Gad, what a chilling chapter.

Thank you.

One more Ranma convention down the drain - "Nothing bad
ever happens to Kasumi."  

Well, people have done bad things to Kasumi before.  I think I'm the 
first person to ever have Tofu do 'em, though.

I really must congratulate you once more on the achievement
you've managed with "Waters Under Earth," which has to 
be reaching some kind of record for length and complexity.

Yes.  If nothing else, WUE is one of the longest Ranma fanfics now in 
existence.  ;)

In these latest chapters, you've really managed to convey
the sense that all bets are off, nothing is sacred.  The sense
that everything will work out somehow in the end (or at least
that everybody we've come to know will be alive once the final
chapter rolls around) is completely gone.  Our heroes are
outnumbered, outgunned, and in the dark.  A very tense 
environment for storytelling.  I can't be sure, for instance, 
if Kunou is alive after this chapter or not.

Well, that's very much the atmosphere I'm trying to create.  All of the 
hidden threats have suddenly burst out of the shadows and into the 
light.  While there have been warnings, none of the characters were 
fully aware of just how powerful the forces massing against them were.

I also like the way you've managed to stand things on their
heads in so many instances.  When you've placed the reader
in a position where he's genuinely rooting for Happosai, you
know you've done something extraordinary.  Personally, I'm
hoping that Tarou gets another chance to square off with the
sinister Tofu, but I'm sure you have your own ideas about how
it's all going to play out.

Yup.  We'll see.

The sentamentalist in me, of course, hopes for a happy ending,
but the fan of good writing appreciates it when an author can
put such an eventuality seriously in doubt.  

Of course, a happy ending is all just a matter of perspective...

Again, congratulations on the quality and volume of your work.
As always, I'm looking forward to more.

Thanks for the comments and the kind words, Grayson.  They're 
appreciated.

Ciao,
-Alan Harnum

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