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.
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.
-- Bob
I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber. I have been
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....
I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber. I have been
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....