Wow!  I wasn't going to read this.  With a title like "Black" I was expecting
dark fic.  Major dark fic.  I almost didn't read it.  almost deleted it,
until I checked who had posted it.  With a sigh I started to read it, since
J.Palmer is on my must read list.  

Boy I'm glad I did.  This is wonderful!  Thanks!  There was alot to this fic,
not just an "Akane and Ranma open up to each other" story.  The details and
the attention to the other characters really made it for me.  

	"What's up pop? 'wana do some training?"
	"That's exactly what I want to do." He sat cross legged
on the floor, pushed up his glasses, the crossed his arms.
"Soutome secret technique, Okasan variation" [Mother's
variation]
	Ranma knelt before him. "Ready"
	"When faced with this sort of situation..." Genma
tilted his head, his glasses filling with light. Ranma
leaned forward in anticipation. "Do what your mother says."

	"Nabiki, what are you so excited about? It's only ice
cream."
	"Two words Akane, chocolate and wholesale!"

	Akane finished her ice cream, and put down her bowl.
"Don't worry, Kasumi, they'll just bring it back a little bit
at a time, that's all, when they find a bad area they'll leave
it off until they can fix it."
	Kasumi looked unconvinced, but she nodded to Akane. "I
see, It's more like a quilt than a broad piece of cloth."

	"I'm not..." Ranma began, Akane shot him a glance. He
panicked, looking around. He found the answer before him. "I'm
not through with my tea." He said, then gulped it down. "Okay,
I'm ready to go now."
	Nabiki smiled. "Nice recovery, Ranma."

	"No, No, he's too young, and as a martial artist, he must
keep his mind clear." Toufu protested.
	The group broke into boisterous laughter, one even spitting
out his beer. "Yes, yes, you must keep your mind clear!" he
cried, cupping his hand on Toufu's shoulder. This caused an even
larger laugh.

Each of these snippets do little to advance the plot, but they work so well
to set the scene and show how some of the other Ranma characters react to the
odd situation that they find themselves in.  Kasumi thinking it houshold
metaphors, Nabiki taking advatnage of the circumstances for herself and her
family...  These are the things that make this story so compelling to me.  

Then when you add what is going on between Akane and Ranma, it becomes a
polished gem.  

	Ranma gave her a look of silent hopefulness.
	"Okay, I'll come find you later." She put her hand on his
arm." Oh, and Ranma..."
	"Yes?"
	"Please don't practice that look, you're already too good
at it.

The tension and affection here are palpable.  I find this a more touching
scene than when they confess their love a few paragraphs further down.
 Wonderful.  

I guess the only change I might reccomend would be maybe with the title.
 "Black,"  seems too bleak.  I might suggest "In Darkness..." but that is
only a minor quibble.  It is fine as is.  


                                 -Mike (the OtakuLoki)