Lips at a Loss

Lips at a Loss (戸惑うくちびる) is the 25th chapter of the manga and the third chapter of the Martial Arts Figure Skating Arc.

Synopsis
Ranma proceeds to brawl with Mikado but proves to have a lot of trouble standing on the ice. Mikado executes the deadly "Dance of Death" which looks like it punishes Ranma quite badly.

Plot Overview
Ranma stares angrily at Mikado. Ranma then thinks back to Mikado kissing his female form and tells Mikado that for the humiliation he's given him, he'll (Ranma) give him back a hundredfold. Ranma then jumps up in the air and launches himself at Mikado. Ranma is about to reach Mikado, however, just before Ranma makes contact Mikado skates out of range, causing Ranma to hit and break the Skating Rink (much to surprise of the audience who where surprised that Ranma hit all that damage with just his head).

Mikado then begins to talk to himself, saying that Ranma was a fool to do such a suicidal move. However, Ranma then reappears behind Mikado and makes a strike at him, much to Mikado's shock and surprise. This strike of Ranma's backfires slightly as he quickly falls on his face from being unable to stand of skates, he then begins to fly forward and into the crowd of the Hundred foes from earlier who were watching.

Ranma manages to get back up. This causes Mikado to decide that although he doesn't like to use this technique on an amateur he seems to have no other choice. Ranma then goes up to Mikado for a second strike, however, Mikado begins to spin around at almost blinding speed. The Hundred foes recognise this move as the unbeatable "Dance of Death". Ranma is then caught in the "Dance of Death" and gets punched and kicked multiple times by Mikado.

The Hundred foes explain that nobody has ever escaped the spin and that Mikado's punching Ranma into unconsciousness. Ranma is then sent flying out of Mikado's spin and lands on face on the Rink. The Hundred foes see this and say that it's all over.

Akane (who'd watched the whole fight) skates up to Ranma and asks him if he can stand up. Ranma then manages to jump up, but lands on his face again when his skates touch the rink. The Hundred foes are surprised by how, even though Ranma took Mikado's best he can still move. Azusa (who'd also watched the whole fight) skates up to the two of them and says that it appears to be a draw, to which Akane retorts that Ranma won.

The Hundred foes are slightly skeptical of this and asks Azusa if Mikado did win. Azusa skates up to Mikado, takes out a marker pen and draws some whiskers on him. This causes the Hundred foes to go overboard since they all want to draw on the unconscious Mikado.

Akane criticises Ranma for his poor form in the fight. Ranma tells Akane to shut up and says he thought he would've taken out someone who did that to him with just one punch. Kasumi asks what Mikado did exactly, to which Akane just sits in silence while Ranma says he did nothing special. Ryoga then walks in (who'd also viewed the kiss and fight while in his P-chan form) and says he'd never let such a thing happen to him.

Ranma jumps up and angrily tells Ryoga if he hadn't been on skates Mikado would've never... However, Ryoga finishes Ranma's sentence for him, revealing to Kasumi and Nabiki that Ranma was kissed by someone. When they enquire just who did kiss Ranma, he doesn't answer but Ryoga tells Ranma to answer them since it isn't everyday you are kissed by such a handsome boy. After a moment of silence to absorb this, Nabiki and Kasumi tell Ranma that it it was a boy then he shouldn't worry and the kiss doesn't even count. The two then continue, saying that if it was Ranma's first kiss then it would've been a tragedy but believe this not to be the case (although of course Ranma knows otherwise).

Ranma goes to the practice Hall to mope on his own, while thinking about how he's the laughing stock of the town and nobody cares about how he feels. Just then Akane comes and hits Ranma on the back of his head and tells him his back's wide open and he's off guard. Akane then asks Ranma how long he plans to pout and that it isn't very manly. Ranma turns his head away and tells Akane to laugh if she thinks it's funny.

Akane sarcastically laughs at Ranma, causing Ranma to angrily turn to her and shout what's so funny. Now that Ranma is facing her, Akane asks Ranma if that really was his first kiss. This causes Ranma to turn away again and asks what difference does it make if it was. Akane opens the medical kit she brought with her and tells Ranma that it makes no difference at all.

Akane then proceeds to put anti-ceptic and bandaids on Ranma's injuries from Mikado's attack, while telling him that he let himself get kissed very easily and that he hasn't trained enough since he talks a big game, but lets himself become open too often. Ranma then pokes Akane's shoulder and flips her onto his lap with his other hand and tells her that she's one to talk. The two then look into each other eyes, only for Ranma to scurry away telling Akane not to get the wrong idea as he wasn't going to kiss her or anything.

Hearing this, Akane says she knows this and tells Ranma he doesn't have the guts to anyway. This angers Ranma who shouts at Akane telling her that just might, to which Akane just as angrily shouts back to Ranma to just try it. The two then stare angrily at each other and Ranma tells Akane to close her eyes. Ranma moves closer to Akane, but moves away again, saying to himself that this is something has to do with someone like Akane. Akane hears this and says that it must mean Ranma can't do it with someone like her, to which Ranma retorts that that's not what he meant.

The two then look at each other in silence again, until Ranma tells Akane that he doesn't mind if she doesn't. They then sit in silence facing each other, only for Nabiki (who's with Kasumi, Soun and Genma (in his panda form)) to disturb them saying that they don't have all day for them to do this, while Kasumi adds that they're such late bloomers. This shocks Ranma and Akane. Meanwhile, Mikado has regained consciousness and (thanks to Azusa and the Hundred foes) has his face and clothes drawn on, this causes Mikado to become overcome with anger and says to himself that the day of their match is the day Ranma Saotome dies.

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Mikado Sanzenin
 * Ranma Saotome (female)
 * Akane Tendo
 * Azusa Shiratori
 * Ryoga Hibiki (P-chan)
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Nabiki Tendo
 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Soun Tendo
 * Genma Saotome (panda)

Quotes

 * Ha ha! I'll doodle on him! - Azusa when she realises the Mikado's unconscious and begins to draw on him.
 * Tell them, Ranma. It isn't often one is kissed... by such a handsome boy. - Ryoga revealing to Nabiki and Kasumi that Ranma was kissed by a boy.
 * If it was a boy... it doesn't even count. [...] Of course, if it had been your first kiss, that would be a tragedy! - Nabiki when she learns that a boy kissed Ranma.
 * Feh. Laughing stock of the whole town. Nobody cares how I feel, just... - Ranma talking to himself while pouting.
 * How long do you plan to pout? And you call yourself a man! - Akane talking to Ranma, who's pouting about nobody carrying about him being kissed by Mikado.
 * If you think it's so funny-- go ahead and laugh! HA HA HA HA HA HA! - Ranma's response to the above comment by Akane and Akane's response.
 * Come on!Are you going to do this or aren't you?! We don't have all day!! - Nabiki telling Ranma and Akane to hurry up and kiss.

Trivia

 * The words written on Mikado's clothes include: "Pervert", "Cretin", "Loser", "Gimme back my Girlfriend" and "Sex-obssessed Neurotic".