Ranma lay back and let the familiar haze of liquor wash over him. A small smile slipped through his defenses and manifested itself on his face. He suppressed that quickly. No worries, I don't think she saw. The girl sitting next to him continued to stare up at the stars. Nope. Still good.

What a day.

************

Ranma swung his feet off the bed and stood shakily, still a bit disoriented by the fight and being knocked out. He bowed formally to Akane, who returned the gesture with a hearty smile.

Kasumi stood and bowed, then, and Ranma repeated. When Nabiki stood, however, Ranma made a point of sitting back down on the bed. The middle Tendo's face fell. Serves you right.

Suddenly, Ranma and Akane's fathers were in the room, giving out little Japanese flags and capering around the room. "Oh, I'm so glad that you and Akane are having a baby!"

Akane's face turned red and she began to yell at her father. "WHAT?!? Who told you that?"

Soun smiled affectionately at his baby girl. "Oh, come now, you don't think you can hide anything from your father, do you?" Akane merely turned a mortified expression on Nabiki, who hastily shook her head no.

Ranma punched his father in the chest to avoid being hugged. Every bit as red as Akane, he managed to pen 'She's NOT having my baby!'

"Darn right! What has gotten into you, Daddy?"

Kasumi smiled. "Oh, dear, there seems to have been a misunderstanding.

***********

When everyone had calmed down, Kasumi went though what had "actually" happened – the concocted story of research on Jusenkyo. Luckily, Dr. Tofu had puzzled out Ranma's miraculous healing abilities, which helped sway the two fathers some.

"Well," laughed Genma, "I THOUGHT it was a bit quick, even for a manly son like mine!"

"Right you are, Saotome, right you are!" He laughed heartily as well. "My little girl has had nothing but trouble with boys up till now, so maybe we were a bit premature."

Suddenly serious, the two friends looked at their respective children. "Now, when shall we schedule the wedding?"

********

Ranma left Kasumi and Dr. Tofu to tend to his father and Mr. Tendo. He and Akane had knocked out their fathers, then hastily retreated, separately. It didn't take but thirty seconds of avoiding each other's gaze to convince Ranma he needed to run a few errands. Akane had to go back to school, too, and ran off before anyone could say word one.

Nabiki cleared her throat delicately. "I can accompany you if you'd like, Ranma. I'm familiar with the shopping district."

Ranma's stony visage gave her an answer.

So he had started toward the door when Kasumi spoke up. "Ranma, hold on, I need to run a few errands too." But Ranma knew better. You're not fooling anyone, Kasumi. I can see the worry in your eyes. You think I'm going to go kill myself or something.

He clenched his fists, but managed to force a smile. 'I'm fine, really. I'll be back later, promise.' He handed Kasumi the pen and paper with what he hoped was a reassuring expression.

Reluctantly, Kasumi watched Ranma leave the office.

The town was big, but not hard to navigate. Ranma managed to find another pen to wear around his neck, and a brand new chalkboard – to replace the one he'd broken. Man, I'm getting violent again.

Suddenly he was back on the street, his arm raised to kill Ryoga Hibiki. Do it.

The martial artist shook his head to clear the vision. No. I won't let you win, Ryoga. Dammit, I'm stronger than you.

A few hours of shopping can cure even the deepest depression, or at least that's what advertisers would like you to think. But Ranma returned to the Tendo household no better than when he had left the Doctor's office. The clock on the wall read only 5:30. Genma and Soun were already plastered, getting carried away with wedding plans he had no intention of participating in.

A workout might be in order.

He changed and found his way to the dojo – making a few wrong turns along the way, including one into the bathroom he'd almost died in. But he eventually arrived and went through some forms.

His mind was blank as he concentrated all of his energy into his punches and kicks, his turns, the fluid movements, one into the next. Over, under, punch kick kick, jump, balance. Close your eyes; feel the enemy around you. Block, counter, punch punch. In and out, a dance of death.

Do it.

Ranma's punch connected with Ryoga, crushing his skull.

He opened his eyes.

An empty dojo.

It was dark outside. He must have lost track of time.

Suddenly, clapping. Ranma whirled around to see Akane standing in the doorway. "You're… you're really good." She nodded, envious. The black-haired girl had ditched her school uniform in favor of some plain jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.

