CFB: Well, I'm back. Turns out my dentist is not good at surgical stuff (I probably should have realized that sooner) and I've had numerous setbacks. However, my sister got to go to an actual oral surgeon and she just had hers done. Bad news is, I have to take care of her and follow her every whim while she's recovering. I broke away from making jello for her to update this...but I don't have much time!
Thanks: To DolphinSweetheart16, Michaiah, Macarov, Awesomewriter123, and CN collectively for giving me still more great reviews. You guys rock! I hope you are pleased with this next chapter. I would thank you all individually, but my demon sister is going to realize that I'm not in the kitchen any second now...
What's gonna happen?: Well...they get to Hamwall and Laura does some stuff and then they look for the Sword of Conquest, they find out who the unlikely hero is, and there's a semi-cliffhanger at the end that really isn't too bad. I really wish I had more time for this explanation, but I digress.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hamtaro or any of it's characters. I own Siren, Spyke, the Guardian, and all other characters or concepts not directly related to the original Hamtaro franchise.
Oh poo...she's shreeing for me right now.
Chapter 7: Unlikely
Spyke saw the balloon basket gently floating in the wind from where he peered out the eroding window of the tall, fabled tower on Wizenhart's Hill. It was touching down by old Hamwall square, and he could clearly see the outlines of the ham-hams prepared to leap out and begin a rigorous search for the snow white hamster he held captive, Bijou. It wouldn't take them long to find him, he knew. Guardian Tower was in plain sight, and the source of many legends. They would zone in on him shortly, and he would have to prepare to crush their dreams swiftly.
"Your friends are here!" He smirked maliciously, chuckling. Bijou, still cowering in her corner as far away from him as she could get, merely glared at the evil hamster, her captor. Her eyes were filled with hate as he laughed greedily, absorbed in his own desires.
"And that blasted hamster Siren is with them. Good. My plan is working perfectly, and all the pieces of the puzzle are falling right into place. Soon, the ultimate power to control hamsterkind will be mine!" He rubbed his paws hungrily together and ran his tongue across his lips.
Turning his ruby red orbs to a shivering Bijou, he growled darkly, "You'll be with them soon enough. But how long you will be together remains to be seen."
Bijou caught a glimpse of the balloon through the window over his shoulder, farther in the distance than she had hoped, drifiting slowly downward in a graceful motion against the hazy sky. Her eyes filled with crystal tears that she tried to quell, and she tried to send a telepathic, desperate message to the hero she prayed would come to save her, all of her heart filled with hope and fending off despair,
"Oh, Hamtaro! You muzt find me! Find me, Hamtaro!"
"It's big."
Those were Hamtaro's determining words of wisdom as they tied down their balloon basket after landing at the Ruins of Hamwall. Large, stone structures stood before them, like great gray skeletons, abandoned and desolate. The vast expanse of grey and drear gave off the very air of sorrow, and not one sound was heard all across the massive, delapidated area. An enormous tower loomed on a hill nearby, a fragmented stone pathway leading up to it. A long, steadfast wall, covered with dark ivy, but otherwise unaffected by time, encircled the entire ancient civilization, hence the name Hamwall. They were standing in what they assumed was once the village square, rocky and eroded, lifeless and sad.
"What now?" Stan asked, looking around at the dullness of the area with wide eyes.
Maxwell found himself peering around a place he had only imagined from books. Seeing it now, it's sadness and emptiness, made him a little uneasy. All of the books had described the place as being beautiful, a true marvel, but this was just a hollow shell of something that may have once been glorious. On one broad, cracked section of the large wall he spotted writing. It was dusty, so he brushed his paw frantically across it. It read in crude writing, carved roughly into the stone: Hamwall. They truly were seeing it with their very own eyes. One of the 8 Hamster Wonders of the World, before the Haj Hamhal, and after Hamlantis. (AN: The puns! The puns! I have to stop. I am so sorry you have to deal with those...)
"It's just so hard to imagine how hamsters once lived here..." Pashmina trailed off, a look of sadness sweeping across her face as well. The ham-hams fell silent as they stared at the desolate place. It was colorless, and the only things lively in it were themselves and their bright balloons, swaying gently in the breeze. Even the creeping ivy, alive and writhing, added to the dark atmosphere.
Cappy too, seemed in awe, but a subdued kind of awe. "I wonder what it would be like if the Hamwallians were still alive now. I mean, there might have been a whole different race of hamsters, if they hadn't been wiped out. So many hamsters gone in so little time. I don't like thinking about it..." His ears drooped slightly, awe replaced with grief.
Maxwell too, felt the same, as each ham-ham surveyed the pitiful, heart-wrenching scenery. It was like a graveyard, and he felt horribly for the Hamwallians, all taken down in the prime of their legacy. The glory days of the great Hamwallians was over, and he knew that, but seeing it with his own eyes only confirmed that depressing fact. He found it difficult to imagine any hamsters once living there, but it had been empty for over a century, and now all that remained were the ruins and some legends of a once great empire, and all of the memories and stories that had remained unheard, unshared. It was a tragic waste.
"Let's begin looking for Bijou!" Boss piped up quickly, determined to change the dark, sorrowful mood that had settled across all of them. "If we find her, we'll find the reincarnation of that Spikuro hamster. And if we find him, we'll find Bijou. Either way, we need to split up somehow. The faster we solve this problem, the better."
