When Ryoga launched a full out attack and Shizuma blocked it - the pressure wave blew rocks and leaves away and rattled the table that the Principal and Genma were seated behind.
It was also becoming obvious that Shizuma had an edge in height and raw power even without the use of chi techniques.
Ryoga wasn't used to this at all. He was used to being the strongest in any particular group, the tough guy, the one nobody made fun of because he was the best fighter.
Instead he was finding himself quickly being overwhelmed as this guy was not only a lot stronger than expected, he was throwing FIRE blasts.
"The match," opined Genma into his microphone, "isn't going to last very long."
"Really, why's that?" asked the reporter-girl.
"The two fight in a similar manner, using strength and endurance against each other. In these sorts of fights, it comes down to who can dish out the most damage while taking it. Unless one has a weak spot the other can take advantage of, the stronger of the two will win. In this case, the local boy has a height and reach advantage over the challenger that further makes this contest lopsided," explained Genma, managing to sound fairly wise and knowledgable.
The Principal merely nodded.
Hearing this, Ryoga turned towards the two to complain about this assessment.
Which was not a good thing to do in the middle of a fight.
"You see?" said Genma as Ryoga took a punch to the side of his head that brought him down, incidently imbedding him in one of the school's walls. Twenty feet away.
Windy, or Haruka if you prefer, flew from the school yard back to the apartment. Ranma would be in school for several hours now. Then they'd be able to get some sparring done, he'd do his research, and there was the possibility of things getting more complicated than they already were.
Tomorrow she'd be in her card along with Makoto, and the next two would be up.
However, she was finding that even in the "inert" card state, some awareness was trickling in - from her connection to the person who had signed the card - Ranma.
As yet he didn't know about that, but none of them were that anxious to add to the burden the boy already had.
The Principal gestured to the seat in front of the desk, then took his own seat. "Well, Mister Saotome, I can guess why you're here."
"You seem to know a lot about me," said Genma, frowning.
"Genma Saotome, age 42, practitioner of the Saotome Style of the Anything Goes School Of Indiscriminate Grappling," said the Principal, sitting back in his chair and steepling his hands in front of him. "You created two sub-styles which you have since sealed - the Yamasenken and Umisenken. You studied under a dreaded Master who was a thief and pervert, along with a friend of yours in the Nerima district. You took your son on a ten year training journey to make him the best martial artist possible, and incidently to make him completely dependent upon you. Upon your son's sixteenth birthday, marriageable age in the current legal system, you began your trip back to Japan with the intent of marrying him off to one of Soun Tendo's daughters in order to assure your own retirement and the continuance of your school of martial arts."
Genma gaped.
"There is also a girl you made an arrangement for, named Ukyo Kuonji," continued the Principal, "accepting her dowry but dumping the fiancee. She has sworn vengeance and has registered as a boy, forswearing her femininity until she has nailed your hide to the wall. Made easier by the fact that you turn into a panda due to a Jusenkyo curse."
"Wha- how?" asked Genma.
"Kuonji-san starts here next week," said the Principal. "Your son turns into a girl, has a fear of cats, and was involved in keeping a woman named Beryl from completely destroying Tokyo and keeping the death toll from her little spree from reaching the million mark."
"He what?" asked Genma.
"Is currently researching magic," said the Principal, making an offhand gesture. "Particularly in trying to find a way to restore people from an enchanted state. Not only his own curse, but something to do with some magical cards that he's come across."
"How do you know all this?" asked Genma, wondering how much money he could get for those cards. If they were magic, it might be some serious sake money.
"It's simple, Mister Saotome," said the Principal, reaching up to tilt his everpresent sunglasses down.
(Posted Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:29)
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