"David Eddy" <dje@progress.com> wrote:

    "This boy is under the influence of drugs," he said
regretfully.  "It is the scourge of modern times," he added with
a shake of his head.

"Yes, indeed, drugs are evil. Now where are my coffee and
cigarrettes?!?"

    "I have Akane and Nabiki.  You must come to the Nekohanten
alone."

"You must bring Kasumi to me. I wish a complete set."

    In fact, one of the looked just like Akane in her cat form.
Well, nearly.

    The sound of yowling and memories of tearing claws receded
somewhat, and Ranma forced herself to face Happousai, taking a
defensive stance once again.

    The cats disappeared.

Um... what the heck was THAT about? The first time I read this, I
thought this part was a dream sequence.

    'Oh, *shit*!' thought Ranma.  'How could I do something
so... *basic*!'  The rage dissolved, to be replaced by chagrin
and self-anger.  She fought to keep her expression neutral as
she screamed at herself in her mind, 'BASIC!  BASIC!!'

Ranma's not yet up to date with C++....

    "Aw mom, it's not like I plan to make a habit of wearing
those things.  Anyway, I've gotta go!"

    "Come inside, Ranma.  We've got some important news."

What was the important news? Don't think the story ever got back to
this.

    For now, though, she had to rescue her fiancee.  Oh yes,
and Nabiki.  The old ghoul's note was leading him to the
Nekohanten, though somehow he doubted it would be as easy as
simply marching into the restaurant.  That fight he had had
against the old ghoul was the hardest he had ever had, and
although he had notionally won, he knew that as a result Cologne
had taken his measure yet again.

That explains where Happosai got his bra size from....

    "Where is she, Mousee?!" she asked, her eyes scanning for

Mousse

    Where was Cologne?

Germany, ya dolt. :P

    Cologne just chuckled grimly.  "Ranma my child, why is it,
do you think, that I went to the trouble of training you?"

    "Because I was the instrument for your revenge on
Happousai," shot back Ranma.

Unlikely, considering that Happosai was stuck in a cave when they first
started....

    He was tempted.  Very tempted.

    "Three, you say?" he asked, looking at Cologne.  She nodded
slowly, and for a time Ranma lay still, gazing into space,
thinking.

"Let's see... have hot sex with three well-built Amazon babes... would I
possibly wanna do that?"

"Did I mention that I myself am one of the women, groom?"

"AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"

    Then Ranma lifted his head again, looking at Cologne.  He
shook his head, and spoke.  "I can't."

    Relief filled Akane, but Cologne interrupted Ranma.  "What
of your fiancee Akane?  Will you condemn her to the life of a
Jusenkyou curse?  And Nabiki?  Will you bear responsibility for
that?"

"I mean I CAN'T! I'm STERILE, you idiot!"

Seriously, if I were Ranma, I'd try to find a third way out of this.
Dunno what. Maybe tell Cologne that that he's sterile, or that he can't
possibly make love without the tools of Anything Goes Martial Foreplay.

    Ranma pondered his situation.  Cologne's threat of cursing
Akane and Nabiki was almost a non-issue; Akane was already
cursed and Nabiki could learn to live with it. 

Hey, Akane already thought this. At least find some different wordings.

His mind
automatically dismissed the threat as a mere tactic.

    The real question was, what would the Chinese do if he
refused again?  At the moment, the three of them were completely
at the mercy of Cologne, and he doubted that the old bad would

bag or bat, I think you mean.

    He had no choice.  Looking into Akane's eyes, he said, "I'm
sorry, Akane."  'I'm sorry for making you believe that I'm about
to betray you,' he finished in his mind.  Her silent reaction
tore at his heart.

Hey, if this is a double-cross, you might not want to tell us yet, to
keep up the suspense.

    Ranma removed his red silk shirt and tossed it with seeming
spiteful anger into Shampoo's face.  She pulled it from her
face, smiling, but as she did so Ranma's hand crashed into her
head, knocking her instantly unconscious.

Sex, stooge-style....

    Cologne finished playing with Akane and casually batted her
to the ground with her stick as the solution came to Ranma.
Happousai... or rather, that the old man had done earlier.  Why

rather, what

    Nabiki signed and nodded.  "That I can."  She smiled.
"That calendar looks like being one of the better ideas I've

Take out "being"

    Kasumi's voice floating across the yard from the house
brought evening practice to a grinding halt.  "Minna!  Yuu-
gohaaan!"

This is supposed to be a dub, Kasumi! Get with it! :)

    In a way I regret its passing, but I know that I have
become stale on this project and I hope that this final part
lives up to people's hopes for the finale.

Well, I think it could have been better. A lot of things seemed a little
too convenient, like Ranma suddenly learning the new technique and
Cologne giving up. Also, Akane's cat curse, being the central point in
the series, should've figured into the climax in some important way, but
it was just sort of pushed aside at the end.

Anyway, looking forward to those other projects!


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