Disclaimer: If I had a billion dollars I'd bribe Rumiko into selling me Ranma ½, but I don't so NOT MINE!

A/N: I've gotten so into this story, its hard to believe! I've been updating every day! Well, keep the reviews coming! I really, really appreciate them! Remember NO flames. Thank God I haven't gotten one yet and lets keep it that way! Constructive criticism yes. Criticism no.

Chapter Five:

The Basket Boy Auction

Ranma:

I stood there, shaking on the stage, clutching my basket of food with a sign that said FOUR on me. Hundreds of girls had gathered, clutching their purses. I gulped. This was it.

I scanned the crowd, looking for a familiar face. I saw Sayuri hanging around with Daisuke. Then I saw Shampoo and Ukyo, actually standing next to each other. They were glaring at each other so hard that I thought laser beams would start popping out of their eyeballs. I shuddered.

But, where was Akane? I scanned through the crowd twice and I didn't seem to find her. Oh, come on. Just because we got into a little fight, it didn't mean that… that I didn't…

"Aloha, Furinkan and other kiki's!" belted principal Kuno on the microphone. "We are here to begin the Basket boy auction! Let me just give da microphone to Ms. Hinako!" he handed the microphone to Mrs. Hinako (in her adult form). The crowd of boys quickly shifted their gaze from laughing at us, over to gaze lusty-eyed at Mrs. Hinako.

"Mrs. Hinako!" shouted a random boy in the crowd. "Can we bid on you!" the crowd cheered. Ugh, what perverts! These were the real perverts, not me! I grunted. Stupid, Akane.

"No," Mrs. Hinako said, solidly. She showed absolutely no expression on her face, it freaked me out.

But, in less than a second later, she returned to her little kid form.

"Okay!" shouted kid-formed Hinako with her squeaky little voice that pierced my ears. "We all know how the Basket boy auction works, right? Shout our your bid when its your turn. Please do not shout at the same time! Now, Basket boy number one, please step forward!"

Akane:

"Akane," groaned Yuka. "We're missing the Basket Boy auction! Lets go! There won't be any costumers coming, anyway!" I was sitting at my stand and I definitely didn't want to budge. Who cares about who won Ranma, anyway? I didn't!

"No thanks, Yuka." I said, while turning my head to the other direction with a huff. "Why don't you go by yourself?"

"Akane… I'm not leaving unless you are! I wouldn't want to leave you alone… we're friends." she said, while fluttering her eyelashes. I bit my lip. Now I felt guilty. Nice friend I was being…

"But if you want to ruin my entire day and make me not have any fun, that's okay…" she sniffled a little at the end. Oh, no. Checkmate.

"Fine…" I groaned. I got up from my post and began to walk towards the festival. Yuka had a triumphant smirk on her face that just reeked of the word 'sucker'.

When we finally arrived, the crowd was packed. Yuka pulled my hand to go stand with Daisuke, Hiroshi and Sayuri.

"Akane!" Sayuri said, while giving me a friendly hug. "So, are you going to buy Ranma?" she said with a wink.

I snorted. "As if. Who would want that pervert?"

Sayuri grinned a mischievous grin at me and then reached into my white purse.

"What!" I said, trying to grab the purse back, but Sayuri dumped the contents out.

Then fell out the five thousand yen that Nabiki left me. What! But I put the money in my uniform pocket! How did it get in my dress? I looked on the ground and found another slip of paper.

No need to thank me, again… little sis. I'll put this one on your tab!

-Nabiki.

"Akane, you little snoop!" gushed Yuka. "You are going to buy Ranma!" My cheeks flushed with both embarrassment and anger.

I grabbed the purse out of Sayuri's hand and shoved the money back in. I ignored their giggles and snorts and tried to focus my gaze in front of me.

But guess what? There was a certain purple-haired someone that I'd rather not talk about standing directly in front of me. You guessed it, Shampoo. Right next to her was Ms. Smack-me-with-her-fly-swatter-of-a-spatula, Ukyo.

I know I was being a snoop, but I couldn't help it. I strained my neck to hear what they were saying.

"Shampoo going to out buy you, Spatula girl!" Shampoo said with a glare. I couldn't help but notice that Shampoo looked very pretty. She was wearing a long, red Chinese-style dress that had gold flowers along the neckline. Shampoo looked way too fancy for our little outdoor, muddy festival!

"Keep dreaming!" Ukyo spat. Ukyo looked pretty as well. Definitely not as fancy as Shampoo, but she looked feminine, at least. She wore dress pants and a green, lacy top.

Suddenly, I felt self conscious. I bit my lip. Did I have more money than Shampoo and Ukyo…? Could I… actually out bid them?

"Next is Basket Boy number two, Kai!" said Hinako on the microphone. "He has ramen noodles, two orders of Eel Teriyaki, soda and some chocolate ice cream! Yum!"

"One-hundred yen!" shouted the girl in the orange dress.

"Three-hundred yen!" shouted the girl in the green ribbon.

"Five-hundred yen!" shouted the girl in the orange dress.

"Six-hundred yen!" shouted the girl in the green ribbon.

"Seven-hundred… fifty yen!" shouted the girl in the orange dress,

The crowd suddenly went silent.

"Going once…." said Hinako. "Twice… sold! To Kaori Chento for seven-hundred and fifty yen!"

The girl in the orange dress bounced up and down in delight.

"Wow, that was pretty cheap!" said Yuka. "Kai is pretty cute, I'd expect at least one-thousand yen!" she sighed. "I should have bid."

I bit my lip, waiting for the next Basket boy. Which number did Ranma say he was again?

"Now, Basket boy number three, please come out!" shouted Hinako.

I was shocked at who I saw. Gosunkugi was the third Basket boy.

The crowd was full of laughter when they saw Gosunkugi standing up there. Hinako had to hush them three times for them to shut up. I felt bad for him, standing up there… he had feelings, no matter what other people thought.

"Here we have Hikaru Gosunkugi! He has soba, Soya beans, rice, apple juice and cupcakes! What a sweet treat!"

The girls in the crowd grimaced. Then I noticed Ranma was next in line after Gosunkugi. My heart skipped a beat.

I looked ahead of me at Shampoo and Ukyo and saw that they were counting their money. Shampoo had at least one hundred thousand yen. Ukyo had about the same amount.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I didn't have enough money to win Ranma.

I tried to fight back tears but then I noticed Hinako getting frustrated.

"C'mon guys… delicious lunch… someone please bid!" Gosunkugi looked like he was about to cry. My stomach lurched. The poor guy… standing up there was embarrassing enough… now no one wanted to bid?

The money was burning a hole in my purse. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Five-thousand yen!" I shouted as loud as I could.

The crowd, the Basket boys… even Hinako gasped.

"A-Akane?" Ranma gasped.

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A/N: Phew! This one was a lot of fun to write. Mini-cliffy right here, huh? Do not fear, Pattie is here! New chapter up soon! Click that pretty little button on the bottom of the page called 'review' first, please.