CFB: The only good thing about getting my wisdom teeth yanked out is getting to work on this while I'm hiding in my house...I only hope the meds have not made me write nonsense...which is quite possible. So I apologize in advance...

Second update in a day! Woooo! So there isn't much to say...except that rhymed.

Hahahaha...I wanna kill my dentist.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hamtaro or any of its' characters. I own Siren, the Guardian, Spyke, etc...

Review if you want.


Chapter 6: Journey

The next morning dawned bright and sunny, not exactly a fitting prologue for the horrors that were to come.

Bijou's soft blue eyes fluttered open, sun rays gently cast across her snowy white face. She looked over mournfully at her owner, Maria's, empty bed, sheets neatly made, as if no one had slept in it for ages. Maria was gone for a week at music camp, which restricted hamsters. Her parents fed Bijou, but never noticed when she slipped out to see the ham-hams. Bijou missed Maria's kind face, peering at her with wide brown eyes every morning.

"At least I have zee ham-hams to cheer me up!" She said to herself with a weak smile, setting about combing her pigtails, bright blue ribbons already in place.

It was still early, but Bijou, eager to see Hamtaro and the rest of her friends, decided to walk to the Clubhouse and perhaps pick a few flowers along the way, to brighten the decor. She squeezed out of her cage and broke out into the outside, cool morning breeze causing her to shiver a bit. But, despite the chill, she slipped down the trunk of the cherry tree and ambled across the lawn, ready for an adventurous day.

"Oak Tree Park ees lovely zis time of morning!" She said to no one in particular, stopping by a sweet scented, colorful flowered bush. She delicately sniffed a young tulip, and the aroma was delightful. "Zo beautiful!"

Bijou remained there, sniffing the flowers to experience their gentle aromas, some strong and some faint, but she did not notice the par of ruby red eyes watching her every move as she danced amongst the plants. She was too caught up in her own fantasies, like imagining Hamtaro twirling around the flowers with her, to notice anything else.

An unusual flower caught Bijou's keen eye, and she stopped flitting around long enough to examine it carefully. It was her favorite color, blue, with buds poking out of the stem, and was growing by a clump of ordinary bushes, enhancing the flower's beauty. Bijou had never before seen such an amazing flower, with it's many petals and rose like appearance. It seemed to glitter before her as she approached it, wonder filling her cerulean eyes as she extended a paw to touch it.

She placed one paw on the cool, green stem, and plucked it from the ground, intending to take it to the Clubhouse with her. It broke free of its roots with a small pop.

Before she could raise the flower to her nose, Bijou felt the cords of a net fall upon her head and shoulders. She screamed, terrified, as the net enclosed her within its mighty, constricting grip. She struggled, but found it useless as she thrashed, hoping to get herself free to no avail. The net was too strong, and she only got herself more tangled and she continued to fight it. Bewildered, she wondered if she had fallen into some kind of trap. "Let me go!" She shouted, determined to get herself out, even if she had to claw and scratch with all her might.

"Your attempts are futile."

Ruby eyes met blue as Bijou stared into the face of her captor, who was now looming above her, casting his shadow across her horrified face. Spyke was smiling maliciously, showing off his chiseled fangs, gripping the net closed with both strong paws, grip unbreakable. Bijou was terrified of this hamster at first sight, even though much of his face was shadowed under the hood of his cloak. He seemed so...evil. There was no other word to describe him; he emanated villainous-ness.

Realization hit her shortly after the shock wore away. "You are zee one who spoke to Panda and Hamtaro saw wiz zee Guardian! What are you doing wiz moi?" Bijou demanded, recognizing her friend's description of this very hamster, angry fire kindling in her eyes as she saw hatred and a malicious scheming look reflected in his.

Spyke did not answer her questions. He remained stubbornly silent, almost taunting the snow colored female as she gripped the threads of the net helplessly. He just stoicly dragged the net along the smooth grass, Bijou howling in protest, wondeing if she would ever see Maria or Hamtaro's shining faces again. Hot, angry tears flowed down her elegant face as she was dragged off into the unknown in the hands of an evil captor.

"Where are you takeeng me?" Bijou sobbed.

Spyke granted her this. "...The ruins of Hamwall."

As Spyke and his victim disappeared into the forest to depart for Spyke's fateful destination, small blue flower laying in the field where Bijou had dropped it, a solitary piece of white, hamster-sized paper blew in the morning breeze, taped to a rock by the entrance hole to the Clubhouse. It read in messy scrawl;

Siren and the ham-hams,

Your precious ham-ham, the white female with the blue ribbons in her fur, is now in my possession. If you ever want to see her again, come to the Ruins of Hamwall tonight to witness the birth of a new Emperor. She will not be harmed, I assure you, as long as you come by nightfall, to witness this truly spectacular event. Not one member can be missing from your group. I'll be waiting.

