Author's notes: I'm terribly sorry for the long wait. There's been so much going on lately. If you've been irritated by the long wait, I'm sorry. Ravens, my lovely editor, has been going through so much problems lately that I think I should be writing a fic for her. Also, her comp is messed up and it'll take awhile before she can get back on. I can probably guess that while it's being fixed, her copy of the fic will be erased, so I'll be finishing the fic. Hopefully, you'll like the ending. As for why I'm not continuing the whole 'Katy-chan's surprise party author's notes' is because admin's new rules forbid me from doing that. Oh well, at least they're not tearing down this fic. I hope by doing this, I will make my reviewers happy and most importantly: make Katy happy and give Ravens the break she rightfully deserves.
Last time, Sandy lost her ribbon and now the ham hams are on a frantic search for it. When all is lost, a certain someone, with healed wounds, comes to save the day. Will Sandy and Maxwell get the happy ending they deserve and will Stan ever recover from his shock? Read on and find out!
Edited on November 22: I have taken the liberty of revising the final scene as well as the ending notes. Now it looks…somewhat right.
Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro. You know that, right? Also, I don't own the Mini Hamuzu. Ravens owns the thugs.
Chapter 7: My True Love My True Promise: Sandy, Maxwell, and Stan's True Path
"I'm sorry, Oxnard. I haven't seen such a ribbon."
"Thank you anyway, Chef Ham." About half an hour earlier, Sandy had realized the one thing she cherished most was gone: her twirling ribbon wand. Her loss made Sandy's heart ache as she cried out for the ribbon, and of all days, it had to be on her date with Maxwell. Luckily, everyone was willing to put everything they've got into finding Sandy's ribbon. In return, Maxwell opted to save their seats at the Mini Hamuzu concert. After everything was settled, the ham hams split themselves into groups and went into searching mode as they did their best to hiff out the ribbon. So far, Oxnard and Pepper turned up empty.
As they walked away from the restaurant, Pepper stomped her feet in disappointment. "Darn…and I thought we would find it here…"
Oxnard released a tired sigh from his mouth over the frustration of not finding the ribbon. Seeing that they had no other clues, Oxnard pulled out a walkie talkie and began to speak into it. "No luck over here at the restaurant!"
Responding to Oxnard was a fuzzy, high pitched voice coming through the speaker. It was still audible enough to hear the message, which was coming from Panda. "Don't worry, head back toward the carnival and wait for us there!"
"Okay! Oh I hope they can find Sandy's ribbon!"
Over at the gas station…
"Whooooweeeee!" Howdy pinched his nose as the foul odor of gasoline filled his nostrils. "That's the last time I tell fart jokes!"
"You shouldn't be telling ANY jokes, Howdy!" Dexter snapped back at the humorless hamster. Since Sandy and Maxwell washed off at the gas station right after running out of the restaurant, Howdy and Dexter volunteered to check there. However, it was impossible for them to sniff the ribbon out for their sense of smell had been impaired by the gas. Furthermore, Howdy's tasteless humor was driving Dexter to the brink of insanity. Finally, Dexter had given up on the search and pulled out the walkie talkie. "Panda, I'm sorry but we couldn't find—WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU DOING, HOWDY!"
"WEEEEEEEEEEE! THIS IS FUN!" Howdy joyfully exclaimed in an incredibly high pitched voice. To Dexter's dismay, a large tank of helium was tucked under Howdy's arm. "LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET MORE OF THIS STUFF! IT'LL BE HILLARIOUS!"
"I guess…you didn't find the ribbon then…" Panda dully said over the intercom. "Just make sure you're all at the entrance of the Ham Ham Carnival…oh…and tell Howdy to stop inhaling all that helium!"
Dexter released a sigh, knowing that it would be impossible. "I'll try…"
…
At the movie theater…
"Outta the way! Star coming through!" Sparkle, despite the impatience of the crowd, forced the crowd of ham hams apart, allowing her to move through the halls of the movie theater. Following closely behind were Hamtaro and Boss.
"Geez…so arrogant and conceited…"
"Yeah, but at least getting in is much easier than before."
A few minutes later, the trio checked all of the screens in the security room. Thanks to Sparkle's status, they were able to get permission from the security guards to check any security cameras and gain the right to temporarily order the ushers and guards. Guess it pays to be friends with a star sometimes.
"Which movie were you watching when you lost it?" The security ham asked as he tinkered with the security cameras.
"The one called 'Boss Almighty'."
That's when Sparkle's eyes widened in surprise as she heard Hamtaro mention the name of the movie. "Isn't that the movie with…Boss and…" Suddenly, Sparkle flopped back and tumbled onto the floor. Her face was covered in a deep red blush.
"Geez…what's her problem?" Boss sighed, knowing that leaving the star on the floor was not a good idea. He then scooped her into his arms.
"I dunno." Hamtaro replied back, just as confused as Boss. Soon, an usher from the 'Boss Almighty' room came back and spoke with the head security guard. "So how did it go?"
The security guard, however, slowly shook his head. "Sorry mister, but we haven't seen a ribbon like that. The usher did find some taffy that looked like it on the floor. Would you like some?"
"N-no thanks!" Hamtaro chuckled nervously as he politely declined. He then took out his walkie talkie, and established protocol with Panda. "Sorry Panda, but it's not here."
"Damn…alright just head over to the Carnival. Cappy, Penelope, and I are already searching the arcade."
Hamtaro put away his walkie talkie and turned to Boss, letting out a sigh. "Well we'd better go."
"Alright…but first…CAN SOMEONE WAKE HER UP?"
…
"Alright, it's up to us now!" Panda told Cappy and Penelope. They had chosen to check the arcade for any trace of the ribbon. It was one of the two places left unchecked, so it was important that they find it quickly. "Cappy, take Penelope to the DDR section and check there!"
"Right!" Cappy obediently replied. Obeying Panda's orders, he took Penelope's paw and made their way towards the DDR section.
While the two chibi ham hams searched the DDR section, Panda tried to hiff out the ribbon in every other place Sandy and Maxwell played in. Luckily for him, the two spent most of their time at DDR, so Panda only needed to check the fighting game section, the prize game section, and anywhere near the prize grabber. But to no avail, nothing could be found. Panda then decided to regroup with Cappy at the DDR section. However, when he got there…
Our youngest couple was busy playing 'Candy' on one of the DDR machines.
"Wow! This is fun!" Cappy exclaimed as he danced to the beat of the catchy Japanese tune. Both he and Penelope, with their levels set on light, were doing pretty well for their first time. "I wonder why Boss had such a hard time learning how to play?"
"Ookwee…?"
"Cappy! Penelope! We're supposed to be trying to find Sandy's ribbon, remember?"
"Sorry Panda." Cappy apologized to Panda without taking his eyes off the screen. "Just one more game!"
Panda sighed and pulled out his walkie talkie, contacting their only chance left at finding the ribbon. "Bijou! Pashmina! None of us could find the ribbon! It's all up to you!"
"Oui!"
"Leave to us, Panda! We won't let Sandy down! We'll find it!"
"Good! We'll all be waiting at the front of the carnival! Good luck!" It was now or never. Everyone else had failed and time was running out. The only thing left for the ham hams to do was to put all their fate on the two girl hams.
…
Pashmina shut off her walkie talkie, and turned to the last place Sandy and Maxwell visited: the Ham Ham Carnival. Now that all the other ham hams failed, they were the only hope left for Sandy and Maxwell. Luckily for them, the carnival was sponsoring the Mini Hamuzu concert, so the carnival was pretty empty at this point.
"It looks like this last one rides on us, right Bijou?"
"Oui! We must find Sandy's ribbon at all costs!" With that said, Bijou pulled out her handy tool…which made Pashmina fall over in embarrassment.
