Subject: Re: [FFML][fanfic][Alt. Universe Ranma 1/2][Dark][Lime]A Cold and WIndy Night
From: "Mike Allen" <allenmk@gte.net>
Date: 3/27/1999, 12:13 AM
To: "Gary Kleppe" <kleppe@execpc.com>, "Isaac Marchionna" <bobafett@scruznet.com>, "Fanfiction Mailing List" <ffml@fanfic.com>

Hi Gary!

Thanks for taking the time to read my little fic.

The felinoid god was startled as an entity formed in front of it.
Considering who it was and what it was the god of, it didn't
particular
care for the feeling.

Hey, why not use his name? It's Oscir. :)

I didn't want to.  ^_^  What can I say?

Okay... everything during the story itself made a frightening amount
of
sense, and the rape scenario itself was IMO quite plausible. Until I
got
to this:

1.  Ranma now has three distinct personalities.  The male Ranma, the
new
human Ranma, and the feline Ranma.

2.  The male Ranma has now lost all of his self-confidence and
assurance
in himself and his capabilities.  If he could be raped by a girl,
what
could happen to him against a REAL fighter, like Ryouga?

3.  The new human Ranma will have a female persona and will have all
of
the swagger lost by the first Ranma.  This Ranma will have no
compunction about hitting girls, as SHE is one herself.  The trigger
for
her to gain control of the body is for Ranma to be endangered by a
female either by challenge or sexual advances.  The release of
control
will only be given when the aggressor is taken care of.

I think this is going way overboard. Yes, rape is a horrible act which
can leave terrible psychological scars on its survivors. BUT let's not
lose perspective here. To the best of my knowledge, very few rape
victims develop this kind of psychosis.

Why did the rape have this effect on Ranma and not cause some lesser (?)
damage to his psyche?

I took the position in this fic that Ranma's Neko-ken is in reality a
form of Multiple-Personality Disorder.  It fits.  When he was a young
child, he was faced with a horrible torture.  Being of above average
intelligence (you can't memorize moves or figure out tactics on the fly
like he does without some smarts), his mind escapes by splitting a part
of him off.  Which part did it split off with the Neko-ken?  The part
that can easily express emotions, especially those of love and
friendship.  If that part had not been taken away from his main psyche,
why is it almost impossible for him to ever show his true feelings for
any of the girls of Ranma 1/2?

That Ranma has a mild, undiagnosed case of MPD was the linchpin that I
hung his reactions onto.  His mind, already having used this escape once
in his life, used it again to get away from the absolute horror of being
raped while absolutely helpless.  The assumption that his
self-confidence is what is lost to this new personality is simply my own
interpretation of events.  Remember that thge core personality will
remember everything up to the point of the split.  It will be very
afraid of any show of affection.

I think it would be more believable, while no less sympathetic, for
Ranma to show a less extreme reaction. Given the way in which the
situation happened, there's lots of possibilities. Maybe from now on
he
refuses to go outside when it's dark. Or maybe he insists on wearing a
gas mask everywhere he goes. Or maybe he insists that Akane stay with
him constantly, even needs to sleep in the same room with her (in
female
form, of course).

I doubt that after what happened on the roof that Ranma would have much
feeling for Akane left.  She saw him helpless and left him there after
all.  If she had helped him, he would not have suffered Kodachi's whims.

Author's Note:  I don't like to write lemons and it shows, ne?  Oh
well,
when the prelude to "Violated" by Brandon Wallace hit the FFML a few
weeks ago quite a hornet's nest was kicked.  Several people said that
Ranma could not be raped.  Period.  End of discussion.

Hey, be fair. What they said (IIRC) was that he couldn't be raped
without being unconscious or drugged or somesuch.

Alright, I'll be fair.  It sure is easier to beat up straw men though.

 Others said that
some major OOC act would have to be performed.  I found a point in
the
manga that Ranma in male form could have been raped and most would
have
to admit that Kodachi would be IC.

Okay, so Kodachi fans wouldn't admit it.  ^_^

This one will. A little extreme for her, considering that she's just
met
the guy, but IMO not beyond the bounds of believability.

Thanks again for your comments.

Mike