fairchil@Alaska.NET proposed:

	Consider the basic premise of Ranma 1/2 : Boy changes into 
girl when hit with cold water.   Now, in the series and the (ahem) 
various derivations, it is either treated with great humor or, despite 
great effort, its full dramatic potential is not realized.   So I now 
attempt to awaken this beast without writing the thing myself.   

	<snip!>

Just to prove how much willpower Ranma needs to hang on to his masculinity,
I challenge any male member of the FFML to perform the 
following exercise:   just imagine yourself, for a moment, as a girl.    
How the clothes would rub, how you would be gabbing with friends, 
eating lunch, going to school, running, walking, living.   Then, still 
deep in this mindset, think about your best (male) friend for a minute.   
	I tell you what, it sure gave ME the WILLIES.   (And I am a 
confirmed homophobe)
	Females may attempt reciprocal procedure.

Hope this all proves interesting (and helps)

	The problem I have with the possible consideration of this topic is
simple:  I am truly afraid of the consequences.
	Consider:  Relative newbies claiming to have unlocked some secret
formula for stardom... a truly dramatic fic!
	Consider:  Trying out the concept, and falling despite best efforts.
The horror!
	Consider:  All those who have actually thought about it, and/or
writing fics as we speak, and have just thought that a prized concept has
been thrown to the wolves.  The flames!

	<G>  OK.  Just kidding.

	But the really strange thing is, I have trouble imagining this scenario.
I probably enjoy too many free laughs, and so I'd completely throw any loss of
humor into a deep dark pit.  I can't see the world without the itch to laugh
right into its face, and I have Ranma to partly thank for that (and partly my
own mug, every morning).

	Not too sound too derogatory towards a perfectly good idea, I'm
bringing myself up as fodder for the great experiment.  I hereby present...
Scarlet Runs the Sea (a soap, based on a one-time popular soap in Mexico, now
done with and over, Mari Mar, which I hope has something to do with the sea).


	Scarlet Runs the Sea

	Cast:  Scarlet - a one-time bayside girl who fell in love with a 
			rich plantation owner.  innocence at the start.
		Rhett - the plantation owner;  suave chap.  plays soccer.
              
	(OK.  ^_^ So I may have put in some of the classics.  :P)

	Scene: at Scarlet's little hut by the sea.  Scarlet is inside,
		sobbing huge wracking sobs, off to a corner.

	Scarlet:  Why?  Why did he say that he can't ever come to the sea?
		Doesn't he know how much the sea means to me?

	(Scarlet looks outside an open window)

	Scarlet:  The waves sang my first lullaby... the shore cradled me in
		my first night... the wind gave me heat in the night... but
		how this heat pales to the fire I feel for him!  (sobs some
		more into her arms, which fold in front of her face, as she
		falls into sitting in the corner)

	(In the background, we hear the sound of the waves carry the sound of 
	horse's hooves on wet shore.  It stops, and we hear boots on the same
	sandy-wet soil.  The door on the far right opens a crack.)

	Rhett:  Scarlet?... (softer) Scarlet.

	(Scarlet raises her head, and through her sobs discerns the voice)

	Scarlet:  Rhett?... (louder, with a smile) Rhett!  

	(She runs to the door, which opens to reveal a dashing young man in
	his prime.  He is dressed casually, in a safari-esque uniform, without
	the inner shirt, showing an expanse of chest hair.  Scarlet falls to
	the chest with her hands;  Rhett catches her.)

	Rhett:  Scarlet... why have you been crying?  (she fails to react in
	time, as Rhett continues)  You know that I would never let you cry
	like that... (he courses his fingers along her long hair, curled by
	the salt in the waters)  I would never leave you.

	(Scarlet raises her face to face his clean-shaven one)

	Scarlet:  But... you said... the sea!... and...

	(He pulls her head to his as he silences her with a kiss)

	Rhett:  Does that tell you how much you mean to me?

	Scarlet:  Uh-hmmm.

	Rhett:  I would never let the sea part us like that...

	Scarlet:  But?

	(Rhett looks straight into her eyes)

	Rhett:  The sea... terrifies me.

	(Scarlet has this "I don't get it" look, but it softens as she sees
	that Rhett has this pained look)

	Scarlet:  You... you never told me... (she looks like she's grasping
	at straws)  why... how...

	(Rhett looks into her eyes, sees that indeed she is willing to know,
	turns slightly away from her, and into the ocean)

	Rhett:  A while back... something... (a glassy look comes to him)
	something... which hurt me... DEEPLY... (he clutches her closer to
	him, and he shivers slightly;  she holds him)

	Scarlet:  Hush... (runs her fingers through his hair, now) it's 
	okay... there's no need to tell me...


	...and so on.  Sorry 'bout that, it's just that I'm not into that 
sort of soap thing.  But that's how I imagine your proposed story sounds
like.  Imagine any male character from a long-running soap opera gets a
curse like that... see?  Instant angst-fest.

	If anyone would like me to elaborate on the above theme, just 
holler.  ^_^

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