Disclaimer:  All characters portrayed in this story are the property of
Rumikio Takahashi and co.  Please don't sue me.

This story takes place after volume 38 of the manga.  It draws ideas from
both the anime and the manga.  I hope you like it.

For Better or Worse

by

Donny Cheng

	Ranma smiled as she licked her ice cream cone.  Who would have
thought that girls had it this easy when it came to getting free food?
This body of hers wasn't so much of a curse after all.  She looked around
at all the stores as she tried to decide where she should go next.

	"WHAA!"  A loud cry broke her out her reverie.  It was Shiratori
Azusa, the martial arts ice skater.  "Give me back my Marcel," Azusa cried
as she tried to take a rice cake from one of the vendors on the street.

	The vendor looked like he was about to explode.  "You have to pay
for this, if you want to have it."

	Ranma decided to intervene before it got ugly.  She quickly ran
over and grabbed Azusa before she could get into more trouble.  Where was
Mikado?  He was usually here to keep Asuza out of trouble, when she was
out in public.  "What do you think you're doing?  You can't go around
taking other people's things without asking."

	Azusa stopped crying over the rice cake as she looked at who had
pulled her away from the vendor.  Her demeanor immediately turned angry.
"Oh!  It's you.  What do you want?  Haven't you made Azusa's life
miserable enough?"  She hadn't forgotten about the only loss of her
skating career.

	Ranma looked at her in shock.  "What are you talking about?  I
just saved you from that guy.  Talk about ungrateful."

	Azusa looked at Ranma with a bored expression as he continued to
reprimand her.

	Elsewhere, there were two people who were observing all that was
happening from the sidelines.

		*	*	*	*	*

	Hiroshi and Daisuke watched with interest at the interaction
between Ranma and Azusa.  "Hey, Daisuke.  Did you see what Azusa almost
did?"

	"Yeah, I saw.  After her partner, Mikado, had left to pursue a
singles career, she'd been getting into trouble every day.  Her own career
is on the fritz.  She keeps getting distracted by 'cute things' during
competition."

	"You know, Daisuke, as president of the Azusa Fan Club's Furinken
branch you should try to do something to help."

	"I wouldn't talk, Mr. Arch Bishop of the Church of Azusa.  I think
we both should come up with something to help her."

	"Wait a minute!  I just thought of something.  Didn't Ranma beat
the Golden Pair in that match earlier last year?  Ranma is pretty good at
martial arts ice skating, isn't he?  Well, why don't we get Ranma to be
Azusa's new partner?"

	Daisuke considered it for a second.  "It wouldn't work out.  She
goes to a different school."

	"Maybe we could work something out with our principal.  Furinken
hasn't had a pair make it to the finals in ten years."  Hiroshi shuddered
as he said this.  Principal Kuno always gave him the creeps.

	"You're right.  This plan does sound plausable.  Let me tell the
leaders of the other branches about this plan and see how this works out. 
Meanwhile, you can tell members of the church.  Ranma is perfect for the
job as Azusa's partner.  He doesn't seem to mind when girls beat him up
and I think he will be a great influence on Azusa.  Look, how he's
scolding her for stealing."

		*	*	*	*	*

	"So you see, Azusa, what you did was wrong."  Ranma looked sternly
at Azusa.  There was no way that he was going to let her continue what she
was doing.  It just wouldn't be right.  "While stealing is one way of
getting something for free, it's not worth all the aggravation.
Especially when you're a cute girl.  What you should have done, was this."
Ranma carefully explained to Azusa.  She then proceeded directly to the
vendor that sold rice cakes.  Ranma composed herself for a moment, before
going into her act.  "Oh, those rice cakes are so cute.  They look
positively yummy.  I would love to have one to taste, but I don't have any
money."

	The vendor, being your average male, took the bait.  "Don't fret
little miss.  Here, have a rice cake on the house."

	"Thank you very much!  You're such a nice man."  Ranma gave the
man a cavity with a smile that brimed with sweetness.  She then bowed and
immediately slipped away.  She headed back towards where Azusa was
watching with rapt fascination.  "That's the way you take other people's
things.  If you've got the body, flaunt it.  And boy do we have the
bodies."  All this talking about stealing food made Ranma realize that it
was time for dinner.  He was going to be late for one of his mother's
delicious meals.  "I have to go now, Azusa.  Bye, and remember what I've
taught you."  Ranma then handed the rice cake to her.  With that done,
Ranma quickly ran home. 

	Azusa stared after the strange girl in shock.  She looked back and
forth between the rice cake and the girl.  No other girl had ever treated
her this well before.  "Big sister," the cute girl wispered under her
breath.

