Actually, the writer in question appears to be making use of a classic literary technique, called "In Media Res". One of its most famous uses these days is the opening sequence of just about every James Bond movie ever, in which we're treated to Our Hero infiltrating, blowing stuff up, etc, with very little explanation of what's going on. Then the credits roll, the movie starts, and we get a few clues, and it eventually turns out to be key to the next big problem.
In this case, the author seems to be hurrying through this bit because the setup's already been done by Takahashi. Take the way everybody always complains when somebody does a Ranma alt-u story from volume 1 -- "Oh, look, he's rewriting the arrival at the Tendos again, how boring.". If he were to go back over all the ground you're insisting he cover before we even get to the real action of the story, which would be the Hogwarts stuff, you'd complain that he was just rewriting Takahashi's work with nothing original added.
So, shut up and enjoy the story. ;)
Personally, I think it's going well, although I do think Nabs and Akane are a little out of character. I'd really rather not see yet another "Akane is a psycho bitch" story, there are far too many of them as it is. (Just as one example, how often do such authors demonstrate it by having Akane mallet him into orbit at the slightest provocation? And yet in the 14 volumes of the manga I've read, she never once does so... interesting, hm?)
So, what I'd like to see... Akane's taken a major hit here -- someone/thing she's had a great deal of affection for has turned out to be a lie (P-chan). She's very upset about it, and she's upset with Ranma for having kept the secret. Given what seems to be upcoming, I think this is a good "breaking point" for her - sufficient impetus to really make her look at herself and change. She may not see what everyone else sees, or change a great deal, but I hearken to the point made by Happousai in this chapter -- that she does have the potential, if she's willing to stand up and work for it. And with Ranma going off to magic school, she has a reason to compete - after all, he's getting all these goodies, so /she/ has to be better, too! It'd be fun to intercut between Ranma's adventures at Hogwarts and Akane having the sorts of chaos that usually happen to him, come after her, and see her improving and growing because of it...
--
"This is the price of freedom: Your last pint of blood, ounce of pain, drop of courage. Paid in advance."
----- Original Message -----
From: Nuki Mouse
<Nuki_mouse@hotmail.com>
Date: Monday, June 28, 2004 11:18 am
Subject: [FFML] Re: Hikari no Daija (The Serpent of Light)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Rosebaugh" <fanfic@inklesspen.com>
To: "Nuki Mouse" <Nukmouse@bellatlantic.net>
Cc: "Innocent Bystanders" <ffml@anifics.com>
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: [FFML] Re: Hikari no Daija (The Serpent of Light)
I can't speak for the authors about the Potterdom part of the
plotline,> but the aging mushrooms are straight out of Ranma
manga. As such, your
concerns about plot holes in that section of the story should be
directed towards Rumiko Takahashi.
FIRST: Yes, there are aging mushrooms in Ranma 1/2, as well
as hypnotic
ones and poisonous ones. But in the Manga, it was always
explained were
they came from and how they were used. Just because Takahashi
Rumiko used
them in her manga does NOT excuse a writer from building a proper
backgroundor framework for their story.
Think of the infamous Hypnotic mushrooms Shampoo gave Ranma
inside of
pork buns. (Every time anyone sneezed near Ranma he would
glomp/hug them for
no apparent reason.) If you go back and READ the chapter, you
would see
that Takahashi did set up the story properly so the readers knew
were the
mushrooms came from, how they were used. and what they did.
Now what if that episode did not start with Shampoo testing
them out
first on a delivery man but latter, when Ranma was alone with a
sick Akane
that evening after taking them? It would be too confusing and
difficult to
figure out just what is happening.
SECOND: YOU are assuming all readers of this story are well
versed in
Ranma 1/2 lore. I'll admit that Ranma is the most common subject
matter on
the FFML, but this story may be read by Potter fans or others not
familiarwith Ranma 1/2.
Nuki Mouse
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