<Disclaimer: Original Ranma 1/2 chars belong to Takahashi.  New characters belong to me.  Do not use them in another fic without my permission.  The following has a scene with somewhat graphic language, and deals with a serious subject matter.... I await C&C from this, so that I might know how I am doing.>

<A Piece of the full episode 4 follows>
 
         Daisuke sat at the small dining room table, wearing a leather strap around his forehead with a mini-snake light attached to the front.... in his mouth was a tiny screwdriver...

         His face was poised in a curious child's fixture, and his eyes seemed to stare at the object in his hands with a fury of passion.... every detail being analyzed and stored in his memory with unique rapture for the most minute of fixations.

         A large smile spread across his face as he turned the object left and right, looking at it with scrutinizingly professional skill.....

         Of course, one watching this scene of monotony might find it a bit.... stranger than the usual tinkerers meditations.... because in Daisuke's hands was a human skull.

         *....perfect.... evolution has done it's job swell.... now, all I have to do is try and squeeze all of that programming into something about this size..... and KAPOW! Zillionaire Daisuke! Most wanted man in the world! Women flocking to his doorstep for his easy spend lifestyle!!*

         He chuckles slightly for a moment.  *...okay... well, maybe I *DO* have to get through the hard work first.*

         He had been happy that his Biology teacher had let him borrow the skull.... it was a genuine human skull dug up in one of the archaeological finds that his Teacher had attended frequently in his College days long past.

         Daisuke, with the respect of it's delicate nature, placed the skull back on the table.... amidst the thousands of wires, Circuits, and complex innards of a hundred different things.  Some things bought separately, with the price tags still attached.

         *....well then, back to work....* He picked up a similar looking object... one shaped mostly like a skull, but with a very metallic sheen to it, and obviously unfinished from the wires sticking out of the bottom.  *....hmm.... a genius's work is never done.*

         The back door slammed open... startled Daisuke and almost causing him to drop the object of his momentary affections.

         His father stood there.... the very semblance of a broken man.  There was a fury of passionate emotions, a tumultuous tempest of raging contradiction in his eyes.... anger, depression, a somewhat sadistic pleasure at finding his son fooling around when he should be working.

         To most, this might seem frightening, but Daisuke was used to his Father's eyes, no, that's not what scared him.

         Many have seen the ragged drunkenness of a man without hope..... the stubble of a beard, the torn white tank top.... the filthy jeans..... Daisuke's father was no different to this cliché... but still, this did not startle the boy genius.

         Rather, what scared Daisuke to death was the firm and unshakable contrast of his Father's face to his eyes.

         Yushiro, his Father, always had the furious storm of clashing emotions in his eyes when drunk.... but unlike other people, he also had something that caused an even more disturbing image.

         His face was an expressionless mask.  It was as if it was painted on, a thing not real, like some marionette with it's strings cut.... the more disturbing fact came to Daisuke when he spoke.

         "...what are you doing, you little bastard?? Didn't I tell you to clean the #$!@% Dishes??" His voice was soothingly calm.... as if he was completely sober.  Most drunks have a slur, or a waver to their voice.  Yushiro had an unearthly calm.

         "...uh...m...mom's home, Father." Daisuke muttered, looking over at the woman in the apron washing the dishes.

         "...You lazy little SH!T..... you should be doing the dishes, while your pompous mother should be making me my food." Yushiro walked over to his wife.... a bottle of Sake hanging from his hand as if ready to fall and shatter at any moment from his almost limp grasp.... as if it were some heavy wait that were attached to him pulling him down.

         "Oh, hello Yushi-kun! I didn't hear you come in, Dear." Mrs. Nakano was a patient woman..... also a startling Contrast.  For months after Dai's father had been laid off, she had taken the punishment and cried from the pain... now she scared Daisuke as well....

         "Shutup, Ikana..... where the hell is my food???" Yushiro asked.... his left hand tensing since his right was holding his bottle...

         "Oh my, I had forgotten about it.  I suppose I should get started on it then..." She was drying one of the plates in the kitchen. His Father's fist came up, and smashed into her jaw... sending her whirling.... tears of pain suddenly flooding to her eyes.

        "....you know I want my food when I get home, Ikana.  You should have that little bastard of our son doing the dishes while you finish what I tell you to."

         The plate had fallen and shattered on the floor..... Ikana looked at it with dismay.  "...oh dear, I seemed to have dropped the plate..."

         Daisuke's father knocked over the drying bin... causing everything to shatter on the ground.  His mother would clean it up later without a word.  "...you better start cooking, Ikana....." He kicked her, a small whimper coming from her....

         Daisuke was paralyzed with Fear.  If he moved to help his Mother, his father would be even harsher on him, and then would beat his Mother badly.  It was a nightly trial of fire and pain that Daisuke�s dreams were haunted by.  His mother shook for a moment, wiping away tears.  "...yes, dinner would be good right now.... I'll start right away, Love."

