Martin Bennett ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Prelude - New Horizons] Ranma Saotome sat on the roof of the Tendou doujou. Looking over at the house, he was able to see in the window of Akane's bedroom. She was sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. From his vantage point, she appeared to be crying. He sighed and looked away. Once again, he had managed to inadvertantly make some thoughtless personal comment about her. She had taken offense, which he supposed she was justified to, and had flattened him, which he supposed she was justifed to do as well. Looking out at the night, he shook his head in frustration. No matter how hard he tried, he always said the wrong thing. Whenever it looked like he might finally have a chance to admit his real feelings, he would be inter- upted or he would cave in at the last moment. Ranma looked up and gazed at the moon. "Akane..." he whispered, "I really do love you... Why can't I just say it to your face?" There was no reply. Nor did he expect one. After living at the Tendou-ke for so long, he felt a terrible sense of guilt that he was using them. He knew he lived there only because he was Akane's fiancee, but there never seemed to be much point to that since they never got on. Not that he didn't want to... On the contrary. He desparately wanted to have a normal peaceful life with a family and a permantent home... All the things he had missed as child himself. He swore that he would not inflict the same on his children. He grinned sheepishly to himself... Children... What a weird thought... He knew he wanted to be a father, and he knew he wanted to train an heir to the Masubetsu Kakuto Ryuu, but it was still an odd feeling. He, who had, by his own admission, shirked all forms of responsibility his whole life, was suddenly dreaming of permanence and responsiblity that he knew nothing about. He supposed that it was a given anyway. He had two fiancees...and two would- bes... If he wanted it, he could have any one he chose any time he pleased. He smiled for a moment, thinking what a stud he was. His smile faded and he sighed again. He still had to choose one fiancee to marry. He loved them both in different ways and that was the problem. He cared a great deal about both of them, and it made choosing an agonising choice. Up until now, he had simply put it to the back of this mind and tried his best to ignore it. Now, however, events had forced him to face his feelings and, for the first time, his responsibilities...and it scared him. He knew he had to choose and soon. After the battle at Hou Ou Son where he had nearly lost Akane, he finally realised how uncertain life could be. He had wasted so much time, never considering that he or any of his fiancees could be torn apart or killed at any time. He had to make a choice now or he might never get another chance. He would never forgive himself if Akane or Ukyou died without knowing how he really felt. The problem remained, however... Which one... Which of the two did he want to spend the rest of his life with? It was a daunting decision. He turned and looked over at Akane's window. The light had gone out and the curtains appeared to be closed. He raised an eyebrow, Akane must have been more upset than he thought, to be going to sleep so early. He smiled a little to himself as an ironic thought crossed his mind. Here he was, agonsing over who to marry and he was halfway to being married to Akane anyway. Maybe that made the choice easier... He stood up and ran across the doujou roof. As he reached the end, he leapt into the air and somersaulted easily over the gap to land on the ledge below Akane's window. He looked in through the space in the curtains. She lay in bed, peacefully sleeping. He was struck by how different her face looked in the moonlight. It was... calm, relaxed, carefree. So unlike how it was when she had looked angrilly at him earlier. He sighed again. He caused her so much pain... So much distress... The fact the he didn't mean it was irrelevant... He still did it. Could he really hope to be happily married to Akane? Or would they just spend their lives fighting and bickering? They had gone through so much already and they were still together. It seemed that there was no force that could separ- ate them. No matter what anyone did, he knew that he and Akane were always together. Nothing could change that, not him, her, or anyone else. He sat back, watching her face rapturously. There was really no choice to be made. He and Akane knew virtually everything there was to know about each other...and he loved her. That he figured, was about the best basis for a marriage he knew of. If love and understanding were a measure of two people's rightness for each other, then he and Akane were off the scale. He chuckled at that, causing Akane to stir. He silenced himself immediately, and contented himself with a surrupticious smile. He and Akane suited to each other. It was weird logic to say the least, but no matter how he looked at it, they were right. They had gone through things that would have destroyed most couples and survived relatively unscathed. They had fought and made up more times than he could remember. If they come this far... Why not go all the way? Ranma set his jaw and took deep breath. It was time to be a man and face up to his responsibilities. Surprisingly, he was looking forward to it. Ranma crawled up to the window and tapped on the glass. Akane shifted a little in her sleep, but did not move. Ranma sighed. He needed to tell her how he felt before he lost his nerve. He rapped on the glass again, a little harder this time. Akane sat up suddenly and turned the light on. She looked around and saw Ranma looking in the window. She scowled at him and turned away. He sighed and tapped gently but insistantly on the pane. Akane turned back to face him, and with a frustrated roll of her eyes, got out of bed and opened the window. Ranma quickly jumped into the room before she changed her mind. "It'd better be good, Ranma." she growled. Ranma paled a little. He would have hoped to have caught her in a better mood, but he had to make do. Akane stood across from him, her hands on her hips and glaring at him. He sighed a little and looked her in the eyes. His kindly and loving expres- sion threw her for a moment. Ranma saw her anger waver and struck. As in battle, he attacked when his opponent was weak. "Akane..." he began, "I've been outside thinking..." "About what you said before?! This'll be good!" she spat, her anger returning, with reinforcements. Ranma ignored it, "Yeah... And I'm sorry for what I said." Akane stared incredulously, "You're sorry?!" "Yes," he replied, "And I have to tell you something..." Akane raised an eyebrow curiously, her face betrayig no emotion, "Go on..." Ranma walked up to her and took her hands, surprising her more. "What are you doing, Ranma?" she asked nervously. He simply smiled and said, "I'm telling you that I love you and I want to marry you." Akane's mind reeled with the impact of his words. Ranma... Admitting he loved her and wanted to marry her. It was all too much. The world blurred and lurched suddenly to the side. Just before she passed out, she felt Ranma catch her and call her name... "Akane... Akane... Please... Wake up... Are you okay?" Akane heard the voice at the edge of her consciousness. There was some reason why she didn't want to wake up. There was something frightening out there. She sighed, Ranma would take care of it, whatever it was... Ranma... That was it! She snapped awake and sat up suddenly. Looking around, she was she was still in her room and Ranma was sitting next to her. She turned to look at him, "What happened?" she asked. "You passed out for a few seconds." he replied, concern plain on his face. She stared, "I did?" He nodded. After a moment she looked up at him, "Did you mean what you said? You weren't just joking or something?" Ranma took her hand and shook his head, his expression serious, "No. I've thought long and hard about this whole thing... I care about you more than anything else..." Akane's eyes shimmered for a moment and then she threw herself against Ranma, who clumsiliy put his arms around her. She cried for a few minutes, while Ranma sweated profusely. He was not used to this sort of thing and he had no idea what to do, so he just held her and waited for something to happen. Finally, she recovered and sat back, smiling through her tears, "I've been hoping for so long that you would say that to me, Ranma... I'd almost begun to doubt whether it would ever happen..." Ranma smiled nervously at her, "Yeah... It..took a lot of doing... Um... I... I take it you feel that same?" Akane grinned and wrapped her arms around him, "Of course! I've loved you for so long!" Ranma nodded and added, "What about getting married?" She paled a little at the thought, "Er... Well... I'm not sure... We're still pretty young... Is it a good idea?" "I love you, you love me. Do we need anything else?" he replied. He cautiously put his arm around her as he said it. Akane smiled and snuggled close to her fiancee, "Well... I guess we could..." Ranma smiled sheepishly and said, "I suppose we should tell Oyaji and Ojisan..." Akane's eyes lit up mischieviously, "Not yet... Let's keep it between us for a while... It can be our little secret..." Ranma nodded and kissed the top of her head. "Tell me something, Ranma..." Akane said absently. "Anything..." he whispered. "Why'd you choose me?" Ranma paled for a moment and then smiled and began to explain. The light stayed on in Akane's room for much of night. After a while it turned off. Some hours later, Ranma quietly left and returned to his room. [End part 1] ______________________________________________________________________________ Okay... I know what you're thinking... Where's the good stuff? It's coming. Things are going to get VERY VERY nasty.... Read on... ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Chapter #1 The Coming Storm] Ranma and Akane walked of the Tendou-ke and headed for school. As they walked, Ranma wrapped his hand around Akane's. She smiled up at him and said, "I can hardly believe it, Ranma... Us...together. After so long... It's like a dream come true..." Ranma smiled too. In fact, he couldn't stop smiling. Every time he saw Akane, he felt a wave of joy wash over him that left him buzzing. They walked on in silence, each simply enjoying the other's presence. "Last night was so wonderful, Ranma... I never thought I could be so happy..." Akane said a little later, giving his hand an affectionate squeeze. Ranma blushed and looked down, "Well... Er... I'm..um...glad you enjoyed it..." he mumbled, overcome with embarressment. He still coudn't believe what they had done the previous night. After telling her how he felt and asking her to marry him, she had changed almost in an instant. It was almost as if she had been waiting for a chance to...to... He stopped, the thought making him blush even more. Akane laughed at his expression and pulled him along, "Geez, Ranma! It's okay! We're engaged after all!" Ranma smiled sheepishly as she towed him towards Furinkan High. Later that day, Ranma and Akane left school after a normal day of Kunou bashing, Hinako avoiding and kouchou chasing. They walked along the fence together, Ranma helping Akane to keep her balance when she needed it. If the truth was to be known, however, she was deliberately overbalancing so that he would have an excuse to touch her. As they neared the doujou, they noticed that all of the houses on their block suddenly had "For Sale" notices up. They stopped to examine each of the signs. The signs indicated that each house had been sold to some company. Akane read the notice again and frowned, "I don't understand... Our neighbours have all lived here for years... They were here when I was born! Why would they all leave at once?" Ranma shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe they got sick of people blowing things up and trying to kidnap their neighbors and stuff..." he said with a wry smile. Akane rolled her eyes and bapped Ranma on the head, "Don't be silly... There must be some reason for it..." Ranma snorted and pulled her away from the sign, "Maybe.. We're not gonna figure it out here, anyway, so let's get home! I'm hungry!" "You're always hungry." noted Akane sourly. Ranma shrugged indifferently and pulled on her hand, "C'mon, Akane... We can worry about it later..." Akane reluctantly let Ranma drag her away from the sign. She kept looking at it until Ranma pulled her around the corner. There was something about it that bothered her. When they arrived home, they separated, determined to keep their secret, even if it was difficult to stay apart for any period of time. The last thing they wanted was to have another forced wedding, which they knew would be the result if anyone found out about their little liason. Their family could be very old fashioned and they knew it. Akane went into the kitchen, where Nabiki and Kasumi were. Kasumi was already cooking dinner and Nabiki was sitting on the bench sucking an icy pole and reading a magazine. "Oneechan," Akane said to Nabiki, "Do you know why all the houses on our block are for sale?" Nabiki grinned superiorly, "Of course I know..." "And?" Akane prompted, waiting for the answer. Nabiki held out her hand. Akane snorted, "I'm not paying you!" Nabiki shrugged and went back to her magazine, "So be it..." Kasumi turned around and said, "Now, Nabiki... Don't tease Akane like that. Tell her about the realtors." Akane turned back to Nabiki, "What realtors? What's going on?" Nabiki shrugged, "Beats me... There were a bunch of realtors around a few days ago. Apparently they bought all our neighbors houses. They tried to buy ours, but of course Otousan wasn't interested... Him and his traditions... They were offering a good price, too..." "Oneechan!" Akane exclaimed in shock, "How can you say that?!" Nabiki grinned, "What? You and Ranma want it?" Akane simmered for a moment and then asked, "Why are they doing it?" Nabiki sucked her icy pole and said, "I said I don't know... Unless there's oil under this area...Which I doubt... I can't really see the point... Unless they're planning some sort of multiplex development... Why didn't I think of that?!" She frowned, apparently angry at the thought of missing out on some easy money. Akane gaped at her sister in shock. She walked out of the room and went out to the doujou to find Ranma. She walked in to see him lying on the floor doing sit-ups. She snuck over to him and wrapped her arms around him as he sat up. He immediately grabbed her and flipped her onto his lap. "Akane!" he exclaimed in surprise, "What's up?" She grabbed him around the neck and kissed him, then said, "Someone has been buying up all the houses on our block. That's what the signs were about." "So?" said Ranma casually. "So..." replied Akane with deliberate slowness, "There's something going on. They tried to buy our house, too. But Otousan refused." Ranma shrugged, "Weird... Why would anyone do that?" Akane frowned, "That's what I want to know..." Ranma laughed and flopped back on the floor, "Curiosity killed the cat, Akane. Just leave it alone..." Akane nodded absently and got up, "I guess so..." With that, she walked out, leaving Ranma to his practice. Ranma, however, knew Akane well enough to know she would *not* leave it alone... And he was right... At dinner, Akane persued the matter with her father. "Otousan... What did the realtors say about the house?" she asked. Souun looked up and shrugged, "They wanted to buy it. I explained that the house was not mine to sell and that we would not be able to consider any offer, no matter how attractive it might be." "Pity..." Nabiki added, getting her dark looks from everyone. "Did they say why they're buyin' it all up?" asked Ranma absently. He didn't really care too much, but he could tell when Akane had a bee in her bonnet. "Not really... They mentioned something about this being a growing area and them wanting to get a foothold in the market..." Sounn replied to Ranma's question. Nabiki frowned, "It sounds fishy to me... This area hasn't been growing for years! Why would real estate speculators be interested in it? I'd have thought there'd be plenty of higher yeild areas." Kasumi smiled and picked up a bowl of rice, "It's not ours to wonder why. Seconds, anyone?" Souun nodded, "I suppose it's not, at that..." Genma nodded also, eager to get in on the conversation, "That's right, Tendou- kun. Just as long as you don't sell the doujou. We still need it for Ranma and Akane when they get married..." The entire family paused for Ranma and Akane to explode as they usually did. But they sat in silence, having turned beet red much the the rest of the fam- ily's surprise. In an office, four people sat around a map. Three of them were men in suits, while the fourth was a striking looking woman with black hair with a streak of brown through it. One of the men was speaking, "We've got eight of the ten blocks... It wasn't hard to get them to sell... A little money and a little push and they were quite happy to go..." The man at the head of the table nodded, "Good. What about the over two?" "The other two is actually one property... It's some sort of martial arts doujou. I talked to the owner, but he won't sell. He said something about it being part of an inheritance for his kids or something..." "Everyone has a price... Surely we can cut a deal with them..." the man at the head of the table said thoughtfully. The other man seemed unsure, "I don't think so, Boss... He was pretty deter- mined about it...I really don't think he'll-" The boss nodded dismissively, cutting the other man off, "I might have to go and see him myself... This deal has gone too far for us to get out now... If neccesary, we will have to take drastic steps..." The other men nodded in agreement, while the woman idly toyed with a switch- blade. That evening, Ranma sat on the roof of the doujou. He looked out at the moonlit sky without seeing. His mind was miles away, thinking of the pleasures of last night and the pleasures to come when he and Akane got married. After so long dreading the thought of marriage, he was now looking forward to it. He was stirred from his reverie by Akane sitting down next to him. He looked over at her and she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing him to smile. "What was that for?" he asked. "Just for being here..." she replied. They sat in silence for a while, just watching the moon and enjoying the peace and quiet. As they sat, each thought of the other and of the new life ahead of them... [End part 2] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Chapter #2 The Coming Storm] Ranma walked to school alone. Akane had gone ahead to meet some friends, which annoyed him somewhat. He did not show it however, beign unwilling to give her the satisfaction. He strolled aimlessly along, neither hurrying nor dawdling. As he hopped up onto the fence by the river, he could see a man pulling down one of the signs on the other houses on the Tendou's block. The man's behavior was curious in that he seemed both rather overdressed and very nervous. Ranma shrugged, the whole property thing was Akane's paranoid fantasy, not his. In his experience, the world was a place filled with bizarre and incom- prehensible strangeties that one was usualy best off staying out of. He knew quite well, that if you looked for a fight, you would find one almost without exception. He sighed, he must be growing up, he decided. He was getting philosophical. He cursed himself and his fool luck that had lead him to Jyusenkyou, and, indirectly, to Akane... Akane. She had changed the way he felt about the whole world. After admitting that he wanted to marry her, a great weight had lifted off his shoulders. Sure, he knew that he still had to explain it to everyone... But that suddenly didn't seem like such a scary thing anymore. He walked on, thinking about Akane. After their night together, he knew he wanted to marry her, having discovered that she was not nearly as uncute as he had thought. He smiled to himself. Here he was, sixteen years old and he was thinking about getting married. Fate had thrown him a strange hand...and he was a lousy card player... Still, he mused, he'd survived thus far and was pretty content with life as it was. Sure there were fights and arguements, but none of that really seemed to matter to much. Real feelings seemed to gloss all that stuff over. He walked on and soon arrived at Furinkan High. Ranma sat in class looking over at his fiancee. He'd never really seriously thought of her as that before and it ammused him to think of her that way. She was sitting across the room and talking to Sayuri and Yuka. From their body language and childish laughter, Ranma guessed that they were talking about him...or maybe their night together...or something... It didn't really matter. Akane seemed happy. Ranma shrugged to himself. If Akane wanted to talk about it, that was fine with him. He didn't care too much about opinions as long as Akane still liked him. It was surprising, he thought, that she did like him at all, when he considered the way he had treated her for most of their engagement. He felt a momentary sense of guilt and a pang of regret that he had wasted so much time. At lunch, Ranma sat under the large oak tree and looked out at the grounds. As usual, Akane had made him one of her thermonuclear lunches. He couldn't help but wonder if it would register on a Geiger Counter. Akane saw him smile and said, "You can't be happy about eating something coo- ked by me, Ranma." Ranma raised an eyebrow, "Who says?" "I do. You hate my cooking. Why aren't you running away?" Ranma shrugged, "I've fought Herb and Saffuron and all sorts of other weirdos. Compared to that, your food ain't so daunting..." Akane frowned, "Thanks... I think..." Ranma sat back and looked at the lunch. It looked like it could burn its way through concrete if it wanted to. He gulped and grabbed a bit. As he tasted it, he keeled over. Akane caught him and helped him sit up. "I'm sorry, Ranma..." she said in a small voice, "I guess I got it wrong again..." Ranma put his hand to his dizzy head and said, "It's okay. You'll get better." "Really?" she asked hopefully. Ranma thought sarcasticly, but then said, "Yeah... I just hope you get it right for our wedding...or it might be a very short marriage. You could end up and widow awful quick if you're not careful!" He said the last with a wry smile and was most surprised to see Akane glaring at him. "What?" he stammered. She looked down and said, "Don't make jokes like that, Ranma. I know what it's like to lose someone you love. I couldn't bear to lose you now." Ranma could see a tear slip down her cheek and knew he'd put his foot in it again. He berated himself again, telling himself that he'd have to give up trying to make jokes. He was obviously no good at it. He put his arm around Akane and said, "Hey... It's okay. You know that no-one can beat me. Right?" Akane looked up and forced a smile, "Yeah..." she whispered. "That's right. No-one can beat you..." Ranma sat back and then looked up at the clock. He got up and said, "Time to go. We got class." Akane nodded and reluctantly got up to follow him to class. She smiled as she watched his broad back move as he walked. So much had changed in such a short time, and she couldn't remember being as happy as this in all her memory. She didn't think there had been another time where everything had seemed to right. After so many months of doubting whether Ranma would ever be hers, everything had finally just fallen into place... Just as Kasumi had always said it would. That afternoon, Ranma and Akane walked out of the school and headed for