Future Emperor

It was by pure chance that Maxwell decided to go to the Clubhouse early that morning. He wanted to look up some more facts in the books about Hamwall he had left in Boss's possession, just to make sure his suspicions about Siren were true, and to research some of his other theories. But the bright white note taped to the rock directly outside the entrance caught his attention before he ventured down. Since it had been placed there, he knew it must be meant for one or all of the ham hams...but who would leave them a note?

He tore it off the rock, scanning it quickly. A look of horror crossed his face once he read the haunting last line. "Bijou's been hamnapped!" He exclaimed in disbelief, paws shaking.

All suspicions about Siren forgotten and now concern for Bijou on the brain, Maxwell, note in paw, fan as fast as he could down the tunnel to share the horrible, dreadful news.

"BOSS!! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!"


"Like, how could this happen?"

Disbelief had settled over the mourning ham-hams upon their arrival in the Clubhouse. One of their very own was now in the clutches of an evil hamster, one who wanted them to travel a great distance to save her. To verify the note's authenticity, they had organized a search party, but had turned up with nothing, not even in Bijou's cage or anywhere the female ham would like to go. She was gone...so far away.

Boss, who was crying silently over the loss of his crush and dear friend, said emotionally, "We have to go there! We can't leave Bijou with that monster, no matter what! Who knows what he's doing to her!"

"I agree, we must save Bijou!" Hamtaro said determined, his own sorrow eminent as his voice cracked. His eyes were sparking with more determination than usual, as something deep inside him began to awaken and burn.

No one was more uncomfortable than Siren. She sat on her new, sky colored stool, staring off into space, though her mind was racing with the terrifying possibilities. One thing she knew for sure. Someone knew. That cloaked hamster with the brown ears, he knew, and he had pretty much declared that he would stop at nothing to ruin the web of lies she had created to protect herself. She had never imagined he would go after her best friends, the ones she had grown close to those wonderful, seven days. But if he was determined enough, and wanted to hurt her or lure her out, he had found a good way to do that.

And now he was holding one hostage. Bijou. Her eyes stung with tears as she thought about the consequences of her actions, and Bijou being held by a strange hamster who wanted to control hamster kind. It was awful. "It's my fault..." She muttered inaudibly, placing her paws over her eyes and wallowing in her self-inflicted misery.

Maxwell, face solemn and pale, merely slammed a book down on the table. He opened it to the page that showed the brilliant picture of the Guardian, which made Siren wince both emotionally and physically. "I was thumbing through these pages when I found this-" He suddenly peeled another page from the back of the Guardian's with a ripping noise. Two pages had been stuck together, and the concealed page was revealed.

"It's a map. Hamwall is about two hours away, if we can find a means of fast, easy transportation," Maxwell noted, tracing the route with one paw.

"Which leaves us with one dilemma: How are we going to get there?" Dexter asked grimly. Hamsters had very little means of transportation, and running or walking there could take days...

"Leave that to me and Maxwell, we will have that taken care of." Boss interrupted. It was apprent the two had a plan, but did not wish to reveal it to the ham-hams just yet. But everyone nodded in agreement with them, whatever their plan happened to be. Penelope, who was sobbing by a very down Pashmina, could hardly speak for her grief was so great.

"So, the Legends are coming true," Cappy said quietly.

Realization had settled grimly amongst the ham-hams. They knew that they were going to be going to the site of myth, legend, and mystery. They were undoubtedly going to be part of the awakening legend, and their paths with the Guardian were going to hopefully cross again. But this was shadowed by the fact Bijou was gone, and her safety was in jeopardy because of those legends that had, over the past week, brought them great joy and wonder. Now it was more serious than ever before, and they couldn't take a single thing lightly.

"We need to make sure we know how to handle this journey!" Boss's strong voice resonated through the Clubhouse, silencing all other chatter. "And if it's wisdom we need, there's only one ham we can go to, even if he is a bit strange at times..."

The ham hams exchanged small smiles. It was time for a visit to a certain bearded elder...


"...Elder-ham?"

Hamtaro cautiously approached the rock with one paw outstretched. The old gray ham was lounging on the rock, against the trunk of a withered oak, snoozing soundly. The sounds of his snores accompanied the cheerful chirping of the birds by the little path on the river's edge; a favorite hangout of the old, wizened ham the ham hams viewed as a mentor. His walking stick was propped up by his side.