         *Love.....* Daisuke felt his heart fracture again, like it had a thousand times before.  *....is this Love???* His Mother had retreated from her mind... every blow seemed to push her farther and farther from the reality of her situation..... she reacted as if she had knocked over the dishes.

         "...oh my, I'm sorry Love... I must have knocked them over when I collapsed...." She began gathering the dishes, only to have her face backhanded by her father.... he lifted her and whispered in her ear.

         "...clean this sh!t up.... and get me my food, or I'll kill you, do you hear me you !@%#*?" he threw her on the ground.  Daisuke whimpered a bit.

         His Father's face shot to him.  "And you clean that bullsh!t up, taking apart all the crap I pay for... you're lucky I don't kick your little....." He turned with a sneer and shambled into the living room to watch some television.

         Daisuke mentally had to calm himself, as his heart was racing at high speeds and he had broken out into a cold sweat.

         He looked back at his Mother.... if anyone were to look at her, she would seem normal.  A Mother.  Yet if they had just watched the Tableau of blows being rained on her and her accepting them as nothing, they would likely see how disturbed she was....

         Daisuke wiped his eyes.... from tears as his Mother cleaned up the shards of broken dishware.  *....is this Love???* He didn't know what love is, but it couldn't be this....

         His fear, his terror, his pain at seeing his family breaking further and further, at watching his Mother's sanity slowly ebb away like the tide, and at witnessing his father's desecration of his soul.... all of it ripped him apart.

         So, he did what Daisuke Nakano does best... he ran away from the world.... he ran away from this circus of humanity.... he ran into his own mind, his own passions....

         Daisuke turned back to the metallic skull.... and began his work again.... hoping that everything would be all right when he returned to the world.. hoping that his father would be the business wonder he once was.... hoping his Mother would once again become the loving, trusting, understanding woman that smiled at everyone....

         Hoping in vain.

         Somewhere inside him, a boy cried.

 *  *  *  *  *  *

         "Whadidja wanna talk to me about Ka-" She was cut off abruptly with the immense severity and seriousness of Kasumi's expression.  The very room seemed like a calm before a storm.... despite Kasumi's cheerfully decorated tastes.

         "...woah, man.  What the heck happened to get you so upset?" Ranma rubbed the back of her head, looking fairly nervous, and fixing an embarrassed unsure look on her face.  The past few days Kasumi had been tenser than usual.... which was disturbing in and of itself. 

         She had never seen Kasumi this serious and no-nonsense before.  It was a startling contrast to how she USUALLY acted.  Of course.... that morning had also been a little odd, with the shocked expression that Kasumi had worn.

         "...Ranma.  I have to know something.... and.... and I don't want you to be offended by what I might ask you, because I know some things are very important to you to protect." Kasumi was worried beyond belief.

         Her hands smoothed over the clean white apron in her lap as she fixed her eyes on the floor, a puzzled, and deeply perplexed look on her face, as if she was pondering some dreadful meaning of a game or riddle.  She fixed her gaze on a specific spot and stared at it, organizing her thoughts in a quiet moment of contemplation.

         She could see the concerned and worried look in Ranma's eyes.... could see the expression she wore that told her Ranma would listen to whatever she might say.  To whatever was bothering her.

         The gray dusk of the setting sun seemed to fit her mood... some reds splashed across the sky to mix with the coming clouds.

         "...Sure, Kasumi.  You know I'd love ta help ya in any way I can... talk to me..." Ranma felt a cold chill travel slowly up her spine..... something was slightly odd here, and she couldn't place what.

         Ranma took a careful seat by Kasumi on the Older girl's bed.. and turned to face her, Relaxing her body and calming her features to try and get Kasumi to relax as well.  She brushes some of her long scarlet hair behind her ear and looked at Kasumi with her gentle blue eyes.

         "Ranma, you... you like Hiroshi a lot, don't you?" Kasumi asked.... finally bridging the topic of discussion.  It took a lot more effort than her Mother had said.  After the final words stopped in the air, Kasumi fixed Ranma with her soft brown gaze, a concerned, motherly expression on her face.

         Kasumi realized that this would be a hard discussion to sit through.... one Ranma might storm out of at any moment if the wrong words were said.  Ranma was like a fragile flower�. If tended wrongly, it would break� yet if treated with kindness, love, and compassion it would blossom.

         Ranma thought about it for half a second, then nodded.  "...Sure.  Hiroshi's my best guy... I mean, he's been there so much recently, I've gotta care a little about him, right???" She sighed as she thought of Hiroshi.  The images of his ever calming presence and his always ready supply of wisdom and care�

         Then Kasumi noticed, like a fog falling over her, when that Dreamy smile slowly drifted into Ranma's features.  There was a vague sense of dread that suddenly fell completely over the Eldest Tendo Daughter.  It was like all the horrible nightmares of a dark night rolled into one disturbing thought.