home. "Say... Do you want to stop and have snack?" Akane asked, turing to Ranma midstep. Ranma nodded in agreement. He had a policy to never reject food when it was offered. Of course, that in itself had gotten him into trouble a fair few times. Akane grabbed Ranma's hand and ran off, dragging him down the street, "Come on!" she called. Ranma smiled a little and let her drag him along. A group of men sat in the office of the man at the desk. He was once again sitting at the head of the table observing. "Are you sure about this, Boss?" one of them said. The man looked up and shrugged, "They haven't really given us much choice now, have they? You know what will happen if we don't get the whole lot. We'll lose everything!" The other man blanched at the leaders words and subsided. One of the others got up and pointed to a roughly drawn map. "Okay... This is the deal... There are seven people living in the house. There are four teenage girls, a teenage boy and two old men, the fathers of the kids. We'll grab the kids and them make the fathers sign it over to us." The leader shrugged, "What's our financial position?" One of the others spoke up, "We'll have to pay them out or it'll look suspic- ious." "I see..." said the leader, "What about killing them all?" The man standing over the map looked surprised, "That's not a good idea. It'd make far too big a mess to tidy up... Better to just threaten like we did with the others. They'll go, I'm sure..." The leader got up and walked to the window, "I hope so... I don't want this to get unneccesarily messy if I can avoid it." The others nodded their assent. "Well..." the leader added, "We best get ready, then!" The other men all began pulling out large bags and removing various assault weaons from them. Within a few minutes, they were all loaded and ready. The leader looked over them as he slid a clip into his .45, "Okay... Let's TRY not to make too much of a circus out of this! I don't want the cops down on us! That's too expensive! We go in, get the deal and get out. Got it?" The others nodded agreeably. The leader frowned slightly and walked out, "Right. Let's go..." The others all followed him out and got into two black cars. A moment later, they pulled away from the curb and headed away. Ranma and Akane sat in a booth in the local cafe. They were both eating large icecreams and talking. "When are we going to tell our Otousan and Ojisan about...us..." Akane asked, looking nervously at Ranma. Ranma frowned and, wearing an uncertain expression, said, "I'm not sure... Your dad is gonna go absolutely nuts if he finds out what we did. And Oyaji would just love to have us married as soon as he can." Akane frowned, "Don't you want to get married?" she chided. Ranma smiled, "Of course I do, but you know what our dad's are like. They've tried to get us married before and it ALWAYS ends in disaster. I think we should handle it for once. It's obvious that they're no good at it!" Akane laughed a little, but had to agree. When it came to arranging things, Souun and Genma were well and truly out of their depth. She smiled and decided to change the subject. "How come you're a guy at the moment?" she asked, cur- ious that he should be in such a place in male form. Ranma shrugged, "I dunno... It didn't really seem too important... I guess things have a different perpective now..." "When you're in love?" Akane added. Ranma chuckled, "Something like that..." Akane smiled at his sheepish expression and looked at her watch, "Damn." she mutttered, "It's getting late... I guess we'd better get home." Ranma nodded, "Yeah... It's nearly dinner time." Akane rolled her eyes, "You just has a huge icecream! How can think about eating so soon?" "Easily..." Ranma replied, "I'm helping Oyaji lose weight! Akane grinned, "Oh you are are you? And what about you?" "What do you mean? I don't need to lose weight!" Ranma said defensively, "Now you on the other hand..." Akane rounded on his in a rage and hammered him into the ground. He stumbled to his feet as she stormed off. He caught up to her and said, "Sorry, Akane. I didn't mean that. I like you the way you are... I just...couldn't resist..." Akane turned and scowled at him for a moment and then seemed to calm down, "It's okay... At least you appologised. It's an improvement..." Ranma gave thanks for good luck and wiped the sweat off his brow they headed home. [End part 3] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Chapter #3 The Storm Breaks] Two black cars rolled up and stopped outside the Tendou-ke. Inside, five men and a woman sat. they each loaded magazines into guns. One of them, the man from the office, looked sternly at the others, "Listen... We only want to scare them into selling. If possible, don't overdo it. But if they try any- thing... You know what to do..." The others nodded and they got out of the car and headed for the gates. Ranma and Akane were walking home from school. They walked very close toge- ther, but they did not touch, as if unwilling to publicly admit anything. Akane was smiling widely and swinging her bag cheerfully. Ranma noted this and said, "What's up with you? You seem awful happy." Akane turned and smiled cutely at him, "And why shouldn't I be? I've finally got what I've wanted for so long!" Ranma looked confused, "What's that?" "You, dummy!" she gently chided. Ranma grinned and took her hand. Akane smiled up at him, causing a goofy smile to pass across his face. "I just know that everything is going to be perfect from now on! No more worrying about Shampoo and Ukyou and all of that nonsense! It'll be such a relief!" Akane added cheerfully, squeezing his hand. At the Tendou-ke, Souun and Genma were sitting at the Shogi board, playing their afternoon match. Kasumi was putting the washing on the line and Nabiki was sunning herself on the porch and checking her ledger. There was a loud thump and the gates burst open. Four men in suits and a woman, all carrying guns, rushed through and surrounded them. Souun stared in fear as a rifle was shoved in his face. "All of you! Get over there!" was the harsh command. Kasumi and Nabiki obediently moved where they were told to. Souun was grabbed and dragged out onto the lawn and dropped in front of the leader. The man looked cheerfully down at Souun, "Hello. We haven't met. I'm your local neighborhood realtor." Ranma and Akane walked around the corner to see two black cars sitting in the street outside the house. "That's weird." Akane commented. Ranma nodded, "Who knows... Maybe it's another lost fiancee?" Akane frowned, "I hope not!" she said firmly. Ranma shrugged, "Let's go see." Akane nodded and followed Ranma around to the side gate. Ranma stepped through the gate to see a group of men holding guns. "What the hell?!" he shouted. The men turned and aimed their guns at him. "Freeze!" shouted one of them, coming over to push Ranma down. Ranma reluctantly knelt down with his hands behind his head. At that moment, Akane came through the gate, "Hey! Ranma, where'd-" She was cut off as the woman put the switchblade to her throat. She cried out in surprise, "Ranma!" The woman pulled Akane's head back and pressed the knife to her neck, "Shut up, girl!" "It's okay, Akane..." Ranma said soothingly, "Just relax... Everything will be okay..." The man standing behind him hit him in the back with his rifle butt, "Can it!" Ranma groanded and doubled over. Akane was led over to where Kasumi, Nabiki and the panda where. They stood off to the side at gunpoint, while the leader spoke to Souun in a casual tone, "Such a nice place you have here..." he commented, "And such a nice family... You're lucky to have so many pretty daughters..." Souun was blubbering and choking on his tears. "What do want?" he muttered wretchedly. The leader smiled widely and walked in a small circle. "Ah, yes..." he said, "Down to business... A man after my own heart! Very well... Business it shall be. I want your house. I'm willing to pay quite hansomely for it, too..." Souun glared daggers at the man, "I will never sell my ancestral home!" The leader looked just slightly put out as he kicked Souun in the face, "Come now... Never is SUCH a long time... Things change! Smart people change with them!" Souun looked up at the man, blood dripping down his face."I would rather die that give into blackmail!" He wore a look of proud defiance that surprised all of the others. It seemed to surprise the leader for a moment as well. "Hmm... You have more backbone than I was lead to believe... No matter..." He turned around and kicked Souun sharply in the ribs. Souun's eyes never left his and did not flinch. The leader stepped back and then turned around, "This is getting us nowhere! Surely we can reach some sort of arrangement..." "Never!" Souun spat, from between clenched teeth. The leader shrugged, "That's too bad. I guess things will have to get nasty from here... You've only got yourself to blame..." He turned and walked over to where Akane, Kasumi, Nabiki and the panda were. "You said something before about an inheritance... I take it that there is some sort of betrothal bet- ween one of your daughters and..." He paused to turn and point at Ranma, "You." Ranma glared coldly at the man, "Yeah... That's right... What about it?" The man smiled and said, "Well... You seem to have the most to lose here..." "What do you mean?" Ranma whispered darkly. "I mean that this house is obviously the inheritance that he was talking about..." The leader gestured vaguely over his shoulder. "And?" prompted Ranma. "And you should consider advising your father-in-law-to-be, to sell up!" Ranma scowled, "Why would I do that?!" "Because otherwise you stand to lose a whole lot more!" the man grated. "What are you saying?" Ranma ground out the words as icily as he could. The man shrugged and wandered over to Akane, Kasumi and Nabiki, "Now... The question is... Which one is the fiancee? I guess there's only one way to find out..." He gestured to the woman and she grabbed Nabiki and put the knife to her throat, causing her to scream in surprise. The leader turned and looked curiously at Ranma, "Well? Is this the one?" Ranma glared impassively at the man. The man shrugged and nodded to the woman, she shoved Nabiki aside and grabbed Kasumi, who did not make a sound, but fear was plain in her eyes. The leader was wearing a wide smile, "How about this one?" He looked at Ranma's frozen expression and frowned, "No? Oh, well... I guess that leaves..." He stepped up to Akane and pulled a pistol, "This litle girl over here... What do you know... It's always the one you least expect..." He put the pistol to Akane's temple and turned to Ranma, "Now... Shall we try and scape together a deal? Or shall we scrape up her brains?!" Ranma slowly rose to his feet, ignoring the gun in his back, "Enough. If you want a fight, I'll give you one!" The leader's eyes widened and he began to laugh, "A fight?! Why on earth would I bother with something as trivial as that?!" He snorted and shot Ranma, hitting him in the leg. Ranma grimmaced as the bullet tore into his flesh, but he did not cry out, instead glaring hatefully at the man. Akane saw the bullet hit and the blood splatter on the ground. "Ranma!" she cried in shock. The woman tightened her grip and snarled, "Sit still and you might stay alive!" Ranma held his bleeding leg tightly, refusing to drop to the ground or show any form of weakness. The leader seemed impressed and strolled over to him, "You've got guts... I'll say that for you!" He half turned to look at Souun over his shoulder and added, "Now... Are you going to sell or not?!" "No!" Souun's voice was quit clear. The man turned around and pointed his gun at him, "No? That's just too bad! I'm offering top dollar, too!" "Get out of here!" Souun shouted angrilly, "We will not sell!" The man snorted and nodded to the woman. "That's really too bad..." he muttered, "Maybe if I take away your reason for being so