You wrote:

	She turned around the corner and came smack into a dead end. 
Trembling, she felt eyes watching her back.  She was afraid to turn
around.  But if she did not turn around and run, her heart was sure to
be eaten.

That paints an interesting picture.

 Azusa made a decision.  She turned around... and looked into
piercing gray blue eyes surrounded by a mane of unruly hair.

**fade out**

			* * * * *

	Azusa jolted awake.  She breathed heavily from the night's exertions. 
She her damp clothes stick to her body.  She was soaked with sweat! 
What a dream.  She couldn't even recall much of the nightmare.  Only
that Ranma was in it. 

Four sentences in a row that start with She. May want to reowrk two of
them.

Rather than feel safe, the thought of him brought
shivers down her spine.  Why should she fear her big sister?

	Azusa looked around her room to find something comforting to calm her
nerves.  Somehow, her various possessions didn't offer her as much
comfort as she thought they would.  

Now that is a scary thought. It looks like she'll have to acquire more
things.

She spotted a tiny lock of hair on
her nightstand.  A few strands of Ranma's hair bound together.

	She smiled in memory of Ranma finally relenting and letter her have a
small snip of his cute pigtail.  It took her a full minute of pouting to
get even such a little snip.

Yep. That's about what it would take.

 Who knew Ranma was so vane 

vain

			* * * * *


	Azusa tried to fight down the beating of her heart.  Was she sick?  Why
was it that whenever she came near Ranma, she would start to break out
into a cold sweat?  "Sorry, Ranma.  I can't seem to concentrate."

Maybe if I hug you I'll feel better.

	"You're not sick are you?" Ranma asked, concern written all over his
face.

	"Ranma..." Azusa felt her face warm at his question of concern. 
Strange.  Her heart seemed to hurt more, yet she was happy?

	"...because I wouldn't want to catch it,"

BWHAHAHAH!!!

Ranma said quickly.  He
ignored the guilty feeling he got when Azusa seemed to deflate.

	Jeez, he was in enough trouble with Ukyo and Shampoo because he didn't
stop off at their respective restaurants in awhile.  Not to mention the
looks Akane was giving him.  How was he to know that skating would take
up so much his time?  He should never have agreed with Principal Kuno
about the job.  But then, he would never have had Azusa for a partner.

	"Oh.  Azusa wouldn't want you to catch it, big sister... er I mean,
Ranma-kun."  Azusa winced as she forgot her words again.  She waited for
Ranma's speech about how he was a guy to be restated yet again.  He must
have told her the differences between a guy and girl a dozen time
already.  Truth to tell, it was more habit than actually believing him
to be a girl.

Especially after the dream.

	Ranma didn't even notice Azusa's little slip.  He hated the fact that
Azusa never got mad at him and hit him since they became friends.  How
else was he going to make it up to her for putting his foot in his
mouth?  Instead, she had to be a spoilsport by hoping that he didn't get
sick too.  "Hehehe... don't worry about me.  I'm strong enough to handle
any old disease. 

Fiancees, well that's another story.

Um, why don't we stop for today and get something to
eat?  No sweets this time, though, okay?"

	Azusa could never understand Ranma facial features.  His face seemed to
contort to any old shape at a moment's notice.  He seemed concerned,
then panicked, and finally irritated all in a span of a minute.

HAHA! I never heard it put quite that way. But it does often describe the
emotions he goes through when this sort of thing happens to him.

 "Azusa
doesn't want to be a bother.  I can go home and eat.  Myself."

She must be really flexible then. (And here I didn't think this was a
lemon) ^_^  

May want to say 'By myself'

	"No bother at all.  Heh, two cute girls get more free food than one,"
Ranma grinned mischievously.  Azusa seemed to perk up already.  Who said
he couldn't think and talk at the same time?

	Azusa breathed a sigh of relief.  Ranma's female form was much easier
to deal with right now.  "Okay."

			* * * * *

	Ranma scowled at the exchange between the vendor and Azusa.  It wasn't
that she thought Azusa's technique at getting a free meal was bad.  She
had taught Azusa all her tricks and the skater was as great she was at
squeezing freebies out of lovesick men.  

