Faded Away

No one at the Cat Café remembered Ranma either. He got his food though, and was happy that all the fiancée bullshit was behind him. He was happy that he would be home soon and could rest. Plus he wanted to see Akane for once. But will his homecoming be any better at the Tendo home than the last two places?

Memory Two: Home, Sweet, Home

Ranma arrived at the Tendo home as the afternoon came closer to an end. Ranma jumped the fence quickly and had a smile on his face. He was full of energy despite him being tired from his long trip home. He approached the family room. After carefully evading the koi pond he came near the porch and peered inward to see the family eating. Kasumi had placed the food down and sat at her usual placing. Soun and Genma were eating it up, and Ranma's mother and Nabiki ate at a slower pace than the two fathers did. Then he looked to see Akane eating her food, but he looked to where he normally sat and found that Akane now took up the whole side of that table. She sat in the middle of that side, as if he were never coming back and his smile became less of an arc.

Ranma looked away from the group and sat in thought. What if they no longer knew him as well? He was just getting somewhere with his life and now he had to start over. Besides, if his parents didn't know him what would he do? He could say he was their son, but they wouldn't believe him. He sighed and hit his head trying to come up with a plan. He groaned and laid out on the ground in frustration. He lied there a moment by the porch outside the family room staring at the stars. What if Akane forgot him as well? He'd have to start all over again with her as well. He didn't want to go through with the pains he already has.

He suddenly found himself staring into a pair of eyes. He tensed up and sat up using his arms to lever himself upward. He began to sweat nervously as he sat before Akane. "What are you doing out here?" The girl asked him. "Hey there Akane." Ranma said with unease. "You" Akane said taken aback. "You know my name?" She asked as Ranma nodded and cursed himself. "Stalker!" She hit him over the head with a stone statue. "Pervert!" As she went to hit him with a wooden mallet Ranma moved quickly aside.

He put his arms up in defense. "Hey it's not like that!" Ranma stated. "Is that so? Why else would you know my name and be sitting outside my home?" Akane questioned lifting her mallet up and gripping the handle. "There's good reason for me being here." Ranma stated. "I just don't have one you'd believe."

Akane swung her mallet, but was surprised when it didn't connect as Ranma jumped over her. "You're still so slow tomboy." Ranma commented, as Akane grew angrier and more confused. "Listen up Akane. You may not remember me, but I remember you." Ranma said before going into thought forgetting the girl. Akane straightened up and placed her mallet at her side. "You know me then? You're right I don't remember you. Who are you?" Akane asked with intrigue.

"I'm Sa" Ranma stopped remembering that if Akane forgot him so did his pop. He decided against saying the family name and just his first name. "I'm Ranma. Just Ranma." Ranma stated with a nod. "Ranma? Really? That's you?" Akane asked taken into thought. "Yeah I was born with that name." Ranma said with a chuckle. "Why?" He asked.

"I thought I saw that name on something before, but" Akane said putting her mallet aside. "I can't remember where all the sudden." Akane said as if she was unsure of her own state of mind. "How do I know you anyway? I mean I must have met you long ago to have forgotten you." Akane asked looking the boy over. Even though dusk had come, and it had been a tad dark she could still make out his features. His worn-out Chinese clothing, his dark hair that was in a pigtail, and the fact he was very handsome and muscular. Ranma became uncomfortable with his once fiancée checking his body out, but he didn't do anything about it.

"To you it must be long ago, but to me it hasn't." Ranma said with all seriousness. "I saw that you were eating inside and I haven't eaten much over the past month. You wouldn't mind me getting some food into me would you?" Ranma asked grabbing his stomach. A gurgle let his statement get across to the shorthaired girl. He sort of had a blush as she stared at him, and then looked to the house, and then back. "I don't see why not. It's better to talk about this matter inside anyway." Akane said flashing one of her cute smiles that made Ranma freeze up. She jogged over to the house, but turned back to see him frozen up. "You're coming right?" Akane asked with a laugh.

Ranma shook his head snapping back into reality and nodded his head frantically. "Yeah. I must be really hungry if even my basic skills are becoming flaky." Ranma said arriving on the porch beside her and nervously laughing as everyone stared at the new guest. Akane turned to everyone and got their attention with a cough. "Everyone this is Ranma. He'll be eating dinner with us." Akane said taking a seat at her spot. The spot she sat at when Ranma was still home. Ranma walked over to his old spot as he gained stares from everyone he once called family.

Ranma began to eat cautiously as some of the others began whispering to one another about him. Akane sat there not taking part in any of it, and glancing at Ranma every so often. After eating all the food he could Ranma turned his attention to everyone else who were still talking in secret about him. Ranma chuckled to himself, which caused Akane look to him. "What's so funny?" Akane wondered. Ranma shook his head and gave a shrug. "You wouldn't understand." Ranma answered.

Ranma glanced at the family still talking secretly about him, except for Kasumi who sat intently at the table's end the whole time. "You shouldn't be talking about Ranma behind his back." Akane warned the family who tensed up and turned their attention to Ranma and Akane. "Ahem. Sorry about that. Genma and I were discussing whether you were a martial artist or not." Soun said to Ranma who nodded and closed his eyes. "I am as a matter of fact. I've been one since I can remember." Ranma gloated.

