"We're gonna be.. Late Ranma!" Akane shouted exasperatedly between breaths as the school bell sounded, Ranma was close behind. "I'm coming, I'm coming…" Ranma responded casually as he sped past the uniform Japanese houses, approaching the school gate. With out warning, an old lady had once again spilled icy water from an antique flower vase on to the street; coincidentally as he happened to be walking by. Ranma came to an abrupt stop and looked down upon his female form. "Oh come on ya old hag, that's the third time this week!" He said in his feminine voice, eyebrows furrowed with frustration. She was seemingly hard of hearing, or just ignoring the annoyed girl standing on the street before her house as she shuffled across the walkway, back indoors. "Gez." Ranma breathed as he approached the gate to see Kuno leaning against the glass doors, blocking any entry to the school. "Great…" Ranma whispered as he tried to walk past unnoticed. "Tisk tisk pigtailed girl, late once again. You know that there must be harsh punishments for such tardiness." Ranma stood, hands on hips, as an aggravated look came spreading across his face. "What?" he said shortly. Kuno gave a wistful look as he grabbed Ranma daintily by the hand. "Why.. You must allow me to date with you!" he shouted enthusiastically. Ranma winced as he gave Kuno a swift elbow to the stomach. "Nice try buddy, better luck next time." Ranma shuttered as he pushed open the doors, stomping into the school hallways. "You can't deny your true feelings for me forever pigtailed girl.. Someday you will be mine!" Kuno shouted. "Shut up will ya?" One of the girls bellowed from an open window in a classroom the floor above as she sent a notebook slamming onto his head. Kuno landed face first in the dirt and let out a muffled sigh, "ah.. love hurts."
"What happened to you?" Akane asked as she walked alongside a battered and bruised Ranma, home towards the Tendo dojo. Ranma let out a heavy sigh. "I'm having a bad day…" he responded pessimistically as his head lulled to one side. The memories came rapidly flooding back to him. After finding an unusual hot running water fountain on the top floor that would transform him back to his original state, he was extremely late for homeroom. He had begun to run recklessly through the hallways, trying to arrive at his homeroom at an almost reasonable time, not noticing the "wet floor" sign the janitor had placed there only seconds ago. He sped across the wet tile, launching him in a flight down the stairs, tumbling towards his classroom. Tossing his head side to side in exhaustion he whispered, "I hope I never do that again." "Nihoa Ranma!" he heard a shrill voice exclaim, "Ranma-honey!" another chimed in. He looked up to see Shampoo and Ukyo standing on the fence before him. He closed his eyes and murmured sarcastically, "great…" "I heard you're having a bad day Ranma-honey, come on, I'll treat you to some okanomiyaki at my shop." Ukyo said eagerly as her hand rapped around his. "No Ranma, you go to Shampoo's!" She dissented as she grabbed his other hand, tugging him in the opposite direction. Akane looked on at the game of human tug-of-war disapprovingly as she started to hurriedly walk in the direction of the dojo. "Akanne.." Ranma begged, imbedded between the hostile girls. "Forget it Ranma.." Akane replied coolly. "You've got two girls there who are willing to make you a free meal, and heaven knows you don't even want to touch my cooking." "Akane.." Ranma whispered as he watched her disappear behind a bend in the road, wondering if the look on her face was as disappointed as his.