Let's Go to the Hot

Onsen e iko (温泉へ行こう) is the 158th chapter of the manga and the first chapter of the Hot Springs Obstacle Course Race Arc.

Akane once again comes up lucky in the lotto game and this time wins a trip for two to a hot springs race. The winner of the race gets to go to any hot or cold spring in the world. Akane knows that this means Jusenkyo and she plans on asking Ranma to go with her. Mousse wins a ticket as well and asks Shampoo, but she steals the ticket and asks Ranma to be her partner before Akane gets the chance.

The Lucky Ticket
Whilst helping Kasumi do some grocery shopping, Akane manages to win a local lottery. One the way back home, Akane reads the ticket she won and sees it allows two people to participate in the "Zekkyo Hot Spring Obstacle Race". Akane then continues and learns that the winner get to visit any spring, hot or cold, in the world, leading Kasumi to note that this would allow someone to visit Jusenkyo.

Once the pair return to the Tendo Dojo Kasumi tells her father about the ticket and how Akane was going to ask Ranma to go with her. Meanwhile, Akane tells Ranma about the race, but before she can explain about the prize, Soun and Genma rush up and give their parental blessing to go to the springs together (believing it will move Ranma and Akane's relationship forward).

Hearing this Akane angrily informs her father that they aren't going for privacy; as Ranma adds that he wouldn't want to go to a hot spring with a macho chick like Akane anyway. Infuriated, Akane hits Ranma with a bird feeding table and stops off as Soun sorrowfully asks what went wrong.

Incoming Interference
Meanwhile, at the Cat Café, Mousse (who has also won a ticket to the Obstacle Race) asks Shampoo to be his partner. But, just as Mousse tries to explain about them being able to visit Jusenkyo, Shampoo douses Mousse with a bucket of cold water before cycling away on her bike; leaving the cold Mousse quacking furiously.

At that same time Ryoga wins a ticket to the race as well, but initially decides to throw it away as he doesn't have a use for hot springs. Suddenly a though crosses Ryoga's mind where he and Akane can spend a night alone together at the hot springs.

Back at the Tendo Dojo and Akane sits in her room, thinking about Ranma never listens to her. She then contemplates ripping the ticket in half, but can't bring herself to do it.

Unable to rip the ticket, Akane heads down to the training hall to try again at explaining to Ranma that he could visit Jusenkyo should he win. This time, however, Shampoo bursts through the wall and outrightly demands he partner with her for the race. She continues by telling him about going to Jusenkyo, which overjoys Ranma. Extremely irritated at what just happened, Akane throws cold water over the pair before stomping off.

Switching Sides
Whilst Akane breaks some cement blocks to relieve her frustration, Ryoga hides behind a nearby building, thinking about how he's going to ask Akane to partner with him for the race. Once he finally comes up with a plan, Ryoga rounds the building, only to see Akane is heading back inside the house. Ryoga gives chase, but is soon knocked down by a glasses-less Mousse who chases after Akane himself (mistaking her for Shampoo).

After Mousse sees that Akane is indeed not Shampoo he explains to Akane what happened. Seeing how upset Mousse is with all his hard work being for nought, Akane looks at her own ticket and offers for him to partner with her instead. And, although she wasn't his first choice, Mousse happily accepts Akane's offer.

Meanwhile, a distraught Ryoga is discovered by Ranma. As Ranma comments that he didn't know of Ryoga's return, Ryoga himself tries to quietly limp away, but this prompts Ranma to ask his rival if he's been dumped or something similar. This infuriates Ryoga who punches Ranma skyward whilst angirly asking him how he can know how he feels.

That evening a still mopping Ryoga wanders the streets of Furinkan, still wondering why he couldn't bring himself to ask Akane sooner. He then practises asking Akane with his eyes closed, only to notice after opening them again that he's seemingly asked Ukyo to be his partner. Although not that interested in the race itself, Ukyo accepts the offer due to the amount of potential business she could get. So, that night, the three pairs prepare for their race the following morning...

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Akane Tendo
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Soun Tendo
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Shampoo (human)
 * Mousse (human)
 * Mousse (duck)
 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Shampoo (cat)
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Ukyo Kuonji
 * Cologne

Quotes

 * (Soun) "What went wrong?! It was going so well, too!!"
 * (Kasumi) "I think you went wrong, father..."

Trivia

 * Kasumi's comment noting Akane's luck at winning lotteries is a reference to when Akane won a toy pig in the Mousse Returns Arc.