Well I certainly enjoyed this story quite a bit. It has been a long time since i last read a story where a non-Akane fiancee "got" Ranma, and yet all the characters were portrayed well, and no one was villianized. I hope to read more from you in the future. Akane's use of magic to get stronger is nothing new, as seen with the super soba and the battle dogi. But her victories and subsequent beating of Shampoo was balanced out by her interest in being nice to Ranma, and her understanding at the end.

Other commentators have remarked on the lack of martial arts training in the other fiancees, and to a certain extent this is true. However, not even Ranma goes out of his way to learn all the special techniques, as he does not consider learning the Baksai Tenketsu, despite Ryoga's demonstration of its usefullness. But remember that the main character is Ranma, and training is a solitary activity which is really only used for the main character of the story. So if any of the fiancees is practicing, and learning new things, we would not be seeing anything of it unless it directly involved Ranma, and none of them are likely to challenge him with new techniques. Of all the girls, Shampoo is the most likely to spend the most time on the Art.

Regardless of all this discussion, i really liked the story, and please keep up the good work.

I agree with brian on both points, and Ukyo is also a good martial artist, but none of Ranma's fiancees seem focused on the Art. To be honest i think Akane is the most focused of the fiancees on the art, just has had very little teaching. And i think that what Akane provides Ranma with primarily is control, she keeps him from going too far most of the time. Þ

My biggest problem with this story is that I always hate to see Cologne and Shampoo win at anything.

On a more serious note, the problem you've pointed out between Ranma and Akane, specifically the idea that he is a serious martial artist while Akane merely practices martial arts, applies to Shampoo as well. She's certainly, and unquestionable, more skilled than Akane, but she is never motivated by the art. Ranma, when faced with new techniques or a stronger foe, as you point out, works his butt off to improve himself. Shampoo, on the other hand, has been in Nerima while Ranma learns the Kashuu Tenshin Amiguriken, Hiryuu Shouten Ha, and so on, and yet never once demonstrates any knowledge of any of them, nor a desire to learn them. Even in later points in the series, particularly at Jusendo, she never uses any advanced techniques; she only demonstrates the memory shiatsu technique she used on Akane. Whatever Shampoo's motives are, they are not the Art itself. Therefore it isn't something she shares with Ranma. The only other serious martial artists in the series are Ryoga and Kuno (though admittedly Kuno is hindered by his delusional state). Those three are the only members of the main cast to actively seek to improve themselves in the Art.

Great story. You've really spotlighted some of the most jarring differences between Ranma and Akane and explained why it wouldn't work out between them. I love it and hope you keep writing great stories like this.