"Bijou! We're looking for Sandy's ribbon, NOT to beat up more ham hams!"
Bijou, however, did not listen as she firmly grasped the flashlight in her paws. "I know that! What if some mean ham ham picked it up? We can't let them get away with it!"
Seeing that there was absolutely no way she could change her mind, Pashmina dragged out a long sigh. "Sandy's ribbon may be important, but who would just go up and take a ribbon?"
…
"…"
"Sandy?" Maxwell was starting to really worry about his girl ham as she began to feel distant from him. Ever since she lost her ribbon, she's been lost in total silence. While everyone went to look for Sandy's ribbon, Maxwell promised that he and Sandy would save their seats at the concert. After all, they were front row seats. Normally, Sandy would be so excited since all the ham hams loved the Mini Hamuzu, but the loss of her ribbon seems to have affected her altogether. It was as if the ribbon were her soul. "Sandy, please…everyone's looking for your ribbon. Don't be upset about it."
"I know…but…I can't help it…" Sandy cried. She bowed her head, allowing some of the longer fur to cover her eyes. "You see, that ribbon was my mom's final present before she died…and…the first present Stan ever gave me." It truly was important. The two most important hams in her life had given this to her as a token of their love and devotion to her. "I feel so stupid for losing it!" Suddenly, Sandy felt a soft fur brush against her face. She could feel that tingling feeling from before as a warm sensation surged throughout her body. As she looked up, she caught a glimpse of her lover. He had brought her into a warm and comforting embrace, one that made some of her worries fly away.
"Don't say that, Sandy. I know how much you feel about your ribbon. I would be upset too if I lost something that a parent or relative gave me, but please…you have to trust the ham hams. Everyone's looking for it…I'm sure even your brother is out there, looking all over for your ribbon. If I know him…" Maxwell paused as he began to hesitate. After all, he was talking about the very person who tried to break them up. However, this was also Sandy's brother and the ham ham who gave her the ribbon in the first place… "He'll be looking all over for it. He cares about you too much to let you down like this." He decided to shake off the hesitation and forget everything Panda said. This wasn't the time for Maxwell to doubt Stan for it wasn't about him. It was about Sandy. It's true…he would rather die than see Sandy upset like this…he truly cares for her…
"Maxwell…"
"Don't worry, just watch the concert. They'll be coming with your ribbon soon."
Being a little more confident about the other ham hams, Sandy allowed her lips to slightly curve into a smile. "Thank you, Maxwell." I may still be upset…but Maxwell and Stan…are still with me…as well as everyone else. I have to keep believing in them. I know they can do it…I know they can find my ribbon…but… please mom…help them…
Seeing the young girl ham finally smile caused Maxwell to smile down at her. Then, he slowly closed his eyes as he held Sandy tightly, pressing her to his chest. Then, in a solemn tone, he said something to himself, hoping that someone could hear it…
Whoever is out there…please help the ham hams find her ribbon. It's important piece to her…as a reminder of two of the most important hams in her life. If there is someone out there who can hear me…anyone…please get her ribbon back to her!
…
Back at the Carnival, Pashmina was having some trouble finding the ribbon. She and Bijou split up to cover more ground since the place was really big. However, Pashmina's search, so far, turned up empty, which ended up exhausting herself. Where is it? I've looked all over and it's not there! As she tried to catch her breath, she caught a glimpse of Bijou running up to her. When Bijou stopped, a trickle of sweat slid down her snow white fur as she tried to replenish her air supply. "Bijou! Did you find it?"
"No. I can't find it anywhere! You didn't find it either, no?"
"No! I've looked everywhere and I didn't even catch a glimpse of it!" The aggravated Pashmina groaned.
"Don't give up." Bijou urged her scarf-wearing friend. "We can't afford to quit now! Sandy's counting on us!"
"You're right! There's one section of the Ham Ham carnival we didn't check yet. Maybe we'll come across it there."
"Right! Let's go!"
Despite the boost in confidence, Pashmina was still very doubtful of their chances of finding it. This was there last chance to get it and everything was riding on that last chance. If they don't find it now…Pashmina didn't even want to know what would happen to Sandy if they couldn't find it. However, there was no way they were going to let Sandy down. Is there someone out there that'll help us…anyone…?
…
Where am I…? What's going on…? All was black in Stan's world to the point where it seemed like he was spiraling into a void of darkness. His mind was in turmoil after the events that had taken place earlier. He didn't know what to do anymore nor did he care about what was going on. He felt it no longer mattered what he was going to do, for Sandy no longer needs him. Maxwell had already replaced him as her brotherly figure. Then…
"Have you really forgotten about me, Stan?" Hearing that voice again, Stan slowly turned around. That voice brought a sudden nostalgia as his mind flooded with memories of his past. Finally, a sharp gasp escaped his mouth as he turned to face the voice's origin: it was a figure illuminated by the light. Within that light was a small hole; the size of a needle prick. It was apparent to Stan who it was…but he ended up laughing instead; laughing hysterically as if he were on the brink of insanity.
Heh…I'm going crazy or something. She's dead. She's not here…It's probably some stupid dream… However, he would soon regret saying that for within a few seconds, he felt something puncture his arm, leaving a bite mark when it was finally over. GAAAAAAAAH! That actually hurt! So…this isn't a dream! That means…
"No, it's a dream." The voice coming from the light echoed. "Sometimes dreams can hurt you know, but that was rude of you to call this a 'stupid dream'. This dream is not stupid at all!"
Oh really? In a few seconds, you're gonna tell me to go back to Sandy and apologize, right? Unfortunately, the answer he got back was the pain of his cheeks being stretched by luminous figure.
"No. I'm gonna remind you of who you are first! Then I'll tell you to go back to Sandy! You can't predict everything I'm gonna do!"
Once the figure let go of his cheeks, Stan sat back onto the ground and released a long sigh from his mouth, knowing exactly what the figure would say. Yeah. I know what I am already…a complete failure…
"Nope! Wrong again! Just because you messed up doesn't mean you can't fix what happened."
Geez…be serious!
"I am serious! I just don't know why you have to be all serious when comes to Sandy's boyham."
…
"You forgot your promise…"
In an instant, Stan bolted up from his place on the floor as his eyes became a deep red. An ominous glare was directed to the figure. I did not forget! I've been trying all this time to stop Sandy from doing anything to hasty! I've spent my whole life trying to act as both a brother and a father to her, only to let her go to Japan without me! Now that I'm back, she has replaced me with a bookworm and is even becoming too attached to him! What I've been doing all along was my promise! My promise to keep her safe and innocent, but everything keeps going wrong! How can you say that I'm not keeping my promise!
"That's not what I'm talking about…I'm talking about the promise I truly wanted you to fulfill…"
And what promise would that be…?
"Don't you remember the ribbon your mother gave you on that day? The ribbon that you gave to Sandy? Don't you remember what she taught you?"
That's when Stan lost his patience. What is it! What about the ribbon? I don't understand it all! It was hopeless for anyone to get through Stan at this point. His frustration in being unable to be there for Sandy has blocked out all reason from his mind. Then…
"…Twirling Whirling round we go…" Suddenly, Stan's eyes began to widen. The lyrics that filled his ears began to calm him down. It was the very song he created. "Twirling high and twirling low. See the colors skip and flow twirling round we go." That's when the memories began to flood again. As the images began to burn, he realized what he was missing. All this time he made promises to Sandy, trying his best to keep her to himself. He promised to look out for her and keep her away from danger…but it went too far…and in exchange…
I didn't keep my promise…I promised to guide and protect her…but I took it too far and restricted her freedom to the point where I forgot my other promise: the promise to allow her to live freely and grow-up to be strong. All this time, I kept lying to myself that I was doing the right thing…and here I am…finding out that I was really going against my sister, my friends, and my own mother…
"It's not your fault. When she died, you did your best to keep Sandy safe. After all, you never wanted to lose her…but remember what you told her the day she left for Japan: that you two will always be together and will always look out for each other, no matter what. Your decision set her free, and allowed her to make great friends. Because of you…she was able to meet Maxwell…a boyham who was able to comfort her while you were gone…Thanks to you, she has met the love of her life."
