Chapter Six: The Year-Round Café
The next day, Boss decided that, first, he had to confess his love for Bijou. He couldn't die in silence.
Just as he was about to leave the room, Maxwell barged in and yelled a happy, "Let's go explore California!"
Sandy was thrilled. "Like, I'd love to, Maxy! But, why are we doing this?"
Maxwell smiled proudly. "If any of us gets lost during our adventures here, we'll know where everything is!"
"That sounds really cool," Stan said. "Just think of the endless Californian babes. Tanned, blue-eyed cuties."
Sandy didn't even bother.
"But we'll have to go in pairs," Maxwell said. "It'll be easier that way. I'll pull names out of a hat."
Maxwell took a hat from behind his back and pulled out two pieces of paper. "Our first lucky pairing is. Dexter and Howdy!"
Dexter and Howdy fell over Anime-style.
"Next. Sandy. and. me!" Maxwell said happily. Sandy giggled.
"Panda and Pashmina!"
Panda blushed and rubbed his back, Anime style, while Pashmina looked soberly at Penelope.
"Penelope and Cappy!"
Pashmina smiled as she saw Penelope hug her special friend.
"Stan and Oxnard!"
Stan fell over Anime-style. "I wish Bijou was my partner. Such a hottie." Stan said angrily.
"And Boss and Bijou!"
Boss smiled. Bijou sniffed sadly. "Doesn't Hamtaro have a partner?" she sobbed.
"Yes, there is one last name in here," Maxwell said. He pulled it out. "It is Hamtaro. I guess he can be with you guys."
Bijou squealed with delight.
"No! I'm scared. Let Hamtaro be with me!" Oxnard cried. Hamtaro smiled.
"Well, alrighty then," Maxwell said. "Now that everyone has a partner, let's get to the exploring!"
With that, everyone left the condo.
"So, Bijou," Boss said, clearly trying to stuff his insanely wide smile back into his face, "where should we go first?"
Bijou walked in silence. After a few moments, she said, "Well, it's up to you, I guess. It's not like I care or anyzing."
"Hey! Look over there!" Boss yelled, pointing to a hole in the ground. "Do you want to go inside?"
"Sure, sure," Bijou said. "But it's so dark and muddy down there! I don't want to go, Boss."
"It'll be okay. I promise." Boss smiled.
There jolted down the hole in the sand. Just like Bijou predicted, it was damp, messy, and cold.
They walked for ages. When what seemed forever passed, they found a doorway. They opened the door. The room inside it was confusing! Boss and Bijou gasped.
Standing before them was a room split into three sections. The one on the left was made completely of ice, while the one on the right was made of rock with flames jutting out of the wall. The section in the middle was normal.
A hamster in the middle section squealed. The hamster had pink fur with sparkling green eyes. A light blue bow rested upon her head with a well- groomed ponytail in it. "Hamha!" she laughed. "I see you've stumbled upon the Year-Round Café!"
Bijou looked confused. "Yes, we sure did," she said.
"What is this place?" Boss asked.
The hamster squealed again. "This is a place where Ham-Hams can relax any time of year! We have food for every kind of weather, any time of year and tables to match." A grin spread across her face. "We even have an inn upstairs after a rough day. And we have spas, exersize rooms, and an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, too!"
"Sounds like luxury," Bijou said.
"Sure does!" Boss laughed.
"My name is Jenni, and I guess I'll be your waitress for today. May I get you a table?" the Ham said.
"Sure! Where would you like your table, Bijou?" Boss asked kindly.
"Hmmm. Since it's so warm in California, I guess we'll take the cold section," Bijou said to Jenni.
"Right this way!" Jenni squealed.
What a hyperactive hamster, Bijou thought.
Bijou and Boss sat down at the table made of ice. "May I take your order?" Jenni asked.
"Well, I'll have a sunflower pie and a berry slushie," Boss said. "What would you like, Bijou? It's on me."
"How very kind of you!" Bijou said, being the kind person she was. "I guess I'll have a watermelon smoothie and sunflower pudding."
"Will that be all?" Jenni asked.
"Wait," Boss said. "What's your favorite flavor smoothie, Bijou?" he asked.
"Strawberry," Bijou replied, "but I'm on a diet. Citrus foods make me so heavy and fat."
"Well then, we'll have a strawberry smoothie!" Boss said. "Bijou, you never looked fat ever before. And you can relax for a day, right?" he said to Bijou.
Bijou sweatdropped. "Okay, I guess."