		* 	*	*	*	*

	"Class, this is your new class mate, Shiratori Azusa.  She has
just transferred from Kolhoz High.  I want you you all to be very nice to
her.  I don't want any of you to be naughty to her.  Is there anyone that
want's to be her guide?"  Immediately a swarm of boys charged the
diminutive teacher, eager to be Azusa's guide.  With a child's mind, Miss
Hinako panicked at the sight of the horde of boys rushing her.  She
quickly drained them of all their battle aura, stopping their assault and
growing up in the process.  Looking around, she noticed that all of the
girls in class were glowering at Azusa.  It looked like she wouldn't get a
volunteer from them.  All of the boys were now lying at her feet, drained.
All, except for one that is.  Ranma.  The boy was sleeping at his desk
oblivious to everything around him.  It looked like it would have to be
him.  "Azusa, that boy over there will be your guide for today."

	Azusa stared at the teacher in shock.  Miss Hinako had changed
from a little cute girl into a full grown woman.  She must be just like
her little Charlotte, with the ability to change form.  Azusa lost
interest in what the teacher was saying as she was no longer cute enough
to hold her attention.  She then walked over to the boy that the teacher
had pointed out to her.  It was that boy named Ranma, who had defeated
Mikado.  Azusa glared at the sleeping boy.  He was the one that made a
fool out of Mikado, which led to Mikado's decision to go it alone.  Azusa
angrily grabbed a glass of water (which just happened to be there) and
splashed Ranma with it, determined to exact her revenge.  For the second
time today, Azusa looked dumbfounded.  The irritating boy had transformed
into her beloved big sister figure.  She must also be like her darling
Charlotte.  With a cry, she glomped onto Ranma.  "Big sister Ranma."

	Ranma woke up with a daze as he felt himself change into a she.
She felt her lungs threatening to collapse from something clamped about
her chest.  It was Azusa.  She said something about Ranma being her big
sister.  Ranma, still a little dazed, absently replied, "I'm a guy."  That
was his last thought as he was suddenly punted into the sky by Akane.

	"What do you think you're doing Ranma?  Holding onto her like that
in front of me."  Akane then turned her gaze to the ice skater.  "What are
you doing here at Furinken?"

	Azusa looked Akane with disdain.  "I'm here because your principal
asked me to transfer here.  He thought that my presense will improve on
this school's rather lacking ice skating program."  Azusa then looked
Akane over from top to bottom slowly, causing Akane to blush furiously.
"I can see that I have my work cut out for me, with materials like
yourself to work on."  With that last statement, Azusa turned and left
Akane fuming as she went to look for her big sister Ranma.

		*	*	*	*	*

	"Big sister Ranma, aren't you happy?  We get to be partners in
martial arts ice skating.  I'm sure we'll make a great team."

	Ranma hanged his head in defeat.  He was once again blackmailed by
the principal.  The principal will give him a passing grade if he does
this 'special project' for him.  He now had to put up with Azusa for the
rest of the year.  He turned and faced Azusa angrily.  "Get it through to
your head.  I'm a guy, okay."

	Azusa laughed into Ranma's face.  Big sister made the funniest of
expressions.  She then threw a glass of water (appearing out of nowhere) 
at him, changing him into a she.  "Now you're a girl."

	Ranma sighed and accepted her fate.  She put on her ice skates and
went to the rink.  She promptly fell on her face.

	Azusa could only shake her head in confusion as she picked Ranma
up.  She could not understand how a person who had defeated the Golden
Pair could be so bad at skating.  "Looks like we will have to start
from the beginning."

		*	*	*	*	*

	Ranma groaned as he got up from the ice.  He had fallen again.
Why did he ever agree to be Azusa's partner?  His thoughts were disrupted
as Azusa commanded him to get up again.  Azusa was a mystery to him.  At
one moment she was a girl obsessed with cute things and at the next moment
she was this very professional ice skater standing before him. She always
reverted to the former whenever he turned into a girl.  It seemed that
Azusa has an idol fixation on his girl form.  He shuddered as he 
remembered the look of adoration on Azusa's face gazing on his female 
body.

	Azusa stopped as she looked at her watch.  It was 7:00 p.m.  She
and Ranma had trained for three hours without even noticing it.  She never
got this much practice before.  Mikado usually tried to get the training
over with as soon as possible.  Azusa suspected that it was because, he
didn't like her.  Ranma was different.  Even though she knew that Ranma
was less then enthusiastic about ice skating, he still tried his hardest
to improve himself.  "Ranma, let's call it a day.  It's seven o'clock
already."

	Ranma cursed himself.  He was probably late for dinner.  It was
going to be left overs for him again.  Ranma was sick and tired of cold
dinners, so he decided to go out to eat today.  "Hey, Azusa.  I'm going
out to cruise for eats.  Do you want to come along?"

