Evil That Men Do

Kuonji Ranma

Chapter 4

Earthquake, Fire, Lightning,...Mother?

Discalimer: I don't own these characters, only the voices in my head.


Previously: Ranma Saotome has begun to have dreams of a man during the
	    moon kingdom. as a result, he's been behaving differently,
            calmer. at the same time, the sailor scouts have been 
            warned that a being known as Topaz might have been reborn
            and are on the lookout. Ranma has just been transfered to 
            the Juuban district to live with his mother and attend 
            school there. 


Note: Nodoka knows of her sons' affliction.

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

Juuban Train Station:


	*LAST CALL FOR TRAIN NUMBER 132 LEAVING 
	FOR NERIMA! FIVE MINUTES UNTIL DEPARTURE!*

	
"Well that's you Molly-chan, I'm gonna miss you." 

 said a stoic Usagi (yeah I said stoic)


"Me too, but it is only for 3 weeks. I'll be back

 before you know it, promise." 

	
	And with that she hugged Usagi, who returned 

her hug fiercely, before heading towards her train, 

thoughts of what she could gain from this opportunity 

dancing through her head. She turned around one more 

time to wave at Usagi, and almost walked into someone, 

who luckily had better reflexes than she did, gliding 

around her without effort. In fact, from the look in 

his eyes, Molly was fairly sure that he hadn't even 

noticed she was there, just avoiding colliding on 

instinct, nose still in what seemed to be a map. She 

frowned, and for a split second toyed with the idea 

of running up to the guy and, well, she didn't know...

make him know she existed.However, she quickly jettisoned

that thought, because that it wasn't the type of thing 

she could just do. After the near miss though, Molly 

decided to just head to the train and watch where she was 

going. Upon entering the train, she found her seat and, 

after storing her luggage in an overhead compartment, 

flounced excitedly into her seat, once again looking 

forward to the weeks ahead. Hopefully, by the time she 

came back, she just might be the type to make sure she

was noticed. At least she hoped that's what would happen, 

she needed some sort of change in her life.

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

	Usagi Tsukino was a little upset as she replayed 

the last few minutes in her head. She knew that it was a 

good thing that her friend was going to Nerima for a few 

weeks, but she couldn't get over the fact that she felt 

that when she came back in three weeks nothing would be

the same. She didn't know what made her think that, and 

she didn't know if it had to do with Luna warning her 

about a new bad guy. She just felt that Molly, who had

been so happy about leaving, would be a different person

when she came back, and she wasn't sure how she felt about 

that. She didn't think that Molly would be a bad person 

when she came back, but she hoped that she didn't have TOO

good a time living in Nerima. Usagi blinked, and then

frowned at her thought, a little upset that she wouldn't 

want her friend to have the best time she could. She changed 

her thought to hope that Molly had a great time, but that she

still wanted to return and be her friend. The former princess

of the moon was a little bit insecure regarding herself in this 

time. All the friends she had, while she knew that they cared 

for her, obviously didn't respect her or the way she acted most

of the time. The only time she had seen respect on her friends 

faces was when she was all princessy like, and regal. And while

she had to agree that she understood why people would respect her

when she acted like that, it also urked her because that wasn't 

the real her. She liked ice cream, and manga, and she was sometimes 

ditzy, but that was because she was still young! She refused to let

all the problems in her life to take away her youth, and to forget 

who she was. Just because most of the others decided to grow old 

already, was no reason why she should. That was why she liked Molly 

and Minako so much, they could be just as childish as she was sometimes.

Of course she knew that especially upset her when her Mamo-chan teased

her about the way she acted. She had told him how much it hurt her 

when he did that, because what he said meant so much to her. He always

just laughs and says he doesn't mean anything about it, but sometimes...

I...I don't know. I mean, I know he loves me, but lately, it doesn't 

seem to be enough, because he still doesn't seem to respect me, even 

going so far as to be indulgent of me. Maybe it's just not smart to 

found a relationship on who we used to be, we've obviously changed,

so why do we assume that we've both changed together in the same way?