They spread out in pairs, not wanting to go exploring alone in a strange area that reeked faintly of evil. Siren, paired with Panda, had no difficulty searching the area and nimbly climbing over the rocks and stones, as if she had visited the area before. Panda however, had already gotten his backpack caught on many crude, jagged formations protruding from the ground. Siren believed them to be remains of buildings. That little pile of rubble over there could have been a herbalists shop, that heap of decaying stone with bits of rust, an ancient schoolhouse. She could hardly imagine this place ever having life. It seemed so dead...so unlike those many years ago, in images she had seen in dreams not just her own.
"It's hard to picture this place alive, isn't it?" Panda tried to make light conversation as they scanned the area.
She had been thinking the same. "I know. But it has been empty for a century or so...it kinda gives me the creeps..." She shivered, the fur on her neck bristling. It was almost like deja vu had suddenly struck her. Like she had been here before, when it wasn't just a pile of ruins, but a great civilization. With a grim smile, she realized she had...many, many years ago, in a much different form. (AN: I really don't think I could be any more obvious right now...Kay sorry...butting out...)
"I dunno. Even though I can't see hamsters ever living here, it seems like it was once a fantastic place. I mean, look at these buildings. Made out of pure stone! I would have loved to see it when it was full of life. I bet the Hamwallians had a lot of good times in this place, and great tools for building these places. It may be dead now, but it seems full of memories, and we can learn from them."
Siren focused intently on what he had said. Suddenly, she could visualize the bright faces of the ancient Hamwallians, enjoying the simple life in their cozy colony and intricate stone village. Cheerful children, playing ancient games in the streets, proud archers enjoying the thrill of the hunt, sun reflected in their shimmering azure eyes as they looked towards the sky within the walls of the empire that lasted for several hundred years and died in a few days. Some would venture up to visit the great tower on the hill, which, over time, became known as Guardian Tower. Wizenhart had lived there before Spikuro's reign, Genforth often dropping by for a visit...they would talk about legends, swords...
She smiled.
After several long minutes of turning up with nothing, the ham-hams met up back at the square, by a stone contraption believed to have once be a fountain, with a curious looking mer-ham perched on a pedastel in the middle, mouth wide open. Maxwell was leafing through his book again, while the rest of the hams, famished, chomped on sunflower seeds. It was disconcerting that they had not found a single clue to where Bijou was, or the evil reincarnation of a dastardly emperor. They were at the right place...but where did they have to go within this place to unlock the mysteries?
Maxwell was currently absorbed in the tale of Genforth, the legendary smith. That line from the old fable, "Where water flows through the air and mer-hams stand still as stone, spouting silent song" was causing him great distress. He wracked his brain for any possible solution as to where the sly, handy hamster had hidden the Sword of Conquest. Perhaps if they could get their paws on that brilliant weapon, everything else would fall into place.
"I love that fountain. That mer-ham is so beautiful!"
"Ookwee!"
Something in Maxwell's brain clicked as he overheard Pashmina and Penelope's idle chatter. He abruptly leapt to his feet, startling his friends, as he peered over the side of the fountain with intrigue and a look of pure realization in his wide eyes. "What is it, Maxy?" Sandy asked, worried. Maxwell only acted so strangely...when he discovered something.
"Where water flows through the air and mer-hams stand still as stone, spouting silent song'...Yes! This is it! The Sword of Conquest is located somewhere in this fountain!" Maxwell exclaimed, reveling in his discovery. It was so obvious! How could he not have figured it out sooner!?
Excitement filled the ham-hams as they clustered around the stone fountain, chattering in thrilled voices and bright eyes shining. The cunning face of the carved mer-ham, cracking with age, but still mostly intact, seemed to be holding a secret as she beckoned to them with one immobilized paw, stone fin twisting elegantly to the sky, almost taunting them where they stood helpless. A silence fell, and their excitement was dampened slightly. One part of the riddle was solved...but where exactly was the sword?
"But...where?" Hamtaro queried, seeing no lever or switch.
"That is odd." Dexter eyed the fountain wonderingly.
Penelope, the smallest, seemed to have an idea. Before anyone could stop the shy, blanketed ham she leapt over the side of the fountain, sliding nimbly into the bottom of the large basin, and crawled up onto the carving of the mer-ham with agility. "Penelope! Get down here this instant!" Pashmina scolded the young ham teresly, afraid that she might fall off the figure and hurt herself somehow.
Penelope, for once not listening to the scarved ham-ham, jumped with a determined squeal on the mer-ham's broad fin. It flipped downward, causing Penelope to tumble, unharmed, into the basin of the dried-out fountain. Instantly, the figure of the aquatic hamster rose with a groan of stone-on-stone into the air, almost like a celestial being ascending to the skies. It's raised base revealed a dark, dank doorway with stairs leading downwards into a black abyss, swaying cobwebs calling them forward.
"I think we've found where Genforth hid the sword!" Oxnard exclaimed, eyes agleam.
Hamtaro read the inscription carved above the secret passageway. It read in the same carved writing as before, on the wall where their balloons were tethered, "Enter here, all ye who seek Conquest." If that wasn't an invitation, he didn't know what was. However, it was an invitation into darkness...and it was making his nerves turn to determined steel. He could feel a pulse of some unknown power, throbbing somewhere beaneath his feet.