Oh…please don't kid me like that. All I did was let her go. She would've ended up in Japan anyway whether I liked it or not.
However, the figure would not allow Stan to doubt himself. "Please Stan, you keep saying this and that yet you have done so much for Sandy. No matter what she says, she's always thankful to have you as her brother. She truly is, especially on that one day. The one day she showed her true feelings…for both you and Maxwell…allow me to show you…
Suddenly, the light began to shine forth, illuminating the dark corners of Stan's bleak world. The light was so bright that Stan had to cover his eyes to prevent blinding. When the shinning light finally dissipated, Stan pulled his arm away from his eyes. His surroundings had changed to something even brighter. The sky regained its beautiful blue coat, covered by the puffy white clouds. The grass beneath his feet was soft and nearby was the sparkling blue lake. Stan couldn't believe it. One flash of light had brought him to the park nearby the Ham Ham Clubhouse. As he continued to survey his surroundings, his eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of a twirling pink ribbon. Stan squinted to check his vision and there she was. It was a playful tiger hamster who was twirling her ribbon. His ear perked as she began to sing a soothing tune. That's…Sandy…
Not noticing Stan nearby, Sandy continued to practice her moves for the festival was coming up. Hoping that she was good enough, Sandy tried to pull off an extraordinary feat, for a ham ham at least. She threw her ribbon high into the air, but then, she began to follow the ribbon into the air as she jumped up and tried to catch the ribbon in mid air; as if she were flying. "…see the colors, skip and flow. Twirling round we--uh oh…" However, she was unable to grasp her ribbon. Even worse, she couldn't complete the move and the punishment for that was obvious. Gravity took control of the young girlham and soon, she was falling quickly to the hard ground below. Stan, on the sidelines, began to shriek as he helplessly watched his sister fall to the ground. OH NO! SANDY! Then, just as she was about to make impact with the ground, something had slid under her, breaking her fall. Thanks to that, Sandy didn't suffer any injuries. However, the one who had broken her fall did, which was indicated clearly indicated by the swirling eyes as Sandy removed the green book from his face.
"Ouchichi…are you alright, Sandy?"
"Oh Maxwell! Sorry, 'bout that!"
"No it's alright. I'm just glad you're okay." Maxwell replied as he got up from his position on the ground. He then bent over and extended his paw to the young girlham as he began smile. "Can you stand?" A small blush covered Sandy's cream colored cheeks as she slowly took his paw. Gripping her paw firmly, Maxwell pulled Sandy up from the ground. When she was finally standing, Maxwell bent over and picked up her ribbon. He then handed it to her, but soon, he began to wonder what was causing her to go through so much hard work. "You're practicing for the autumn festival, aren't you? It looks like you're working yourself too hard."
"Yeah, we've got some competition! The girls and I have to be ready for this!"
"Well I don't see why you'd need to practice so hard. I'm sure you're good enough as it is." Suddenly, the blush on Sandy's face had begun to glow a deep shade of red. A sudden sensation began to well up her spine as her heart began to beat faster. Her eyes sparkled as they admired the tall boyham in front of her. Soon, Maxwell snapped her out of her trance. "I heard you singing a few minutes ago. What was that song?"
"Oh that? That was a song my twin brother would sing to me, back when were still babies."
"That's neat. It must've been great having a twin brother, right?" Maxwell asked as his interest grew in Sandy's past.
"Oh yeah! It was totally cool!" Then Sandy's expression changed to a more depressed look. "But…we were like…separated a long time ago."
"Oh…" However, the solemn look on his face faded as he patted Sandy's head, hoping that it would drive her sadness away. "Oh don't worry; I'm sure you'll find him someday." And in a flash, her sadness was gone. What replaced it was happiness as she continued to gaze at the boyham in front of her. As he began to leave, he turned to Sandy and, with soft smile on his lips, encouragingly told the young girlham, "Don't lose hope." With that, he left to conspire with the other boyhams.
What he didn't realize was that he left Sandy dazed in a happy sort of way. Tthe hearts in her eyes could easily indicate what was going through her heart as it continued to pound harder with every second. Then, a name uttered from her creamy lips. "Oh Maxwell…you're so totally cool. You're so much like Stan." As she let out a soft sigh, Sandy began to look up into the clear blue sky. A soft breeze whisked through her fur, bringing back memories; tearful yet joyous. "Even now, I still miss my family. It was so hard to bear the death of my parents…and I even lost my brother…sometimes I think he has forgotten about me…but after hearing that from Maxwell…when he told me not to lose hope, I began to feel so light headed. It's almost as if a great burden has lifted my shoulders. That is why I'll keep practicing…for both Maxwell and Stan…and then one day…we can all truly be together…me, Maxwell, Stan, the girls…oh crows, I forgot! I was supposed to help the girls practice!" With that in mind, Sandy headed toward the edge of the park, where the girl hams awaited her lesson.
What Sandy hadn't realized was that her brother was watching the entire scene play out with his eyes wide open. Stan assumptions were once again incorrect. After watching the couple converse, he began to realize why she loved Maxwell so much. Maxwell, while not the most athletic ham ham, was willing to do anything to make Sandy happy, even if it meant getting hurt in the process. His usually calm demeanor and advice made him somewhat of a brother-like figure to the ham hams, but his presence affected Sandy the most for that very presence filled the hole in her heart caused by her parents' death and her separation from her brother. Now it became clear to Stan that in a way…he and Maxwell were both alike…their greatest desire isn't to have girls or to have unsurpassed knowledge…but to bring happiness to the one girl ham they care for the most.
Even though he had realized he was wrong, Stan couldn't help but smile. He was now glad to have to urge Sandy to leave. In doing so, Sandy met the friends that became her family…and…the boyham that stole her heart. Even then, there was one more thing that bothered Stan. Hey…
"Yes Stan?"
Do you think…Sandy and Maxwell…will ever forgive me for this day?
"Trust me, Stan. If you go up to them and apologize, they WILL forgive you. Maxwell has already learned of your activities…but even now, he continues to see you as the only brother that Sandy could ever have As for Sandy…she will get mad. You should know your sister by now…but even then, she'll always forgive you for you are her only brother; the caring brother that brought her nothing but joy since birth. It's because of this…that even now…I have no regret in trusting you with her…my son…" The light began to glisten as its shape began to change, forming the shape of a hamster. That very same light began to dim, allowing the features of the hamster to be shown. What was now before Stan was someone he and Sandy grew up with. Someone that they admired. Someone that risked her life for the happiness of her children.
Oh mom… Soon, the tears began to well up in Stan's eyes as he ran towards his saintly mother. He wrapped his arms around his loving mother, who lovingly hugged her son. One touch of her fur revitalized his body, mind, heart, and soul, bringing a smile to his lips. There was only one last thing for him to do…
"Tell Maxwell thank you for watching over your sister for so long. And tell Sandy that your father and I are very proud of her and we always watch over you two. Now go…they are waiting for you…"
…
As Stan slowly opened his eyes, he noticed that his mother was gone. He was back in the carnival. It was nighttime, but the light from the nearby lamps illuminated the shadows of the carnival. Thanks to his mother, Stan felt somewhat refreshed. Whatever pain or frustration he was feeling earlier was gone and was replaced with a burning determination and the desire for repentance. Thank you for everything, Mom. I'll do my best to truly keep my promise and make sure to finally bring this to rest… Just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye. Within the dark depths of the night, it was the only thing that gave off a bright color. A small breeze caused it to ripple beautifully through the air. Sandy's ribbon? But I thought Sandy and the other ham hams left already. However, the other figures soon came into view, making Stan realize that the one holding the ribbon wasn't his sister…
"Geez…that bookworm really did number on you, huh?" One giant ham ham snickered. Hearing that was quite a shocker to Stan. Heck, the thought of Maxwell clobbering anyone would surprise him. So they were right? Maxwell kicked the crap out of them? Wow, now I've seen everything! Wait those guys…aren't they the thugs that punched me outta the theater?
"Oh shuddup!" Another stocky gray ham shouted back, who was apparently the leader. "That was only cuz I let my guard down. Anyway what do you wanna do with this stupid thing?" His dirty paws raised the ribbon into the air for his brutes to see. When he saw those hands gripping the ribbon, Stan could no longer hold in his anger . The ribbon that Sandy's mother gave Sandy before her death was about to be tainted by the hands of these cruel thugs. There was no way he'd let that happen. Sandy…Maxwell…wait for me a lil longer. I have some business to take care of…besides… it's time I pay those guys back…with interest…
"I think we should rip it up!"
"I think we should sell it!"
"I think you guys need to stop smoking and get another hobby!" The thugs quickly jerked their head to see their next opponent: an angry tiger-like ham emitting a demonic glare from his eyes. Those eyes, however, were only shielding them from the true beast.
"Hey look boss! Some tough guy's here to take us on!"
"What do you want?"
"I'm here to take back that ribbon!" Stan fiercely replied, glaring angrily at the giant ham hams.
However, the thugs could not help but laugh at the poor tiger ham. "Oh this thing is yours? You must some girly ham or something!"
"It belongs to someone I know, and I'm here to take it back." Then, for a split second, a devious grin curved his lips as the fires of revenge burned in his eyes. "Besides…I'm here to rip apart the damn ape that got me in the face!"
"So you were that usher from earlier? You look a little different but that sissy voice is still the same." Then, the thugs began inching towards Stan, each step pounded the ground so hard that the ground beneath Stan's feet to tremble. Even then, Stan's glare didn't falter. He continued to stand his ground, ready for anything the thugs had for him. "We're a little irritated now. Once we're irritated we make sure no one leaves unscathed, so I suggest you run now while you still have the chance."
Despite the warning, Stan refused to run. Instead, he began to taunt and chuckle at the giant ham hams, pushing the patience of the thugs. "Me? Run? I think you guys should be the ones running from me? Or perhaps you want me to leave because you're too afraid…afraid that you'll get your ass kicked…just like with that bookworm you scumbags thought was weak…"
"If you wanted to die so badly then you should've said so! GET HIM!" At that instant, one of the thugs restrained Stan's arms from moving, allowing the others to mercilessly pound him. They made sure each crushing blow delivered leak searing pain to Stan's already beaten body. After a few minutes torture, the three thugs stopped and glared back at their victim, now lying helplessly in a pool of blood. "Now get out of here before we really kill you. You're even lucky with spared your life cuz once you mess with us, we'll hunt you down like prey till the day you die."
"Prey? You've gotta be kidding me..." Despite all those blows, Stan was able to endure all those blows and stand up on his two hind legs. He was breathing heavily due to the force of those blows, but he was not about to give up. His eyes, however, continued to narrow at the thugs in demonic glare. The beast was about to emerge. "I've been wondering why Maxwell was able to defeat you guys and after all those 'punches' I finally realized why. While I admit that Maxwell is strong for a bookworm, you guys are all pathetically weak! I spit on your wimpy punches!" Whatever patience was left within those thugs was quickly diminishing. And yet, Stan continued to bluff and taunt those fools. "And you think I'm going to be your prey? Dream on, crack heads. When you irritate me, your fate is sealed. Death is inevitable. Once this is all over the only one standing in the end…will be me…"
"YOU JUST KILLED YOURSELF, PAL! GET READY TO DIE!" At that instant, the two of the thugs rushed toward Stan, ready to put him out for good. Suddenly, one thug felt a sharp pain stretch across his cheek. The other thug felt something puncture his shoulder. The two both yelped in pain, feeling a messy read liquid leak from their wounds. "B-blood…" One of thug's cheeks was totally lacerated with claw marks. The other had holes on his shoulder, visible teeth marks. These wounds didn't even look like they came from a ham ham. They looked like something else… "T-this guy's intense."
Intense wasn't even the word to describe to Stan. Stan was now on all fours. His claws were now extended, sharpened to the point where they could slash trough a tree with ease. His teeth which were used for krmping had now become fangs that could tear anything apart. Through the dark blanket surrounding him, Stan's eyes pierced right through the darkness, glowing in a deep blood red color. He was no longer a tiger hamster. He was something else. "Like I said, I'm not your prey. You're MY prey. Once you're MY prey, YOUR death is inevitable. Now enough talk. GET READY TO FEEL THE POWER OF A REAL TIGER! URRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" With that, the vicious tiger pounced on his helpless prey; his roar echoing through the pitch black sky…
…
"What was that!" Bijou shrieked as she heard a beastly roar echo through the night sky of the carnival. "It sounded like those really fearful cats. Those cats that Stan and Sandy look like! Tigers!"
However, that very same roar sounded very familiar to Pashmina. "Wait a minute! If I'm not mistaken that tiger roar…" That was when Pashmina's eyes widened. That roar belonged to one person, and it was coming from the one place they haven't checked. "…sounded like Stan! Bijou, we must find Stan immediately!"
"Oui!"
Few minutes later, as the two girl hams headed towards the place the source of that roar, two large hams started running away like scared little girls, unknowingly passing by the same girl ham that smacked them with a flashlight.
"THERE'S A TIGER LOOSE IN THE CARNIVAL! SOMEONE SAVE US!"
"Hey! It's those rude brutes from the theater!"
"Never mind them! Wait…there are no tigers here so…!" Realizing who they might be referring to, Pashmina continued down the dark path of the carnival, leaving Bijou behind.
"Wait for me, Pashmina!" Bijou called for her friend as she tried to catch up. After a few minutes of intense running, Bijou finally caught up with Pashmina. "Please wait for me next time, Pashmina…eh? Pashmina?" However, Pashmina didn't respond. She could not speak. Her eyes widened in fear, as if she had seen a monster. "Pashmina, you're scaring me. What's going on…? …oh my …" When Bijou finally decided to see what Pashmina was seeing, a sharp gasp escaped her lips. Blood spilled all over the ground. Pieces of fur that had belonged to the thugs were scattered everywhere. The scariest part…was the fallen thug leader. His massacred body lay in a bloody mess and was even missing an arm. However, the beast that caused this mess was still around. He was no longer a ham ham; possibly a demon. "S-Stan…did you…do all this…?"
Slowly, Stan lifted his head to glare at the frightened girl hams. The fiery blaze of the beast continued glow in his demonic eyes, as if he hadn't done enough. An awkward silence filled the air as Stan's glare continued to pierce Pashmina and Bijou's gaze. Then…he finally opened his mouth and said:
"Pashmina! Bijou! I didn't think you'd still be here, but I'm glad you two decided to come back!" The demonic glare slowly faded, bringing back the mischievously cheerful eyes of the flirty tiger ham. Even then, his friends could not get over what they saw earlier.
"WHAT ARE YOU SO HAPPY ABOUT STAN! THERE'S BLOOD ALL OVER AND…AND…YOU'RE CHEWING AN ARM!"
