fcasper wrote:

David Johnston wrote:

I just finished reading this, and it has some interesting
things to say about Akane and Ranma's relationship.  But I think
I see why the next part is going to take a while to come out.

This is a romance story.  Romance stories all work the same
way.  Hero and Heroine have differences and obstacles.
They overcome these in order to get together and establish a
lasting bond.

Assuming that Zen will NOT write a story in which Akane gets
Ranma and they live happily ever after, then the Long and Winding
Road is already over.  Ranma and Ukyo are already together, living
more or less happily ever after. What else is there?  Akane
is now at such a terrible disadvantage that if she loses out,
that doesn't make for much of a story, does it?  The dynamics
of romance writing just about demand that Akane gets Ranma
based on what I have read if the story is to continue.

For this reason, I'm inclined to think that the Long And Winding
Road has already reached its destination.

I agree with you that Ranma and Ukyou are going to live happily ever
after, but how will this decision affect the other fiancees's fate?  You
know they will eventually track the couple down like Akane plans to,
leading to a major confrontation.  Likewise, Soun, Genma and Nodoka
aren't likely to be pleased by Ranma's shirking of so-called family
honor and this could set up some interesting conflicts.

Only if Ranma was interested in maintaining a relationship with his
family.  Apparently he isn't.  His whole approach of running away from
home says that he has written off his entire family.  Heck, he may
change his name to Ranma Kuonji.  

Basically, Ranma and Ukyou came together in the first part and plan to
live happily ever after.  The second part will deal with the
consequences of that decision.  Although Ranma will never change his
mind about marrying Ukyou, both of them have some tough battles ahead
from those who would protest such a desicion.

Then is it going to shift from a romance storyline to an action 
storyline?  The problem is, all those battles are anticlimactic when
the central issue has already been determined.  If he isn't going
to change his mind, none of those who are objecting are going to 
make a difference.  What are they going to do, try to kill Ukyo?

Also, what about the fate of the other finacees and possible suitors?
Will Mousse finally have a chance to convince Shampoo that he's the best
man for her?  

You know, the only handling of the Mousse/Shampoo "romance" that I've
ever found remotely interesting was the Hearts Of Ice version.  Every
single other attempt to pursue it has either been a groaner, or just
perfunctory.  HoI barely escapes being perfunctory with some moderately
interesting and plausible characterisation of Shampoo and Mousse, 
(although it converts Cologne into a total nutjob).

Will Ryouga finally confess his love for Akane?  

Well...either he will or he won't.  It's sort of like when Akane
tracks down Ranma and asks him for a second chance.  Either he will
or he won't.  If he does, then he richly deserves to be dumped by
Ukyo.  Regardless, now that Ranma's made a decision, it just isn't
all that complicated.    

There's a

lot of if's here and the second part is likely to deal with some of
them.  While Part 1 could be made into a stand-alone story, it's better
to tie up all the loose ends so you know for certain that Ranma and
Ukyou will live a happy life.

Does anyone _ever_ tie up all the loose ends in their life?  It's
far more likely that the loose ends from this situation would continue
into the next generation.  

Sincerely,

Megane 6.7---------------------
How will Akane deal with the fact that
she blew it big time? 

We already know the answer to that question, pretty much.  

How will Ukyo deal with the fact that Ranma
loves Akane?

Apparently Ranma doesn't love Akane all that much.  I think we can 
safely assume that Ukyo isn't going to react to her insecurity by 
regularly beating up Ranma and eventually killing Ranma and Akane.  
Elegant though the symmetry might be.  Nor does it seem likely that 
Ranma and Ukyo will live a life of quiet desperation, both aware that 
Ranma made the "wrong" choice.  

As Robert Aspirin once quoted " a good writer can take a plot the
reader has read a hundred times before and knows by heart and make it
seem fresh and new" or as Robert A. Heinlein once said " it isn't a
new idea, that a writer wants as much as a new approach".

Well...yes, but what does that have to do with anything?  It's not
that Zen's idea is hackneyed, because it isn't.  It's actually pretty
original, as Ranma fanfic goes.  It's that there isn't
much else to be done.  Convince Akane that she's lost.  
Beat-up Shampoo.  It's a question of pacing.  The big moment
should be near the end of the story.  In this story the real
big moment...Akane realising what she's thrown away and how, 
has already happened.  Nothing else which happens is going to 
change that.  

.

Besides after this Zen has said he would consider writing a Lovely
Angels story.
You would probably call them by that other name, the Dirty Pair.

I'd rather see that, than have him waste time mopping up a foregone
conclusion.  Ranma is like Moonlighting.  Once the romantic 
uncertainty has been dispelled, it's done.