Halftime
By Aaron Ziegler
alziegle@norcia.cs.csbsju.edu
http://bingen.cs.csbsju.edu/~alziegle

Chapter 18: Time for Revenge

   Magus waited uncomfortably in a side alley. Uncomfortably,
because he was waiting with a twenty-four-year-old eight-year-old
girl who could easily overcome him should she ever decide it
necessary. Magus could, of course, easily kill her by physical
means (and the thought had its appeal), but his attack would have
to be swift and lethal. At any rate, he still abided by Ukyou's
injunction against killing, and he had no intention of breaking
that promise, save under the most extreme of circumstances.
   There was, of course, no substantial reason to kill her
anyway. The two of them were, for the time being at least,
allies. Not to mention the fact that Miss Hinako had absolutely
no knowledge of the discomfort she caused her companion. "Isn't
this exciting?" she whispered enthusiastically. "So many
delinquents at once!"
   "Hmph. Just make sure that delinquents are the only ones you
hit," Magus answered irritably.
   Miss Hinako scowled. "I always hit what I aim at, Magus." Then
she looked thoughtful. "Of course, my aim isn't always perfect, I
suppose."
   "Bakusai-Ten-Ketsu!" Ryoga's voice split the air, along with
the pattering sound of a section of stone wall being reduced to
powder by his powerful Breaking Point technique (a technique
Cologne taught Ryoga to use against Ranma, in an attempt to
further Ranma's training; with it, Ryoga was able to find and
attack the key stress points in any solid object, reducing the
object to shards--fortunately, the technique didn't work on
living creatures). The collapse of the stone wall indicated that
the frontal assault had begun, and attention would, hopefully, be
shifted away from where Magus and Miss Hinako waited.
   Miss Hinako whispered, "That's our cue."
   Magus grabbed the girl ungently by the shoulders, causing her
to yelp in protest, and hovered with her up to the roof of the
Tendo home. He wanted this over with as quickly as possible. All
the discomfort Miss Hinako caused him was doubled while he was in
physical contact with her. If he generated so much as a magical
spark toward the girl, he could be sucked dry in an instant.
   Magus set Miss Hinako down and began adjusting his gloves.
Miss Hinako rubbed her sore shoulders. "No need to be so rough,"
she scowled reproachfully.
   "Just watch for your target, girl," Magus answered brusquely.
"And when I start casting magic, keep your little parlor trick
away from my targets."
   "You don't need to remind me," Miss Hinako answered. What
Magus had already known--that Miss Hinako was a bottomless pit
for magic users--had been rediscovered by the others in their
attempts to craft Double Techs to use on their foes. That problem
alone made her somewhat undesirable in the cooperative combat
style. Magus, too, disliked combining his skills with anyone
else's (save under special circumstances), believing that doing
so reduced the effectiveness of his own techniques. So, the two
of them had elected to work their abilities independently from an
excellent vantage atop the Tendo home.
   They didn't have long to wait. Ryoga's unsubtle entry into the
Tendo property had been like kicking a hornets' nest. Blue and
red uniformed band members appeared at every opening, running
toward the point of detonation. This time, no one stepped forward
to fight one-on-one; the band immediately stepped into a
formation recognizable as that of their 'Dischord' attack. The
Director himself soon appeared, tugging on his uniform jacket as
he ran (the attack had evidently caught him at an inconvenient
time). "Now," Magus whispered to Miss Hinako.
   Miss Hinako already had her coin in hand. "Happo-50-Yen-
Satsu!" she shouted, and green light poured forth. The beam
struck the Director dead on, and he almost immediately collapsed
into a drained heap. Miss Hinako, now in adult form, flipped the
coin into the air and caught it. "Like shooting ducks in a
barrel," she noted with satisfaction.
   Magus ignored her, instead preparing his own technique. The
band below had fallen into disarray, but was already collecting
itself into three groups around three musicians, who had
apparently taken charge with the loss of their leader. The three
musicians appeared to be a trombonist, a saxophonist, and a
drummer. Magus chose the group led by the drummer, and began to
weave his spell. "Dark Mist," he chanted, and a wave of blackness
swept across the drummer and his soldiers. They all reeled in the
sudden nausea the debilitating spell caused, and several actually
dropped to the ground.
