Dave Eddy wrote:

     Through all this Ranma had stood frozen, staring at Akane-
neko, rooted to the spot by opposing forces crashing within him.
Akane sadly watched Ranma's reaction to her, expecting him to run
off at any moment.  Nothing happened for a few minutes, and she
found herself wondering if perhaps she should leave and let him
recover on his own.
     When Ranma reached out to her, she was shocked silly.  'How
can he make himself do that?' she wondered.  She watched quietly
as onna-Ranma knelt in front of her like a somnambulist.  Ranma
picked up her clothes and crooked an arm and draped them over her
arm to form a pad.  Finally she moved to pick up Akane but could
not make her hand touch her.  Ranma tried again, and again
failed.  On her third attempt she managed to pick up Akane-neko
gently and place her securely in the crook of her elbow on the
pad of clothes, strange little sounds leaking out from between
clenched teeth.

Can Ranma who has absolute fear of cats overcome his fear just for the
sake of Akane?  Would he really supersede his fear for his "care" of
Akane?  If I wear in the situation I would hightail it outta there.  I
think Ranma will be more afraid now because not only she is cat but she
can also wield that mallet.