Thank you Awsomewriter123 for being my first, and so far only, reviewer. I'm glad you appear to be enjoying it so far. I do not write for reviews, but they certainly help push me along. So, in short, I appreciate it.
This chapter is dedicated to you, Awsomewriter123.
The visitor tenderly held the babyham as Yuki looked on comfortably. The amber-eyed hamster felt like a giant, so proud and happy with his son in his arms.
He's so fragile… so innocent…Turning to Yuki, he stated, "We have to let Ayuko give Hamtaro to that student of hers…" His face, which moments ago had appeared a beacon of happiness, had turned somber and serious, the words terribly difficult to say. "He has to be safe," the ham's voice cracked.
Yuki rose from her seat, a warm tear glistening down her white cheek. She touched her love and kissed his cheek. "I know." Her tone changed to one of assurance, though the visitor could still sense Yuki's sadness. "I've been watching the girl Ayuko wants to give Hamtaro to. Her name's Laura Haruna. She's polite, kind, and helpful. She'll love him."
"I know…"
In the amber-eyed visitor's arms, baby Hamtaro giggled, pushing on his father's chest. The visitor laughed back, holding his son aloft above his head. "Look at him, Yuki!" he boastfully exclaimed. "If he's this cute now, imagine all the girlhams that'll be chasing after him in a few years!" He crackled triumphantly, his son obliviously lost in laughter while held upward. Yuki merely sighed in embarrassment before rapping her paw across her love's ears. She took her son from his father's paws, cradling him as baby Hamtaro yawned.
"Time for another nap," she chimed as the babyham closed his eyes. Yuki looked up at the visitor, who was staring intently at his son, a tired smile curling his mouth. The white-furred motherham couldn't help but marvel at how telling that look was.
Deep inside her amber-eyed love's mind, Yuki knew the visitor was realizing that this babyham was already more important to him than his own life.
The visitor stood in front of Yuki and Hamtaro for a while. He listened to the silence of the kindergarten classroom.
Then, the white furred motherham offered their son back to the amber-eyed visitor, who gingerly accepted. Baby Hamtaro, mind now nearly clouded over with slumber, opened one paw and touched his father's nose.
The visitor smiled. Yuki snuggled up against her love's deep orange colored fur. He returned her schmubby-wubby and the earth turned around them.
The world became a tiny point of blue light that turned and moved with the breath of angels.
The fatherham stood, cradling his son.
Hamtaro awoke to the blaring repetitive ringing of Laura's alarm clock. His head was foggy and it took a minute for the cream and orange ham to snap back into reality. Hamtaro blinked.
The sky forecasted another spectacular day; the sun shown effortlessly into Laura's bedroom through the glass window. Hamtaro rubbed his head. He had the oddest feeling, like he couldn't remember something important. The amber-eyed Ham-Ham wrinkled his brow trying to recall. However, he was interrupted by a sleepy greeting.
"Good morning, Hamtaro," Laura yawned. She stretched. "It looks like it's going to be another nice day outside."
You bet, Laura. But do you know what it is I can't remember?
"I had the weirdest dream last night. There was this banana and—"
Hamtaro didn't hear the rest. A dream? Maybe that's what I can't remember! A dream!
"Laura!" came the muffled call of his owner's mother. "Hurry up and come downstairs for breakfast!"
"Ok, mom!" Laura shouted in response. It was a practiced routine. She offered a sunflower seed between the bars of Hamtaro's cage, who graciously accepted the meal. "I'll be back in a little bit, ok?"
Don't worry about me, Laura, thought the cream and orange ham as he nibbled off the seed's shell. His mind raced, trying to remember his forgotten dream. His owner gave him a warm smile, then vanished out the bedroom door.
A short hour later, Laura had eaten, gotten ready, dressed, and was out the door to visit her best friend Kana, who also happened to be Oxnard's owner.
Maybe the Ham-Hams can help me remember, the cream and orange ham pondered. But which one of his friends would know about dreams? The answer came fast as lightning. Maxwell! He would know! He knows everything!
