*Disclaimer* I do not own Hamtaro, if I did I could assure you this series pretty much would have come before the normal one!

The sky had darkened as the sun descended over the horizon, as the train moved further out of Paris and further through the country France. Of course the next destination is still some time away for it would get much colder…

Cloud Chronicles Part III: My Mission: See the World or Her?

Cloud casually turned the pages of the atlas, as he laid on his side. He had read an eighth of the pages just by skimming the pictures with one paw. He was tired, but couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Cloud: (yawn) "It's so quiet here…" He gazed out the slit of an opening in the boxcar, good enough for him to see the outside of it. He could see the empty dark sky; no stars were shinning yet.

Just earlier that day he had rushed to be with the girl of his dreams, just to have that dream shattered as he couldn't reach her in time from her departure.

Cloud: (sigh) "If I was only faster…only faster…" The tired hamster let out a yawn as he dropped the book in his paws and slowly closed his eyelids as he drifted off to sleep, his mind still heavy, filled with the aftermath to this day.

Meanwhile back in England…

"It's been a few days since he left…" The monarch said as she stood by the ledge of the balcony, it seemed very quiet at the castle.

Garret: "Are you alright Amber?" The worried knight said as he touched her shoulder gently with his paw.

Princess Amber: "Yes Garret…I'm all right…" (sigh) She gazed further out at the sunset, the sun was setting and the night was coming upon them, they could see the first stars of the evening. Princess Amber looked closer at one of the clouds that were still visible that evening, and it greatly resembled Cloud. (She says to herself) "I wish I didn't let him go…"

Garret: "Hmm?" He asked, beginning to understand what she said. "Oh I see that explains it, you miss Cloud…"

Princess Amber: *Turns and looks at him* "I guess you are right…perhaps I shouldn't have granted his request…"

Garret: "It's ok…he was going to leave sooner or later…besides it was your obligation to do so, as it's customary when someone saves the kingdom from disaster…"

Princess Amber: "Perhaps you are right…but still…did he have to leave now?"

Garret: "He will be fine, and you said he can come back anytime if he runs into trouble, right?"

Princess Amber: "Right…wait a second? Were you ease dropping on our conversation?!"

Garret: *his face goes flush* "Ah…um…well…perhaps a little…" *turns away from her, hiding his embarrassment*

Princess Amber: (sigh) "It's ok…I knew you didn't mean to…I just hope he will be alright…it's just on nights like this…I seem to think of him the most…"

Of course it is here where she stands and gazes she got to know Cloud better, for if not for his curiosity, and Barret's for that matter, they wouldn't be as good as friends, or perhaps even more…

"You know we shouldn't be this close to Amber, Barret…"

"She won't notice us, just chill…"

"Why am I doing this again?"

Barret: "Like you don't want a closer look at her…"

Cloud: "Maybe, but I respect her privacy…"

Barret: "Just look at her…she's beautiful…"

Cloud: "How can you see? That wall blocks anyone from getting in, let alone looking in the inner courtyard!"

Barret: "Here, get on my back, you should get enough boost to see her" He lowers himself so Cloud can climb up his back.

Cloud: Climbs up Barret's back. "Fine…"

Barret: "Hey! Watch the armor! Just had it polished!" Cloud steps on his face. "Hey!"

Cloud: puts his paw to Barret's mouth. "Be quiet she'll hear you!"

Barret stands up; Cloud nearly loses his balance on Barret "Hey! Be careful!"

Cloud: "Hey!! Easy!! I am going to lose my balance!!" He can feel Barret teetering below him, but is able to get a glimpse of the princess, her hair flowing in the gentle breeze as she gazed out into the night sky, it seemed to rival her beauty. "She is beautiful…" He smiled greatly as he looked more, blushing the more he looked at her.

Barret: "Uh oh" Barret fell back wards.

Cloud: Was brought back to reality as he felt the loss of ground beneath him as Barret fell over. "Ugh" Cloud said as he grabbed the ledge of the wall and then fell over the other side with a loud thud.

Princess Amber: "What was that?" *She carefully went to the sound to see a dazed knight in a bush by the wall. (shocked) "What are you doing here?"

Cloud: *regains his senses* "Ugh…I…I…" *he stutters as he looks into the princess's eyes*

Princess Amber: "Oh it's you…" She blushes as she helps Cloud up "How are you doing?"

Cloud: *looks that they are still holding paws and blushes also* "Just nearby and I was…"

Princess Amber: "Checking on me…"

Cloud: "Right…wait…"

Princess Amber: "It's ok…I don't mind…I do get lonely just by myself here in the courtyard…care to talk for awhile?"