stubborn, you'll change your mind!" The woman dragged Akane forwards to stand right in front of Ranma. Ranma could see the fear in Akane's eyes. But it was a fear mixed with hope and trust. Ranma sighed, she was expecting him to rescue her again... How was he supposed to do that with a bullet in his leg and a bunch of armed gunmen around? "Now..." The leader said, regaining Ranma's attention, "Unless you fools agree to sell up and get out, Yuki here is going to have to slit this girls throat... And she'll enjoy it, too... Won't you, Yuki?" The woman nodded once and pressed the knife to Akane's neck. Akane cried out as the blde cut into her flesh. Ranma cursed his lousy luck and attacked. Ignoring the pain in his leg, he kicked back, striking the man behind in the solar plexus. He then jumped forward and slammed his palm into the leaders face, breaking his nose. The leader staggered back cursing and shouting. The woman was about to cut Akane's throat when Akane grabbed her arm and threw her into the leader, sending them tumbling to the ground. Ranma turned and jump kicked the man near the other sisters, felling him. He looked around and saw the other man raising his gun to fire. Without hesitation, he thrust his hands forward and shouted the familiar cry, expel- ling his fear and depression in a wave. "SHISHIHOUKOUDAN!" The blast of chi energy roared out of his hands and tore across the garden. It slammed into the hapless man and exploded, flinging him back against the wall of the doujou. Ranma stood painfully and looked around. All of the thugs appeared to be unconscious or in various states of duress. "Hmph!" he muttered, "So much for you guys!" The leader sat up and said, "So much for you!" He raised his gun towards Akane and fired. Instinctively Ranma moved to protect her. He leapt into the firepath, unleashing another chi blast as he did so. "SHISHIHOUKOUDAN!" The chi blast shot from his right hand just as the bullets tore into his chest. He felt a searing pain for a moment and then all became mercilly dark and peaceful. His last thought was of Akane. he whispered, Akane stared in horror as the bullets ripped into Ranma, spraying her with his blood. Everything moved in slow motion as Ranma slumped to the ground. She knew instantly that he was dead. It was not so much a visible fact, as a feeling deep inside her being. As if some vital part of her had just been cut out. She dropped to her knees in shock, staring nervelessly at Ranma as the blood drained out of his body and pooled on the ground around him. She just sat in a state of fascinated horror as a trickle of blood slowly ran towards her. The rest of the family stood in silence. There was nothing to be said. The leader stumbled to his feet and looked around the yard. His men were scattered in various states of disrepair. He looked down at Ranma's body and then at Akane. After a moment, he turned and stared emotionlessly at Souun. "It didn't have to be this way..." he muttered. He helped the woman up and then added, "I'll give you one month...for mourning... My offer still stands... I suggest you take it... I don't want have to kill anyone else..." He looked around once more and gestured to his men, who slowly got up and limped out. After they had gone, he said, "That kid could fight, I'll give him that..." He turned and walked slowly out, "I hope we can do business again..." As he strode away, he laughed loudly. Everyone stood absolutely still for a moment, waiting to see if they were gone. Several cars revved and then moved away. Immediately, everyone began to move again. Akane crawled over to Ranma and cradled his head in her lap. He stared blankly up into the sky, unseeing. Akane bowed her head, unable to comprehend how Ranma could have been killed after surviving so much... Nothing could kill Ranma... It was a well known fact. No matter what anyone did, Ranma could always beat them... She scrunched her eyes shut begging for it all to be a bad dream and for Ranma to be there to hold her when she awoke. She opened her eyes and saw Ranma's lifeless form. She sighed in resign- ation and then simply began to cry. Not wild torrents like her father, just a continuous series of soft, broken sobs. [End part 4] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Chapter #4 Aftermath] Akane stared vacantly at Ranma's lifeless body. He stared sightlessly up at her as she held him in her arms. She bowed her head and began to cry uncontrolably. The tears ran unheeded down her face as an incredible pain of anguish welled up inside her. She raised her head cried out in rage and sorrow. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The tears rained down for long minutes as she sobbed and cradled her fiancee in her arms. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Kasumi came over and gently began to pull Akane away. "Come, Akane... You have to let go... You can't do anything more for him..." Akane resisted, refusing to let go of Ranma. Nabiki came over and crouched down next to Akane, "Come on, Akane... Let's go inside... Otousan and Saotome-ojisan can sort this out..." Akane looked blankly up at her sisters. They stared in surprise at Akane's expression. It was angry. Very angry. "You want me to just get up and go like that?! What about Ranma?! He's gone! He died saving me! And you want me to just leave him!?" she shouted. Nabiki stepped back, "But-" Akane glared at her sister, "I love him! We were going to get married!" Souun stared for a moment and then burst into tears, "Oh, woe! To be so near and yet to far!" Nabiki crouched down again and put her hand on Akane's shoudler, "I'm sorry... I didn't realise you guys were so serious..." Akane bowed her head, "It's okay... It was a secret... We didn't want to tell anyone yet..." Kasumi offered her hand, which Akane accepted and stood up. "Come with me, Akane... We'll make some tea..." Akane walked off with Kasumi as Genma and Souun slowly walked over to the body. Genma crouched down and closed his son's eyes. "What have we done here, Tendou?" Genma murmured. Souun, between sobs, said, "We tried our best, Saotome-kun... I think we succeeded...in part... Your son and my daughter were together... He died for her... At least they admitted their feelings... Oh! If only they could have been married!" "What good would that have done?!" Genma muttered sourly, "If they had been married, she'd be a widow now!" Souun began to blubber uncontrolably and Genma sighed and lead his old friend back to the house. "We'd better call someone..." he added as they walked away. The following days passed quickly for Akane. So much so that she barely had time to stop and feel any grief. Nonetheless, everything she looked at reminded her of Ranma and of the fleeting moments of happiness they had spent together before he had died. She cried almost constantly, often until she was so tired she could barely even think, let alone move. All around her, her family tried to console her, but ultimately, no-one could understand what it felt like to lose the most important thing in her life. The pain of losing Ranma was even more wrenching than the loss of her mother. This was something that surprised her a great deal. Ranma meant more to her than her own mother, and that amplified the pain tenfold and tinged it with guilt. Ranma's mother arrived the day after Ranma's murder and immediately began to console Akane. "Akane-chan..." Nodoka began, stepping quietly into Akane's room. Akane did not speak, nor did she look up. She had been dreading this moment from the moment she had realised Ranma was dead. After a long moment of wrestling with herself, she looked up. "Hello, Saotome-obasama..." she said weakly. Nodoka came over and sat down next to Akane on the bed. They sat in silence for a time before Nodoka spoke. "I hear you and Ranma-kun finally got over your differences..." Akane started, that was not what she had expected. She stumbled for words, feeling suddenly lost, "Er... Yes... He... He came to my room two nights ago and he told me..." She paused to take an deep breath and added, "He told me that he loved me and...he...he asked me to marry him..." She barely managed to get the words out before she began crying again. Nodoka pulled Akane against her as she choked uncontrolably with grief. "There now, Akane-chan... You should be happy..." Nodoka said, causing Akane to look up. "Ranma said he loved you. He wanted to marry you. Isn't that what you wanted all along?" Akane stared in confusion, but nodded weakly. "So..." Nodoka went on, "You should be happy that you were able to at least admit you loved each other... Even if it was for such a short time... Love, no matter how fleeting, is always precious... You should treasure it and know that if my son could be here for you, he would..." Akane sat up and wiped away her tears. She took a deep breath to compose herself and then nodded, "You're right, Obasama... Ranma did love me... I guess I still have that..." Nodoka put on a forced smile and said, "That's right. Now... The hard part is still ahead of us... We have to go to the funeral..." Akane began to choke up again. "I don't want to..." she said in a small, frightened voice. Nodoka smiled reassuringly, "Don't you want to say goodbye to your fiancee?" she asked. Tears began to roll down Akane's cheeks, but she forced them back and regained control, "I...I guess I do want to say...goodbye..." After a moments struggle, the tears fell again. Akane sniffed and sobbed quietly for several minutes then Nodoka got up and walked to the door, "Remember, Akane-chan... Ranma loved you as much as he could. He died to protect you. There is no love greater than that..." Akane looked up, "Yes, Obasama... I was...lucky to have him..." Nodoka nodded and walked out of the room. As soon as she was gone Akane threw herself on her bed and buried her face in her pillows. She did not cry, but simply lay there feeling empty. It was as if losing Ranma had drained all the life out of her as the killers bullet had drained the life from Ranma... she thought angrilly, Finally, she regained control and got up. There was lots to do. That would pass the time...and it would fill the void...she hoped. A few days later, Ranma's funeral was held in the park near the doujou. Much to Akane's surprise, virtually everyone Ranma had ever met or fought was there. All wore somber looks, even Ranma's worst enemies. Akane sat nearest the grave, garbed all in black and wearing a black veil. It was ironic, she thought, that not a week before, she had dreamed of wearing a veil to a formal ceremony with Ranma. She sat mesmerised as the priest spoke of Ranma's life and his great deeds. Akane could not help but feel bitter. What did this stranger know of Ranma? He had never met him. He had no idea of Ranma's courage and strength. Of his integrity and tenactity... And of his love... Only she knew that... And it made her feel both privaliged and angry. The priest carried out his rites and then somberly said, "If there is anyone who wished to speak on Ranma's behalf, now is the time to do so." Akane started. She so much wanted to get up and tell everyone who Ranma really was. She knew they had no idea. Much to her surprise, Ryouga got up and walked over to the lectern. He stood silently for a moment and Akane thought she could see him blinking back tears. Finally he composed himself and spoke. "I know everyone here had a different opinion of Ranma. To some of us, he was a trusted friend and confidant. To others, he was a rival and opponent... Ranma caused me a lot of trouble and no small amount of grief, but when he saved Akane-san at the cost of his own life, he showed me that I was wrong about him. Now, that I look back, I can see just how brave and honorable Ranma really was. For all his failings, Ranma was a good man. I think...that after this is over... I, like everyone else...will miss him..." Ryouga slowly turned and walked back