Easily slipping out of his cage door, Hamtaro jumped down from the tabletop, landing neatly upon the wooden floor. After scurrying out of his hidden exit hole behind Laura's bed, the cream and orange ham shot down the drainpipe as if greased with butter, and followed it up by sticking a graceful landing on top of Brandy's head. The brown furred dog opened its white muzzle in a yawn, causing Hamtaro to tumble off.
"Goodmorning, Brandy!" chortled the friendly ham, to which he received another sleepy yawn in response. The dog had never been much for greetings.
Nonetheless, the hamster gave his canine friend a warm smile before trotting off. "Catchya on the flip side, Brandy!"
Boss gave Oxnard a look of warning. He had spent all morning setting up the food table and he wasn't about to let the gray-spotted hamster ruin it. "If you take even one sunflower seed, Oxnard, I swear I'll—"
"Oh, Boss!" came a familiar French accent. "You 'ave done such a vonderful job vith ze food."
The field hamster nervously rubbed the back of his head as he watched Bijou walk over. "T-Thanks, Bijou," he responded sheepishly. "I'm p-pretty good at decorating. Parties, dances, you name it."
Bijou nodded, causing her sapphire ribbons to bounce. "Zen ve are all very lucky to 'ave you, Boss."
He laughed over-modestly, face displaying a crimson flush. Oxnard used the field hamster's absent mindedness to sneak a sunflower seed from the table.
"Bijou?" called Pashmina from across the clubhouse. She was balancing on top of a ladder trying to adjust a large banner that read "Happy Birthday Hamtaro & Cappy!" The scarf wearing girlham seemed to be having some difficulty. "Would you mind giving me a paw over here?"
Bijou quickly made her way over to help out her friend. Boss dreamily stared after her.
This birthday dance would be the perfect opportunity for him to confess his feelings for the French girlham. Boss could picture it now: they would be slow dancing together upon the dance floor. He would confess to her and she would eagerly return his feelings. It would be perfect, and with the dance moves that he learned from Maxwell and Sandy yesterday, his plan couldn't fail. But then, like an ominous cloud, an obstacle filled his mind. Hamtaro…
Boss had a suspicious notion that Bijou might have some feelings for the cream and orange hamster. But the field hamster dismissed this with a laugh. Hamtaro was one of his best friends! He'd never betray me like that.
Besides, Hamtaro was far too naïve when it came to love. Boss was smart enough to understand that the cream and orange boyham was not oblivious to the concept of love entire. Hamtaro was just incredibly thick skinned about it sometimes. Maybe one day, Boss silently reflected, that little guy will understand the way love feels, but for now…
Boss was certain that Bijou and him were meant to be.
Hamtaro marched onward, progress uninterrupted. The warm summer sun had already made the dew evaporate from the blades of grass. There was an abundance of birdcalls in the air.
The cream and orange ham was eager to see if Maxwell could help him with his dream crisis. But keener than this, Hamtaro was looking forward to seeing his friends again. For some reason, the amber-eyed boyham felt especially bad about not getting to see Bijou. The hamster didn't think much of it. The French girlham was one of his best friends. Why shouldn't he want to see her?
Then, suddenly, a voice rang out.
"Hamtaro! Wait up!"
Wait… didn't something like this happen yesterday? His thoughts were cut short as Sandy sprinted up to him. "Hey, Sandy!"
The tiger-striped girlham responded with similar enthusiasm. "Like, hey Hamtaro! What's up?"
"I was just heading to the clubhouse to visit the Ham-Hams," the boyham informed while gesturing towards the park. "Do you want to come?"
"The clubhouse? Naw, you don't wanna go to the club house." Sandy did her best to sound convincing.
Hamtaro gave her a confused stare. "Heke? I don't?"
Sandy could barely contain a triumphant grin. Sometimes Hamtaro's naivete sure helped out. "Nope. The fan, like, stopped working yesterday, and you know how hot it can get down there in the summer."