Maybe I should actually think about what I want the man I marry to be

like, and see how Mamo-ch...Mamoru compares. 

	
	"Ah, I don't know, why am I even thinking this hard? It's not

 like I have to make a decision anytime soon, I'm still only 17. Lots 

of time for that later." 


With that, Usagi about faced and walked towards the exit of the train

station, never noticing the pig-tailed boy who casually brushed by her

in his hurry to get where he was going. If she had, who knows where 

this story might have gone, but that, is another path, a divergence 

from this one, and therefore no longer relevant to this one.


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

Juuban district:

Nodoka's house:


Ranma Saotome paused and looked at his mother's house, the house he 

spent his earliest youth in. It's size spoke of a wealth that he 

didn't know they had. He made a mental note to ask his mother about

that. The house, based on the shachihoko(1) that adorned the roof, 

seemed to be terribly old, possibly built during the Edo period,  

didn't seem forbidding to him. This could have been because he knew

that this was the house he had been born in, but he didn't think so.

Listening to the gentle ringing of the glass furin(2),and watching

an artificial stream flowing into a shallow pond filled with brightly 

colored koi, he decided that something about this house just made

people feel welcome. He didn't know what made it that way, but well, 

there it was. His thoughts were interrupted by the knock of a 

deer-scare that he hadn't noticed until then. Impressed, he walked 

to the entranceway, preparing to announce his arrival. Unfortunately, 

he never had the opportunity as he was suddenly lifted up and felt 

an unknown force depriving him of much needed oxygen. It took him a 

few seconds to realize that this vicious stealer of air was none other

than his own mother, who had yet to release him. He opened him mouth 

again, this time to dissuade his mother from killing him with her love. 



However, what escaped his mouth could best be described as an agonized

grunt, which, while, not a coherant phrase in the slightest, it had 

the desired effect of causing his mother to release him and hold him 

at arms length. He noticed that she had chosen to wear a sky blue silk

kimono, with adesign of a large white cherry blossom etched onto it 

that seemed to wrap around her right side. He was still contemplating 

the quality of his mothers' clothes with a type of dazed wonder, when 

his mother spoke,

	
	"Oh my son! I am so glad to see you! Why, you seem to have 

grown even more manly since I lost saw you!"


With that, Nodoka moved as if to embrace him again, but Ranma deftly

stayed out of her reach, while sharing his happiness at being able to

live with his mother for the next few weeks. Picking up the bags that 

he had dropped under the duress of his mother's hug, he followed her 

into the house, which was even more beautiful on the inside. It was 

more spacious than he had imagined possible without looking sparce. 

Looking up, he spotted an elaborately carved ranma(3), and by the feel

of his feet, his mothers' tatami(4) were never allowed to fray. Leaning

forward to peek inside an adjacent room, he saw several beautifully 

crafted nihonto(5) in what he thought had to be the tokonoma(6). He 

wondered why his Oyaji would want to spend his time freeloading off 

the Tendos when he had this house at his disposal. His surprise must 

have showed because his mother smiled at him and nodded at him, 

	
	"Yes my son, I am well off, and will never want for material 

needs."

	
	"But...why doesn't father live here then? Or at least use some

 money so that we aren't freeloading off the Tendos?"

	
	"Well son, there are many reasons for that, all going back to 

your father's intrinsic nature. You see, my money comes from the fact

that I come from a very wealthy family. However, at present the money 

is controlled by my father, and he has decided that your father should

receive no money from him until he proves that he is a man worthy to 

join this family. You see, my father still hasn't acknowledged Genma 

as a member of our family, he thinks that my husband isn't good enough

to be my husband, much less human being for that matter.," Nodoka 

sighed, " Sometimes I agree with him, but he is my husband and I will 

stand by him. But that doesn't negate my father's decision and that is

why he can't spend any of the family money."


	"Okay, but what about the other things? Why can't he move here?

Is that one of your father's rules too? Not that I blame him too much."


	"No, my father has not forbidden your father from staying here.

