AlphSailor@aol.com wrote:

In a message dated 6/16/99 12:31:23 AM, rgorman@telusplanet.net writes:

After having reviewing the ensuing debate over the Choices, and having the
first actual fanfic in existence, I thought I'd give my input, so here goes.

"I suppose you are wondering why I called you all here," Nodoka Saotome
commented, gently cradling her teacup.

"We are of course eager to hear anything you wish to say," Kodachi
answered smugly.  Naturally she'd shown to the greatest advantage during
the tea ceremony.  Shampoo and Ukyo hadn't had any idea what to do and
Akane had been pathetically clumsy.

Ukyo commented, "Actually I was wondering what Kodachi is doing here.
She isn't a fiancee, after all," and got a glare from Kodachi.

This is actually a good point, since Ranma, nor any of his family memebers,
have never acknowldeged Kodachi's so-called enagement. Simply put, Kodachi
has nothing to back her claim as Ranma's finacee.

Nothing except phenomenal persistence.  I think that most of the time the
other characters seem to forget that she has no particular claim to Ranma.

Akane's enagement is legalized by giri as well as Saotome/Tendo family
agreement, and Ukyo's was accepted through the dowry that Genma later stole.
Shampoo's claim remains valid because of her laws. Kodachi simply has nothing
except her word, which I suspect, is not strong enough to serve as evidence
in japan.
Interestingly enough, no fanfic has attempted to explore this particular
angle, at least to my slightly biased recollection.

Nodoka smiled calmly, and raised a hand, "None of that, please.  As a
matter of fact, this week my son agreed to become engaged to
Kodachi-kun."

"What!?"

I find it hard to believe that Ranma would agree to this enagement, unless
Nodoka's lying purposefully to drive the potential finacees to desperation.

No, he agreed.  He figured he'd never actually have to marry her with all the
other fiancees floating about and she had something he really wanted, and he
didn't know she had a tape recorder.  

"You must give up the thing you love most apart from Ranma.
Okonomiyaki."

A rather poor choice, IMHO. But then again, I suppose that there's nothing
else that she values more than okonomiyaki...

To be honest, this is not one of those outstandingly clever Nodokas that 
usually show up in these fics.  

Still, what's to stop the married couple from ordering one at other
okonomiyaki. Perhaps abstain from okonomiyaki for Ukyo? I dunno.

Although I'm not sure what you said, I'll try to clarify what Nodoka
means.  

"You must give up your membership in the Amazons, their laws, and any
intention you had of taking Ranma back to China.  You will become a
Japanese wife, or you will not marry Ranma.  Only thus may I be assured
that your love is for Ranma rather than for yourself and your law."

Good choice, since it directly contradicts with her Amazonian law, which I'm
sure requires that the husbands remain in the village. We also know that
males are supressed, and Ranma would NOT tolerate this.
Here, she has choice between maintaining her role of power as an Amazonian,
and role of being a subversient wife.

"What you must do to prove yourself worthy, is go to psychiatrist of my
choosing, let yourself be diagnosed and follow whatever course of
treatment he prescribes."

Ever consider that Kodachi might fake her diagnosis? 

Nodoka did.  That's why she specified "a psychiatrist of my choosing".
It might not be enough, but as I said, Nodoka is not exactly a rocket
surgeon.  

She could easily bribe

her doctor to give her a clean bill of health. She's been known to maniuplate
the truth before.

"Violence.  The engagement to Akane is severed unless she gives up all
practise of martial arts and her position as heir to the Tendo school.
Further, she must restrict herself to verbal abuse when Ranma angers
her.  One more blow struck in anger, and..."

The first part of Akane's offer- restricting her violent tendenice is
certainly a reasonable, but I disgress with the second section- her
inheirtance of the Tendo School.
Even if she had rejected her inheirtance, she would still inheirt the Tendo
school when she marries Ranma, because the dojo serves as the giri for the
enagement. IMHO, Akane got the easiet deal of the four. You'll have to find
something else stronger, like rejecting her status as martial artist and give
up all pretense of practing arts, for the rest of her life, perhaps. That
would make her completly dependent on Ranma for protection, and basically a
mistress 

Oh not at all.  Most Japanese wives are pretty dependant.  

of a sort. Something Akane wouldn't tolerate, shown her tendency

towards independence.

That was what I was driving at.  

It's interesting to note that Akane had successfully countered any threats to
her enagement to Ranma without having to admit her love for Ranma. ;)

I was careful in that regard.  

In regard to the Choices, it's basically a recycled fanfic idea. We've seen
this sort of event occur to varying degrees in various fanfic. The only
difference I've seen is that this fic attempts to deal with the choice given
to ALL finacees; that the entire finacee problem is being dealt with in a
shingle shot.

I personally still think the demands of Akane and Ukyo should be made
stronger, because they still contain some loopholes in them.

If we're talking about Kodachi's 'unoffical' enagement to Ranma, how 'bout
Tatewaki's dating rites to Onna-Ranma? ^_-

Yes, you may date my son.  However, first you must be castrated.