White Wolf wrote, among other things:

	Ukyo grinned and giggled.  "No, of course not!  I was just
kidding."  *So, it's still terrible then.  I'll be a bride soon.* "I'll
bet you're still hungry then." 
	"Well...."
	Ukyo walked over to the grill and turned it on.  "One deluxe 
okonomiyaki, coming right up.  And then, how about a game of poker?"
	"But I don't have any money."
	*We could play strip poker...*  "Oh, well, we'll think of
something."
	

   Tee hee...(A bit OOC, though; Ukyo comes off, from what I've seen of 
her in the comic and elsewhere, as being incredibly innocent. That may have 
been the point--she might not be, really--but it's still a bit shocking. 
I really can't see her playing strip poker outside a lemon fanfic.)

				*****

	"I'd say it was a success."
	"He didn't even finish it!  Ranma no baka."
	"Well, it does need more work.  Give it time.  Before you know 
it, you'll find him asking you to cook for him."
	Akane sighed.  "I hope so." 
	Skuld smiled at her pupil.  "The way to a man's heart is through
his stomach.  And with the way he eats..." 
	It was hours before Akane could think of Ranma eating without
falling down laughing. 

   Trust me: if that were true he'd be engaged to Kasumi. *duck*

	Ranma was whistling as he walked home later that night.  *I wonder
why she reacted so oddly when I said we could play for something else.  Oh
well.  That game 'Hearts' was fun too.  Even though I lost.*

Someone needs to buy Ranma a clue. A girl has her needs, ya know...:) 

	Halfway there, a small notice on a pole caught his attention.  "No
way!  Martial Arts...  So that's why!  I should have known there's a
competition for it."

Why what? I'm lost.

	Ranma ripped the flyer down and took it with him.  *I think I'm
going to end up in the middle of this.  Every time we have any sort of
competition, I always get involved.  Might as well plan ahead this time.*

				*****

	Two figures crept into the house, as silent as shadows. 
	"Saotome, something must be done.  We'll starve if we have to eat
Akane's cooking." 
	"Don't worry Tendo, we'll think of something.  Don't we always?" 
	Soun stopped and thought for a few minutes.  Finally, he answered. 
"No, not always." 

Do they ever? :)

    Chapter Ten -- Martial Arts Okonomiyaki Making?!?

   You might want to change the title. Okonomiyaki I don't think is even 
mentioned in the chapter.

	"Akane, why don't you take a break from cooking?  Go out to the
ice rink with Ranma, have some fun, relax."
				*****

	Ranma had learned how to skate the hard way.  This is to be
expected with Ranma, but it was a rather painful lesson even by his
standards.  Thus, he had learned well.  And given that he would become a
show-off when he had a chance, it was to noone's surprise that he was
currently skating backwards, three feet in front of Akane, taunting her to
catch him.  Peter never was very bright.(1)

You mean Peter Noone, as you say in your note. Just who is that, anyway?

	"C'mon Akane, just a little bit faster..."
	"Ranma, when I catch you..."
	"Oho, so you're trying to catch me?  Better hope Ukyou and Shampoo
don't hear..."  Ranma stuck out his tongue at Akane, then spun as she
moved to grab him.  It was therefore a bit of a shock when he ran into
someone. 

	They sat in silence for a few minutes, each waiting for the other
to speak.
	Finally, Soun broke down and turned to her.  "I... I have to know.
Can you actually teach my daughter to cook?"
	Skuld sighed.  "Yes, I think so.  But it won't be easy.  She just
tries so hard."
	*Akane-chan, I know you can do it!*

				*****

	Nabiki watched her father from her window.  *Daddy, I think this
time you need to leave it in the hands of a professional.*  She turned as
her door opened.
	"Nabiki, I found this in Ranma's room.  Do you think I should show
it to Akane?"
	Nabiki looked at the item Kasumi held in her hand.  *Ranma, you
rotten little devious son-of-a...*
	"Kasumi, let me.  I think it would be better coming from me than
you."
	"Whatever you think best."
	*Now, how best to use this...*

Do we even want to know?

				*****

	*Ow.*
	"Ukyo!  What are you doing here?"

After going back and reading this again I gathered it is Akane saying 
this, but at first I thought it was Ranma (which made no sense as he then 
says "Ucchan, are you okay?" You might want to make that a bit clearer; 
as it is it's a bit confusing.

	Ranma looked up, to see that he had run into Ukyo.  She was
currently holding her nose and wincing.  *Oh.  So that's what I ran into.*
"Ucchan, are you okay?"
	Ukyo nodded and let go of her nose.  "You just surprised me."  *I
was going to...  well, nevermind.* "You just turned as I got close to
you."  *Story of my life.*
	"What *are* you doing here?  I didn't know you could skate."
	"Just keeping in shape."  *Looking for you.* "Different kinds of
exercise for different muscles."  *Looking for you.* "You know what I
mean."

   Ohhhh...:(
   I can't read that last passage without thinking I'm going to cry.
   (That's me. Really. I know *exactly* what you're getting at. That's not 
easy. [Now I know why I like Ukyo so much...] Excellent. Excellent.) 
 

	"Say...  you haven't seen Ryoga lately, have you?"
	"No...  Should I have?"
	"Nah, I've just gotten used to him showing up when I least expect
it."
	"Oh Akane, are you en... MRMPH!!"  Ukyo stared at Ranma as he
jumped to cover her mouth.

   Hmm...just what was Ukyo trying to say? Of course Akane shouldn't be 
able to figure out what, but the reader should. It wasn't terribly clear 
to me. (Of course I may have missed something...) A few more letters in 
"en..." are called for.

	Outside a skating rink, a young man wearing yellow and brown
clothing, a black and yellow bandana, and carrying a huge pack, stopped to
ask for directions.  "Excuse me, but where am I?" 
	"Outside a skating rink boy.  Eyesight going?"
	"Ah, no.  Thanks anyway."
	He turned and headed south.  If he had been lucky, that would be
the way he wanted to go.  But he wasn't.	

   Ryoga can't win, can he?

Paul Corrigan
budgie@insomnia3.dorms.utoledo.edu