Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Hamtaro Fan Fiction ❯ Return of the Duel Hams ❯ the Stand of the Duelist ( Chapter 25 )

After what seemed ike a long chopper ride, all of the hams were safely dropped off with their boxes in tote. And with the last of the bathroom trips, checks to see if all of the cards were with them, it was a wave goodbye to Croquet. After that, the ham-hams returned to the clubhouse, where Boss, Jam and Panda finally got to see the fruits of their labor. All of the hams gathered and sat at the table. Boss looked at the calendar to see that they actually had slept through an entire day. "Okay you hamsters, we've got a quick deal of business before we head up out of here." said Boss. "The tournament is in two days. So when we show up tomorrow, we have a few last minute things to take care of."

"Yes." agreed Panda. "And even though the fun park's dueling system is secure, I still have to work on the dueling system here. And until it's finished, we won't get the dueling effects that we once had."

"Which is good, because we won't be dueling for these last two days." said Jam.

This ruling followed by lots of groaning from the other hams. "No dueling for two days? That's not fair." said Sparkle.

"You hams don't need to be dueling at all for these last two days."

"And why the hell not?" asked Stan.

Jam took a breath. "Because we will take these last days to prepare our decks. We need to do that, so there will be no dueling from anyone, by anyone, to anyone. This is our moment to prepare our decks."

"But why?" asked Penelope.

"Yeah, why? And you better have a damn good reason." added Howdy.

"Yeah." said the other hams.

"Even I wanna hear this one." said Boss.

"Why?" Jam started. "The Shadow Clan is why, or did you forget what just happened to this place? If pegasus was able to observe us while we built this place, what makes you think that they aren't watching us?"

 

The hams turned silent. "The Shadow Clan left us literally in the dark when they ruined this place. And if I were any of them, I'd watch us like hawks, so there is to be no dueling. I want you all to remember this however, despite them being duelists, we will not be like them. This time period will not only ready your decks for the tournament, but also yourselves." Jam turned away from the other hams and removed his pack, revealing the sunspot on his back. The sunspot wasn't it's normal color, but it was actually silver. "Despite restoring this clubhouse, the Shadow Clan is in the back of our minds. We will take this time to empty them from our minds, as to not taint your judgements at tournament's duration. We will compose strategies with our cards, and even visit the fun park to get any cards that we will need to complete our decks. As you look through your cards, choose your most trusted, your most unpredictable, and your most strategic, and make it so your ecks are no more than 46 cards."

"46 cards?" the other hams asked.

"That's right, 46 cards. If you have 47, than that's fine too, but 46 cards is a full hand of six cards, and then your fully required 40 card deck. I know this may be tough on all of you, some more than others, but remember, we are Still in the Dark because of them. That's how we'll enter, that's how we'll remain. Understand that."

"No, I don't understand that." said Hermana.

"You weren't asked to understand, Hermana, you were told to."

"Oh...." Hermana became quiet.

An there's that tough love that Jam gives us... thought Maxwell.

"We're done here, hams. Retire now." The hams just looked at him. "Why are you still here, do you want your owners to worry about you? This metting's over, now go. Thwinde!"

 

Boss simply struck the gavel and off the hams went. Hitomi and Hermana retired to their room and Snoozer went to his sock to sleep. "Jam, that was a bit shrewd, you know." said Boss.

"So." said Jam.

"So, despite that, being shrewd as you were, it was also needed." and off Boss went to his room.

Jam simply stretched and then retired to his room, locking his door behind him. He sat on his bed and opened the field card slot of his duel disk. So what card did Pegasus give me? Jam took the cloth out, but before he removed it, he mentally performed a Mind Shock. The result knocked Hitomi and Hermana from their feet to their backs, making their third eyes bleed. "My eye." said Hitomi.

"Your eye, my eye." said Hermana.

Serves them right for trying to mentally see what shouldn't be seeig. Jam thought to himself. I have disabled their third eyes until the start of the tournament, now that eye will not be of use to them. He held the clothed card. Now... let's see this card. Jam removed the cloth and looked at the card. His eyes got big from seeing the card's image, then he smiled and started to laugh. Pegasus... I understand now. It's time to duel....

*

 

The next day, the hams returned to the clubhouse, to find Jam and Boss were there waiting for them at the table. They all took a seat as Hitomi, Hermana and Snoozer woke up to join them. After a quick rollcall, the hams all went into the main area where the dueling would normally be and they all say in a circle. Lapis, Lazuli, Barrette and Seamore walked in to notice they were seated around Jam. "Have a seat you hams, join the circle." Jam told them. The four hams joined the crew and made a circle even wider. "Okay, all of your are sitting in a circle around me for a reason: To be a boundary. Fear not, as I'm about to execute a friendship barrier, it will help us as we prepare for the duels that will take place. All you have to do now is simply close your eyes and open your minds. I will do the rest."

"I don't get it, but it's worth a try." said Seamore.

"Friends are always worth it." said Lazuli. "Okay Jam, our minds are yours."

"Close your eyes and relax.... all will be fine." said Jam.

