Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro, but I do own a videotape with episodes of Hamtaro on it. I do own Lunette and Snuff. And this little ficcy!

A/N: I need to know; who do think Bijou should go after, Boss, Hamtaro, or someone else. Inquiring minds want to know! (But on a personal note, I like H/B but due to certain episodes, I am wavering... perhaps I shouldn't have said that... um... just read please.)

Innocent Kiss Chapter two: On how not to avoid collateral damage.

The quiet hunter moved silently across the grasses as he stalked his prey. The hunter was stopped the last time he tried to get this prey, but this time would be different. This time there would be no interfering mage to muck things up. The white and grey tomcat inched every closer to his goal. There! There was the object of the hunt. The little morsel was right behind a tree. And the best thing was that he didn't have to reapply the curse. The interfering one was already in an easily disposable form. The Sorcerer was about to pounce on the small black hamster as the rodent was talking to a field hamster next to him. Suddenly footsteps broke the concentration of the hunter. Whipping around to face what ever was sneaking up him, he startled the brown haired-human girl. Factoring her as no threat, he turned back to the hunt, only to find his target had eluded him again!

Laura had followed Travis to ask him an important question, but saw the stalking cat. She was curious to see what it was after and followed. Boy, was she surprised when she accidentally snuck up on it and it turned around so quickly. She backed up a bit from the cool glare she received. Then the cat turned away from her and focused back on its target. Suddenly it stiffened. A tremor went through the smaller animal, and then it slowly turned to stare at Laura. By this time however she had already started to walk away. The cat glanced back and marked the tunnel its target probably entered then followed the girl. Laura was walking on her way home when she bumped into her best friend Kana and her pet hamster Oxnard.

"Hey Kana! What's going on?" The sixth-grader asked.

"Oh hi Laura! I'm just coming back from the vet's. Oxnard just got a check-up," she responded cheerfully. She held up the carrier he was in to show her friend.

(Yep! I'm one hundred percent healthy!) Oxnard thought as he listened to the conversation about his day.

"So that's where you were all day. I was wondering. This reminds me, I should have Hamtaro looked at," she said.

"Well when was the last time you did?" Kana asked. As Laura formed her response, nether one of the girls or the hamster noticed the two pairs of eyes watching. One pair filled with menace and quiet anger, the other filled with kindness and courage.

Meanwhile Travis looked around in surprise and awe at the clubhouse. The multi-leveled structure had an indoor slide, a small cable car, and even a jungle gym! Inside were several other hamsters. One was a brown and white hamster in a red sock. This one was sleeping and had rosy red cheeks. Another was also brown and white, but was awake. This hamster was taller then most of the others in the room. He was currently reading a red book to a smaller white hamster with two pig tails tied by blue ribbons and a grey and white hamster with brown glasses on. The latter three were sitting at a small brown table. Boss cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Attention Ham-hams! We have a guest!" he announced. All present looked up, including someone Travis didn't notice before. A white hamster, with brown ears and wearing a green swimmer's cap looked out from underneath a red saucepan. "Ham-hams, allow me to introduce Avis."

"Um... hi," Travis said nervously.

"Hamha Avis!" Everyone cheerfully greeted the new arrival.

"I'd be proper for us to introduce ourselves, I'm Dexter," The hamster with the glasses said.

"Please to meet you! I'm Maxwell!" The hamster with the book said.

"Bonjour! I'm Bijou," the white hamster said in a soft French accent.

"And I'm Cappy, and he's Snoozer. Don't worry he's always like that," the hamster under the pan said pointing at the sleeping hamster.

"Um... Nice to meet you all," Travis said still a tad off balance.

"Hey why don't you join us? I was just reading a story," Maxwell asked. Travis nervously looked around then nodded.

(I wonder what this story could be about?) He wondered. When he had seated himself next to Dexter, Maxwell began reading again.

Laura had finished her conversation with Kana and the two girls were standing in front of their houses. Kana stopped to wave at Laura as she went into her house to put Oxnard in her room. The two girls had decided to go out for ice cream, but Kana want to take Oxnard home first.

(Now is my chance,) the cat thought. He darted out from some bushes and scratched Laura's left ankle.

"Ow!" Laura shouted in pain and surprise. She turned around and spotted the cat from the park staring at her. "Why did you do that?" she asked. Suddenly her whole body felt warm and the world started to spin. She blinked once than fainted. The cat smiled at the seemingly empty pile of cloths now in front of him. Using a paw he fished around in the clothing and rolled something out. It was a small brown hamster with two yellow ribbons around her ears. Oddly enough this helped form her fur into two ponytails that looked similar to her original hairstyle.

