No, love does *not* excuse everything.

No, it's not, and Mousse is even worse, that's the main reason
I say he's an absolutely useless match for Shampoo.  A similar
thing happened to me with someone who comes uncomfortably close
to Ukyo...  But, let me not get off topic.
Shampoo is a fictional character and being so can be changed.  Even
if you downright louve her you do so because of her methods and
attitude that does sometimes go to these extremes.  However, this
doesn't mean she can't be changed.  That's half the challenge of
making such of fanfic, making it believable.  Put her in a new
situation that will change her for the better.  It can happen and it
does happen.  These characters are dynamic, they can change either
for the better or, unfortunately, for the worse.  All too often
in fanfics authors seem to do the latter (and not just to Shampoo, they
do it to Mousse [who is teeter-tootering on pond scum as is], Kodachi
[she's already over the edge], Ranma [no comment], Akane, Ukyo, Kuno,
Ryoga... shall I go on?) Is it that writers are afraid for some reason
to have a person become better?  Well, they shouldn't.  It's a
possibility and should be explored.  If they're afraid of the label of
OOCism then here's my answer to that:  Yeah, it's OOC, that's the whole
f__king point!  I don't like her as is so I had circumstances make her a
better person.  [Note that this doesn't mean I think Shampoo is bad. I'm
just taking this from someone's perspective that does.]
So, my challenge stands, and if you missed it here it is:
I challenge any Ranma 1/2 fanfic writer to write a believable fic where
Shampoo, or Kodachi, gets Ranma for legit reasons (no dead rivals, love
potions, etc) and the other characters don't end up miserable (maybe
temporarily, it's almost unavoidable, but not in the long term).  I
even extend the challenge to those of you who hate these characters.
If you don't like them, then change them for the better.  Is that
so damned hard?  They take enough flak as is.  It's time to see if
you guys/gals can turn your writing skills to making someone better
than they are.  I'm already working on my own Kodachi fic of this type
and I'm not particularily liking of her (she used to make my hate list
until I starting writing her nicely).  Can you people drop your hates
for a moment to give the character a decent chance?  It helps you know.
Once you do it I tend to find you write the character better than
before.  You view them as a person rather than just some villian.

Ahem...

What is this?  Why all the tempests in a teapot today?  Is it 
something about the phase of the moon?  Maybe there's a male version 
of PMS going around?

Whatever the case, chill out already.  I don't see why you had to be 
rude to make this point - Mr. Butler wasn't being rude.  In fact, he 
was responding to a post which specifically asked for opinions on the 
matter.  I don't see why he deserves this kind of vitriol as a 
response.

As for your challenge - don't forget that not all of us are like 
Ranma.  Some of us can pass up a challenge.  Just because you threw 
a challenge doesn't mean that every 'fic writer on the list is 
obliged to take it up.

  
Don't get me wrong - I agree with your challenge.  It will likely 
make for some interesting 'fics...  My problem with it is that you're 
going about it with all the tact of a bull moose.  Easy, already!

- Sean Connor (connor@meena.cc.uregina.ca)

        "It jams." - Intel TV ad, referring to the Pentium chip.