05-29-2018, 01:22 AM
Grapefruit silently stares at the drunk man confronting him. He has no idea what to say. Valerie and the bartender are too deep into their conversation to hear the drunk man's intrusion over the noise of the tavern. Grapefruit tries to turn to Valerie, but the drunk man grabs his shoulder. A line has been crossed. "Talk to me, metal man. I know you're no mute." Grapefruit stares into the man's bloodshot eyes. Something is starting to change within his processors, but Grapefruit tries resisting it. Letting this change go through feels like a bad idea.
"Let go of me." He says.
"No, I won't." The drunk man goes on about he suspects Grapefruit is an Empire spy wearing a knight disguise, but Grapefruit does not listen to him. Having every passerby distrust him is already frustrating, but people laying their hands on him is on an entirely different level. His natural instincts say that... he pushes that idea away before he can even think of it. He knows it's a violent one, the kind that an experienced soldier would have... the term 'Zero Ranger' comes to Grapefruit's mind. Is that what he is? Deep down, Grapefruit knows the answer is yes. He also knows that a Zero Ranger would not let themselves get harassed like this. He grabs the drunk man's thumb and yanks his hand off his shoulder. This hurts. The man's arms widen as he steps back, holding his thumb with his other hand.
Valerie, as Micheal answers one of his questions, finally turns his attention back to Grapefruit. He notices the drunk patron. "Is he bothering you, Grapefruit?" Valerie asks with concern. Micheal stops talking, realizing that something's wrong.
The drunk man says, "Argh, you trickster!" He unsheathes his sword.
"Uh oh." Micheal says.
Valerie raises his hand, putting it past Grapefruit's shoulder so it'd be between him and the drunk man. "Now hold on friend, you're off on the wrong foot here." He says to the drunk man.
Grapefruit looks at Valerie. "It's okay." He says without fear. "I'm made of metal, a sword can't hurt me."
This statement makes the drunk man grit his teeth. "Like that phony armor can withstand this!" He raises his sword. Grapefruit nudges Valerie away and raises his arm to block the incoming swing. Metal screeches, sparks fly, and the sword bounces off his arm. To Grapefruit's surprise, the blow did damage. There is now a large crack on his arm, with wiring exposed underneath. The change within Grapefruit finishes completely, and he acts.
Grapefruit flies farther up into the atmosphere. He stops to assess the damage to his arm. There is now a large crack on his arm, with wiring exposed underneath. He lowers his arm to look at his opponent: a Zero Ranger similar to him in almost every way. Their eyes burn with the same ferocity as his eyes. His opponent raises their weapon towards him. Grapefruit is impressed, and chuckles to himself before spreading his arms and tightening his fists. An orange sword made of light sprouts from each hand.
"MY EYE! MY EYE!" The loud screaming brings the now standing Grapefruit back to reality. He had felt a rush of memories, ones that changed his outlook so utterly that for a second he forgets what is going on. Then he realizes that a sword, glowing with orange light, is in his hand. The tip of it is covered in blood. "OH, MY EYE!!!" Grapefruit looks at the source of the scream. The drunk patron is writhing in agony on the floor. Both of his hands are clamped tight over his left eye. Everyone else in the tavern is standing up and staring at Grapefruit and the injured man in shock. Grapefruit doesn't have to look behind himself to know that Micheal and Valerie are also standing in shock. The moment goes by for what feels like an eternity. Grapefruit has no idea what to say or do. Then, a town guard grabs a random patron's shoulder. "Tell the other guards that a metal man just maimed the mayor's son!" The true scale of how badly Grapefruit fucked up dawns on him as he watches the guard spring into action.
"Let go of me." He says.
"No, I won't." The drunk man goes on about he suspects Grapefruit is an Empire spy wearing a knight disguise, but Grapefruit does not listen to him. Having every passerby distrust him is already frustrating, but people laying their hands on him is on an entirely different level. His natural instincts say that... he pushes that idea away before he can even think of it. He knows it's a violent one, the kind that an experienced soldier would have... the term 'Zero Ranger' comes to Grapefruit's mind. Is that what he is? Deep down, Grapefruit knows the answer is yes. He also knows that a Zero Ranger would not let themselves get harassed like this. He grabs the drunk man's thumb and yanks his hand off his shoulder. This hurts. The man's arms widen as he steps back, holding his thumb with his other hand.
Valerie, as Micheal answers one of his questions, finally turns his attention back to Grapefruit. He notices the drunk patron. "Is he bothering you, Grapefruit?" Valerie asks with concern. Micheal stops talking, realizing that something's wrong.
The drunk man says, "Argh, you trickster!" He unsheathes his sword.
"Uh oh." Micheal says.
Valerie raises his hand, putting it past Grapefruit's shoulder so it'd be between him and the drunk man. "Now hold on friend, you're off on the wrong foot here." He says to the drunk man.
Grapefruit looks at Valerie. "It's okay." He says without fear. "I'm made of metal, a sword can't hurt me."
This statement makes the drunk man grit his teeth. "Like that phony armor can withstand this!" He raises his sword. Grapefruit nudges Valerie away and raises his arm to block the incoming swing. Metal screeches, sparks fly, and the sword bounces off his arm. To Grapefruit's surprise, the blow did damage. There is now a large crack on his arm, with wiring exposed underneath. The change within Grapefruit finishes completely, and he acts.
Grapefruit flies farther up into the atmosphere. He stops to assess the damage to his arm. There is now a large crack on his arm, with wiring exposed underneath. He lowers his arm to look at his opponent: a Zero Ranger similar to him in almost every way. Their eyes burn with the same ferocity as his eyes. His opponent raises their weapon towards him. Grapefruit is impressed, and chuckles to himself before spreading his arms and tightening his fists. An orange sword made of light sprouts from each hand.
"MY EYE! MY EYE!" The loud screaming brings the now standing Grapefruit back to reality. He had felt a rush of memories, ones that changed his outlook so utterly that for a second he forgets what is going on. Then he realizes that a sword, glowing with orange light, is in his hand. The tip of it is covered in blood. "OH, MY EYE!!!" Grapefruit looks at the source of the scream. The drunk patron is writhing in agony on the floor. Both of his hands are clamped tight over his left eye. Everyone else in the tavern is standing up and staring at Grapefruit and the injured man in shock. Grapefruit doesn't have to look behind himself to know that Micheal and Valerie are also standing in shock. The moment goes by for what feels like an eternity. Grapefruit has no idea what to say or do. Then, a town guard grabs a random patron's shoulder. "Tell the other guards that a metal man just maimed the mayor's son!" The true scale of how badly Grapefruit fucked up dawns on him as he watches the guard spring into action.