A.N.: I am sorry for keeping you readers waiting…. That was terrible of me. Please don't flame me! Please be happy I'm giving you another chapter… I hope it's good! I sure worked on it for long enough. –Things to look forward to—Ranma becoming a girl! He doesn't remember ever doing it, so it was pretty funny writing it. Lately I've been deeply immersed in writing my inuyasha fic, so I guess I've got inuyasha on the mind… I haven't read any ranma in a while… but he and inu kind of have the same personality, except for some differences, like ones half dog demon and has furry ears… okiies, well I'm tired and sick, so I must regain my strength and health! Until next time! Please r and r

Disclaimer—this story is mine, but the characters and curse belong to rumiko!

Chapter 16: The Promise

Everyone returned home after lunch. The doctor looked at Ranma and declared that aside from amnesia, he was fine. During the afternoon, Ranma was testing out his body, athletic wise. He jumped around, doing flips and kicks.

"I'm really fit!" he said in amazement. "You're a martial artist!" Genma said to his son in an annoyed matter. He was still bitter because he got yelled at for being drunk that day and causing Nodoka so much trouble.

"Genma, stop torturing Ranma! He's your son or are you the one who doesn't remember that!" Akane shouted at him. She pulled Ranma into the house. "C'mon Ranma, I'll show you where you're sleeping." She pulled him up to her bedroom and closed the door behind him.

"Your parents are currently sleeping in the guest room, so I was moved to my sister's room, and you and Ryoga are now sharing my room." She said. "This is a nice room." Ranma said. He was looking a bit awkward.

"Um, you used to sleep in my bed, but I don't know if you are comfortable doing that. I'll tell you what, if you choose to, you can sleep in my bed, but if you don't want to, I'll get you some blankets for the floor." She offered.

They left the bedroom after Ranma agreed to her plan. Doctor Tofu had accompanied them home and agreed to stay for a while, just incase he was needed. The dojo was being rebuilt, and all of the rubble had been cleared away. Soun Tendo still could not figure out why it had fallen. It was most likely lightening, but he was not convinced.

Ryoga was currently with Ukyo at her restaurant. They were worried about Ranma of course, but they didn't want to put too much pressure on him. They figured that meeting too many people would be over whelming for him, so they decided to give it some time.

Shampoo had shut herself away in her room since the party. She had eaten of course, but she was very depressed. Her great grandmother tried many things to make her feel better, but nothing really worked. She had been thinking about going to Ranma for help. He might not want to marry Shampoo, but he would have helped her, but it was too late. She had caught wind of his accident, and only hoped that he could get better so he could help Shampoo out.

Back at the Tendo residence, Kasumi and Tofu were in the kitchen. He had been chopping some vegetables very haphazardly, so she took the knife out of his hand and moved him over to the sink so he could wash dishes. Nodoka knew why he was acting so weird, but didn't say anything and decided to let them handle dinner.

She was very anxious about her son anyway. She knew there was nothing she could do, but she wanted to so desperately. She wanted there to be something she could do for him that would make him remember who he was, make him remember his life. She realized that Akane was thinking the same thing, so she decided to back off for the time being.

Akane and Ranma had gone for a walk into town. She thought that maybe if he saw something there, it could possibly make him remember something. It was only a hope though. Ranma desperately wanted to remember something for Akane. He hated seeing her in such pain. He wanted to show her something so she didn't have to suffer or think that it was hopeless.

"Ranma, are you okay?" She asked. "Yes." He said. "Do you want to go somewhere specific? Do you know any of these buildings?" She asked. "I want to, but I don't. Why don't you take me to a place we've been to." Ranma said.

"Okay." Akane said. "Oh, Ranma, please don't feel pressured to remember things. I'm very confident that you'll be okay, no matter what happens. Feel free to be yourself. You don't have to act like someone you can't remember. Just be yourself." She smiled and grabbed his hand.

"Let's go see Ukyo." "Sounds good." Ranma said, not knowing who this person was.

Moments later, the two of them entered Ukyo's restaurant. It was a nice place, but Ranma didn't remember it, just like he didn't remember anything else. He saw a girl who smiled at him and approached them. She was wearing a bow on her head, and carried a gigantic spatula.

"Hey guys." She said as she approached. "Ranma, I guess you don't know me, but I know you. I am Ukyo." She said. "Hello. I think I remember Akane saying something about you being an old friend of mine, but you don't look old to me." Ranma said, trying to make a joke to lighten the mood.

