Faded Away
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I don't think I'll bother to mention I don't own Ranma after this.
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He arrived home from a month long training trip and now he's back in Nerima. He stopped by Ukyo's for a bit to eat, but she didn't know who he was. He left in hopes Shampoo will feed him something.
Memory One: Before the Trip
Ranma showed up at the Cat Café as the afternoon roared on. He was upset about the Ukyo fiasco, but he'll deal with that once he has a full stomach. He entered the restaurant to find Mousse sweeping the store of dirt, and the old woman Cologne behind the counter. As soon as Ranma entered Mousse looked at him adjusting the glasses on his face to inspect the customer. He went back to sweeping, but kept an eye on Ranma. Ranma noticed Mousse's spying on him as he approached the counter.
The old woman looked at Ranma and became suspicious. "Are you a martial artist boy?" The woman asked as Ranma looked at her strangely. "Uh, yeah. You know that though old hag." Ranma said in response. "How dare you be so inconsiderate? You best learn manners boy if you ever hope to have a wife." Cologne said after striking the pig-tailed boy to the ground with her staff. "I just got back so let's not get into any fiancé business." Ranma said standing up. "Why would I have anything to do with your love life?" Cologne asked.
Ranma realized Cologne was acting strange like Ukyo had. Maybe Ukyo did forget him just as Cologne did. Ranma stood there for a moment before gaining a smirk on his face. No memory of him meant no more fiancée bullshit. "Uh, nothing. How about just some ramen for me then." Ranma said with a smile. "Do you have money? Judging by your clothing you have none." Cologne said in response as Ranma mentally kicked himself.
Mousse turned to Ranma with a scowl on his face. "Great-grandmother I will pay for one bowl of ramen for Ra-this boy." Mousse stated gaining glares from both Ranma and the old woman. "He is a fellow martial artist after all." Mousse said returning to his sweeping. Ranma stared at the boy as Cologne went about preparing the meal. "Thanks I guess." Ranma said as the Chinese boy turned to him. "It was no problem really." Mousse said with a smile, but Ranma felt a strange aura from him. What had happened to Mousse he wondered?
The purple haired Chinese amazon entered through the door in her cheerful way. She looked to Mousse and Ranma and stopped. "Aiyaa. We have guest?" Shampoo asked to Mousse. "Uh, right. This is a customer Shampoo. A humble customer." Mousse stated through a smile. He shrugged and went about his work as Ranma waited to see if Shampoo would recall him. "Uh, my name's Ranma by the way." Ranma stated.
Shampoo nodded acknowledging him and shook his hand. "I Shampoo." Shampoo said in response and walked to the back where her great-grandmother went about cooking Ranma's meal. Ranma breathed out satisfied that Shampoo as well forgot him. No more glomping onto him or wacky Chinese spells being used upon Ranma.
"Food's ready!" Shampoo stated placing Ranma's food on a table nearby. "Enjoy. Ramen good." Shampoo said before departing for the kitchen. Ranma hesitated and then walked over and sat at the table with the food. He sat and began eating it after getting his chopsticks. Ranma eats it quickly despite the scalding temperature of the liquid. He places the bowl down upon the table and stands again.
He looks to Mousse once more. "Thanks again." Ranma said running out. Mousse stared after and stopped his sweeping. He clutched his head with his right hand and then gave a good laugh.
Ranma ran down the street headed for home. "It'll be great to sleep in my own bed after so long." Ranma stated, as his smile grew wider. "And Akane isn't mad at me so that will be great." Ranma said with a laugh. He remembered the day thirty days ago when he left.
One month ago it was just becoming spring and he had just defeated Ryoga once more. That had been his first fight since his battle with Saffron six months before hand. Ranma did have fights, but they weren't true fights that required much effort. Ranma thought he had gotten way stronger after his battle with Saffron, but after six months of no fighting and practice he found he became rusty. He had some trouble with Ryoga that day. Even though Ryoga probably did train for six months it shouldn't have made him any faster.
So he announced the next morning he'd leave by dusk. In that one day he dealt with multiple people trying to stop him, or asking to be brought along. Ranma denied these people, and even his father. He ended up spending the whole day hiding or running, but he ended it right. That night as dusk came Ranma had gotten rid of everyone, and rested momentarily on the Tendo roof. Akane there approached him.