"Good job Penelope! I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier, you're so clever!" Pashmina apologized for chastizing the ham-ham, and patted her good friend on the back in congratulations.
"Ookwee!"
Hamtaro, deemed the leader, leapt over the side of the fountain and walked steadily towards the doorway with a small flashlight. He cast his eyes to the mer-ham's face again, but it was the same, sly, daunting expression set in stone staring back at him. If it could have giggled, it would have, and it was as if she knew what lay down their stairs, and wouldn't offer any hints about it. Gulping down his courage and leading his friends defiantly, they slowly made their way into the cold, damp passageway. Siren peered around curiously as the light from above ground faded. She looked a tad annoyed.
"The fountain...it's so obvious!"
"It's so cold!" Cappy exclaimed, as they entered the frigid stairwell. The stairs seemed to go on forever, down and down and down, until they finally reached the damp, glacial bottom step, which emptied out into a room with a dank, cold stone floor. The fading sunlight from above was just a speck in the distance, the cavern they now stood in totally black and as freezing as a winter night.
Hamtaro shined the flashlight all around the domed chamber they were now standing huddled together in, water droplets plummeting from the ceiling to the floor, and the ham-hams drew out their own flashlights to break through the still darkness. Several of the lights fell on an ancient box laying on a decaying stone table, pushed up against the far wall, cobwebs covering the edges. Above the old box hung an even older, worn flag, with a deep blue colored 'HW' on it and an outline of a hamster's face in bright cobalt. It was tattered, faded, and fraying, sure signs of age.
"What's that?" Howdy asked, tilting his head to one side. "Some sorta symbol?"
"It's the flag of Hamwall..." Siren replied stonily, azure eyes matching the colors of the ancient flag.
"Amazing! We are discovering things no one has seen in over a century!" Maxwell was so excited, Boss had to grab him by the shoulders and say, "Chill out, Max. It's just a flag from this old place. And a rotting box. Relax."
Ignoring the chatter, Hamtaro courageously stepped forward and crossed the damp floor to the old box. With slighhtly-trembling paws, he opened the creaky lid and peered in with the flashlight to see what it contained, and was instantly amazed by the sight that met his wide eyes.
Resting on a slightly dusty and molded velvet pillow, lay a shining, flawless sword, untouched by time. It was so bright that Hamtaro almost needed to shield his eyes from the reflection of the flashlight off it's silvery, sleek blade. He lifted it gently from it's resting place, and it felt like a feather in his paw, but strong and dynamic. It was encusted with a bright ruby jewel, right in the center of the hilt, enhancing its gold, red, and silver colors. As he held it tightly in one paw, dropping the flashlight that paled in comparison to the floor, he could feel a powerful pulse surge through his body. The ham-hams all gazed in amazement as their own flashlights struck the blade that had been waiting for a century to be discovered.
Hamtaro felt the great power coursing through his veins. It pulsed through him, making him feel even more determined and confident than before; like he was meant to hold this sword. To him, it was effortless, like holding a leaf or any ordinary object. As he held it in the air, the sword glowed with a faint red light for a brief moment, but it flickered off, leaving the ham-hams to stare at it with wonder reflected in their eyes. Hamtaro was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of right; like he belonged here, holding this marvelous weapon.
"The Sword of Conquest!" Oxnard announced gleefully, shivering.
"Here, Hamtaro, I want to hold it for a minute!" Boss sprinted up to Hamtaro and held out his paws eagerly, wanting to feel the power that came with the sword they had just found, as he could sense it was a legendary power and he wanted to be part of it. If it meant saving Bijou, he wanted to share in it.
"Sure!"
Hamtaro, somewhat reluctantly, handed the sword to the powerful field hamster, but Boss found his paws could not bear it's weight. It was so heavy it fell to the ground with a clatter, his paws desperately trying to lift it from the cold floor.
"I can't lift it!"
Maxwell stepped forward and examined the broad weapon. He too attempted to lift it, but couldn't budge it. "I don't understand. Hamtaro could lift it so easily, but neither me nor Boss can move it at all!"
Stan smugly broke in, saying, "I'll lift your sword for you, dudes. No problem, I'll show you how it's done!" He, concentration flashing across his face, tried to lift the ancient sword. His face became red as a beet with the difficulty of the task, arms straining. Eventually, he gave up, panting.
"Sure, you like, showed them!" Sandy mocked her brother, who glared at her and walked away sulking. After a moment, she relented and gave him an apologetic pat on the back.
Hamtaro once again lifted it with ease. "It's so easy!" He exclaimed, bewildered. "I don't understand why you guys can't lift it!"
Dexter seemed to have an idea. Stroking his chin and narrowing his brown-rimmed eyes, he declared, words of the Legend of Fate running through his head, "Perhaps our very own Hamtaro is the 'unlikely hero' destined to fight with the Guardian in the Legend of Fate. He is the only one who can lift the sword, after all. And, no offense Hamtaro, but you aren't exactly the strongest ham-ham, or the brightest, in this group. Somewhat heroic and brave, but not what I would have thought exactly likely as a hero." His suggestion brought about many murmurs of agreement.
"Yeah...I'm sure a lot of hams would have expected someone bigger..." Cappy murmured.
"Or smarter..." Sandy went on. "Again, like, no offense, Hamtaro...but you seem to be it!"