"Mm?" Pashmina was right. In Stan's mouth was a giant bloody arm that belonged to the thug…or so they thought… "Oh this? This isn't a real arm. And all this isn't real blood. It's actually cherry juice, and the arm is a prop I found somewhere!"
"But what about the thugs!"
"Oh this guy? He was really pissing me off so I beat the crap out of him and the rest of his gang. I'm a nice guy and I'd rather not kill anyone, so I grabbed one of the thugs and pulled him into a dark corner. After beating him to the point where he lost consciousness, I pulled out the prop and the cherry juice and…well…here we are!"
The two girl hams couldn't help but laugh. They felt so stupid for thinking that Stan would do something like kill another ham ham, even if they were complete jerks. Still, there was one last question that Pashmina had to ask. "So you're not depressed anymore?"
"Not really." Stan calmly replied as he got up from the ground, feeling quite refreshed after all that happened. "I've realized that Boss was right all along. I was only keeping half my promise. The other promise I made a promise as a brother…but I realized that what I was doing was wrong all along. I felt so stupid…but I'm tired of that now…" Then, he pulled out the one thing that everyone was racing to find. The one toy that continued to flow freely through the air…and the one possession that bonded him with his twin sister. "All I want to do now is to make Sandy happy and apologize to her and Maxwell."
"Stan, you found it!" Pashmina was so overjoyed that she was about to shmubby wubby Stan. Just in the nick of time, Sandy's brother not only returned refreshed from his dark moment, but even got back Sandy's ribbon back.
Bijou, feeling the same way, felt that Sandy and Maxwell's date would end happily ever after. The only thing left to do was to go back and give it to them. "Alright! Stan! Pashmina! Let's go to the Mini Hamuzu concert and return Sandy's ribbon to her! It's time the two got the happy ending they deserved!" Just as she was about to leave, she heard Pashmina giggling happily. "…Pashmina? Stan?" When Bijou turned to both Pashmina and Stan, she couldn't help but get angry in frustration. "STOP PLAYING WITH HIM!"
"But he's just so cute!" It turned out that Stan wanted to play around and flirt with Pashmina for a bit, so he resorted to something he hadn't tried in a long time: acting like a cute and innocent tiger ham. Pashmina kept scratching the adorable ham ham behind his ear, as if he was her very own kitten. Stan obviously didn't mind as long as it got Pashmina attention. He continued to softly purr as Pashmina played with her newfound pet.
"PASHMINA!"
Knowing that Bijou was right, Pashmina sighed and stopped playing with her 'kitten'. There wasn't much time left and there was still one more thing to do. "Sorry Stan, but we have to get to the concert! It's already starting!"
Stan agreed. Now was not the time to fool around. His heart now filled with great determination, he pulled out his skateboard, ready to charge into the concert. "Right. Hop on!"
…
"PANDA COME IN!" All the ham hams bolted up from their long wait. It had been awhile since they've heard from the two girl hams, and some of them almost thought that the two of them couldn't find it. Could this be the good news they've been waiting so long for?
Panda pulled out his walkie talkie, allowing him to regain contact with Pashmina. "Pashmina! Bijou! Did you find it?"
While it was a bit fuzzy, the big message had gotten through. "Let's put it this way: start running toward the concert now or else you'll be left behind!" The ham hams could not contain the joy within them. Their mission was near its close. The only thing left to do was make sure the ribbon is delivered to Sandy. With that in mind, they all headed for the Mini Hamuzu concert.
"So did Bijou and Pashmina find it?" Hamtaro asked Panda as they sprinted toward the concert.
"I would think so. They seemed so excited."
"Great! Now all we have to do is head to the MiniHamuzu concert and give it back to Sandy, right Penelope?" An overjoyed Cappy exclaimed.
"Ookwee!"
"Heh. I guess Sandy and Maxwell will be getting that happy ending after all…" Sparkle smiled as those words escaped her lips.
Of course, it was a bit of a shock to the nearby field hamster. "Oh no! Is Sparkle actually being nice?"
"SHUT UP ALREADY! GEEZ YOU'RE SO ANNOYING!" Just as two hot headed ham hams were about to get into another argument, a sudden flash of orange had caught up with the gang.
"Hey, guys!"
"Stan!"
"Don't worry. I'm on your side now. I got the ribbon back and am ready to help Sandy and Maxwell!"
"Well that's great and all but…WHY ARE YOU HOLDING ONTO BIJOU!"
"YEAH AND WHY IS PASHMINA BY YOUR SIDE!" Dexter and Howdy added.
"Do you really think they could get to the concert on time without me carrying them?"
"Well yeah…but…"
"That doesn't matter." Bijou finally broke their big argument. "We have to get to the concert as soon as possible."
"Oh no!" Pashmina worriedly exclaimed as they passed the big clock. "The concert's already started!"
"Then we'd better get a move on it!" Hamtaro dashed toward the concert in a blinding flash. The others followed in pursuit. Everyone rushing toward the concert would not stop for anything. They were all determined to make sure a kind book loving boy ham and the sporty yet loving girl ham would get their happy ending…
…
After about an hour into the concert, the MiniHamuzu had finished one of their songs and was ready to do the next one. However, this song was a special one and needed something special. Something…or maybe someone.
Then, Ai came onto the stage, clutching the microphone firmly in her paws. "We're about to go onto our next song…but don't you think we're missing something? Hey Nono-chan, do you know what it is?"
"A sunflower seed?"
"No silly!"
"I think we need someone else on stage! Don't you all agree?" Suddenly, the crowd was in an uproar. Everyone knew what was going to happen: the MiniHamuzu were going to choose someone to step onto the stage and sing and dance with them. However, only one will be allowed on stage. Obviously, everyone would be fighting over who's going to be that one.
The MiniHamuzu's newest member, Takahashi, came up and happily exclaimed into the microphone, "Everyone get your tickets out! After we call out your number, please come onto the stage." Tension was building within the audience. Many anticipated that they would win; others were praying, and a couple of other hams kept yelling 'CALL MY NUMBER!' which only caused the MiniHamuzu to giggle at the desperate ham hams.
Within the restless crowd, there was only one ham ham who didn't feel so excited. She, feeling guilty over her loss, gave her ticket to her boy ham. "Hey Maxwell, can you hold onto this for me?"
"Hm? Oh sure, but why? Don't you want to win this?" Unfortunately, she was still mourning over her loss. Her concerned boy ham wanted to help. He felt so powerless standing next to her, but he didn't know what to do. All he could do is watch and pray that the ham hams return soon with her ribbon. There's gotta be something I can do…
It was now the moment of truth. After shuffling through the random numbers scattered in giant basket, Mari plucked the lucky number and held high in the air for everyone to see. All was silent as the awaited the calling of the winner. "Alright! Here's our winner!" She then motioned for all the other MiniHamuzu to huddle up together. They all took a deep breath, keeping everyone in suspense. "And our lucky ham ham is sitting in…"
"Center Section! Row A! Seat number…" The Hamuzus paused to see the look on everyone's faces. A tiny giggle escaped their lips when they heard the many groans coming from all directions. Those who were sitting in the Center section of Row A, however, had not lost hope yet for everyone in Row A still had a chance to win this. The Hamuzus paused again to build up the dramatic suspense. Everyone had their full attention on the pop stars, ready to jump for joy the second they call their number. After the excruciatingly long wait, the MiniHamuzus, all together, announced the winning number:
2
1
6
5
2
3
When it was all said and done, every other ham ham began to pout and groan. Some even ripped in ticket in half in frustration for they lost their chance to stand on the stage with their idols.
