Disclaimer: Revenge can taste so sweet, yet it can be so sour… by the way, I don’t own Ranma ½, or The Crow, so don’t be suing me or nothing. Not that you’ll find me anyway… heheheheh…

This story takes place three days after the aborted wedding.

Prologue: Confessed Love and it’s Consequences

For the third night, Akane was trying to go to sleep. Notice I said trying. She was apparently crying into her pillows, trying to muffle her sobs, just like she had the past few nights.

‘How… how could he? I know what I heard…’

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on her door.

"Who… who is it?" she asked through her tears.

"It’s me Akane. We need to talk," she heard.

"Go away Ranma. I have nothing to say to you," she responded bitterly.

"Akane please, it’s difficult enough as it is. Don’t make it any worse. Please, I… we really need to talk."

No response.

Ranma sighed in defeat. He knew she was being stubborn. "I’m sorry," he said. He left to his room. Akane’s door opened as his closed.

Ranma was about to lock it to keep his old man out when the door was forced open. Akane barged in and did it for him.

"Let’s talk," she said, sitting on his futon. Ranma followed suit.

"Akane, I’m so… sorry. For what I said at the wedding. I… didn’t really mean to… hurt you," he said starring at the floor.

"Well, what matters is that you did hurt me, and I don’t appreciate it. How could you deny what you said?! How could you!?"

"Cause I was playing stubborn."

This made her stop. Did he just say what she thought he said.

"I said what I said at the wedding because it was the safest way to go about." He put a hand to her cheek and caressed it gently. "Akane, I didn’t want to put you in any more danger than we were in already. If I admitted that I love you right then and there, how do you think the fiancées and the Kuno’s would’ve reacted?"

She gasped. He HAD admitted his love for her. He WAS admitting his love for her, right here. She was so shocked that she didn’t notice Ranma hugging her warmly.

"Akane, I love you more than anything in this world. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened with you. You’re my life Akane… if you die, I wouldn’t be able to live on the same. You’re my will, my strength, and everything that keeps me alive. I need you Akane."

He stayed there, hoping to get a respond of some sort. He was startled as he felt her smile radiating.

"Baka, what took you so long?" she asked, feeling the tears coming.

"A stubborn boy named Ranma Saotome kept me. But I managed to keep him down long enough to get through," he said, smiling that ‘special’ smile.

She burst into tears as she started to hug him vigorously, muttering ‘I love you’ over and over again into his chest. He lifted her chin and she crashed her lips onto his, getting him in a desperately needed kiss. They both hungrily accepted each other, taking in all they could, and by the time that they finished, they seemed to glow radiantly in a vast shade of red. Ranma soon fell asleep, leaving Akane to herself. She could be more happy, more complete than she was now, lying next to her new lover.

‘I can’t believe it… I won his heart. He chose me, out of all the other cute girls he could’ve had, he chose me. We finally admitted it.’ She smiled as she caressed his face. ‘He was so.. gentle. He looks so peaceful now. Almost… fulfilled.’

She snuggled up to Ranma really closely, falling asleep next to him. ‘I love you Ranma,’ were her last thoughts as the bliss of sleep took her over.

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Cologne sat on a branch outside the Tendo household, infuriated at what had just happened.

"If I can’t have you, Saotome, then I will have your blood," she hissed before disappearing into the night, pondering the death of Ranma Saotome.

The Next Morning…

Akane woke with a start, noticing two things: One – she was totally naked, and Two – she wasn’t in her room. She looked next to her and spotted an equally naked Ranma asleep next to her. Smoke started coming out of her ears as she was about to start bashing Ranma in for taking advantage of her, but reluctantly stopped as visions from last night crawled into her head. She smiled, kissing Ranma awake.

He stirred a bit before opening his eyes… to a naked angel.

"Hey there beautiful," he greeted her. She blushed at being addressed as such.

"Hey there handsome," she replied, kissing him for good measure. He smiled as he hugged her. "My angel," he muttered.

Her blush deepened even more. Where had ‘un-cute tomboy’ gone off to?

He let go off her. "Let’s play hooky today. I don’t feel like going to school today," he said as he put on his boxers and pants. "Get into something descent and I’ll take you to the park."

She gasped. Skip class? She had never done that before. "I don’t know Ranma…" she was silenced with a deep kiss. "Come on, I’ll make it worth while," he said, giving her puppy eyes. She laughed her first genuine laugh in a while. "Okay, okay, just this once. But that’s it. You got it?"