Even as Hamtaro said his name, he remained sound asleep. A moment passed. "Poke him!" Stan suggested in a whisper.

Hamtaro looked reluctant to do this, but they needed advice fast, and couldn't just wait around for the older hamster to wake up. They might be there for days.

With a soft paw, Hamtaro tapped Elder-ham on the shoulder. With a start, the old ham sat straight up, gave a startled grunt, and was nearly sent reeling off the rock. Hamtaro took a few steps back, alarmed by the violent awakening. After realizing who had woken him, Elder-ham gave out a chuckle and stroked his beard, saying, "Goodness me...it's just you, ham-hams! I though Vivian had come by to badger me again..."

"Hamha Elder-ham!" The ham-hams chorused, though they sounded far less enthusiastic than they usually did. Despite his advanced age and sub-par hearing, Elder-ham could detect this abnormality in their mood. His bushy brows furrowed together.

"Is there something wrong?"

Hamtaro acted as the spokesperson. "Have you ever heard of the Legends of Hamwall, Elder-ham?"

Elder-ham laughed. "Of course! It's been a while since I read any of them, of course...but lovely stories, they are...why do you ask?"

Maxwell stepped forward and piped up, "Bijou's been ham-napped by someone calling himself the Future Emperor, and we know it has something to do with the Legend of Fate. He wants us to come to Hamwall tonight, which furthers our suspicions. Do you know about that particular legend?"

Elder-ham stroked his beard and stared off into space for a long, silent minute, only putting the ham-hams on edge even more. Finally, he spoke, in a slow, thoughtful tone, "Well...unless I'm mistaken...that legend is supposed to be coming true very soon. My, my..."

"Like, what should we do, Elder-ham?" Sandy asked desperately.

Elder ham was silent again, and they feared he had fallen asleep, like he often did while they were talking with him. However, he soon remarked, "This reminds me of a story I heard one time..."

The ham hams pricked their ears forward and listened attentively as Elder-ham spoke, hoping his story would have some relevance to their situation. "Once upon a time, there was a powerful Kingdom called Hamopia. A dark ham-wizard wanted control of it, so he kidnapped the princess of Hamopia, knowing her betrothed, the prince of the land of Hamsteria, and the knights would come to rescue her. In truth, the wizard had kidnapped the princess with the sole intention of leading the prince and the knights to his lair, so he could weaken Hamopia's defense...he wanted to make his conquest less of a challenge."

He turned his beady eyes to the ham-hams, and said, "It sounds to me like this Future Emperor fellow is trying to lure you to Hamwall for some reason...why, exactly, I'm not sure...but that's what it seems."

The ham-hams digested this, and realized that it made a great deal of sense. But why would the ham who took Bijou want them specifically? What about them was so threatening or desirable, that he would want them to come to Hamwall? Maxwell peered at Siren out of the corner of his eye, but she was staring off into space. It was likely she hadn't even heard the story...but her behavior was very suspicious. He narrowed his eyes, his suspicions still expanding...

"I think you're right..." Boss said slowly.

Elder-ham snorted. "Of course I'm right! Have I ever steered you young'uns wrong before?" His voice trailed off into a grumble as he muttered, sitting back down and relaxing against the cool bark, "Kids these days...always doubting their elders...what is the hamster world coming to?"

"Well, we should be ready for anything, ham-hams! This evil ham wants us at Hamwall for some reason, but no matter what, we have to go and save Bijou!" Hamtaro decreed.

"Alright!" They chorused, more determined than ever. "Thank-Q, Elder-ham!"

"Don't mention it, ham hams!" Elder-ham, drowsy again, waved a shaky paw at them as they turned to leave and he slumped against the rock with a content, but weary sigh. "Best of luck on your journey...bring your friend back safe! And be careful! The legend is a very puzzling piece of literature!"

The ham-hams began to troop silently away, desire to save Bijou burning in their hearts. Siren, however, trailed along at the back of the pack, staring at the ground, lost in her own wallowing thoughts. She was so distant she hadn't even heard much of what that old hamster had said, and she didn't notice when a grizzled paw landed on her shoulder and turned her sharply around. Suddenly, Siren found herself face-to-face with Elder-ham, and he was staring into hers with unusual curiosity.

Eyes wide with surprise, Siren stopped in her tracks, the rest of the ham-hams not even noticing her departure, and she faced the wizened hamster. He examined her face closely, making her nervous, sometimes muttering , "hmmm..." or , "I see..." as she stared hesitantly back at him, unsure of how to act or what to say.