"I'll get your things, pronto," Jenni said.
Boss wanted to converse with Bijou. This could be my chance, he thought. She might actually like me!
"So. Um. How's life treating you?" Boss said.
"Um. Hi Boss. Um. It's going very great. I guess." Bijou said awkwardly.
"Okay, so um. Do you like that one TV show, Survivor?" Boss asked, desperate for a topic. He had always liked that show on Ham TV.
Bijou was startled. "I love it! Have you seen ze one where Britney and George had to stay on zat ice-capped mountain for a week?" she said quickly.
"Yeah. I saw that one!" Boss replied happily. "Too bad Britney couldn't take it. She quit before two days had passed."
"Yes, Britney was a very sweet Ham. I wonder why she quit? Even I could've stayed up zere for more than two days!" Bijou squealed.
Soon Bijou and Boss were talking up a storm.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, honeys," Jenni said, bringing their orders.
"Mmm. zese sunflower pudding is absolutely delicious! It's sweet and sour and salty at the same time!" Bijou squeaked. Her pudding was indeed delicious. It was vanilla pudding with extra-salt sunflower seeds. There was also lime juice in it.
"Ha! Glad you like it, Bijou," Boss said. "And this sunflower pie is good, too." It was a crispy bread roll filled with berries, but mostly sunflower seeds and sunflower petals.
Boss sniffed. He remembered something horrible. "Um, Bijou, can I talk to you?" he asked nervously.
"Sure Boss! Anyzing!" Bijou said delightedly.
"Um. Bijou," Boss began, "it's about Hamtaro. When I saved your life, twice, I might add, you cried for him and didn't even thank me. Now tell me the truth. What do you really think of Hamtaro?"
Boss watched as Bijou's eyes filled to the brim with tears. "Boss! Oh, Boss," she said through rivers of tears. "I love you as a friend! I really do. But Hamtaro. I love him as more zan a friend. He doesn't know it, but I do. I love him like zat. And. I'm sorry, Boss. But I can't change who I love."
Boss looked Bijou in the eyes. He looked into her wet, sorrowful eyes. And he ran. He left the money on the table and ran. Ran away from Bijou, ran away from his life. He ran.
He kept running until he saw a dark, looming figure from above.
"Hello, little hamster. I am hungry. But soon that won't be."
The next day, Boss decided that, first, he had to confess his love for Bijou. He couldn't die in silence.
Just as he was about to leave the room, Maxwell barged in and yelled a happy, "Let's go explore California!"
Sandy was thrilled. "Like, I'd love to, Maxy! But, why are we doing this?"
Maxwell smiled proudly. "If any of us gets lost during our adventures here, we'll know where everything is!"
"That sounds really cool," Stan said. "Just think of the endless Californian babes. Tanned, blue-eyed cuties."
Sandy didn't even bother.
"But we'll have to go in pairs," Maxwell said. "It'll be easier that way. I'll pull names out of a hat."
Maxwell took a hat from behind his back and pulled out two pieces of paper. "Our first lucky pairing is. Dexter and Howdy!"
Dexter and Howdy fell over Anime-style.
"Next. Sandy. and. me!" Maxwell said happily. Sandy giggled.
"Panda and Pashmina!"
Panda blushed and rubbed his back, Anime style, while Pashmina looked soberly at Penelope.
"Penelope and Cappy!"
Pashmina smiled as she saw Penelope hug her special friend.
"Stan and Oxnard!"
Stan fell over Anime-style. "I wish Bijou was my partner. Such a hottie." Stan said angrily.
"And Boss and Bijou!"
Boss smiled. Bijou sniffed sadly. "Doesn't Hamtaro have a partner?" she sobbed.
"Yes, there is one last name in here," Maxwell said. He pulled it out. "It is Hamtaro. I guess he can be with you guys."
Bijou squealed with delight.
"No! I'm scared. Let Hamtaro be with me!" Oxnard cried. Hamtaro smiled.
"Well, alrighty then," Maxwell said. "Now that everyone has a partner, let's get to the exploring!"
With that, everyone left the condo.
"So, Bijou," Boss said, clearly trying to stuff his insanely wide smile back into his face, "where should we go first?"
Bijou walked in silence. After a few moments, she said, "Well, it's up to you, I guess. It's not like I care or anyzing."
"Hey! Look over there!" Boss yelled, pointing to a hole in the ground. "Do you want to go inside?"
"Sure, sure," Bijou said. "But it's so dark and muddy down there! I don't want to go, Boss."
