Training Meals

 is 52nd chapter of the Ranma ½ manga and the second chapter of the Breaking Point Arc.

Soun tells Akane to tag along on a training trip to the mountains with Genma and Ranma. Kasumi suggests it will be bridal training. When meal time rolls around Akane fixes curry and Genma and Ranma soon regret her coming. Akane's cooking is awful, and Genma and Ranma quickly go back to training after barely touching their food. Ryoga comes out of the woods, and Akane offers him some food as well, which he says tastes great even though he looks like he is in a lot of pain after eating it.

In the Mountains
Akane is splitting some firewood and begins to wonder how she got stuck in this situation, especially since it's summer vacation. She then remembers back to her father telling her to tag along with Ranma on his training journey adding that she has to take care of the cooking, Kasumi also adds that this will be good for her (Akane) when she gets married. Back in the present and Akane doesn't think that making firewood isn't exactly bridal training.

Meanwhile, Ranma is training with Genma (in his panda form) in the woods. Ranma questions his father why he agreed to bring Akane with them and adds how is meant to train with a girl tagging along. Genma reveals that he brought Akane since Ranma's cooking is horrible (Ranma adds that Genma's isn't much better either).

Suddenly Shampoo's Great-Grandmother appears and jabs Ranma in the back with her walking stick, while noting that she didn't know that he was in the Mountains training as well. Ranma tries to kick the old ghoul but misses, which causes her to tell Ranma not to misunderstand as she didn't come to fight him. She continues by warning Ranma to train exceptionally hard as he'll need that extra training very soon. The ghoul then leaves, while Ranma wonders what she's talking about.

Ryoga's Training
Somewhere else in the Mountains, the ghoul tells Ryoga that before they begin training she'd like to see him shatter the boulder in front of him. Ryoga is quite confident with himself and so punches the boulder, splitting it in half. The ghoul comments that that is fine, but she said to shatter the boulder, not just split it.

The ghoul walks up to the boulder and demonstrates. She then proceeds to touch the boulder with one finger and shatter the boulder into hundreds of smaller pieces. After Ryoga has looked on in shock at what the ghoul just achieved, she asks if he'd like to learn the "trick" too. Ryoga replies that he thought the only thing about her that could shock him was her face. Angered, the ghoul hits Ryoga with her walking stick.

Meal Time
Back with Ranma and co, Ranma and Genma (who's back in his human form) have finished training and are now starving. Akane has made some curry for the pair. Ranma smells it and notes that it smells interesting, which Akane says it's probably the white wine she added.

Genma adds that he's glad they brought Akane along, to which Akane replies that she doesn't know if it's any good. Ranma retorts by telling Akane that it doesn't matter since he's so hungry he could eat pig slop. Akane is slightly annoyed and angered by this comment, so threatens Ranma with a kitchen knife and asks Ranma if he's trying to tell her something. Panicking, Ranma denies that he was.

The pair then decide to try Akane's cooking, but after only one spoonful of food they stand up and decide to quickly go back to training. Akane wonders what's wrong, so tries some herself and discovers that the curry tastes horrible. She continues by thinking that it might've been the wine, but when she checks Akane discovers that the "wine" was actually vinegar.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the woods, Ranma reiterates what he said earlier about not bringing Akane along. Genma responds by telling Ranma that she's his fiancé, so he should make sure she can cook.

Returning to Akane, and she has back to stream where she chopped wood earlier. Akane talks to herself about how, even though the food was horrible, that's no reason to run out on her. Akane then becomes angry with Ranma since she did her best for him and so in frustration throws a medium sized boulder into the woods. However, the boulder ends up hitting Ryoga who comes rolling out from the impact.

Ranma Returns
Once again with Ranma, and Genma has left to get some food provisions down the Mountain. Ranma is sitting in a tree, annoyed at how his father ran off and left him. He continues by thinking about who could stick around to eat the so called "food" of Akane's. Ranma then adds that only a starving idiot would... his stomach then growls forcing Ranma to go back and have Akane's horrid cooking.

When Ranma returns to camp, he finds Ryoga having a new batch of curry being made for him by Akane. After Akane talks about Ryoga being on training also, she gives him the curry but says she doesn't know if it's any good. Ryoga, however, encourages her by saying that of course it will.

Ryoga takes the curry off Akane and begins to think about how it's good to be alive since he can try to cooking of the "beauteous" Akane also adding that he's the luckiest man alive. Ryoga then puts his spoon in the curry and tries some. The food is obviously still horrible, but Ryoga lies saying that is great so as not to hurt Akane's feelings. This makes Akane overjoyed, as she was sure the Mayonnaise and sugar would help.

Suddenly Ranma collapses next to the pair, holding the curry in his hand. Akane takes the curry off Ranma, asking him who said he could have some. Ranma retorts by asking Akane is she tries her food herself before serving it, to which Akane says that she doesn't. In response to this, Ranma tells her he suggests that she does. The tone of Ranma's voice makes Akane think if this means her food is bad, causing Ranma to tell her to try it and see.

Breaking up this scene, Ryoga throws his bent spoon (which he's bent after trying Akane's curry) at Ranma and declares that he won't sit quietly and listen to this. Ranma asks Ryoga is this means he's picking a fight. Akane then tells Ryoga that he said it was good and that's what counts and Ranma didn't hurt her at all.

Ranma tells Ryoga that he doesn't really like picking on weaker guys, which greatly angers Ryoga who tries to attack Ranma. However, before he can, the old ghoul appears and renders Ryoga immobile with her walking stick. The ghoul then tells Ranma that the fight will be in one week, and he'll have a formidable opponent by then.

Akane pipes up that she has to look after Ryoga. When Ranma questions her why, she angrily tells him that Ryoga happens to like her cooking! Some time later and Ranma is stuffing his face with Akane's horrible curry, in an attempt to like it as well. Genma tells Ranma that that's enough as he looks like he's about to die.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Akane Tendo
 * Soun Tendo
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Cologne
 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Genma Saotome (human)

Trivia

 * This chapter reveals Akane's inability to cook.