The Waters of Love

Ai no mizubashira (愛の水柱) is the 30th chapter of the Ranma 1/2 manga it is also the eighth and final chapter of the Martial Arts Figure Skating Arc.

Synopsis
Ryoga and Ranma continue to go at it while Mikado is carried out on a stretcher. Azusa decides she likes Mikado's blanket and takes it while smashing him in the head with a folding chair. Akane decides she's seen enough and crawls across the broken up ice demanding that Ranma and Ryoga stop fighting.

Plot Overview
Ryoga maliciously looks at Ranma and says he'd like to compliment her on her tenacity, but he'll be the one to take Akane. Ryoga then grabs Ranma by the head and slams her into the ice. Ranma angrily tells Ryoga that Akane isn't a pet and then asks Ryoga if she'll (Ranma) will just sit back and say "okay take her". While Ranma says this she manages to kick Ryoga's face and sent him onto another ice flow.

The Announcer notes that the split between the Furinkan High School team has yet heal, he then turns his attention to the Golden Pair with Mikado being taken away on a stretcher. Azusa approaches Mikado and sees the Duck with a Balloon on the blanket and decides that it is cute. However, when she takes it off Mikado he takes it back saying that he's cold, this upsets Azusa who demands he gives her back her Martina. Azusa then quickly hits Mikado over the head with a fold up chair, knocking Mikado out cold.

With Mikado unconscious the Announcer declares the Furinkan High team the winners. However, Ryoga and Ranma continue to fight, to Akane's shock. Ryoga tells Ranma that he won't leave Akane in the hands of a half-man like her, to which Ranma retorts that it's better than being a hog. Ranma then wraps her legs around Ryoga's neck and is about to plunge him into water, but a large ice flow comes flying towards the pair.

After the ice flow hits the two of them it turns out that it was Akane who threw it, she then shouts at the two telling them to stop fighting. Ranma asks Akane what she thinks she's doing, Akane asks why the two can't just get along, to which Ranma retorts by telling Akane to butt out and that is their fight and returns to beating up Ryoga. This comment by Ranma angers Akane who then asks what they're fighting about anyway, but she doesn't get a straight answer as Ryoga punches Ranma, sending her flying, while saying they'll sit down and explain after the fight is over.

Ranma goes after Ryoga and asks him what he means "sit down and explain", but Akane is more angry now so throws another ice flow while shouting that she said to stop this. As Ranma avoids the ice flow, Ryoga uses the opening to kick Ranma and send them crashing onto one of the ice flows. Ryoga then goes in for the final blow, but Ranma dodges meaning the Ryoga hits and breaks the ice flow that Ranma and Akane were on.

As Akane tries to get onto another ice flow she does succeed in landing on another one, but slips and falls into the water. Ryoga and Ranma notice the large splash caused by Akane falling in and after they see her thrashing around the two deduce she can't swim and so jump in after her. While the two jump in Ranma is surprised that Ryoga is jumping in as he'll turn into P-chan if he does, however, when Ranma points this out to Ryoga it's too late to stop. This doesn't stop Ryoga who still as P-chan tries desperately to try and save Akane.

Sometime passes and Akane finally wakes up in an infirmary with her friends looking over her. Akane then looks around and sees Ranma wrapped in a blanket holding P-chan by the scruff. Ranma then throws P-chan at Akane, and when she asks what happened to him as he's soaked her friends explain that he dragged her to safety with his teeth (although he was helped by Ranma) and no one knows how he got there but he did.

Ranma then jumps down from atop the lockers were she was sat and tells Akane she should thank Ryoga too as he jumped in after her. As Akane's friends wonder what did happen to Ryoga, Ranma (after thinking to herself about consideration of Ryoga's stupidity) to call today's match a draw. Just then the wall behind them bursts open and a girl with chinese clothing appears saying "Ranma! I kill!", leaving Ranma and Akane's friends in shock while Akane just looks on confused.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Azusa Shiratori
 * Mikado Sanzenin
 * Akane Tendo
 * Ryoga Hibiki (P-chan)
 * Yuka and Sayuri
 * Shampoo (debut)

Quotes
To be added

Trivia

 * This chapter reveals Akane's inability to swim.
 * This chapter marks the last appearance of Azusa Shiratori and Mikado Sanzenin.
 * This chapter also marks the first appearance of Shampoo.