Chapter 5

The dark brown hamster just stands there next to the iguana next to him. The other ham hams are pondering on what to do. The brown hamster speaks again.

"You said you needed some balloons to get to your destination. Well there's a city close by. It can get pretty dangerous here in the desert so I'd better help you get there."

"Can we trust this guy Hamtaro?", Panda asked.

"I really don't trust him Hamtaro. Maybe we should just ask him the directions?", Stan said.

"I agree!", said Boss. Hamtaro began to speak.

"But I think he's right. The desert is dangerous. Alright lead the way ummm!"

"The name's Hiroshi." Kenshin started remembering something. Hiroshi. Why does that name sound so familiar? So the ham hams followed Hiroshi across the desert. As Penelope dragged the grounded ham ham flyer she noticed the wind speed became faster. Suddenly a large sandstorm approached. Nothing could be seen for during the storm. When it died down everyone was still together but Hiroshi.

"What happened to that guy Hiroshi?", Oxnard asked.

"I don't know. He probably got stuck in the storm. Poor guy.", Maxwell said. Suddenly Penelope came rushing to the others.

"Guys, everything is gone!"

"What do you mean everything?", asked Stan asked.

"I mean everything. The ham ham flyer, our supplies, our weapons, everything!" Everyone was shocked. "The only things not stolen are the swords Hamtaro and Kenshin are wearing." Suddenly Kenshin remembered something.

"Now I know who Hiroshi is."

"You do!"

"Yeah. Hiroshi is a desert bandit that steals things from anyone in the desert. He is aided by the winds of the desert which creates a sandstorm. He uses it to conceal himself in and takes everything during the confusion. He takes the stolen items and sells them in the nearby city" The ham hams were angered by this.

"Did I say poor?", Maxwell asked. "I meant dead!" Hamtaro stopped him.

"Wait. He may have a reason. We can probably just talk this out." Kenshin stopped Hamtaro from going after Hiroshi.

"That can't be done. Hiroshi's only listens to the desert and fighting. You can't persuade him that way." Boss saw a couple of foot prints which he knew belonged to Hiroshi.

"We still have to get our stuff back somehow. I'm going after him!" The others followed.

On the other side Hiroshi with his iguana smiled at the deed they have pulled off.

"Heh! It was like taking seeds from a baby hamster! Isn't that right Iggy?" Iggy nodded. As he walked away he was thinking of his evil deeds. I know stealing is bad but how are my sister and I going to survive? Ever since our sister died in Kyoto we lived so far away from the city to keep my sister safe from that life. But how come I couldn't get the orange hamster's sword? I already know how strong Kenshin is but when I touched it felt like I was being electrocuted. I wonder why? As he rode on Iggy the ham hams stopped him.

"Give us back our stuff Hiroshi!", Boss commanded. Hiroshi wasn't willing to listen.

"Worthless little pests. Iggy whip them all away." Iggy's tail began to whip all the ham hams. However Hamtaro blocked each strike with the sheathe of the ryusaiga. Hiroshi was surprised. How can this ordinary hamster deflect Iggy's tail whips? I guess I'll take matters into my own hands. Hiroshi got off Iggy.

"I'm impressed you were able to deflect Iggy's attacks. But if you think defeating me will be just as easy then you have made a fatal mistake." Hiroshi unsheathed his saber and was ready to fight. Hamtaro unsheathed the legendary ryusaiga. The sword glowed brilliantly as it changed into a sakabatou (reverse blade katana for those who haven't seen RK). Suddenly the wind picked up again and sandstorm rolled in.

"Be careful Hamtaro! The sand storm is rolling in again!", Boss warned. Hamtaro began to think about what Boss. Thanks Boss. I think I can defeat him. The Hiten Mitsurugi's strength comes from reading the opponents emotions and anticipating the attack . I should be able to know where he's coming from since I've already read his emotions. And Hamtaro was right. Hiroshi came from behind but Hamtaro knew where he was and countered the attack.

"I'm impressed you were able to counter that attack. But this is last time I'll let you do that." Hiroshi said still concealed in the sand storm. Hamtaro couldn't read Hiroshi's emotions now so Hiroshi continued to attack Hamtaro. Hamtaro was defenseless. The other ham hams were worried.

