The Destroyer Is Manifest!

[Jello Shot Mischa]

The machine deploys flares to avert the missiles. Julia chills, but ultimately stays on as they draw nearer.

"As long as the missiles don't have any lingering effect, we should be okay, right?"

The machine nodded.

(( Tsk, the CTC mecha only targeted the kaiju, and their missiles aren't so bad that they'd go after random targets. Still, Julia likely wouldn't know that. :3 ))

MEANWHILE
As Light the Shinobi scales the beast, he will notice that the feathers appear to be made of some form of metal! If he is not careful he may very well cut his hand...

The Chill is quite cold, yet nothing Julia and her robot chum can't overcome.

The CTC mecha simply falls back a bit, allowing Light and Julia to take their shots at the giant penguin!

I think you are using the concept of Ice-9 from Vonnegut's works. That one indeed does as you say however the usual manifestation of the Ice 9 spell is the one I mentioned or at least that is the only one I've seen other cast. Personally I think Κοσμικη Καταστροφή is more than effective enough for most targets. Ensis Exsequens is also a fun one to use for sheer perversity given how it works. Admittedly I rarely have to use anything beyond my Frozen Wasteland spell myself as its usually effective enough against soft targets.

I could conjure up a suitable land mass if you choose to do so. Its not that hard to do. A bit of earth magic and such. A lot less tiresome than building a planet completely from scratch.

Major Durant ahhhs. "Magic... I see." She shakes her head. "Kind of a nuisance, it is..." she admits, taking a look through her binoculars at the battle. "Ah ha... so those newcomers are engaging the target. Interesting to see what they can accomplish, although I suppose the odds are in favor of them succeeding."

She glances at Raleigh again. "As for the island, yes you could likely create one... but we'd still have to arrange a sufficient quantity of material we'd be willing to lose in the experiment, and most of it would have to be autonomous. No sense endangering the lives of troops in an experiment like that."

[Feng]

Light the ninja manages to successfully scale up the massive Arctic bird. While the metal feathers may be an annoyingly uncomfortable experience, surely it is nothing for a shinobi who is bold enough to climb up the body of a kaiju. Anywho, if the ninja is seeking an opening inside the beast the second and most preferable available entrance would be the ear. If that is his destination, he will not have much farther to climb.

Julia's robot companion is able to get up close to the lumbering creature. Even in the midst of the blizzard created by the Chibi incarnation of destruction, the can feel its hot breath brushing against their skin, or robot equivalent in the case of the machine.

The cold breath of the Kaiju begins to spread its way towards the CTC contingent. The very air begins to freeze to the point that some might claim to see their very words freeze.

MEANWHILE
"Who are you talking to?" inquires Bones, glancing over at Megan.

"Five minutes to go before we can begin," interrupts Doc.

"Thanks. Investigator. Megan. You two might want to stand back a bit. The Chibi powers that be tend to be show offs when it comes to summoning rituals."

MEANWHILE

"What do I care about dying? I have faith that the Destroyer will lay waste to the city long before those idiots can muster up enough power to dismiss it. Indeed, without a master to properly control it, I am certain the beast's destructive rampage will increase tenfold! The time for you surface dwellers has reached a close, I'm afraid."

[Raleigh]

*Steps back into Beak's field of view.* Oh ho, really? Wouldn't it be a shame if someone were to possess it? Or perhaps possess you long enough to transfer control? Don't really think your flightless bird of frost is much of a bargaining chip with me. Still, I suppose you have answered. *He begins to walk away.* Enjoy your afterlife.
*****With the CTC*****
Of course. I was planning on it to be tests versus your mounted weaponry or non-manned vehicles. I do suppose I could also test some of your agents in direct combat and so long as they don't challenge me to a dual it should end well before they get seriously hurt. Even if they did I would heal them.

