Take Care of My Sister

Take Care of My Sister (妹をよろしく) is the 19th chapter of the Ranma 1/2 manga and the third chapter of the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Arc.

Synopsis
In the schoolyard before classes start Kodachi appears out of nowhere and attacks Akane. She soon sees Ranma and begins to chase and hug him. Tatewaki Kuno, with visions of Akane in a leotard dancing through his head pops up and approves of Kodachi and Ranma going steady.

Plot Overview
Akane is met up with two female Furinkan High School students. The female students tell Akane they hear she's representing them in the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics match and that she shouldn't let them down. Akane reassures them saying that she'll do her best, while Ranma (who'd been walking with Akane prior) hearing this says to himself that she hasn't mastered anything yet.

Just then Akane senses danger and just then Kodachi appears behind Akane carrying a Shinai and is about to hit Akane. However, Akane manages to catch the end Shinai before it hits here, as Ranma looks on worryingly. Kodachi ambushing her in the morning angers Akane greatly, however, Kodachi says that she's just there to see Ranma. This causes Akane to retort by telling Kodachi if she's her to see Ranma then doesn't she just go straight to him. Akane then throws the Shinai (and Kodachi as she was still holding it) in the direction of Ranma. Kodachi then flips midair and begins to chase after Ranma (who begun to run away as he can't deal with Kodachi at the moment).

Ranma then rounds a corner and sees Kuno standing in front of him with a bouquet of Roses. Kuno is imagining Akane in her leotard and believes these Roses will give her encouragement and show Akane his feelings for her. Still fantasising about Akane, Kuno swipes with his Shinai, just narrowly avoiding Ranma who manages to jump out of the way. Ranma then kicks Kuno in the face and asks him what it is he thinks he's doing. Kuno responds by grabbing Ranma's shirt and asking him what he's got against him.

Kodachi then catches up with Ranma and hugs him from behind. Kuno then looks at at this, pats Ranma and Kodachi and says that they have his permission to go steady. Kodachi is overjoyed with this, while Ranma angrily says that he has now intensions of going steady with Kodachi. This causes Kodachi to cry tears of anger and shout at Ranma saying telling Ranma that this means he hates her. To try and calm down Kodachi, Ranma tells her that he already has a fiancé and then proceeds to hide behind Akane while explaining that she's his fiancé.

Ranma then turns to Akane and tells her he's not doing this by choice, to which Akane tells Ranma he's pathetic. Kodachi then looks on at Akane and Ranma curiously. She then says that this is very interesting and takes out a ribbon and begins to swirl it at Ranma and Akane. Kodachi then suggests that to make the match interesting that they wager Ranma. Akane thinks that Kodachi is insane, however, Kuno walks up behind her and tells her that if she wants rid of Ranma all she has to do is lose. Kodachi is humoured by this and says that Akane needn't worry about that as she'll lose in any case (which obviously annoys Akane). Kodachi then looks at Ranma and tells him that after the match is over he'll be hers. Kodachi then spins the ribbon again and creates a Rose petal storm, she then proceeds to jump away over the school fence.

Kuno watches as Kodachi leaves and calls her a deviant. He then turns to Ranma and tells her to look after his little sister. Ranma, in shock and surprise of what Kuno just said, asks Kuno to repeat himself; which Kuno does. Kuno then continues to talk to himself about how proud he is of his sister's wicked, nasty, spiteful and throughly twisted. He then gives Akane the Roses and tells her to be careful during the match since when Kodachi wants a man she doesn't let go, so she will try something evil during their match. Kuno then walks away, leaving Ranma and Akane left surprised and confused at Kodachi being Kuno's sister. Akane then mentions that now that she thinks about it, the two of them are identical.

Akane is wearing her leotard and practicing in the Training Hall. She manages to flip two Batons in the air and catch them again (afterwards of which she lands on the ground next to Ranma with great force). She then grabs the ribbon and begins spinning it at Ranma, who runs and jumps to avoid it. Akane then shouts at Ranma telling him to keep still so she can practice on him. Akane then throws a medium-sized ball at Ranma (revealing that Ranma is clinging onto the ceiling of the Training Hall). Ranma manages to avoid the ball and comments on the progress Akane has made.

Akane then shouts up to Ranma, telling him that she's not doing this for him, to which Ranma retorts that he knows. Akane is glad that Ranma understands and explains that since it's Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics she needs a partner to practice with and Ryoga hasn't come in to train for the last couple of days and she was counting on him.

Just then P-chan arrives, carrying several objects on his back. Akane picks up P-chan and comments about how she hasn't seem him for a few days either and then asks P-chan where he's been, while Ranma looks at the objects that P-chan was carrying. Ranma then pokes P-chan on the nose and asks him where he was thinking of going with that lousy sense of direction of his. Akane hears this and asks Ranma what he's talking about since P-chan isn't Ryoga. Ranma doesn't reply as he's trying to control himself since P-chan just bit his finger.

P-chan is then tied up with the ribbon, while Ranma and Akane go back to training. Akane begins to attack Ranma with the various Gymnastics equipment and at first seems very confident, but she slips on the medium-sized ball she'd thrown at Ranma earlier and falls onto the floor.

The fall caused Akane to twist her ankle, so she has to go to her room for Kasumi to bandage it up, while Nabiki says that her sister (referring to Akane) is a klutz since she tripped herself up. Kasumi says that they'll have no choice but to withdraw from the match. This makes Akane reply that she won't let a girl like Kodachi beat her and tries to get out of bed, which causes Kasumi to try and stop her. However, when Akane puts her foot on the floor the pain is too much for her to be able to walk.

Kasumi tells Akane that she was right and so can't compete and they'll just have to find a replacement. Akane is skeptical of this however, as she doesn't know where they'd find a girl that is nimble, in great shape and knows Martial Arts. Just then Ranma walks in (who had just been listening to the conversation through Akane's Bedroom door) causing all of the Tendo Sisters to look at him. Ranma says that he won't wear tights, just then Ryoga shows up and throws some cold water over Ranma, turning him into his female form, and says that he guesses they'll be practicing all night then.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Akane Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Kodachi Kuno
 * Tatewaki Kuno
 * Ryoga Hibiki (P-chan)
 * Nabiki Tendo
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Ranma Saotome (female)

Quotes

 * Akane... I can see her clearly... in all her Gymnastic grace! - Kuno imagining Akane doing Rhythmic Gymnastics in a Leotard.
 * You're pathetic. - Akane talking to Ranma in response to him using her a means of stopping Kodachi from going steady with him.
 * Ranma! When this match is over... you shall be mine! - Kodachi talking to Ranma just before she leaves.
 * So where were you trying to go, P-chan? With that lousy sense of direction! Lousy sense of... Come on, he's not Ryoga! - Ranma talking to P-chan and Akane's response to the conversation.
 * Man. My sister the klutz! Tripping yourself!! - Nabiki talking to herself in front of Akane after Akane twists her ankle.

Trivia

 * This chapter reveals that Kodachi is Tatewaki Kuno's sister.
 * The objects/gifts that Ryoga brought with him back to the Tendo Dojo included Cinnamon Crackers from Hiroshima and Tea Cakes from Kyoto.
 * The "Land of the Rising Sun" image is used in the background twice this chapter. Firstly, when Kuno allows Kodachi to go steady with Ranma and again when Kuno tells Ranma to take care of his sister.