"No offense taken!" Hamtaro chirped, but the severity of the situation soon filled his brain and his bright face clouded with concern. "Wow. If all that's true... I'm supposed to help save the world with the Guardian! And save Bijou from the evil Spikuro's reincarnation! Gee, I dunno if I can do it...it's so much, so fast!" He had done numerous valiant deeds before, but saving the world was a bit of a stretch and on a far larger scale of heroism than he had ever dared strive for.
"You can do it Hamtaro!" Pashmina encouraged him.
"Yeah, you are in a Legend! You wouldn't be if you couldn't do it! The sword was obviously meant for you and you're the one who'll save the entire hamster world!" Panda exclaimed, with Cappy adding solemnly, "Remember, it's up to you, and there's no better ham for the job!"
"Duh!" Sandy stated, like it was obvious. "Out of all of us, I'm glad it's like, you, Hamtaro!"
"Me best friend is a hero!" Oxnard chanted, jumping up and down with his beloved seed firmly in paw.
Hamtaro felt his confidence rising steadily as his friends encouraged him, filling him with their kind, praising words. He lifted the sword high above his head and stared at it in triumph, feeling that sense of belonging once again. He felt like a hero; like it was his destiny. The image of a helpless Bijou filled his mind, and now he knew that he had to accept his destiny to save her from the clutches of evil, and the rest of his friends, even the whole hamster world, with it. It was his duty, and he had to fulfill it no matter what. He would.
"Thanks ham-hams. Now I'm sure I can do this. Let's go kick some evil hamster tail!" He raised the sword effortlessly, flashlights making it gleam even brighter.
Cheers echoed in the now lively stone chamber under the fountain. Siren, however, began to worry and wring her paws. Now the unlikely hero had been unmasked, as one of her friends even, and her time grew shorter and shorter. The Legend was coming true, there were no more doubts. And her shroud was quickly fading by the minute. She could hardly imagine the ham-hams shock when they found out. Especially Panda and Cappy, whom she felt rather attached to and liked a good deal; they reminded her so much of her brothers from home. But everyone would be crushed...She would be devastated.
"What am I going to do?"
Laura could hardly believe she was stuck playing chicken with Roberto as her partner. The only lucky thing was that she was on a team with Kana and Lance, Kana sending her apologetic and sympathetic glances all the while, and June with a stiff, unhappy looking Reese. Travis was giving an extremely, perhaps overly serious pep talk to his team before they leapt into the pool, huge splashes following their landings and dousing a furious June, whose hair had still been somewhat. Laura found the water calming, not too cold, but not too warm. But it didn't last as Roberto leapt into the pool beside her, and got water in her eyes. She was too horrified by being paired with him to scold hom for it.
"Okay, you have to knock off all three female members of the opposing team to win!" Travis explained the rules to those who still had no idea how to play the pool game. Laura felt her nerves jumbled up inside her. "I've played chicken before...so why am I so nervous now?" She pondered, trying to sort out her thoughts in the final seconds until the game was set to start, calming herself into near relaxation.
Kana was already perched steadily on Lance's shoulders, glasses off and surprisingly ready for war. June and Reese were ready as well, Reese with an emotionless look playing across his face and June looking cheerful, just glad to be ner the boy she idolized. "We're going to win, right Reese?" Red tinged her cheeks as she spoke to her crush and patted his perfect hair lightly, a slight stutter edging in her voice. Laura smiled at seeing June swoon as Reese tilted his head to look up at her.
"Uh...sure." He didn't look enthusiastic. Or interested in anything but ripping Travis's head off.
All of a sudden, Laura felt herself rising into the air. Roberto had unexpectedly lifted her up onto his shoulders while she had been looking at smitten June and silent Reese, startling the brown haired girl greatly. "Roberto!" She exclaimed accusingly, caught off guard, blushing.
"You weren't paying attention!" He retorted, looking up at her with a strange glint in his usually haughty chocolate colored eyes. Laura froze, an odd feeling stirring within her. What was with him? The pair faced the opposing team, ready, not speaking a word to each other.
Reese and June had elected to take on what they considered the powerhouse, Mika and Travis, in the middle. This was mainly Reese's idea, as, for some reason, he seemed bent on exacting some kind of revenge on Travis. On either side of them, Kylie and Kory were matched with Laura and Roberto, leaving Josh and a loudly confident Gina to face Kana and Lance, the latter of which was making faces at Josh to try and get him to laugh and fall over. "You're going down!" Josh, trying not to smile, addressed Lance.
"That's what you think! You're the one who's going to lose!" Lance responded, and Kana nodded defiantly in agreement with her partner.
"Boys! Quit bickering and get ready for war!" Gina scolded in a slightly bossy tone, green eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Can we start?" Kylie asked a supremely confident looking Mika, who was going to start the game any moment now, perched securely on Travis's strong shoulders to battle with June. Kory, who always agreed with Kylie, added, "Yeah, I want to beat them now!"
"That's what you think, shrimp!" Roberto, one eyebrow arched and smirk in place, looked down at Kory, the shortest boy in their grade, whose shoulders barely broke the water's surface.
"Hey! Enough with the height cracks, you know I'm sensitive about that!"
"Whoops, can't hear you from down there..."
"Oh...that is over the line!"