[Jello Shot Mischa]

Light the ninja manages to successfully scale up the massive Arctic bird. While the metal feathers may be an annoyingly uncomfortable experience, surely it is nothing for a shinobi who is bold enough to climb up the body of a kaiju. Anywho, if the ninja is seeking an opening inside the beast the second and most preferable available entrance would be the ear. If that is his destination, he will not have much farther to climb.

Julia's robot companion is able to get up close to the lumbering creature. Even in the midst of the blizzard created by the Chibi incarnation of destruction, the can feel its hot breath brushing against their skin, or robot equivalent in the case of the machine.

The cold breath of the Kaiju begins to spread its way towards the CTC contingent. The very air begins to freeze to the point that some might claim to see their very words freeze.

The CTC forces continue to pull back! With Julia and Light now engaging the kaiju, there's little opportunity for the tanks, gunships, and artillery to provide fire support without running the risk of hitting the two. Of course, the spreading field of cold is also something of a deterrent to continued operations as well.

"All right, Murasaki, it's time for you to show us what you can do!" the major orders over the comm system. The young woman piloting the mecha grins to herself. "Finally! All right, Unit-03, let's go!" she shouts.

The mecha plants itself between the giant penguin and the remaining CTC forces (including the command vehicle outside of the city), and increases the power to its Absolute Reality field! A shimmering, wavering field of force appears as the cold breath of the kaiju slams into the condensed phase space that marks the boundary between two versions of reality, ripples occuring through the air as technology pits itself against the supernatural strength of the Destroyer!

Of course, the alternative reality of the CTC mecha's Absolute Reality field may have another side effect, as it warps the flow of leylines, chi, and other ambient energy fields in the area. Hopefully the energy flows for Bones' shrines aren't too delicate...

MEANWHILE,

Outside of the city, Major Durant watches the CTC mecha intently, although she frowns at the spreading supernatural blizzard. "A cryogenic attack? I suppose that's plausible, given the nature of the opposition..." She glances at her aide. "Contact headquarters and determine what the Godzilla Threshold for this scenario is. We may need to resort to heavier weaponry if the entity threatens massive destruction to the city."

Of course. I was planning on it to be tests versus your mounted weaponry or non-manned vehicles. I do suppose I could also test some of your agents in direct combat and so long as they don't challenge me to a dual it should end well before they get seriously hurt. Even if they did I would heal them.

The major glances at Raleigh. "That may be a workable scenario... it may help us get some field experience that may be useful against... certain powerful entities," she says, somewhat vaguely.

If Raleigh is paying attention, he may notice that the mecha's pose seems to bear some similarities to the usage of an Imagine Breaker... although the field it generates also has some similarities to an Absolute Terror field. Perhaps some kind of fusion of the two?

[Raleigh]

Going in a bit heavy with an absolute reality field aren't we? *Almost looks like he is sweating.* Do you know how painful it is to be hit with absolute reality? Stings for a month.

[Jello Shot Mischa]

Going in a bit heavy with an absolute reality field aren't we? *Almost looks like he is sweating.* Do you know how painful it is to be hit with absolute reality? Stings for a month.

The major chuckles slightly. "The Imagine Breaker is a powerful tool, but we're not certain what its upper limits may be, in terms of mass or range of effect. We've been trying to develop a larger scale model that may be more useful against larger and more powerful entities, such as this one," she explains. "We're also hoping to acquire more field data, to enhance the capability of our already-existing systems such as the CRAVEN field."

She notices the sheen of perspiration. "Interesting that it has an effect upon you, even at this range," she notes.

[Raleigh]

Its more the work you are making me have to handle later fixing the after affects of that rather than feeling the shift of natural energies. *The way his face looks one can't be sure if he is lying or telling the truth with that statement. Likely, given what he is, its a bit of both.* Might I give a friendly warning about pursuing that field of research too far? Not even you mortals should be exposed to absolute reality too much or too often as it can have rather nasty psychological effects.

