Hamtaro, Bijou, and Oxnard walked along by the lakeside in the mid morning sunlight. Hamtaro and Bijou walked along hand in hand, smiling and chatting to each other. Oxnard had a glazed look in his eyes and a smile on his face, still overjoyed that Pepper was to be in town the following day. All three were in fact so wrapped up in their own little worlds, that Oxnard managed to trip over Snoozer, who'd been placed underneath a tree to keep him out of the sun. As always, he was fast asleep.
"Watch yerself there, ham!" called out Howdy, as Oxnard picked himself up, and the three sat down. Bijou sat her basket on the large blanket that had been spread on the ground. There was an impressive amount off food, and Hamtaro noticed Oxnard eyeing it up hungrily. Howdy looked back at Snoozer and continued. "I tell ya, if there was a contest for loudest snore, he'd win it hands down. Heck, I bet he'd beat an elephant! There I was thinking' that maybe he got a bit livelier at night, you know, one o' them nacho-turner thingies…" There was a few giggles from the other hams.
"You mean nocturnal." Maxwell corrected him.
"Yea, that's the one. But no, he don't get livelier, he just goes an' get LOUDER at night." Howdy rubbed his eyes, clearly suffering from lack of sleep. "Tonight, we're sticking him round Dexter's place." Dexter, who'd clearly been enjoying seeing Howdy rather annoyed, jumped up.
"I'll have you know there's no room for him over at my house. And furthermore, you know full well your place is closer. It's less distance someone needs to carry him," He nodded his head in a way that indicated he felt he'd won. "You'll just have to put up with it until Boss calms down."
"I will not! We live next door, ya crazy Ham!" Retorted Howdy. "And heck, waiting for Boss to cool down's like waiting for a train! Always takes far too long, and you're never even sure if it's comin' at all! 'Sides, not my fault you don't have the strength to get him over to your place."
"Hmph, one of us was blessed with brains rather than brute strength."
"Oh yea, shame you don't make use of them much then, ain't it?" And, once again, the pair launched into a full blown argument.
"Oh dear." Said Pashmina. "Not again." She watched as Howdy made a 'Four-Eyes' joke. Hamtaro leaned towards her.
"So do you know what you're going to do yet?" He asked. "They'll keep this up until you ask one of them out to the Ball. I mean, they've fought before, but this is getting out of hand." Dexter's 'cheapskate' insult had clearly not gone down well, and Howdy was now chasing him round a tree, waving a stick over his head like some sort of club. Sandy shook her head.
"Part of this is my brother's fault too." She said. "I'm really sorry, Pashmina, I tried to talk to him, but he totally ignored me. By the sounds of it he's got something planned too." She looked around. "Guess that's why he's not here yet." She added.
"Well at this rate neither of them is going with me to the dance." Said Pashmina angrily. Bijou's face lit up a moment later.
"I think I have had an idea, Pashmina." She said, and leaned forward, whispering something in Pashmina's ear. "What do you think?" She asked.
"I think that's a great idea, Bijou!" She said, happily. Hamtaro smiled.
"She's full of good ideas!" He said. Bijou's cheeks turned a slight shade of crimson, and she smiled shyly. Pashmina started to stand up, but suddenly Stan shot through on his skateboard.
"Sorry I'm a little late, guys." He said. "Had to get a few things set up." He reached out and grabbed Howdy as he ran round the tree. Dexter skidded to a halt and turned round. "So how about it, you two ready for this contest then?"
"Stan…" Began Sandy. He ignored her.
"Heh, you'll never get Mr. Brains over there to take part in a contest!" Laughed Howdy, pointing at Dexter. "He'd be scared o losin' to me. But heck, if we wants to prove I'm the better Ham, then let's go!"
"Oh that is it!" Shouted Dexter. "I'm going to beat you here and now, Howdy. What have you got in mind, Stan?" He asked.
"Excuse me…" Pashmina tried to get in a word, but Stan cut her off.
"I've got a challenge to test both of you right over here!" He said.
"Well I can beat that sissy any day o' the week!" Chuckled Howdy. Stan grinned evilly.
"Ah, but you don't know what I've got planned yet." He asked. Howdy looked unsure.
"Well, I guess not…" He began.
"Hah!" Laughed Dexter, "Trying to chicken out before we've even started. How pathetic." Howdy's faced changed to one of determination.
"That's it, I will not be insulted by the likes of you!" He shouted. "Let's get on with it!" Pashmina looked more annoyed.
"You'll both do no such thing!" she shouted. "I've had enough of this, so I've reached a decision." Both Howdy and Dexter stopped fighting and looked at her. She continued. "I won't take either of you to the Ball." She finished, firmly. Both hams fell over, bitterly disappointed. "However," She added, "I will let each of you have one dance with me." She smiled at Bijou. "Thanks." she whispered to her.
"No problem." Bijou whispered back. Now Sandy stood up, and turned to her brother.
"And I don't know what you were thinking." She scolded. "Next time, don't encourage fighting." Stan looked guilty.
"Sorry," he said, "I was just trying to have some fun." There was a few seconds of awkward silence. Then a voice piped up.
"If you've all finished, can we start eating?" Asked Oxnard. "I'm starving." And with that he sat himself down ad reached for a pile of Sunflower seeds.
"Hey, save some for the rest of us!" Laughed Hamtaro, and the group sat down to enjoy the food, the rather strange events of the morning put out of their minds.