Jon Osborne wrote:

    Nodoka's face lit up in realization. "Now I remember.  That contract
wasn't my idea, it was your father's.  I was against the thing because I
thought it would put too much stress on you.  But your father kept badgering
me to agree to it.  I finally gave in because I thought it would keep your
father's more foolish ideas in check.  Apparently, I was wrong."

I find Nodoka's version of events totally unbelievable.  Why would Genma 
insist on a contract that requires him to commit suicide and keep badgering
her to accept it?  This change to Nodoka smacks of either dishonesty on
Nodoka's part, or blatant authorial contrivance.  

    Finally Nodoka spoke.  "Ranma...there is nothing to forgive. Everything
you've done, you've done because you felt you had no choice.  You hid behind
the identity of Ranko because of your father's lies.  It took great courage
for you to reveal your curse to me.  You felt I had a right to know my son
was alive.  You also believed you had to do this because of your changing
relationship with Akane.  You needed to reveal your relationship with Akane
to fully clear the air between us.  You had many tough decisions to make,
and each time you did what your heart and mind told you to.  For that I am
very proud of you...daughter."

Well, isn't that conveeeeenient.  <gag>

Admittedly there are a few people on Earth who could be that open-minded,
even laudatory about their son living as a lesbian woman for the rest of his
life even though most mothers flip when their kid gets a tattoo.  But 
has Nodoka no concerns about why Ranma is doing this?  Akane is 
demanding that Ranma take on a subordinate role in their relationship, and
insisting that he live publicly and all the time as a member of a minority 
who attract significant prejudice from the public at large.  Is she not
at all worried about Ranma hooking up with such an uncompromisingly 
self-serving life partner?  

    As Nodoka continued to speak, Ranma's face lost its defeated look,
Ranma's hopes rose and finally peaked when Nodoka called her daughter.

    "Do you really mean it?"

    "Of course I do, dear.  Male or female, you're still my child. Besides,
I've always wanted a daughter."

    "Are you sure you're all right with my relationship with Akane?  It
wouldn't bother you in the slightest to see us showing affection?  Even if I
did something like this?"  Ranma cupped Akane's chin in her hand and pulled
her into a passionate kiss.  She looked for her mother's reaction after the
kiss.  Nodoka just smiled at the two girls.

    "Why should I object to my daughter being in love.  Your happiness is my
happiness."

    "Thanks mom."

    "Thank you Auntie Nodoka."

    "Now Akane, call the dojo and tell your family that you an Ranma will be

and

staying here tonight.  We have much to celebrate."

There's a thought I'd like to leave with you and it is this:

Easy is boring.  

An interesting story is one that has conflict and difficulty in it.  
Read a romance novel and you'll note that the loving couple doesn't get
together harmoniously and wander around as various people applaud their
relationship, tell them how good they look together, and give them gifts
of lingerie and kitchen appliances. Fanfic authors often make the mistake
of making things easy for the characters when they should be straining
their brains to make life as difficult as possible for them right up until
the happy ending.


             .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'