"Little one, no one stands between me and my prey. Now you will have to pay the price for your unwitting interference," he said. He raised one paw up and unsheathed his claws. Just before he brought it down, a loud bark startled him. He turned and noticed a brown and white dog running in his direction. He hissed then turned back to his intended victim, but she wasn't there! Glancing up, he noticed another hamster carrying/dragging his prey away! The orange and white fuzz ball was going to ruin his revenge! He was going to give chase, but the dog was now too close. He turned and with one last hiss, dashed off. The brown and white dog stopped at the edge of the yard when he was sure the threat to his mistress was gone. He turned and looked thoughtfully at the now empty clothing on the ground.

Laura opened her eyes slowly. She was feeling very disoriented to say the least. When her fuzzy vision cleared, she found herself staring into concerned brown eyes. "Um... who are you? And what happened?" She asked the owner of the eyes. She blinked when the other stepped back. (This can't be right,) she thought. "Hamtaro?" she asked confused.

"Hi Laura!" her golden hamster said. "Please don't panic, but you got turned into a hamster by a cat! Isn't that funny?" He then proceeded to laugh nervously, a large sweat drop forming on the back of his head. Laura blinked twice at him, then promptly fainted again. -Kushi-Kushi- "That went well..." he murmured grooming himself. He looked out of the tunnel leading to the front yard of his home and sighed.

"And the brave hero came back from the eagle's lair with proof of his courage and married the princess," Maxwell finished.

"Isn't that so romantic," Bijou said dreamily.

"I like the part when he outsmarted the eagle," Dexter said to Boss.

(I don't believe that there are stories with the main characters being hamsters,) Travis thought. (Then again, here I am, a hamster myself. And changed by a magic cat no less!)

"So Avis, what was your favorite part?" Cappy asked.

Travis didn't responded at once, as he was still deep in thought. Shaking his head he responded, "I liked the fight with the evil knight."

"That was pretty good," Maxwell noted. Before anyone else could make a comment a soft knock was heard.

"I'll get it," Boss said getting up. -Daba-Daba- he opened the door and smiled. "Why hello! Glad to see that you could make it today. Come on in!" He stepped aside as two tiger striped hamsters walked in. One was a boy, and the other was a girl. The girl was holding a rhythm gymnastics ribbon, and the boy a pair of maracas

"Like, Hamha everyone!" The girl cheerfully greeted.

"Hamha ham-dudes and ham-dudettes," the boy said. "Stan is here."

"Chill bro," the girl said to her brother, "It's to early for that.

"Hey I haven't done anything yet," Stan replied.

"Hamha, Sandy," Maxwell said to the female of the pair.

"Hamha Stan," Cappy said. "We have a guest!"

"Is a beautiful ham-girl?" Stan asked shaking his maracas.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not a girl," Travis said looking around Bijou.

"Hamgoof," Stan murmured. Both the newcomers took a seat at the table. Sandy sat next to Maxwell, and Stan sat next to Boss. "So who are you?" Stan asked curiously.

"I'm Avis," Travis said nervously.

"Like, where are you from? Do you live around here?" Sandy asked the boy turned hamster. As Travis was about to try to form a response, the door was kicked open.

"Everyone, we have a crisis on our paws!" Hamtaro exclaimed from the door. He walked in carrying Laura piggyback style. The ham-girl was still out of it.

"Who's this? And what happened?" Boss asked concerned. The larger field hamster quickly relived an exhausted Hamtaro of his burden. The orange and white hamster gave him a small smile of thanks.

"Well, you won't believe this, but that's my human, Laura," Hamtaro said sitting wearily next to Sandy.

"WHAT!" Everyone exclaimed. Travis sat in complete shock. He stared as Boss placed Laura on a smile pile of straw in a coroner.

"You're right, that is unbelievable. Could you explain?" Bijou asked. Hamtaro nodded.

"I was on my way home when I saw this cat following Laura and Kana..." He started to narrate. Hamtaro was just entered Laura's room. Using some nearby furniture he managed to climb to a window overlooking the front yard. He noticed the Laura had stopped to watch Kana enter her house. He also noticed the cat sneaked up to her from around the hedges. -Heke- (What's he doing?) Hamtaro thought. He saw the strike, and saw a brilliant white light consume Laura from the feet up. When it faded only a pile of her clothing was left. Hamtaro quickly climbed down from the windowsill and squeezed behind the headboard of Laura's bed. Using his tunnel there, he made it to the roof of the house. Sliding down the waterspout he landed on the Haruna family dog, Brandy.

