I can't believe I forgot to include this part. Well anyway here it is hopefully my last criticism of this wonderful fanfic.

Hibiki Ryouga squinted. Funny, this looked too small to be the
Yodo River. But he was in Osaka, so it had to be. He hadn't known
it looked like a canal.

He looked up the river bank, and saw a girl wearing a school
uniform, crying. That's odd, he thought, that's the same uniform
they wear at Furinkan. Oh well, I guess there aren't too many
different kinds. He walked up to her. "Is something wrong, Miss?
Can I help?"

Ranko looked up at him with her red eyes. "Ryouga?"

Ryouga did a double take. "Ranko-san? What are you doing in
Osaka?"

Ranko shook her head. "Th-this isn't Osaka, Ryouga. We're in
Nerima, on the canal."

He looked around. Now that she mentioned it, the place *did* look
familiar. Ranko started to cry again.

He sat down next to her. She had changed so much! He couldn't
find any traces of the boy he had known. She was just another
girl who went to Furinkan. No, not just another girl. A very
beautiful girl, with stunning, silky red hair that blew slightly
in the wind... "Ranko-san, what's wrong?" He shook his head. He
had to stop staring at her; it was rude.

She looked at him. "I... I feel funny talking to you about it,
and that's just the point! I... I just realized... I'm not Ranma
any more. He... he had to die for me to be me. He didn't deserve
to die, but he had to!" She cried harder.

Ryouga tried to decipher what she was saying, and failed. "What
do you mean, Ranko-san?"

"I... I mean... I'm a girl now, and... and... it's so far away
from what I was... the boys who were my friends... they... they
see me as a girl now, and I... I see them as... as boys. When
they t-touched me, I felt... I felt... It's so different, so
alien, it's... it's just hard sometimes. Everything in my life
has changed." She was sobbing now.

Ryouga felt powerless to help her, and that made him feel
miserable for some reason. He... he wanted her to be happy. He
reached out, tentatively, and hesitated. It sounded like being
touched by a boy had... unsettled her. A particularly loud sob
escaped her, and his courage firmed up. He reached out and put an
arm around her.

Ranko noticed Ryouga's arm drape over her shoulder. It... it felt
strange, like Daisuke's hand had felt, but she felt something
else, too. She... she felt like...

Suddenly, Ranko spun around and buried her head in Ryouga's
shoulder, sobbing. Slowly, he reached around with his other arm,
and held her as she cried. He wondered at what was going on. Who
would have imagined this scene two months ago? His glass heart
went out to her as he held her gently in his embrace.

Ranko felt a million conflicting emotions running through her.
Being held by a boy frightened her, but... but it also made her
feel safe, made her feel stronger. She felt... protected. She'd
never felt that way before. She couldn't believe Ryouga, of all
people, was holding her. She knew she was strong, she knew she
could stand on her own without having to lean on anyone else, but
somehow, being in his arms was... she couldn't put words to it.

Ryouga held her and stroked her hair. He noticed the scent; it
smelled of flowers. Her body felt so soft against his; she was
such a sensitive, beautiful, sweet girl. He leaned his head down
on top of hers, the better to smell her hair. He sighed; holding
her was so... Suddenly, his eyes went very wide. No... no... I
can't be... no! I... Akane-san...

Ranko seemed to be collecting herself; she separated from him and
stood up. She was sniffling and wiping her eyes. "Ryouga... I...
I am so sorry. I didn't mean to go to pieces on you like that."
She smiled wanly. "Th-Thank you. I... I guess I needed a shoulder
to cry on. I feel a lot better." She looked at his shirt. "With
all those tears, it's a wonder I didn't turn you into P-chan!"
She made a face; she really was feeling better. She realized that
with all the changes she had gone through, it was no surprise if
she was overwhelmed from time to time. She managed to smile at
him.

He rose to his feet, a little unsteady. "N-n-no p-problem,
R-ranko-san. R-really! I... I was glad I could help."

Ranko looked at Ryouga. He seemed very nervous for some reason.
Probably he still thinks of me as a boy, she thought. That
probably made him really uncomfortable holding me...

"Well, I really appreciate it. I know you probably still think of
me as a boy, somewhat, so I hope that didn't make you too
uncomfortable."

Ryouga's voice was squeaky. "No! No! Of course not! No problem!"

How sweet of him to deny it, she thought. "Oh, I promised Akane I
wouldn't take too long." She pulled a mirror out of her purse.
"Look at my eyes! You can tell I've been crying. Well, I hope she
doesn't get too mad at me. I promised not to go off and cry by
myself." She put the mirror away. "I... I've got to go, Ryouga...
kun." She blinked, but it had seemed like the natural thing to
call him. "Again, thank you. You're very sweet." He gulped and
nodded without saying anything, and she turned and walked off.
Ryouga watched her, mesmerized, as she climbed the bank, holding
her slender arms out for balance, her red hair and the skirt of
her uniform ruffling gently in the late summer breeze as she
picked her way among the weeds. She reached the top, and
disappeared up the road.

Slowly, Ryouga sank to his knees. He whispered "Akane-san...
Ranko-san..." Then he put his head in his hands and howled, "Oh,
Kami-sama, I'm turning into Kunou!"

I don't know.. I have always loved the idea for Ryouga to fall in love with Ranma/Ranko and after the hinting at it in part 2 I was really looking forward to this.
but somehow it wasn't what I had expected. somehow..
I mean its great writing but there is something.. I don't know

the only thing I can put a finger on is that it seems to forced. Actually this whole chapter seems forced.
See the reason why Ranko wanted to be alone wasn't really a good excuse. and when Ryouga entered the scene you pretty much knew why this "I need to be alone" scene was created.

besides I had wanted this maybe relationship to take time to blossom. I had wanted to see Ryouga go chase after Akane in many scenes BEFORE this. sure Ryouga has had these feelings ever since he first met Ranma but he doesn't realise it.

there hopefully I haven't forgotten anything this time.

*MASS*ES looks on scornfully*

yeah you just shut'up!
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