"I don't recall having seen you before, little missy..." Elder-ham said with a smile. "What's your name?"

"S-Siren..." She replied. "Nice to meet you.."

Elder-ham nodded. He went on casually, almost-too casually, "I noticed you looked very worried back there, Siren. Are you very concerned for Bijou?"

Siren, still a little put off by the older ham's sudden appearance, merely nodded. Something about the way he spoke to her, the way he looked at her...it was very unnerving. He looked like he was hiding something, almost...in a weird, all-knowing way.

"Or...is it that you're very concerned for yourself?"

His next question struck Siren like lightning. Her back straightened until it was painfully rigid, and her eyes widened until they were nearly popping out of her skull. Her limbs began to shake with several different emotions, but Elder-ham, calm and collected, just stared at her with a mischevious smirk dancing on his bearded face. Siren couldn't speak. Did he know...just by looking at her...what she was?

Elder ham chuckled. "I apologize. I didn't mean to be so blunt...however, before you depart on your journey, I do have some advice for you in particular..." He leaned closer to the frozen Siren, and whispered into her ear, making her shiver as if frost had touched her fur,

"...The truth, no matter how it may sting, is always better than lies."

He faced her with a serene look on his face, while she remained shocked. Her mouth hung open, useless. What could she say to that? Did he even know the turmoil raging inside of her right now? Could those old, ancient eyes see what her new friends had not? She couldn't even utter a squeak in response to that quiet warning. This older hamster had baffled Siren beyond belief, and her expression was mixed between confusion and horror, too much so for her to actually absorb the meaning in his words.

Elder-ham chuckled. "Now, now...if you don't get a move on your friends are going to leave you behind. Better run along now!"

Siren didn't need telling twice. Without saying goodbye, she bolted down the path after her friends and away from the strange encounter with Elder-ham, though his warning still rang constantly in her ears. When she was almost out of sight of Elder-ham's riverside retreat, she glanced tentatively over her shoulder, and glimpsed the old ham perched in his rock by the tree once again, sleeping soundly, as if their little meeting hadn't even occurred at all...

Siren soon reunited with her friends, though they hadn't even noticed her brief absence. The ham-hams made a pact to meet back at the Clubhouse at half past four o'clock to set out for Hamwall. Maxwell watched as Siren left the group first, looking hurried, and he wondered if she'd even return to help them save Bijou. His suspicions about her rose to the surface again. "I won't tell them about her...they don't need any more grief..." He had decided, before consoling a distraught Sandy. Besides, he couldn't be totally sure...if it were true, they would find out soon anyway, with the legends coming true.

They would find out if his supicions were right on their own.


"What are you going to do wiz me?!"

Bijou had asked Spyke this question hundreds of times by now, but he hadn't graced her with an answer. She was locked up in a cage, in the highest room of a tall, eroding tower on a lonely hill overlooking some more ruins, and her captor was merely glaring out the window at the sky, waiting for something, his menacing sword propped up against the wall. Bijou had yet to get a good look at his face; he was always turned away from her, or in the shadows. It had been like this for hours; ever since the two hawks Spyke had struck deals with had flown them to this ancient place...

Bijou slumped against the bars of the cage, sitting forlornly on the cold stone floor of the room. The decor was abhorrent; the only two paintings in the dank, dreary room hung on the wall opposite her, one showing a pair of hamsters, one with silver fur and a dark blue habit, and the other a brown hamster with an old green habit, charred and fraying. The other painting had once been ripped down the middle, but had been crudely taped back together, showing a large hamster with a brown fur pattern, cat-like fangs, and piercing red eyes. It looked ages old, as did the other one. A mirror was beside that once-torn picture.

"Let me out!" Bijou's lungs were tired and her throat was going dry, but she continued to clutch at the bars of her cage and cry out, tears stinging her eyes. How long until someone came for her? Did they even know where she was?

"Relax..." Spyke finally spoke, and Bijou's sobs ceased. His voice was gentle, but held the brittle edge of malice. "Your friends will be here soon to save you. You played the part of bait very well, and soon, the power to rule hamster kind will be mine."

Bijou's eyes narrowed angrily. "My friends will save me and ze Guardian will stop you!" She retorted hotly, hatred for this hamster exuding from every inch of her mussed fur.

Spyke chuckled his unnervingly high chuckle, as if something about her passionate declaration was funny. He stopped glaring out the window for a moment to peer at his reflection in the mirror, smirking victoriously. Bijou could see his face in the glossy surface over his shoulder, seeing exactly what he looked like for the very first time, and she was horrified to realize that his face and the face of the hamster in the ripped painting were strikingly similar, even though the painting was years and years old. She gasped, and her paws began to tremble as she scooted as far back in the cage as she was allowed, eyes wide and full of tears.