[Jello Shot Mischa]

Its more the work you are making me have to handle later fixing the after affects of that rather than feeling the shift of natural energies. *The way his face looks one can't be sure if he is lying or telling the truth with that statement. Likely, given what he is, its a bit of both.* Might I give a friendly warning about pursuing that field of research too far? Not even you mortals should be exposed to absolute reality too much or too often as it can have rather nasty psychological effects.

Major Durant quirks an eyebrow at Raleigh's comments. "Interesting. I always took the name to be simply something of a metaphor, given that an Absolute Terror field didn't really induce terror. Although, given the hypothesized function of the Imagine Breaker, perhaps it has a grain of truth to it." She strokes her chin, thinking. "And in a world such as this, names can have a power of their own, I suppose. The thought of philosophy having a material effect is disturbing, but we are talking about a synthetically engineered reality warper," she admits.

The woman glances out at the battle occurring in the city. "The pilots are specially engin... er, adapted and trained for their duties, however, and the R2 drive should have an insulating effect. Acquiring field test data is part of the point of using the Eidolons in this operation, anyways."

[Raleigh]

Perhaps for you all it is merely a metaphor but from what I observed it is more or less a proper name. As for philosophy having an effect on the real world what would you call science itself other than that? It is an idea that the material universe operates based on a set of laws that math can help you understand and eventually manipulate. That philosophy has been used to achieve many things by various sentient races throughout history. Besides, for creatures like me, the name is the thing anyway. Say you write grenade on a wad of paper and throw it at me. I'm more likely to be blown up and damaged by that than I would be if you threw a real grenade assuming you believed in the power of words and names. Why do you think my kind can't name anything?

As for my worries I was more or less meaning your troops out there and here rather than the driver. If they've been 'prepared' as you said their minds could probably already handle the effects from birth. Still, I wonder how long the lifespan of such a creature could be all things considered? Reality is a heavy yoke to suffer under after all.

[Blaze]

Blaze nods to Bones and gets up against the wall, watching the proceedings.

[Feng]

((Note: My sincerest apologies if anybody feels they are getting left behind by the plot's progression. If you feel like you are being left out, please send me a PM.))

Bones approaches the center of the circle, nodding silently to his assistant Doc. Hands outstretched, the criminal mastermind begins to chant in the ancient tongue, a language so old that not even Megan can comprehend most of what is begin said. Occasionally she might be able to make out words such as 'Cold Deity' or 'highway' but otherwise it should sound Greek to her. Midway through his chanting, Doc joins in, assisted by half a dozen fellow priests and shaman. There is a slight rumble and then the portal begins to slowly light up...

MEANWHILE in Temporal Stasis...

"Wait... What is it that you want from me stranger?" says the bound shaman.

Elsewhere....

The shields succeed in holding the bulk of the Kaiju's cold breath sparing those on the outside from a frigid demise! Those on the inside however may have to deal with a sharp drop in temperature as the atmosphere reaches a crisp Antarctic level of chill. Light, Julia, Robo, and Murasaki might want to bundle up as things are about to get chilly.

The field does have an effect on the shrines, yet it is not readily shown. What consequences will this have on the plot? Only time will tell.

Speaking of Shrines....

In Academy City

The Beige Memorial Shrine built by the Chibiwanbanshu begins to glow with a dark unholy light as a result of Bone's ritual...

[Blaze]

Blaze watches the ritual closely, blinking at the strange language.

"Hmm... should get some lessons on Chibi culture..."

[Raleigh]

What I want from anyone I confront before their moment of death. Servitude. Namely yours to myself. In exchange I'll keep you from dying. Its a simple matter for me to arrange since I just transfer your soul to another body as this one croaks. So what will it be? Your time is drawing nigh and I have other matters to tend to.

