Chapter 1: Prologue.

Hello, My name is Lee Hamada. And this is my story..

It was the year 1996. It was cold, and rainy out here in San Fransokyo, California. In 1910, an Earthquake damaged San Francisco, luckily Japanese immigrants help them rebuild the city to what it is today. How do I know this? Heh, well...let's just say I've lived here ever since I was a baby. I was found by a nice woman, who smelled of donuts. She then adopted me, and I was part of a loving family. The End...

Just Kidding! There's more to tell!

2014.

Lee, was a young boy, at the age of 18. He had black hair, tan brown skin, blue eyes, and was 5'6" tall. He was also someone who had the heart to help people on whatever they needed help with. Whether it be to help out Hiro with bot fighting (secretly), or to help his Mother, Cass, with her cafe. The only one who didn't seem to need help was Tadashi. He was someone Lee looked up too and loved. Tadashi was smart, funny, and a kind older cousin to him, and they got along fine. Lee wanted to be just like him.

Then...today was the day..

"Mom! Have you seen my Bookbag?!" Lee exclaimed to his Mother Cass, who was serving breakfast to some customers. She shouted back, carrying a tray of pancakes. "Check the living room baby!"

Lee nodded before walking in the living room. As he searched, he heard a noise in the garage. "Huh..?"

He then open the door, and was surprise to see Hiro, Tadashi, and his friends. Gogo, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and Fred.

"Lee!" Honey Lemon exclaimed as she ran to him, wrapping him in a surprising, crushing embrace. "Oof! H-Hey HL!" He wheezed trying to catch his breath before Tadashi got him off her with a laugh. "Easy Honey Lemon, Don't want you hugging my Cousin to death." He chuckled causing her to blush.

"Sorry, How ya been?" She asked with a smile. Fred jumped into the conversation. "Yeah Dude, We've been helping Hiro with his project on Mic-mmmph!" Wasabi quickly covered his mouth.

Gogo spoke with her usually deadpan voice and crossed her arms. "You'll find out what it is at the Expo. By the way, have you've been keeping up with your training?"

Lee nervously smiled. "Hehehehe..W-Well uh...I've been busy with Jade and-"

Gogo cut him off. "No?"

"Yeah, no." He admitted, making everyone laugh.

"Hey Lee, you are gonna make it right?" Hiro asked looking at him with a pleading look. A look Lee love so much. Hell, he loved everything about Hiro, so much that he and Tadashi once saved him from a group of criminals during a bot fight.

"You know I will." He said with a smile.

Hiro jumped up with a cheer. Lee chuckled and looked at the time. His eyes widened as he saw it was noon. He shouted. "Crap! I gotta meet up with Jade!"

Lee ran out of the garage, saying his goodbyes to the others, only stopping when he heard Cass come in.

"I made some pizza for my geniuses!" She shouted with glee, handing everyone a box.

Lee sighed at this. Not at the pizza, but at what she said. "Geniuses"...there was no secret that Lee loved his family, he loved them to death. But sometimes...he couldn't help but be jealous at Hiro and Tadashi. Tadashi was in College. Hiro was probably going as well, and at an expectually young age too! But Lee? He didn't know what to do with his life, besides help his Mom around the cafe. And, of course, hang out with his best friend: Jade.

Lee sighed and muttered. "Don't think about that stuff Lee...just get the day over with…"

Lee left his garage and walked for a little while. He continued this walk until he ran into something large and solid. "Oof!"

He fell down on the ground and landed on his butt. "Oww...That hurt.."

"It's gonna hurt even more punk!" He looked up a saw three rather large, tough-looking and scary dudes giving him the meanest glare he'd ever gotten.

"So Sid, want us to teach this guy a lesson for pushing ya?" The dark-skinned, bearded man behind him said.

Another giant white guy walked up with a menacing grin. "Let me help!"

Lee thought he was done for. But, fortunately, not today! "Forget about it, we got things to do boys."

He glared at both of them before turning to Lee. "Do anything funny and you won't be so lucky."

He walked off laughing along with this boys, as Lee looked down in shame. Not only was he humiliated, but he was terrified..

"Hey, Lee!"

Lee looked up and saw the source of the voice. It was a young, African-American girl. She had hair in braids, a pair of glasses balanced on her nose, and a bloom of freckles across her face. Her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she approached.

"Oh, Hey Jade!" He shouted back as he stood up. Jade looked worried. "Was it those guys again?"

"Yeah. I really need to get back to Gogo's training." He muttered to himself.

Jade knew Lee had issues with being weak. She also knew he had issues with not being a genius as Hiro, Tadashi, and his other friends were. But, Jade knew Lee was smart. She just had to help him move past his insecurities to bring it out.

"Hey..." She said, trying to comfort him.

"Don't let those assclowns get to you down. They're just trying to be tough, but they ain't shit!"

She joked, smiling as Lee began to chuckle. Lee always enjoyed her snarky sense of humor. That was the main reason why he liked her so much.

"I think I feel a little better..." He smiled as he grabbed her hand.

"Come on! We gotta go find a gift for Hiro!" He shouted. Jade went along with a giggle.

"Maybe Gummi Bears?" She asked with a smile. Lee thought about it. Then he realized Hiro loved Gummi Bears. It was the perfect gift!

"Gummi Bears it is!" He said with a wide smile.

But, that smile faded as they walked. Lee turned to Jade and asked. "By the way, who was that big scary guy?"

Jade sighed. "Remember Billy, from back in High School?"

Lee was initially confused, but then he slowly remembered. "Ohhh! Oh man, i hope he's doing okay, seeing how his father can be- AHH!"

