Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1998 14:46:14 -0400
From: Dan Root <dar@thekeep.org>
To: ffml@fanfic.com
Subject: Re: [FFML] [Fic][Ranma][Short]  The Smile

Yeargh.  Another fic that ripped its way out of my subconscious
without stopping to ask first.  The concept of a lack of aura as
a superior fighting tactic comes from Seta Soujirou from the series
Rurouni Kenshin.  When applied to the Ranma characters, there was
really only one choice in my mind for who could do it.  And no I
won't say who.  You can guess yourself if you care.  You might even
be right.  :)

I'd guess Kasumi or maybe Nabiki. I'm pretty sure none of the Four
Fiancees would be particularly good at hiding her aura... and we know
from the narrator that it's not Cologne.

In all honesty, I'm not really sure myself.  I can say for certain
it started out as Kasumi.  By the end I had convinced myself it
was Akane.  When I went to do some minimal editing, I kept finding
all these hints it was Nabiki.  It was pointed out that a good case
could also be made for Nodoka.  

In fact, there aren't too many people who are completely ruled out.
Cologne, and by making some assumptions, Shampoo, and that's about
it.

Hmmm... Akane has been shown to have a lack of control over her aura (it 
flares with her mood).  And neither Kodachi nor Ukyou has demonstrated a 
high level of emotional "coolness", or restraint, that would be the 
hallmark of this technique.

OTOH, I was half expecting it to turn out to be the old sidewalk-washer.  
Hell, he _NEVER_ sees her coming....

--Freemage

Interesting concept, but I think it went on too long, and you beat 

the

idea to death. By the time I got towards the end, I was skimming 

through

it. I think you could cut it down quite a bit.

It, as I said in my author's notes, sort of just... 'happened'.

I hadn't intended to write it (The upcoming chapters of Ishi o
Tsukau have far too much left to do), but I sat down and <poof>,
there it was.  Sort of like what happened when I wrote both Squick
and SODB.

	-DaR  (who sometimes hates his brain)
-- 
Dan Root - dar@thekeep.org

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