Flicker In My Life

By Fantasy Cat

Disc: I don't own them…or do I? Hmm…

Chapter Nine

Bijou led Oxnard and Hamtaro through the darkness of the underground. Hamtaro and Oxnard especially were shaking nervously as the tunnels got deeper and darker. Oxnard peed three times along the way (yes, he was THAT nervous). "Where in the world are you taking us?!" he screamed nervously.

"We are almoste vere," said Bijou holding the flashlight to see through the tunnels. Finally a little light was hanging on a wall. "Dis is ite," said Bijou and she shyly knocked on the door. "Pass word," said a gruff voice.

"'Muck hamsterrr," said Bijou. There was a lengthy pause and then the door crept open. As soon as all three entered there was a more massive silence than when Bijou was first brought in there. Every single hamster had their eyes on them. One of them even dropped their glass of nut beer. "House hamsters, again?" muttered one hamster quietly.

"I think I need to go potty again," Oxnard whispered to Hamtaro nervously.

"Bijou, you're back. And I see you have a few friends with you?" Myra approached them suspiciously.

"Myra, my friends and I arr looking fer Boss. Has he ben here?" asked Bijou.

"Well, I do believe he was here a couple of days ago saying goodbye to everyone. Said he was going on a very long trip. He didn't say much else but Pocko said he was talking to Chief most of the night."

"Who is this Chief?" asked Hamtaro.

Myra pointed to the gruffed big cream hamster at the bar having a drink. "He's right over there. I'd reckon he knew where Boss went off to, but I don't think he's in the mood for communicating with house hams."

Hamtaro was confused "house hams". "Oh I'm zorree," said Bijou. "Dis is a field ham's clubhouse. I should've told you."

"Well, we gotta try, guys. Boss could be needing right at this very moment." Hamtaro went up to the bar and sat on a stool next to Chief. Chief remained calm and quiet at the sight of Hamtaro. Then, Pocko who was drying some glasses stopped what he was doing and went up to Hamtaro. "What will it be house-ham?" he asked.

"Do you have any water?" asked Hamtaro.

"Water," muttered Pocko. "House hams are such cheapskates," muttered Pocko as he went to get his glass.

Hamtaro nervously looked at Chief how had now fallen asleep at the bar. Hamatro decided best to poke him. But Oxanrd and Bijou who were sitting next to them were getting scared. Chief let out a large grunt and a burp, then looked at Hamtaro. "guh?" muttered Chief.

"You're Boss's friend right?" asked Hamtaro

"Bleh," said Chief as he began to sit up. "I knew you wouldn't just waltz in here for a drink, being house hams you are. Oh, it's you Bijou. Boss has been talking to me about you. Now what do ya want and make it short."

"We're looking fer Boss," said Bijou. "Did he tell you vere he was going before he left here?"

"Well, if you know him that well. Boss wanted me to recommend for him a place to hide from the world and never be seen by ham eyes again. I told him that you might as well be a rat. That's when he asked me if there are such a thing as city hams." Chief began to guffaw. "City hams? That's crazy talk. You're talking about rats whose tails got cut off. Then he told me that he no longer wanted to see anything that reminded him of his life and how he wished he were someone else. Then I fell asleep drunk on my hide and he was gone."

"I guess will never find him," said Oxnard as he watches Chief fall asleep again.

"Wait a second," said Hamtaro. "So he mentioned something about the city. We have ourselves an angle. Let's get back to Maxwell. Hamtaro, Oxnard, and Bijou were making their way out when Bijou heard something she wished she hadn't heard. It was a gruff voice from the bar saying, "I told ya she would be too good for him. I tried to warn him too." Bijou turned around to see Chief fully awake and talking to Pocko.

All the hams returned to the clubhouse that evening. Maxwell mapped out parts of downtown. "This search could get more dangerous seeing that we may have to search alleyways. The rodents that reside in these downtown areas have been known to be twice as large as a well built ham-ham."

"Aiyee," said Oxnard.

"We're gonna have to stick together on this. Everyone go home and sleep on it. I want anyone who is still willing to go to report here first thing in the morning so we can get this over with." All the worried hams were dismissed from the clubhouse. Hamtaro and Bijou were sadly walking home together with Oxnard trailing behind. "It's my fault," said Bijou.

"you can't blame Boss for being so emotional about this," said Hamtaro. "You know what I think. I think if he really cares about you, and we all know he does, than he's sure to come back.

"Really," said Bijou.

"Yeah"

"Oh, Hamtaro you always know what to say." Bijou gives Hamtaro a peck on the cheek as they arrive in front of Bijou's. Hamatro's coat turned a nervous red.

Somewhere, Boss was looking out at a very beautiful sunset. Night came, and white was reflected in the water. White reminding him of Bijou.