Spyke's laughter died as he said in a low, dark tone, "...That's what you think."


Laura peered at her reflection in the mirror. Her bikini still fit her, as she hadn't grown much from the year before, yellow flowers and pink base color accentuating her yellow barettes. Her straight brown hair curved around her chin, as always. Deciding she looked fine for the party, she threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, before grabbing her bag, which had been resting on the toilet, and slipped her feet into her sandals.

She met Kana in the hallway. Kana was already dressed for the party similarly to Laura, her own bag slung across her shoulder casually. "You ready to go?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yup. Let's go!"

She had already said farewell to her parents and Hamtaro, (who must have been napping in his little house, because he hadn't come out to say goodbye) and she was ready to face her peers and Travis again. They walked outside into the vibrant sunshine, letting it shine on their faces as they walked along the hot pavement. It was a scorching, humid day and Laura wanted to just jump into the swimming pool when she got there. Anything to avoid talking to three specific people. Travis, Roberto, and Mika.

They chatted lightly as they walked through town, up until they turned onto Eighty Sixth street. Large houses loomed all around them, clearly declaring their inhabitants financial status. It wasn't long before Laura spotted a hastily painted sign stuck into a well manicured front lawn of a huge house, that read, "Mika Asakura's Torture Chamber Welcomes All Guests!"

"Three guesses who drew that!" Kana snickered. Laura rolled her eyes. Roberto.

They also saw the black, iron gate that they assumed must lead to the pool and the back of the large mansion. Indeed, another sign was poking up by the gate, but this one said tauntingly, "Enter...if you dare!"

Before Laura and Kana could open the gate however, a cheerful, out of breath Mika Asakura threw it open and greeted the two with a smile and a, "Hi, Kana, Laura. Everyone's already here!" She was wearing a red tank top, a black halter top bikini underneath, and a pair of soccer shorts with flip-flops. Her long brown hair was swept up in a messy bun.

"Are we late?" Kana questioned. Mika seemed much happier and less shy than when she had encountered them at the book shop.

"Oh, no. I guess everybody wanted to come early..." Mika shrugged, but then her eyes filled with curiosity as she looked at the crude, painted sign on her front lawn. "I could have sworn I had about two or three dozen balloons on that sign. Oh well, must have blown away. Come on back and see the pool!" and before Laura and Kana could say another word, Mika had grabbed their arms and led them along a stone pathway to the pool area.


For Hamtaro, the walk to the Clubhouse that late afternoon seemed to take an eternity. Normally, he would be excited if he were about to embark upon a new adventure, a journey. That is what he thrived on. "Bijou..." He though miserably, "We'll get you back no matter what it takes. No matter if the legend is coming true or not, we're coming to get you..." He shuddered, imagining one of his closest friends shivering in a cold, dark dungeon, ruins surrounding her, red eyes watching her hauntingly.

He hated thinking that...the very image made his heart thunder with pain, and he didn't even know why. All he knew was he didn't care if the legends turned out to be not as expected, or if the Guardian failed them...as long as Bijou was okay. That was all that truly mattered. One she was safe, he would worry about the rest...

He and Oxnard, who had decided to join him, walked in silence, steely confidence showing in their eyes. They reached the entrance hole, where Cappy was stationed. "Hi!" He managed a surprisingly cheery smile. "They're in the clearing over there, waiting for you two; everyone else is here. You should see how we're travelling. We'll have Bijou back in no time!"

"Really?" Hamtaro's eyes grew wide as he and Oxnard dashed in the direction Cappy was pointing and burst through shrubs to find Boss, Maxwell, Panda, Pashmina, Stan, Dexter, Howdy, Sandy, Penelope, and Siren staring in wonder at their means of transportation. Cappy followed shortly after, beaming.

"Wow..."

It was a neatly woven basket, colored brown and forest green, but intertwined with the weaving were at least two dozen, heavily filled helium balloons, all the colors of the rainbow. It was tied down with strings tied to stakes stuck in the ground. Boss's eyes were filled with pride and hope, as he, Maxwell, and Stan had carried the mulit-colored balloons across town off a sign on some lawn of a big house, and now he was certain he would see Bijou's charming smile soon.

"It's hamtast!" Hamtaro crowed, overjoyed. He would see Bijou's smiling face soon.

