After many hours of deliberations, and many more plates of okonomiyaki, the Tendo's, Saotome's, Ryoga and Ukyo still hadn't decided on the fifth male fighter they needed for the Prince's Challenge. Ukyo stopped cooking after everyone had their fill.

"I'm sorry, but I got to get back to my restaurant so I can get some sleep. I guess I'll open a little late today, maybe miss the lunch time rush. Bye Ranma, goodbye everyone," she said to the tired people.

"Bye," they all said back.

"Ranma? I do hope you can get Akane back. I really do hope so," she says to him.

"Thanks Uchan," he replies, before she closes the front door.

"I think she really meant it," said Nabiki.

"I think you're right," agreed Kasumi.

"Nabiki, what are you doing?" asked Ryoga.

She had out photos of every male person that came up during the conversation: Happosai; who both Soun and Genma immediately declined in bringing along, as did Ranma, saying, "The old pervert would insist on clamping onto me in my cursed form and not let go."

Mousse; Ranma believed Mousse would rather kill him to get Shampoo than help bring Akane back. Nabiki also pointed out that the boy wouldn't be much help anyway, "He can't see worth crap." she said, putting it nicely.

Dr. Tofu; everyone agreed he'd do okay, it's just his clumsiness around Kasumi that makes him a hazard, and with no one to cover for him at the clinic, he might not be able to go.

And finally, Daisuke and Hiroshi; neither one of them knew how to fight, to anyone's knowledge, so they couldn't go.

"I'm keeping track of the possible candidates," she tells him.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Kasumi gets up and answers it.

"Hello, Auntie Saotome," she says, smiling.

"Hello, Kasumi," replied Nodoka.

She enters the Tendo's common room and walks right over to Genma.

"Hello, mother," greeted Ranma.

"Hello, my son," she answers back.

She grabs her husband by the ear, saying, "You spent enough time over here, its time to go home. Now, say goodbye to everyone, dear."

She begins to drag him along the floor.

"Goodbye, everyone," he says.

"Sorry about this," she adds.

"Let me know when we're leaving, okay son?" he asked.

"Leaving? Where are you two going now?" wondered Nodoka, stopping a few feet from the front door.

Ranma hands his mother the note.

She promptly releases Genma's ear, "Oh my! Why didn't anyone tell me Akane was gone?"

Everyone looked at Genma, who was trying to sneak out the door.

Nodoka unsheathed her katana and stuck it in the frame of the door, freezing her husband on the spot. "Dear?" she said.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry," he replied, nervously. 'I didn't tell you because I knew you would've reacted this way,' he thought. "And I forgot," he added, aloud.

She removed her katana from the doorframe and hit him over the head with the hilt of the sword, telling him, "Maybe that will help you remember to tell me next time my future daughter-in-law is in trouble."

Ranma rolled his eyes, thinking, 'Yeah, he'll remember next time.'

"Sorry again," she said, as the boy's parents went out the door.

And then there were five people left in the Tendo's common room.

Ranma picks up and pockets the note, saying, "I'm going to get some fresh air, anyone want to join me?"

Soun replies, "No, I'm lending Kasumi a hand with the dirty dishes."

"Sorry Ranma, but I think I'll go make some phone calls to see if anyone I know would want to help," said Nabiki, standing up.

"But," started Ryoga, "The challenge was for five fighters who think Akane is important to them, so I don't think any of your friends count, Nabiki."

"Oh, then I guess I'll just make some phone calls then," she repeated, going to the stairs.

Ranma is almost out the door when a hand lands on his shoulder. "I'll go with you, Ranma," said Ryoga, holding his umbrella in his other hand.

"Thanks, pal," answered the boy.

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The two boys walk in silence for half a block before... "I can't believe we couldn't think of anyone that thinks Akane is important except us four guys," said Ryoga.

"I know, it feels like we're forgetting someone," agreed Ranma.

They walk another two blocks and end up in front of the Nekohanten. Shampoo comes running out of the restaurant and gives Ranma a big hug. She says, "I hear from spatula girl that tomboy gone. Means you and Shampoo get married and live happily ever after."

The boy tries to pry her off of him but can't. "Shampoo get off, I can't breathe," he tells her, but she has her hands locked together.

'He doesn't need this, not today at least,' thought Ryoga, shaking his head. He takes his umbrella and jams it in between them like a crowbar.

"What going on?" asked Shampoo, looking at him.

The teenager pushes the umbrella open, separating the two of them. "There you go, Ranma," he says.

"Thanks," replied the boy.

"Why lost boy help husband?" wondered the confused amazon.

"He doesn't need you torturing him today," Ryoga yells at her.

"It not torture! It loving embrace!" she screams, going to give Ranma another hug.

Ryoga puts his umbrella between them to stop her. "Not today, Shampoo," he says, sternly.

"Yes today. Today I get my husband!" she shouts, turning towards him. She tries to hit him with one of her bonboris, but he stops it with his free hand.

"I'm not going to fight you and Ranma isn't going to marry you. So drop it already and go chase after someone else!" he tells her, throwing her bonbori on the ground.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Shampoo turns and runs back inside the Nekohanten without a backwards glance.

"Ryoga, you didn't have to be that mean to her," said Ranma.

"Hey, I thought you'd be grateful that I got rid of her," replied his rival.