Lee ducked his head down as a Crow flew above him and Jade. Jade glared at the winged beast with a hateful look. "I can't stand Crows!"

Lee couldn't say he agreed. He loved those animals. They were so dark, and creepy. Probably had something to do with reading a lot of Edgar Allen Poe's poems. Lee crossed his arms "Hey now, I happen to like Crows."

Jade rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Why would you like birds who eat other animals? I could never see myself liking those disgusting things!"

Lee smirked. "We'll have to work on that. Now come on, Let's go!

Later on That Night, at the Stark Expo.

Lee and Cass were in the crowd waiting for Hiro's presentation to begin. Cass was rather excited, and could barely contain it. "Oh, my little Hiro! He's gonna do so well, I just know it!"

She was tugging on Lee's arm, much to his amusement. Lee smiled. "Yes, i know Ma."

Lee always love her chatty, hyperactive, sweet personality. It was something he cherished with all of his heart. All he wanted was to show her that he could be just as smart as Hiro and Tadashi.

"Yo Lee! Hi Miss Hamada!" Jade greeted to them with a smile as she walked up.

"Oh, Hi Jade! How have you been?" Cass asked with a smile.

As the two of them began to catch up with one another other, Lee saw Tadashi and the others walking up to them. Tadashi had a confident smile spread across his face. Lee shot Tadashi a certain look and Tadashi chuckled. "I think he'll do fine, Lee."

"Well this is Hiro we're talking about." Lee whispered back.

"He is the same kid who dominated the Bot Fighting Circuit for fun, right?"

Tadashi covered his mouth to laugh, but he and Lee were both met with a harsh jab to the shoulder from Cass. She shushed the both of them and pointed up to the stage. Tadashi and Lee both watched on as Hiro stepped up with a nervous look on his face.

"Hi, my name's Hiro-" The microphone shrieked and he winced, as did the audience.

Hiro sighed. "Sorry..."

Lee and the others all looked on with worry. As Hiro fumbled around on stage, people began to show disinterest in what he had to say. One even walked away out of boredom! Jerk.

Luckily, Tadashi was there to reassure his little bro.

"Breathe." He mouthed to him. This was all that Hiro needed. Soon, he began to show confidence in himself and gave his microbots presentation with ease.

It was incredible! Everyone was marveling at what they saw. The Microbots were able to shapeform into anything: A Giant Hand, A Tower, and even Stairs!

The excitement in the room was palpable. Tadashi, Cass, and the others all with smiled with pride at Hiro's presentation. Lee was happy as well. But his happiness was somewhat tainted. Something else filled his heart as he watched Hiro present: Envy.

Hiro clearly had a future. Even at 14, it was clear with this amazing invention showcase that college for him was inevitable. Hiro was a genius, after all. Lee bit his lip as his thoughts rushed. "But...what about me?"

His anxiety began to flare up, but it was quickly brought to a stop by Jade. "That was amazing, right Lee?!"

Lee looked at her with a smile, although it was more to hide his insecurities. Lee was truly happy for Hiro, but that jealous feeling was still there.

Later that evening.

Hiro was in! Only 14 years old and already admitted into a college! Everyone was so filled with joy, that Cass offered to take them all out for a big dinner to celebrate. While they all celebrated, Lee was sitting on a bench by himself. Jade noticed this and immediately went to check on him. "Hey..."

Lee looked up and saw a face bathed in concern. "Is everything okay? I thought you'd be happy for Hiro to get in to this place."

She crossed her arms. Lee got up with a sigh. "Of course I am Jade. I-It's just.."

He stuttered trying to force the words out of his mouth. However, he swallowed them alongside the lump in his throat. Jade, however, was too empathetic to just let that slide. "Is it because you feel like your not worth something?"

Lee sadly nodded. "Yeah. It's just...Mom owns a Cafe...Tadashi is super smart and everyone likes him...and you're so smart...and Hiro's in college now..."

Lee shouted his lament. "I have no future! People probably wonder how I can even exist in the same planet as all of you! You're all so much better than me!"

Jade looked on with sadness and sympathy for her best friend. Who knew he had all of this weighing on his mind? However, as she was about to say something to him, they both saw flames erupt from the building that was holding The Stark Expo!

"Lee! Oh my God!" She pointed to the fire.

Lee stared in shock, and then it dawned on him. "Hiro! Tadashi!"

Lee pushed his way past Jade and ran towards the building. He was hoping and praying that his beloved cousins weren't in there. As he rounded the corner, to his relief, Hiro was outside...but his heart sank when he saw Tadashi running inside the burning building!

"Hiro!" Lee shouted, catching his cousin's attention. "What's Tadashi doing?!"

Hiro didn't even know how to answer that. The both of them looked down at that hat that the flames had blown off of Tadashi's head. The two of them nodded at each other and prepared to rush in, but then…

BOOM!

The Explosion created a shockwave that sent Lee and Hiro flying back. Everything after that was a blurr for Lee. He was on the ground, groaning in pain at the recently arrived Jade checked on him. The only thing that broke him out of his hazy stupor was the sound of Hiro's voice shouting. "TADASHI!"

Lee looked up at the still burning building, as the flames began to lick at the night sky. Nobody could survive that and Lee's heart to sunk at this sudden revelation: Tadashi was gone.

And that's the First chapter of Crow! I plan on redoing all my stories, because i realized that i focused on setting up future, then focus on telling a story. I redid this because i felt like i haven't given Lee plenty of depth, and flaws. which i plan to do in this story, and also on why he became The Crow. Also plenty of thanks to my Proofreader Feraligreater328! Be sure to check out his Channel, Dude's made some great fanfics on here! Anyways, leave a comment and share your opinion : D