"Okay. Ready...set...go!" Mika shouted, ready for an all-out battle and the want to win evident in her shy voice. June looked almost bewildered as Mika instantly began trying to shove her off of Reese's shoulders. Kylie fairly leapt at Laura, who was taken aback, but regained her composure as she began to fight back, forcing Kylie and Kory backwards in the water, causing some of it to churn from their efforts. Kory looked very determined to bring down Roberto, his face twisted in rage. He was still seething over being called short.
"Come on, Laura!" Roberto said through clenched teeth, glaring daggers at his opposition. Laura was surprised at his words of encouragement. "Is he being...nice?"
"You're getting so heavy I'm going to drop you!"
"Well...I should have known it wouldn't last..."
Not put off, Laura felt her strength build and she pushed Kylie off of Kory's shoulders. The fallen pair hit the water with a splash, and Roberto, not losing grip of Laura, raised one arm in triumph. "Yeah! One down! Reese, Lance! Get them!" Laura followed this by saying, a sulking Kylie and pouty Kory watching depressedly, "Yeah, Kana! June!"
"Good job, Laura." Roberto said reluctantly, after gently letting her climb off his shoulders. Surprised by this genuine gesture of kindness, Laura replied in a civil tone, "You too, Roberto." Roberto waded a few paces away to coach Lance and Reese with what he thought of as empowering words of wisdom, attempting to provoke them to victory. Laura could have sworn she caught a faint blush tinging the tan boy's face, but dismissed it as a sign of fatigue; he had been pushing Kory rather hard.
"Nah..." She shook it off and watched the rest of the match. An interesting battle was ensuing between Mika and Travis, and June and Reese. While their female counterparts battled above them, Travis and Reese were glaring at each other with such intense hatred electricity could almost be seen sparking between Travis's narrowed blue eyes and Reese's cloudy grey. It was very strange, fueled by something that only the two silently feuding could feel.
"Wonder what that's about..." Laura stared curiously, as she had never seen any animosity between the usual friends, so absorbed she almost missed Kana's and Lance's victorious toppling of Gina and Josh. "Good job Kana!" Laura swam over to her friend and congratulated her.
"Now only Reese and June have to knock off Mika and Travis, and we win!" Kana said, and the duo watched and rooted for June and Reese to come out victorious.
Gina and Josh sullenly cheered on Mika and Travis, their final hope in getting a rematch, because then only two teams would have been toppled and all three needed to be felled in order to claim a win. Mika was grinning tauntingly at June, who was scowling with the effort of pushing Mika, their fingers intertwined with one another as they tried to force each other off their partner's shoulders.
"Come on Trav!"
"Mika, you can do it!"
"June! June!"
"C'mon Reese! You can whoop Trav any day!"
The fiery staring contest between Reese and Travis was still raging, unbeknownst to an oblivious Mika and June. Suddenly, with a fierce boost of strength, June shoved Mika hard and she fell backwards into the water, with Travis going down with her into the depths. However, they came up laughing at some unknown joke, unruffled by the loss, and Reese let down an ecstatic June. "We did it!" The entire team, save Roberto and Reese, cheered. June went in for a high-five with Reese, but he stalked away and joined Roberto and Lance, who were still cheering and whooping loudly.
Laura and Kana embraced joyfully. Laura was enjoying herself so much she hardly noticed when a rain drop plummeted from the heavens and landed on the tip of her nose. Silence fell as all eyes turned to the now gray sky, and the tiny ripples in the water as raindrops struck the pool. Thunder boomed, startling everyone.
"Everyone inside! Grab your stuff!" Mika hollered, wading towards the ladder.
Everybody clambered out of the pool just as thunder clapped overhead and the rain began to pour harder, pounding into the pool. Panicked and shivering, Laura snatched up her towel and threw it over her head while grabbing the rest of her stuff up in her arms. Mika was holding the glass sliding door open, shielding her eyes from the rain, towel wrapped firmly around her shoulders.
Laura and Kana dashed inside and felt their feet hit a cold linoleum floor. Laura stared around Mika's home with amazement. They were standing in the enormous kitchen, twice the size of Laura's and with more modern, stylish furniture. It looked like a very modern mansion, not too many fancy ribbons, bows, and lace, like one might find in old fashioned mansions, but just like a regular home supersized.
"Well, this is my house. Big...yeah. Empty...yeah. Boring...yeah." Mika said with a small smile, and then launched into directions, "Travis, you can go ahead to the upstairs bathroom by my room and change, you know where it is. Uh, June, you can go to the bathroom right outside the kitchen, first door on your left." Both June and Travis left at the same time, change of clothes at hand.
Mika then returned outside with the enlisted help of Reese to lay down the cover on the pool, and to pick up the now probably soaked refreshments. They still not had returned from their mission by the time Travis returned from changing, now wearing a pair of soccer shorts and a T-shirt, but he seemed not to notice his girlfriend gone as Kory and Kylie were sent off to change after June returned, in a pair of khaki shorts and a flowered tank-top. Reese and Mika eventually returned laden with drenched chips and such, a triumphant smirk on Reese's face and Mika looking a bit embarrassed, but she smiled a forced smile when Travis slung his arms around her shoulders.
Soon, everybody was changed and feeling fresh after the rain incident, wondering what they could do next. "What are we going to do now? It's only 5:45. We have another three hours and fifteen minutes to kill," Laura asked. She was actually enjoying herself and didn't want to head for home early...
"I am having a good time...after all..."
