Hamtaro Fan Fiction ❯ Accidents Happen ❯ Atonement ( Chapter 3 )

Author’s Note: I want to extend my thanks to those who have taken the time to drop off a comment or two. This chapter will conclude the story. However, if the public so desires, I have plans to write an alternate ending, which would be significantly different from this one, or to extend the story itself a bit beyond this final chapter. But since I have a much larger project in the works at the moment, I can’t guarantee that it would come out any time soon.
As always, critique is appreciated.
The Aftermath: Part 2
For what seemed like hours the two of them journeyed to the home of Bijou. The trip proved to be daunting for Cappy: the fear of being spotted by predators in the open combined with the haunting cover of darkness caused the poor hamster to occasionally collapse to the ground, lacking the courage to continue. But Boss pushed him on, always reminding the pet hamster what had to be done.
Their trek covered a lot of territory: out of the commercial district, into the local park, through the underground network of tunnels constructed by Boss, and, at last, to the front yard of Bijou’s abode.
“Well, here we are,” Boss said, once they had reached their destination, “Now we just have to climb that tree nearby. It’s the only way up to the second-story window.”
Cappy looked up to the humongous, magnificent house before him. At once, his heart sank. “I don’t know if I can do this, Boss.”
“Climbing the tree or apologizing to Bijou?”
“Both!” Cappy exclaimed “I feel like I could die after that trip, and as for Bijou-”
“Cappy!” Boss snapped, interrupting him, “You made it this far. Don’t turn your back on her now. And if you need help going up, you can just ride on my back.”
That’s exactly what was done, for Cappy truly was exhausted. Fortunately, Boss could easily support the small hamster, and in moments the two reached the one branch that extended to the window. As luck would have it, the window was left open by a small crack, permitting easy access inside. However, one obstacle still remained in the way…
“Cappy…we can’t jump across that gap if you’re on my back. We’d be too heavy.”
Boss was right: the extension of the tree would dip downwards with their combined weight, making the jump impossible. That left only one course of action…
“Cappy,” Boss said, as he helped the rodent off his back, “You’ll have to make the jump yourself.”
“But I’m still so tired,” Cappy pleaded, “I might not make it!”
“It is a risk we’ll have to take.”
Boss dashed to the end of the tree branch. He leapt into the air with unexpected grace, and safely landed on the small window ledge. He turned back to face Cappy.
“If a big hamster like me can do it, then a little guy like you shouldn’t have a problem. Now come on! Bijou’s waiting!” Boss called across the gap, motioning with his paws to come forward.
Having no other choice, the hamster with the swimming cap prepped himself. His muscles were stretched, and deep breaths entered his lungs. And then, with his energy focused, Cappy sprinted down the finger of bark and sprung forward like a pouncing kitten. But he didn’t quite make it, for his chest slammed hard into the unforgiving ledge. The pet hamster would’ve continued to a gruesome demise had the field hamster not grabbed him and pulled him up to safety.
Cappy coughed, trying to regain the air that was forced from his body. “Thank you,” he said weakly.
“I would never let you die…or anyone, for that matter,” Boss replied, “Now let’s go in. Bijou’s probably resting now, but she’ll rest a lot better once she hears what you have to say.”
The two hamsters quietly squeezed through the window crack, entering the interior of the house. They found themselves within the confines of a child’s bedroom, lifeless and drained of color. Across from the window stood the bed, where a still head of a human could be seen resting on a pillow. It was in front of the window, however, where Boss and Cappy wished to proceed: a table of smooth plastic, upon which stood the modest cage of the feminine, French hamster.
Cappy quickly spotted Bijou. The female chose not to rest in her “mini-house” that night, instead resting upon her stomach in the center of her cage. Her coat of wintry white stood out in the moonlight that basked her little abode. He could not see Bijou’s face, but to miss the moist, white/crimson patch that encompassed her left shoulder would be impossible, as well the as the faint whimper that flowed from her lips.
Needless to say, Cappy’s guilt rushed back to him like a tidal wave.
In-between her moments of weeping, the French hamster spoke to Boss in her slight accent, not aware of Cappy’s presence: “Boss…it’s been so long since I’ve talked to anyone…please….please come to me…”
Cappy grasped Boss’ paw. “This is so terrible,” he whispered, “She’s never going to forgive me!”
“Have some faith, Cappy,” Boss whispered back.
Slowly, the two approached the entrance to her cage. Boss, signaling Cappy to wait outside the cage, entered Bijou’s residence, greeting the small female warmly.
“I’m here, Bijou. How have you been?”
“I wish I could say ‘I’m fine,’ but…it hurts…so much…I don’t know how much longer I can take.”
“Please, Bijou, don’t say things like that. I know you’ll get through this ordeal. You just have to find the strength within yourself. And if you can’t find it…I’ll provide it for you.”
“Oh, Boss…you’ve always been so kind. If only the others could visit me…I miss everyone so much.”
“Actually...There is someone else with me tonight.”
“Another guest? Is it Hamtaro? What I’d do to see his childish face again!”
“No…It’s not Hamtaro.”
“Oh.”
“But, it’s someone just as important.”
“Please don’t leave me in suspense, Boss. Who could it be?”
“You’ll see in a moment.”
Boss turned around, signaling Cappy to enter. The swimmer-capped rodent did so, clumsily climbing into the cage. Shaking with nervousness, he slowly walked towards the two until he stood side-by-side with the field hamster.
Bijou took one look at Cappy…and screamed.
“What is HE doing here?!”
