Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Crow: Okami no Kage ❯ Rebirth ( Chapter 1 )

Author's Notes: First off, I don't own the characters of Ranma 1/2, or the concept of the Crow, so don't sue me or anything. If the translation my friend gave me is correct, "okami no kage" should mean "shadow of the wolf". There's no real meaning to the title, I just think that it sounds cool. This is the exact same story as Vengeance and Redemption, just expanded. Also, I decided to plant the story firmly in the Ranmaverse this time, unlike Vengeance and Redemption. Finally, all flashbacks will be written in italics. Thanks for your time, and enjoy the story!

The Crow: Okami no Kage
By Esor

Chapter 1: Rebirth

Darkness. Nothing but darkness everywhere. Smothering. Suffocating. A hand reached out, seeking to escape the cold, icy grip of the darkness. But something blocked it's way, a flat, grainy wall of some sort. Finding no passage around the obstruction, the hand thrust skyward, splintering through the wooden prison. clawing through mounds of hard, stiff earth. For an eternity, the hand struggled upwards, raging against the oppressive weight of the dirt above. Finally, it burst free of it's hellish confines, tasting the cool breeze of the surface for what seemed like the first time in centuries. But the battle was only partially over, as aching muscles continued to strain, hauling the rest of the weary young man out of the ground.

For a time, he just lay there breathing heavily. Instinct had driven him up through the freshly made hole just behind him. Now, the conscious mind slowly reasserted itself. He lifted himself to his hands and knees, blinking up at the full moon hanging low in the sky. His thoughts were swirling with confusion. Where was he? What in the world was going on? He looked to his left and gasped in shock. Stretching out as far as he could see were rows upon rows of gravestones. For some reason, the two closest markers caught his eye.

"Ranma Saotome. Beloved son and skilled martial artist. Never gave up, no matter how difficult the challenge. 1984 - 2000."

"Akane Tendo. Beloved daughter and sister. Taught us love, patience, and compassion. 1984 - 2000."

The names were hauntingly familiar, but he could not remember who they belonged to. The young man stared at the graves, trying to figure out why a sense of tremendous loss had suddenly overcame him. Dozens of unanswerable questions filled his mind. Had he been close to these people? Were they his friends? How did they die? When? But another question soon forced it's way past the others. Why was he in the middle of a graveyard in the dead of night? With his heart beating in dread, the young man turned to look behind him. Illuminated under the pale moonlight, a gray slab of granite loomed above the dark, empty pit he had just escaped from.

"Ryoga Hibiki. Beloved friend. Loyal and true, even to the end. 1984 - 2000."

Realization struck the young man like a slap across the face. The name etched in the cold, unfeeling stone was his. Ryoga's eyes widened in terror, and he scrambled away from the silent marker. No. No, no, no, no, no. This wasn't right. It wasn't possible, it couldn't have been possible. He wasn't dead, dammit! Ryoga lashed out, striking another nearby gravestone and cracking it in half. He then buried his face in his hands, rocking back and forth, hoping to wake up from this horrible nightmare. Any moment now, he'd snap awake, safe in his bed, or sleeping bag, screaming. Something small, soft, and wet fell onto his head. Then another, and another. The sky split open and rain began to pour down upon the nearly empty graveyard, soaking the ground and slicking his thick black hair to his forehead. Another wisp of memory floated through his mind. Rain. There was something wrong with the rain. No, there was something wrong with being in the rain. He pulled his hands away from his face and stared as cool, fresh rainwater flowed over them. This was wrong. This was very wrong. But...why was it so wrong? The sound of beating wings suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts, allowing the phantom memory to vanish just as quickly as it appeared.

Ryoga looked up just in time to see a large black bird land on the headstone bearing his name. His confused and frightened mind seemed drawn to the strange bird, probably a crow, he noted absently. The bird itself simply stared intently at him with a pair of small, yellow eyes. Ryoga was filled a feeling of something almost like kinship as he watched the strange creature. Ryoga shook his head, tearing his eyes away from the crow. This was all too much, nothing made sense. He stood slowly, his legs weak and shaky. He had to get out of there, he had to find someplace...someplace where he could sort all of this out. Unbidden, a name suddenly sprang to his lips.

"The Tendo Dojo..." He whispered.

The crow cawed once and, with a single flap of it's wings, took to the air. Ryoga gazed after it, feeling compelled to follow. His strength slowly returned with each step, until he was running full speed through rain soaked streets. The rain soaked his clothes, chilling him to the bone, yet he pressed on. As he ran behind the large black bird, each twist and turn seemed familiar, yet alien. Soon, the crow angled off to the side, and swooped down towards a nearby house. The bird landed on the wall surrounding the home, watching calmly as Ryoga approached. The gates were locked and the dark, silent building beyond them looked abandoned. Even if this was the Tendo Dojo, he wouldn't be able to find any answers here. Resting his hand on the wall, Ryoga stopped to try and figure out what to do next when everything around him disappeared in a flash of light.