"I rented a few movies yesterday. We could always watch them and then just hang out down in the basement." Mika suggested tenatively.
Soon enough, Mika had departed to inform her parents, who were hiding away in their room at their daughter's plea, of the plans they had just thought up. The rest of the cheerful partygoers, save an almost-always Reese, were trooping downstairs, led by Travis, to Mika's game room to watch a movie. "Having fun?" Kana queried, falling into step beside Laura. Her eyes were slightly worried.
"Yeah. Chicken was great..." Her eyes rested on Roberto, who was laughing at Lance, who had fallen down the stairs in a vain attempt to be funny. Somehow, she hadn't thought about Travis all afternoon, except for maybe longing to beat him at the chicken game, which they successfully did. But she hadn't thought of him as her crush at the party at all, save for the first minute. That was so strange. Usually, whenever she was within even a five-foot radius of him, Laura blushed an impossible shade of red and couldn't stop the butterflies. But now...nothing.
Perturbed by this, Laura headed down the stairs with Kana, trying to sort out her mixed emotions.
The ham-hams emerged from the blackness of the hidden chamber triumphantly, Hamtaro holding the sword like it were his very life. It was now raining steadily, not pouring, but a strong flow fell from the grey heavens, setting the mood. The somber grey sky and rain seemed to be the perfect setting for the stony, sorrowful remnants of the once glorious Hamwall square, which looked even more horribly depressing and hollow in the rain. "What do we do now? Does the legend say?" Panda asked.
Boss, face solemn, merely said, "We save Bijou! What else?"
Maxwell was violently flipping through the pages of his book, but came up with no answers. "The Guardian has not shown up yet, so we don't have much to go on. I can only hope it arrives soon, or else we'll be in big trouble. I guess the only choice we have is to find the reincarnation of Spikuro and try and save Bijou..." He was still staring at his book, even as they began to walk forward, looking around for any sign of Bijou or the evil Emperor, "I believe we should be looking somewhere on Wizenhart's Hill, since it's he only place we haven't checked. The tower must bewhere the reincarnation of Spikuro is holding Bijou."
They began to trek across the stone ground of the square, eyes peeled for any signs of life as they headed for the walkway that led to the tower. Siren walked like it was her last day on the planet, hazy eyes cast to the ground, looking as if she were being lead to her death. Panda, worried for her, as she hadn't been active or cheerful all day, placed a warm paw on her shoulder. She jumped, alarming him. "Are you okay, Siren?"
Siren looked at him listelessly, mysterious glint gone from now blank azure eyes. "I'm fine. Don't worry," She put on a fake smile intending to appease him, which Panda clearly detected. But at her wishes, he tried not to be concerned as she walked sullenly with the rest of them towards the tower looming on the hill, like a spot of dreariness among determination.
"You sure?" He wanted to be sure, to know she was truly fine.
"Yeah. Just worried about Bijou, you know..." She said as nonchalantly as possible, refusing to face him as she spoke, as tears were threatening to flow from her eyes if she saw the worried look on his face. He left her alone after that, falling back to walk with Cappy, but wondered what was making her act so weird.
Boss stepped up to Hamtaro as they walked through decayed streets. "Hey buddy...ready to be a hero?" He asked lightly, slapping the young hamster on the shoulder.
Hamtaro merely nodded, focusing on what he had to do. Boss stared confusedly into the younger ham's face for a moment. He saw something new in Hamtaro's eyes...a burning that had not been there before, or, if it had, had not been glowing as brightly as it was now. And Boss had a feeling he knew what that burning was...it probably led from his eyes right to his heart. And what was in his heart was feuling his newfound, abrupt confidence and determination. Something had awakened in Hamtaro...something new and powerful.
"Hamtaro...you're like a whole new ham!" Boss said with a dry chuckle.
Hamtaro looked at the older ham, quizzical. "Heke? What do you mean, Boss? I'm still Hamtaro!" His voice sounded so much the same, but Boss could still sense something had grown inside of Hamtaro, like a flower blooming.
Boss closed his eyes and smiled a smile that wasn't happy, nor was it sad. It was a knowing smile, wise and unafraid. Boss, in that moment, realized what had changed within the aloof ham-ham often chastised for his naivete, and he realized what he would have to relinquish for this new persona to continue to grow in his friend. It was a bittersweet smile, and when he opened his eyes, there was a look of understanding in them, and not a trace of his usual gruff stubbornness. In a quieter tone, so that only Hamtaro could hear, Boss mused,
"You know...she's waiting for you."
Hamtaro looked startled by this comment. Growing uncomfortable by the look in Boss's eyes, the orange ham turned his gaze onto the sword in his paw, and rambled, "Heke? I don't get what you mean Boss...Bijou's waiting for all of us! We're going to rescue her together!" There was a slightly desperate edge to his voice, like he was hiding something he didn't want Boss to know.
"Yeah...but she wants you to be the one to save her. In her heart, it's always going to be you," Boss muttered, a hint of red on his cheeks. It wasn't an easy thing for him to admit, but, under these uncertain circumstances, he could feel a change in himself that did make confessing this so much easier than it would have been had he tried elsewhere. In his heart, he had always known it was an admission he would have to make one day, and now that the time had come, he felt oddly at peace. Like a weight was gone, and although a place in his heart felt slightly hollow and aching, he knew it was likely for the best.