"Hmmm, I guess that's true." Hamtaro still looked concerned. "But I really wanted to see all our friends today."
"Well," Sandy pressed, trying her best to sound innocent, "Maxy and me were going to practice some dance moves today. He went out earlier to see if any of the other Hams, like, wanted to come along." She turned towards Hamtaro. "Hey! Why don't you come, Hamtaro? It will be super cool and fun, I swear!"
The boyham didn't need long to consider the offer. "Sure! That sounds great!" exclaimed the ever-excited Hamtaro. Plus, he silently reminded himself, if Maxwell is going to be there, I can ask him about my dream.
"Ookee?"
"I'm sorry, Penelope, but I can't play right now," replied a distracted Pashmina. The scarf-loving hamster was perched perilously atop a ladder, both paws griping the "Happy Birthday Hamtaro & Cappy" banner like a vice. Meanwhile, Bijou balanced on the other side, doing her best to level her end of the unruly decoration.
Penelope's eyes turned towards the floor, disheartened.
Pashmina tried her best to reassure her young friend. "Don't worry, Penelope. I'm sure one of our friends would like to play with you. Why not go ask Howdy and Dexter?"
"Ookee…" came the downhearted reply. The young blanket-wearing Ham-Ham wandered off around the clubhouse in search of a playmate.
First, she decided to take Pashmina's advice and ask Howdy or Dexter. However, the two were grumbling back and forth to one another, and Penelope knew more than well that this would eventually lead to an argument, quickly followed by a fight, and Penelope always found their fights to be a little bit scary. So, the young hamgirl kept looking.
Stan, once again at the turntable, was listening to music too loud for Penelope's taste. Boss was trying desperately to keep Oxnard from eating every last sunflower for tomorrow's party. Sandy and Maxwell were out teaching Hamtaro and Cappy to dance. Snoozer, of course, was fast asleep…
"Hey, Penelope. What are you doing?"
The hamgirl turned around to see a kind-faced Panda, sitting with his back up against the wall, his eyes temporarily diverted from a pile of old papers.
Penelope smiled and walked over to the craftsham. "Ookyo ookyo?" she asked, indicating the aged papers.
"Huh?" Panda looked down at the pieces of parchment spread out around his paws. "Oh, these." He smiled at the young hamgirl. "I was going through the attic in my house last night and came across these blueprints." Upon the scrolls were sketched shapes and measurements and instructions that Penelope couldn't read. Panda's eyes narrowed and his paw raised upward to scratch his chin as he studied the blueprints again. "I think," he continued, "they might be instructions on how to build some sort of hamster home."
"Ookwee!" the blanket-covered hamgirl suddenly exclaimed while running off to a far corner of the clubhouse.
"What? Penelope, where are you going…?" Panda watched in rapt amazement as the young hamgirl energetically pulled a sack easily the size of her body across the room.
Stopping beside the carpenter-ham, Penelope indicated the bag. She reached inside and pulled out a small building block. Placing it down upon the clubhouse floor, she pulled out another and set it atop the first. "Ookyo!" she exclaimed.
Panda beamed. "That's a great idea!" The boyham reached his paw into the bag only for it to emerge holding one of the blocks. "We can build our own hamster houses!"
Penelope gave an "Ookwee" in agreement before pouring the bag out onto the floor. The two hamsters joyfully began construction.
"I'm not sure that I can do this…" remarked an unsure Cappy. The hat loving Ham-Ham had just watched Sandy demonstrate a dance whose paw-work appeared way too complicated to be considered fun. They were atop the counter in the bookstore, which Maxwell's owners managed.
At Cappy's side, Hamtaro was trying his best to learn and memorize the complex dance moves. The cream and orange ham sure seemed more willing than his friend. "Come on, Cappy," he remarked encouragingly while simultaneously tripping over his own paws. "I'm sure we can get it if we keep at it."