to his seat. A moment later, Tatewaki Kunou rose from his seat and strode commandingly over to the lectern. There were some momentary mutterings before he silenced them with a look. When he was sure that everyone was listening, he spoke evenly and with extreme dignity, "Ladies and Gentlemen... I will not bore you with pointless poetry, nor decry any of Ranma's failings. Instead I wish to tell you what I knew of Ranma Saotome. What I REALLY knew of him." "Ranma was a man of many facets. He could an imposing warrior one moment and a snivelling fool the next. And yet he faced everything that the world threw at him without flinching and did his best in everything he did. Ranma was someone you could looked at and feel envious of. Not for his skill, which was great. Nor for his luck, which was also great, but for his strength of character and willingness to find the best in all people. That...was his greatest trait..." Kunou paused for a moment and then continued. "Today has been one that I never believed would come true and I now wish that it were not happening, for dispite my long standing rivalry with Ranma, he was someone I considered to be a kindred spirit. In an age where the way of Bushido is frowned upon, Ranma lived that philosophy far better than I, or anyone else here could ever hope to. I now feel privaliged to have known him. Thank you." Everyone stared as Kunou returned to his seat with the same air of dignity he arrived with. As soon as Kunou sat down, Ukyou got up and walked over to the lectern. She paused as she got there and leaned on it for a moment. When she raised her head, tears were shreaming down her face, but she did not wipe them away, prefering instead to wear them as a badge of pride. When she spoke, her voice was calm and almost emotionless. "Ran-chan is gone. None of us can change that. However, he wound not want us to have our lives just stop for his sake. Instead, he would want us to be happy in our own lives and to continue to fight for what he stood for." Ukyou sniffed and then continued, "I loved...love Ran-chan more than anything else in this world and being here today hurts more than I ever thought possible... But... I also feel happy that so many of you thought so much of him that you would come all this way to be here. Ran-chan lives on in each and everyone of us. There is no-one who knew him who was not affected by his presence. Ran-chan could make you believe in yourself in a way which no-one else could emulate. Like himself, he could make you believe that no opponent was unbeatable and that no force was unmatchable. Ran-chan could bring the very best out of people because he was the very best of people. I love Ran-chan...and...I miss him..." Ukyou stepped away from the lectern and stumberd over to her seat, her face in her hands. There was silence for a time and Akane realised that it was her turn. She got up ever so slowly, unsure of what it was exactly that she was going to say. She moved with glacial slowness as she walked to the lectern. After and eternity of going seemingly no-where, she suddenly reached the lectern and turned to the crowd assembled before her. She gripped the wood of the stand to support herself as she looked out at the waiting crowd. She could see all of Ranma's foes and friends. From Shampoo and Mousse, to Kirin and Touma and the Musk Dynasty and even Pansuto Tarou. She felt a little comforted that so many people had so much respect for Ranma. As the tears began to well in her eyes again, she felt a sudden wave of peace wash over her. She sighed and then spoke with a strong clear voice. "I loved Ranma. I still do and I always will. I loved him almost from the day I met him. We spent along time never really getting along and yet in all that time, we were being drawn closer and closer together. One week ago today. Ranma came to me and said that he loved me." As she said this, a gasp ran through the crowd. When it passed she continued, "We were to be married in the autumn when the leaves fall... It was my hope that we would all come together for that day, rather than for this..." She paused again, wiping tears from her eyes. "However. Destiny or whatever rules such things, has decided differently and we're here now. I guess... What I wanted to say is... that Ranma was the most wonderful, caring, courageous and honorable man I ever met. I know I will miss him probably more than anyone else...because he was my fiancee and I loved him. Thank you all for coming. It means a lot to know you all cared so much..." She trailed off and then stepped slowly away from the lectern. The priest spoke a few more words and then the assembed group broke up. Most of them left immediately, but some stayed behind to go to the graveyard and and pay their final respects. Hours later, Akane arrived home to find everyone sitting quietly around the dinner table, each apparently wrapped in their own thoughts. Ranma's death had apparently made everyone think about their own mortality. If Ranma could die, anyone could... In the days that followed, many changes took place at the Tendou-ke and the surrounding Nerima district. It was amazing to Akane's mind that one person could have such impact on an entire town. Shampoo, Mousse and Cologne packed up their belongings and returned to China without a word of goodbye. Mousse had left a note which explained Shampoo's and his feelings and made it clear that there was no animosity between any of them and gave a wish of good luck. Akane went to the graveyard several times, finding a certain solace in at least being near Ranma from time to time. She was most surprised to find Ryouga crouched near the grave one day, praying. She walked up behind and waited until he had finished. When he turned, she spoke, "Ryouga-kun. What are you doing here?" she asked. Ryouga stammered for a moment and then bowed his head, "I was asking Ranma for the same courage he had. I'm going to find out who killed him and avenge his death!" Akane stared in shock, "You... No... You musn't..." Ryouga gaped, "But... What about Ranma?! What about what it did to you?!" Akane grabbed his arm, "No! You mustn't do anything like that! I couldn't bear for you to die too, Ryouga-kun!" Ryouga reluctantly nodded and turned away, "I'd better go. I should really go home now..." He picked up his pack and slowly trudged from the grave site. As he walked away, Akane called out, "Ryouga-kun! You'll come back won't you?" Ryouga turned and smiled grimly, "Of course, Akane-san... Anything for you..." With that, he turned and walked out the gate. [End part 5] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Chapter #5 Ressurection] Akane sat in her room looking out at the sunset. She sighed. Without Ranma, life had lost all it's point. He had been buried for two weeks and she was still not getting any more used to him not being around. Everyone morning she got up and expected to see Ranma and his father sparring over the pond...but that was no more. Genma had gone back to Osaka to comfort Nodoka. School seemed empty and pointless dispite the best efforts of her friends to cheer her up. They didn't seem to be able to understand that she did not want to feel better. Mourning was right. It was HER right and she intended to make full use of it. She didn't expect anyone else to understand. Only she had twice lost the dominant figure in her life. It had taken a long time to get over the loss of her mother and she knew that the pain she was feeling would be with her for a long time to come. She sighed, considering the events around her. Life had returned to the state which it had been before Ranma's arrival. Oddly Akane found this to be boring and passionless, something she had never noticed before Ranma had become part of her life. She sighed, until Ranma had moved in, she had been suffocating under her fathers obsessive protectiveness and her sisters quirks. With Ranma, she had been able to fully express herself and free herself of much of the tension that tore at here at times. She had never realised just how much she relied on him. She shook herself and sat up. There was no point wallowing in regret and self- pity. Ranma hated those sort of weaknesses. She looked out at the setting sun, her mind drifting back to the walk back from Ryugenzawa where Ranma had held her hand for the first time. She smiled at the memory. As long as she could remember him, it would be okay... As the orange afternoon light streamed into her room, a single tear slipped from her eye and ran down her cheek to her chin, where it dripped onto the table. Akane did not seem to notice, too intent on staring out at the sunset. Up in the sky, a large black crow wheeled lazily on the evening breeze. It gave and single cry and then swept down to land on the windowsill of Akane's room. It looked in to see Akane with her head in her hand, sobbing into her desk. It stared at her with one beady eye for a moment and then sqwarked agreeably. Akane jumped and sat up, "What?!" she exclaimed, surprised. The bird sqwarked again and hopped from foot to foot. Akane stared at the strange bird, "What's this crow doing here?" she wondered aloud. The bird seemed to sense the question and nodded to her, before leaping into the air and flying away. Akane looked out the window after it's receeding form. "What on earth..." she muttered. That night at dinner, Akane told her family about the crow. Only her father seemed to think anything of it, taking it as a bad omen and getting hysterical again. His already high strung state had worsened since Ranma's death, indeed everyone seemed to have suffered emotionally from trial they had been through. That night, Akane went to bed thinking of Ranma...and their one night together...as she did every night. She stared at the ceiling, listening to the soft patter of drizzling rain on the tiles of the roof. In the Nerima graveyard, the black crow landed on the gravestone. The bird looked down, appearing to read the writing carved into the marble. Apparently satisifed it tapped on the stone with it's beak. Getting no response, it tapped again, more insistantly this time. This went on for much of the night. The bird tapping and then waiting and then tapping again. As the night wore on the rain grew heavier and the sky darker. Finally as the bird was tapping almost continously, a hand shot out of the ground. A few minutes earlier, Ranma had lain is his coffin, dead. Then he had suddenly found himself awake and looking up at the padded roof of the box. He panicked for a moment, then realised that he was alive. He knew he had been dead. The afterlife, such as it was, had been intersting and speaking to Akane's mother had been educational to say the least. Akane! It suddenly hit him why he was there. He had to protect Akane. No-one else could. With a firm sense of resolution, he slammed his fist upwards through the lid of the coffin. Dirt immediately poured in on him and he was forced to dig the dirt from above him and move it below him. It was slow going and his hands were bloody and raw by the time he reached the surface. He drove his fist upward and felt the rain on his skin. With a lunge, he leapt up and out of the grave with a flourish. Lightening crashed around him, the sky seemingly objecting to his presence. He looked around and saw that he was in the Nerima graveyard. In fact, he was quite near Akane's mother's grave. He slowly crawled out of the ground and fell flat on his back, too exhausted to move. The crow sat on the gravestone and loked at him curiously, tiliting it's head from side to side. After a moment, it cried out and flew over to land on Ranma's chest. Ranma looked up and stared right into it's eyes. Ranma's eyes widened and then he nodded, "I understand... I know what I have to do... Yes... I know... But can't I... Why not?! I see... Is there any way? IS THERE?! Good. When this is over you will show me... YOU WILL! Yes... Yes... I