Chappie 4: Sweet and Sour

Exactly fourteen and thirty nine seconds later, Bijou returned, holding a stuffy, white costume. A duplicate Bijou.

"She was telling the truth." Gasped Bumbler. Lady Buggina and Webster unlocked the cage door.

"Sorry for the mix up." Lady said, though she was still giving Webster and Bumbler angry looks.

"As a sorry present, we'd like to ask for a little something." Maxwell said. "Could you possibly give us directions to the royal city?"

"Bumbler and Webster will take you there." Lady said, wanting to rid the tent of those scumbags.

"Hey, Bijou," Hamtaro asked. "How did you get that proof?"

"I've figured zings out in zis world." She answered. "You say something, and it appears out of zin air! I walked about two minutes away from zis camp, wishedzee proof up, and waited a while before returning."

"How can this be?" Maxwell asked." My entire life is being questioned! According to the time dilation and the photons fusing with particles of light, this place should be virtually non existent!"

"Don't get yer hiny in a bunch there Maxy." Howdy joked, watching Maxwell freak out.

"I don't get it!" Maxwell yelled. This is not happening! Duck and cover, duck and cover!" Maxwell curled up in a ball and began to shake.

"You dweebs ready?" snorted Bumbler. The hams followed him out of the cage and out of the tent. Stan blew a kiss to Lady, who shrugged and blew one back. Webster, leading the group, snuck back to walk with Bijou. Hamtaro and Boss glared at him and got on either side of Bijou. Howdy and Dexter walked beside Pashmina, who motioned at Penelope to come and rescue her. Penelope scrambled to her side, and Dexter and Howdy slunk back to the end.

"What can I do to get them off my back?" thought Pashmina. Her hamster mind formulated a plan. "Maxwell, Cappy, can you come here for a minute?" Pashmina asked. She whispered something into their ears. They nodded and continued walking.

"Here we are" Bumbler called. He stepped over to reveal a large half pink, half black castle. They entered through the front door and emerged into the throne room, where there sat two thrones. Both thrones held an identical hamster, one with a pink dress, one with black. Two men leaped in front of them and read from a scrap of parchment.

"Here ye, here ye. We hereby bequeath to you, yadda yadda yadda, in the entire kingdom's shining glory, yadda yadda yadda, the lovely princess Sweet and the vengeful princess Sour. The two bowed and let the hams pass.

"Hi little ham friends!" Sweet (the pink one) said with a slightly disturbing smile.

"Life is pointless; there is no use for friends." Sour muttered.

"I thought that the royal city was supposed to be hard to get into" Hamtaro said.

"Oh, this isn't the royal city." Sweet grinned at them. "The royal city is through that door!" And, just as she said it, a large copper door with three key holes appeared with the sign ROYAL CITY painted on the top. "To get into it, you must pass three tests, the test of bravery, the test of knowledge and the test of strength!"

"No one has ever passed these tests." Sour mumbled, painting her nails black.

"We're just gonna have to try!" Hamtaro yelled. The hams shouted in agreement.

"The first test is the test of bravery; this will test your courage and will to keep trying!" Sweet shouted in excitement. A door appeared marked BRAVERY. The hams started to file through the door, but were stopped by Sour.

"Hang on, only one may compete, the rest may watch." Sour said, with a note that wished them all an early death.

"I will." Hamtaro nodded. Sweet tossed him a medieval knight suit.

"What's he doing that requires amour?" Boss asked.

"You'll see." Sour said in an evil tone. She scooted Hamtaro into the door and led the rest of the hams into a door marked OBSERVATORY.

"Please be safe, Hamtaro." Bijou muttered as a tear slipped down her cheek.