Ranma just shook his mind clear again and grabbed a towel. Mopping his forehead, he noticed the long sleeves of his own shirt were practically dripping with sweat. Oh, gross.

The girl walked over to meet him. "Really, it's true. Your forms just now were mesmerizing, and I was amazed at how quickly you moved… you know, earlier." She dropped her gaze and Ranma closed his eyes.

An uncomfortable moment passed. Then, "Well, Kasumi sent me to get you for dinner, but that was over two hours ago, so I'd imagine we're on our own." Ranma's gaze swept the room, but could not find a clock. "It's about 10:00."

Wow. I was in a zone, wasn't I?

Akane coughed into her hand nervously. She began to fidget and glance around. "So, uh… being as neither of us have eaten, wanna go grab a bite? You know, get to know each other a bit?" Her unease was plain as she giggled. "You know, we're engaged and everything, so…"

Ranma didn't find that funny.

"I was just kidding, Ra…" Dark, liquid eyes dropped to the hardwood flooring. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."

No, don't. Don't do that. I'm sorry, I know I'm a jerk. Ranma's hand reached out toward Akane's shoulder. A scar glistened in the artificial light, and he dropped the appendage. I'm such a jackass.

"Anyway, sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." Akane turned to go, but this time Ranma's hand found its mark. Their eyes met.

Ranma reached for the pen around his neck, but grasped only air. Oh, right, I took it off to train. He let his arm fall again as he motioned for Akane to wait and jogged up to his room. He grabbed a few items and raced back downstairs, but Akane met him in the hallway. He held up a finger, began writing on his new chalkboard. 'I have to bathe first, but I am hungry.'

Akane's smile was half happy, half relieved, and all beautiful.

Oh, hell, what have I gotten myself into now?

********

"'What's open this late?' Oh, you'd be surprised. You like ramen?" Akane smiled to herself as Ranma nodded enthusiastically. "Great. There's an all-night ramen shop a few miles from here, if you don't mind a hike." Another nod.

Akane had managed to kill the fifteen minutes it took for Ranma to bathe and dress, then they were off. Akane's mind was reeling, but she knew – she knew – that Ranma needed a friend. He didn't need someone worrying over him, trying to make him feel better. So she held her tongue and smiled pleasantly as they walked through the darkened streets of Nerima.

"You know, this really is a nice place to live." She let her eyes drift up to the sky, taking in the stars absently. "It's busy, but still calm enough to go out walking on a clear night like tonight." She caught Ranma's small smirk and glance upward. Excellent.

A strange smile crept onto her face. "So, Ranma, what do you like to do? Besides martial arts, I mean?"

What do I like to do BESIDES martial arts? Ranma searched his memory. Do I do anything besides martial arts? Akane was waiting for an answer, though. He hastily scrawled on a piece of paper 'Manga?'

Akane's laughter echoed down the street. "You don't do anything besides martial arts, do you?" He shook his head with a sheepish smile and Akane laughed even harder. "Oh, Ranma, that's funny. You should really get yourself a hobby, though. I mean, you can't devote your whole life to fighting, can you?"

A cloud passed over Ranma's features and Akane immediately cursed to herself. How was she to know what was off-limits?

Ranma wrote a few words on his paper and handed it to Akane again. 'Pop doesn't like me having hobbies. Says they're a waste of time.' Her anger spiked, but she forced it back down. It wouldn't do to get angry just then. "Well, your father isn't around right now, is he? So what do you want to do? It's a Saturday night, mind you, so everything's open a bit later. We've got until at least midnight to do something." An idea struck her, and she blurted out before she could think twice, "Karaoke?"

Ranma stopped dead in his tracks, turned and started walking away. He dropped a piece of paper that said, 'Good night, Ms. Tendo.'

Oh, hell. "No, Ranma, Wait!" She ran to catch up to him, grabbed his arm. "Look, I'm sorry! I'm not very good at this, okay?" Ranma stopped walking, but refused to turn. "Ranma, please. I… I'm kind of clumsy when it comes to boys. And you're hardly a normal boy." Ranma tried to pull away, but Akane tightened her grip. "No, tha… I didn't mean that either. Just… I…" A shudder passed through her body. "I'm sorry, okay? Look, I won't talk anymore. I promise. Just, please come get some ramen with me?" She stepped around the boy's body to look into his eyes. "Please?"

A cat yowled in the night air.