   Miss Hinako initiated her technique once more, and green light
cut through the ranks of the trombonist's legion, leaving a trail
of drained musicians in its wake. The trombonist herself was able
to leap out of the light's path. Miss Hinako staggered a moment,
and then recovered. "I'm taking on too much energy," she
muttered. "Better dispose of some of it. Happo-No-Yen-Coin-
Return!" The reversed flow of energy struck the saxophonist's
troop dead center, scattering many.
   By now, the three section leaders had had enough of presenting
themselves as targets to their strategically placed adversaries.
They quickly led the thirty remaining band members into the Tendo
home, stopping only long enough to collect their incapacitated
Director.
   "Well, we've done our part," noted Miss Hinako. "The rest of
the battle is in their hands."
   Magus frowned. "You may stay if you wish, but I don't intend
to leave anything to chance." With that, Magus stepped off of the
edge of the roof and glided into the house through an open
window.
   Miss Hinako scowled. She was no coward, but the battle plan
called for she and Magus to guard the exits and pick off any who
attempted to escape. It had been agreed that none should be
allowed to pull back and regroup. With Magus gone, her sentry
duty would be more difficult. The man was insufferable.
"Delinquent," she muttered crossly. Hopefully, he wouldn't get in
anyone's way.
   Meanwhile, Marle, Crono, Lucca, Ukyou, Mousse, and Akane were
beginning their frontal assault. The retreating band had
evidently forgotten that their base of operations was an acquired
possession, and had locked the front door to prevent pursuit.
Akane withdrew her own housekey, unlocked the door, and stood
back. "Megabomb," chanted Lucca, augmenting one of her home-built
cluster bombs with her own fire magic. She cracked the door open,
tossed in the grenade and slammed the door again. A chain of
explosions could be heard.
   When the sounds died away, Crono and Ukyou opened the door
again and dashed through, passing the four singed and unconscious
musicians who had formerly been guarding the door. Another four
charged across the room towards them. "Tazer," Ukyou and Crono
cried in unison. Ukyou tossed a spread of specially prepared
spatulas, each trailing a thin copper wire. Each struck an
oncoming opponent. Crono concentrated and channeled a bolt of
carefully controlled lightning into Ukyou. Ukyou's body emitted a
yellow glow as the magical electricity flowed along the copper
wires and into the band members, who were in turn lightly toasted
by the spell.
   The moment Ukyou and Crono's technique was complete, another
ten musicians streamed in, forcing the two to draw their weapons
and fight in much closer quarters. Their combat was made easier,
however, by Akane and Marle, who had used their distraction to
sneak in via a window. "Crushed Ice," they called, and Marle
began to concentrate. The air chilled, and roughly two-thirds of
the attacking band members found themselves encased in a large
chunk of ice. Akane wasted no time in smashing her way through
the glacial mass with her mallet, reducing the ice to shards and
the trapped musicians to unconsciousness. The odds thus reduced,
Akane and Marle joined Ukyou and Crono in fighting one-on-one,
while Mousse and Lucca ran past them into the house.
   Thatsenov was not the bravest or most skilled of the
Director's minions. The only reason he was first-chair tuba was,
simply, because he was the only tuba player. This wasn't to say
that he couldn't fight, of course. He was the best Tuba-Kwan-Do
fighter on the planet (although, he was quite possibly the only
Tuba-Kwan-Do fighter on the planet), and more than capable of
holding his own in most fights. He had even learned a few solo
sonic attacks, something few others in the band had accomplished.
But in spite of all this he much preferred the safety fighting in
groups provided, and was, therefore, quite uncomfortable with the
task he had been given: to stand guard over the incapacitated
Director until the enemy was defeated.
   The reluctant guardian took some comfort from the fact that to
get to his secure location in the attic, the enemy would have to
fight its way past everyone else below. That final comfort was
stripped away when Thatsenov felt a presence behind him. He spun,
shouting, "Who goes there?" but found only shadows.