"That's the spirit, Hamtaro," cheered Maxwell. "Why, I believe it was Publilius Syrus, a Roman author, who once said 'Practice is the best of all instructors.'" The bookworm was glad that Sandy and him had managed to get both Hamtaro and Cappy before either one could reach the clubhouse and ruin the birthday surprise. Tomorrow was August 6th, and it would have been horrible to have all of their secret preparations discovered the day before the party.
"Hey, Maxwell?" asked Cappy. "Where are all the other Ham-Hams?"
The bookworm put on the most inconspicuous face he could muster. "Oh, I, uh, went to their houses, but I think their owners must have taken them out for the day. I couldn't find anybody."
"What about Boss?" inquired Hamtaro.
Maxwell didn't have a response ready for this. Luckily, Sandy was on the ball. "I, like, checked the clubhouse before I found you this morning. Nobody was there except for Snoozer, and there is no way I could have made him budge."
"Huh, I wonder where everybody went?"
"Beats me," replied Cappy.
"Alright, guys," Sandy interrupted, hoping to change the subject, "we've, like, gone over some new dances. Now, it's time for your two to learn how to slow dance."
Both Hamtaro and Cappy looked at their instructors with curiosity. "Slow dance?"
"That's correct," Maxwell confirmed. He cracked open one of his books and began reading out loud. "Slow dancing is a type of dance whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of hamsters dancing simultaneously in a coordinated manner. Dance partners stay together for the duration of the dance and, most often, dance independently of other couples dancing at the same time, if any."
Hamtaro blinked perplexed while remarking "Heke?" while Cappy resorted to kush-kushing.
"Maybe it would be best if we showed them," Sandy suggested.
"You're probably right…" remarked Maxwell, slightly embarrassed. The bookworm offered his paw to Sandy, who accepted it with a blush. Without another word, the pair began swaying back and forth across the countertop. Hamtaro and Cappy tried their best to pay close attention. "You see," Maxwell commented, "One of the partners, typically the boyham, is the leader. The other, typically the girlham, is the follower. As a rule, they maintain contact with each other."
"You're forgetting something, Maxy. When slow dancing, how close you get to your partner is, like, completely up to you," Sandy reminded with a wink, causing Maxwell to swallow hard.
"T-That's right, Sandy."
"Not sure if I like it…" Cappy shyly remarked while adjusting his green swimmer's hat.
"Hmmm… well it can't be too bad, can it?" Hamtaro asked, trying to put the best spin on things. He had to admit this would have been a lot easier if more of the Ham-Hams were here. After all, who were Cappy and him going to practice with if none of the girlhams were around?
"Ok, you two," Maxwell instructed. "Now get into position just like Sandy and me are."
"Wait! What?!" Cappy's eyes nearly shot out of his head. "Hamtaro and me have to dance with each other?!"
"Like, of course." Sandy made it sound obvious. "Maxwell and me are demonstrating how it's done, so who else are you going to practice with?"
Hamtaro and Cappy exchanged uneasy looks.
"Grow up, guys," the tiger striped girlham scolded. "Seriously."
Clumsily, grudgingly, the pair took position and began trying to mimic Sandy and Maxwell.
"I think you, like, finally got it," Sandy stated with obvious pride. It had taken them most of the afternoon, but she felt confident that both Hamtaro and Cappy could now stand on their own two paws when it came to dancing. Perfect, the girlham congratulated herself, Operation Sunflower is going to work out just right.
"And it's a good thing, too," Maxwell remarked while glancing out the bookstore's windows. "It's almost sunset. You three should be getting back to your owners soon, correct?"
All the ham's attention turned towards the sky, which was beginning a transition from a light blue hue to a warm orange. If they didn't get home promptly, their humans would be bound to notice they were missing. Sandy and Cappy hopped down from the counter. Maxwell called down after them, "Hold on, Sandy, I'll walk you home." But before the bookworm could jump, Hamtaro suddenly remembered he hadn't asked Maxwell about his dream crisis yet.
"Maxwell!" the cream and orange ham cried. "Wait!" The brown hamster nearly fell over in surprise. Hamtaro nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry…"
Maxwell sighed. "It's ok, Hamtaro. What is it?"