Hamtaro was awkwardly silent for a moment, absorbing everything Boss said very slowly, then struggling to find the right response. He would not deny his newly awakened feelings, for it was not something he had any power over, but still, the right words were hard to come by.
"Yeah...I know, Boss. I..."
"Don't say anymore," Boss interjected swiftly. "I know what you're going to say, and I understand. I only hope that you...fulfill all of her wishes..." He stuck a paw out for Hamtaro to shake, small, knowing grin on his face.
Hamtaro, determination shining and admiration for the gruff field ham skyrocketing, grasped his friends paw and smiled in return.
"I will, Boss. I promise."
"Good. Otherwise, I'd kill you."
Meanwhile, everyone was scanning the skies with desperate eyes in hopes of seeing the Guardian flying, shining brightly against the gray glouds that hovered above them. However, no such sight met their eyes, causing them to grow increasingly concerned. "I hope the Guardian comes soon. I would feel a lot safer with it here!" Pashmina declared with a small shiver.
"Ookwee!" Penelope added her two cents.
"Don't worry Pashmina! I'll keep you safe!" Dexter valliantly fell into step with Pashmina. But on her other side stepped up Howdy, ready to match Dexter's words.
"You'll be a lot safer with me around, darlin'! Don't worry!"
"I'll protect, her Howdy."
"No, I will, Dex."
"ME!"
"ME!"
"ME!"
"Cut it out!" Boss hissed at the pair as they walked through a crumbling gate and began to ascend the stone path towards the tower. The rain was lessening; now just a small drizzle clinging to their quivering whiskers. But still, no sign of the Guardian graced the bleak skies. The feuding pair simmered down and seperated, Howdy walking behind the leaders, Hamtaro and Boss, and Dexter walking beside Maxwell to assist him in theorizing. A tense silence swallowed them all.
Maxwell was still hunched over his book, trying desperately to find answers to all the questions swimming in his head about the legends and how they were going to be fullfilled. Nothing came to his mind, as Dexter asked quietly, seeking reassurance, "The Guardian is coming...right Maxwell?"
Maxwell sighed. "I wish I knew. Legends are unpredictable. We never know if they're true or not until that make-or-break moment...that's what makes them so dangerous."
Dexter peered up into the sky and replied, "It does seem a lot to hope for. I mean, we're going on this journey basically on a whim. We don't know what's going to happen, or if the Guardian is even going to come. I just pray it does, and the legend is true, although I still have trouble believing we're living in a fairy-tale right now. I mean, how incredulous is all of this!" He chuckled.
"I agree!" Cappy said solemnly, piping into the conversation, "But it is a fantastic adventure! Even if we're not sure..." His ears drooped a little. "...if the Guardian is coming. I really want to see it again!"
This unnerved Siren. Their hopes rested on her shoulders, and she wasn't sure she was ready for this burden to be revealed. How was she going to tell them? Just blurt it out and hope for the best? No...news this delicate had to have time to build up, but, after keeping secrets for so long and flat-out denying them earlier, how could she admit to it now? However, she had little time to ponder this, as they were now standing in front of the tower, on the cold, wet grass, as the stone path had met its end. Before Hamtaro could open his mouth to yell to the reincarnation of Spikuro, Spyke leaned over the side of the tower, up on the top, eyes flashing.
"Hello, Ham-hams!" He called in a falsely cheerful voice. His resemblance to Emperor Spikuro was even more startling in person. But Panda and Hamtaro recognized him instantly, though from different instances. "That's him!" They shouted together.
They stared up at him with hatred in their eyes. "Who are you, and what have you done with Bijou?" Boss demanded loudly.
"Bijou is unharmed. As I told you she would be. I see everyone in your party is here. Enjoy this moment while it lasts, for you all will be under my power soon enough." He pulled on a lever on the top of the tower. The tower doors, stone and imposing, opened with two earth-shaking creaks, revealing a bound Bijou laying in the entryway, helpless, white fur spilling in a mess around her head. She whimpered, eyes filled with tears, though clearly relieved to see her friends coming to her aid.
"Bijou!" Hamtaro and Boss dashed towards her, gently untying the ropes and taking the tape off her mouthas gently as they could. Bijou threw her arms around Hamtaro's neck as soon as she was released from her bindings and he sighed, relaxing for a moment, absolutely thrilled that she was safe. "Hamtaro! I knew you would save me!" She seemed ready to cry, but the warmth from Hamtaro's embrace helped her to feel safe and away from all danger, as they shared a tender moment outside the chaos looming above them.
Hamtaro patted her on the back, calmed knowing she was now safe from harm and would be okay. Boss watched jealously, but understandingly from the sidelines, glad the apple of his eye was safe from harm for now, even though in her eyes, Hamtaro was her eternal hero. Boss couldn't quite explain it...but he felt matured, understanding that he was not the one in the spotlight as he had always wanted. It was okay, and his words from earlier rang in his head, making him feel a great swell of pride. "Maybe just the severity of the situation..." He muttered, still looking at Bijou. But he had an inkling it was something more.
Bijou eyed the sword in Hamtaro's fist apprehensively. Hamtaro noticed this. "Don't worry Bijou. This is what is going to help us defend the world."
