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Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Printable Version

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Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Bob Schroeck - 06-07-2021

As I approach the end of this chapter on an asymptotic curve, it seems to me that it's time to dangle yet another tantalizing treat before your eager eyes.  So here's what I hope is the final teaser for chapter four.


Thursday, May 21, 1992, 6:30 PM.  Joy Fit.

"Okay," I said.  "One last thing before we call it quits tonight
and I let you get to that dinner your mom's keeping warm." 

"And what's that, sensei?"  Usagi was sitting crosslegged on the
mat, after finishing her magic exercises for the evening.  She
didn't look a bit tired, which was great because I'd started her
on simple conjurations -- basic shapes, single materials, easy
concepts -- and if you're not up to it that can take a lot out of
a person.  But she was still clear-eyed and energetic.

Which meant she wasn't spazzing out over her test scores, which
were coming out tomorrow.  I figured the more I could give her to
focus on, the less anxiety she'd suffer.  And it seemed to be
working.  But just to be sure, I had one more thing to impart
that evening.  I settled in, sitting crosslegged on the mat, too,
a meter or so away.  "Tonight's final lesson is an introduction
to banter and trashtalking the enemy."

Usagi tilted her head quizzically.  "I thought you told me not to
give speeches while fighting," she said.

"No speeches, that's right," I replied.  "But banter is something
else entirely.  It's an emotional and mental attack -- not in the
sense of the psychic, but meaning intellectually.  You engage the
foe in a conversation that you control, forcing them to spend
some of their concentration on reacting to you rather than on
their tactics."

"Really?"

I nodded.  "Really.  It doesn't even matter *what* you say,
sometimes.  You can insult them, bewilder them, try to undermine
their confidence -- whatever seems like it'll work.  Just the
fact that they'll respond to you will interfere with their
ability to fight."

She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees and her chin propped
up on her fists.  "I don't know, sensei, that seems too easy."

"You'd be surprised," I said with a laugh.  "Yeah, there are
always opponents who are too disciplined to respond, but it's
amazing how often even enemies you'd think were too smart to fall
for it can be drawn into the most ridiculous conversations while
fighting.  And once they do, they're yours.  With the right words
you can practically lead them by the nose.  And if you can rile
them up, sometimes they'll abandon all their tactics and strategy
just to get you to shut up."

Usagi gave me a flat look.  "That doesn't sound good.  Usually
I'm trying to keep from being hit.  I don't want to get them even
more eager to hit me!"

"Ah!"  I held up a finger.  "But the more emotional they are, the
less likely they are to think about what they are doing and
trying to accomplish.  They'll be prone to stupid mistakes,
giving you openings you wouldn't have had otherwise.  And if you
can get them *reacting* to you instead of acting, then you have a
measure of control over them and can lead them.  But there's
another benefit, too," I added.

She looked at me doubtfully.  "What's that?" 

I smiled slyly.  "Part of banter is nicknaming -- giving your
foe a name that's insulting or belittling.  Again, useful to rile
up the enemy.  But for mages like us -- especially for a mage
like you, who uses 'Will and Word' --  names have *power*.  And
giving a name to your foe that is both true and *limiting* in
some way *will* diminish your enemy if you put enough force and
belief into it."

Usagi's jaw dropped.  "You mean I can just *talk* someone into
being easier to beat?"

I laughed.  "If you're good enough, yeah."

She sat up straight and looked me in the eye.  "Please grant me
your wisdom, sensei," she said earnestly, but with a wicked
little twinkle in her eye.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - classicdrogn - 06-07-2021

... so who gets to be called "Mini-boss?"

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Labster - 06-07-2021

(06-07-2021, 12:16 PM)classicdrogn Wrote: ... so who gets to be called "Mini-boss?"

Zirconia, right?

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - robkelk - 06-07-2021

(06-07-2021, 12:16 PM)classicdrogn Wrote: ... so who gets to be called "Mini-boss?"

Draco Malfoy.

No, sorry - wrong Step.

Smile

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Isodecan - 06-08-2021

(06-07-2021, 12:16 PM)classicdrogn Wrote: ... so who gets to be called "Mini-boss?"