Ukyo brought them to a table and said she'd bring them the "usual." Ranma caught a glimpse of Ryoga, who he didn't know, but thought that since he knew Ukyo, he knew the guy who was working with her too.

"Akane, Who is that?" Ranma asked. He pointed to Ryoga and Akane told him. "That is Ryoga. He's the one who shares my room with you. I think he might be staying here for a while, though." Akane said.

"Tell me about him." Ranma said. "Well, you and Ryoga always competed for many things, but you were the better martial artist. He's got a terrible sense of direction, but he's got a kind heart. You even asked him to be your best man at our wedding." Akane added. She didn't want to tell him too much, but she didn't want to deny him the truth either.

Ukyo brought them their food and even doodled the usual doodle on Ranma's okonomiyaki. He thought it was amusing and sweet, but he didn't remember. She sat with them for a little while and told him about their friendship and haphazard engagement.

"Well, Ukyo, you're a very nice person. I know that you were friends with the old me, so I hope you can still be my friend too." Ranma said.

"Ukyo!" Ryoga called her from behind the counter. He wasn't a good chef, so he helped with the money. There were a lot of customers coming in, so Ukyo was needed n the kitchen. She got up and told Ranma he was welcome any time.

Akane and Ranma finished their food and got up to leave. Ranma was getting a head ache from all of the noise. Akane tried to pay, but Ukyo wouldn't let her. They smiled and promised to come back tomorrow.

On the way home Akane looked up. "It looks like rain. If we hurry, we can beat it." she said. The rain started. This was the first time Ranma had changed into a girl since the accident.

"Hey! I'm a girl!" Ranma said. She was checking her new body out. "This is so weird." She said.

The old Ranma was used to the transformation, but this one didn't remember it. It was like getting reacquainted with an old habit that you quit and then picked up again.

"Okay, now this is just freaking me out." Ranma said. "Ranma, if we hurry home, you can change back sooner." Akane said. They hurried home. "Akane, was I used to this? I mean what was my opinion on this curse?" Ranma asked.

"It was annoying to you, but you still had amazing martial arts abilities. Sometimes you used the curse to your advantage, or to torment others. You really tried to find a cure for it though. But you had lots of modesty. It really wasn't like you were a pervert and wanted to sneak into the girls locker room, but sometimes I wondered." They laughed.

Ranma was very relieved to have his old body back once he got in the shower. Genma was kind enough to tell Ranma not to take his braid out, and told him of the scary consequences. By now Ranma knew he led an interesting life. With all the places he'd been and everything he'd learned, and all of his fiancés, he knew he wasn't the indoor type.

That night, Akane had left him extra blankets and pillows incase he didn't want to sleep in her bed. He was thankful for this, because even thought they were engaged, she was really engaged to the real Ranma, not him, the counterfeit Ranma who didn't have any memories of his life.

Ranma gathered the blankets and pillows and headed for the couch downstairs. He told himself that he'd sneak back into Akane's room before she got up so she wouldn't feel bad that he was uncomfortable in her room.

He made himself comfortable on the couch and fell asleep after a few minutes of pondering. His dreams were incomplete images. Maybe they were memories, maybe not.

Akane woke up in the middle of the night and figured she'd check on Ranma. She walked down to her bedroom and looked in. he wasn't on the bed or the floor.

She closed the door and walked to the top of the steps. She saw him on the couch, and wanted to make sure he was okay. She snuck down the stairs and got a closer look.

Ranma looked like he was having weird or unpleasant dreams. He was tossing and turning. Akane was a few feet away from him when he spoke out.

"Akane!" She was startled and thought he woke up. She moved closer when she saw he was still asleep.

"Ranma, I'm here." She said softly so only he could hear her.

"Akane, don't… please don't… I'm going to…" he stopped.

"What Ranma?" She asked.

"Don't…leave me…I'm going to remember… I promise…I'll remember… for you…" he said.

Akane was blushing and really confused. Was this her Ranma? Or was it the Ranma with amnesia? She wasn't sure, but she answered the best way she could.

"I'll be waiting for you Ranma. Please come back to me soon." She said, tears welling in her eyes.

She went back to sleep in her room since Ranma chose to sleep on the couch. They did have school tomorrow, and he was back in perfect health except for his amnesia, so they would go, and she'd make sure he'd be okay.