Suddenly, Maxwell let out a sharp gasp. He checked the tickets several times just to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Ticket number 216523 belonged to only one ham ham. The winner was…
"Sandy! You won!" Maxwell couldn't be any happier. His lovely girl ham now had a chance at stepping onto the stage and dancing with the ever popular MiniHamuzu. He could hardly contain himself. Unfortunately…
"…I dun wanna go up…" Sandy refused to go up on stage. Even now, she couldn't think of anything but her ribbon, which made her feel even more depressed and guilty than before.
"Sandy…what's wrong? Are you still worried about your ribbon?"
"I told you already! My ribbon is something so important to me. Not only is it a reminder of Stan and my mom…but it also helps me dance. When I'm holding my ribbon…my body feels so light…sometimes I feel like I'm flying…but now…"
"I know how you feel Sandy…but please…enjoy this night. This is a big honor."
Sandy wouldn't budge. Instead, she remained in her seat and even yelled at Maxwell, despite his attempt to cheer her up. "I don't care! My ribbon is more than anything! I can't do anything without it! Don't you understand, Maxwell!"
At that moment, Maxwell couldn't help but clench his fist. Then, without warning, he said the one thing no one would ever expect him to say to Sandy. "…cry baby…" Suddenly, Sandy felt a sharp blow on her cheek. She looked up at Maxwell. The usually composed Maxwell had a mixture of emotions on his face: Sadness, anger, pity. Sandy obviously didn't know what to do, especially now that her boy ham, for the first time, hit her in the face, not to mention going as far as calling her a 'cry baby'. Suddenly, that anger on his face turned to compassion as Maxwell brought Sandy into a warm embrace, hoping to bring back the Sandy he truly loved. "Please don't say that. Are you trying to tell me that everything up till now was the work of your ribbon? Even our relationship?"
"No…but-!" However, Maxwell wouldn't let her say another word. He needed to have her listen to what he had to say.
"Sandy, you're here today because of you, your family, and your friends. Not your ribbon. It's true that your ribbon is an important reminder of your family and that you must take care of it, but you can't think that everything you've done was all your ribbon. If you think otherwise, take a look at your friends. They envy not only your talents, but your personality. Compared to all the ham hams, you're the only one who stays happy, even through the bad times. Not even Hamtaro is as optimistic as you are. Look at Stan. The day he came to Japan, he was so happy see you. To see that you've grown up to become a great girl ham. And…look at me…" Maxwell didn't need to add anything to that last one.
All Sandy needed to do was stare into his eyes. The desire from earlier had returned. Soon, memories began flooding back into her mind. Despite all that she has been through, her friends have kept her so optimistic. Everyday she'd leave her cage, knowing that her friends would be there. Knowing that Maxwell would be there. There was no denying it. Her ribbon did not get her all her friends. It was herself. "Maxwell…" That's when a sudden rush climbed through her body. Before she knew it, Maxwell's lips were touching hers again. Their passionate kiss may not have been as overwhelming or as romantic as before, but it made Sandy realize that Maxwell will do anything to make her happy. Anything. Their lips parted. Maxwell warmly smiled at Sandy.
"You are who you choose to be. A ribbon doesn't decide that for you."
It was at that moment; Sandy's eyes began to well up in tears of joy. She should've known from the beginning. She felt better knowing that she had friends, a brother, and the one boy ham that will always make her happy. "You're right, Maxy. I should've realized it sooner."
"Don't worry about it, Sandy. So what are you going to do now?"
Sandy knew exactly what to do. She got out of her chair and headed down the aisle to the stage. For a few minutes, she glanced back at Maxwell, giving him her cute loving smile, and said, "To dance and make you and all the ham hams happy."
Outside the walls of the concert, the rest of the ham hams were pumping their paws, trying to get inside as quick as possible. Luckily, the concert gates were only a few feet away. The problem was the gate's security guard. Despite this, many of the ham hams felt that the obstruction was nothing more than annoyance, so Stan, Boss, and Bijou rushed toward the security guard.
"OUTTA THE WAY!" The three of them smashed through the security guard and into the concert (Yes, Bijou used the flashlight). The other ham hams followed in pursuit.
"Wait for us!" With the guard of the way, everyone freely entered the concert…everyone except Pashmina.
"Guys, what are you doing? You didn't need to beat up the security! We've got the…" However, there was no one left to here her. They had all left…
Unfortunately, the gate's guard had quickly risen from the ground and contacted the other ushers about the break-in. Soon, waves of MiniHamuzu security guards rushed onto the scene, ready to silence this invasion.
"This is getting annoying!" Stan groaned as he weaved through each guard to prevent capture. However, he wasn't as lucky with the next guard, who pounced on him and tackled him to the ground. The guard was pretty strong, so Stan had a hard time shaking him off. That's when he saw Howdy and Dexter. "Howdy! Dexter! Catch!" Stan tossed the ribbon to Howdy and Dexter. Knowing what to do, they nodded and headed down the steps.
"C'mon Dex, hurry up!"
"I'm coming!" However, Dexter couldn't keep up and eventually got caught and Howdy next. "This isn't good!" Luckily for Howdy, Dexter spotted Sparkle nearby. "Howdy, get it to Sparkle!"
"Hot potato to Sparkle!" Howdy tossed the ribbon over to Sparkle just before the next guard grabbed him. Unfortunately…
"Oof!" Sparkle didn't see the ribbon coming and it ended up crashing right into her head. When she finally shook off the pain, she grabbed the ribbon and began to yell at the Kansai-ham ham...not noticing the nearby guard. "YOU IDIOT! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE THROWING IT!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! MOVE IT!" Luckily for her, Boss was nearby, allowing him to grab her and prevent her capture. Despite that, Sparkle wasn't exactly pleased with the way he was holding her.
"You know you didn't have to go and carry me around like some dog…"
"Would you rather get captured by them!"
"Well…no! I guess I should thank you then."
"I don't need any thanks…"
"WATCH OUT!" Suddenly a swarm of guards lunged at them. There was obviously no way for Boss and Sparkle to continue. Luckily, Sparkle saw another nearby ham ham, waiting for the pass. "Boss, throw it over there to Penelope!"
"Right! Yo Penelope, catch!" Boss hurled the ribbon over to Penelope just in time. While Boss and Sparkle dealt with the guards, Penelope grabbed the ribbon and ran over to Cappy.
"Great Penelope! Now all we have to do is--"
"OOKWEE!" The shocked chibi-ham ham indicated that there was yet another swarm of guards coming their way. It was time that they kicked it into high gear.
"Penelope, get in!" Cappy pulled Penelope with her into his saucepan hat and used it like a sled to skid down the aisles. Thanks to Cappy's brilliant idea, the security guards were powerless as they bounced off the incoming saucepan, one by one. "We're doing pretty good so far!" Penelope happily nodded in reply. Then…
"GOTCHA KIDS!"
"Quick! Toss it to someone else!" Cappy ordered Penelope, passing the ribbon to her. Her loud squeak echoed through the air as she hurled the ribbon to yet another nearby ham ham: Bijou.
"I got it!"
Unfortunately, one large guard grabbed her paw. "Not so fast!" Luckily for her, another ham ham came to her aid and gave the guard a powerful headbutt from behind, causing the guard to tumble down the steps.
"You alright, Bijou?"
"No I'm fine. Thank you Hamtaro."
"Oh don't mention it. C'mon we have to get down to the front row!"
"Right!" The two ran as fast as they could down the stands. They continued down the steps, outwitting each guard they passed. It seemed like they were going to make it…until Bijou tripped.
"Are you hurt?"
"Ow…it's just a bit of sprain."
"Cats!" Hamtaro couldn't abandon her now. He looked if there was anyone left. Only three were left. "Oxnard! Panda! Pepper! It's all up to you!" Hamtaro tossed the ribbon over to Panda, who nodded and ran off with it.
