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Post by Kup on Dec 17, 2007 9:33:21 GMT -5
It should be noted that Kup has something of a temper of his own, a fact that Rodimus can easily attest to, and he is about to respond to Swerve's anger in kind when Grimlock's display cuts him short.
Face, meet palm. Kup stands there for just a moment, just long enough for a tired sigh as he mutters, "Thank you, Grimlock, but I can take care of this myself." Really! What is it about these youngsters who always feel the need to step in on his behalf? Kup supposes he should be flattered, but it also gets rather frustrating at times.
Then he lowers his arm and turns to face Swerve, expression stern but tone considerably calmer than it would have been had Grimlock not intervened. "Swerve, what in the blazes d'you mean, 'tricked you'?"
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Post by Swerve on Dec 17, 2007 12:42:20 GMT -5
Swerve's only significant reaction to Grimlock's demonstration – Nightbeat's salute is lost in that burst of overprotective machismo – is to steady himself instinctively at the tremor that shakes the earth beneath his feet. His scowl takes on a far more venomous edge when he turns it on the Dinobot.
"Yeah?" he snarls back, unfazed, pulling himself up and pointing at Grimlock with one hand, tightening the other fist just above his hip. He doesn't do intimidated and he doesn't back down. The bigger and more blustery the opponent, the harder he digs in his tires and that's that. "You watch that big nose o' yours and keep it outta my business unless you want a quick processor upgrade by laser cannon!" Various points in the sentence are emphasised with quick stabs of his finger and underscored by low revs of his engine. "Nobody asked you t' interfere!"
And with that, on he storms right past the looming Dinobot. Ignoring Grimlock? Smelt no, there's a little bit of those rapidly-heating processors that's keeping track of that lugnut. But most of his attention is for Kup, of course.
"What's the matter? Antiquated memory circuits failing ya?" he demands of the veteran. Angry, maybe indignant, but not mocking. He isn't like Kup. "You tricked me into it, trying to call me too scared to show. It was stupid o' me to fall for it," and the deep seams of his face draw taut just a bit under a brief flash of bitterness at himself before furrowing again with his familiar scowl, "but that doesn't change what you did!"
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Dec 17, 2007 23:27:42 GMT -5
Nightbeat moves to be nearer to Grimlock and leans in to whisper conspiratorially. "Ten energon chips says Kup knocks him on his aft."
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Grimlock
Major
There's no crying in Basebrawl!
Posts: 637
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Post by Grimlock on Dec 18, 2007 1:50:09 GMT -5
Grimlock doesn't hear Kup or Nightbeat. He's too mad and too focused. "Me Grimlock no need asking!"
And then Swerve goes past him. And keeps on trashing the old-timer. Grimlock roars again, transforming once more to robot mode. Guess some Dinobot-style discipline may be in order after all. "Hey, you listen to me Grimlock when me talking to you!" He charges forward, drawing his arm back, then throwing it forward, with most of his weight for one of those really dramatic-looking punches that looks really cool, but is really impossible. Or a bad idea, since the laws of physics will probably faceplant you forcibly after you connect, but no one really complains about it, 'cause hey, it looks cool. Also, imagine some bullet time right here.
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Post by Kup on Dec 18, 2007 8:52:25 GMT -5
"Listen, you hot-headed, over-torqued li-!" then a bit of movement distracts him, and Kup's optics widen in alarm. He does not stand frozen, however, moving automatically to step around Swerve, pushing the racer out of the way if necessary.1 Kup is aware from previous experience that Swerve's armor is not particularly thick, and with as much weight as Grimlock is throwing into that punch, it could do pretty serious damage to the racer.
"Grimlock! N-!" CLANG!!!
Well, someone is getting knocked on their aft, but Nightbeat would have lost any bets he had made.
The punch isn't quite enough to knock Kup off-line - he had been prepared and able to roll with it - but it is enough to leave deep dents in the veteran's thick-armored face. He shakes his head briskly, trying to shake off the grogginess that resulted from the blow, then reaches his right hand up to feel the damage. "Dammit," he mutters, tone more highly irritated than anything else.
1 Assuming it's all right with Swerve's player. If not, we'll claim the pushing wasn't necessary.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Dec 18, 2007 20:47:43 GMT -5
Well, Nightbeat, when you're right, you're right, but when you're off, you're off by an astro-mile!
Personally, he would have preferred to let Grimlock knock Swerve flat, but then again, he's more than happy to see people getting taken down a few pegs. He's kind of a bastard that way sometimes.
Still, it's quite the sight to see. "Oh, fer the love of..."