"Do you think Hamtaro will be alright?", Sandy asked. Kenshin answered her question.

"Don't worry. The style he uses is definitely the Hiten Mitsurugi. There is no way a sand storm can defeat it." The others hoped he was right. In the sand storm Hiroshi was getting ready to finish the battle. Suddenly Hamtaro raised the ryusaiga in the air and it glowed. What is he up to now? It doesn't matter I will finish… huh? Hiroshi saw a leaf pass by. But there are no trees in the desert. This is impossible. More leaves. More leaves began to blow in and the wind became very violent. Kenshin smiled at this. Suddenly all the sand was gone and the leaves clustered around Hamtaro. Hiroshi charged.

"Even with the sand storm gone you're surrounded by the leaves! The battle ends here!" Hiroshi ripped through the leaves and found out that Hamtaro wasn't there. But where did he go?

"I'm over here!" Everyone looked up to see Hamtaro in the sky. He then came down at high speed.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Style Ryu Tsui Sen!" Hamtaro performed the overhead slash pinning Hiroshi to the ground. All of the ham hams were surprised and glad that Hamtaro was alright. However Hiroshi wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"I'm not finished yet! Lets go!" Suddenly…

"Stop this brother!" Everyone turned around to see a female hamster who looked like Hiroshi only with light brown fur, a blue scarf, and a pony tail tied with a blue ribbon. She was also holding a red ribbon.

"Brother just give back their stuff." Hiroshi gave back all the ham hams stuff.

"I'm sorry if my twin brother caused any trouble." the hamster said.

"Oh he didn't cause any trouble.", Hamtaro said.

"Well why are you here in the first place?" They told them all about their incident with the balloons.

"I see. We can get more balloons in the city over there." She pointed somewhere. "But its getting late. How about setting up camp with us?"

"Thank you for your hospitality umm?"

"Call me Honeybun." Stan walked up to her.

"That's a very pretty…" Stan was being pulled away by Sandy's ribbon by the tail.

"Whatever happened to Pashmina?"

"I'm just playing around Sandy. I still love Pashmina very much!" Stan missed her a lot. Pashmina.

In a separate part of the desert Joe and Shade were moving toward ham ham land with Bijou. Suddenly Joe felt something and jumped off his beast off burden.

"Joe, where are you going?"

"I felt something. Shade set up camp tonight while I'm away." Joe leaves.

"I can never understand my baka deshi (stupid student)."

During the night they all had dinner around a campfire. When everyone was asleep Hamtaro woke up and decided to look around. He saw that Honeybun wasn't asleep either. She was in fact praying.

"You're still awake?"

"Oh hi Hamtaro. Sorry for the dilemma Hiroshi caused. He just wants the best for me and tries to get money by stealing and selling."

"No problem. So why are you still awake?", Hamtaro asked.

"I was praying to the gods hoping that my sister is alright. She died several years ago. That's the same reason why Hiroshi is so protective of me. Sometimes I feel you are so similar to her."

"Oh."

"She was very adventurous and courageous. She never backed down from anything and constantly tried to help anyone in need."

"Is that so?" Hamtaro begins to walk back to his tent. Honeybun wasn't done speaking.

"She unfortunately died saving someone in Kyoto." Hamtaro was shocked by what she had just said. She couldn't mean… Honeybun spoke again.

"I wonder how she's doing up there. My sister Oreo." Hamtaro felt like everything had just weighed him down and felt so much pain. He decided not to go into his tent.

"Where are you going?" Honeybun asked.

"I'm going for a walk. If anyone asks where I am tell them not to worry." He walks off feeling so much pain as images of both Bijou and Oreo appear in his head. Oreo is Hiroshi and Honeybun's sister. Should I tell them what happened? I don't know if I'm even able to do that. Suddenly someone called out for him.

"So we meet again Hamtaro!" Hamtaro turned around and saw a hamster covered in darkness, but he could recognize the hamsters similar looking fur pattern, fur color, and voice.

Joe!