At 12:19 PM 1/28/99 EST, AlphSailor@aol.com wrote:

In a message dated 1/28/99 5:54:28 AM, maybeso@ican.net writes:

Whta can I say about SoI: Broken? Interesting and fascinating. Other than the
fact that Broken seems to be a bit too rushed or brief for the approiate
development of Ranma's conflict between Cologne and Happosai's trainning, it
was an excellent reading.

Thanks! I wanted to stick with 10 divisions, which I used in the previous two
(and even in Antithesis I fudged and used an Interlude, though considering
the nature of that story/path, I deemed it acceptable).
	Basically though, I was running out of steam-- couldn't think of more
training scenes (had to show that both Happi and Cologne trained him in
equal amounts), and I kind of left it to the reader to fill in most of
the stuff in between. Since a timeline is never really given (it isn't
mentioned how much time the story encompasses) one does not know for sure
how long it is between divisions, or whether there's an equal amount of
time in between them or not. I have a tendency to do that, not be specific
about the time in between scenes, and also to have differing amounts of time
take place between them. That's probably why it seemed rushed-- both running
out of steam on my part, and because we do not know how long a time period
the story covers (gee, kinda like Takahashi, in that regard, I suppose, that
vagueness when it comes to time).
	I suggest that it takes place over a fairly long time period, 
just due to the magnitude of the changes taking place. Snapshots, that's
all I'm taking of it, really... just the important or more memorable
bits.

Now for Author's Ramblings of Matt,

   I suppose there is yet another possibility to be looked at: the

successful combination of Happousai and Cologne, but I have no

ideas for it. Something to do with control and wildness-- knowing

when to unleash it and when to keep it leashed. Moderation in all

things, including moderation. I have nothing else for it; it is not

within me right now to do that one.

You're also forgetting the fifth possibility of SoI series: Ranma has

rejected

both of their offers, opting to resist the change. No, fifth and sixth
possibilities. Both times, Ranma has rejected their offers, but with

different

results.

This is in the hands of another, who asked for it e'en before I came out with
Thesis. Myself? I think there are many possible ways to handle it though, good
or bad (and good or bad for whom, as well), and not just one path.
 

One possibility is that Ranma has made his decision to stick with what he has
and focuses on his humanity: emotions and consciousness. Basically, he tries
to find a balance between his life and nature. This probably would be the
least "wrongful" ending of SoI series. Or maybe not. He could become too
obessed with his abilities in his attempts to prove that he does not need
neither Cologne or Happosai to become stronger. He realizes that he is being
used by moth masters, and he resists- yet another SoI possibility.

As for myself, I would start with this realisation about Happi and Cologne
as a reason to develop his own way. Possible problems would include Happi
and Cologne not being (forgive the pun) happy with that and interfering,
or something.
	That's me though. Undoubtedly there are other ways, but it's the first
one that occurs to me, and it seems acceptable.

Another is that while Ranma has rejected both their offers, both masters
becomes desperate and tries to force their infulence/trainning on him. This
results in unfortuante results. We might be talking about a world's most
powerful martial artist who has gone insane, unable to take control or
comprehend his actions. This completly goes against Thesis (where he has
control), AntiThesis (where he gives in to desires), and Broken (where he
failed to find the balance between mind and soul.) An animal acting purely on
its insticts.

Reminds me a bit of Antithesis, really, because he basically does act on his
instincts and desires. Ranma's wild in it, because that's what he used as a
focus, his wildness.
	Then again, in Broken he doesn't really comprehend anything anymore,
being torn between two extremes, so there's a bit of that in there as well.

Actually, I'm sure that there are many more possibilites diverging from
Ranma's choice. It's just that I can't think of anything else at this moment.

   Perhaps a revision of some of the parts, Antithesis and this

one, for instance; perhaps that spamfic of Thesis and Antithesis

Ranmas meeting, but that would be about it. For me? my efforts? it

is done. Khattam shud. 

I'd love to read that spamfic of Thesis/Antithesis Ranmas meeting. ^_^

I don't know when I'll do it, just that I'll get around to it someday.
Need some more ideas for it, I think. Looking to be a series of different
spamfics, speculating on what might happen....
(in none of them will they do a Broadway play, however, I can guarantee
you that)
	Very silly though, I think I can guarantee that.... :)

Oh yeah, I'd love to read the original version of SoI: Broken. Thanks.

Let me take a moment to get organised (a day or two, most likely),
and no problem!


Matthew Lewis is:
	Matt on IRC
	Sojiro_Seta on Kawaiimuck
	maybeso@ican.net
	prone to exaggeration, 150% of the time
____________________________________________________________

	"Khattam-Shud," he said slowly, "is the Arch-Enemy
of all Stories, even of Language itself. He is the Prince of
Silence and the Foe of Speech. And because everything ends,
because dreams end, stories end, life ends, at the finish
of everything we use his name. 'It's finished,' we tell one
another, 'it's over. Khattam-Shud: The End.'"

	-excerpted from Haroun and the Sea of Stories,
		by Salman Rushdie
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