You know, it's kind of gratifying to see that there are several people who
can answer many of the points in this thread as well as or better than I
could. A lot of snippage here, but there's a couple of things I should
respond to.

[snip]

exactly the noblest of decisions.  Lies don't lead to 
solutions. (personal philosophy)

Possibly true, but they can often delay explosive confrontations to a more
convenient time. [reality check from real life]

[snip]

Besides, he loves her.  Ranma has to have told Akane that Ryouga loves 
her.  How could she have let him go on in that kind of pain for so long 
and call herself a friend?  A real friend would talk to him openly, even 
if it meant risking blowing her cover.

A couple of things to think about.  How does the "real" Akane in the canon
story feel about Ryouga.  She seems to find him rather pathetic, "Ramna!
Stop picking on those who are weaker than you!"  Doubtless not a real
friendship.

As for "A real friend would talk to him openly, even if it meant risking
blowing her cover."  Have you thought about the stakes here?  Possible
results from a blown cover?  Should Akane risk her own death to do the right
thing by a man who is the deadly enemy of the man she loves? Seems just a
tad unrealistic to me.

[snip]

Even Mousse isn't going to be pleased.  You see, it turns out Ranma 
_has_ been stringing Shampoo along, just like Mousse always claimed!

Yup, he has, and Akane helped, too.  What do you suppose would happen if
Shampoo felt there was no hope at all of marrying Ranma? When Shampoo came
on the scene she was in "the only way to stop me is to kill me" mode. There
is a fair chance that the alternative to feeding her false hope and
stringing her along was to kill her.  Call it what you will, given a choice
like that, I'd lie like a great big rug, and feel good about it, to boot.

[snip]

Not innocent perhaps, but Ranma and Akane are acting out of malice 
aforethought.  Remember, the charcacters in this fic are very different 

Just a quibble, but acting in such a way as to minimize bloodshed and
property damage is NOT malicious.  Perhaps not ethical either, but it is not
done to cause harm... which is what "malice aforethought" means.

[snip]

Remember, unlike the regular series, Ranma and Akane have deliberately 
left the door open for Ukyou and Shampoo to pursue Ranma.

Yep. And they have damn good reasons, too.

[snip]

Onward,

Bob Barnes
rbarnes@moscow.com
Moscow, Idaho

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