The hams followed Jam's instruction. Jam then pulled out the Blade of Ra, and looked upon his friends. After seeing all of them in a relaxed state, he began his chanting the spell. As the spell was chanted, a ring of fire went around the circle of hams, which created a barrier around them all. The Ra's Hamster closed his eyes while continuing his chanting and began to do the fire dance.

 

During this event, all of the hams apparently lost control over their own bodies, but they were in subcon. Each of them saw their own destiny, unique to only themselves. Afterwards, the hams saw themselves.... rather their bodies, as well as Jam dancing during his chants. This form of astralprojection was hard to understand as they watched, but it had its effects on them. "This is weird...." said Sandy.

"Are we dead?" Penelope wondered.

"This is definitly an outer body experience." said Oxnard.

"Why do I feel so lightheaded?" wondered Lapis.

"It feels like I'm dreaming...." Snoozer said calmly.

"Yet another thing my books can't explain to me...." Maxwell trailed off.

"Sacré bleu...." Bijou was few in words.

"Amazing." said Pashmina.

"Why are we watching ourselves?" Hermana was confused as all hell.

"It's weird, but, soothing in a way...." Pepper trailed off.

"I've got a strange feeling about this, though it isn't positive, nor negative at all." said Boss.

"I like this in a way. Reminds me of spiritual cleansing, it does." said Dexter.

"I wish I could come up with a decent joke or one-liner for this experience." said Howdy.

"I want to be afraid, but I don't know fear at the moment." said Cappy.

"I'm tingly inside... I hope I'm not having an orgasm." said Hitomi.

 

"I don't know what the others think of this, but this is so freakin cool." said Stan.

"How long are we gonna stay like this?" wondered Hamtaro.

"This is warm.... and inviting." said Lazuli.

"I wonder if this is like a bath for my soul..." wondered Seamore.

"I was never told this in school..." Sparkle trailed off.

"How you guys doing?" Jam asked them.

"Jam, what's going on? Why are we up here and down there?" Boss asked.

"Truthfully, you aren't really up here. This form of you is what is called your 'Stand' fellow hams. Every being has a 'Stand', but not everyone has the ability to give it a physical form."

"I still don't get it."

"Neither do I, Boss." agreed Sparkle. "And just where is your stand at, Jam?"

"You forgot when you saw it, I see." said Jam. Jam simply turned into the form of his stand.

"No way, you did it again." said Seamore. "The... Black Flame Dragon, you're Horus."

"Very good Seamore." Jam returned to normal. "A 'Stand' is genderless, it knows not of a gender, but it is up to the individual to decide which form his or her stand can take place. As you can see, my stand is Horus the Black Flame Dragon, it is what I've chose it to be."

"Can we do that?" asked Cappy. "No wait... How do we do that? You already mentioned that we can."

"Of course, Cappy. Once you decide how it will be formed, your abilities with your Stand will come to you."

"Zis wasn't so hard." said Bijou.

The hams turned to Bijou. "Wait, what fairy is that?" asked Hamtaro.

Bijou turned to normal. "You didn't see?"

"It wasn't clear enough to see."

"Oh, I guess I need more work."

"You're working to hard." said Maxwell who was already in the form of his stand.

"It tigures that your stand would be a book." said Boss.

"Not just any book either, the Pigenholding Book."

"You mean like the Pigenholding Book of Spell?" asked Sandy.

"You got it." Maxwell returned to normal. "I figure that if Jam can change his stand to one of his trusted monsters, I could do the same with one of my own cards."

"So you mean that if I wanted to, I can change my stand to be one of my duel monsters?" asked Hermana.

"Do I need to show my stand again? Of course you can." Jam told them.

"Can I go back to my body now?" asked Hamtaro.

"You obviously didn't hear what Jam told you. We aren't really here." said Pashmina. "This is an illusion. But at least we'll have time to develop our decks and our strategies."

"Hey you guys, where did Maxwell go?" asked Cappy.

"Maxwell has developed his stand already, so he's back to where he was down below." answered Jam. "Once you've figured out an idea on how to make your stand, you too, will be back." and Jam's presence left them.

 

It took a while, but everyone made it back. Once they all returned, the spell's effects faded away. "Well everyone, now that you have an idea on how to create your stand, focus on giving it a physical form in the present time." said Jam. "The 'Stand of a Dueilst' when given lots of effort will be able to help you in ways you never thought it could."

"I think I understand now." said Maxwell. "For example, check out my book."

The hams turned to see that Maxwell had done it. "No way, that was fast, Maxwell!" shouted Cappy.

"It's the Pigenholding Book of Spell." said Stan. "How were you able to develop it so fast?"

"I guess my focus on books helped me to do it." Maxwell answered. "Don't stands develop at different times?"

"Yes they do," Jam answered, "so don't feel discouraged. I'm impressed how your stand developed so quickly however.... that was faster than me. Well, enough of stands for now, off to the fun park everyone, it's time to go card hunting."

 

With that, the hams went off to the fun park, inhopes, especially Jam's hopes, that the other hams will have their stands take physical forms.