   Suddenly, a keen blade parted the air, once, and then twice.
Thatsenov's combat tuba fell from his clammy hands in three neat
pieces and clattered to the dusty floor. A figure clad in black
glided silently into the light, a long, gleaming scythe held
ready in one hand. Thatsenov looked up into the pale face of
Death.
   "Are you ready to dance with the reaper, boy?" whispered the
voice of Death.
   With that, Thatsenov fainted.
   Magus nudged the musician's unconscious form with one foot, a
satisfied smirk playing across his thin lips. He turned his eyes
onto the Director, and found the weakened man studying the boy
with a resigned expression. "The fellow never did have much
backbone, more's the pity," he rasped. His eyes fastened onto
Magus's. "So what now?"
   In answer, Magus strode over to the helpless man, slung him
over one shoulder, and glided out of the room.
   Genma, Soun, Ayla, Ranma, Frog, and Ryoga had circled around
the house to attempt an attack from the rear. They had
encountered resistance less numerous but no less determined.
   The opposition did give Ayla, Genma, and Soun a chance to try
the Triple Tech they had devised. "Area Kick!" The three of them
launched themselves back and fourth across the room in an
intricate web of airborne kicks, striking every adversary and
dropping many. Genma, Soun, Ranma, and Frog engaged the
remainder, giving Ayla and Ryoga the opportunity to slip past.
   The two of them met Mousse and Lucca at the base of the
staircase. "Robo's in Nabiki's room," Ryoga informed them, and
the four headed upstairs.
   In the upstairs hallway, they found real opposition. "This, I
believe, is as far as you go," remarked Troffimov tonelessly.
Beside him, Noranov grinned eagerly and Blattislov glared
hatefully.
   "We'll just see about that," snarled Mousse. "Lucca?"
   Lucca nodded, and the two of them shouted, "Thermal Web!"
Mousse unleashed a number of chains in a fan-shaped pattern,
fastening the ends to the ground where he stood. He then leapt to
a wall and produced another fan of chains. He repeated this
process a few more times until a spider-web-like network of
chains festooned the area, most densely around the three section
leaders. Lucca reached out to touch the nearest chain, and glowed
red as she channeled her fire magic into the web of chains. In
moments, the entire network was glowing white-hot.
   "Just try to stop us now," Lucca taunted them smugly.
   Noranov laughed, "We don't have to move to attack you, you
fools! Horns up!"
   Before anyone could react, the familiar tune of  Dischord'
filled the air. Oddly, Ranma could feel no affect. "Ha! It didn't
work! There's not enough of you."
   Troffimov's eyebrows lifted condescendingly, and Blattislov
(the only one able to talk while playing) snarled, "Look at your
friend, and then tell us again whether there's enough of us."
   Ranma whirled along with Mousse and Ryoga to see Lucca
hovering about a foot off the ground. Her body was vibrating
visibly, and her teeth were clenched. Blattislov smiled a
venomous smile and said, "Now, you're gonna do just as we say, or
we'll rip your friend into kibble, understand?" The drummer added
a subtle extra rhythm to his drumming, and Lucca cried out in
pain.
   Mousse was incensed. "Put her down, you fiend!"
   "I don't think so," Blattislov responded. We'll just wait, all
nice and cozy, until these chains cool down. Then, we'll collect
all your friends and put you all into a nice, safe box. You lose,
homeboy."
   Mousse looked ready to do something rash, so Ayla snapped,
"Mousse not do anything! Ayla not want friend Lucca dead, and
Mousse also not want! There nothing we can do."
   Ryoga gritted his teeth. Once more, there was absolutely
nothing he could do. He had more than enough reason to feel
depressed, if only he could-
   "That's enough of that, bandana-boy!" barked Blattislov. "You
even start to think of trying one of those Shi-Shi-Whatevers and
the girl dies. And that goes for all of you. No fancy-pants
martial arts tricks." Continuing his rhythms with one hand, the
drummer reached out with the other to carefully feel a chain.