understand. Thank you..." Ranma collapsed again, staring up and the raging sky and falling rain. After a while, he felt his strength returning and he was able to rise, slowly to his feet. He turned and staggered out of the graveyard. The crow leapt into the air and followed him. Ranma stumbled down the street in a daze. He was alive again, but he didn't understand entirely how or why he had been ressurected. It was best not to question the crow's wisdom in bringing him back, and he chose not to dwell on it, prefering, instead he had to concentrate on the task at hand. He had to protect Akane from the developeres. They had killed him and he knew they would do worse to her and her family. Ranma gritted his teeth and stood straight. No-one else could protect her. There was only him. He looked down at himself with a wry smile. Some hero he was... He was covered in mud and wearing a battered and mud caked suit. He knew quite well that he had to get prepared for battle quickly. Looking around, he saw he was in the middle of Nerima's shopping district. Quickly scanning the area, he saw what he was looking for. He walked over to the leathergoods shop and looked in the window. He smiled. Perfect for a creature of night... He stepped back and kicked the window. It shattered, setting off alarm. Ranma walked in and, finding the alarm, crushed it into a pancake. He then strode into the room and began to look for the right sort of clothes. Some time later, he emerged wearing black leather pants, a black leather vest, a sort of leather bandoleir and heavy leather boots. His hands were taped with black duct tape from the shop. He looked at himself in the mirror. He was quite the spectre of death, he thought wryly. It was strange, the clothes were anything but his style, but they felt right for this task... Ranma turned and walked out of the shop. "Now..." he muttered, "Weapons..." Several hours later, Ranma stood across from Toukyou's only gun dealer. "I can't believe I'm really doing this..." he muttered. He looked up at the crow sitting on his shoulder and nodded, "If you say so... Yes... You're right..." He sighed and strode across the street to the shop. He walked up to the door and looked at it. It was a formidable metal grill monstrosity. He stared at it for a moment and then nodded to some silent comment. He stepped back and then drove his foot forward into the grill. It shattered and shot into the building with a loud crash. Ranma immediately walked into the shop and headed for one of the cases. He slammed his fist through it and grabbed a Beretta M-92D and a Desert Eagle, then leapt over the counter and kicked the lock off the ammunition cupboard. He reached in and pulled out several boxes of ammo and then grabbed a bag off the wall and began to fill it with items. From time to time, he would nod and grab another weapon or move to another place in the room. He was so intent on his task, that he failed to notice the owner enter brandishing a pistol. "FREEZE!" Ranma heard the sound and froze. He heard a safey click and dived on the floor behind a shelf. Several shots rang out as Ranma crawled away for better cover. The owner moved carefully into the room, searching as he went. "Where are you, punk?!" he shouted, "Think you can steal from me?!" Ranma jumped up and threw the bag he was carrying at the man. It hit him squarely in the chest, knocking him to the floor and causing him to drop his gun. Ranma ran over and stepped on his wrist as he tried to reach it. "Don't." Ranm said evenly. The gun shop owner stared up at him in fear. Ranma looked back at him impassively, "I don't want to hurt you..." The owner snorted and raised his other hand. With a flick of his wrist, another gun appeared in his hand and he shot Ranma with it. Ranma staggered back in surprise. He looked down and felt the wound. It was there, but there was little pain and he was not hampered by it. Meanwhile, the owner had gotten to his feet and was smiling evily at him, "Now, you punk, I'm gonna fix you!" He fired seven more times, emptying the magazine into Ranma. Ranma fell flat to the floor, stunned bu the impacts. The owner came over and laughed, "Ha! Thought you could get the better of me?!" He nudged Ranma with his foot. Ranma snapped up and grabbed the foot then slammed his elbow into the man's knee, who let out an anguished cry and fell to the floor. Ranma pounced on him and punched him in the face, then smashed his wrist with the butt of a gun. The man groaned in a pain induced stupor. Ranma got up and grabbed his bag of weapons. He paused long enough to see he had been shot eight times. It didn't hurt and he felt fine, so he moved to the door, pausing long enough to collapse the entrance behind him. Ranma strode out of the gun shop into the driving rain. He slung the shotgun over his back and checked the two autopistols in his belt. He nodded, "Good..."he muttered, "Finally... Vengance is at hand..." Apparently satisi- fed, he walked off down the street. [End part 6] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Chapter #6 Vengance] Ranma ran through the rainy night, following the flight of the wheeling black crow that lead him onward. After a while, he arrived at a shabby apartment house. He nodded as a message ran through his mind. He pulled his pistols and walked up the stairs to the third floor. Walking along the dimly lit corridor, he soon found the right apartment number. He stopped outside and listened. He could hear sounds from within. Sounds of a man and woman together. No matter. The job had to be done. The crow said so, and who was he to argue? Ranma readied himself and took a deep breath. Then, with a powerful kick, he slammed the door off it's hinges and sent it flying across the room. He heard confused shouts from inside and saw a man he recognised as one of his killers. Ranma drew a bead on the man and fired. The shot slammed into the wall next to the man, causing him to pull back in surprise. Ranma ran into the apartment and slid along the wall. He then rolled across the floor and hid behind the TV just as a volley of shots rang out, accompanied by a frightened scream. Ranma covered his head as the plaster above him was blasted off the walls. Ranma picked up the TV and hurled it into the door way of the room and ran up to the door. Another spray of random gunfire blasted out of the door. Ranma kicked the hand holding the gun, sending the weapon flying across the room. Ranma immediately leapt into the room and rolled across the floor. He looked over and saw the man pulling a revolver from the draw. Ranma looked around and noticed a woman cowering in the corner of the room. Without a moments hesiti- ation, he grabbed her and pulled her up in front of him. "I only want you... She doesn't have to die..." Ranma grated, leveling his pistol at the woman's head. The man laughed and shot her. The bullets tore through her and into Ranma. He stared in horror and she slumped lifelessly in his arms. He had never intended to really shoot her, and yet this man had just killed her to get him. Ranma raised his hands beneath her arms and fired both guns. The two pistols roared in unison as they sent bullet after bullet into the man's convulsing body. He slowly fell back against the wall, staring at Ranma with shocked eyes. A moment later he slid down the wall, leaving a thick trail of blood behind. Ranma walked over to the man. He was still alive...just. Ranma crouched in a pool of the man's blood and looked coldly at the him, "Do you remember me? You killed me about a month ago... This is payback." The man's eyes widened in shocked recognition and then froze as death took him. His last expression was one of utter terror. Ranma smiled grimly and slowly stood, looking around the room. The walls, floor and furniture were all coated in blood. In fact, Ranma had never seen so much blood. Shocked by the harsh reality of what he had done, he stumbled out of the apartment and ran unsteadily down the stairs, before slipping into a dark alley. Ranma ran through the grimy alleys and dirty back streets for many minutes, each one seeming like an eternity. Finally, when he became too exhausted to run any further, he slumped down amongst the rubbish and mud puddles. He sat, gasping for air for long minutes, before finally sitting back and glaring up and the crow which sat on a fire escape ladder across from him. "Was that what I was supposed to do?" he hissed. The crow nodded. "Why is it like this? Why have you turned me into a killing machine?" he grated. "What?!" he exclaimed to the unspoken reply, "Neccesity? NOT ENOUGH SKILL?! I'm the best! What?! Oh... Retribution requires a strong hand? I guess that makes sense... But...doesn't killing them make me just as bad?!" The crow tilted it's head to the side and sqwarked. Ranma snorted derisively, "Figures... The ends justify the means..." The crow jumped into the air and flapped up into the sky. It gave a haunting cry as it wheeled in the wind currents of the night. Ranma sighed and got up, "I'm comin'" he muttered as he rose to his feet, "I've still got all these bullets in me..." He looked down to find that all of the wounds were gone. "Wha?!" he exclaimed. He nodded a moment later and began to walk, "Oh... Okay... Thanks..." As he walked away, he began reloading his guns. He knew he was going to need them... Akane sat in her room. She was looking at the colored liquid in the vail. It was blue. She gasped and her head dropped to the table top. She began to sob a moment later, the packet of the pregnancy test dropping from her nerveless fingers... Ranma looked around the corner of the hotel room. He could see three men and woman sitting at a table. They had apparently not heard him enter, because they were still playing cards. He smiled, that would make it much easier... Reaching into his belt, he pulled out his pistols and flicked off the safet- ies. He disliked using guns, but the task at hand required it. Akane would never be safe until these men were dead. He was determined to ensure her safety... He took a deep breath and stepped into the room. The men turned just in time to see him level his guns and open fire. He fired quickly and efficiently, putting three bullets into each of them before they could even move. They dropped without a sound as he moved into the centre of the room. The woman was quicker than the others, however, rolling back and firing a small calibre pistol at him. Ranma dodged to the side and dived against the wall and listened. All he could hear was the sounds of three of his killers dying. Getting up cautiously, he snuck over to where the woman had been, and found an open window. In the distance, he could see a shadow running away. He cursed him luck and turned on his heel and walked out... The head realtor woke up at the sudden sound and looked around. The phone was ringing. He frowned and picked it up, "Yes?" The voice on the other end of the line was female and out of breath, "Boss... It's Yuki... The others are dead..." The man stared into space, "What?! How?!" "Someone came... We were playing cards... A guy busted in and killed the others... I don't know who... I called Sugi, but I got no answer... I guess he's dead, too... I told Masato we'd meet him at the office... We've got to do something... Someones hunting us!" she exclaimed. The woman's voice was both scared and angry at the same time. The man nodded and said, "Yes... Okay... Twenty minutes..." He put the phone down and climbed out of bed. "Dammit! Must be those idiots from the doujou! Why couldn't they just sell and stop making life so damn difficult?!" He cursed a few more times and then got dressed and walked out. He stopped for a moment to grab a katana off the stand on the wall, then stepped out into the night. Ranma walked around a street corner and saw a familiar figure. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out and small object. With a flick of his wrist, a blade popped out and he folded his hand around it. Ranma paused to see if he was alone, toying with the knife absently. After a few minutes, the crow flew overhead, circling around above the man. That was his cue... Ranma gritted his teeth and gripped the knife tightly as he stepped out. The man seemed to be waiting for something. He appeared nervous, and with good cause... As Ranma approached, it occured to him how ironic it was that he had found another of the killers right outside the realty office. The place that had more or less caused his death would now become the instrument of his revenge. He walked casually down the street like any other passer by, until he was right near the man. "Hey..." Ranma whispered, "Didn't you kill me?" The man turned and Ranma drove the butterfly knife into him. The man gasped and doubled over. Ranma pulled the blade free and kneed the man in the face. He snapped upright just as Ranma ran the bloody blade across his throat. He gaped in shock as Ranma pulled his fist back and punched him through the window of the shop, a weak gargle his only protest. Ranma then jumped into the room and checked the body. He was dead, the glass of the window having punctured his back. Ranma stepped out and moved into some shadows across the street to observe. If he guessed right, the others would soon fall into his hands. He knew he had them running scared... All he had to do was finish the game... Above him, the crow flew in lazy circles, evidently content to wait also... The realtor and Yuki arrived shortly after to find the other man dead in the realty office. "Dead..." reported the woman dispassionatly, "Someone cut his throat... It's pro work, too... Whoever did this knows how to fight..." The man looked around, an annoyed look on his face, "Who's doing this?! Those people at the doujou haven't got the nerve! They're just kids and old men!" The woman snorted, "If we kill them, it won't matter, will it? We can kill two birds with one stone. We'll get them out of the way and stop whoever is doing this, all at once!" The man frowned thoughtfully and then nodded, "Yes... Let's go... It's time this deal was closed, anyway..." They both got into the black car and it pulled away... Ranma turned and walked away. He knew where they were going... And he was ready... [End part 7] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Chapter #7 Confrontation] The black limo moved quietly through the rain, rolling up to the Tendou-ke with it's lights off. Inside, a man and a woman spoke. "Are you ready?" the man asked. "Yes," replied the woman, "I know what to do..." The man opened the door and got out. He was carrying a katana, "Good... There must be no witnesses..." They moved quickly away from the car and flitted through the shadows. Above them on the wall, Ranma watched. With an athletic leap, he jumped from the fence to the roof of the house. A moment later, the gate opened and the two figures crept through. Ranma watched them approach the house slowly. He sat quietly, disguised by the sounds of the rain. He tensed as they moved below him. With a shout, he leapt down and kicked them to the ground. They rolled away and Ranma moved in. He grabbed the woman and hurled her against the wall and punched her in the face. He was about to follow up, when the katana suddenly popped through his chest. He looked dully down at it and cursed his lack of concentration. Pul- ling himself off the sword, he jumped and rebounded off the wall. He caught the man's head between his knees and slammed him into the damp ground. The man got slowly to his feet and gaped at Ranma. "Impossible..." he muttered, "We killed you! You're dead! I saw the funeral!" Ranma laughed and kicked him in the face, "That's right! I'm dead! Why do you think I didn't die just then?! Now it's your turn..." Ranma grabbed the man around the neck and lifted him off the ground. "NO!" Ranma looked over to the source of the shout. The woman was standing next to a terrorfied looking Akane. The woman held a gun to her head. "Let him go..." she ordered. Ranma cursed his luck. Akane must have heard the sound and come to see what it was. "Alright! Don't do anything to her!" Ranma shouted. He stepped back relucta- ntly, glancing at Akane he did. Everywhere he moved, her eyes followed. An expression of mixed horror and hope on her face. Even through the rain, he could see the shock she obviously felt. The man grabbed his sword and smiled, "The funs just starting! We've got all night to kill!" He laughed at his own joke then stabbed Ranma in the chest. Ranma did not even flinch as the blade bit into him. The man stared and then frowned and twisted the sword. "Disapointed?" Ranma asked. He reached behind him and pulled a pistol out of his belt and kicked the man's knee out. As he did so, he turned and fired at the woman, hitting her in the shoulder, she staggered back, dropping her gun. "GET OUT OF HERE, AKANE!" he shouted. Akane nodded and ran back into the house as he lunged at the woman, who was drawing another gun on Akane. Akane heard a gunshot and looked back to see Ranma wrestling with the woman on the ground. She could see he was bleeding from a dozen wounds of various types. She stopped, staring in fascinated horror at the scene of violence before her, the darkness and cold seeming to amplify the hiddeousness of it all. The man limped to his feet and grabbed his sword as Ranma headbutted the woman and shot her through the hand. The man slowly but surely limped towards the place where Ranma and the woman were stilll brawling. Akane could see that Ranma was too busy to see him coming. She knew she had to do something, but she was afraid... Afraid of these people..and of Ranma... If that was Ranma... She struggled with herself for a moment and then acted. She had to do some- thing. If that was Ranma and he died again, she would never forgive herself. Decision made, she ran straight at the man and leapt out into the now pouring rain, kicking him in the face. He reeled back and she attacked, kicking him in the knee and and bashing him in the face. He stumbed back and hit her with the hilt of the sword, felling her. Ranma grabbed the woman by the throat and lifted her off the ground, "Now it's your turn!" he grated. Ranma jumped and drove her into the ground with their combined weight behind the impact. He heard the air rush out of her and heard the sound of ribs snapping. He saw her eyes dilate in pain, then darken in anger as she kicked him away. Ranma somersaulted and landed on his feet and she struggled to get up. He was about to rush her when the man spoke, "Well... This has been most entertai- ning, I must say... But now it's time to end it... Or rather...to end her!" Ranma looked down to see the sword point at Akane's throat. A strangled shout was wrenched from his throat as he lunged. He saw the blade start to fall as he slid through the mud. He grabbed Akane and rolled on top of her as the sword pierced his back again. He rolled to his feet and leapt up onto the roof with Akane. She held him tightly, her eyes squeezed shut. When they landed, he put her down, "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. Akane stepped uncertainly away from him, fear in her eyes, "I..is that really you... Ranma?" Ranma nodded, "Yes. It's me... I can't explain... It's too hard... Listen... Go and find some cover... I'll take care of this..." Akane stared dubiously at him for a moment and he frowned, "Go, you stupid tomboy!" Akane smiled, much to his surprise, and hugged him, "It really is you!" she exclaimed. Ranma nervously hugged her back, "Er... Yeah... Now-" He was cut off as the man spoke, "Well, well... Isn't this romantic?! The lovers reunited..." He curled his lip derisively and limped forward, "You damned fools have cost me a fortune! Why couldn't you just sell up and go away?!" he ranted. As he moved forward, he was joined by the woman. Ranma moved back across the slippery roof, shielding Akane with his body, "You started all this! I suppose you did the same to all our neigbors... Blackmailing them into moving out!" The man laughed, "Of course! When I want something, I get it!" Ranma smiled and cracked his knuckles, "So do I... AND I WANT YOU DEAD!" Ranma rushed forwards and slammed a haymaker punch into the man's face. The man reeled back and Ranma kicked him, then hit the woman with his other foot. They both moved to counter and Ranma blocked, then threw them back onto the wet tiles, "You guys are no match for me! You're nothing when your guns don't work!" The woman pulled a pistol and aimed it at Akane in an attempt to distract him. Ranma simply jumped at her. Akane looked away and she saw chunks of flesh being torn out of Ranma's back by the intruding bullets. Ranma grabbed the woman and threw her on the ground. As he moved in for the kill, he was slashed across the back by the sword. He cursed, backing up and dodging. The man laughed maniacly as he swung the sword, "HAHAHAHAHA! I've been practicing with this thing for five years! I know how to use it!" Ranma ducked and kicked the man's injured leg, forcing him to his knees. Ranma backed up until he reached the end of the roof. The man rose to his feet and closed in. Ranma looked past him and saw the woman was regaining consci- ousness. He knew he had to act. Suddenly a metal object was pressed into his hand from behind. He looked back to see Akane nod grimly to him. He took the TV ariel in hand and fended as the man swung the katana. Ranma slashed with the antenna, tearing the man's shirt. They moved back across the roof, slashing and parrying. It was becoming clear that Ranma was the better swordsman, when he was shot in the back by a gun that sent him rolling across the roof. He looked up, wondering what sort of handcannon had been able to do that. He saw the woman holding a shotgun and grinning wildly at him. He also saw Akane moving up behind her. Ranma watched with some satisfaction as Akane tapped her on the shoulder, then punched her off the roof as she turned, sending her tumbling two stories to the ground. Ranma's reverie was interupted as the sword cut across his vision. He dodged it and rolled to his feet. The man attacked in a frenzy of wild and uncont- rolled blows. Ranma dodged and parried as best he could, but he was finding the slippery roof to be trecherous footing and he was getting cut to pieces. Finally, he feigned a stumble and rolled back. The man moved in for the kill and Ranma kicked him into the air. As he came down, Ranma stabbed up with the antenna. The pole tore through the man and then impaled itself back into the roof, leaving the man's body hanging limply from the ariel. "I always knew TV was bad for you..." Ranma muttered. He looked around and saw Akane standing a few feet away, the driving rain still falling all around them. She looked worridly at him. "Ranma..." she whispered, "I-is... Is it over?" He could hardly hear her for the sound of the storm. He nodded and then walked away. "Wait!" she called, "Where are you going?!" Ranma turned and said, "I can't tell you... But... I can't stay... I wish I could... I'm sorry..." "Wait, Ranma..." she replied ignoring his protests, "You have to know... I'm pregnant..." Ranma stared in shock, "H-how..." "Remember the night we spent together?" she explained. "B-but..." Ranma stammered. Akane looked pleadingly at him, "Please stay, Ranma... I need you..." Ranma looked desparate and sad at the same time, "I..I can't... I don't have any choice." With that, he turned and leapt off the roof and into the night. Akane ran unsteadily to the edge, but could not see him in the blackness, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! RANMAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" she cried in misery and rage. Ranma staggered through the driving rain into the graveyard and slumped down against his headstone. He suddenly felt incredibly tired. He sat