Cloud: "Sure!!!"

Barret: Listens as it seems the princess and Cloud carry out a discussion on a few things, sighs and decides to leave the two in private, since he couldn't get over the wall alone. "See you later Cloud…" The field hamster smiled as he went further back to his post, he knew the princess would be safe with Cloud right there with her.

Days pass and practically every night after Garret went to resume his post inside the castle, Barret would help Cloud into the courtyard once more, so he could talk to Amber. She always waited anxiously to talk to him, with great smile on her face, which caused Cloud to blush when he looked upon it.

Princess Amber: (sighs) "Another lonely night…" She looks across the courtyard at the vacant scenery, no Cloud yet and it was getting later. "I wish he would join me…" She sat on a reclining sofa and sighed again, but then she heard the usual thud by the courtyard wall and as normal a dazed knight was lying on the ground.

Cloud: *rubs his back* "I think Barret needs to check his aim…" He stands up and looks into Amber's eyes and blushes.

Princess Amber: does the same looking into his. "You're late…" She blushed while saying.

Cloud: "I guess I am…sorry…Barret had a card game going and we couldn't get away till we lost our share of sunflower seeds."

Princess Amber: Giggled at Cloud's joke and situation which he chuckled a bit too as they sat down together on the sofa and gazed at the stars together. "So Cloud…do you like being a knight?"

Cloud: looks into her loving eyes and smiles. "You know I do Amber…I get to be this close to you…" Blushing after he said it, not realizing he said the last part aloud and saw her blush greatly from his words.

Princess Amber: "R-Really?" She replied nervously as she moved closer to him.

Cloud: "You know I do…" Calmly he replied gazing into her eyes before they resumed their stargazing.

Princess Amber: "So Cloud…do you want to stay at the castle? Or do you like to travel and see what's out there?"

Cloud: shocked at the sudden change in topic and more so she knew what he only discussed with Barret. "H-how did you know?"

Princess Amber: "Cloud…you are like your father in many ways, always going around the castle carefree, and dream of life outside its walls…"

Cloud: "That's not bad is it?"

Princess Amber: "Most certainly not…for you also care about others, everyone here, and I can see…mostly me…" She blushed more than she thought possible after saying it.

Cloud: blushed just as much. "Y-yes I do…and I know you feel the same…" He moved closer to her and his paw and touched hers by accident and they gazed into each other's eyes once more. "You look beautiful in the moonlight…"

Princess Amber: "Thank-q…" She held his paw more as they got closer. Their lips neared in a kiss, but she quickly pulled away. "Cloud it's too soon for me to do that…I'm sorry…"

Cloud: A bit hurt by the gesture, he backed away. "Ok…"

Princess Amber: saw him beginning to move away from her, and brought him closer again and snuggled against him. "I may not be ready to kiss you…but I still want to be near you…" She began to snuggle her head against his chest plate of his armor, making him blush.

Cloud: "I want to be near you too…" He moved closer and held her closer and cuddled and snuggled with her, both of them were blushing and smiling as they gazed into the stars once more, content in being together…

Princess Amber: gazes out into the stars alone that night, remembering that night very well, since that was the closest she got to him as she was comforted by Garret. "On nights like this I miss him the most…" She sighed and it appeared a tear ran down her cheek.

Garret: Gently brushes it away with his paw. "Hey it's ok…he may be gone from here, but your memories together will live on, and I know he wouldn't want you sad right now…he may come back soon and tell us what he has done around the world so do not worry about him…ok? Besides…" Garret took her into his arms. "I am here for you aren't I?

Princess Amber: Couldn't help but smile into her love's eyes and soon she felt much better as she rested her head against Garret's chest. "Thank-q…I love you Garret…"

Garret: Rests his head on hers, his ear touching her golden locks. "I love you too Amber…"

A noise in the boxcar wakes the sleeping ham knight as he moves to see what it was.

Cloud: "Ugh…what was that?!" He gets up and checks as he can see a few snowflakes come into the boxcar. One slowly and softly touches his moist nose; he twitches in the discomfort, until it dissolves. "Snow?! Where am I?"

He takes a closer look and it seemed he was finally out of France as the warmth was gone and the cold weather set in quickly. The area around the train was blanketed in snow and ice with much stormier weather with snow falling, as it appeared he was now in….

"Switzerland?!" Exclaimed the now much colder hamster as he used his cloak to keep warm.

The snow was falling heavily now as he continued to survey his surroundings that was all a snowy wonderland and wasteland rolled into one.

