3)  Completely new story.  TIL hasn't happened, Akane and Ranma still can't say 
the "L" word.  A new student enrolls in Furinkan.  No, this isn't 
author-insertion; this guy doesn't have extraordinary powers, doesn't know 
martial arts, and isn't much interested in solving anyone's problems.  He does 
become interested in Akane.  Akane can't find any reason not to be interested in
the new student...

-Richard
     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My vote is for options three.  This normal guy becomes the most difficult
'rival' for Ranma.  Why?  Ranma would also have to act in a 'normal' manner.
With no martial arts, no secret techniques, no zaniness, just pure honest
human emotions; this story would have 'Maison Ikkoku' feeling to it.

Good luck Richard.  ^_^

joe.ortiz@ci.slc.ut.us

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~