[FFML] [Ranma][Revised] Hearts and Minds, Part 7 of 10

[Michael Clark]

(Plot and Structure)

> Kodachi laughed, louder than before. "My dear, I have no intention of
> letting any harm come to you. You can trust me on this. For we have a
> common goal, and persons with a common goal would never try to deceive
> one another, am I not right?"

Why should Kodachi leave Ukyo alive now?  Using the water was a clear
attempt at murder.  Is she just making it all up as she goes since too
many things have gone wrong and she's way off her own script?

Anyway, I think the paragraphs summarizing how Kodachi found out about
the water actually help quite a bit in alleviating my earlier concerns
that (not having read the preludes) all this stuff with Cologne's water
and her dying statement was convenient.  At least now I can see how it
all fits together.

> "How very interesting. You make a very good point. It really *isn't*
> easy to gain the confidence of one's enemies." Kodachi grinned.  "But
> while we're on the subject, there's one thing I've often wondered
> about. Back in the days of our rivalry, there was another contender
> for dear Ranma's affections. The girl with a pigtail. Whatever became
> of her?"

Why does Kodachi ask this question when she knows the answer?  To test
Ukyo?  I can't see why.

(Characterization and Development)

> "Look, not long after I got my curse, I got a lot faster, more
> powerful. That didn't just happen. It was her. The girl, what's her
> name, Lili. All those years I didn't know I was cheating. Her spirit
> added to mine was the only reason I could do all that stuff I did. And
> now she's gone."

So you're suggesting that Ranma is off his game now that the spirit of
Lili has left him?  Is that something you were trying to get across in
the battle earlier, as the gang tried to free Kasumi and Mousse?


As expected, Ukyo and Mikado's fake relationship is starting to wrap
around into a real one.  I like that this is done through some amount of
common ground that they have; I felt that there was some potential
danger in trying to pair them, but I think this mechanism is fairly
safe.  It builds an actual friendship first, and that's good.


I do hope Gosunkugi is under the influence of whatever he drank;
otherwise, he's being quite reckless.