"Better check the atlas to make sure…" Cloud says to himself as the pages are turned by the strong winds and it flips to the page with the map of Europe on it. Navigating it slow and steadily with his nimble paw he spots his destination. "There it is!" He points out, some distance from France, but close to the next stop on his travels…Italy.

"This place is shaped like a boot…" He said while staring at the image in the book.

Just then the train came to a halt. A few muffled human voices spoke from the locomotive of the train.

"Looks like a hazard up ahead, too much ice on the tracks…"

"Are you sure we can't go through? What if we wait the storm out?"

"It might get better or worse, depending on what happens…"

"I see…the best decision for this cargo train…" The engineer ponders this, with the tracks too slick to continue, braving the storm may not be the best solution to get the cargo to its destination. "We will wait out the storm…it's no use to move ahead until morning, when the tracks will be easier to see and the tracks can be easier to maneuver."

"Ok…" replied the second engineer. "I guess we wait out the storm…"

Hearing the words of the engineers, Cloud pondered the possibilities, he needed to see Bijou, get to her as fast as possible, yet he had to wait out the storm. If he waited out the storm, how long would it take to reach her? He didn't want to reach her when she was old age…Being the impatient and not the brightest which comes with youth, he chose what any young male in his decision would do.

"Well…I can't wait around forever! Looks like I need to brave the storm!" He said as he moved closer to the foreboding winds that chilled his fur to the bone. "Wow, that storm isn't going to let up…maybe it isn't a good idea to do so…"

Deciding to not look back on his decision as the chilled winds blew on his whiskers sharply like a nice blade unsheathed, he jumps out of the train into the wide-open tundra.

****My mind…the cold weather…so cold…feels like my insides are warmer than the outside…especially my heart…how can I lose her? Father…I wanted to travel like you have done in the past…I still remember the stories you told me that I grew up to that mother passed onto me, telling me every night…

"Mother…" the young hamster responded as he was settled down for the night as he finished his precarious day of fun with his friends. "Where did father travel to?"

"Why…your father traveled many places young one…" The distinguished female sweetly replied. Even though she was getting quite old now, she still had her youthful looks, long pristine ham hair tied with a aquamarine ribbon, and aquamarine dress, made with the finest fibers of silk in all of Japan, a gift from her long departed husband from his travels there. Since the family was one that stayed close to the castle, as the titles of the family are linked to the royal bloodline of knights.

"I know…but why did he?" Asked the youngster, his blonde ham hair getting in his eyes, as he sat up in the bed, looking at the cloak his mother was holding tightly in her hands.

"For many reasons…adventure…happiness…excitement…as well as love…" The elder hamster recalling how she met the debonair knight that she soon wed and returned to England with. Moving closer to her son, still clenching the cloak tightly. "He did it because he wished to…he didn't really need a reason just as no one really does to do anything…they just do what is in their heart…" She brings the young hamster into her arms. Then she brushes the hair from his eyes and smiles softly, and gives him a small schmubby-wubby. "Try to remember that my son…always follow your heart, that is your guide no matter what happens…" A tear streaks down her cheek slowly as she continues to reminisce on her late husband.

****"Mother…I saw those tears of sorrow that I felt in my heart of you being alone…you raised me well…I will not dishonor either of you…I will follow my heart…"

Touching his heart to feel its warmth as the cold wind continues its attempts to ensnare him with its icy grasp. The more he remembers her kind and endearing words makes his journey a bit easier as even against the icy winds he is able to crack a smile, his body feeling much more warmth than he had previously. The warmth of his heart traveling to his cold extremities, his paws, his arms, his feet, his legs and his face and nose. He continues walking, the winds strengthening, even for kind words he had to seek shelter soon as they can hold only a temporary solution to his current plight.

"I have been walking, following the tracks to the next town, which shouldn't be too far from here…but so…cold…" He puffed, his voice beginning to freeze as the steam from his face was showing more fog than before. Frost had been forming on his whiskers, now using his cloak the best he can as he continued his journey through the harsh environment. "This isn't good…it's getting worse…maybe it wasn't smart to leave the train…"

Just then some winds caressed his body; the warmth from them strangely felt familiar to him. The winds encircled him, forcing his view to focus on a spot before him; two ice patches in the distant horizon appeared to look like ribbons as some snow drifted up this wind current, shaping a hamster-like figurine. Slowly Cloud adjusted his vision at the apparition. First using his paws to dry his eyes and adjust them, still no difference as he blinked the snow away and focused. He looked deeper at the features before him. "Bijou?" He muttered from cold lips.

Stay tuned to Part IV: Ice to Be Journeying With You