"Brandy, Laura's in trouble!" He exclaimed. The dog surprisingly woke up quickly, and Hamtaro jumped off of his head. "Could you distract a cat while I check on her?" he asked. Brandy nodded, and then ran off in the direction of the front yard. Hamtaro followed a bit slower. They were just in time to see and hear what the cat was about to do, and more importantly what he said. Hamtaro dashed toward Laura while Brandy started barking. Hamtaro managed to reach Laura and get her to safety as Brandy scared the cat away. He waited at the entrance of one of Boss's tunnels, and sure enough he spotted the cat across the street staring at the tunnel and both he and Laura were hiding in. Shaking his head, he decided to head to the clubhouse to find some help.

"And here I am," he finished. "So what do you think I should do?" As everyone was thinking, Travis ran out of the clubhouse at top speed.

-Badda-Badda- (This my chance! I've got to force that cat to change me back,) he thought. (Now which way?) -Hif-Hif- Using his new nose, he found the tunnel Hamtaro came from. He ran down it until he came to an opening. Just before he burst into the afternoon sunlight he skid to a halt. (What am I doing?) He thought. Instead of coming heedlessly into the open, he cautiously poked his head out and looked around. The cost seemed to be clear. He took a few steps out from shelter, still on guard. And it was good thing he was, as the cat pounced from the bushes behind him. He just managed to dart aside at the last moment. Travis dodged the cat by running toward Laura and Hamtaro's house. He squeezed into a small crack in the siding, just in the nick of time. The cat slid to a halt just before he ran into the wall. He waited, his tail twitching every so slightly. As he did, he heard Brandy running in his direction again.

"Rest guardian of your love ones and dream well, Swift slumber!" The cat softly intoned. The dog blinked twice, then promptly fell asleep mid- stride. "Now that he is out of the way, come out little interfering one. I will not hurt you." When Travis didn't answer, he continued speaking, "Perhaps you don't answer, because you don't know me. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Snuff, and you are?"

"Why should I answer that? I mean you cursed me for no reason? Plus you're trying to eat me," Travis answered.

"Well, I would and could do no such thing. You must have mistaken me from someone else," Snuff countered calmly.

"And that dog feel asleep for no reason by himself?" Travis asked.

"Perhaps," the grey and white tomcat answered. He looked into the hole Travis went into and was rewarded for his trouble with a small rock to his face. He jumped back with a yowl.

"Oh sure, you expect me to believe that?" Travis challenged. (Especially since I felt the weird warmth again when he did whatever,) The black hamster thought. Snuff calmly and silently waited. He figured since he couldn't reach Travis, he would just wait until the boy came out.

Back at the clubhouse Laura woke up. Shaking her head she looked around and quickly came to the conclusion she wasn't in her front yard anymore. She heard someone approaching her and turned to spot Bijou and Sandy walking over to her. (What's going on here?) She thought.

"Now stay calm, we need to explain what happened to you," Bijou said.

"You totally got turned into a hamster like us," Sandy said helping the other girl up. Laura silently looked around then down at her new body.

(I'm not dreaming. This is real, isn't it?) She thought. "Where am I then?" She asked.

"You are in the Ham-Ham clubhouse. Hamtaro brought you here," Bijou answered. "How do you feel?" She asked.

"How do I feel? How do I feel? I feel great considering the facts that my whole world has been altered, I am now a couple of centimeters tall, and I having a conversation with two hamsters," She answered giggling hysterically. Bijou and Sandy exchanged concerned glances as tears replaced Laura's laughter.

(Hamtaro, come back quickly,) Bijou thought. The Ham-Ham in question and his friends were headed in the same direction as Travis. They were hoping to help him.

-Badda-Badda- "Hey, Hamtaro! Are you sure you don't want to stay with your...um... human?" Boss asked.

"I would, but I need to now if I can get her changed back. Besides, I want to know why Avis ran off like that!" He answered back.

"That's a good question. Maybe he knows more than he told us," Maxwell said. "Maybe he knows a way to help."

"Are maybe he is involved with this whole situation. He could be working with that cat," Stan suggested.

"Why would he do a thing like that?" Dexter asked.