         "....He's done a lot for me, ya know? I mean.... I don't think nobody has done so much for me ever... not Ukyou, not Pop, Not Akane even.... it's a little unnerving sometimes how much I rely on him, but he's m'man.... till the end."  Ranma�s voice was cheery, wistful, Distant.

        Her eyes fixed on memories flashing in her own mind, some seeming distant recollections of happiness.  Something Ranma had always been lacking since Jusenkyou.

        Something Ranma had seen very little of since a six year old boy was torn from his Mother�s caring embrace and thrust into the cold embrace of the real world, with only the passion of the Art provided it.

         Ranma snapped out of her Reverie and looked at a slightly more pale Kasumi.  "...Oh... wow, hey, Kasumi, Are you okay????"  She reached over with a kind gesture, and touched Kasumi�s hand with her own in a somewhat feminine gesture of worry.

         Kasumi Jumped, and wrenched herself back to the reality of the situation.

         Kasumi nodded, perhaps a bit too quickly... she might have never known afterwards.  "Yes... Yes... I'm.... I'm just worried that you're spending far too much time with Hiroshi than you should."

         Ranma got a wary glare.... looking at Kasumi's fidgety motions.... Kasumi was NEVER fidgety, in Ranma's experience.  Right now she was constantly straightening her dress, and avoiding Ranma's eyes.  Ranma felt a sort of defensive wall building within her from Kasumi�s question, and she didn�t know why she felt threatened by the simple inquiry.

         "What's wrong with spendin' a time with a great friend, Kasumi??? Hiroshi's been there for me, when I really needed someone t'listen.  I don't think I could ever repay that," Ranma crossed her arms under her breasts... tilting her head to one side in a curious gesture as she wondered what Kasumi was driving at.

         Kasumi tugged a little on her pony-tail.  "...Ranma...It's just... you seem to be acting like.... like Hiroshi was more than a friend?"  Kasumi hated the way those words had come out� slightly strangled, hasty, and with more than a bit of fear in it� she was so unused to handling fear with someone else around.

         Ranma blinked.  Genuinely stunned.  "KASUMI!?" The walls grew thicker, higher�. Protecting Ranma from the hurtful implications.

         "...oh...oh my...." Kasumi looked abashed, red, and embarrassed.... as well as a little startled.  Worried, Ranma might say...

         Kasumi's eyes were seeking anything and everything but Ranma.... and her hands were wringing in a nervous gesture.

         "What the heck are you talkin' about?" Ranma couldn't believe her ears.  KASUMI thought
that.....

         WITH HIROSHI?!?

         "....I'm sorry, Ranma... but you're scaring us all.... I mean, when you're with Hiroshi... and Akane.... now the dance... Oh.... Oh my, I'm not sure what to say." Kasumi looked back at Ranma with fear in her eyes.

         Fear of Retribution.

         "...Kasumi.... you KNOW me.... I would never-"

         "...but I don't, Ranma.  I don't know you half as well as I thought.... You've been telling all of us that a lot recently." Kasumi seemed to have calmed.  It was an uneasy calm.  Ranma could see a storm behind Kasumi's eyes..... in her tense body.... there was a lot of worry Kasumi was holding back.

         She had just seen a bit of what Kasumi had been hiding.

         "Kasumi.  You know me'n Hiroshi are just friends..... I don't believe you would think such a thing!" Ranma couldn't believe her ears.  Kasumi was accusing her of being attracted to a MAN of all things!

         The idea was crazy..... completely ludicrous.

         "...You should talk to Akane, Ranma.  I.... I think she got hurt by the way you were acting with Hiroshi." Kasumi looked to the door... then back at Ranma.... who was looking out the window at the setting sun.

         The sun..... was slowly vanishing behind the horizon.  Soon, Ranma knew, there would be a darkness.

         "...Yeah.... I guess I should, Kasumi." She scoffed, a bit offended by the implications.  "....I.... I don't want to hurt Akane anymore.  I want to get to know her better, let her get to know the real me."

         Kasumi nodded slowly.... opening the door and stepping out...... "...I will be downstairs, telling Memeko and Kaehmi
goodbye."

         Ranma nodded absently.... looking out the window again.

         The Sun was setting... the darkness would be here soon.

         ".....absurd......" Ranma heard herself say, with her voice wavering slightly.  She half wondered why it had wavered.  She half wondered why "disgusting", "Revolting", or "gross" had not come into her line of thinking on the subject.

         The darkness was coming.

         But would she be alone in it?

 *                                 *                                  *                                  *                                  *                                  *