Deep Blue

This story came to my attention in a somewhat unusual way. The writer sent me an email recommending two other stories for my consideration and, in passing, noted that there was a fanfic story on fanfiction.net that he had written.

One of the two series he recommended I decided against. It had an extremely dark (and out of character, in my opinion) storyline. The stories I am considering are those where Ranma (male) becomes Ranma-chan/Ranko (female) voluntarily or, if involuntarily, at least comes to terms with being female. In other words, the stories have a (at least somewhat) happy ending.

The story this person wrote, though, I found fit my requirements quite nicely.

The story is based on the koi rod, a magical rod that causes a person to fall in love with you. Ryouga has used the rod on Ranma-chan, in this story, and the entire story deals with the repercussions of that act.

The story has Ryouga very much against accepting Ranma-chan's affections; in fact, he treats her quite nastily. Things happen that slowly wear down his resistance, and the story has a very moving section where Ranma-chan is willing to sacrifice her own life for Ryouga's happiness.

It's really a very romantic, beautiful story.