Chapter 16: An Oddly Plain Morning

Author's Note: Thank you SO much for reviews and suggestions! I needed some, I seriously did! Just to know that writing a chapter isn't a waste of time is good enough for me to go on and write another.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro. It's obvious.

What's life without conflict? There's no such thing. Problems arise and it's your job to face them. Solutions come with time; or maybe no time at all. There are some conflicts however that are harder to face. These are life's little predicaments. Whether it's revolved around feelings or just a very uncomfortable situation these problems have to be over come. And they will...with time and new experiences.

Bijou closed her little journal that night, satisfied with her work. She had kept a journal for a very long time. It was a place to record what she was feeling; along with look back at her life. Life was such a precious thing; why not record it? Who knew...maybe someday she'd use her journal and write a long autobiography...

Surprisingly, that night she slept the best she had in months. With little thought or objection she slept soundly through the night soon to be greeted with the morning sun. It was a new day.

She looked over at her owner's bed and heaved a sigh. Gone already? Maria had to get up pretty early to go to high school...but the odd part was it was summer. Bijou was surprised her owner wasn't sleeping in. She shrugged it off, and hurried to the Clubhouse.

Maria had been forgetful and forgotten to leave Bijou breakfast again, which was no conflict for her whatsoever. The Clubhouse was stocked with food. She usually would get her breakfasts there.

She entered the Clubhouse with her intuition giving her a very odd feeling about the day. Something unexpected was going to happen. It was just a feeling; but it was the least bit trustworthy.

Unusually, the Clubhouse was more full then empty that morning. Usually it was just Bijou that early in the morning (it was around 8 or 9...) but instead there were a few others.

Pashmina was there, with a very stressed look on her face. She looked very worried and anxious about something; though the white hamster had no clue whatsoever to what it was.

Sandy was there as well, acting a bit morose and uncertain. She sat across the table from Pashmina, just playing around with her coffee mug handle.

And finally, Dexter was there polishing one of his many pairs of glasses. He looked a bit eager, but worried at the same time. Bijou predicted that this was because of Cappy's disappearance.

She sighed and took a seat. Perhaps she could lift the mood of the hamsters in the Clubhouse. There was nothing to worry about this morning anyway, so she thought. Hamtaro was off her mind for once; along with Cappy. She was too impressed with having her good night of sleep to be thinking about anything else then the cheerfulness of the morning sun. "Good morning everyone!" she happily said.

The three shot her awkward glances. "Err...good morning Bijou," Pashmina was the first to speak up.

"Yeah..." Sandy said, blinking twice. "Like good morning?" she said, surprised at the sudden cheerfulness in the white hamster.

"It's nice to see you bright and shining, Bijou," Dexter politely (and a bit enviously) commented.

"Thank you," Bijou said, flattered. She walked over to the food storage room and grabbed a couple of sunflower seeds and then went over and got herself a coffee. She sat back at the table, happily eating her breakfast.

The other three just watched silently. There was nothing really to talk about that morning. The day seemed plain...quite oddly.

"So," Pashmina said, blinking twice. "Has anyone seen Hamtaro lately?" she questioned. "He was at the Clubhouse yesterday and I was meaning to ask him something but I never got a chance to talk to him."

Bijou's eyes widen at the name. "He was?" she asked, looking up from her coffee and sunflower seeds. "I don't remember seeing him. No one was here when I came..." she fibbed, noting Sandy was here.

"Yeah, we were like all searching for Cappy yesterday." Sandy said. "You probably came a little late." She shrugged and looked away.

Looks like she still isn't on good terms with Maxwell, Bijou thought, seeing Sandy was not all that cheerful like she was. "So, did you find him?" she questioned.

"Nope," Pashmina answered. "Still no clues..." she looked down. "I'm starting to think it's a bit too late with him..."

All four Ham-Hams sighed.

"It's so quiet without Boss here..." Dexter said. "He'd always have this place full of chatter."

Bijou narrowed her eyes. She was never too big on Boss. And now, due to the prior events she had no trust in him whatsoever. Soon they'd be in trial though...which wasn't something she was looking forward to. Actually, she wasn't looking forward to it at all. More like dreading it...

Pashmina sighed and nodded. "And it's so quiet without Oxnard too...I feel like I've lost two of my best friends..."