She's the mistress of kawaiiness. ^_^

A little too good, Ranma
thought sourly.  She seriously considered punching some of the more
lecherous grins on some faces.

	Azusa rarely looked out at the world around her.  Her mind was always
preoccupied with some little object or another.  However, today she
found herself looking all around her.  Anywhere and everywhere except at
the girl beside her.  Her eyes kept avoiding Ranma-chan.  She found it
hard to think of Ranma as a big sister at all, even in his cursed form. 
It was scaring her tremendously that she couldn't even see the idol of a
sister that she worshipped in Ranma anymore.  Ranma's lectures on
manhood must really have brainwashed her.

Into what?

	Ranma sweated nervously and moved a little closer to Azusa.  All of a
sudden the girl started to hold her head in her hands and shake it
violently, all the while, muttering nonsense.  "You okay, Azusa?"

	"I'm fine.  Just have something on my mind," Azusa said embarrassed. 
It just wouldn't do for him to know what she was thinking.

Or that she was thinking. ^_^

	"You look kind of pale.  I'll get you a bowl of soup over there.  Wait
here for a second."  Ranma turned and headed for the nearest stall
serving steaming hot soup.

			* * * * *

	Azusa felt the pressure on her chest lighten a little bit after Ranma
left.  At the same time, she also noted that the pain was more acute
than before. 

Maybe she was in love. That had to be what the feeling in her heart was

*THUD*

Announcer's voice: A young kleptomaniac figure skater dropped dead in the
street today, a victim of a heart attack.

She walked over to a nearby bench and sat down.  She eyes shone 

Her eyes...

as she caught sight of the cutest cartoons she had ever seen. 

Overfiend cells. Yay!!!

She wanted it!

	The artist smiled at the little girl admiring his work.  He then did a
double take.  Little girl?  The girl was much too well developed to
still be in her preteens.  It was only her shortness and behavior that
gave her a look of youth.  Fitting, considering what he was drawing. 
"You like the picture?  You can have it.  I don't really own it anyway. 
Someone else that lives in America makes the cartoon I'm drawing.  It's
called 'Peanuts'."

	"That blanket he's holding is so cute," Azusa whispered with awe in her
voice.  She had one just like it.  It was right beside some of her cute
little babies.

The Linus-Azusa wars, coming soon

	"Heh, that's actually a symbol of the character.  The little boy, while
still young, is much too old to be carrying a blanket.  It represents
his inability to handle with his insecurities," the artist supplied.

	"A security blanket?" Azusa wondered aloud.

	"He can't face the world yet, so he holds on.  It's figuratively, his
anchor in life," he explained a little more.

Why do I have a feeling this little comment is going to sink in?

	"Azusa, there you are.  I was looking all over for you.  Are you
bothering that guy?"  Ranma gave the man a look over and was satisfied
that the man wouldn't be able to hurt someone with Azusa's skill.

	"Don't worry, you're 

your 

girlfriend wasn't bothering me.  In fact was just

fact I was

about to give her this drawing since she appreciates my drawings so

change the second 'drawings' to something like 'them'

much," the artist said as he waved off Ranma's accusations.

	Ranma whirled around and made sure none of his suitors were there to
here 

hear

Bad day for homonyms I see. ^_^

what the guy just called Azusa.  "Heh, come on Azusa lets 

let's

leave the
guy to his work."

	Azusa nodded and followed after Ranma.  She looked at the drawing in
her hand.  She looked at the boy closer.  For a split second, she
imagined herself there with a thumb in her mouth.  She shuddered and
wondered what possessed her to think of that.  

It was a parallel to his life and hers.

boy and a girl, that is.  Just like she and Ranma.  Or it would be like
that if Ranma was a boy.

	<Splash>

	"What the..?" Ranma-kun sputtered out.  That soup was hot!

	"Azusa sorry," Azusa quickly apologized.  She stared at her hands in
disbelief.  Unable to comprehend why she did that.  "I tripped and my
beef soup just flew out of my hands before I could stop myself."

	Ranma was confused.  He never heard of anyone tripping so that they
turned ninety degrees to one side like Azusa had. 

hehehe.

He chalked it up to
his seeming cursed ability to attract water at all and any possible
chance.  "No prob.  It's time to head back home anyway.  I'll take you
home first."