Ranma nodded, reluctantly. Whatever, I'm hungry anyway. Maybe she'll end up buying.

********

Akane did end up buying, and the two teens sat next to each other at the wooden counter, slurping their ramen contentedly. The place was actually pretty busy, but they'd managed to find a couple of recently-vacated stools.

Ranma ate voraciously. Akane was mortified, but forced herself to keep her eyes on her own bowl. Her mouth wasn't listening, however. "Geez, Ranma, do you chew your food?"

Ranma's head whipped around to stare at Akane, who cursed herself again. Noodles hung from the boy's mouth, dripping all over the counter. Like he'd stuffed a noddle-octopus in his mouth and it got stuck.

Akane started to laugh. She couldn't help herself, the laughter just spilled out. He looked like a two-year-old. Inside she was aghast at herself – what if Ranma though she was laughing at him? But she was laughing at him. And she could do naught but try to stop the giggling, to no avail.

Eventually, much to the girl's relief, Ranma started laughing too. He swallowed his mouthful of noodles and wiped his face, laughing all the while.

They continued laughing like that for a while before getting their fits under control, and ignoring the looks from other customers. Screw them, it feels good to laugh for a change.

Ranma passed a note to Akane. 'Sorry, I'm pretty hungry after that workout, and I guess Pop didn't teach me very good manners.' "I'll say," smiled Akane. "But it's okay, you've earned the right to be sloppy this once." Ranma smiled again, and Akane's heart skipped a beat. Ranma was a tragic figure, but he was a handsome devil when he let his guard down.

She cleared her throat and went back to her own meal. "But next time we're going to chew our food, all right Ranma?"

He nodded and went back to eating as well.

The rest of their meal passed uneventfully, and Akane preceded Ranma out into the cool evening air. "Well, still only 11:00. What do you want to do now?"

'I thought you said you weren't going to talk anymore.' Akane noticed a mischievous glint in Ranma's eye. "Oh, you…!" The crumpled piece of paper bounced off his forehead and he danced back a step, smiling.

He sobered suddenly. He seemed to do that a lot, this Ranma Saotome. Akane waited patiently, hoping that the night wasn't over. He still needed so much… No. If the night was over, it was over. She'd resolved to be a friend, not a worry-wart.

Ranma raised his eyes to spit Akane with his gaze. 'Wanna go back?'

Inwardly, Akane sighed. "Sure, Ranma. Let's go back."

But when she turned to walk home, Ranma scooped her up into his arms and bounded onto the roof of the ramen shop. "Wha… Ranma, put me down!" Akane blushed furiously, angry and embarrassed. But Ranma didn't even notice. He bounded from rooftop to rooftop, seemingly without effort, flying through the night air like some sort of bird. Akane was forced to throw her arms around Ranma's neck from fear of falling. "Ranma, what are you doing?!?"

Then they stopped, and the boy set Akane down onto a roof. "Idiot!" She slapped Ranma on the face, beet-red and furious. "What made you think you could do that?!? We could have died!"

Shit. Ranma's spirits fell immediately. She'd seemed so friendly before, but now… now she was furious with him. God you're stupid, Ranma. He backed up and bowed an apology. You spend dinner with someone and already she hates you? What is that, some sort of record? A grimace set on his face, Ranma turned to flee.

"NO!" Akane shouted. "Don't go, just… God, Ranma, you make this so hard…" She hugged her arms around her chest to calm her shaking.

I know. I know I make it hard. That's what I've been trying to tell you. My life is shit, and I don't help anything. Fists clenched and unclenched. He penned another note. 'Thank you for dinner. I'm sorry. I won't bother you again.'

"God damnit Ranma, will you stop that?" Akane was yelling again, still red in the face. "When I want to say something to you, I'll say it, all right? Don't go putting words in my mouth!" She marched over to the apex of the roof, then sat with a 'hmph.' "Look. I-" She eyed the depressive martial artist carefully. "Come sit, all right?"

Ranma obeyed meekly. Just… listen to what she has to say, then go to bed. You've already fucked this up beyond repair, so just give her what she wants and go. The moon cast a strange light over the scene.

Akane took time to compose her thoughts before speaking. "I don't like it. Ranma, don't do that. I don't know how things were where you grew up, but around here, people don't like being picked up and whisked halfway across the city to…" She noticed her surroundings for the first time. "…the roof of my house?"

Ranma nodded silently.