[Jello Shot Mischa]

Perhaps for you all it is merely a metaphor but from what I observed it is more or less a proper name. As for philosophy having an effect on the real world what would you call science itself other than that? It is an idea that the material universe operates based on a set of laws that math can help you understand and eventually manipulate. That philosophy has been used to achieve many things by various sentient races throughout history. Besides, for creatures like me, the name is the thing anyway. Say you write grenade on a wad of paper and throw it at me. I'm more likely to be blown up and damaged by that than I would be if you threw a real grenade assuming you believed in the power of words and names. Why do you think my kind can't name anything?

As for my worries I was more or less meaning your troops out there and here rather than the driver. If they've been 'prepared' as you said their minds could probably already handle the effects from birth. Still, I wonder how long the lifespan of such a creature could be all things considered? Reality is a heavy yoke to suffer under after all.

"For the purposes of field testing, you will note that our conventional forces have pulled back beyond the Absolute Reality field's radius. Besides, Kamijou Touma seems to have survived with his own version of reality -- I suspect that this reality won't be particularly harmful to our forces, either."

Suddenly, a crumpled up wad of paper with the word 'PIE' written on it smacks Raleigh in the head! Durant frowns at her aide, which offers a sheepish smile. "I was curious, ma'am..." she explains somewhat embarassedly.

The shields succeed in holding the bulk of the Kaiju's cold breath sparing those on the outside from a frigid demise! Those on the inside however may have to deal with a sharp drop in temperature as the atmosphere reaches a crisp Antarctic level of chill. Light, Julia, Robo, and Murasaki might want to bundle up as things are about to get chilly.

The field does have an effect on the shrines, yet it is not readily shown. What consequences will this have on the plot? Only time will tell.

Speaking of Shrines....

In Academy City

The Beige Memorial Shrine built by the Chibiwanbanshu begins to glow with a dark unholy light as a result of Bone's ritual...

(( It should be noted that the Ediolon is simply producing a shield around itself, perhaps a hundred meters in radius, to protect itself from the Kaiju's attack. The remaining CTC forces are outside of the Absolute Reality field -- on the other hand, they're also continuing to pull back, over a kilometer away at this point. Durant and her aide are outside of the city, most likely several kilometers away. ))

The comm crackles as Murasaki speaks up. "Ma'am, this isn't going to get us anywhere," she points out. "Requesting permission for independent action."

The major quirks an eyebrow, but nods. "Very well, Murasaki. Just don't atagonize those H-class individuals more than you need to..."

"I'll try." With that, the mecha plants its feet in a sprinting position... and then, dashes towards the penguin kaiju, sending a spray of torn-up asphalt and earth behind it! "All right, bird-brain... let's see what you're made of!" Murasaki shouts, as the mecha winds up to deliver a roundhouse punch to the kaiju!

MEANWHILE,

In Academy City's Color Isolation and Containment Facility, a warning sounds. Eva, the head of the facility, glances over at the display with a frown, noting the detection of an anomalous energy reading in the city.

A few moments later, a pair of troop transports depart from the facility, heading to the Chibiwanbanshu shrine to investigate.

[Feng]

(I think I understand then)

The mechanical punch connects, causing the monster's head to spin, spitting out acidic black blood from its beak. Rubbing it's cheek with it's wing, the bird glares at the Mecha. Striking a defiant defensive pose, the Kaiju motions for the Mecha to bring it with a motion of its wing.

WAAAAWK!!!

Meanwhile, the CTC ground troops who are unprotected by the shield may or may not find themselves frozen by the minty fresh wrath of the Kaiju!

MEANWHILE back at the Pyramid

".... .... I don't trust you trickster," says Burnt Toast, "yet I also don't like the thought that meddlers like yourself could potentially sabotage my efforts, especially if they are able to wield sorcery that you are displaying now. As much I hate to say it, I feel compelled to accept the terms of your deal fiend."

Bones continues to chant oblivious of the deal being made behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, back at Academy City

Those investigating the shrine will notice a bunch of curious orbs, transparent balls of ectoplasm, being gathered to the shrine. These orbs number nearly one hundred, and are steadily growing in force.