The ham's amber-eyes displayed uneasiness. "Maxwell, can you tell me anything about dreams?"
"Dreams?" The bookworm lifted a paw up to his chin. His gaze turned downward towards the countertop. Finally, he replied, "Dreams are the images, thoughts, and feelings experienced while sleeping. They are usually strongly associated with rapid eye movement. However, the contents and biological purposes of dreams are not fully understood, though they have been a topic of speculation and interest throughout history."
Hamtaro's face sunk. "So you can't tell me anything?"
Maxwell frowned. "I'm sorry, Hamtaro. I hate to say it, but I just don't know. Why?"
"I think I had a dream, but I can't remember what it was about or anything."
The bookworm scratched his chin again, deep in thought. "Well…"
Hamtaro's ears perked up.
"Well, it has been suggested that dreams are recurring images brought about by long-term memory."
"Heke?" Hamtaro didn't understand a word.
Maxwell modestly explained. "What I mean is: some people believe that dreams are actually long lost memories and, if we can remember them, they can lead to many things we could not have remembered otherwise."
Memories…
So maybe his dreams were trying to tell him something? "Huh, thanks, Maxwell." The cream and orange ham gave his friend a smile.
The bookworm returned the grin. "Anytime, Hamtaro."
The four hams left the shop and said their good-byes before splitting up; Cappy and Sandy one way, with Maxwell walking the girlham home, and Hamtaro traveling another.
Somewhat tired from his dance lesson and not wanting to run the whole way, the cream and orange ham opted to try a shortcut back to Laura's house. Although the summer day had been hot, a gentle breeze now blew through the afternoon air, caressing Hamtaro's fur as he walked homeward. He almost slipped down a wrong turn twice, but managed to get back on track. At least, Hamtaro thought he was.
Wait a second… where am I again?
Wherever he was, the homes around this neighborhood were very nice. Some even had small walls circling their perimeters with regal fences and even cascading fountains. Then, before Hamtaro knew it, realization hit him like the hammer he had used to pound nails yesterday. The amber-eyed ham had somehow turned up in front of Bijou's mansion.
What's more, Hamtaro had no idea how he had arrived here exactly.
Note to self, the boyham observed with a hint of annoyance, never try any new shortcuts.
Still, he reflected while looking towards the western sky, this isn't so bad. Off in the distance, lazily sinking below the horizon, was a breathtaking sunset. Hamtaro observed it with shinning eyes. They sure had had some pretty fantastic sunsets recently.
What was it about sundown that always made Hamtaro feel so… warm? So comfortable? And, more importantly, did it really matter?
The cream and orange ham decided that he still had time to spare before getting back home. Without wasting another moment, Hamtaro seated himself us against the mansion's gate, his back resting against the iron bars. His amber eyes gladly took in the magnificent scene.
Bijou felt a sense of accomplishment as she walked home. Everything was ready for the birthday dance. It had been close, and some had feared that they would have to work into the night, but in the end all they could do to prepare had been done. And with Hamtaro and Cappy's birthdays tomorrow, it was a good thing, too!
The French hamgirl wondered how the two soon-to-be birthday boys had faired with their dance lesson. When Sandy and Maxwell had given the other Ham-Hams theirs, Bijou had been pleasantly surprised by how quickly she had been able to grasp the movements and footwork. She wondered if Hamtaro had turned out to be any good at dancing… and if she would have the courage to find out tomorrow.
Bijou turned the corner onto her street. As she walked down the sidewalk, she marveled at how well you could make out the sunset and at the pleasant light it cast upon the world.
Huh, that's odd, thought the white-furred girlham as she neared her house. There was something orange near the mansion's gate. And as she drew closer, she realized that it wasn't just something but someone, and that someone was…
"Bonjour, Hamtaro!" the French ham called as she quickly made her way over to the hamster sitting against the gate.