"Whatever." She shook her head and continued, "I'm… upset, but I'm not mad, all right? Just… if you want to go somewhere, just tell me where, and I'll follow. You don't have to manhandle me. Not to mention that I'm a girl and you're a boy."

Ranma's face flushed this time. 'I'm sorry about that. I can be a little impulsive.'

Hair bobbed in the moonlight as Akane nodded. "Darn right. Just… don't do it again, okay?" Ranma nodded. "Good. Now," she turned to look at her roof, "why did you bring me here?"

'Will you hold on? I need to go get something.'

"Sure." She shivered slightly as the chilly night air bit through her clothes, watched her fiancée-of-sorts jump effortlessly off the edge of the roof. "Man, that guy is something else." What kind of person is he, to just jump onto and off of roofs at a whim?

Then he was back, carrying a small bundle in his arms. "Well that was quick." Akane eyed the bundle as Ranma approached. "What have you got there?"

She recognized Ranma's chalkboard first. He set that down, then unwrapped a bottle of sake and two cups. "Oh, Ranma, we shouldn't-" But Ranma held up his hand to cut her off. He set the sake and cups down, then offered the blanket that had been holding the items.

It took Akane a couple of seconds to realize that he had gotten her a blanket because she was cold. "Thanks," she mumbled, embarrassedly taking the item and wrapping it around her shoulders.

Ranma nodded and sat next to her. He grabbed the chalkboard and wrote. 'If we're going to be friends,' – the character for 'friend' looked sloppy, like he'd had little practice writing it – 'then I want you to know a few things about me.' Akane started to speak, but Ranma cut her off with another hand gesture and more writing. 'Just… bear with me, okay? And don't worry about the sake: Pop will never know it's missing. He's passed out drunk right now anyway; he'll just think he had it.'

Akane nodded, uneasy, as Ranma poured two cups of sake and handed one to her. He raised his cup high, waited for Akane to do the same, then downed it in one pull.

Akane followed suit, but as the liquor hit her throat she started coughing, spit the liquid all over herself. Ranma bust out in silent laughter while Akane sputtered and tried to catch her breath. Finally in control of her own breathing, she gasped, "That's horrible! I've had sake before; this is turpentine!"

'Yeah, Pop doesn't drink anything you'd call "top-quality." Here, try again. Smaller sips this time.'

He refilled the cups and raised his own high. Akane's face contorted into a grimace, one she couldn't control. She could still feel a coat of that foul-tasting liquid on her tongue. "Ranma, do I have to-"

His face held a silent plea – Please, just bear with me.

She closed her eyes and raised her cup in a salute.

The second time she managed to keep it all down, but coughed all the same.

The third cup went down better. Akane was already starting to feel tingles in her toes.

Man, this chick is a lightweight. Ranma could see Akane's pupils start to dilate after the first cup, not to mention the second. He took the vessel from her hand and set it down, trading sake cups for his chalkboard and chalk. 'Sorry about that, it's just that I've never had someone to drink with me before.'

"No, no problem Ranma." Akane's eyes searched the boy's face. "Do you do this often?"

A shrug. 'I drink occasionally. It helps me to forget about my life.'

Silence.

Suddenly Ranma's hand was a blur as he wrote, erased, and wrote again. It was all Akane could do to follow the story, and Ranma didn't look up once. He was intent on getting this all out before he lost the nerve.

'I'm not what you'd call open about myself, so you have to understand that this is hard for me. I'm… I'm kind of putting myself out there for you, because you're not like anyone else I've ever met. You're nice to me – inexplicably so – and there are times I'm with you that I forget what a creep I am.

'So I'm doing this all at once, or not at all. Hence the liquor. Hence the rush to get here quickly, before… before I turn into a weak fool again.

'My whole life I've been a martial artist, traveling around with pops. At first, when I could still speak, it wasn't bad. Wasn't great, but it wasn't bad. I was an outgoing child, made friends easily.

'Then the Neko-Ken happened, and that all changed.

'For a while I was in shock. I was young, so I cried a lot – and Pop made sure to let me know crying is a weak thing to do. "Real men don't cry," he'd say. So I stopped. Until recently, but, you know, that's not the point.

'Schools went by in a blur, mostly because I kept getting into fights. As I "healed" from the Neko-Ken, and I began to remove my bandages, the scars… My scars prevented me from wearing shorts or short-sleeved shirts. Not because I cared; because Pop didn't want anyone seeing such a sign of weakness.' At this, Ranma paused his hand for a second.