back in a state of exhaustion and emptiness. In one night he had completed his mission. And now it was over. Much as he he wanted to stay, he knew the conditions he had agreed to, and he accepted them. Nonetheless, bitterness ran through his soul like poison in his veins. Akane would have to raise their child alone. Their son or daughter would never have a chance to know their father. For the first time in his long ordeal, Ranma began to cry. Not for himself, but for the family he was leaving behind. He knew they needed him, but he also knew that he no longer had any say in whether he remained. He wanted, more than anything, to stay with Akane. After all of the pain and suffering and madness, he desparately wanted some good to come of it all... And finally something was... He was going to be a father... That made it all worthwhile, and made it that much more painful at the same time. He wanted more than anything to marry Akane and to be a father. All of his doubts and irresponsibility lay behind him, washed away by his love for his fiancee and his child. He sighed, knowing that it was out of his hands. He lay back against the stone and closed his eyes. If he was to get a chance to live again... It would be up to the crow... The rain and tears mingled on his Ranma's face as he lay on the muddy ground. After a mercifully few moments of bitter agony, he slipped into the the comforting blackness... [End part 8] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== Clogged Sink Press Presents: The Crow/Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: As the Crow Flies By Plunger All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah... The Crow is copyright of James O'Barr or whoever else owns it... ______________________________________________________________________________ [Story begins...] [Epilogue - Homecoming] Akane ran into the graveyard and headed straight for Ranma's grave, something deep inside telling her that that was where he was. She arrived to find him lying limply against his own gravestone. She ran over and dropped to her knees next to him. Looking at him, she was able to see that he was battered and wounded from the battle. He looked pale and weak. Panicking, she pulled him up by the front of his leather vest. Feeling his neck, she was able to find a faint pulse. Ignoring the surge of elation that ran through her, she urgently said, "Hang on, Ranma! Don't you dare die on me again!", giving him a shake to reinforce her words. Ranma groaned and opened his eyes. He had really just wanted to sit back and quietly slip away and be left in peace. With Akane, it was vain hope. "You're such a tomboy, you know..." he murmered weakly. Akane bristled, but held him tightly anyway, "Shh, Ranma... I'll take care of you..." Ranma nodded and slipped into unconsciousness again. "Ranma! Wake up!" Ranma's eyes snapped open at the sudden sound. He looked around and saw that he was still in the graveyard. He turned his head and saw Akane hovering next to him, a frightened look on her face. "I've got to go get help. Will you be okay?" Ranma groaned a little, before whispering, "It's okay..." Akane stared, "What do you mean `okay'?" "I knew what would happen when I came back..." he replied slowly, "The condi- tion was that I only stay a short time... I had to protect you..." Akane gasped as understanding hit her, "No..." she whispered fiercely, "Not again! I wont lose you again! There must be some way..." Ranma gestured towards the black bird that sat on a gravestone across from them, "The crow has the power to free me..." Akane turned and looked at the bird for the first time. It looked curiously back at her. Akane frowned and then spoke, "You... I saw you before..." The crow nodded and hopped along the headstone. "Why?! Why can't Ranma stay?!" she demanded angrilly, as if the bird was to blame for the entire situation. A look of shock passed over her face and her expression fell, "I see... But I love him! Doesn't that count?! It does? NO! That's not fair! NO! I need him more!" Akane glared angrilly at the bird and then defiantly took Ranma's hand in her own, "You'll have to take me too, then!" The crow gazed at her for a long time, it's eyes lingering on the couple's joined hands. Suddenly Akane looked up, an expression of joy on her face, "Really?" she exclaimed, "You mean it?!" She jumped up excitedly and ran out of the graveyard. The crow watched her retreating form for a moment and then flew over and landed on Ranma's shou- lder. He looked up at it uncertainly. After a moment, he nodded and said, "Yes... I understand... Thank you... I will tell her..." The crow nodded one last time and then leapt into the air. It flew once over the graveyard, then with a loud cry, turned and disapeared into the night sky. Ranma watched the crow leave with a certain sense of fear, strangely mixed with relief. When Akane returned with the family in tow, he was still staring at the place where he had last seen the crow. Akane crouched down next to Ranma and grabbed his hand. "Ranma, are you alright?!" she asked urgently. Ranma snaped awake and nodded, "Yeah...I think I am..." He looked up and saw Kasumi and Nabiki looking warily at him. Souun was blubbering everywhere and raving about miracles. Ranma couldn't help but smile. He winced as he did so. Akane noticed this, "Oh! We'd better get you to Toufuu-sensei! Can you walk?" Ranma nodded and slowly staggered to his feet. His body ached and felt as if the onlt thing holding it together was the leather surrounding him. He sucked in a deep breath and stepped away from the headstone. Akane hovered near him, but he waved her away. He was determined to walked back into the land of the living on his own feet. As he stepped out the gate of the graveyard, he held out his hand. He smiled contentedly as he felt Akane's hand slip into his own. He turned and looked at her loving face. "Are you okay?" she asked again. Ranma smiled, "Yeah... I am...finally..." With that, they turned and slowly began to walk to the Dr. Toufuu's clinic. The next morning, Ranma got up and went to breakfast. Akane was sitting at the table eating. She was surprised when she saw him. "Oh! You're up... I didn't want to wake you... I thought you must be tired..." Ranma shrugged, he thought he should have been tired too, but he wasn't. Sitting down, he grabbed a bowl and began shovelling rice into it. Nabiki looked over and dryly said, "I guess some things never change... Your manners haven't improved!" Ranma stared for a moment and then finished with a little more decorum. Akane smiled as Ranma gave Nabiki an evil smile and then took great pains to be as well manered as possible. Nabiki ignored him, wearing an expession of distain on her face. Shortly after, Akane got up to go to school. "Hang on!" said Ranma, as she grabbed her bag. "Hm?" she asked confused, "You're coming? So soon..." He nodded and grabbed a notepad and pen before stuffing it into a bag. Akane watched all this and then smiled as he joined her at the door. He nodded and they walked out onto the street. "You know," Akane mused, "That you're going to cause a sensation?" Ranma looked quizically at her, "Why? 'Cause I'm back from the dead?" Akane laughed, "No... Because you're still wearing all that leather!" Ranma looked down and realized she was right. He shrugged. He was sort of getting used to it... Later that day, Ranma and Akane walked through the park where his funeral had been held. They were holding hands and talking animatedly. From time to time, one would exclaim or shout, then the other would console them. A short time later, they stood overlooking the lake with Ranma holding Akane from behind, his arms wrapped around her waist. She smiled as she watched the cherry blossoms fall into the water. "Spring..." she whispered. Ranma started, "Wha?" he asked, confused. "It will be spring..." she said, not explaining. "When?" said Ranma, somewhat annoyed. Akane smiled and put her hands on his, "When our baby is born..." "Oh..." said Ranma. "You're happy, aren't you?" she asked. Ranma noted a tinge of worry in her voice. He leaned over and kissed her neck, "I've never been happier..." She smiled and turned to his kiss him, "Good..." After a moment of kissing, they turned and walked hand in hand from the park. "You know..." Ranma mused as they left, "We should get married...soon..." A few days later, Ranma sat on the porch at the Tendou Doujou. He looked out at the sunset, revelling in the sight. Akane came over and knelt behind him wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiled and put his hands on hers. "What are you looking at?" she asked, gazing around the yard. "The sunset..." he replied. "Why?" Ranma shifted, "Because I never bothered to notice how beautiful it was before..." Akane said nothing, but rested her head on his shoulder. "Dying makes you see things for what they are..." Ranma added, as if to himself, "You realise just how precious every moment is...and how precious every experience is..." Akane smiled, a littled amazed at Ranma's philosophical state. She squeezed him and said, "I know... When you died... I thought..I couldn't go on... I... never realised just how much you really meant..." A few tears began to roll almost unconsciously down her cheeks. Ranma turned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him, "It's alright, Akane... I'm here... And I'm never leaving again..." Akane wiped away her tears, "Promise?" Ranma smiled, "Absolutely..." Akane shifted and sat next to him, looking out at the orange sunlight. Ranma put his arm around her and she relaxed against him. "Only a week until the wedding..." she noted quietly. He nodded absently, "Yeah... A real one, this time..." [The End] ______________________________________________________________________________ Author's Notes: Hmm... This has got to be one of my strangest fanfics... And probably one of which I am particularly proud. I have never written anything with quite as much intensity, I don't think, and it effected me a great deal as I wrote it. It started as a stray thought that ran through my mind after a friend mentio- ned The Crow halfway through a conversation about Ranma. This twigged my imag- ination and this story is a result. The parts about the Crow were more or less incidental to my original plan, in which I wanted to write a story about Ranma dying and Akane coping with it and then having him come back by some miraculous means. The Crow seemed as good a method as any, and allowed me to use a very dark and, hopefully, atmo- spheric setting. I know that some of you are mad at me for making this into a gunfest, but I did it for a couple of obivous reasons. The first is that the style of combat used in the movie was all gunplay and I was trying to stay as close to the feel of the film as I possibly could. The second reason was that after getting toasted, Ranma was only going to be able to beat his enemies by adopting their methods. While some may question the morality of this, I will just point you to Mouko Takabisha and Hiryuushoutenha as examples of Ranma adapting to beat his opponent with their own abilities. This was going to be a dark fic from word go. When you kill the main charac- ter, it's very difficult to do anything else... I guess when I started I was really only thinking of the death issue rather than anything else. As I went along, I realized that it was mearly a means to facilitate a study of the depths of Ranma and Akane's feelings and what death might do to them. I did a lot of cruel things to them, but I think they were strong enough to overcome all that and be better for it. Ranma needed to overcome his hopeless lack of responsibility and Akane had to realise that she loved Ranma uncond- itionally... THAT'S what this was all about... I think... Anyway... I hope you liked it and you can send comments to: plunger@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au