Jonathan Haas <jhaas@microsoft.com> wrote:

Furthermore, thanks to Genma's machinations, she's had to deal with a
constant stream of "fiancees" showing up to claim her husband. All of this

If you're taking this anime-only gag as true in your story, then frankly
Genma's gone from OOC to just plain nuts. Why would he arrange all kinds
of marriages for Ranma but be willing to kill to prevent any of them
from succeeding?

Yeah, I know what you mean, and you're not the only one that's pointed that
out to me. It's kinda what I meant when I said I didn't really like this
fic, and it felt wrong to me. I needed some way to turn Ukyou's
well-intentioned meddling into a complete and utter disaster, and seized
upon the easiest way. I hope I can come up with something better... it'd
require a major rewrite, but I'd rather do that then leave in the murder.

It has to be somebody's deliberate actions, though... I can't just have
Ukyou killed in an accident or something.

How about this:

Suppose that as Ranma and Ukyo grew up together, Ukyo became more and
more jealously possessive of her Ran-chan. Ranma in turn rebelled, as he
saw her as trying to decide his life for him; and because of this, he
showed open interest in the other fiancee that Genma had arranged for
him. Ukyo confronted him on the issue, and he told her that he didn't
love her, at least not in the way she wanted. This led to her eventually
either (1) comitting suicide, (2) trying to kill Genma, who was forced
to kill her in self-defense, or (3) faking her own death. Either way,
Ranma blames himself for what happened, and can't get close to anyone
else because he feels that his friendship for Ukyo led to her death.

Any of this still leaves Genma alive, but that can probably be gotten
around somehow if necessary.

	Well, good work...keep up the writing. 

Ahh, if only I could :-)

Good luck; I can sympathise.


Gary Kleppe
http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics