***************************************************
After the Fall - Chapter 4, The Unanswered Question
***************************************************
By the time Furinkan's students (except for the a few of the more talented Anything Goes students) could get to the Tendo/Saotome Dojo, a sign had been erected. It read:
"Meet the Nerima Wrecking Crew! Two Hours Only! Admission 1,000 yen, Questions 5,000 yen."
Tendo Nabiki was busily collecting money (and questions) from the hordes of students waiting to get in. By the time she had finished, a total of 200 students had crammed into the small Dojo and the Tendo Dojo was approximately 250,000 yen richer.
After all was said and done, only 4 questions needed asking -- 5 of the 10 ordered had been variations on when/if Kuno would be rejoining the Furinkan Kendo Club, and 3 had been asking to see someone change shape. It was decided that the Kendo question could wait until last.
The first question was addressed to Tendo Ranma. It read, "Can you show us the how you guys turn into stuff?" He walked up, read the question, and then said "NO." As the crowd erupted into jeers, he turned back and mouthed the words "all right" before turning and drawing a squirtgun on Ryoga.
Ukyo started giggling. Akane started laughing. Even Kasumi couldn't help giggling, her hand cutely over her mouth, as the entire crowd hushed at seeing the Eternal Lost Boy suddenly turn into a cute little pig. A second later, he was back, having been squirted by a squirtgun Nabiki held.
The entire crowd hushed up, wanting more and knowing they wouldn't get it if they P.O.'ed the strongest man in Nerima. And thus it was that question two came up, to be answered by... Nabiki.
"What exactly do you guys turn into, anyways?"
Nabiki began going down the list, pointing her squirtgun at those present. She recounted Mousse as the duck, Shampoo as a cat, Saotome Genma as a Panda, Hibiki Ryoga as the cute little pig, and Tendo Ranma as a girl. The demonstration of Ryoga's curse, followed by Ranma's flinch as the squirtgun neared him, served to prove to the crowd the truthfulness of her answer.
"So are all those stories about things getting damaged and destroyed true?"
Nabiki walked to the back of the room, clearing a center aisle, and arranged something. It turned out to be a stack of cinder blocks. She opened the Dojo's rear doors, set the blocks on the outside, told the crowd to stand back, then cleared out of the way and yelled, "Tendo-Sensei, if you would do the honors?"
Ranma walked to the stage, lining up with the cleared aisle. He concentrated for a moment, and two or three audience members were heard murmuring "What's that wierd aura?"
A second later, Ranma looked up. His arms swept past his side as he assumed a combat stance, merely whispering the words "Moko Takabishi". Those in the area who were Ki-sensitive saw the blast. The rest of the room merely saw the top cinder block explode.
It was enough. The crowd were terrified, awed, and a few were in need of a new pair of pants. Some of the more daredevil spirits were wondering where they would sign up to learn to do that.
They got to the last question, finally. Tatewaki Kuno stood before the assembled students of Furinkan, and decided to keep it short.
"My friends. I am honored indeed that you wish me to come back to lead the Kendo Club, but I cannot. I am still recovering from my ordeals, and have already accepted a position. For the time being and until some unnamed time in the future, I am both a student of the Anything Goes school and the Kendo instructor of the Tendo/Saotome Dojo. For this reason, I cannot affiliate with the Furinkan Kendo Club anymore, though I am available for both group and personal lessons in the art of swordsmanship."
The Kendoists were silent. This was Tatewaki Kuno, the man whose bokken was an extension of his body. This was Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. This was Tatewaki Kuno, the man whose strikes could shatter stone through the very air pressure he created. This was Tatewaki Kuno, who had been Furinkan's greatest champion until the arrival of one Saotome Ranma.
This was not the Tatewaki Kuno that they had all heard of.
As the Nerima Wrecking crew retreated into the house, Tendo Nabiki began taking down payments and names from prospective students, and distributing the standard legal release forms for parents to sign. By the time she was done, the entire Kendo Club as well as enough students to start another beginners' class had signed up.