Ryoga rested one hand against the wall surrounding the Tendo home, breathing heavily. After wandering the forests of Japan for nearly three weeks, he finally found his way back! He lifted his eyes to the bright, sunny sky overhead and smiled wickedly. All the suffering and hardship he endured for those three weeks would be well worth it. With the new technique he learned from that strange old man, he would finally be able to...

Ryoga stumbled away from the wall, slipping on the wet sidewalk and falling to the ground. What the hell was that? He struggled to his feet once again, trying to piece together what happened. For the briefest of moments, he was there. He could see, smell, and feel it all. The warm sunshine upon his skin, the smooth, hard stone beneath his fingertips, and the sense of triumph that flowed through him. It was all so incredibly real. He found that he could remember it clearly now, the harrowing trip through the woods, the strange old man, and the burning desire to return and...and....

"Dammit!" Ryoga cursed. His memories still hadn't fully returned. He could recall bits and pieces of his life, disjointed fragments and images. He reached out and warily touched the wall again, but nothing happened. Now he was sure, he had to get inside that house. Effortlessly, he leapt over the wall, landing cautiously in the yard. Slowly, he walked up to the front door of the house and touched it.

A young woman with flowing brown hair stood in the doorway, smiling kindly and carrying a silver tray. "Ranma, Akane, would you like some tea and cookies?" She said, in a voice as sweet as a spring morning.

"Kasumi..." Ryoga whispered before forcing the door open and stepping into the house. He stepped softly into the dark living room. Judging from the cobwebs and the layer of dust that coating everything within sight, no one had been here for some time. Ryoga stopped as he passed by the small table in the middle of the room and gently placed his hand on it's surface.

"Geez, you guys are so pathetic..." A girl with her brown hair cut in a short, tomboyish style said. The corner of her mouth curled upwards into a sarcastic smirk.

A rather large bald man with glasses, dressed in a black body suit, lay on the floor in front of the girl. "We're just trying to ensure the longevity of the Anything-goes School of Martial Arts!" He protested.

Another man, dressed in a similar fashion, lay next to the first. "Right!" Agreed the second man. This man, sporting a full head of black hair and a neatly trimmed mustache, was much slimmer than his accomplice.

"Nabiki...Genma...Soun..." Ryoga whispered under his breath. He then turned and grimly strode to the dojo behind the house. Hesitating for several long minutes, he stared at the sliding doors that allowed access to the training hall. The soft flapping of wings alerted Ryoga to the presence of the crow as it landed on the ground near him. Taking a single deep breath, he reached out and rested both hands on the Dojo doors.

Images, sounds and feelings violently assaulted all of Ryoga's senses. He saw a girl, the same age as he was, with short black smiling, yelling, punting a wrinkled old man through the roof after he tried to grab her chest. He saw a boy, also the same age, laughing, teasing, transforming into a girl when he was accidentally splashed by a glass of cold water.

"Ranma, you jerk!!" The girl's voice echoed in Ryoga's mind.

"You're so uncute!" The boy replied.

Ryoga saw all the fights, all the laughter, all the arguments, all the happiness, all the quarrels, all the love within the space of a second. When it was over, he slowly let his hands fall away from the door. His mouth ran dry and his eyes welled with tears. He remembered them now. Ranma...Akane...they were his friends. Despite all the emotions that were flying around. Despite all the anger, the jealousy, and the unrequited love, they were the first real friends he ever made.

And now they were dead.

It began in Ryoga's hands, an odd tingling sensation. It soon spread across his entire body, a stark contrast to the icy emptiness that had settled into the pit of his soul. The area around him took on a faint blueish tint, and he suddenly realized that he was glowing. The cold, hollow, tingling feeling grew in intensity until Ryoga couldn't stand it anymore. He knew that there was a way to release the anguish within, it tugged at the edges of his consciousness. All it took was a single word, a focus for the sorrow that filled him.

"SHI SHI HOUKOUDAN!!!!" Ryoga cried, thrusting both arms into the air.

*****

The rain continued to pound away mercilessly at the thin figure of the young woman walking down the street. She thought she had moved past the worst of it. After months of depression, she thought she had finally come to terms with their deaths. But recently, all the old nightmares returned in full force. There was no way she could get any sleep, not tonight. Exactly one year ago, three of the most important people in her life died. She gazed up at the dark storm clouds rolling over the horizon. The rain was fitting, in a way. It was almost as if the heavens themselves were mourning along with her. Then, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned and stopped dead in her tracks as a pillar of blue light rose high into the sky.

"No...it can't be..." She whispered.

It was something she thought she'd never see again. And it was coming from the direction of the Tendo Dojo. The decision was made in a heartbeat. Without a second thought, Ukyo Kounji began to run, as fast as her legs could carry her, towards the all too familiar attack.