On Sun, 17 Aug 1997, Mike Noakes wrote: 

	Got around to reading this a little late... still one of the 
better alternate histories out there.  It's amazing how well both your 
writings merge -- at least, I can't tell where one stops and the other 
picks up (unless it happens at those nifty blinky faces...).  And somehow 

The winking face is usually where one of us leaves off and the other
begins... although we add sentences here and there to the other's segments
all the time. Our writing styles are pretty similar to begin with, anyway.
(Something that worries me. ;)

you manage to mix in some oddly funny comedy in the middle of all this
grim stuff... nice touch.

Comic relief is a must in this sorta story. Besides, grim as this may be,
we're both comedy fans. :)

	Anyway, you mentioned at the end that your cowriter was a bit 
unsure about the ending scenes.  I think I agree.  The scene 
between Ranma and Nabiki was a perfectly good and horrifying scene... but 
it kinda ruins the mystery that you had so perfectly maintained up till 
then.  There was always some ambiguity over whether Ranma was really the 
full-blown psycho he seemed to be; sure, the Hibiki's said he was, but 
they're obviously not the most reliable of sources.  Was Akane seeing 
bits of the true Ranma, or just a clever act?
	That near-rape scene, however, pretty much gives it away.  Now we 
know he really _is_ a psychotic violent sadistic rapist murderer... and 
the story seems to lose something with that explicit revelation.  To me, 
anyway...

On the surface, it seems that way.

But remember... if Akane can be fooled by a act (and this Ranma is an
expert at such manipulation) Nabiki can be as well. Exactly how much of
that scene was Ranma reveling in the situation... and how much was a bluff
designed to get Nabiki off his back?

Ranma has some serious problems; that should have been clear from the
beginning. But he's not necessarilly a psycho.
 

	Either way, looking forward to seeing the next chapter...

*grin* Chapter 6, our longest ever, will be released on Monday. Assuming
the prereaders get done on time. ;)

	-Mike

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