"Ah, nice and cool. All right, follow us."
   The mistake that Blattislov made at this point was really not
his fault at all. After all, having just obtained four new
prisoners, it was perfectly understandable that he should want to
make sure that the original two were still secure, particularly
since the four backup players had been dispatched to help repel
the invaders. So, Blattislov opened the door to Nabiki's room
just far enough to see in. Unfortunately for him, it was also
just enough for Happosai to see out...
   Happosai was lying in a happy daze. Robo had tired once again,
and temporarily stopped her abuse. As soon as Happosai recovered
his own strength he would be free to show his boundless affection
for all females once again.
   Happosai's demented daydreaming was interrupted by the click
of a door opening. Was it, perhaps, that nice Director fellow,
come to deliver another luscious prisoner? No, it was just his
flunky, Blattislov. But wait! Just beyond...yes, it was!
   While Happosai had not dwelled long at the Village of Chinese
Amazons, he had stayed long enough to learn of an intriguing
artifact that had existed many thousands of years in the past.
All he had to go on was a few sketches and some vague references
in a few ancient documents, but Happosai had learned that one of
the founders of the village had possessed unique underwear of
astounding quality: A bikini, crafted from the grey fur of an
animal that no longer existed. The memory had haunted Happosai's
thoughts for many years, before he finally resigned himself to
the fact that those wondrous undergarments would remain ever
beyond his reach. But now, through some twist of fate, Happosai's
wish had been granted. And all that stood in his way was a wall
of sound and six tired musicians.
   Blattislov, satisfied that the prisoners were still secure,
carefully closed the door and turned to taunt their new captives
once again. No sooner had he done so than a loud explosion could
be heard. An object like a small cannonball reduced Nabiki's door
to splinters, burst through Blattislov's bass drum, and clamped
lecherously onto Ayla's chest.
   Without the steady backbone rhythms only a drum could provide,
the 'Dischord' attack fizzled, dropping Lucca to the ground like
a sack of potatoes. Ayla calmly pried Happosai loose and regarded
him with the sort of look one normally might reserve for slugs
found in one's salad. "Must...have...fur..." mumbled Happosai,
groping weakly towards Ayla's clothing. He had evidently been
quite drained by his breakout. Ayla casually tossed Happosai at
Noranov, and the tiny pervert evidently decided that the stunned
trombonist would do as a temporary substitute.
   While the enraged musician beat Happosai with her trombone,
her fellow section leaders tried desperately and futilely to
overcome their four opponents. Blattislov, unbalanced by his
wrecked drum, was the first to fall, the point-blank target of a
now unrestrained Ryoga's 'Shi-Shi-Hokudan'.
   Noranov (having disposed of Happosai by sticking him into the
bell of her horn and blasting him out of an open window with a
masterfully executed solo rendition of the '1812 Overture'), was
felled by a single, powerful uppercut, courtesy of Ayla.
Troffimov was floored by a dual attack of 'Hypno Waves', one
provided by Lucca, and the other by Mousse.
   "Well, that's that," said Lucca.
   "Robo!" Ryoga exclaimed, suddenly remembering the reason for
their haste. As if in answer, Robo punched through the wall,
approximately three feet to the left of the open door. She had a
haggard, haunted look in her eyes, and her left cheek
periodically twitched with an unhealthy facial tick. Her hands
were clenched into fists, and, for some reason, she was wet from
head to toe. "Robo?" Ryoga asked, uneasily.
   "Must...sterilize...pervert..." Robo mumbled tonelessly. She
carefully eyed the room, obviously looking for stray lechers.
   "Robo, snap out of it!" Ryoga implored her, grabbing her by
the shoulders. Almost instantly, he let go. "Yuck! Happosai
drool!"
   "Sterilize...Sterilize..." Robo answered in the same monotone.
   By then, the others fighting below had finished mopping up
with the remainder of the Kielowitz International Martial Arts
Marching Band, and had joined them in the hall. "So, what do we
do with them now?" asked Ukyou.