"I am, really, its just you shouldn't be that harsh to a girl," the boy pointed out, "Thanks anyway."

"Sure, anytime," said the lost boy.

"Come on, we still need a fifth male fighter," said Ranma.

"Yeah, and we only got like eleven hours or so left," added Ryoga.

They reach the end of the street and turn towards the school. "Why did you turn here?" asked Ryoga.

"I thought maybe I'd get an idea by looking at the last place Akane was seen," replied the boy.

"Hey, isn't that?" started the lost teen.

"Yeah it is," answered the other teenager, "Its Kuno."

Tatewaki Kuno was patrolling the school grounds, dressed in his kendo uniform, carrying his bokken at his side.

"Doesn't he ever go home?" wondered Ranma. A flash of lightning went off in his head. "Hold up. We could ask Kuno to help us," said the boy.

"I don't know," replied Ryoga.

"Think about it. He's head of the kendo club. He can fight to some degree and he obviously thinks Akane is important. Besides, I don't think we have much of a choice, he's the only one I can think would be willing to help rescue Akane," explained Ranma.

Before Ryoga could argue the point, the boy was headed towards the kendo master.

"Halt! Who goes there? You are trespassing on sacred grounds," exclaimed Kuno, drawing his sword.

"Shut up loudmouth, I've got to ask you something," replied Ranma.

"Fine, state your business," said the older teen.

"I need your help, I-" started the boy, before being interrupted.

"Help you? That is to laugh. Why would I help such a foul human, who would keep the two ladies I love away from me, why?" asked Kuno.

"Because it just so happens Akane is being held captive and we need you to help us get her back," butted in Ryoga, entering the conversation.

"Ha, now you have him under your control. Pathetic, this is a trap, a trap to get rid of me, so he can have the fair Akane to himself. I will not fall for it. The Blue Thunder is not so easily fooled," the older teenager tells them.

"I told you this wasn't a good idea, Ranma," whispered Ryoga.

Another flash of lightning went off in the boy's head. "I've got one more trick up my sleeve, Ryoga. Come on," says Ranma. "I guess we'll be going now, Kuno," he called to the older boy.

"Good riddance," snapped Kuno.

Both Ranma and Ryoga go back around the corner. Perplexed, Ryoga asks, "What do you mean you have another trick?"

The boy explains, "I really didn't want to do this, but I have no choice." He starts walking towards the river. "First hold this," he says, handing Ryoga the note. Ranma jumps into the river, and resurfaces in his cursed form. With a voice an octave higher she says, "Now hand me the note." The lost boy handed it back. She continued, "You stay here. I'll show Kuno the note and I'll plead with him to help us. If it comes to it..." Her voice trailed off. She shuddered at the thought of it.

"Okay, go!" Ryoga tells her.

"That idiot Saotome, thinking he can get rid of me that easily, Ha!" Kuno said to himself. Ranma came around the corner and runs right into him.

"My pig-tailed goddess you've returned to me!" he shouted, giving her a hard squeeze.

With the most helpless voice she could make, along with the most pitiful face to match, she began to plead with him. "My darling," she starts, 'My god, I'm going to hurl if I have to keep this up for long', "I have come for your assistance."

"So, you've broken the spell that evil Saotome cast upon you, and you want to go away with me," he says.

"No, I ask for your help in rescuing Akane," Ranma replied, but is interrupted.

"Saotome still has Akane captive, then yes, I will help you!" Kuno exclaimed.

"No, here," she says, handing him the note.

"What is this, my goddess?" he wondered. The older teen reads the first three lines before he shouts, "No! Someone else has taken my sweet Akane! This Tshugo shall feel the wrath of the Blue Thunder!" "When do we leave?" he asks.

"Read the rest of the note," she tells him.

When Kuno finishes the note, a confused look is on his face, "What is the meaning of this?"

"I'm asking you to go with Saotome as the fifth fighter they need to be able to rescue Akane," she explained.

"I refuse to help that cur, even if it is for Akane's return," he replies.

'Ugh... someone please end my life,' thought Ranma. "Please, Kuno darling? If you do, I will (gulp) go on a date with you," she said.

"I'm sorry my dear, not even if I went on a thousand dates with you would I help him," he answers.

'This is for Akane, I have to do this for her, no matter how disgusting this is going to feel,' she thought. "Not even for this?" she said to him, inching closer.

Before Kuno could react, his pig-tailed goddess had kissed him on the cheek. Not noticing Ranma gagging, he responds as if in a daze, "For that, I'll do anything."

"Great! Get your things packed and he'll meet you here in ten hours, okay? And bring your bokken with you, you might need it. And no funny business with Saotome or else I'll know," she tells him.

"Sure, goodbye for now, my pig-tailed goddess. I can't wait for our date," he says, still dazed.

'Oh great, I forgot about that,' she realized.

Going back around the corner again, Ryoga asks, "Well?"

"Yeah, he says he's coming," answered Ranma.

"Are you sure he'll show up?" wondered the lost boy.

"He better, or else, there's no date," she replies.

"A date? You and Kuno?" asked Ryoga, sounding surprised.

"Ugh, yeah, and I had to kiss him too. Just don't tell Akane, okay?" responded the girl. She looks over and sees the lost boy on his knees, laughing.

"Sure, okay Ranma, I won't tell her. But you wearing a dress might make her suspicious," he assured her.