, Natsumi sighed, flushing the toilet and fixing up her dress within the stall. She heard the door open again and a gaggle of girls march through, their heels clacking on the floor. Zipping her skirt back up, she was about to leave the stall when she suddenly heard a soft flicking, and then smelled something acrid.

Smoke?

"Did you see the guy that Natsumi's with?" girl said, envy dripping from every syllable. There was a pause as she inhaled deeply on something. "He looks like a young Heath Ledger."

"No way!" refused another. Again the long inhale and exhale. "I say he looked like the love child of Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp."

Natsumi blinked in confusion. He looked like none of those people! So why...?

Kururu must have done it, she thought quickly. It makes people see him how they want to see him, but not as a frog.

"Sure, he may look like a bombshell," one girl said, clucking her tongue in distaste, "But did you see his face when he looked at us, when he first walked in? His sneer was a mile wide. You could tell that he thought that all of us were beneath him."

"Yeah, what's up with that? Stuck up little bastard."

Natsumi was fisting her hands so hard she vaguely felt her nails biting into her palms. She slammed open the stall, the group of five girls looking at her in shock, the cigarette they were passing around dropping to the ground. Giving the cigarette a baleful glare--that's what that awful smell was--she leveled her eyes at the group.

"And just WHY are you talking about someone behind their back?" She snapped. "Don't you even DARE talk about my date that way!"

It was out of her mouth before she could stop it; she clapped her hands over her mouth in shock and gave the girls one last glance before fleeing out of the bathroom.

"Did you hear that?!" The obnoxious one said into the stunned silence. "Devil Summer has a boyfriend!"

---

She passed the hall monitor on her way into the auditorium, jerked an indicative thumb over her shoulder. "Smoking in the girl's room." she snorted. The monitor skittered off in the direction of the latrines.

I can't believe I said that, Natsumi thought in horror, walking listlessly into the auditorium. I just said I wasn't desperate not a week ago, and now look. I'm dancing with him, defending him, claiming him as mine! She covered her flaming cheeks with her hands. I'm not falling for him, I'm not!

She tried to believe what she was telling herself, she really did. But as soon as she caught sight of her frog standing right where she left him, his gaze following her every step and holding out his hand in endearment to her once more, she knew then that Denial was not just a river in Egypt. She took his outstretched hand.

A flash near the other end of the auditorium captured her attention. Pictures! How could I forget? "Giroro, this way," she said and guided him into the queue that stretched along the west wall of the auditorium.

Giroro curiously watched the proceedings at the front of the line; a male and female Pokopenian were posed in front of a backdrop of a bird in flight in a clear blue sky, while a short, round woman in front of them manipulated a strange black box with what appeared to be a satellite dish upon it. The area above the backdrop were covered with strange grey umbrellas.

"Say cheese," the frog heard the woman order, and the couple responded. He was blinded momentarily by the bright flash of light.

"Natsumi," he growled urgently, dropping into a defensive posture. "Is that woman with the radar-box attacking us?!"

Natsumi laughed, whacking him lightly on the back with her purse. "Calm down, O mighty warrior. She's just taking our pictures."

He straightened, a small embarrassed blush on his cheeks. "That overlarge device is a camera?" he uttered in disbelief. "The ones we have on Keron are much smaller and better looking than that ancient monstrosity."

"Well, not all planets are as advanced as yours," she drawled, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

When it was their turn, she filled out the necessary paperwork, paid the money that Mama had given her for the occasion, and led Giroro in front of the backdrop. The photographer came around, her round face alight in a smile underneath her frizzy red hair. "How cute you two are!" she gushed over them both. "You sir, stand here please," she ordered, positioning Giroro by the shoulders until he stood upon a tape-marked X. "And you ma'am, right here--" she brought Natsumi close to Giroro's left side.

"Now sir, if you would please take the young lady's left hand with your right and turn slighty toward one another--" Giroro gladly complied. He eagerly took Natsumi's hand and pressed close, and noted with satisfaction that Natsumi didn't seem to mind at all. The woman trotted behind her camera and focused the large lens. She peered through the device. "Okay, good, good", she nodded, "Now, bring your cheeks together."

Giroro suppressed a shiver as his bulbous cheeks pillowed softly upon Natsumi's.

"Perfect. Don't move!" she said with a sing-song lilt. "Now give me a big smile, you two lovebirds!"

Giroro didn't object as he showed all of his teeth to the camera. He wished to hold Natsumi like this all evening. He glanced at her for a split second before the flashbulb popped. As his eyes pinpointed by the sudden glare, he saw her beaming face and her eyes looking into his. She also wished the same.