Hi Matthew,

Wow! Go out of town for a day and see what happens to your mailbox. Ahem. To
begin, I can't help but think that you've been reading a different story
than the  one I've been writing.  If I may make a suggestion, read (or
possibly reread) "The Masks We Must Wear" and pay close attention.

The masquerade began as a way to get Ranma and Akane's fathers to back off,
nothing more.  They shouldn't have had to keep it up for very long because
how stubborn could their fathers be?  They had to keep it secret. Finally
the way things played out when Shampoo appeared convinced them of the
benefit of maintaining their masquerade. By the time they began to have
reservations about it, it was too late. The fall-out and damage that would
have resulted from simply dropping their masks would have been too great. In
addition, they became invested in maintaining the masquerade. If they simply
dropped their masks, so to speak, all that effort would have been for nothing.

A comment from a different perspective.  I know you in no way intended 
this to be the message, but as I read this fic, one thought kept 
intruding into my mind....

Ranma and Akane are the _villains_ in this fic.

No, think about it.  For over a year they have lied to everyone, whether 
they be family or their supposed friends.  They have conspired to 
decieve and manipulate all those around them in a massive hoax 
perpetuated purely for their own benefit.

If you think about it, most of what they did to maintain the hoax, they did
to each other.  For example, all those times Akane punted Ranma and their
constant bickering and insults to each other. Shampoo glomps Ranma and Akane
hits... Ranma.

Ok you ask, but why should they care about anyone else but themselves?  
Well, just because other people's feeling do matter, for one thing.  
Take Ryouga.  He has every reason to believe Akane is his friend.  She 
has been kind to him, defended him from Ranma, and called him her 
friend.

And it was all a lie.  This self-aware Akane must surely have known how 
much Ryouga loved her, worshipped her.  Even if she didn't figure it out 
for herself, Ranma would have told her in private.  Yet did she ever 
talk to Ryouga about it?  Try to let him down easy?  Nope, it didn't fit 
her self-assumed disguise, so she was perfectly willing to allow him to 
suffer in the unending torment of unrequitted love.

It's a hard, hard world, Matthew.  If another person declares their undying
love for you, it doesn't obligate you in any way at all. If you behave
toward another person as a friend, treat them with kindness and
consideration, and that isn't what they want from you... it's their problem,
not yours. Ryouga is actually a very good case in point.  His suffering is
something he inflicts on himself.

Villainous behavior?

Oh, and about P-chan.  It isn't the same thing.  Ryouga may have been 
lying to her about his identity, but she lied to him about her emotions. 
IMO a far worse crime.  Besides, self-aware Akane should have figured 
out P-chan a long time ago.  If she's still been letting him sleep with 
her, then apparently, she doesn't care.

I can only say, reread the story. 

What about Ukyou?  Ranma has been pretending to be her friend, but 
obviously he isn't.  Obviously he doesn't really give a damn about her. 
To him, she's just one of the faceless "them" that have to be taken 
care of so that he and Akane can be together.  He's intentionally woven 
a deception for Ukyou that he does not love Akane.  That's what this 
whole "mask" idea was about in the first place, yes?  He knows full well 
that the longer he keeps up this deception, the more hurt and devasted 
Ukyou would eventually be.

Certainly you are entitled to your opinion, but "Obviously he doesn't really
give a damn about her" more or less ignores most of the evidence in the
situation.

[snip]

I don't think I'll deal with each of your points. It's seems your mind is
made up. Sorry you feel that way.

Separate point!!!!!!

I ask that this point be considered in separation from the rest of this 
nonsense.

The original premise of this fic was that "martial artists aren't stupid 
people".  It's an interesting idea, but why is it only being applied to 
Ranma and Akane?

It isn't.

Shampoo's a martial artist.  Where is her hidden intelligence?  What 
about Soun?  Or Genma for that matter?  Or god help us all, could Kunou 
actually be smarter than he lets on?

Was there anyplace in the story where I showed that it was easy for Ranma
and Akane to do what they've done? I don't think so. 

The premise just doesn't make as much sense if Ranma and Akane are the 
only ones wearing "masks", and everyone else is the emotional and 
intellectual cripple they appear to be in the normal series.

You are right.  Of course, this isn't the situation, so there isn't a problem.
Bob Barnes
rbarnes@moscow.com
Moscow, Idaho

When opportunity comes, the trick is to CATCH the red hat.