	Azusa nodded happily.  She really couldn't understand what made her
mood change again.  She still felt an ache in her heart when she saw
Ranma, but she found it did not hurt as much as not seeing him.  His
male body at least.  She sighed, now totally confused.

	She didn't know why but she tried to followed the example of those
around her and wrapped her arm around Ranma as they walked to her
mansion.  Azusa eyes widened suddenly.  Her head just cleared.

Bad day for Ranma, I see.

			* * * * *

	"I, Arch Bishop 

I think that's one word.

Hiroshi of the Church of Azusa, hereby resign my
position as penance for my actions."
with Mikado.  With Ranma in the way, most club members have just given
up.  The only ones that stayed are all suffering from delusions that
Azusa would look their way," Hiroshi commented as he picked himself up
and dusted his pants.

	Daisuke took Hiroshi's hand 

Yaoi?

and helped himself up. 

Oh.

"Yeah, I guess we
left the club in time.  If things keep going the way it does, Ranma is
going to have another fianc�e."

	Hiroshi shrugged.  "What else is new?  Anyway, we've got to get going. 
The meeting starts in fifteen minutes.

	"After you, president of the Asuka, the White Lily, Appreciation
Society."

AHHHHH!!!

	Hiroshi grinned and followed Daisuke's lead with a mock bow of his
own.  "I insist Father Daisuke, founder of Daisukism, the way of the
fanboy, go first.  You are the quest speaker 

guest speaker

after all."

			* * * * *

	Azusa looked around her room.  She frowned.  None of the things in her
room looked very cute.  She must have been out of her mind when she
picked up that purple stuffed dinosaur. 

AHHHH!!! Again. Maturity is hitting all at once. Ranma really is going to
have problems now. At least Azusa'a fast enough to avoid the other
fiancees.

She ordered a few of the
servants in to start cleaning up.

And they did so after they all had their hearing checked.

	After a short while she satisfied 

was satisfied.

that most of the junk had been
cleared out.  Now to put the stuff that felt were 

she felt

much cuter into the
room.  She smiled as a dozen pictures of her and Ranma skating together
were brought in and placed on the walls.  She felt the pictures with her
partner in it were the only ones that did her own features justice. 
Well, that and the fact that Ranma falling down on his bottom was just
so cute.  Next, she had all the lace in her room replaced with red
silk.  Red was a much nicer color.

Oh. She's just switching obsessions. That's a relief.

	Actually, not everything in the room was cleared out.  On her
nightstand still lay a tiny lock of hair.

			* * * * *

	Ranma tried not to stare at the girl beside him.  He couldn't quite
place his finger on it but there was something different about Azusa. 
She still carried on about cute objects, but now they all seemed to be
related in some way.  If he could only figure what was the connection,
then he might be able to figure out what was so different about her. 
That could help him decide if he should worry about his partner.

Worrying about women should be instinct with him by now.

	Today she took a one 

cut out 'a'
 

of the wooden ties to his shirt.  The other day
she took his shoe.  And the day before that, his box... 

"WHAT?!!! Oh. His box. Not his err...nevermind

Ranma flushed as
he remembered coming out of the showers in the locker room to see Azusa
standing there with a mask of innocence.  What was so cute about that,
he had no idea. 

And why had she pointed at him and called him Jean-Luc? Wait now that he
though about it, she wasn't exactly pointing at him as much as his...

At least it was clean pair.  She couldn't have planned
it.  She was much too naive for that sort of thing.  She must have
wandered in by accident.

	Just what in the world was on the cute kleptomaniac's mind these days? 
At least she no longer splashed cold water on him as she often did a
week ago.  She even went so far as to help him find hot water to change
back.  Maybe his nagging about his status as a guy and not a sister got
through to her.

Yes. It did.

	He watched admiringly as Azusa separated from him and started to skate
solo again.  Well, he was supposed to follow right beside her and
complete the same movements simultaneously.  But, he felt that his
clumsy presence would only mar the grace Azusa had on the ice.  He
sighed and knew that he still had a long way to go, before he could
catch up to Azusa's style.  There wasn't much time before their rematch
with Mikado and here he was idling while his partner practiced.