She looked at him as she sat beside him on the roof. She hugged her knees and looked away as Ranma didn't seem to mind her presence. "Do you really have to go?" Akane asked after moments of silence. Ranma nodded and then looked to her and said: "Yeah I do. What does it matter to you? Don't you want me to leave?"
Akane closed her eyes and shook her head. "No. I actually like you here. Of course I hate how stupid and arrogant you can be. Plus you are a jerk, but you're a god kind of jerk." Akane replied. Ranma was a bit frustrated by Akane's remark, but was too tired to fight her. "So" Ranma said with half closed eyes. "I'm just a big pain in the butt to you?" Ranma asked crossing his arms.
Akane looked to him as he soon turned his head to Akane and opened his eyes. "Well, you are a big pain, but it's not SO bad." Akane replied. "You may be a jerk, but you're my jerk. If you ever changed you wouldn't be as interesting." Akane said, as her cheeks became red. "Uh." Ranma uttered looking at her nervously. "Well tomboy, you may be ugly, and all that, but if you weren't that way I wouldn't like you as much either." Ranma said as he blushed and looked away. His hands were wringing the other in nervousness. She looked at him with a malice-powered glare, but took a deep breath and exhaled. She sighed and looked away as well. "Is the closest thing to a compliment I will ever get from you Ranma?" Akane wondered aloud.
Ranma turned to the back of her head and looked at her before he relaxed some. "Akane. I, I, do you want to come with me?" Ranma asked quickly as his face became redder. She snapped her head to face him and blushed more as well. Each could feel their hearts racing as they stared at the other's eyes. Ranma turned away as Akane bit her lip. Each was nervous in their own way.
"I can't come Ranma." Akane said in response as Ranma felt an imaginary stab in the back. "I mean I'd be of no use to you, and I don't think I can last a long time unsupervised with you." Akane said as Ranma hung his head low. Ranma lifted it and gave her a smile and a slight laugh. "I understand Akane. I doubt we wouldn't get in a big fight. I mean if you were left alone you'd eat me alive." Ranma said as he stood up and Akane blushed because of his comment. Obviously she took what he said for a different meaning.
"I better go while it's quiet then." Ranma said with a shrug beginning for the jump to the ground. He was stopped when Akane grabbed his shirtsleeve. She was standing beside him awfully close. "Ranma. Take this." She handed him a sweater with one sleeve too long and the other too, too short. It also had a weird animal shape on the back that sort of resembled a mutated dog. Probably a puppy knowing Akane. "Akane, I uh, should travel light so I best not take it." Ranma said nervously. "But when I get back I expect you to give it back to me." Ranma said with a smile handing it back to her. Akane nodded her head and began to smile. "I'll make sure to. I'll fix it up as well. I was rushed so I didn't have time to finish the sleeve or put your name below your picture." Akane said with a cheerful smile and enthusiastic tone. "Uh, that's a picture of me?" Ranma pointed out the puppy looking design on the back.
Akane shook her head in response as Ranma looked at it nervously. "Uh, well, yeah, I can see that being me." Ranma said with a lie." Ranma shook his head, and then hugged her quickly. The two were blushing through the short embrace and right after it Ranma was standing at the edge of the roof. "Uh, c'ya then Akane." Ranma waved and jumped from the roof.
That was a month ago on the last day Ranma was in town. Ranma ran even faster as he was impatiently anticipating his arrival at the Tendo home.
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Thanks to:
Tigerrelly: Ukyo was harsh. And I hope the above text answers your question as to it being Akane/Ranma
Shikari Tenshi: Pairings yes. Akane/Ranma and Ryoga/Akari and maybe Ryoga still with a bit of a crush on Akane. And of course Kuno still is hopelessly following Akane, and Mousse does the same with Shampoo.
America Nightmare
Final-Fan: I'll get a reliable excuse for Genma and Nodoka living with the Tendos.
TerraEpon: You'll be glad to know it has nothing to do with that shampoo technique used by Shampoo in Vol. 4.