Disclaimer: Fine. Fine. I admit it. I have every single Bishounen from Ranma ½ locked in my secret fortress. You hear that Akane? Ukyou? Kodachi! Xian Pu? I'm holding the bishies hostage and they haven't tried to escape yet! (v) Of course if you chose not to believe me because you think you met the real ones last time you went to Nerima, then suffice to say they belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

Third person 'cause I like playing Kami. 'Sides, it's about time we caught up with how everyone else seems to be doing thus far.

Two legs disappeared into the tree.

"Get out of my tree!" Yuka shouted. She threw her rose on her bed and raced downstairs, not exactly sure what was called for. When she got to the back yard, she quickly took in her surroundings. The person in the tree was missing.

The robe was gone!

"Now what do I do?"

Ranma jumped rooftops with the bundle of white cloth under his arm. Muu Tsu sure was calling in a lot of favors recently. 'First the café, now getting his laundry.' The martial artist grimaced. 'I never should have let Nabiki hold that Neriman Slave auction. I know it was going towards repairing the dojo, but the floor was gonna-' A light flashed across the sky.

'ba-BOOM' Thunder cut off his thoughts, followed out by the bain of all cursed by Jusenkyo. (Well, except Tarou, but he has other problems.)

'Naturally.' Ranma-chan stopped short just outside the Cat Café. 'Since when does Mousse listen to the weather report?' Muu Tsu opened the door before she could touch the handle.

"Thank you, Ranma Saotome." Muu Tsu took the bundle from Ranma-chan. "You are free for the day. But Remember-"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm your servant 'till Friday." She flicked a wet red bang out of her eyes. "'Later, Mousse." Turning on her heel, Ranma-chan raced back to the dojo through the rain. 'Only two more days. Only two more days.'

Ranma-chan walked in the door, mumbling something about bluejays when Kasumi and Akane with a kettle saw her.

"Tough day?" asked Kasumi in her slightly worried tone.

"Hmm? No, not really."

"Well then, Akane has something she wants to ask you." Kasumi gave Akane's shoulder a quick squeeze. 'I hope she doesn't forget about the kettle.'

"Ranma, you've heard about the dance, right?"

"Yeah, 'Kane. Uc-chan told me about it."

"Oh." The youngest Tendo fought to control her disappointment. 'Ukyou asked him before I could!' She cleared her throat and handed him the kettle. "Here."

Ranma watched Akane walk off. 'What was that about?'

Buisness was booming at Ucchan's Okonomiyaki Shop. She flipped them at a furious rate. Why had Ryouga appeared just as she was about to ask her Ranchan to the dance!

flip A japanese pizza flew through the air to a customer.

hiss The griddle was as hot as her temper had been since Ryouga had shown up at lunch.

The batter bowl was empty.

crack The egg never stood a chance.

whiskwiswisk 'What possessed me to do this promotion?'

She paused. 'It sounded like a good idea at the time.'

hiss She sighed, turned on her brightest smile, and started all over.

Yuka's quill wrote at a furious pace. She had to ask someone to the dance. The list was actually a bit longer than she had thought, but not by much. Some of them were just plain embarrassing.

When the last stroke was put to paper, she set it down to let it dry while she went to get a drink. She returned with a glass of water and took up the pen again.

Kuno didn't really interest her. Her pen hovered over his name for a moment, then tapped the next one.

Ryouga had a very rugged look to him, but he wasn't due to turn up for at least two weeks. She put a star by his name just in case.

Gosunkugi? She shuddered involuntarily. 'Doesn't bear thinking about.' She immediately crossed out his name.

Mystery Man would surely be asked by Xian Pu. She starred his name.

She continued the pattern of crossing out the people she thought were impossible or just didn't care for and starring ones that she might actually have the courage to ask. Of course, it whittled the list down from at least 25 to 5.

Out of those, the only ones that she could imagine asking that would probably accept were Hiroshi and Daisuke. They were good acquaintances and took turns copying homework from her, but she didn't really doubt that either of them would be interested… but she didn't know whether or not they had dates.

Ryouga, who piqued her interest but wouldn't be in town.

Mystery Man was taken. She had starred his name, but he was taken.

Ranma. Yuka blinked twice, then crossed his name out. Cute as he was, she wouldn't do that to Akane. Besides, he's a Jusenkyo victim with suitors chasing him in both forms. 'He would probably faint if he found out he had another.'

She downed her water and went to take a long soak in the furo.

She had a lot to think about.

Muu Tsu furiously checked his pockets for his stronger glasses. They had to be in the robe that Ranma had brought back. "Curse you, Saotome," he mumbled.

Defeated for the moment, the Amazon teen sat on his futon and decided on the next mission he should send his slave on. Something embarrassing. Something different. Something. . .

He smirked.

'Perfect.'

He had just closed his eyes to think about exacting his revenge on Ranma when he heard a commotion in the kitchen.

"Xian Pu!"

He would have raced downstairs if he had seen them. Thing is, he didn't.

After rolling down them, he dazedly held his head up to see Xian Pu looking down on him.

"What stupid duck-boy here for?" she demanded.

He glomped her. She hit him.

Same old story.

Just then, Xian Pu had an idea.

"Muu Tsu. . . Xian Pu has something for duck-boy to try."

Hearing his Amazon name perked his ears. He followed her into the kitchen like a little puppy.

She held up a spoonful of lemon-poppyseed curried rice. "Open wide!" she said, an evil glint in her eye. She shoved the spoon in his mouth.

'The flavor is. . . unusual. . . and. . . ' Suddenly what colors he saw changed into a color negative. Red was green. Blue was orange. Xian Pu's hair was the vibrant yellow of lemons.

"What have you done?" he asked, monotone in voice. His mind slowly began to calm into a pond where there was originally a river.

"Muu Tsu like? This special Amazon treat." She remembered what Kho Lon had said about the effect of the rice- 'It opens the soul to suggestions and convinces the mind that it is a good idea. It can also act as a truth serum if the wife feels that her husband has been unfaithful. But I warn you, grand-daughter, that it is not to be taken lightly. If you want to make it, I can get you the ingredients. If not, there are other methods.' That's all Xian Pu needed to hear.

Xian Pu grinned. "Turn around three times and quack, duck-boy." Muu Tsu turned around three times, quack and looked at her blankly as she clapped her hands. This was going to be fun.

Who's Yuka going to ask out? W hat does Xian Pu plan to do with Muu Tsu? And when WILL duck-boy get back his glasses?

Oh, and I haven't read the mind-mushroom issue. I didn't even know about it until I had read aonedehafka's review.

You like, yes? Tell me! No? Tell me! That's what reviews are for! Creativity is 90 percent inspiration. The chances of me being inspired are multiplied by reviews!