			* * * * *

	Ranma ignored the crowd as he skated onto the ice with Azusa.  Sure
enough, they would again meet the New Golden Pair in the finals of the
martial arts figure skating event.  Mikado would pay for what he did to
Azusa the last time and for winning the event.

	Mikado glared at Ranma.  He still remembered the beating Ranma gave him
during their last match.  He may have won the battle, but Ranma made the
victory a costly one.  He ran his tongue over his two front teeth.  The
dentures were still holding.  Oh, he would pay.  First off would be a
kiss from Ranma's partner.  The mature look did wonders for her.  In all
the years that he was Azusa's partner, Mikado had never once kissed
her.  That mistake will be rectified.

	Azusa looked over at her rival and exchanged a worry glance as they
both stepped away from their respective partners.  The dark aura they
both emitted was frightening.

			* * * * *

	Ranma winced as he held his kidney.  It was just like Mikado to sucker
punch him just as they exchanged complimentary handshakes before the
match.

Of course.

	Azusa could see that Ranma needed to catch his breath.  She had to
stall for time to help him.  She sighed and new 

knew

there was only one thing
that would make Mikado lower his guard during a match.  Her stomach
grumbled in protest.

	Turning her back deliberately on Mikado she skated slowly towards Ranma
as if to check up on him.  She could hear the muffled voices of the
other skating pair and smiled grimly as the other girl skated off in a
huff.

	Mikado smiled, his teeth gleaming off the light.  This was your lucky
day, Azusa.  Here comes Mikado, ready or not.

	Ranma's eyes blurred.  He saw red.  Anger clouded his vision as he
watched Mikado pick up the slight Azusa.  What he saw next made him go
berserk.

	Mikado dropped Azusa and immediately started to skate backwards
clumsily.  He had only seen Ranma this mad twice.  Once was for no
reason the first time they fought on the ice.  The other time was when
he caused Azusa to black out.  Both times, he ended up on the stretcher.

	"You dare kiss my partner?  Heh, you must feel pretty lucky," Ranma
said quietly.  He advanced on Mikado slowly.  His second wind coming to
him strongly.  Adrenaline powered his body forward.

	Azusa used the back of her hand and wiped the slobber off her lips. 
She spat out the rest.  Never had she ever been so disgusted before. 
However, Mikado did not deserved to die for what he did.  Which it
apparently looked like would happen if Ranma continued his assault.  She
raced towards the irate martial artist in an effort to calm him down.

	Ranma turned and looked at Azusa incredulously.  "You want me to let
him go?  Don't tell me you liked it!?"  Ranma dreaded the idea that
Azusa would say that she liked it.

	"Bleh.  Azusa feel sick from Mikado.  I didn't care for that kiss.  He
did it just to get you mad.  I know how his one track mind thinks. 
Remember, I was his partner for a few years.  If you beat him up, it
means that he got to you and he's won.

Costly victory.

 He does that to every opponent."

	Ranma was surprised to hear that kind of logic from Azusa of all
people.

So am I.

 But she was right, she had been Mikado's partner and knew how
he operated.  "But still..."

	Azusa could see that Ranma was still unconvinced.  "Here, he took a
kiss from me.  It's only fair that I give one to you."

hehehe.

	Before Ranma could ask where the logic was in that, he felt Azusa's
lips on his.  All thoughts melted away.

	"Ranma, DIE!" various voices shouted at the same time.

	"Oops, my bad," Azusa said impishly as Ranma was mauled by his crowd of
friends.  She wished she had so many friends that looked out for her.

No, she doesn't.

			* * * * *

	Ranma looked at the trophy that sat in the case beside the lobby. 
Furinken's first trophy in the area of martial arts figure skating.  It
also meant that his deal with the principal was effectively over.  He no
longer had to be Azusa's partner.

	"Ranma, you ready for practice?" Azusa asked hopelessly.  Her eyes were
downcast.  She knew that Ranma didn't like figure skating as much as she
did.  He was going to leave now that he helped the school with its first
win.

	"Yeah, I'll be there in a sec.  I just need to get my skates."

Oh. How sweet.

			* * * * *

The End. (maybe)

Nice story. Typos abounded. But aside from that an enjoyable read.

D.B. Sommer