The entire depressed mood seemed to lift like a cloud, save one ham-ham, to be replaced by one of hope, cheer, and determination. Sadness still lingered, but now the ham-hams felt they could overcome it, now that they knew they could reach Hamwall. "When do we like, leave? It has to be soon if we want to get back before our owners start to get suspicious!" Sandy asked hurriedly, wanting to get moving.

Her question snagged an answer when Maxwell jumped into the large basket, book of Hamwall tightly in his paws, steely determination playing across his face. "We leave now! Ready, ham-hams? We're about to embark on a perilous mission!"

"No turning back!" Hamtaro crowed valiantly, shoving a fist in the air.

Everyone nodded, swallowing their pride and hopping into the basket behind Maxwell. Panda, Boss, Stan, and Howdy leaned over the edge of the basket to chew the ropes holding their balloon down to the ground. Slowly, they rose into the air, causing cheers to erupt from within. As soon as they had risen to a higher altitude, above the tree line, they caught a wind current that luckily blew them in the right direction. Little steering would be required for the journey as they drifted swiftly along against a bright blue sky.

"No turning back ham-hams!" Boss shouted, as they were swept along. He was carrying a large backpack, filled to the brim with emergency supplies, including blankets, sunflower seeds, and acorns. Everyone else had their own little backpacks, including Siren, since Pashmina had made her one for the journey, with some supplies and snacks as well.

Conversation was light for about half the journey, as there were still some jitters and nerves bothering the little group, but it picked up later, once boredom and worry took their toll. "According to my calculations, we should get there in in a half hour, or less. This wind speed is helping us along greatly, and we shaved off a good bit of my estimated time. We shouldn't be able to miss it once we get there, the ruins are pretty big," Maxwell said, nose in the book.

"Are there any hamsters left in Hamwall?" Cappy asked curiously, resting his head against the side of the basket.

"No. They were wiped out by a strange disease called Hampox, which we now can cure, shortly after the Guardian saved them from Emperor Spikuro. The last Hamwallians were the prophet Wizenhart and the blacksmith, and silversmith, Genforth. After they died, Hamwall broke down from lack of care and is now nothing more than ruins. Some hamsters claim to be original Hamwall descendants, but that is unlikely. They were alive a century ago, and all died a year after the Guardian defeated Spikuro."

"That's so sad. An enitre breed gone in one year, right after they got their freedom...it's so tragic..." Pashmina trailed off, wringing her paws.

"Who exacly was Genforth? And Wizenhart?" Cappy asked, deeply intrigued in the history.

"They were friends with each other and viewed as the leaders of Hamwall until their deaths, which were less than hours apart from each other. Genforth and Wizenhart were the last two survivors of the disease that wiped them out. They were both very good at what they did, whether it was being a smith or a prophet, and they were regarded with a status higher than most Hamwallians. I don't know what they looked like but-"

Maxwell showed everyone a picture of a brown hamster, a bow in his paw and quiver full of arrows slung across his shoulder, wearing a dark green habit and a headband. Underneath it was a caption, declaring it was a Hamwallian hamster. "Hamwallian's typically dressed like this. They wore these and were very productive hamsters. But all of them had blue eyes. Now, even if you have blue eyes it doesn't mean you are a Hamwallian. But they all did."

"All?" Siren averted her gaze as Oxnard voiced the question.

"All of them. They were firm believers in their Guardian, which really is only the Guardian of Hamwall, and not all of hamsterkind. Originally. But now that Hamwall is gone, it protects everything from afar, or so states legend."

More questions arose quickly. "Where is the Sword of Conquest you mentioned earlier this week? It's bound to play a large part in the legend." Dexter recalled their conversation a few days ago.

Maxwell began rapidly flipping through the pages of his book, before coming to a stop and reading aloud, "Genforth, the smith, said before he died that he left the sword, which is needed to defeat the reincarnation of Emperor Spikuro, 'where waters flow in the air and mer-hams stand still as stone, spouting silent song.' Which, no one has yet found."

"Wierd. What's with all these Hamwall dudes and speaking in riddles?" Stan queried, frustrated with the growing confusion.

Maxwell shrugged. "They were a very confusing race of hamsters. Historians don't understand them to this day, why they did tell so many legends, or whether or not they were just plain crazy. That's why their legends are severely doubted...no one knew much of them until the Hamwallians were gone."

Siren was listening intently, knowing every fact Maxwell spouted graciously already, from prior knowledge and inner knowledge. She wondered whether or not the legend was really coming true. It had been a century and one year, actually, to the day, since Hamwall fell to ruins and it's last remnants died. And besides, she had irrefutable proof...but had always hoped it wasn't going to lead to anything like this. She could feel the winds of change blowing, and an ominous feeling stirring inside of her, which only meant one thing and she hated to think it was true. But how long would she be able to keep up her facade during the events that were to come?