However, Pepper refused to go and opted to keep the guards at bay. "Y'all go ahead. I'll take care of the guards for ya!"
"But Pepper!"
"Go Oxy, before they get you too!"
"No I'm not leaving you here on your own!"
"Oxy…"
"Panda, please get it to Sandy right away!"
Panda nodded and hurried off. About a minute later, he was already half way to the front row, until he realized that Oxnard and Pepper couldn't hold off the guards any longer. Waves of guards were now chasing after Panda. "There's no way I can get it there in time!" Then…
"Panda, toss it over here! I'll make it to the front!"
Panda turned to his side and couldn't believe who was right next to him. "Stan, how did you get out of that mess back there!"
"There's no time for that! Now pass the ribbon!"
"Right!" Panda hurled the ribbon over to Stan. Stan caught and ran faster than he had ever run in his life, doing his best to keep away from the guard's clutches. As he rushed down the concert steps, he noticed a cute tiger-like ham ham on stage with MiniHamuzu. He couldn't believe she would actually get a chance to be on stage with them, but now wasn't the time to cheer.
"Must've been a contest. I'd better get in close and toss it over to her!" Suddenly he heard loud shouts and cusses coming. He glanced back only to see an onslaught of guards coming his way. Crap…I can't get there in time! He didn't know how to handle this. There was only one way he could get it over to Sandy: get someone else to throw it. The question is who? All the ham hams have already been captured and there was no way he could make a toss from where he was. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a tall brown hamster in the front row. Maxwell! He's a long ways away…but I have to get it to him! Better make this count! Stan wound up his throw and shouted into the air, "MAXWELL, CATCH!" Then, putting all his power into his arm, he hurled the ribbon toward the front row.
At that instant, Maxwell heard a loud shout coming from behind. He could've sworn it sounded like… Stan…? Maxwell then turned around and couldn't believe his eyes. A bright pink ribbon was flowing freely through. However this wasn't just any ribbon…it was…It's Sandy's ribbon. Maxwell extended his arm as high as he could to catch the toy. There it was in his paws, Sandy's ribbon. It had returned just as he promised to Sandy. With a giant beaming smile on his face, he turned to stage and shouted to his one love, "Show them what you can really do, Sandy!" At that instant, Maxwell, using as much force as he could, tossed the ribbon high in the air, hoping that Sandy would see it.
Suddenly, Sandy stopped dancing as she began to notice a flash of pink. She blinked a couple of times, but she knew exactly what it was as it illuminated through the night sky. My ribbon… It was at that moment that Sandy's lips began to curve into a great smile. Her eyes playfully illuminated with the color of the ribbon. This could only mean one thing: she's going leave the stage, awing her audience. At that instant, Sandy used all the power in her hind legs to propel herself in the air. With much grace and style, Sandy's paw grabbed her treasured ribbon while staying high above the stage. Soon, gravity took control of her body, but this time she was ready. Rather than falling flat on her face, Sandy, having the grace of an acrobat, flipped in the air and landed perfectly on her two hind legs. Everyone, including the MiniHamuzu, let out a huge applause for Sandy's amazing act, but it wasn't over yet. As the song continued to play, Sandy continued to entertain them through the spectacular moves she performed for the MiniHamuzu's audience. She was practically all of the MiniHamuzu's cheers, but that didn't matter to them for they too enjoyed each and every move she performed. As Sandy danced for them, the MiniHamuzu's voices filled the stadium with an upbeat tune…
When the MiniHamuzu finished their song, the audience got off their seats and happily cheered in a standing ovation. Not just for the MiniHamuzu, but for the lucky girl ham who gave them the best performance ever: Sandy. Everyone who saw Sandy dance was dazzled by the smooth and graceful flow of her dance. Of everyone there, no one was happier that Maxwell, Stan, and the ham hams. The girl ham they all cared for had put on a performance that no one will ever forget.
"Sandy…I knew you could do it…" Sandy looked down the crowd. Maxwell was standing, casting his gaze on her, as his eyes shined with pride. From the moment she set eyes on him, she knew that this was the boy ham for her… Noppo-kun…
Maxwell wasn't the only one. Her twin brother, Stan, the one who had brought back her ribbon just in time, could not believe that she could pull off those moves. Before then, he thought Sandy had only reached her limit, but this was something else. She had grown and matured the way Stan envisioned. He couldn't have been any happier. Torahamu-chan…you truly are amazing…
Unfortunately, Stan forgot that he was in a rather tight spot along with the rest of the ham hams. "Alright, pal! We're gonna send you to the house!" The guards still had their paws on them.
That was when Sandy caught sight of them in the crowd, struggling out of guards grasp. Sandy knew exactly what to do. After what they did for her, it was time she paid them back. She went over to MiniHamuzu and whispered something in their ear. When Sandy was finished, they all nodded and turned to the center section of the stadium…
"Excuse me! Can you please let them go this once?" All the guards turned toward the center stage as the spotlights shinned on them. They couldn't believe that the MiniHamuzu would actually tell them not to arrest these freeloaders. However, they were serious about it. "These ham hams are Sandy's friends, so can you please let them go?"
Even if it was a request from the MiniHamuzu, these guards had a job to do. They couldn't exactly do something that would go against job. "Sorry, but it's our duty to kick out freeloaders. If these guys had tickets, we'd understand but-"
"But we do have tickets!" A sweet voice echoed through the air. Soon, a cute hamster wearing a pink scarf ran toward the guards, catching her breath along the way. "We had tickets all along, but you guys forgot we had them and rushed in without me!" All the ham hams fell right on their face. They had completely forgotten that Pashmina had their tickets, so rather than charging through the audience, they could've just calmly entered the stadium. The ham hams blushed bashfully over their sudden uproar as the crowd let out some silent giggles.
However, they had tickets…which means… "So you'll let them in now?"
The guards, despite all the hassle they went through, decided to let the ham hams go. They no longer had any reason to keep them from the concert. And so, the ham hams, now reunited, happily watched concert…holding the paws of their loved ones as the sweet music filled the night sky.
However, this happiness didn't last…for Stan at least. He was watching his sister lips curve into a loving smile as her boyham held her hand, also smiling at his lovely tiger. Seeing them together brought a bit of closure in Stan's heart after everything he had done. Still…he began to cringe as a thought came to mind…there was only one thing left to do…
And so…after the concert…
"YOU WHAT!" Stan finally told Sandy the truth; the reason why he was absent the entire day and why Sandy and Maxwell experienced some incredibly awkward situations. Sandy could not believe that her own brother would attempt to do something so dastardly. It was like a smack in the face to her. It was then that she couldn't hold it in anymore. She took out her ribbon and proceeded with senselessly whacking her helpless brother. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD TRY TO SEPARATE ME AND MAXWELL! HOW COULD YOU!"
"But Sandy!"
"NO BUTS! THAT WAS SO MEAN OF YOU! HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO TERRIBLE?"
However, before Sandy could land another blow, a firm paw reached out and prevented her from continuing her reign of terror. Sandy was about to forcefully pull back her arm, but when she turned her head, her eyes met with the one person she did not expect at all: Maxwell. "Sandy, I don't think he truly meant to separate us. He was just…a little concerned."
Sandy and Stan were totally stunned. Heck, everyone was. Out of all the ham hams, no one expected that Maxwell would take Stan's side. Sandy was probably the most speechless out of all of them. Still, Sandy could not understand why Maxwell would suddenly side with the one who tried to separate them. "Concerned? Why would he be concerned? Why go through all that trouble to pull us apart!"