He looked at her, and his surprised expression was hurriedly replaced by a natural smile. Hamtaro stood up, his voice full of joy as he greeted, "Bijou! I haven't seen you in forever! How are you?"
Bijou beamed at him as she strode up. "I am good, Hamtaro, zank you for asking. How 'ave you been?"
Hamtaro gave the girlham another enduring smile. "Pretty good. Sandy and Maxwell were offering some dance lessons today. It was fun, but it would have been better if you and the rest of the Ham-Hams had come."
"Uh, oui, I suppose ve vere all busy today," she responded, thinking on her feet. "So," Bijou inquired in an attempt to change the subject, "vat is it you vere doing?"
"Oh yeah." The cream and orange hamster turned his gaze back to the horizon. His amber eyes sparkled with the light of the sunset and made warmth fill Bijou's cheeks. "I tried to take a shortcut home, but somehow wound up here at your house. When I saw the sunset, I decided to sit down for a little bit and, well, enjoy it."
Bijou turned and watched the sunset with him. "Oui, it is beautiful, non?" The French girlham blinked. Everything was so perfect—the sunset, the slight warm breeze, him and her. Maybe this was the moment to tell him about her feelings…
"Hamtaro?"
The cream and orange ham looked at her. "Yeah, Bijou?"
And with that, all of the girlham's courage fled. She rubbed her paws together nervously. "Uh… vell… nevermind."
"Heke?" He tilted his head to the side in a questioning manner, causing Bijou's heart to melt. "Are you ok, Bijou?"
She gave him a nervous smile. "Oui, Hamtaro. Do not vorry. I just… I just forgot vat I vas going to tell you." She thought: What are you doing? You sound like an idiot! Just tell him…
His continence appeared worried for a second. Then he smiled. "That's alright," the boyham naively replied. "You know you can tell me anything, so just tell me when you remember."
Bijou fought to hide her blushing cheeks. "Zank you, Hamtaro."
"No sweat, Bijou."
The pair sat together, bathed in orange twilight.
The door to Hamtaro's cage slid shut just as Laura came bursting into her room. She appeared to be in a good mood. Around her forearm, swaying back and forth, dangled a shopping bag. "I'm back, Hamtaro!" she greeted.
Hamtaro looked up at his owner and flashed an innocent smile. That was a close one…
"Sorry I'm late," Laura apologized. "I had dinner over at Kana's house after we finished shopping. We were playing with her hamster Oxnard." She gave him a teasing smile. "I'm sure glad you don't eat as much as him. I'd have to spend all my allowance on vegi-o's and sunflower seeds!"
"Oh yeah," she suddenly stated, holding up the shopping bag. "You'll never guess what I bought for you today!"
Hamtaro's ears perked up in excitement. You got me something? What is it?
His owner waved a finger at her curious pet. "Not so fast, Hamtaro." Laura walked over to her bookcase and placed the bag upon a high shelf. "It's a surprise for tomorrow," she informed with a wink. "So you're just going to have to wait."
Heke? Tomorrow? Hamtaro racked his brain. What's so special about tomorrow? Before the cream and orange ham could ponder further, he let out a massive yawn. He was more tired than he thought. Well, you did have a busy day…
Heavy eyelids eased over tired amber eyes. Before he knew it, the hamster had drifted off into slumber upon the soft woodshavings of his cage. His owner quietly tiptoed over to her sleeping pet.
"Goodnight, Hamtaro," she faintly whispered. "Sweet dreams."
The girl thought she heard a faint murmur in reply. She smiled before starting to get ready for bed herself.
Thus concludes the second chapter. Look for the third chapter sometime this upcoming weekend (give or take). Hopefully I'll get some more reviews, but I'm not crossing any fingers.
Regardless, thank you for reading. :)
Next Chapter: Hamtaro meets someone who might know why he's having such odd dreams. Plus, it's Hamtaro and Cappy's birthday, and, with a festive birthday dance planned, it looks like it's going to be a good one! However, when a certain ham's anger gets the best of him, will Hamtaro lose all the friends he has come to care for?