"I wonder who the reincarnation of that nasty Emperor Spikuro feller is..." Howdy said wonderingly, tapping a finger to his chin.

Maxwell decided to let them know of his theory regarding the cloaked hamster. "I believe that hamster that Hamtaro saw the night of our slumber party and the hamster that warned Panda earlier in that week is the reincarnation. Look and see..." He opened the book to a page with a picture of a hamster emblazoned on it.

He was holding a terrible looking sword in one strong paw, a long black cloak adorning his sturdy shoulders. His arms were a fiery shade of mahogany, his ears a darker, deeper shade of sepia. The sinister eyes set into his face were dark, blood red and his fangs were sharp and pointed, much like a cat's. The only difference between him and Spyke was that this hamster had a tuft of reddish brown fur falling across one ruby colored eye, and was slightly more advanced in age.

"That's him!" Both Panda and Hamtaro exclaimed at the same time. Siren glanced up at this but wasn't surprised...the moment she had seen that hamster face to face she had known he was evil. It was indefinite...the legends were unfurling fast, and she could do nothing to stop them.

"I'm guessing we have our ham!" Boss deduced solemnly. He wanted to throttle that hamster for what he had done to Bijou!

Maxwell nodded. "This is Emperor Spikuro, who ruled Hamwall for several years. Some say he had great, influential power that kept him in complete control. Then he wanted more. He enslaved many of the Hamwallians, causing many deaths and injuries to fall upon their race. Spikuro wasn't even Hamwallian; he was from a distant land called the Dark Lands and came to study at Hamwall as a youth. He seized power shortly after and he wanted to control all hamsterkind. Then the Guardian foiled his plans and he was never heard from again."

"This is his sword..." He pointed to the sword in Spikuro's paw. "The Sword of Havoc. It is said that the Sword will magically appear to the reincarnation of Emperor Spikuro on the day the Legend is to be fullfilled. It's very sinister, and was created by Genforth against his will to be used by the Emperor during his reign. And, according to the words of the legend, 'Conquest meets Havoc', so we'll probably get to see it in action."

Maxwell sighed after he finished reading, a gray look dawning on his face. "This is a serious matter, ham-hams. This legend is coming true, and we are a part of it. If the reincarnation of Emperor Spikuro has Bijou, we are involved. This isn't a game."

"No one said it was!" Panda said earnestly. He perfectly understood the severity of their situation.

"But this is a severe situation. The fate of all hamsterkind may very well rest on our shoulders!" Maxwell seemed so serious and passionate it caused all ham-hams to be taken aback.

Realization seemed to hit them in that precise moment, as looks of pride and determination lit up on their faces. No one had any doubts about what they were going to do, even if it meant facing great peril. "We know this is like, no joke! Bijou is in danger, and we have to stop that evil dude from hurting her. And the Guardian will help us, I'm sure! The legends like, told us of the Chosen One! We have to believe in it!" Sandy said bravely, pumping her fist determinedly into the air and almost decking Cappy.

"And we have to help in any way we can, or the whole hamster world could be in danger! There's too much at risk for us to just sit on our tails and watch!" Dexter added sternly.

"I wonder who the Chosen One is..." Oxnard questioned aloud, which caused Siren to inwardly panic. Before she knew what she was doing she shouted and pointed, "Look!" over one side of the basket.

The ham-hams crowded over to where she was pointing, nearly causing the balloon basket to tip over. Nothing interesting but a meandering river and treetops far below met their eyes, as they had left the city miles and miles back. Their quizzical gazes landed on Siren, making her nervous. "Um...I saw a duck!" Siren finished lamely, blushing bright fuschia. The ham-hams looked dissapointed, but she had changed the subject swiftly. She was relieved to see Maxwell had shut his book and tucked it under his arm for the time being.

"Are we almost there, Maxy?" Sandy asked her boyham with a smile.

He returned it, saying, "Actually, we have about fiteen minutes to go. We've been traveling for a while, believe it or not, but thanks to the wind speed we got here much faster than I expected. Cappy, Howdy, you two should look out the sides for any signs of Hamwall. You'll know it when you see it, trust me."

Minutes passed, with no sign of the Ruins of Hamwall in sight. The anxiety stirring within the ham hams began to grow rapidly. But, just when they had almost given up hope on ever finding the site of legend, Howdy shouted and pointed violently over the side of the basket, frantically motioning with the other paw for his friends to come and have a look.