"Well, we'll find out, because we're here!" Cappy stated. Boss looked out first, since he didn't want the others needlessly exposed to danger. -Hif-Hif- He quickly found were Snuff was located. The cat hadn't moved since he cornered Travis. Boss motioned for the others to take a look. After a moments pause to assess the circumstances Dexter spoke up.

"Well, it seems safe to guess that he isn't working with the cat," the bi-spectacled hamster said.

"Yeah, but now what? The cat doesn't seem to know we're here, but we can't do anything to something that big!" Cappy exclaimed.

"I don't know if I have read anything that can help us," Maxwell said.

"Worry not because I have a plan! Cappy can I borrow you pan?" Hamtaro asked.

"Oh I see, you're going to use it like we did when we rescued Bijou that time!" Dexter exclaimed.

"You got it!" Hamtaro exclaimed.

"Brilliant, But the you will never make it back, he's a lot bigger than that other cat you out maneuvered Hamtaro. Plus you're still tired," Maxwell said.

"Then I'll go to distract him," Stan said. "After the best moves."

"That's very brave of you," Boss said.

"It's nothing Boss man. Just something I know I can do," The tiger striped hamster said coolly. (Besides, chicks dig the cool hero types,) he thought to himself.

"Well let me give you all some advice," Boss said. "After all if you have to do something like this, you have to do it right." The ham-hams huddled together as they planned their next move.

On the other side of the yard however, Travis was trying to find a way out. The crack he stuffed himself in didn't go very far, and he needed to think of something. He was getting hungry and he figured Snuff could wait him out. Just as he concluded he might not be able to get out, he heard someone yell.

"Oopaa!" He heard Stan yell. Snuff glanced over with one eye, and then focused his attention back onto the hole. Stan charged straight to the cat, skidding to a halt just a few behind him. "Hey over here! I bet you can't catch me, man!" He taunted. Snuff glanced at him, and noticed the tiger-striped hamster was giving him a raspberry and pulling down one eye. A small vein could be seen bulging on his forehead, but he didn't move. "I bet you're slow. Man, I bet a snail could out run you. I could get away from you by walking, backwards with my eyes closed," he provoked further. Snuff didn't seem to be affected, until one looked at his tail, which was waving in anger.

"Do not tempt me little morsel," The cat growled. "My patience has been tried enough today."

"Man, if you don't want to chase me, it's because you know you can't catch me," Stan said crossing his arms. Snuff hissed then he turned and bounded toward Stan. The hamster just barely reacted in time. He ran for his life as the cat was just behind him.

As soon as the cat started to chase him, Boss and Dexter dashed across the yard to the crack in the wall. "Hey all you alright?" Boss asked. Travis squeezed himself out. Shaking his head to clear it, he spoke.

"I'm fine. Thanks for the help," he said. By this time Stan had reached his target, Cappy's pan. The younger ham-Ham had moved it to the yard to give him a quick hidey-hole, before going back underground. He ducked under it as the cat pounced on it.

"Now little morsel, you're dinner," he said holding the pan in place. Before he could push it over, a voice called out from behind him.

"Hey cat! If you want me, you better come back over here!" Travis shouted. The cat didn't respond with words. Instead he ran toward the three hamsters, who made a break for the tunnel when they saw the danger. It seemed like he would cut them off, but they just pulled ahead and dove into the tunnel. The cat instead of stopping turned on a dime and charged the pan, which was slowly moving. It stopped before he reached it, but he didn't hesitate this time. He simply knocked it over, but there was nothing under it but another tunnel opening.

"This is most annoying," He muttered cleaning one paw. He then calmly left saying "I shall have to get him later." Down in the tunnels, Hamtaro and Maxwell helped Stan up from the ground. Maxwell put Boss's shovel down to do so. Since Hamtaro was tired from bring Laura to the clubhouse, he couldn't safely help Travis on the outside. So instead, he and Maxwell made a second opening in a tunnel roof with Boss's shovel, allowing Stan to get to safety. A short time later the Ham-hams returned to the clubhouse to find that Bijou and Sandy had helped Laura calm down. She was now sitting despondently at the table with her head in her paws.

"We're back!" Hamtaro said cheerfully. Travis walked in after him with his head bowed. He looked up just as Laura looked over, and the two human turned hamster's eyes meet.

"Travis?" she asked confused.

"Wha? How... I mean... I don't know who you're talking about," He said surprised she could recognize him.

"It is you, I recognize your voice," Laura said standing up. "What happened to you?"

"See, I told you dudes that he had something to do with this!" Stan said walking in with the rest.

"I can explain," He said as all eyes turned to him.