Disclaimer: The playground is by Rumiko Takahashi, I'm only swinging on
the monkey bars. Remember to leave the grounds cleaner than you found
them and please don't feed the Trolls.

This story is archived at http://www.kawaiikunee.com/slp/

Release 1.2 (Dec. 04, 2000)

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Author's notes: 

Ahh. Young Love. Gets ya right *here*, no?

The original funeral scene was too western, so I have added some
explanation of why it turned out that way.

Plus, I might need a good grave-side scene later, and this way I'll
have an excuse. Waste not, want not.

A Sto'r Mo Chroi', also called The American Wake, is the song that was
sung by relatives and friends on the way to the ship that would take
immigrants from Ireland to America. A voyage, they knew, that claimed
many lives. A voyage from which, even for those who survived, there
would be, essentially, no returning.

Why Ranma sings _that_ song as opposed to another, and where she
learned it, can be seen if you look closely at the next chapter.

I'm trying to keep an eye on Ranma's progress in spiritual matters
along with Akane's. Also, I like the present tense form.

I've removed the old talking heads part again, and I will try to keep
them to a minimum thenceforth. The information formerly imparted
therein has been moved to the Side Arc: Training Sequence.

For some reason, very few fanfics take advantage of the remarkable
wealth of visual spectacle that Ranma provides. I don't know why that
is, but I'm perfectly willing to take advantage of it.

Yes, I am going to torture both of them mercilessly, but that's no
reason for them not to have fun along the way.

Yes, _that_ Sakura. Yes, the one from Urusei Yatsura.

Yes, that _does_ mean what you probably think it does.

'Til next,
Eric Hallstrom, 01/16/2001