Wow, Stefan's traded his NIN CD's for Oasis!

Seriously, I currently am writing a very downbeat fic, with 
an ending that's either downbeat or upbeat, depending on
how you look at it.

The reasons for it are (in order):

1) Though I don't like reading downbeat fics, I have trouble
writing anything else.  Happy-go-lucky, Ranma-no-baka fics
are very difficult for me.  (This is why Bosom Buddies is 
on the back burner, buds.)

2) I was inspired by someone (Kun-chan, I think), saying that
Ranma characters don't really age during the manga, even
though character development is there.  This intrigued me.

3) I was inspired by a recent spate of Kasumi the magnificent
fanfics, where she slices, she dices, she saves the world
and then comes back for tea.  I decided to make it just a 
*little* bit harder.

I am not writing it because I'm a depressive suicidal person,
nor do I want others to wallow in these feelings.  I'm writing
it 'cause I occasionally get these stories in my head, and I
have to write 'em till they go away.

I do agree with you somewhat, but I think characterization
more important to me than mood.  As for Childhood's End (which
a couple of people have mentioned), 

*WARNING!!!  UNCONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM AHEAD!!!*

                                    it's EVIL!!!  EVIIILLLL!!!
I couldn't even finish it, I had to wait for the Bailesu 
misting, and even then...truly a fanfic that makes you want to
eat your young.

Anyway, glad to see you're back, Stefan.  Have you grabbed
the Ranma fanfic drinking game?  You're in it.

--Sean Gaffney
--I'm not down, I just write that way...