He nodded as he put on his shirt, socks and shoes. "Come on, put on some clean clothes and I’ll meet you at the park entrance," he said. He opened the door and looked down the hallway as Akane collected her dirty clothes.

"It’s all clear. See ya in a few," he said, kissing her on her forehead and jumping out the window.

She quickly slipped into her room and got some clothes. She went into the furo for a quick soak before getting into clean clothes and shooting out the door to meet Ranma.

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Ranma waited impatiently as he waited for Akane to come. What was keeping her so long.

He barely saw the blow coming. He got struck on the back of the head and crashed into the pavement. He turned to see Cologne and Shampoo standing over him, apparently really pissed off.

"If we can’t have your heart, we shall have your blood!" they yelled in unison as they charged him.

‘There’s something different about their technique,’ he thought as he was barely able to avoid Shampoo’s swords and Cologne’s Naginata.

‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’

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Akane was humming a happy tune and skipping while on her way to the park. She was a block away when she heard a cry of war.

‘Huh… what has Ranma gotten himself into this time,’ she wondered. She sped up and found a shocking site.

Shampoo and Cologne were double-teaming Ranma with lethal weapons. What was going on?

"Ranma…" she whispered.

Ranma glanced at her. "Akane, stay aw… ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he grunted as Shampoo’s samurai sword went through the center of his chest and Colognes Naginata ripped through his back.

"RANMA!" yelled Akane as she ran towards him as he slumped to the floor.

"Our task is done Shan Pu. Let us return home," said Cologne in Mandarin.

They left the scene as Akane slumped down next to a lifeless Ranma. She tried to wake him up several times, but all she got was the same look of terror on his face. Fear for her. He had died trying to warn her.

"Why Ranma. Why, why, why, why…" she moaned as she bitterly sobbed. By now a crowd had formed and someone had called an ambulance, but, it was too late. He was gone.

Two Weeks Later…

The funeral was a very bitter moment for everyone. Akane was the one crying the hardest, then came Soun, followed by Nodoka and Genma. Ukyo was in tears, but also felt a bitter hate for him as she had found out that Ranma had slept with Akane the night after his murder. Mousse was there as well, appearing very disturbed at the whole scene. He had completely rejected Shampoo when he had heard what she and Cologne had done. He refused involvement in the tribe and considered himself a complete stranger to the Amazon Tribe. The rest of the Tendo’s cried silently, including Kasumi, who was currently letting out over ten years of penned-up emotions. Even Happosai was there, showing his respects towards his lost pupil and amazingly enough he wasn’t stealing anyone’s panties or bras.

After the funeral was over, Akane was the only one to stay behind. She was still crying bitterly as she knelt before the grave of her late husband. They had gotten an official marriage certificate when the families found out Akane and Ranma had sex the night before the murder.

"You baka, why’d you have to leave me again?" she sobbed. She caressed the stone with care. "I love you Ranma Saotome. I promise I’ll bring honor to both of our families."

And so with her final words said, Akane Saotome parted a parting that wasn’t meant to be.

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As Akane left the graveyard, a big black crow loomed over-head, perched on a tombstone. It stared at Akane, then to the fresh gravestone of Ranma. It instantly knew that his sprit would not rest easily until he was avenged. The bird flew off into the sunset, to await the awakening of the next Crow.

Chapter 1: Ranma’s Return. The Crow Reawakens Again

One Month Later

Thunder clashed as the stormed roared over the Nerima skies. It was especially intense over a certain cemetery in Nerima. A black crow circled the sky, knowing it would happen soon.

Suddenly, numerous lightning bolts hit the dug earth of a certain grave. An erie glow surrounding it, and when it was all over, the crow knew that the reawakening had finished. Ranma Saotome was the next Crow.

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He gasped for air as he found himself crammed inside a wooden box. He looked around, the memories of his death being a big blur. He remembered up to the part where Cologne and Shampoo had stabbed him, but everything else was a big blur.

He touched the top of the box, and suddenly, visions of his funeral rushed into his head, of his family crying, of Akane, suffering emotionally.

He tried to get out, but he was stuck.

"There’s no way I’m gonna stay stuck in a box. MOKO TAKABISHA!" he yelled as he used his trademark chi blast to break through the box and over six feet of earth. Fresh air entered his lungs for the first time in over a month. He got up, a black aura dancing around his body. He climbed out of the hole, and stared dumb-founded at his own grave: Here Lies Ranma Saotome – May The Spirit Of Nerima’s Greatest Martial Artist Rest In Peace.

Peace. He would never know peace until his murderers were brought to justice by his hands.

He touched the tombstone and more scenes flashed through his mind: scenes from his funeral, Kasumi crying bitterly, the look of betrayal on Mousses face, and the words Akane had said afterwards. He noticed the two rings on each of her hands. He looked at his own. He also had two rings: one plain gold, and the other gold with two diamonds in the middle.

‘I’m… married?’ he thought to himself. When the hell did this happen?

He heard a rush of wings. He looked above the stone to see a huge black crow perched on top of it.

"Who are you," asked Ranma.

The bird stared him down into the eyes. He nodded in understanding.

"I see, so we’ll be working together for a while then?"

The bird cawed his answer and fluttered to him, dropping something on the ground. He picked it up. It was a switch blade. He tested several times, flipping the blade in and out repeatedly, chuckling to himself all the while.

"This will do very nicely. Thank you my friend," he said, putting it away. "Let’s get some decent clothes on. I still smell like dirt, and they’re all ripped up."

And so the endless march of The Crow began.

One Hour Later…

Ranma came out of a broken in clothing store with a new outfit on: a black Chinese style shirt with a two-headed dragon on it, Chinese style black pants, a black trench coat with lots of pockets in it, including on inside his sleeves, so he could hide the switch in it, and a pair of dark black sunglasses.

The crow looked at him curiously when he put on the sunglasses. Ranma looked back, sensing it’s thoughts.

"What, since you’re my eyes, I have no need for mine," he said in a matter-of-fact way. "At least not yet."

The crow cawed in agreement as he put his switch blade in his right sleeve’s pocket and stepped out just as the police arrived. They busted out with hand guns.

"Freeze! Hands were we can see them!" shouted one policeman.

For some reason, Ranma wasn’t moved, or even scared. He took a step towards then when a nervous cop shot at him, getting him in the leg. He put a hand to the wound… no blood. He didn’t bleed. He couldn’t bleed. ‘I don’t have to fear death,’ he realized.

He walked up to one cop, grabbed his throat and crushed his windpipes, killing him instantly. He popped out his switch blade and cut the throat of another with incredible ease.

The blade was popped back in and the switch was put away as Ranma launched himself, his spirit now inside the crow and was soaring with incredible speed towards the Ucchan. First, he’d take care of his suitors, then his murderers.

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Ukyo sat uneasily. Ryoga had gotten lost again. She had told him how Ranma had died the day after the funeral, and they had totally broken down, which led to them doing the deed, so to speak, that same night. At first, they thought they had done it for comfort, but soon they found that they indeed had strong feelings for each other. They had been dating for sometime now, but she hadn’t seen him all week.

‘I knew a whole week without getting lost was too good to be true,’ she thought as she looked at the empty counter.

A small pecking on her door broke her thoughts. She looked out to find a soaking crow at her doorstep. She opened the door and let it in.

"You poor thing. Look at you, you’re all wet," she said. The bird shook off the water and flocked past her into the restaurant.

"HEY! Get back here bef… oh my…" she said as she followed the trajectory of the bird to a strange looking young man standing near the stairs to the upper floors of the Ucchans.

"Hello Ucchan. It’s been a while," he said.

‘He has Ranma’s voice.’ "Hey, no one but my best friends are allowed to call me that," she said.

He grinned. ‘The same grin,’ she thought.

"But I thought were have always been friends," he said, taking off his glasses. Ukyo gasped. "Ranma…" was all she got out before feinting before his very eyes.

He shook his head in amusement, picking her up and laying her on her bed upstairs. As he carried her to her room, he saw visions before him, seeing her in bitter sorrow, Ryoga with her, holding on to each other, eventually leading to a night of stressful lust.

He shook his head in disbelief. It seemed that this suitor was already taken care of.

He put her in her room, scribbled a quick note explaining what he was going to do and left instructions to burn the letter after she had shown it to Ryoga. He mentioned his congratulations to her on scoring Hibiki as a P.S. then hurried out of the Ucchan, going towards the Kuno Mansion to put the psychotics out of their misery.

The Next Morning

Akane woke up feeling very sick that morning. Damn morning sickness, but that’s the price to pay if you’re gonna carry the child of the greatest Martial Artist in the world.

After the worst was over, she brushed her teeth and went downstairs. She sat at the table and started vacuuming the food. Nabiki decided to come in at this time and turn on the TV.