The reason he does not is because of the type of man he is. If he were

to return here, he knows that I would not allow him to behave in the 

way that he would like and has since grown accustomed to. I would 

insist that, as the head of the household, he should act accordingly, 

which would mean either teaching the Saotome branch of the Musubetsu 

Kakuto Ryuu or getting an actual job. Of course your father is not 

inclined to working too hard..."


	"You mean he's a lazy old man." snorted Ranma


	"As you say, but because of these factors, he chooses not to 

stay here, and instead stays with his friend Soun, who is more lenient,

although he does at least go through the motions of work as that Dr.

Tofu's assistant. Any other questions about why your father does or 

does not do something?"


	"Ah...no, I think I have a pretty good idea now...sooo....

where should I sleep?"


	"Why, in your old room of course! Just go upstairs, it's the 

second door on your left. I'm going to go and make sure that your 

dinner is prepared, I'll call for you in 30 minutes." 


After this, Nodoka walked off and disappeared into a room that Ranma 

assumed was the kitchen. Remembering that he only had 30 minutes to 

himself, he hurriedly made his way up the stairs, and upon finding the

door to his room stepped inside. As was becoming common for him lately,

it took Ranma several moments before his brain could process the image 

that his eyes sent him. The...room...was, well he didn't know what it 

was, but whatever it was, it was creepy. Apparently, his mother had 

never gotten around to removing all of his old stuff and instead, left 

his room in a kind of eternal time warp, one where he was forever five.

Needless to say, that upon dropping his luggage, he decided then and 

there to change everything in this room to fit who he was now. But that

would be later, for now, he just wanted to rest while he thought about 

all the changes his life had undergone. With that, he flopped backwards

onto his old LiddoKun bedsheets and looked up at the ceiling,carefully,

loosening and relaxing all of his muscles, thinking about attending

school without insane kendoists or uncute tomboys. With a grin on his 

face, he contemplated this perfect life while he waited for his mother 

to call him for dinner.

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

Monday morning:

Juuban High School:

Courtyard:

Several students are gathered in small clusters as they wait for the 

first school bell to ring. While they wait of course, they are also

socializing with their friends. While several of these clusters 

undoubtably have interesting conversation going on, there is one group 

that has more bearing on events at hand, a small group of four, who 

seem to be having a rather engrossing discussion.


	"So you had a dream about that guy again?" asked a certain 

former princess of the moon.

	
	"Yeah, it was so romantic! He walked with me around the palace

courtyard, and danced with me in a garden underneath the ballroom, 

while we looked longingly into each other's eyes. It was the best dream 

ever!" Makoto replied, with a blissful gleam in her eye.


	"Wow, that does seem like quite a dream! I wonder if he could 

be really be real...that'd be interesting." stated an...interested Ami.


	"I wish my Mamo-chan did stuff like that for me..."


	"I wish you would stop dreaming about my future boyfriend." 

grumbled an irritated Minako towards Makoto.


	"Hey, it's not my fault that my sempai can't stop showing up 

every night to comfort me, maybe your dreams just aren't doing it for

him, eh?" smirked Makoto


	"What? I'll have you know that we have a great time in my 

dream, he's sweet and charming, and I'm the only thing in the world

he notices. He showers me with his attention and love!" declared Minako.


	"Ha! I beat he's 10 times sweeter in my dreams!"


	"HE IS NOT!"


	"Look, before this gets out of hand, let me remind you that 

you're fighting over someone who you haven't even met yet, nor do you

know if he even really exists. So maybe you shouldn't fight over him 

until he actually shows up."


Both girls look at their friend Ami Mizuno, who had moved to stand 

between the two of them, and then visibly calm down. Glancing assuringly

at a rather worried princess, and having heard the first bell ring, 

they both turn towards the school and walk inside, heading towards 

their homeroom, cautiously followed by their two friends. Walking 

along the street across from the school a good distance behind them, 

approached a young male. Unaware of the close calls he had been 

avoiding all weekend, he looked up from the map that he was holding 

and smiled as he finally entered the grounds of the high school. 

