Faded Away

After learning from Cologne that the memory-restoring potion cannot be made again Ranma and Ryoga went on with their trip to the Hibiki home. On the way they were stopped by Mousse-who was the one to erase the memory if Ranma from everyone-and a fight ensued. When the cure was drawn Ranma accidentally destroyed it, and has now given up despite Ryoga's words to continue.

Memory Six: It's Still Here

The night was cold, and Ranma was beginning to shiver. It was getting real late, and it was the next morning. Ranma sat atop the jungle gym of the nearby park, and he stared out into the night's sky. He often did this on his trips and there was nothing else to do. He had lost everything, and no longer had any reason to even stay in this town. He had always dreamed about this: That his fiancées would forget about him and go about their lives. He only realized now that the dream he had was a foolish one. Only two people knew who he was-excluding people like Herb, and others who he met that weren't in Nerima-are his two greatest rivals. One has become friendly-Ryoga-and the other is even more of a jerk-Mousse-than he had been.

He had nothing going for him now. No incentive to do anything at all. He also had to decide whether anyone was worth actually trying to win over. Should he attempt to form the bonds he had with some of the people here? He would like to have Ukyo as a friend again, that way he'd have free food and a girl as a friend to talk to about trivial matters. It would be nice if his parents recalled him, because they were his family. And Kasumi would also be a great person to have back on his side. (She always had a good meal to be had)

Then there was Akane. He only now realizes that he liked her. Maybe even loved her. He saw past all those violent attacks she placed upon him, and the stubbornness she held. He only saw now that she had loved him, and that made all of her old actions understandable. He missed the fact that on a good day he could go home, and the two could sit not doing much of anything but watch the TV without any negative conditions. She worried about him, like that time he went to fight Herb, or other countless times. She also made him that sweater, and those meals which seeing that she had lack of skill in both those fields she still made them for him. He wished he could have at least given her something remotely important like the sweater, or a meal-despite how crappy it could be.

He was beginning to get really cold just sitting there and remembered the sweater and went to put it on. "Darnit! I left it at the Tendo's." Ranma stood up and jumped all the way to the streets. As he went hopping from one roof to another he spotted someone running on the streets below. It was Akane who was dressed warmly and carrying something close to her. Ranma moved for her, and missed landing in the water on the opposite side of the fence. He emerged in his girl form as Akane stopped to look at what happened. "Are you okay?" She questioned. Ranma nodded and jumped out soaking wet, and twice as cold as before.

"Are you new here?" Akane questioned. Ranma stood at her blankly and forgot he still had his curse, and that he hadn't told her about it. "Uh, no. Not really I mean." Ranma replied nervous. Akane examined the short, red-haired girl. Her torn up Chinese clothing, and the pigtail hairstyle. She was overcome with a state of déjà vu. "Ra" She stopped and looked at the girl before her again. "Ranma?"

Ranma stared at her, and nodded slightly. He hadn't expected her to notice that the girl before Akane, and Ranma were the same. "That's really you Ranma?" Akane asked to double check. "Yeah it's me. This is my curse. I change into a girl every time I'm hit with cold water, but I turn back with warm water." Ranma explained sheepishly.

"You're really a guy though right?" Akane questioned. "Yeah I am." Ranma returned and she smiled at him. "Then it isn't so bad. I mean Mr. Saotome turns into a panda as you saw earlier. He has this curse that" Akane explained and Ranma interjected. "You don't hafta explain Akane I know all about it." Akane stopped and stared at him. "How do you know all about it?" It was silent after that until Ranma sneezed. "What am I thinking? You're freezing. C'mon back to my house for a warm bath, and new clothes." Akane took his cold hand in her warm one. Ranma felt so much better once she did. A part of his homesickness was cured and off the two went back to the Tendo home.

"I was actually about to come see you Ranma." Akane stated as the two turned a corner. "You left your stuff." Ranma was handed the sweater her past self made. "Yeah. I was about to come get it. Akane how did you know it was me when you saw my girl form?" Ranma asked looking away as Akane led him home. "Huh? I don't really know. You looked a bit similar, and I just felt it. It's a weird thing. I mean I only just met you, and I can tell it's you even if you have a different guise."

"It's not weird at all Akane. Haven't you felt like you've known me forever?" Akane stopped and turned around to him with a broad smile. "Then I'm not the only one who feels that? I mean I keep having this feeling I know you." Akane said with high hopes. "I can say I know you Akane, but can you say the same to me? I mean I know that you can't swim, and that you don't have good cooking or sewing skills. That you dream of playing Juliet in that stupid play, and probably other things I don't 'member." Ranma explained. "You don't know anything about me beside my curse." Ranma confirmed.

"How do you know all that about me?" Akane questioned offensively. Ranma realized that he did come off as a big pervert now. "Uh, A-Akane it's not what you think." Ranma stammered. "Oh" She expressed. "And what is it that I think?" Akane questioned moving her hands for the mighty wooden mallet she owned. "I'm not a pervert there's a good excuse for this." Ranma muttered backing away. "And what's that?" She questioned drawing her mallet. "I knew all that because we have met before. Not only that we were engaged! I spent a whole year with you and your family!" Ranma blurted. "Nice try." Akane pounded him into the ground with one swift swing. Akane turned to leave, but was stopped by a tug on her pants. She turned to see Ranma clutching onto her pant leg from the ground. "Wait." Ranma whispered trying to stand. "It was all true Akane. Believe me please." Ranma pleaded looking at her angered face.

"I'm not going to believe you Ranma. I mean if we had been engaged and lived together for a year I'd obviously remember." Akane stated as she pulled her pant leg free of his grasp. "But, I won't deny it being a possibility. I mean I can't remember a lot of things recently. So I can't argue, or agree with what you said, but I want to be" She closed her eyes and swallowed. Something tugged in her mind that she wanted to say something important. "F-friends with you Ranma."