"Why shouldn't he be? Isn't Stan your only brother? If I were Stan, I'd probably be worried too..." Sandy gazed into the eyes of her lover and then took a long hard glance at her brother. It was then that she realized exactly what Maxwell was saying: Stan was looking out for her from the very beginning. From the ignition of the car to the awkward tumbling in the Tunnel of Love, Stan was there for Sandy doing what any other brother would do: protect their little sister. Sure, his methods were a 'tad' extreme, but through all through all those mishaps was Stan's true desire: to keep his promise to protect Sandy. "I know Stan's methods were a bit too unorthodox, but that alone shows how much he cares for you."
Sandy bowed her head in silence. Time passed as she gathered her thoughts, staring at her older twin. Stan stared at Sandy without much emotion, perhaps out of curiosity. The other ham hams remained just as silent, allowing time to slow down as they all waited for a reply from Sandy. Then, with tears in her eyes…
"Is...is that true…onii-chan…?" For a split second, a couple of the ham hams gasped. For as long as they remember, they never heard Sandy refer to her brother as 'onii-chan'. This came as quite a shocker to them.
However, Stan's eyes began to illuminate as a confident grin formed in his lips. "Sandy, you're my one and only family. Perhaps I was a bit harsh on Maxwell, but Sandy, no matter what; I'll always be here for you. And you know what? Even if I was acting like some big stalker, there is one thing I learned: After seeing everything, Maxwell is the best ham for you." When Stan said those final words, everything was at peace once again. To Stan, it was a final acceptance of all he has done. The other ham hams didn't say anything, but the cheerful smiles showed that they have learned to forgive him.
And then there was Sandy. It was then that her life began to flash through her mind. There were many times that she wanted to give up, but through all that pain, a brave young tiger became her shield, giving her the courage to stand and become who she is today. At that point, her heart was overwhelmed with emotion. Then, at that moment, as a tear trickled down her fur…
"Oh Stan…" …Sandy ran up and warmly embraced Stan; her brother, her friend, and…her family. Stan did his best to hold back his own tears for he too could not help but feel overjoyed. After all that has happened, this was the only thing he wanted.
Maxwell smiled as he watched her girl ham hug her twin. To him, both Sandy and Stan were his family, making him very happy as well. Finally, you two are back together…
However, the moment was suddenly interrupted when Sandy's curiosity got the better of her. "Hey Stan, what exactly were you afraid of?"
"Well…"
Knowing the way her brother works, it didn't take Sandy too long to figure out. "STAN, YOU PERVERT!" At that instant, Sandy dove at Stan and soon the two began to wrestle with each other, like the playful tiger cubs they were. Unfortunately, they unknowingly dragged Maxwell into the brawl and soon laughter filled the night sky as the three playfully wrestled with each other under the stars.
About an hour later, Maxwell was able to navigate the car back to the clubhouse. There everyone briefly talked about each other's day, talking about the fun they had despite the many shortcomings (including Howdy and Dexter's screw up in the Ham Ham Ranger Show). After about a few minutes of arguing between Howdy and Dexter and Boss and Sparkle, they all waved to each other and said their goodbyes. As Sandy headed back home, Maxwell volunteered to walk her home. Despite the silent giggles coming from the other girl hams, Sandy gladly accepted the offer.
When they finally reached Hillary's house, Maxwell noticed that Sandy became distant again, worrying the taller boyham.
"Is there something wrong, Sandy?" asked the worried boyham.
Sandy slowly shook her head, but there was still something on her mind. Something she needed to get out. "Maxwell…was Stan really that concerned about us mating? I mean, when he told me everything, I called him a pervert and beat him…but why would he go through so much just to prevent that from happening?"
Maxwell didn't answer right away. He bowed his head for a few minutes in silence, trying to gather his thoughts. Then, in a low serious tone, solemnly replied, "To tell the truth…I too was worried about that…"
When Sandy's ears finally took in what he was saying, Sandy let out a silent gasp. She couldn't grasp the fact that Maxwell was just as worried as Stan about this issue. "Maxwell…"
Slowly lifting his head to the moon above, Maxwell continued to explain everything to his girlham. "I have been having these weird thoughts lately. Sometimes I would think of you and my heart would flutter as if it had wings. It has gotten me thinking that we should possibly take our relationship further, but then I keep remembering that you are important to Stan as well. I never wanted to do anything that would leave you and Stan a feeling of regret…and yet…the more I spend time with you…the more harder it is to control myself…so…" Before he could even finish, he felt soft arms wrap around his neck, halting all thoughts within Maxwell's head. He felt the soft fur rubbing against his as a warm feeling overcame him.
"Maxwell…neither you nor Stan should worry. I am not the helpless girl ham you two think I am. I know my own limits; I won't let my own desires cloud your feelings. Trust me." At that moment, Maxwell wrapped his arms around his lover's waist, startling Sandy a little, but soon she buried her head in chest. Both of them knew that even if they love each other, they can't go too far just yet. For now, this was enough for them. Just being with each other was all they needed.
Then, Maxwell realized something. "Hey Sandy?"
"Yes, Maxy?"
"When you said 'desires' did you mean you were thinking of that too?"
A deep blush covered Sandy's face as she gave her boy ham a stern look. "Maxwell!"
"Hey, it was just a joke." Maxwell grinned as his girl ham pouted.
Before she could say a thing, a thought popped into her head and Sandy playfully grinned at Maxwell, which began to give him goose bumps. "Hey Maxy…"
He was a little startled with manner she addressed him in, but Maxwell nervously replied. "Y-yes Sandy?"
Then in the most innocent tone she could give, she let out those two words:
"Kiss me."
Maxwell, calmly smiling at his innocent girl ham, brought her close and slowly pressed his lips against hers. No longer were they insecure about each other. The two lovers proceeded to drive the kiss more deeply and passionately as the tingling sensation surged throughout their bodies once again. Time stopped as the luminous moon and the twinkling stars illuminated the scene for our young couple. In their minds, the two wished for the night to never end. All they wanted was each other's love…
Aishiteru…Noppo-kun…
Aishiteru…Torahamu-chan…
Finally, a true ending to the fic. This time it looks fairly right. I think it still needs to be ironed out a bit before I can truly call it an ending, but at least I have finally given the fic the ending it rightfully deserves.
I am sooooo sorry it took this long to complete. There was so much going on in real life, not to mention other interests (Read: Disgaea). However, I pushed myself as hard as I could to deliver the final chapter. I know, it didn't end very well, but once I get my mind working again, I might actually be able to give it a proper ending.
As for the chapter itself, like I said, ravens is no longer editing it, but I still thank her for the tremendous job she did. What I didn't like about it though was that I made Sandy and Stan a little too emotional. Even if they should've been emotional, I think I either pushed it or made the emotion too bland. As you can tell, I haven't been writing in ages, so it's hard to get back into it. There are many other problems, but my mind just can't pick them up (That's how brain dead I am). Also, I did not like how the MiniHamuzu scene came out. It was just so…blah. Part of the reason, I guess, is admin. rule against lyrics, so I couldn't even put in a small lyric to set it up right. A lot of this chapter should've been better than it should've been, but with college and everything, I don't have enough time.
Special thanks to the two girls I love the most. Without Ravens supporting me as both an editor and as a best friend, I may have given up long ago. I will always love her for her consideration and cheerfulness (though that changes if yaoi is brought into our convos). I cannot thank her enough. And then of course, this fic wouldn't even exist without KatyChan. It's been two years since I posted this fic, but even now this still a dedication to the girl I still love. I wish nothing but the best to her. Of course, all the reviewers deserve some thanks for leaving such encouraging comments. Thank you everyone.
So this is the end everyone. I hope you liked it. Bai bai and look forward to the next fic…
…right after the next chapter…
Next Chapter: One year after Sandy and Maxwell's date, chaos brews once again as the ham hams hatch a devious plot that will soon change Sandy and Maxwell's relationship forever! (I am such a liar…)