Okay, here's what I'll have to explain about Ranko:

At 11:31 PM 7/1/97 -0600, David Johnston wrote:

I didn't mean that the physical abuse actually endears Akane to Ranma,

Sorry for misunderstanding :P

(although one notes that if Akane tries to stop, Ranma will simply
taunt her until she starts again, because he has very little idea
how deal with anyone except in a combat situation).  But there is 
no doubt that his relationship with his father is closest and most
affectionate when they are clobbering each other before breakfast.  
That being the case, Ranma seems pretty inured to physical abuse and
certainly prefers it to being ignored.  Ranko's pretty similar to
to Ranma of course since for some strange reason, Genma seems to have
raised her exactly the same way, and until puberty her gender was purely
academic, unlike a normal upbringing.  

Genma in my story HAD been the only figure in Ranko's life throughout her
earlier years, as such, Ranko's personality (as opposed to her maturing
physical aspects) remains very much that of a boy, especially during the
beginning of the series.  (Genma at first did it half-heartedly, until he
heard about Jusenkyo and deciced to have a son instead of a daughter)  But
MY Ranko always longs for someone to give her REAL KINDNESS AND AFFECTION
because she STILL thinks of herself as a girl, just with a boy's endurances
due to her harsh early life (she even likes Kuno's Rose, before she knew of
his stupidity).  What is tearing her apart was that while Kaneda was kind to
her in the beginning, has helped her out various times when she needed it,
and would always apologize for giving her the hammer, HE CAN'T MAKE HIMSELF
STOP (not yet anyway)!!!  Ukyou and Mousse (even Kuno), while showering
attention and kindness upon her, had both unfortunately MISSED the chance to
be the first to give it to her.  Kaneda's already occupied the place in
Ranko heart by the time they came into the scene.   

Oh, and once again, Ranko WOULDN'T hit Kaneda-kun because he was TOO
thin-skinned despite being a martial artist.  He has been the cherished
child of his family, and not even Soun could hit him.  Ranko was afraid that
Kaneda would take it seriously if she say, like, return the hammer trick.
Then she will lost the person that matters the most to her.  Akane didn't
have that problem (or think she didn't)

However that raises an issue about your story.  What happened to Nodoka?
Surely she wouldn't consent to let Genma take her only daughter away for
ten years.  Is she dead, or believed dead?  Or did Genma just go nuts
and kidnap his daughter when he ran out on his wife?

As for this part, read on the future parts and find out :)