A/N: Hey ya'll! Sorry for the wait, but here's chapter 10! The second-to-last chapter! YAAAY!

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Chapter 10: The Moment Of Truth!

"EWWWW, Sta-an! That..is so! Gross!" Pashmina grimaced.

"What? I never got to eat!" Stan complained.

He was licking off the carrot cake frosting from his wrist and claws while his date watched in pure disgust. But then again, look who was talking! Stan and Pashmina were both covered from head to toe in anything you could imagine. Pasta, dressings, frosting, ketchup, mustard, sauces, and even beverages like strawberry juice, sunflower tea and berry smoothie.

"Stan...can we go get cleaned up? Everyone's staring at us!" Pashmina blushed as two cute guys snickered at her. "Uh, sure. Why not! Besides, that mustard does not go with your scarf! It looks like someone peed all over it!" Stan pointed out.

Pashmina blushed harder. "Gee, thanks!" she glared. That Hamtaro is gonna pay when I get my paws on him! she mentally swore. After all, it was him who had squirted the mustard all over her..!

§ Flashback... §

SQUIRT! "Ha! Gotcha, Oxy!"

SQUIRT! "Eat my dust, Crystal!"

SQUIRT! "Take THAT, Dexter!"

SQUIRT! "Oooh! Pashmina, I looove your scarf! What's that on it? Oh yeah...MUSTARD!" SQUIIIRRRT! "Muahahahaha!"

§ Flashback ends... §

All Pashmina could think of then was Revenge. Damn you Hamtaro! Damn you and your stupidity! But I will get you back! YA' HEAR ME, DEMON!

"Say Pash, where do they let you take showers?" Stan asked. "Hmm..." Pashmina hummed.

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"Man, that was the best food fight I have ever been to!" Crystal squealed. She, like Stan and Pashmina, was down and dirty as well. "I know! It rocked out loud!" Boss high-fived her. "Yeah...it's too bad we got in trouble with the manager, forbidden to step foot near it and are never ever allowed back in anymore or we'll be arrested!" Hamtaro sighed in his perky voice. "Are you making it sound like a bad thing?" Sandy asked. "No. I mean it!" Hamtaro replied.

"Ugh! I am so grimy!" Bijou shuddered.

Hamtaro, Bijou, Sandy, Crystal, Boss, Oxnard, Howdy, Dexter, Maxwell, Penelope, Cappy and Panda were walking down the street together. "Where do we get cleaned up, Boss?" Bijou whined. "Okyoo!" Penelope added. "How 'bout down the pond?" Boss suggested. "Great idea!" Dexter smiled. "Yeah! Besides, I'm getting all sticky." Crystal winced as she tried to run her claws through her brown ponytail. "Eww!" they all scrunched up their faces.

After a few minutes, the twelve hamsters had arrived to the pond by the clubhouse. Boss went to get some towels. Crystal volunteered to help, but Panda, Howdy and Dexter insisted to get them. After all, she was the guest! Crystal pouted, but accepted.

While the four boys went inside, Crystal sat with the girls. "This day has been incredible, guys!" Crystal sighed. "I went to a Fun Park, rode the greatest roller coaster ride in the history of forever, had the biggest food fight of my life in a 5 Star buffet restaurant, and made fifteen friends or more in less than three hours!"

"Wow! That really eez alot!" Bijou smiled. Crystal nodded. "So...you see any boooys you like?" Sandy smirked. Normally, Pashmina would be there to scold her, but...she wasn't!

"Well..." Crystal blushed lightly. "...Hamtaro is a really nice guy and he's kinda cute..."

Bijou froze.

"...but talking to him is like talking to wallpaper!"

Bijou sighed in relief.

"Boss and Cappy are a little out of my age range, Howdy and Dexter fight too much, Maxwell's Sandy's boyfriend--"

"How'd you know!" Sandy blurted out. "Isn't it obvious?" Crystal shrugged. Sandy blinked in confusion. She never even told her! "Anyways, Panda's cute, but we're too different, and Oxnard's nice...but he's like, in his own little planet of sunflower seeds! It's kinda creepy!" Crystal added. "Join the club!" Sandy muttered sarcastically. The girls giggled.

Meanwhile, Boss, Howdy, Dexter, and Panda were back with enough towels for everyone. They seperated to bathe in different sides of the pond. The girls on one side. The boys on the other.