Sandy nodded as well. "Like, nothing's the same anymore..."

All four could easily agree to that.

"Oui," Bijou answered, using her native language again, non-purposely. "Everything's changing."

"I wish things were like they were when we were little," Pashmina stated. "Don't you remember all the fun adventures we went on? You know, with Penelope, Panda, Oxnard...and just about everyone else..."

"What happened to us?" Dexter asked with a sigh.

"We grew up..." Sandy answered, narrowing her eyes.

"Time flies..." Dexter admitted, heaving a sigh.

"So, do you think anyone else is coming today?" Bijou asked, trying to stick to a regular American accent once again.

"Maybe..." Pashmina answered.

"My brother said he's coming later," Sandy added.

"What about Maxwell?" Bijou couldn't help but try to get into how Sandy's relationship with him was going; curiosity killed the cat they say.

But satisfaction brought him back.

Bijou eagerly waited for an answer. The orange "tiger striped" hamster shot Bijou an annoyed yet innocent look.

"I don't know and I like don't care if he's coming," she said, turning away.

Dexter looked a bit shocked at Sandy's reply. "What do you mean?" he asked. "You and Maxwell are hardly ever apart."

Sandy couldn't help but laugh. "Are you like serious? I've barely been with him at all this month..."

You were sure cozy with him yesterday, Bijou thought.

Pashmina's eyes widen. "But isn't the wedding in October?" she questioned.

Sandy sighed. "I don't know if there even is going to be a wedding." She was willing to talk about this problem with her friends. Pashmina and Bijou were her two best friends, and Dexter was pretty close.

The two looked shock. "There isn't!?" both Dexter and Pashmina exclaimed.

Bijou tried her best to act surprised. "What happened?" she asked, with her eyes widen.

"Well, I don't know," Sandy said. "I don't really know if I'm like ready to make a huge commitment like that to Maxwell...he's sort of weird...and untrustworthy."

"What are you talking about!?" Dexter asked "You two love each other!"

Sandy frowned. "I know, but I like don't know if I love him enough to do that. I need to be serious, Dexter. This is like the rest of my life we're talking about!"

"Still..." Pashmina's eyes widen. "You two were so eager about it a couple of months ago..."

"I didn't realize what I was like doing a couple of months ago," Sandy said, heaving a sigh. "You two have no idea what it's like. Pashmina, you've like never been on a date, and Bijou...you haven't even been in a long term relationship before. And Dexter...you're about the closest to knowing what I'm going through..."

Dexter looked embarrassed. "So I am..." he said, looking away.

Bijou and Pashmina couldn't help laughing.

Sandy shot them an annoyed glance. "This is serious, you two. Dexter almost got married!"

"Thank god he didn't," Pashmina muttered.

Dexter looked down once again, blushing terribly. He felt so foolish. How could he have ever done such a thing? It was so disgusting...and wrong.

Sandy sighed. "Whatever. But still...marriage is big! Next is having a kid, and things don't get much bigger than that!"

Bijou and Pashmina nodded in agreement.

"Well, it would break Maxwell's heart if you didn't tie the knot," Dexter stated. "You two have been dating for over 2 years..."

"More than that," Sandy said. "I lost track after two years and 37 days!"

"You were counting!?" Pashmina exclaimed.

"What girl wouldn't?" Sandy questioned.

"Err..." Pashmina hesitated. She had no experience whatsoever in the dating field.

Bijou frowned. "I sort of counted the days I dated Hamtaro..." she said.

"Are you suppose to?" Pashmina asked.

"I doubt so, Pashmina..." Dexter replied. "It's not required."

Pashmina let out a sigh of relief. "Good..."

"So err..." Sandy hesitated. "Who's up for a nice long game of..." she paused once again.

"Why don't we play croquet?" Bijou suggested.

The other three nodded in agreement as the white hamster went outside to set the croquet game up.

Final Notes: Long, not so depressing chapter. I thought the chapter was pretty good...a lot better than my last one. Well, please review anyways. And thank you so much Aaron and all you other reviewers! I really appreciate your reviews! Sorry for the spelling or grammer mistakes! Again, I read this over once, not twice...and still, you can't catch all the mistakes sometimes...