One more caper....

[Jello Shot Mischa]

On the observation deck of the Storm Crow, an incoming communication signal arrives, carrying a CTC header. Assuming Bones opens the link, the familiar face of Commander Pleasance can be seen, looking a bit more aged and worn over the intervening years.

"So... if it isn't Lord Bones. Would you care to explain why you are bombarding the innocent citizens of Muffinville?" she asks.

[Feng]

Bones raises an eyebrow.

"Commander Pleasance of the CTC.... You are looking remarkably well for a woman of your age" he smirked.

He threw his cloak back, attempting to pose himself in a dramatic manner.

"What you are observing is my conquest of this city," said Bones, sipping his tea. "This is merely the first act on what may ultimately be my greatest caper yet."

He turned to Reginald.

"It would seem the CTC have shown up earlier than I anticipated.... Tell our boys down below to ready the summoning ritual."

[Jello Shot Mischa]

The image of Commander Pleasance rubs her brows at Lord Bones' response. "Lord Bones... we have had a cordial relationship in the past. I know the CTC have been fairly quiescent of late, but.... we consider Muffinville to be neutral territory. We will act in the defense of its citizens against significant threats, as we have done with kaiju in the past... or the threats from the Western Continent." She sighs, and then looks squarely at him. "Do you still plan to try and conquer that city?"

[Feng]

"In this long period of self-imposed exile I have thought long and hard about my legacy, commander. What is a Criminal Mastermind of my caliber supposed to do? Retire to a life of obscurity? By conquering Muffinville, the city of Transformation, I secure for myself immortality!"

He adjusts his monocle.

"Your armies may have experience fighting the abominations of the West and the occasional giant lizard.... But what I have in store is something you've yet to witness before!"

He smirks.

"Tell me commander, are you familiar with the mythology of the Chibi?"

[Jello Shot Mischa]

On the screen, Commander Pleasance blinks at the explanation, her eyes briefly glancing to the sides. It's the only visual indication of the sudden stream of cybernetic activity within the CTC's network, as orders are sent out to Fourth Wall agents to begin researching the Chibi, as well as messages sent out to CTC forces to prepare for combat. In Academy City itself, warning klaxons, long silent, begin to wail, and the citizens, with some confusion, begin running for their shelters. Long dormant machines start to awaken within the CTC facilities...

Far out to sea, the Drumfire and its escorts change course, heading for Muffinville.

At Diego Air Force Base, a squadron of hypersonic jet fighters scramble, taking to the air.

In orbit, a slumbering ANGEL platform awakens.

Commander Pleasance's gaze turns back to Lord Bones. "I'm afraid I know little..." she admits.

I really wish Major Durant was here... the commander thinks. I'm getting too old for all this.

[Knight Errant]

Dact continues to drive him back towards the railing. Keeping him on his toes with leg sweeps and disarm attempts...

[AmbushCat]

In orbit, a slumbering ANGEL platform awakens.

*A group of spaceships marked by a set of golden crisscrossing claw marks keep an eye on the situation from a hundred miles out. Deciding that it's none of their business, they decide to keep their distance.*

[Feng]

"Allow me to enlighten you commander~!" smirked Bones, lighting a cigar as he assumed his best story-teller persona.

"To an outsider the Mythology of the Chibi of Muffinville might seem a confusing quagmire of spirits and monsters clashing and scheming for recognition and authority over the diminutive inhabitants of the city. Most who dare to venture into the Chibi districts will have heard of Smoking Toaster, the patron of trickery and sorcery (as well as alcohol) as well as possibly Flaming Pepper, who instructed the Chibi in warfare and once pitted the various clans against one another in a massive shadow war that raged for years until he was put in his place by a certain ditzy girl...."

--The Fourth Wall agents would uncover what little public knowledge of the Chibi that was available. Images of the Temple of the Smoking One looming above the subterranean marketplaces, the known Chibiwanbanshu training grounds that dotted the city, reports of a deranged shaman summoning a giant penguin years ago, a curious video on YouTube where a perky girl (...is that Caprice?) tricks a giant flaming pepper into eating tampered food on a Cooking Show, transforming it into a young maiden...--

"Of course there are other powers too, left forgotten to time. In the course of my sabbatical, I discovered such a power, one who can bring the city to its knees~!"

--
On deck, Dact succeeds in forcing the doppelganger towards the railing's edge. Strange, the entity seems almost.... distracted by something.

--

The spaceships in orbit go undetected by Bones yet from high in orbit they might observe gathering storm clouds over the cityscape.

[Jello Shot Mischa]

"Allow me to enlighten you commander~!" smirked Bones, lighting a cigar as he assumed his best story-teller persona.

"To an outsider the Mythology of the Chibi of Muffinville might seem a confusing quagmire of spirits and monsters clashing and scheming for recognition and authority over the diminutive inhabitants of the city. Most who dare to venture into the Chibi districts will have heard of Smoking Toaster, the patron of trickery and sorcery (as well as alcohol) as well as possibly Flaming Pepper, who instructed the Chibi in warfare and once pitted the various clans against one another in a massive shadow war that raged for years until he was put in his place by a certain ditzy girl...."