§ Two hours later... §

"Thanks for the movie, Stan! It was hilarious!" Pashmina laughed as she and Stan walked out of the Ham Ham movie theater. "No prob!" Stan smiled. The two were clean and spiffie once again after their thirty minute shower at the spa. Afterwards, Stan had taken her to a movie. "OOH! Remember the part where--?"

BRRING! BRRING!

"Ooh, soory Stan! I have a call!" Pashmina interrupted as she pulled out her cellphone. It was Sandy. Stan nodded in understanding. He stood by the ice cream shop while Pashmina went into a nearby alley. "What is it? Is Crystal nearby? Do I have to keep an open eye? Should I--"

"PASHMINA! Relax, will ya?" Sandy shouted. Pashmina apologized. "Anywho, no, you don't have to watch out for anyone! In fact, come here, now!" she said. "Why?" Pashmina wondered. "Why? Why! CAUSE! We're ready! That's why!" Sandy answered. "We are?" Pashmina's eyes lit up with hope.

"Yup! Listen, here's the deal: Bij and Hamtaro are luring Crystal into the front entrance to the clubhouse. You have to do one last thing before coming here." Sandy began.

"No, I won't kiss Stan good-bye!" Pashmina frowned.

"What! EWW! NO! Not that! I meant, bring Stan to the clubhouse. Tell him I called cause something was delivered to him and is waiting for him at the clubhouse. Lure him to the back entrance. There, you'll meet some of the guys. They'll do the rest. Got it?" Sandy concluded.

"Consider it done!" Pashmina flashed a full grin. "Great! See ya' there!" Sandy chirped. They said their good-byes and hung up.

When Pashmina came back, Stan was patiently waiting. "Who and what was that all about?" he asked. "One: Sandy. And two: She said something was delivered to you from the mail. It's waiting for you at the clubhouse!" Pashmina lied.

"Really? What is it?" Stan asked, curious. "Dunno! She never told me!" Pashmina shrugged. "Well, in that case, let's jet...wait. What about the Chicky-Chickies?" Stan wondered.

"Excuse me?" Pashmina was confused. "You know! Hamtaro said those yellow pillow freaks were at the clubhouse this morning!" Stan said as if it were obvious. "Are they gone or what?"

Pashmina had no idea what the hell Stan was talking about, but then it dawned on her that it must've been the boys' lie to keep Stan out of the decorated clubhouse. After all, Stan was terrified of chickens after his little "encounter" with them a while back!

"Umm, right. I think they're gone. Otherwise, why else would the gang be at the clubhouse?" Pashmina shrugged. "Hmm...good point!" Stan nodded. "Let's go!" he added. "Does that mean the date's over?" Pashmina fought to keep hope and curiosity out of her voice tone. "Unfortunetaly, yeah!"

Yes!

A grin of pure joy plastered itself on Pashmina's lips. It was over! But the smile was wiped off her face and replaced with a sympathetic frown when Stan faced her.

"Gee, that's too bad!" she sighed. "But it was fun while it lasted! Hey, wanna do it again sometime?" Stan offered. Pashmina opened her mouth to utter out an "I don't think so!" but stopped.

Stan had such a gleam in his eyes, and she had to admit, her last two and a half hours with Stan were actually...fun! And she learned a valuable lesson today: Stan wasn't as bad as he seemed. But that didn't mean she liked him-liked him either! He was still just a friend and nothing else. But he was an even closer friend than this morning.

"We'll see!" Pashmina smiled. Stan smiled back. He offered her his arm. "Shall we?" he asked. "We shall!" Pashmina giggled and accepted. They linked arms and together, they walked to the clubhouse.

§

"And remind me why you blindfolded me and are taking me to God-knows-where?" Crystal asked for the second time since the girls didn't answer her question the first.

"You'll see as soon as we get there!" Sandy responded, holding back her excitement. Bijou and Hamtaro exchanged ear-to-ear-smiling glances. The girls--and Hamtaro--were luring Crystal to the front entrance to the clubhouse, blindfolded in Bijou's ribbon--with Bijou's permission of course! They carefully led her through the tunnels, the moment of the party approaching near.