Bijou sniffled and nodded with a faint smile dancing on her face as Hamtaro, holding her paw, and Boss led her back to the ham-hams, who asked if she was alright and demanded to see any injuries so Pashmina could patch her up, but she had none severe enough for that. "Bijou! We were so worried!" Pashmina gave her friend a hug.
Bijou launched quickly into her tale, realizing their time was short. "I was takeeng a walk zis morning when zat 'orrible hamster hamnapped me! But I am so glad to be back! I knew you ham-hams would come and save me!" She said gratefully, looking at every friend's face appreciatively, eyes glimmering with happy tears and lingering on her hero, whose paw she still clutched, "You are all tre magnifique! And you are all my, oh you say, ham-heroes, and I cannot zank you enough."
"You weren't hurt, were yeh Bijou?" Howdy asked, prepared to reach in his pack for some medical supplies if necessary.
After assuring them again she was not hurt, they all cast their eyes to Spyke, who was now holding a vicious looking sword in his paw. It was similar to Hamtaro's, but was black and violet instead of gold and red, and looked far more evil than the heroic Conquest. It was the very same blade that they had seen Emperor Spikuro holding in the picture in Maxwell's book, and now that they were in it's presence, they could feel it emanate darkness and evil from every crevice. Where Conquest brought hope, Havoc shattered it.
"Who are you?" Hamtaro demanded, even though he already knew part of the answer.
Spyke narrowed his eyes and let out a menacingly high chuckle. "I am Spyke of the Darklands, descendant of Spikuro of the Dark Lands. I am here to rule all of hamsterkind, and you simpletons shall not stand in my way! I will complete the mission my ancestor could not!" The threat in his voice sent chills up the ham-hams' spines, but they refused to back down now that they had come so far.
"Wanna bet?" Boss challenged.
Spyke just laughed, a cruel laugh that sent more chills up the ham-hams spines. "You? Be able to defeat me? I own the Sword of Havoc, you forget. Got it at midnight, on the dot, just as the legends say! You know, it is quite powerful, and it was put into my paws to defeat you!" He gently stroked a paw over the blunt edge of the black and violet sword, the large purple jewel stone embedded in it glowing faintly, exactly like Conquest but with a different color scheme.
"Well, I have the Sword of Conquest!" Hamtaro countered, eyes narrowed menacingly, as he pointed the sword at his enemy.
The other hamsters looked at Hamtaro, purely in awe. Normally, their orange furred friend was oblivious and cheery, never negative, and always had a bright smile plastered on his face. But now, he seemed far wiser and more powerful than usual, with the sword raised in one defiant paw, and his face irreversably determined. It made their respect for their noble leader grow even more, and their confidence in him rise. His transofmration was one to be admired. The naivete he usually personified and undergone a metamorphosis...into wisdom and perserverence, just like a hero out of a legend, no matter how unlikely.
"Still no match for me, useless hamsters," Spyke waved dissmissively at them, looking bored from where he stood on his perch. "I have been waiting for this moment since the day I first laid eyes on the Guardian. Soon I will have its ultimate power, and fullfill my destiny and become Emperor, just like my ancestor Emperor Spikuro was. You can do nothing to stop me...try as you might...and I know that fools always try..." He informed them dully.
"When the Guardian gets here you won't be so cocky!" Sandy yelled angrily at the unfazed hamster.
Siren felt a jolt course through her as she stood at the back of the pack, a little ways off from her newfound friends, as Spyke's intense rose colored eyes rested on her. Her azure eyes opened wide with fear, praying he would not reveal the secret she worked so hard to protect. But as he looked at her, toying with her with just his knowing, cunning gaze, Siren knew she was backed into a corner, and there was absolutely no escape. Everything she had built up in the past few days would come crashing down...
"Ah, you see, foolish, naive ham-hams, the Guardian is already here!" Spyke said gleefully, smirking, showing off his chiseled fangs. He was going to enjoy this.
Everyone looked around with wild hope in their eyes, but saw nothing, not a flash of white nor the beautiful raven colored wings in the sky. Angry, and feeling that they were being mocked, they turned glaring eyes onto the reincarnation high upon the tower. "The Guardian's not here! What are you talking about?" Hamtaro shouted.
Spyke just laughed again, and Siren felt her web of lies enclosing her, suffocating her, as those ruby eyes landed on her once again. They held a mysterious, treacherous glint in them, and Siren knew what it meant. He was not going to let her keep the secret, or let her find a way to protect her identity...he was going to unmask her right then and there, in the most painful way possible, and in front of the only hams she had ever befriended. The nice, pleasant dream, the 'little while' she had to revel in happiness, was all coming to an ugly end.
"Not in its true form. But the Chosen One, the one you believe can save you from your doom, and the one who hamsterifies the brilliance of the Guardian..." He pointed accusingly at a horrified Siren with one finger, eyes narrowed with malevolence, knowing full-well that her facade was being shredded as he spoke those poisonous words.
"...Is right there!"
CFB: OMG NO WAY!
Next time: The secret is out! Siren is the Chosen One, and her true backstory is revealed! How did she come upon the power of the Guardian, and why did she leave her home at such a young age? And how will the ham-hams react to the news? The battle is going to begin between the forces of evil and good, with the Guardian and Hamtaro teaming up against Spyke and his Sword of Havoc...but what do the words of the Legend of Fate really mean? Does good always prevail...or is a more shocking, sinister outcome in store? And Laura does some stuff. Find out next time.
