Subject: [FanFic][Ranma] As the Crow Flies 4/9
From: Martin Bennett
Date: 8/25/1996, 11:27 PM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com


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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...  
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[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. <I'm sorry, Akane...>
he whispered, <I did my best...>

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]
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