"I can live with that." Ranma said as he rose to his feet. "I mean it's not like I have any proof that I knew you, and everyone at the Tendo home. I mean, do you know what it's like to have your own father not know who you are. I mean I spent all of my life with that man and now he just forgot me." Ranma argued as he turned away in anger.

"Your own father forgot you? Where is he? I want to go beat some sense into him." Akane demanded. "He's at your house. That panda is my pops." Ranma explained turning back. "Mr. Saotome, and his wife, are your parents?" Akane questioned. "Well, yeah. That jerk is my father, and she is my mother."

"Ranma. This is" Akane looked to the ground shaking her head. "I can't believe any of it. I mean you may have well indeed been spying on me. I mean I found you watching us eat dinner outside our home. That was when I first met you." Akane explained. "The first time I met you Akane" Ranma stopped and turned away again. "It doesn't matter I guess. No one remembers me except Ryoga and that stupid Mousse. That idiot Mousse!" Ranma roared destroying the nearby wall with a swift punch. "Ranma." Akane uttered taken aback from his actions.

She came over to Ranma and embraced him. He tensed up as she squeezed him like a bear would. He let her though with some reluctance. The warmth of her body, and the smell she had overtook him. It was like cinnamon or something. "Oh, Ranma. You seem so sad." She said into Ranma's chest. Ranma realized his current state: He was a woman! Ranma broke free from Akane and turned away. "You" Akane began and swallowed. "You don't like me?" She wondered.

"It's" Ranma turned back to face her. "I'm a girl right now. Isn't that a bit awkward?" He questioned causing Akane to blush and turn away. "I didn't even realize you were a girl until now." Ranma smiled inwardly about that fact. "I mean I just wanted to console you Ranma."

"Akane would it matter if I was a guy or not?" Ranma questioned. "I mean you told me once, well the old you, told me that the way I am now is the way you love." Ranma explained nervously. "Ranma, your curse is only a curse. I mean you can still be a guy when you need to be." Akane explained. "Not so true. I want to be a guy right now, and then I want" Ranma gazed at Akane with dirty thoughts on his mind. "Why do you feel that you like me Akane?" Ranma questioned.

"I, I'm not sure. Maybe I did know you once like you said. And maybe I loved you Ranma. That feeling doesn't leave someone even if you forget." Akane explained sitting down on the side outside Tofu's clinic. Ranma looked to the sign, and ran ahead and inside. He exited a moment later as a man and returned to Akane. "Akane let's go home then." Ranma said as he brought his hand to her level. "Right." She smiled and used his hand to help her to her feet. "Thanks."

The two walked home together slowly and the two looked away from one another. "Uh, Ranma?" Ranma turned his head to her. "Did" She started to become red on her cheeks as she looked away. "Did you love me?" Ranma began to sweat and looked away. "Well, er, I don't know." Ranma replied, as he became nervous and twitchy. "You don't know? That's not an answer Ranma. Either you did, or you didn't." Akane stated as her voice became lower on the last stretch of her speech.

Ranma looked away and thought about it some more. He did answer it he thought. He really doesn't know what he felt for the old Akane anymore. She was gone now. "Akane. Our engagement was made by our fathers, and we didn't quite get along too well if you know what I mean. Still if you had been nicer I think I would have been able to say that I definitely loved the old you." Ranma quickly explained. "I mean you felt the same about our engagement. Neither of us wanted it."

"Oh." Akane expressed and looked away as if it hurt her. Ranma wanted to say something that didn't upset her, or hurt her, and definitely not something that angered her. He failed at that though. "I think that I loved you though." Akane replied as she looked back to Ranma. "What makes you say that?" Ranma asked in doubt.

"It's just this feeling I have in my heart. I mean what you said about you living here with me and all that. It's ridiculous nonsense that sounds like some big lie, and for even saying it I should pound you into the ground. However" Akane looked to his eyes as she placed her hands on her chest to get warmer. "When you told me I feel as though what you say is true. Something inside is telling me that your story is true." Akane explained with a soft voice. Ranma looked at her funny. Her words made no sense, and her actions were just as bizarre. This wasn't his Akane clearly, but he sort of felt better about this new one. She was nice, but still intense when needed. This was the Akane he had always wanted. A nicer one that actually listened to him instead of making accusations against him immediately.

"Akane" Ranma began and looked away just as soon as he said it. "Ranma." She quickly turned to him and hugged him tightly as she tends to do when she hugs things. Ranma was frozen in his spot as she leaned her head into his chest. "You're not going to push me away again right?" Akane questioned. Ranma didn't react so she smiled and loosened the strength of her hug. She sighed as she placed her head on his chest again and she took in a breath and exhaled after. They stood there a few seconds before Akane began to cough. She backed away and turned from Ranma still coughing more. She was nearly choking and loosened her scarf. Ranma went over to her quickly. "Akane are you okay?" Ranma questioned as she stopped.

"Ranma! How could you take advantage of me!" Akane said with tears in her eyes as he jumped away. "Wh-what?" Ranma stammered. "You lied to me?" Akane questioned. "What do you mean Akane?" Ranma quickly asked as he slunk away from her slowly. She was crying now, but also had an angry face on her. "You told me things that weren't true." Ranma stopped and stared at her with interest. "Akane? Do" H e shook his head. "Do you remember me?"

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Eww…Cliffhanger I guess. Anyway thank you whoever read and reviewed and what not and so on.

Give Mousse some credit Sanosuke. He's a better martial artist than he looks.