"… And on other news, a series of murders have been committed in two different areas of the Nerima district, involving two officials, and surprisingly enough, the two Kuno siblings, Tatewaki and Kodachi. Both places had a strange portrait of what appeared to be a large bird, similar to the ones of several murders committed in the United States only one year ago. The only difference in it is that it had some sort of family symbol in the center and…" at this Nabiki turned off the TV, looking rather pale at the pictures that they had displayed. At least two of the four victims had their throats slit.

Akane, who had stopped wolfing down food, had a shade of green on her face as she raced to the bathroom to let it all out again before it was too late.

Nabiki raced to her own room and logged on to her computer. It seemed that she had some research to do.

‘Those were the Saotome family symbols, I just know it,’ she thought. It would seem that she would have to go have a chat with Nodoka sometime soon. In the meantime, she would check her sources and order all of her colleagues to follow up on this case and keep her as informed as humanly possible.

She logged on to msn.com and came across startling news. She quickly printed the article and picture and sped to Nodoka’s house, grabbing a newspaper along the way.

Two Hours Later…

Nodoka was just about to serve lunch when she heard a rather loud and rushed knock on her door.

She went to answer to see an exhausted Nabiki on her doorstep. "Take… a look… at this," she gasped out as she handed her the printed news article and picture.

Nodoka stared at the pictures horrified. "I don’t understand. Why would someone want to blow up my son’s grave?" she asked.

"It’s not that Auntie," said Nabiki, who had caught her breath. "The article specifically stated that there was no pieces or full corpse of Ranma’s."

"I see. Come on in dear, and we’ll talk about this issue over lunch."

"You might want to skip lunch, cause there’s more."

They headed to the dining room.

"Auntie, if you could do me a favor and please draw the Saotome family symbol on the back of that article?" she asked.

"Certainly," she said, and proceeded with the request.

"I see. So I was right," said Nabiki.

"What on earth are you talking about dear?" asked Nodoka.

Nabiki pulled out the newspaper and showed the blood-inked picture of the bird with the symbol in the middle.

Nodoka gasped. The symbol in the newspaper and the symbol that she had drawn were identical. Not even, it was a perfect replica.

"I… impossible," she said

"Not necessarily," said Genma coming up behind him. "I suspected that this might happen. Ranma’s spirit rests uneasily and has come back to avenge his death."

Nodoka and Nabiki looked at him as if he was crazy.

Sitting down, he started explaining.

"While in my travels, I came across a very old legend. The legend, of the Crow. You see, if someone died unjustly, or if something unjust happens to him and he dies before it gets resolved, it’s spirit can’t rest peacefully. So it comes back to life in the form of a living corpse. It wouldn’t be able to die, nor will it feel physical pain. It wouldn’t be able to bleed, it’s strength and speed would increase to unnatural standards. It will not stop until it has been avenged, through death."

"You mean…"

"Yes, Nodoka. Ranma had come back, and he’s after the blood of the Amazons."

Chapter 2: Reunion

Nabiki went home that night, feeling rather disturbed over the possibility that a corpse was running amuck.

"Really Nabiki, is it that hard to believe that I’ve come back," said a familiar voice.

She turned around and gasped as she saw a rather pale looking Ranma petting a huge crow standing on his arm.

"Oh kami, what the hell are you?" she asked, stepping back.

"I just want to pass a message is all," he said. He pulled a note out and gave it to his crow to give to Nabiki. It fluttered towards her and dropped it on the ground in front of her. She bent down to pick it up, but when she went to look at Ranma, he was gone.

She pocketed the note, seeing that it was addressed to Akane, and broke into a run, hauling ass to the dojo as fast as possible.

She read it on the way, seeing that he wanted to meet her. It looks like she would be doing some recording tonight…

That Night

From the top of the dojo, Ranma stood, the crow next to him. He suddenly felt two presence’s. He smiled.

"Tonight, I go for Amazon blood," he said, glaring towards the sky. "First, Shan Pu. Then Khu Lon, and finally, the entire Amazon Tribe. I will be avenged," he said. The crow cawed in agreement.

"Ranma?" He turned around to face a pale Akane. She was trembling violently.

He turned to the crow. It nodded in understanding and it flickered off into the night.

"Nabiki told me about what you’ve become," she trembled. She kept on walking towards him, slowly, precautiously. "What brought this on Ranma? What are you truly after. I know you, and revenge by cold-blooded murder is just not you."

He stared at her. She looked as beautiful as ever. Her hair had grown slightly, and she looked rather chubby.

‘That explains why I feel two presence’s,’ he thought. He walked up to her. "Well, it looks like I really did leave a piece of myself behind. How long have you known?" he asked. She looked down at her stomach.