--The Fourth Wall agents would uncover what little public knowledge of the Chibi that was available. Images of the Temple of the Smoking One looming above the subterranean marketplaces, the known Chibiwanbanshu training grounds that dotted the city, reports of a deranged shaman summoning a giant penguin years ago, a curious video on YouTube where a perky girl (...is that Caprice?) tricks a giant flaming pepper into eating tampered food on a Cooking Show, transforming it into a young maiden...--

"Of course there are other powers too, left forgotten to time. In the course of my sabbatical, I discovered such a power, one who can bring the city to its knees~!"

Commander Pleasance listens attentively, not interrupting or doing anything to interrupt the flow of Bones' story.

Outside of the airship, the first CTC forces arrive -- not the ships or the aircraft, but several of the CTC's omnipresent drones, rising up from Muffinville proper to begin examining the airship! With storm clouds building around and over the city, however, the drones start hugging the airship closer, looking for entryways.

At the same time, a column of armored vehicles and VTOL aircraft depart Academy City, heading towards Muffinville at full speed.

[Feng]

Bones continues his diatribe, seemingly not alarmed by alerts of incoming drones. While scanning the airship, they may see Dactylos duking it out with.... Lord Bones?! But how is this possible, if the Criminal Mastermind was in the observation deck?

"Indeed, I discovered a slumbering power in the East and I intend to unleash its fury upon the city. Unless....."

[Knight Errant]

Dact, however... isn't... and goes to disarm the Bones bot and pin him down at spearpoint...

[Jello Shot Mischa]

Bones continues his diatribe, seemingly not alarmed by alerts of incoming drones. While scanning the airship, they may see Dactylos duking it out with.... Lord Bones?! But how is this possible, if the Criminal Mastermind was in the observation deck?

"Indeed, I discovered a slumbering power in the East and I intend to unleash its fury upon the city. Unless....."

The drones take note of the events on board the ship dispassionately.... while it may seem incongruous for Lord Bones to be in two places at once, there are a variety of means that such a feat could be achieved. If anything, it piques the curiosity of some of the drones, and they start searching for a way to enter the ship proper.

Meanwhile, Commander Pleasance listens to Lord Bones' speech. "Unless.... you receive wealth? Power? What is it that you're after?" she asks.

[Feng]

The drones would discover that the best way to access the ship proper is through a flight of stairs on the main deck. Of course the area was swamped with Chibiwaban on high alert thanks to a certain Knight dueling with a certain body double.

Speaking of Dact, the Knight successfully manages to pin the criminal despot with his spear!

"Don't think you've won, Chevalier" hisses the double, revealing his gold teeth. "Even as I speak, the real me has begun the summoning ritual. Soon the city will be destroyed by the Drowned One's emissary!

MEANWHILE....

Below the city, in a subterranean temple long forgotten, a group of Chibi were at work. Their leader, a rogue priest from the Chibi district, prepared the invocation that would summon death and destruction to the surface world. Unlike most Heretics of the Black Temple, Bright Eyes was a simple mercenary eager to lend his unique talents to the highest bidder.... who in this case happened to be bones.

Bright Eyes uttered prayers to the Drowned One.... prayers almost drowned out by the loud thundering of drums.

---

Bones smirked, sipping his tea as he continued to taunt the commander. "Unless the city surrenders itself wholeheartedly to my regime of course."

His grin widened. "Well commander. Are you going to lay down your arms?"

The sound of a door opening echoed behind the commander.

[Jello Shot Mischa]

The drones would discover that the best way to access the ship proper is through a flight of stairs on the main deck. Of course the area was swamped with Chibiwaban on high alert thanks to a certain Knight dueling with a certain body double.

Speaking of Dact, the Knight successfully manages to pin the criminal despot with his spear!

"Don't think you've won, Chevalier" hisses the double, revealing his gold teeth. "Even as I speak, the real me has begun the summoning ritual. Soon the city will be destroyed by the Drowned One's emissary!

The drones cluster around the entrance! They pause at the sight of the Chibiwaban clustered around, and consider their options for a moment. Finally, one advances slightly towards them, to identify itself as the chosen representative of the drones.

"We request access to your vessel to gain information and observe your activities," it says, matter-of-factly.

Bones smirked, sipping his tea as he continued to taunt the commander. "Unless the city surrenders itself wholeheartedly to my regime of course."

His grin widened. "Well commander. Are you going to lay down your arms?"

The sound of a door opening echoed behind the commander.

"Which city? Muffinville? As we administer Academy City, I do not believe the choice of whoever is currently in control of Muffinville regarding whether or not to surrender to you has much relevance to our own operations. Should a disaster befall the city, we will do our best to render assistance, as we have before..." Through her cybernetic implants, she's keeping herself fully aware of the motions of her forces, the aircraft circling the outskirts of the city, the armed forces driving into the suburbs, the satellites orbiting high above. She hears the sound of the door opening behind her, but her eyes remain fixed upon Lord Bones.

The young albino woman that serves as her aide, however, turns to look towards the doorway...

[Knight Errant]

Dact frowns. "Tell me where! Or I swear I'll rip out your robotic brain and stick it in an ample-figured maidbot for the rest of time! After getting someone to override your motor functions to your new bimbo CPU."