   "Well, we can't exactly kill them," said Ranma. "But we can't
really keep them prisoner, either."
   "Sterilize...pervert..." Robo added helpfully. A few eyed her
with concern.
   "Well, it would seem that you didn't need my help after all,"
came the dry, mocking tones of Magus. "I am astounded." The
caustic dark sorcerer strode into view, Director slung easily
over one shoulder.
   "Magus," Ryoga noted dully. Then his eyes narrowed. "Aren't
you supposed to be on the roof?"
   Magus ignored him, carefully setting the Director upright.
Even captured, drained, and helpless, the man exuded an aura of
self-confidence and defiance. "So, you've won this battle. But we
will be victorious, eventually, unless you intend to destroy us.
But having fifty corpses on your hands would be a trifle
difficult to explain, would it not?" The Director laughed
confidently.
   Robo suddenly seemed distracted. "Sterilize...pervert..." She
paused, face twitching twice. Her fevered eyes semi-focused onto
the Director. "Must...sterilize...Must...sterilize...Oh, you will
do." Robo began advancing on the helpless man, whose evil laugh
suddenly caught in his throat.
   "I suppose we could let her kill him," Ranma suggested
casually. "One body wouldn't be too hard to hide."
   The Director paled. "You wouldn't dare!"
   "Sterilize...Director...Sterilize...Director..." Robo chanted
over and over again, still advancing.
   "Then again, I'm sure we could come to some sort of
agreement," the Director sweated. Ryoga squeamishly gripped Robo,
preventing her from doing anything nasty to their prisoner. Robo
didn't even seem to notice, continuing to walk in place, chanting
her goal over and over again.
   Suddenly, Ayla grinned. "Ayla have idea. Joketsuzoku need
strong fighters. Joketsuzoku also need men. Marching band have
many men, and all fighters. Exile to Joketsuzoku."
   "That sounds reasonable," responded Marle, sharing Ayla's
grin. "What do you say, Director? Exile, or Robo?"
   "Sterilize...Director...Sterilize...Director..." Robo
encouraged.
   "Exile would be fair," the Director hastened to answer.
Inwardly, he crowed victoriously. The fools! Wherever this
'Joketsuzoku' was, he and his band would escape eventually, and
return to finish the fight more favorably.
   "Great! Magus, go get Miss Hinako," Marle ordered. Magus
scowled, but could see no reason to refuse, particularly with
Ukyou looking on. "I think it's about time we helped Ayla with
her problems."

Afterword:
   I don't have anything meaningful to say in this Afterword.

Chrono Trigger Tip #18:
   Regarding that strip of highway in Lab 32 in 2300 A.D., where
you have to race that self-absorbed motorcycle robot: Is there
any point to coming back here to race again later in the game?
   Yep. But not until your characters are strong enough to easily
kick Mutant butt. As you may or may not know, you don't HAVE to
race against the robot to get across the ruins of Lab 32. You can
simply walk across, but then you have to fight a whole Horde o'
Mutants along the way. About halfway through, you can find a
treasure chest, and in that chest is the Race Log. This device
allows you to time yourself in your races. One of the robot's
flunkies will teach you how to use it, and will reward you with
prizes when you're able to achieve certain scores. Even better,
it will allow you to adjust the view while riding, so you can
have a frontal view rather than a side view while racing--though,
at the cost of using the speed boosters.
   So, how can I get a good score?
   Well, you get a nice boost of speed every time your opponent
crashes into the back of your racer, so try to get him to do that
as often as possible. Likewise, at all costs avoid crashing into
HIS back, as it slows you down. With practice, you'll be able to
keep him bumping into your rear again and again for the duration
of the race, and then you'll get some astounding scores. A true
expert will be able to do this while playing in the mode where
you have speed boosters, but are stuck with a side view (this is
more than I can accomplish, but I'm sure it must be possible).
This will allow you to make even better times, as you'll have the
three speed boosters in addition to the boosts the opponent gives
you. It is maddeningly difficult to accomplish, however, and even
the Mindlessly Obsessive are not likely to succeed.