Her body overtaken by hysteria, she frantically scurried to the other side of the cage, her wound screaming in agony with each panicked step. She pressed her back against the steel bars, the eyes flowing like waterfalls, cold sweat dripping throughout her pampered fur.
“Wait, Bijou! This is not what-” Boss tried to say, but the female’s fright overtook her reasoning, and thus the following words burst out of her mouth:
“You cruel, heartless monster! Why did you bring him here, the one who tried to kill me?! You brought him here to finish me off, didn’t you?! Didn’t you?! Everything you said was a lie! You actually want me to DIE!
“WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?!”
At once, the brutal consequence revealed itself to a horrified Cappy. His one slip of the grip…his one, single mistake…caused such inconceivable torture! Surely a life in exile was better than confronting such a terrible error!
Yet…I wasn’t better off hiding…I was dying…in my own home…just like Bijou…
Boss, his own eyes stained with tears, cried to the hysterical hamster: “Bijou, how could you say that about me? I’m not cruel! I’m not heartless! I would never want to hurt you at all!”
“Then why is Cappy here?!” Bijou wailed, pressing ever harder against the steel bars.
It was at that point, when Bijou’s fright reached its peak, that Cappy finally realized what must be done. In order for Bijou to recover from her pain and live a happy hamster life again, she had to receive the righteous justice she deserved. The one who inflicted the suffering must now suffer equally. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. A wound for a wound.
My blood for her blood…
His voice rising above the din of the hysterical Bijou, Cappy answered her question with the words of no return: “I am here to be punished!”
Bijou, Boss, even the rustling trees outside, hushed into an eerie silence. Boss turned to Cappy, expressing newfound sorrow, his eyes begging the swimmer-capped rodent not to throw away his chance for redemption. Bijou’s hysteria died off as quickly as it came, leaving behind a female hamster who no longer knew what to believe.
Cappy, his voice unstable from the thought of the inevitable, continued speaking to both of them, softly and slowly, “Bijou…I never knew how badly I hurt you. If I could, I’d say ‘I’m sorry’ until my face turned blue. Even then, it wouldn’t be enough.
“I should never have performed that last move. I was too caught up in impressing you guys to see that the sword would slip out of my hand. All I wanted was to show everyone that I could do something worthwhile, that I wasn’t just taking up space. But it is you who suffers because I messed up? That’s not fair, not fair at all!
“It doesn’t matter that it was an accident anymore. No one would ever understand. Even if you don’t die, I’d still be hated. But if they knew I was punished, I can go back to being a quiet nobody, and you would no longer be so scared of me.”
Cappy stumbled towards the center of the cage. He stopped, looking at Bijou with unmatched remorse. He peeled off his green cap, revealing the ruffled fur beneath. Then, he laid down upon the ground face-up, the muscles relaxed, and the beady eyes closing shut as the tears trickled down his cheeks. Finally, he placed his cap loosely over his face, for the purpose of muffling his future cries.
“I deserve whatever you do to me.”
Boss, dismayed where this was going, protested from the bottom of his heart, “Cappy…I can’t…I won’t! Two wrongs don’t make a right!”
“It is the only way!” Cappy cried.
“But you feel sorry for what you’ve done; you don’t need to be punished!”
“I won’t be forgiven unless I pay the price!”
There was no hope for compromise between the two hamsters. The choices now opposed each other like sides of a coin: receive mercy and forgiveness, or receive the sentence of unspeakable pain. The conflicting views of Boss and Cappy nullified the decision thus far. This meant the choice was now left to one identity: Bijou, the victim of the whole ordeal.
Boss and Cappy fell silent as her weak footsteps began to approach. The field hamster watched with great anxiety, uncertain of what she was about to do. Cappy, unable to see but able to hear, readied himself for the penalty.
Bijou stood beside Cappy and said, “I will do only one thing to you, and then you will have my forgiveness.”
Boss’ jaw dropped, surprised and crestfallen that the white, furry female chose the path of punishment. He watched helplessly, praying that the penalty would be swift.
“I’m ready,” Cappy said, still muffled by his cap.
The French hamster bent down to Cappy’s head. She lifted the hat off and tossed it to the side. Her paws firmly gripped Cappy’s cheeks. The rodent at Bijou’s mercy gulped, awaiting the blow that would likely scar his face for life.
And then, the punishment was dealt: A soft, sweet, enduring kiss to the lips.
Boss’ jaw dropped even lower as Cappy’s eyes popped open in shock.
When she was done, Bijou let go of Cappy’s cheeks, smiling at the bewildered hamsters in her cage. “Cappy has my forgiveness now.”
She understands… “Thank you,” Cappy finally managed to utter, after getting back on to his feet.
“Boss, I feel a lot better now,” Bijou said, “I plan to visit the Clubhouse tomorrow. But don’t tell anyone. I want it to be a surprise.”
“Huh? Oh, of course, Bijou!” Boss blurted out.
“And you’ll be coming too, Cappy?” the French hamster asked.
“Yes,” Cappy reluctantly replied, as he adjusted his hat back upon the top of his noggin.
“I’m glad.”
So am I…
“I better get you back to your cage,” Boss said to Cappy.
The field hamster and the green-capped hamster started towards the exit, to return to the joyful life.
“Cappy?”
The pet hamster turned to Bijou. “Yeah?”
“Don’t let your talent die away. You have an amazing skill.”
Cappy responded with a faint smile. “I won’t.”
They left the premises, allowing Bijou to finally rest in peace.