"What style would that be?" Genma asked as Ranma opened his eyes and smirked. "Anything-goes of course." Ranma answered which took everyone else by surprise. "Anything-goes you say?" Soun asked to make sure of what Ranma said. "That would be my style. I am the heir to the style as well." Ranma said still gloating, but stopped realizing the last part he said. Everyone stared at him with question, and Akane was a bit angry. "Uh, that's what master Happosai said to me." Ranma blurted out nervously. "If you want you can go ask him." Ranma said slyly as the two fathers tensed up at the master's name. "That won't be necessary." Both fathers said quickly as they sweated profusely. "If he said so then we respect his desires." Genma continued.

Akane sat up and hit the table with a bang in frustration. "Do you mean you'll give Ranma the dojo?" Akane asked in anger. Ranma knowing where this could lead placed his hand on her shoulder with caution. "Now Akane." Ranma began nervously as Akane snapped her head to him in anger. She looked to his hand, and to his face, and to the hand, and back as Ranma began to sweat. "I don't want your dojo. To simply carry the title as heir is fine." Ranma said as he backed away from the girl. She sat back down coming out of her rage. "Oh, that's okay I guess." Akane said embarrassed.

"Ranma was it? Who are your parents?" Nodoka questioned as Ranma looked to her. He gave a laugh and then became serious. "I, uh, have none." Ranma answered in a lie. "Oh dear." Nodoka muttered as the rest took the information about the same, except the relatively emotionless Nabiki. "I might as well tell you this Nabiki, I won't pay you anything. I don't want 'ya blackmailing me, or nothin' got it?" Ranma demanded pointing his finger at Nabiki who was taken aback. "I get it." Nabiki responded nervously.

"How did you know her name Ranma?" Akane asked, as Ranma became speechless. He put his arm down and began to think up another lie. "Well, I, er" Ranma sputtered as they all looked at him with their full attention. Suddenly a person moved about in the backyard. Ranma immediately recognized him as his best friend/Rival, the bandana wearing, umbrella carrying, and eternal lost boy, Hibiki Ryoga. "Hey Ryoga!" Ranma said as he jumped outside dodging Akane's question.

Ryoga was startled by his appearance and looked at him closely. "You're not a dream then?" Ryoga asked poking Ranma's chest. Ranma looked at him with a weird glance, and whacked Ryoga's arm away. "Of course I'm not a dream!" Ranma yelled. He stopped and looked at Ryoga preparing to say something. "Wait. You know who I am?" Ranma asked in shock.

"You're Saotome Ranma correct?" Ryoga asked. Ranma stood in tears and hugged Ryoga who tried with all his might to hold the pigtailed boy back. "Finally! Someone knows me!" Ranma said with tears in his eyes, and continuing with his praise. Ryoga became angered by Ranma's embrace and threw the boy across the yard. "What makes you think I want to be held by a guy?" Ryoga roared. Ranma bounced up in a handspring and landed on his feet with a smile. "It's been a month hasn't it Ryoga? Want to see how good I am now?" Ranma questioned forming a fist. Akane and the others came onto the porch to see what was happening. "Hey stop it you two!" Akane demanded as the two boys ignored her. "Ryoga don't pick on him. He's our guest." Akane stated. Ranma laughed again as he found it all ironic.

"Ha! Usually she tells me that." Ranma said sticking his tongue out to Ryoga who was fuming with rage. His aura was building up as his hands formed balls and his teeth clenched together. "Ranma! I will accept your challenge! You leave for a month and when you come back you mock me! In front of Akane yet." Ryoga shouted in anger as Akane was taken aback. "What did he mean by 'come back'?" Akane questioned to herself. "Does that mean, Ranma was in Nerima before?" Akane continued to ponder. "How does he even know Ryoga? On second thought, why can't I remember my first meeting with Ryoga? Something about my past year doesn't add up. There are parts missing." Akane wondered more aloud as her family stared at her.

Genma and Soun were excited about the fight as Kasumi looked on in worry. Nabiki was taking bets via her cellular phone, and Nodoka intently watched the two. Akane stood in thought still questioning the same questions. Ryoga had put his pack and items aside and was ready to take Ranma who was the same. "Let's see what this Ranma fellow can do. We've seen Ryoga fight and he's better than us Tendo." Genma stated. "Oh shut up old man!" Ranma shouted throwing a bucket of water on the man turning the man to a panda. "I'm better than Ryoga trust me." Ranma said pointing to himself with his thumb. Ryoga was becoming ever more angry, and the rest were wondering how Ranma knew of Genma's curse. "Let's do this again Ryoga." Ranma said forming fists.

********************************************************************************* Thanks to:

gyuumajo: There's Ryoga's entry. More explaining I guess is deserved though.

Kinai: I remember you reviewing another one of my stories, so thanks for reviewing this as well. It makes me feel better when I get returning customers.

Maria: You seem familiar too. Anyway about Mousse, er, I'm not gonna tell 'ya. But at least I got you thinking.