The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Kuro bara kukki (黒バラクッキー) is the 81st chapter of the manga and the first chapter of the Akane vs Kodachi - Cookie Battle Arc.

Kodachi has made some cookies in her Home Economics class and decides to give them to Ranma. At that moment, Akane has just done the same and asks Ranma to try hers.

Offering the Cookies
In the home economics class at St. Hebereke's School for Girls, some of the students note how boring it is that everyday they bake cookies, but haven't any boys around to give them to and impress with. Kodachi then tells the teacher that she's remembered an urgent matter which she must attend so shall be leaving early. Kodachi then creates a Rose Blizzard with her gymnastics ribbon and exits through an open window, the teacher then calmly notes down about Kodachi's early departure. As Kodachi makes her way across Furinkan she notes that her efforts won't be wasted as she's sure Ranma will enjoy her cookies.

Meanwhile, the girls of Furinkan High School have just finished their home economics class, including Akane who's especially happy that she finally got it right. Hiroshi and Daisuke then show up and ask some of the girls if they want their cookies taste tested, but the girls tell them that'll only happen in their dreams. Just then Kuno appears and says that happiness for a woman lies solely in cooking food for the man she loves. He then tells Akane that he'll make her happy, to which Akane asks him if asking if he can have a cookie is too much for him.

Just then Ranma appears and jumps on the back of Kuno's head whilst telling him that he wouldn't do that if he was him, as Akane's cooking has killed lesser men. After hitting Ranma with a, Akane sarcastically thanks him for his opinion and continues by telling Ranma to save it until he's tried some.

Akane soon calms down and tells Ranma that she's shaped her cookies to look like animals. Ranma, however, can't quite make out what animal the cookies are meant to be and mistakes a Penguin for an Octopus; a Lion for a Crab and a Rabbit for a Water Flea. Annoyed, Akane tells Ranma to suppress his wit and just eat them. She then continues by attempting to kick Ranma in frustration, but he easily avoids her.

Kodachi's Visit
While still in the air, the bag of cookies are taken from Ranma's hand by Kodachi's ribbon. Kodachi tells Ranma that he needn't continue to fear this evil confectionary. As Akane remembers Kodachi, Kodachi herself notes to Ranma how long it's been since they last met. She then throws her own bag of cookies at Ranma, who takes one out and says that it's a star, but Kodachi corrects him by saying that it's a Starfish.

Akane then asks Kodachi to return her cookies to her, but Kodachi declares that cookies such as her's are not worthy to touch her Ranma's lips so she jumps out of the window with the cookies still in hand. Extremely irate, Akane tells Ranma that it's all his fault and if he'd just eaten them none of this would've happened. Ranma just says that he was minding his own business, but Akane (now with tears in her eyes) shouts at Ranma that those were the best cookies she's ever made, this causes Ranma to go after Kodachi to retrieve the cookies.

Ranma soon catches up to Kodachi, who says she knew that Ranma would come for her. Ranma, however, tells her that he only came for the cookies and attempts to grab them off Kodachi, but just before he can grab them, Happosai appears and jumps onto Ranma's head, this is then quickly followed by a storm of angered female students demanding their underwear from the old lecher.

After recovering from being trampled, Ranma realises that he's accidentally ended up lying on top of Kodachi who's put her hands around Ranma's waist, overjoyed at his actions and viewing them as evidence that he does care about her. At that moment the sounds of the other students from Ranma's class can be heard and Ranma panics so quickly gets off Kodachi. Kodachi then runs off, telling Ranma not to worry as they'll continue this soon.

As the other male students gorge on Kodachi's cookies, Akane attempts to force Ranma to try some of hers. Ranma, however, refuses to have, citing that the shock he just got made him lose his appetite. Happosai then happily takes Akane's cookies against her wishes and soon suffers the consequences of Akane's poor cooking. The other male students meanwhile have all lost conscious from the sleeping powder which Kodachi had laced her cookies with.

Ranma begins to think to himself about the close call he just had should have anyone seen him lying on top of Kodachi. Unbeknownst to Ranma, Gosunkugi saw the incident and photographed it. As Gosunkugi wonders how he can use these pictures, Kodahci suddenly appears from the bush behind him and asks if she can have copies of his photograph.

Cookies Redux
Later that day back at the Tendo Dojo, Akane goes to Kasumi and asks her to teach her the secret to baking good cookies. Kasumi notes that every bride should be able to bake, but Akane says that that isn't what this is about (instead Akane wants Ranma to admit that she can cook). Ranma, Happosai and Genma look on from outside the kitchen, Akane tries to bake but continuously mistakes the ingredients.

After much trial and tribulation, Akane finally makes another batch of cookies and puts them in front of Ranma to try. Before Ranma even thinks about trying any of the cookies, however, a letter flies into his hand with a Rose emblem on it, causing Ranma to believe that it's from Kodachi. The letter says that Kodachi has made a feast for Ranma, Akane reads it and notes that Kodachi just doesn't give up, to which Ranma tells Akane that she's one to talk.

Ranma continues to read the letter to himself, which reveals that Kodachi included Gosunkugi's picture of the event earlier and that she's so overjoyed that she could just scatter them all over town. This panics Ranma greatly as if she's goes through with it he's a dead man. Ranma then rushes to the Kuno Estate, but Akane demands he have her cookies first, to which Ranma just tells Akane to give it a break already.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Kodachi Kuno
 * Akane Tendo
 * Hiroshi and Daisuke
 * Tatewaki Kuno
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Happosai
 * Hikaru Gosunkugi
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Genma Saotome (human)

Trivia

 * This chapter marks Kodachi's first appearance since I Give Up, 59 chapters ago.
 * Kuno can be seen having a Piyo Piyo chick on the bib he's wearing, which a reference to Rumiko Takahashi's previous manga, Maison Ikkoku.
 * Kuno's description of Kodachi as his "Twisted Sister" may be a nod towards the.