Not realizing that Ranma and 'the pigtailed girl' are the same, Kuno is furious that he let the "cretin" slip away. His attention soon shifts to the red-haired one though, when she bests him in combat.

Akane's accidental haircut brings a temporary reprieve in Ranma and Ryoga's fighting. Stunned, she wanders off alone, thinking about the loss of the one thing that wasn't 'tomboyish' about her.

Tired of the constant outbursts whenever she gets near Ranma, Shampoo decides to get Akane out of the way.

Ranma's found the first of the three magic urns needed to summon the spring. And where's the next one's hidden? Deep in the bowels of the Kuno estate, full of traps, tricks and hot and cold water...

'Be my bri-i-i-i-i-de----!!' It's been awhile, but at last the 'Ghost Cat' from episodes past has come back... and he won't release Shampoo until she agrees to marry him! Can Ranma prevent the 'cat's trophy'?

While visiting Mrs. Tendo's grave Ranma begins to wonder about his own mother. Nodoka Saotome, Ranma's mother, had just sent a postcard telling the Tendos she was going to visit. Ranma is quite eager to meet his mother, but Genma explains to everyone that he made a promise to Nodoka when Ranma was first born. He made a death pact to Nodoka, which states that Ranma, be either reared as man among men or they be put to the sword. Genma and Ranma decide to hide their true identities and tell Nodoka that Ranma is actually Ranko, a cousin of the Tendos.