Surprisingly enough, no fanfair was evident, not even when he stepped

into the school building itself,  nor did anyone seem aware that their 

lives had changed dramatically, even though in this event, it would 

have been well deserved. Ranma Saotome had finally arrived.

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

Law firm of Jin Mun Lee:

Twelth floor:

A tall, handsome Chinese man in a grey Calvin Klein original 3 piece 

double breasted button down dress suit steps from a pair of elevator 

doors and walks into a well lit room. It is a rather spacious room that

seems to invite you in for a respite, promising your safety. Barely 

glancing at the plush couches that he knows are there, he walks 

purposely, ignoring the people that were waiting,and obviously 

wondering who he was. He has other fish to fry. Across the room,

immediately in front of a door leading further into the building, 

lies the receptionists desk. Seated behind said desk was a rather 

attractive brunette in a nondescript blouse who smilesquestiongly 

up at the man as he approaches.


	"May I help you sir?"


The man barely suppreses a tremor of...something as he leans forward

to speak a few softly spoken words. When he leans back, the pretty 

receptionist is visibly shaken, and has to take a moment to compose

herself before she speaks up and provides the information he has 

asked for. With a curt nod upon hearing her response, he opens the 

door behind her and walks inside, not paying anymore attention to 

the woman who was still glancing warily at him, only blinking after

he has left the room and shut the door behind him. He then moves 

towards another door on his right, intent on his destination. 



Upon entering, he blinks in defense. He never could get over the 

brightness of this room, considering the business that went on 

within the blinding light. He sometimes thought it was if they were

daring anyone to notice what it was they did, that they held no fear

of discovery, no fear of anyone or anything. Of course, he was one 

of the few who knew just how untrue that was. Narrowing his eyes, 

he tries to block out some of the light as he looks at the shape 

that, with the glare, he could barely make out as his boss.

	
	"Sir, we have received word that our client's primary target

has arrived in Juuban. He is currently staying at the mansion of one

Saotome Nodoka."


	"Where is he now?"

	
	"Right now, he is attending class at Juuban High School, would

you like someone to...pick him up afterwards?"


	"No, as long as we know where he is, we make no move against 

him until our client says otherwise. Remember no deviating from the 

plan. If that is all..."


With that, he sees his boss turn around, signalling an end to their 

meeting. With a small nod, he leaves the room closing the door behind 

him. Upon exiting the building, he breathes a slight sigh of relief, 

he has once again succesfully braved the lion's den and lived to tell 

the tale. But then he smiles, because as much as he is afraid of his

boss, and the duties that went with this new assignment, he knew that 

the rewards would be worth it if he pleased their client. He had made 

sure of that before he had volunteered to take on this responsibility.

As he thinks about this, the well dressed man begins to relax, and 

then hum. He doesn't know who this Ranma Saotome was, or what he had 

done, but what he does know, is that the boy is the key to his future.


*************
I couldn't help it...I had to 
sprinkle some japanese in...
(1) dolphin roof ornament
(2) wind bell
(3) open grating
(4) floor mat
(5) japanese sword
(6) decorative alcove


NEXT TIME:

Ranma Saotome is...lost?
Dreams do come true


Authors notes:

Well, that's chapter 4 out now.
GOOD NEWS! I finally figured 
out just where the heck I'm going
with this story! mostly, umm, well,
I know what'll happen in the next
few chapters. *sheepish grin*
well anyway, let me know who you 
think Ranma should end up, if
enough people agree with me, I
just might make it happen! of course
first I have to figure out who I want 
to win his heart. *sigh* by the way,
the desc. of Nodoka's house was inspired
by Zen's Long and Winding Road. 
I love you man, can't wait til you come 
back.(if that day ever comes)
Till next time then.
C&C's welcome, flames will be fed to
Mr.Turtle.
P.S.  I need pre readers, e-mail me if interested and semi-qualified

-Kuonji Ranma 


kuonji_ranma@hotmail.com

www.geocities.com/kuonji_ranma