'I didn't understand too well at first, and I even went so far as to change into short-sleeves once I got to school. But the other kids weren't so nice to me.

'The fights. Over and over again I'd pummel some kid who made fun of the way I looked, and I'd have to go to the principal's office. I'd been suspended a couple times before Pop transferred me. Transferred me the first time, I should say. By then I'd learned to hide my scars, but the kids still knew, and the same thing happened again. I…

'I really, really hurt a kid once. He was a bully of epic proportions, and he hit me one day. I blacked out. Redded out. Whatever.' Another pause, Ranma's hand was shaking. 'The next thing I remember I was being taken off in a police car and the boy was in an ambulance.'

Akane gasped involuntarily. What had happened to the boy? No, no, the story was Ranma's to tell. He'd get there if he wanted to. She reached over and shakily poured two more cups of sake. Something told her she'd need another.

Ranma smiled to himself ruefully, saluted Akane without looking at her, and drank again. She followed suit, with much less coughing this time. Seems to be getting the hang of it. He shook his head sadly. Kind of a shame that I'm such a pro.

'So,' Ranma finally wrote, 'the kid survived, but wouldn't be the same again. I kind of broke his spirit. I'

This time Akane had expected the abrupt pause, and on an impulse put her hand on Ranma's back. He flinched away from her touch, but she persisted, rubbing his back encouragingly. She hoped it was encouraging. She could feel his scars through the shirt…

'I spent some time in a mental hospital.' Akane refused to let herself gasp again. The world had started to get a bit fuzzy, and she shook her head to clear it. No more sake, that stuff was potent. She continued rubbing, treating the contact as an anchor to the real world, whatever that was. '…I was sedated the first day, you know, just in case I was still dangerous. After that they started the therapy, and anger management, and all that. A few months later I was out of there, but I wasn't the same. I'll never be the same. I was angry. I'm very, very angry.

'Why was I the one who had to go to a mental hospital? Why did I get in trouble? The other kid was the one who had been teasing me! It was Hiro who had been at fault, who had thrown the first punch!

'But I was just making excuses. I knew what I'd done. I knew how terrible I was. It was a long two months, filled with contemplation and regret. Which is really hard for a middle-schooler, let me tell you. I was still angry.

'Angry at the world, for letting people like Hiro exist. Angry at father, for the Neko-Ken. Angry at the doctors, for making me talk to therapists. But most of all, most of all I was angry at myself. For being so God damned weak.

'I was – and am – filled with revulsion for myself. Everything I am is disgusting. From the terrible, ugly scars that cover my body to the horrid way I treat others around me. There is nothing about me that I like, there is nothing about me that I can look to and say, "Hey, at least I've got that." Nothing.'

Akane had tears in her eyes, but held her tongue. She wasn't going to mess this up by interrupting.

'Even my martial arts are tainted. You saw how I reacted with Ryoga. I… I'm a monster, Akane. I'm the worst thing to ever despoil the face of this earth.

'But you want to know something really strange? I've been thinking these past few days. Yesterday in particular. I've decided not to give up. Which, by itself, is pretty amazing. I'm awful good at running away from hard things.

'I don't know why. I don't know what's changed, I really don't. But I'm not giving up anymore. I'm not going to let this stupid fucking world beat me. Not father, not Ryoga, not even myself. I may hate myself, but I'm still me, and Ranma Saotome doesn't lose. Never. Not even to himself.

'The… you're a good person, Akane. I don't know why you're hanging around me. I don't really care, either. It's nice to have a… if not friend yet, than at least someone who doesn't run away. Or I guess I should say someone who won't be driven away by my stupidity. I'm pretty good at forcing other people away.

'Thanks. That's it, I guess. And for future reference, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm me, and I'm sorry that I'm going to say and do things that will make you mad, or hurt you, or confuse you. I'm sorry that I'm going to fuck everything up in my life, like I always do, and maybe even push you out of my life.

'But tonight, here, now, I'm thankful. I'm thankful that you're you.'

Ranma looked at his hand, at the now-nubby piece of chalk contained therein. Guess I did it, huh? He took a deep breath, cocked back his arm and threw it over the edge of the roof, then looked up at the stars. I can't look at you right now, Akane. I'm sorry. I'm still so weak.