	Azusa looked at Ranma in surprise.  Nobody had ever offered to go
and hang out with her for no particular reason before.  Boys were just
after her for her looks and girls didn't like her because of that.  She
was so surprised she forgot to answer as Ranma took her silence for no.
She quickly ran after him and shouted, "Yes!  I'd like to go with you."

		*	*	*	*	*

	"Big sister Ranma, let's go here to try something next.  Then
we'll go over to the bakery."  Azusa tugged impatiently at Ranma to follow
her.

	"How many times do I have to tell you?  I'm a guy."  However,
Ranma was smiling as he corrected Azusa.  At first Ranma thought he had
made a big mistake by asking Azusa to come along, but gradually he began
to enjoy himself.  Azusa, being an only child and an idol to millions, was
not used to having fun with another person her age.  She didn't know how
to act around one of her peers.  She reverted to the way she acted when
she noticed something cute.  Ranma hoped to expose Azusa to more of
society.  It would help her to deal with other girls.

	Azusa stopped pulling at Ranma as she suddenly noticed a familiar
bandana clad boy.  Letting go of Ranma, she glomped onto Ryoga. 
"Charlotte, it's you."

	Ranma stared at his hand in shock.  Just moments ago Azusa's hand
was over it.  It now felt incredibly empty as Azusa left to grab Ryoga.
Ranma admonished himself for feeling this way, but he couldn't help it.
To be suddenly thrown away for someone else really hurt.  He turned and
glared at Ryoga.  "So Charlotte, what are you doing here?"

	Ryoga desperately tried to free himself from Azusa's grasp.  "My
name is not Charlotte.  Ranma?  You mean this isn't Mt. Fuji?  Let go of
me you crazy girl."

	Ranma didn't know why, but Ryoga's last comment really irked him.
Without saying a word Ranma picked up a glass of water (again out of
nowhere) and flung it towards Ryoga.  Ranma then walked away, ignoring the
screams of a black piglet.

		*	*	*	*	*

	Azusa looked sadly at Ranma as they skated side by side.  She (He,
Asuza mentally reminded herself) hadn't spoken to her all day.  He must
still be mad at her for leaving him behind yesterday.  She should have
known better.  Now she had probably destroyed her only hope at being
friends with Ranma.

	Ranma stopped as he looked worriedly at Azusa.  Not once today had
she 'acquired' an object and given it some french name.  She seemed to be
listless as she skated around the ice rink.  Never before had she done
that.  She always seemed to be full of life when she was skated.  That was
the one thing that Ranma always admired her for.  "Hey, Azusa what's the
matter.  You seem to be down today."

	Azusa immediately looked at Ranma.  He had finally spoken to her
on his own free will.  Just the sound of his voice full of worry brought
shivers down her spine.  "I'm sorry about last night, Ranma.  I don't know
what came over me.  I just noticed my little baby and I had to see if he
was alright or not."

	"Last night?  Think nothing of it..."  Ranma stopped talking as he
picked up on what Azusa was saying.  "Baby?"

	"Yes, I think of all of the things I pick up as my babies.  I've
never really had any friends, so I make up for it by expressing my love to
the animals and things I collect."

	He should have known that 'Charlotte' was not exactly a boy friend
type name.  For the life of him Ranma couldn't understand why he would
care whether Azusa had a boy friend or not.  "So, are you up for some more
training?"

	Azusa thought for a bit.  A mischievous thought crossed her mind.
It wouldn't hurt if they were to skip practice once in awhile.  "Why don't
we just have fun today, instead of training."

	Ranma smiled at her, "Sure!  Race you around the rink."

	"Hey!  No fair.  You had a head start."  Laughing and giggling
echoed throughout the rink.

		*	*	*	*	*
Epilogue

	Nodoka sat with the Tendo's and the other Nerima residents that
had an interest in her son's life as they all watched the skating
competition.  Ranma and Azusa were skating perfectly together.  Nodoka
sighed as she looked at the pair.  They were both smiling at each other.
One of the requirements in any good partnership was working together.  To
do that you had to get along with your partner very well.  After a few
months of training together, Ranma and Azusa were now very good friends.
She knew that this friendship of theirs could develop into something more
if left alone.  Apparently she wasn't the only one who knew this.  The ice
around their section of the rink melted from the battle auras given off by
Akane, Kodachi, Shampoo, and Ukyo.  They did not seem to take Ranma's
relationship with Azusa very well.  Even hardened fighters like Ryoga and
Mousse moved away from the girls in fear.  For better or worse, it looked
like there was going to be another girl joining in the fight to win her
son.  Nodoka silently hoped the best of luck for Ranma to get out of this
alive.

The End.