"There it is! Yeehaw!"


Familiar faces turned to Laura and Kana as they rounded the corner that led to the back of Mika's immense house. The pool was large, with a diving board perched on one end, and lawn chairs were set up for everyone on the damp patio. Nearly everyone was around or in the water, splashing and having a blast in the hot summer sunshine. "Refreshments are over there," Mika pointed to a long table set up with chips and punch and such. "And, basically, we're just hanging out for now."

"Thanks," Laura thanked her graciously. Mika smiled cheekily and returned to her beach chair next to Travis, who waved to Laura and Kana cheerfully. Laura still felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach, but they were far less vigorous and yearning than before, and a few stopped fluttering altogether when Laura saw Mika and Travis join hands across the chairs.

"Well, look who it is!" Roberto called rudely to Laura and Kana, clearly recalling the incident at the pet store, as he repeated what he had said that day. He regarded them with cool brown eyes from where he was waiting for a turn at the diving board, his orange hair slicked wet. He was behind Lance, a fellow soccermate and schoolmate.

"Hi Laura! Kana!" Kylie and June, standing in the shallow end, waved cheerfully at the two girls. Gina, a pretty red haired girl with vivid green eyes, merely smiled from where she was chatting with her boyfriend Josh as they hung on the edge of the pool.

Lance, the clown of their class the previous year, was preparing to jump off the diving board. Just as he leapt into the air, he grinned goofily and waved at Kana and Laura. "Hi Kana!" He managed to shout before doing a huge cannonball into the pool, causing June and Kylie to get their hair wet, to which they began seething. Kana blushed and waved as he came up for air, still waving frantically at the bespectacled girl.

"Lance, you dolt!" Kylie hollered accusingly at him.

"What can I say?" Lance shrugged, sighing, smiling gleefully at Kana before swimming over to the edge of the pool to get out and rejoin the diving board line. "You like him!" Laura hissed teasingly in her friend's ear.

Kana blushed harder, but did not reply to her taunt. Reese, a very handsome, yet quiet boy with sleek dirty blonde hair and steely gray eyes shielded by sunglasses, was basking in the sun on a lawn chair on the other side of Mika, looking as nonchalant and relaxed as a movie star. He too had come from America, same as Mika, but a year earlier, and currently, Kylie's boyfriend Kory was chatting with him. Reese appeared not to be listening, while the shorter, stockier boy raved on and on about some random topic.

Suddenly, Mika shouted over the din of her party, "Okay guys! Who's up for a chicken tournament?" Everyone chorused either "me!" or raised their hands at the suggestion. Laura didn't know why, but she felt nervous. She had played chicken before, but never with boys her own age, usually just her family. Unexpectedly, Mika then announced, "Find a partner and we'll break off into teams.

Kory and Kylie teamed up at once, followed by Gina grabbing Josh from the rest of the girls, a 'take him if you dare' look playing across her freckled face. Reese seemed to be making his way for the apparently still available Mika, but Travis, seeing this, dashed over to her and placed a protective arm around her shoulders. Laura thought this odd, as Reese, while getting his fair share of admirers come Valentines Day thanks to his handsome looks and broody, dreamy nature, had never strayed into forbidden territory before.

He instead paired off with a positively ecstatic June, and Lance nearly tackled Kana in his pursuit of claiming her as his chicken partner, Kana shooting an apologetic glance towards her best friend as Lance clung like a monkey to her arm. Laura glanced around, a hollow feeling in her stomach, and the dreadful news struck her. She shut her eyes tight, hoping it wasn't true, as the voice she dreaded to hear made her cringe as it wafted to her ears.

"Great. I have to be your partner."


CFB: Well...that was longer than I thought it would be, thoughh still not my longest. Heh...sorry. I added the bit with Elder-ham last minute...a sudden burst of inspiration. I hope it blends well...I'm not in the best state of mind thanks to my stupid dentist. Jingle was going to make an appearance there too, but I had to scratch that. He won't even be in this fic...sorry! Maybe next time, if there is a next time.

Next time: The ham-hams reach Hamwall...but what do they do next? Somehow, they need to stop the reincarnation of Emperor Spikuro and decipher the Legend of Fate before he gains power...can they make all the pieces of the puzzle fit? And Laura must face her troubles and worries, but will she get caught up in the drama instead of rising above it? This is going to be a long night for the hamsters and humans both! Only a few more chapters until the end!

The story is almost over...good will face evil...who will emerge as victors? It might surprise you...bwahahahaha.