Akane Tendo had lost the battle with her tears. They were flowing freely down her face, and she bunched her hand in Ranma's shirt. She might have scratched him, but she couldn't stop crying. She held onto Ranma shirt with an iron grip. How could someone so damaged exist? How could one person be put through so much, put himself through so much? Why did he have to hurt so terribly? She let out a pained sob and turned to bury her face in Ranma's chest. Oh, God, why?

What?! Suddenly there was a sobbing girl hanging on him, and Ranma was supremely confused. What's going on, here? He tentatively wrapped a single arm around Akane and started to rub her back, much in the same way she had done for him. Ranma could smell the foul stench of sake from her. She's drunk. That explains it. More pity.

It took a few minutes for Akane to get her crying under control. Her head was muddled as she pulled back from Ranma and wiped her eyes with her sleeves. "I'm sorry, Ranma, I know you don't want me ruining your shirt." He shook his head awkwardly.

"Listen, Ranma." She'd dried her eyes and was looking up at the boy, silhouetted against the stars. "I… I'm not too good at life either. I'm clumsy and stubborn, and impulsive and angry. I'm not so different from you." A smile touched her lips, ever so briefly. "Maybe that's why I understand you so well. Or think I do," she added hastily. Didn't want to offend him.

"I know I can't fully understand what you've gone through, or any of your feelings. But I'll try. I'll try to be a good friend, and to be there for you when you need someone to talk to." The liquor had loosened her tongue far too much. Even such a small amount loosened her inhibitions enough to let slip out, "Who knows? We might even fall in love someday."

As she heard herself say those words she blushed, mortified. What was she saying?! "A-Anyway," continued Akane quickly, "what I'm trying to say is that I'm bad at this, too, but I'll try. And I'm sorry if I ever do something to hurt you, or make you mad, or whatever. It's not on purpose."

Ranma heard Akane's words and looked up at the stars. Not because he was embarrassed, or touched, but because he was sad. Skeptical. And maybe a little hopeful. You'll never fall in love with me, Akane. Don't kid yourself. But maybe there was a chance they'd be friends. Maybe.

He reached for his chalkboard once more, and a fresh piece of chalk. 'More sake?'

"No! God, no!" Akane noticed the mischievous smile on Ranma's face and blushed. "Don't make fun of me! I don't drink as much as you!"

'Fine, then, we'll have to do this more often. Say, in a month?'

A month? Akane smiled to herself. "All right, in a month. It's a date." She glanced at Ranma, and could make out a small blush on his features. She laughed delightedly. "Aah, see? I can tease you, too!"

The two friends laughed together before Ranma lay flat on his back, with another cup of sake. 'You ever just look at the stars, Akane?'

"No, I don't usually take the time." When she did look - really look - the sky above her was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Small specks of white light shining through holes in a dark blue canvas.

Ranma lay back and let the familiar haze of liquor wash over him. A small smile slipped through his defenses and manifested itself on his face. He suppressed that quickly. No worries, I don't think she saw. The girl sitting next to him continued to stare up at the stars. Nope. Still good.

Gorgeous. Stars, so far away, giving their light to us tonight, to look at and be amazed. Millions of miles and thousands of years, just to shine down on us this night, to let me know that there's more out there. There's more to this universe than I can see. A sigh escaped, but again Akane didn't notice.

They sat there for a long time, just admiring the night sky.

Eventually, the chill started to get to Ranma. Time to go in, I think. The boy stood and offered Akane a hand, who smiled and took it gently.

The clock struck midnight and a new day began.

HEY. HEY, YOU. YEAH, YOU, READING THERE.

Wanna be a proofreader? (Or beta reader or whatever terminology you want to use.) I need 'em. Badly.

I'm looking for people who can proof my work. And by that I mean all of my work. Not just this story, but any other stories that I might be writing (read: I also need help with my other stories). So if you're interested and you have a good grasp of story mechanics including: grammar, characterization, story flow, voice, and all the rest of that rot, please send me a PM through my author page. I would be oh so appreciative.

As for notes, I don't have a lot to say. These characters are developing in my mind as I write, so I'm just as surprised as you are when stuff happens. I look at what I've written and say, "Oh, well that's interesting."

Remember to tip your waitresses and bartenders.

~A Depraved Sociopath with Psychotic Tendencies