Dragon's Whisker 1

The story starts in the Bayankala mountain range in China, the same mountains that hold the valley of Jusenkyo. A group of men have accosted the owner of a small restaurant, asking him where he has hidden the 4000 year old treasure known as the "dragon's whisker". They force a confession from him, and he tells them that a foreigner with a pigtail took it. Then he draws them a picture of this foreigner, which is more or less recognizable as Ranma's head.

Cut to Nerima, where a representative of the city is at the Tendo dojo, asking for help against a group which is going around cutting off the pigtails of people who wear their hair so. Soun agrees, and he, Genma, Ranma and Akane go out in a group hunting for these men. Ranma points out that his hair should be perfect bait.

They are attacked, but Ranma defeats them easily by himself. When Soun threatens one if he doesn't explain why they're doing this, he tells them that they're looking for the dragon's whisker. This startles Ranma considerably, which Akane notices. The men realize that Ranma looks just like their picture, attack again, and Ranma knocks them far away.

Later, Ranma is ruminating out on a balcony of the Tendo house, while Akane is just inside watching him, remembering his reaction and wondering what this dragon's whisker has to do with his pigtail. At that moment, and despite the late night hour, some painters start painting the balcony. They get into a tussle with Ranma, and a can of paint is spilled all over his hair. Ranma knocks them far away again.

Ranma goes inside and washes his hair at a sink, while the Tendo sisters observe him. Akane asks him why he doesn't untie his pigtail, and Kasumi points out he won't get all the paint out if he doesn't. But he refuses. Genma comes in, tells him not to be stupid, and tries to untie it. Ranma kicks him away viciously. Nabiki says that if he's going to resist, then they'll have to untie it by force, and she and Kasumi start attempting to do so. Ranma runs off but comes across Happosai, who knocks him out.

The Chinese men get to Ranma first and announce, in the hearing of the others, that the string holding together the pigtail is the one and only dragon's whisker. This wakes Ranma up, who declares, "The dragon's whisker belongs to me!" and kicks the Chinese men away. The family insists that he tell them what this dragon's whisker is, but Ranma will only say that it is his "seal". That if he takes it off, something terrible will happen.

The chapter ends with Akane wondering what secrets the little string holds, and the Chinese men pepping themselves up to steal it.