Suddenly, Penelope--who wasn't with them, by the way--came running towards them from the clubhouse. "OKYOO OKYOO! OKWEE, OKW--" (Translation: HURRY UP! THE PARTY CAN'T START WITHOUT CRYS--) she froze. Oops! Crystal was right there! "Party? What party!" Crystal perked up. The others gasped. OHHH NOOO!

"Ohh, I get it now! The park, Pashmina and Sandy fighting, the membership, the roller coaster, the food fight! It all makes sense! You were having a 'Welcome To The Town, Crystal!' party for me! That's sooo sweet!" Crystal cooed, the ribbon still blocking her eyesight.

"Yes, but now...n-now you found out!" Bijou blurted out with fake disappointment. Hamtaro and Sandy stared at her.

"Don't you get it! She thinks it's a party for her, not her and Stan!" Bijou mouthed at them. Then, they got it! Sure Crystal found out it was a party, but that wasn't even the half of it! She'd have one last surprise before jumping to conclusions!

"Damn it! And we worked so hard!" Sandy sighed exasperated. "We were so close! So...close!" Hamtaro added miserably. Penelope, not understanding what her friends were doing, recieved a wink from Sandy to play along. "Don't worry. I'll act surprised!" Crystal promised. The others "agreed" and kept at it.

§ A few minutes later... §

"Remind me why we're going down the back instead of the front?" Stan asked as Pashmina dragged him to the back entrance, her blue-green eyes desperately searching for a familiar face. "Cause! Your present is out back!" Pashmina answered. "Oh." Stan shrugged.

Suddenly, Pashmina saw Boss and Maxwell peek out from behind the tree. Pashmina smiled and grabbed Stan's paw. "C'mon! I see it!" she squealed, racing towards the boys. Stan eagerly followed. Pashmina let go of his paw and raced to a bush. "Hey Pash, wait up!" he called. The tiger-striped boy followed the young girl and--

SLAM!

"AAAHHHH! LET GO OF ME! WHO--WHA--WHER--WHAT'S GOING ON!" Stan demanded. He was suddenly tackled to the ground and blindfolded before he could do anything. He could feel someone--or more than one person haul him down to the ground. "Lemme go! I DEMAND to know who's doing this!" Stan yelled, trying desperately to get free.

"Stan! Don't say anything! Then, they won't hurt us!" Stan heard Pashmina say. "Pashmina! Are you okay? And who's 'They?' " Stan asked. "I'm fine! And keep quiet, or they won't lemme go!"

Meanwhile, what Stan wasn't seeing was that it was Boss and Howdy holding him down. Pashmina was talking to him, completely unharmed. She, Maxwell and Cappy were biting their lips to restrain from laughing.

The boys, led by Pashmina, took Stan to the back door leading to the clubhouse, Stan totally oblivious.

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"Is he here yet?" Sandy whispered as she peeked through the door. Bijou and the others were still outside with Crystal, still waiting for her signal. Just then, Pashmina popped her head through the back door. "Are they here?" she wondered. "We're all set! Bring 'em in!" Panda nodded. "Great!" Sandy and Pashmina chorused.

"Okay, Crystal. You gotta be reeeaaally quiet!" Sandy whispered. "My lips are sealed!" Crystal let out one last giggle before shutting up.

"Remember Stan. Absolute silence!" Pashmina hushed. "Alright, alright. As long as I get out of here and get my present at the clubhouse!" Stan complained. "Shh!" Pashmina hissed.

Both groups quietly entered without a sound. Everyone shook and bounced with utter excitement. Sandy pushed Stan to the center of the room. Pashmina shoved Crystal to the center of the room as well. They were both blindfolded and quiet, not knowing they were practically face-to-face. And that in a matter of seconds, they would open their eyes to find a big surprise!

The lights were off and everyone surrounded the duo. Hamtaro ran to the lights. Boss gave him a countdown with his fingers.

3...2...1...

"SSSSSSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPPPPPRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEE!"

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A/N: OMGOMGOMGOMG, CLIFFHANGER! My heart's beating so hard right now! Anywho, that's just about it! Final chapter is up next! Now, you all have to pay me! That's right! This chapter now costs you all one(or two is possible) review per reader! Let's see you say no to THAT! HA!

BTW, what the hell does "LMAO" and "LMFAO" mean! I reallyreallyreally wanna know! So, whoever tells me gets their name first on my "Special Thanks!" list thingy in the final chapter!

That's all I have for you now!

Sayonara for now!

Crystalgurl101