"It'll be okay. I promise." Boss smiled.
There jolted down the hole in the sand. Just like Bijou predicted, it was damp, messy, and cold.
They walked for ages. When what seemed forever passed, they found a doorway. They opened the door. The room inside it was confusing! Boss and Bijou gasped.
Standing before them was a room split into three sections. The one on the left was made completely of ice, while the one on the right was made of rock with flames jutting out of the wall. The section in the middle was normal.
A hamster in the middle section squealed. The hamster had pink fur with sparkling green eyes. A light blue bow rested upon her head with a well- groomed ponytail in it. "Hamha!" she laughed. "I see you've stumbled upon the Year-Round Café!"
Bijou looked confused. "Yes, we sure did," she said.
"What is this place?" Boss asked.
The hamster squealed again. "This is a place where Ham-Hams can relax any time of year! We have food for every kind of weather, any time of year and tables to match." A grin spread across her face. "We even have an inn upstairs after a rough day. And we have spas, exersize rooms, and an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, too!"
"Sounds like luxury," Bijou said.
"Sure does!" Boss laughed.
"My name is Jenni, and I guess I'll be your waitress for today. May I get you a table?" the Ham said.
"Sure! Where would you like your table, Bijou?" Boss asked kindly.
"Hmmm. Since it's so warm in California, I guess we'll take the cold section," Bijou said to Jenni.
"Right this way!" Jenni squealed.
What a hyperactive hamster, Bijou thought.
Bijou and Boss sat down at the table made of ice. "May I take your order?" Jenni asked.
"Well, I'll have a sunflower pie and a berry slushie," Boss said. "What would you like, Bijou? It's on me."
"How very kind of you!" Bijou said, being the kind person she was. "I guess I'll have a watermelon smoothie and sunflower pudding."
"Will that be all?" Jenni asked.
"Wait," Boss said. "What's your favorite flavor smoothie, Bijou?" he asked.
"Strawberry," Bijou replied, "but I'm on a diet. Citrus foods make me so heavy and fat."
"Well then, we'll have a strawberry smoothie!" Boss said. "Bijou, you never looked fat ever before. And you can relax for a day, right?" he said to Bijou.
Bijou sweatdropped. "Okay, I guess."
"I'll get your things, pronto," Jenni said.
Boss wanted to converse with Bijou. This could be my chance, he thought. She might actually like me!
"So. Um. How's life treating you?" Boss said.
"Um. Hi Boss. Um. It's going very great. I guess." Bijou said awkwardly.
"Okay, so um. Do you like that one TV show, Survivor?" Boss asked, desperate for a topic. He had always liked that show on Ham TV.
Bijou was startled. "I love it! Have you seen ze one where Britney and George had to stay on zat ice-capped mountain for a week?" she said quickly.
"Yeah. I saw that one!" Boss replied happily. "Too bad Britney couldn't take it. She quit before two days had passed."
"Yes, Britney was a very sweet Ham. I wonder why she quit? Even I could've stayed up zere for more than two days!" Bijou squealed.
Soon Bijou and Boss were talking up a storm.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, honeys," Jenni said, bringing their orders.
"Mmm. zese sunflower pudding is absolutely delicious! It's sweet and sour and salty at the same time!" Bijou squeaked. Her pudding was indeed delicious. It was vanilla pudding with extra-salt sunflower seeds. There was also lime juice in it.
"Ha! Glad you like it, Bijou," Boss said. "And this sunflower pie is good, too." It was a crispy bread roll filled with berries, but mostly sunflower seeds and sunflower petals.
Boss sniffed. He remembered something horrible. "Um, Bijou, can I talk to you?" he asked nervously.
"Sure Boss! Anyzing!" Bijou said delightedly.
"Um. Bijou," Boss began, "it's about Hamtaro. When I saved your life, twice, I might add, you cried for him and didn't even thank me. Now tell me the truth. What do you really think of Hamtaro?"
Boss watched as Bijou's eyes filled to the brim with tears. "Boss! Oh, Boss," she said through rivers of tears. "I love you as a friend! I really do. But Hamtaro. I love him as more zan a friend. He doesn't know it, but I do. I love him like zat. And. I'm sorry, Boss. But I can't change who I love."
Boss looked Bijou in the eyes. He looked into her wet, sorrowful eyes. And he ran. He left the money on the table and ran. Ran away from Bijou, ran away from his life. He ran.
He kept running until he saw a dark, looming figure from above.
"Hello, little hamster. I am hungry. But soon that won't be."