Haven't had time for my re-read yet, but...:

   Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 20:08:35 -0500 (CDT)
   From: "Ranma al'Thor <ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu>" <ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu>

   On Thu, 9 May 1996, Andrew Stodden wrote:

   >                         "Who's life is it, anyway?"

   > Akane: Thank you, Doctor. I think I will be headed home then.
   >
   I think I'll go home, then.

   (I don't think Akane would be quite so round-about, YMMV, of course.)

I've never been in a situation this severe, but in situations
approaching it my speech gets kinds of strange....  More wordy, more
precise (or so it sems at the time)....

   > Dr. Tofu. And to see you, Kasumi.
   >
   Some note on him not falling apart for once might be appropriate...

I think it's self-evident, and a certian degree of understatement is
fitting.

   > [Still fighting, Akane notices that Ryouga is beginning to sweat, and it is 
   > trickling out from under his bandanna.]
   > 
   > Akane: <His bandanna? I never noticed that before.>
   >
   What?  I find it implausible she never noticed his bandana before...

Well, there's noticing, and *NOTICING*....  And she's grown up a bit
since the last time she saw him.

Making it "never really noticed..." would be clearer.

   > [The two exchange a few more blows, blocking and shifting for position.]
   > 
   > Akane: <I know! It looks exactly like the bandanna worn by P-CHAN!>

   I also find it implausible she hasn't noticed this before...Keep in mind 
   she has seen Ryouga get wet without turning into P-chan...

She may be thinking harder about everything; and she has seen various
temporary cures and the like, hasn't she?

   > Akane: <Weird, I punch him through the wall, and don't even break a sweat 
   > doing it! I need to think about this...>

   Now why exactly did she get mad?  I get the impression she didn't quite 
   make the breakthrough of Ryouga=P-chan...so did she just have a 
   subconscious realization she's hidden from her consciousness or just a 
   burst of spontaneous anger or what?

Agreed, it is a bit ambigious, but it leaves the author plenty of
room.  Plus if she did realize, it's fascinating to see her subsequent
dismissal of it all; learning that Ryouga is P-Chan would be rather
smaller in the scheme of things now.

   [ Akane holds Shampoo... ]

   Also keep in mind Shampoo is substantially stronger than Akane...

Not anymore....  Finally, the style her father taught her (of depending
on strength) is going to serve her well.  You might say its fate....

   > Akane: <I also want to drop by Dr. Tofu's and see if something's wrong 
   > with me. It is a hot day today, and I can barely even feel it, even Kasumi 
   > looks uncomfortable in the heat.>

   Has she been studying with the Aes Sedai? :)

She is now one with the Universe.

One of the neat things about this fanfic is the way it combines two
major plot devices, each worthy of a story in itself.

You know, she may need a Belldandy or Maris style limiter soon....

   [ ... ]

   I rather disagree with the basic premise of this story (I still don't 
   think they should have succeeded in raping Ranma...not joe ordinary 
   thugs), but given that premise, the rest of the story flows very well.

I don't know about you, but I'm willing to give any author one
somewhat implausable thing in a story to get it going.

The author could always have the event start with Ranma getting hit in
the head from behind, and by the time he (she) is no longer groggy,
fear has taken over.

   I'm not sure how well the Akane gets ki powers/Recovery of Ranma story 
   lines work together either...

Well, I think.

Akane has a new role, of protecting Ranma, and a severe demand
requires severe means.  (I wonder if any of his enemies will be
looking him up....  Plus at some point she may need to turn the four
perps into their constituent ions, and this allows the author to do it
without the Sturm und Drang of a big fight.  They deserve to be
stepped on like cockroachs, nothing more).

Also, this helps complete what's necessary for the transformation of
her state of mind.  In addition to all the effects of her having to
take care of Ranma, she is basicly no longer weaker than him (at his
prime), one of the things that caused such problems.

She can't get envious of such an innocent's female form, she isn't
misinterpreting "his" jokes anymore (and he isn't outright insulting
her anymore), etc. etc.

The best single thing about this story (next to the pure love
developing between the two) is her growing up.

   But despite that, this is a very powerful story on a very difficult 
   topic.  

   I hope you finish it :)

Ditto.

					- Harold