One more caper....

[Feng]

Muffinville, City of Change....

Hi above the city a large shadow looms over the skyline; the Storm Crow. It was a massive zeppelin, the personal flagship of what had once been a major criminal element in the city.... the Sun Tzu of Crime, the Kaiser of Misdemeanors.... Lord Bones!

::ATTENTION CITIZENS:: boomed the voice of the so-called Criminal Mastermind, no doubt rousing citizens at this late, G_d-forsaken hour. ::This is your new, far from benevolent overlord Bones, come to establish demeanor on this squalor you deem a city. If you value your lives you will lay down your arms, your valuables, your precious metals and swear your allegiance to I, Lord Bones!::

From the observation deck Bones sipped his customary cup of tea. In the course of his long sabbatical from the city he had acquired a tan, lost some weight even.

::Those who persist, nay deign to interfere with my conquest will of course be punished most severely!::

He turned to his right hand minion, a Chibi in a dapper butler uniform.

"Reginald, kindly show the plebeian mob we mean business by unleashing a volley eh old bean."

[Knight Errant]

Resting in the forest, slowly sharpening his sword with a stone, Dactylos looks up. "I knew the fiend couldn't remain hidden forever. Now at the very end, I shall unsheathe every ounce of my VENGEANCE!"

He mildly alarms a passing couple walking their dog, as he glances up. "Wha? Oh, don't mind that. I was just trying to sound dramatic."

And with that he dashes from the woods of Muffinville park.

[Feng]

Bones paused from his diabolical scheming.

"I sense something. A presence I haven't felt since-"

He turned to the captain of the Storm Crow. "Captain! Order all hands to battle station. Ensure the Chibiwanbanshu are in place! We would not want any meddling adventurers to interfere with our glorious mission.


--Meanwhile--

As Dactylos exiting the park, a loud explosion rocked the pavement he was standing on courtesy of the Storm Crow's cannons. Fortunately, no confirmed casualties other than an abandoned Taco Truck belonging to the Chibi Express.

[AmbushCat]

*A nondescript building moves off to the side with a noisy rumble, revealing what seems to be... a massive paint gun? ...At any rate, it sends a trio of warning shots past the Storm Crow.*

[Knight Errant]

Dact dodges the craters... and starts to leap rooftop from rooftop to get some elevation! The pavement cracking beneath him as well as the brickwork of the buildings. But the city can bill him later. It was big goddamn hero time. He gets out his grappling gun... checking once on the rooftop if he's in range...

[Feng]

Bones watches the return volley soar past the Storm Crow.

"Confounded fiends!" he snarled, grabbing the intercom. ::I JUST HAD THE SHIP WASHED YOU FIENDS!::



Down below, on the rooftops, Dactylos sees his opportunity in the form of a lowered anchor. It was a tricky shot but if he angled it just right....

[AmbushCat]

*A staticky, female voice can be heard replying to Bones over a radio.*
Could have been worse. I could've commissioned a paint bazooka!

[Knight Errant]

He fires his grappling hook! Watching it fly... and wind its way about the anchor! Gripping the line securely... he swings out into thin air as he goes to retract the grapple line!

[Feng]

Bones glares at the taunting static. "You wouldn't dare! Those have been outlawed by the Geneva Convention.... Possibly."

He sipped his tea when suddenly an alarm went off.

"Oh what is it NOW?" he fussed, glaring at the main screen which now showed Dactylos dangling on the anchor.

".... WHO LEFT THE ANCHOR DOWN AGAIN?" o____q

--

Dactylos has successfully hooked himself to the anchor! It would be a tricky climb but surely, SURELY, the chevalier would be up for the task... right?

[AmbushCat]

--Even if they were, it's not like we fall within its boundaries, anyway. You two have fun, mmmkay?--

*The voice shuts off.*

[Knight Errant]

Ideed! Luckily he has quite a good climb check! As he goes to hand over hand haul his way up the chain. Time to be a hero.

[Feng]

Dactylos climbs, no doubt thanks to a fine Profession: Sailor ranking, finding himself climbing to the top of the air ship...

....

Surrounded on all sides by Chibi ninja.

[Knight Errant]

And so he whips out his spear! Going to do a circular sweep to clear the decks, as it were. The metal pole crackling with electricity running from his left hand as he two-hands the weapon.

[Feng]

The ninja mooks hesitantly approach the armed knight, their blades raised high, reflecting the electric glare of the spear.

"You stand no chance, Tall One!" bellows the assumed leader of the Chibiwanbanshu pack. "Surrender to Bones and we may spare you from what's to come."

They inch closer.

"Resist, and you will join the rest of the Master's enemies in Mictlan~!"

[Knight Errant]

He pauses in his sweeps. "I admire your loyalty. And will do my best to subdue you with as little bloodshed as possible. But surrender is not an option!" He says, making for the one who spoke... and sweeping his spear in a wide arc. The lightning arcing off of it... attracted to the many mini-lightningrods being held by the ninja.