Surely that would be Mid-Boss?

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - classicdrogn - 06-09-2021

Except that when he's not intentionally holding back to test Laharl's level "Vyers" aka Mid-boss aka SPOILERS is actually one of the movers and shakers in the setting, but like he acts when doing that, yes.

Also, where does Final(?) fit on the scale of the "Finalish - Kinda Final - Probably Final - More Final - Even Finaler - Finalest" versioning system?

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - robkelk - 11-19-2021

(06-07-2021, 08:19 AM)Bob Schroeck Wrote: As I approach the end of this chapter on an asymptotic curve, ...

It's been five months - Minako wants to know how that asymptomatic curve is going.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Bob Schroeck - 11-19-2021

Heh. The chapter will be finished when the stars are ripe.

EDIT: More seriously, I am slowly but surely working the final scenes into shape. However, work and home life have been very busy for me the last few weeks, and have not leant themselves well to sitting down and writing in anything but very short spurts. I honestly believe there is no more than 5 or 10K left to write in the chapter, but between the demands on my time and the holiday season I will be surprised if it's completed before Christmas. And even if it is, I would not want to send it out to the prereaders in the middle of their holiday seasons. Even if I were to suddenly finish it tomorrow, you would not be likely to see it before January.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - ckosacranoid - 11-22-2021

Please?

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Star Ranger4 - 11-22-2021

(11-19-2021, 01:48 PM)Bob Schroeck Wrote: Heh.  The chapter will be finished when the stars are ripe.

EDIT:   However, work and home life have been very busy for me the last few weeks, and have not leant themselves well to sitting down and writing in anything but very short spurts.  

Heh.  Want to say something about welcome to my life, Bob...  But attepmting to look at my life from the outside?  Yeah, this week is crazed. but this too will pass away.  The other... hmm...  47?  48? weeks of any year are no where near as stressfull.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - classicdrogn - 11-22-2021

"no more than 5-10k left to write in the chapter"

(thinks about all the fics where 3-4K in two or three scenes is heralded as a long "chapter")

Bob, you are a treasure.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - robkelk - 11-22-2021

(11-22-2021, 12:09 PM)classicdrogn Wrote: "no more than 5-10k left to write in the chapter"

(thinks about all the fics where 3-4K in two or three scenes is heralded as a long "chapter")

Bob, you are a treasure.

And it's rubbing off - I'm thinking that 34k is nowhere near long enough to publish yet in my current story for There's Nothing Better. (Considering that when I write for pay I write as beige and terse as possible, that's a pleasant change.)

Thanks, Bob! For setting the example.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Bob Schroeck - 11-22-2021

You're welcome.

And classicdrogn? Thank you.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Skyfire2020 - 12-24-2021

Probably not the right place so feel free to move it.

I don't think I've ever said it before so thank you for both the stories and the forum. I am not around as much as I should be (just wasting time on You Tube) but particularly in the current times this is a very enjoyable break from the real world.

Mark

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Bob Schroeck - 12-24-2021

You're very welcome.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Bob Schroeck - 02-03-2022

Since this thread mutated into a discussion of progress, I just wanted to let people know that after all the interference of the holidays, the sewer repair we needed immediately after Christmas, getting the sewer contractor to do all the legal paperwork properly before we paid him, and every financial knock-on effect from all that... I am finally writing again, and barreling onward to the final line of the chapter, which I have had written and positioned in the chapter file for literally years now.

EDIT: The byte count in the top-of-page notice isn't changing because as I complete material, notes and ideas jotted down in the file are either incorporated or relocated to a later chapter. It's entirely likely that by the time I finish, it will actually be a bit shorter than the 290K currently reported. But rest assured, it is being written.

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Norgarth - 02-03-2022

[Image: KVUtEL4.gif]

RE: Final (?) Teaser from Chapter Four - Bob Schroeck - 02-24-2022

Quote: It's entirely likely that by the time I finish, it will actually be a bit shorter than the 290K currently reported. But rest assured, it is being written.

Nope, it ended up 297Kb.