"About three weeks. I found out I was pregnant a week after your funeral. Most probably it will be a boy," she said, a single tear running down her cheek. He wiped it with a finger, caressing her cheek along with it. Akane looked up at him, looking at his face for the first time in over a month. He was paler than usual. She touched his face. While a lot colder than a normal human in this type of weather, she did feel some warmth in it. Tears suddenly started splashing down as the dam broke and she got Ranma in a fierce hug and started crying into his trench coat.

"Oh kami Ranma! I thought I would never see you again!" she sobbed into him. He pulled away just enough to give him a deep and passionate kiss. Ranma returned everything that was offered with great joy. He and his love were together again.

He pulled them apart. Her face was beaming at him. She looked happier than ever in over a month.

"I’m sorry I left you Akane. I promise I’ll make sure they pay for the misery they’ve caused us," he said, sitting down. She sat down with him, holding his hand like a lifeline.

"Ranma, I’m scared. Why do you have to do this?" she asked.

Ranma frowned. "Because I must. If I don’t, then my spirit can never rest in peace," he explained.

"Then don’t. Don’t rest in peace. Stay with me. We could start over, but please Ranma don’t go…" she sobbed, begging for him to stay. He had a look of sadness over him.

"Akane, I’m already dead. I wouldn’t age, I wouldn’t die. I’m just another corpse now. I can’t live like this. I have to do this, or else I will never find peace," he said.

She looked into his eyes and immediately saw the regret. He really didn’t want to do this, but he knew that he had no other choice.

She sniffled a little, snuggling in deeper into Ranma’s chest.

"At least spend some time with me? Remember, we never got to go on that date together," she said. ‘That’s right. That might be another objective towards putting my soul to rest.’

"I suppose I could do that. I hope you like hanging around with dead guys," he said, grinning a creepy and sadistic grin.

Akane gasped, but then smiled warmly as his grin changed from mad to the grin that she liked to see.

"Don’t scare me like that Ranma," she said.

"Why? What’s the worst that could happen, a miscarriage?"

"OH SHUT UP SMART-ASS!"

"What happened to dense-headed baka yarou?"

"GRRRRRRRRRR."

*WHAM*

CRACK!!!

"…"

Poor Mr. Mallet-sama finally met it’s match – Zombie-Ranma’s head.

"My… my mallet…" she sobbed, mourning the loss of her dearly departed friend.

"Akane, I don’t feel pain, so I think it had no choice but to commit suicide," he said grinning.

"Oh you!" she claimed, putting her arms around his neck, his going around her waist.

"So, how does it feel to date a zombie," asked Ranma. She giggled. "Pretty strange. Hey! Something just crossed my mind. You said you can’t feel pain."

"Right…"

"Well, can you feel pleasure?"

"Gee, I don’t know. I’m willing to find out."

A kiss led to a hug.

That hug led to a rub.

All led to a night of love for the strange couple.

To Be Continued…

Authors Notes: … THAT WAS DISGUSTING! HOW COULD I HAVE HAD AKANE HAVE SEX WITH A FRIGIN DEAD GUY! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

*cough* Anyway, I think this came out alright. I think this is a very unique crossover. This is (to my knowledge) the first ever Ranma ½ / The Crow crossovers ever, however, I night be wrong. If I am, enlighten me, please. Also, I need help. What would you guys think would be the best way to kill Shampoo? I need to know. Cremation, multiple stab wounds, broken neck, turn her into a cat then put her in cement and throw her into a river? TELL ME! I know it’s mean of me, and no offence to Shampoo lovers everywhere, but this fic will go all out on all the Amazons. Expect them to be extinct, except for Mousse. He doesn’t consider himself an Amazon any more after finding out what Shampoo had done.

On another subject, I won’t be continuing Lost Love Found, Dark Chronicles, or Ranma Goes To The WWF unless I get ten requests each for them at my new e-mail: eternalnight51@chronocross.zzn.com, that means 10 for Lost Love Found, 10 for Dark Chronicles, and 10 for Ranma Goes To The WWF. Also, excuse the corny Chrono Cross fic. I didn’t like it, but my friend did and he made me put it up, and just for the record, I was severely disappointed at the way it came out, so please don’t flame me on my part, flame me on my friends part. I’m debating weather to continue Ranma’s Woes Of Heart, but you just might get me back into the writing mood for it by giving me five requests for it at my e-mail, so there you go.

Well, that’s about it. Until next time, I’ll be watching you…