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Post by Swerve on Dec 19, 2007 0:35:33 GMT -5
The first problem here is Swerve doesn't want to – can't – listen to Kup and Grimlock both. Kup's the one he's really torqued at and the pickup's right in front of him; Grimlock's back there won't stop butting in, the big dumb lout. He apparently doesn't understand how to shut up and stay out of business that fragging well isn't his. He's charging and Swerve is well aware of that fact. He'd have to be blind, deaf, and as ragingly stupid as the dino not to notice. It's pure reflex, survival instincts kicking processors into gear, commands racing down motor relays before he even thinks about it, servos grinding and pistons screaming to life as he spins to dodge and face himself toward his assailant. He's ready to take on Grimlock if he must. What Swerve isn't ready for is the hand that misses him by only a micron or two, grazing just past his shoulder as he turns. Kup's hand – but not trying to grab him. Trying to… to push him out of the way…? "Wha–?" Fast as he is, Swerve can't finish the question before Grimlock's fist slams into Kup's face and the veteran goes down hard. Swerve drops at the same time, falling back to a defensive crouch and this time drawing his cannon without hesitation. He hit Kup once before; he remembers how much it felt like hitting a wall. His hand would've been like it was after he decked Emirate Xaaron if he'd actually punched Kup and not used his tonfa. Knowing that and seeing the furrows left by Grimlock's knuckles in the old Autobot's face…. The suspicious, wide-opticked look of wary shock he gave Kup once before – the oldtimer might even remember it – is back, tinged with indignation and ever-rising fury. "What the smelt did you do that for?!" he demands, standing but keeping his distance. "I could've ducked that, easy!" He was about to duck it, in fact. "I didn't need your help, frag it all!" Why'd you help me, anyway? What's in it for you? Those questions go unvoiced in Swerve's incredulity. He doesn't let himself dwell on them long. "And you!" he rounds on Grimlock, cannon levelled warily on the Dinobot as a precaution but unarmed for now. That can change, and that can change fast. "I told you t' keep your big, stupid nose outta my business!" Tension, anger, fear he won't recognise sing through the racer's body. Grimlock could nearly kill him with a punch like that. Fine. He just doesn't let the Dinobot get close enough for it.
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Grimlock
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There's no crying in Basebrawl!
Posts: 637
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Post by Grimlock on Dec 19, 2007 1:16:11 GMT -5
Grimlock's going like a freight train, and won't be easily stopped. Well, except by the ground. He kicks up another tremor with his impact, and quickly gets up, kneeling on one knee, looking at what happened as a few bits of earth fall off of him.
Grimlock, jumping up from faceplants since 1985.
Grimlock stares at Kup. He's pretty much got the same questions as Swerve, but from his perspective. Though, really, he knows the answer - because Kup is an Autobot. That's what they do. Of course, Grimlock's not going to admit he was out of line. Swerve started it! Grimlock just wanted to finish it.
For a bit, he just stares back and forth at Kup, and his still-clenched fist. Crap. He didn't mean to deck the elder. He didn't want to. He knows Kup can handle it. For one, he's getting up. For two, he's mumbling Terran swears. Oh, brother. This means no stories for a long time.
The Dinobot commander snaps back to reality with Swerve's cannon aimed in his direction. A strange looking gun, but it couldn't be anything else from the way it's being pointed at him. The thought of being shot doesn't faze Grimlock much. He really doubts the little mech has the firepower to harm him. However, there's the principle of the pulled gun. Sure, Autobots wind up bickering and trading blows from time to time, as Grimlock just demonstrated, but they don't pull guns on each other. That's just not--
Stupid...?
Stupid!?
Grimlock's optic band flares a brighter blue as his temper flares. First, the little scrapper backtalks Kup, and now he draws a gun on a fellow Autobot, and has the nerve to call the guy who can tear him apart without any trouble 'stupid'. Grimlock bellows out an unintelligible roar of sorts before springing forward, aiming to grab, tackle, punch...do some kind of harm, as soon as he can get his hands on the little Velocitronian.
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Post by Kup on Dec 19, 2007 8:22:40 GMT -5
Kup was mumbling 'dammit' in Cybertronian!
Kind of weird that they'd have that as a swear, but hey.
With the gun pulled and Grimlock having lost his temper, however, things have completely hit the fan. "No, blast it! Both of you, stand down, now!" he commands, scrambling to get upright and between himself and Grimlock.
Yes. That's right. Kup is attempting to insert himself between a furious, charging Grimlock and a guy aiming a gun.
Even as he struggles to break off the altercation, he desperately radios Grimlock on the Dinobot Commander's personally frequency. //Grimlock, please! Get ahold of yourself! Punk just has more guts then sense, thicker cranial density than his build can account for, and a chip on his shoulder large enough it's a wonder he's not ready to collapse! You know that type!// After all, Kup's just pretty much described every Dinobot, especially during their early days, when Prime was still locking them in closets. //But this kid's got tinfoil for armor and can't take the sort of punishment you can dish out! Please! Stand down and let me handle the idiot!//
Kup really, really hopes that Grimlock listens, because he knows well that Grimlock is fully capable of going right through him.
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Post by Swerve on Dec 19, 2007 15:57:13 GMT -5
…Frag it all. Frag it all straight to the Pit at redline! Swerve's frown is heavy with confusion even as, taking the veteran's interference as his cue, he darts to one side and out of the direct line-of-Dinobot. He eyes the both of them with equal parts suspicion and rage; like rivets is he shunting his weapon off just yet. He doesn't trust Grimlock not to run roughshod right over the green mech at this point, no matter who means what to whom here. And blast it, Kup's doing it again – trying to protect him? Why? Why?! It can't just be 'cause I'm wearing the same emblem – can it? Xaaron said I'm…. He clenches his jaw and shakes his head fiercely, trying to clear it. No, no, that's too easy! There's gotta be something else, something he wants outta me. Whatever it is, he isn't getting it!
Nightbeat. Swerve forgot about Nightbeat. The racer hisses a low curse and casts about the field just long enough to check Nightbeat's position and ensure he's far enough from the antennaed Autobot to react if he tries anything; if Grimlock will jump him for yelling at the oldtimer, Swerve can't and doesn't expect the detective not to join the fracas on their behalf. These Autobots stick together, right? Once he figures he's a safe distance from Nightbeat, Swerve's attention is right back on Kup and Grimlock. Focus is shifting to the pickup again, processors working too hard under heat and anger to maintain more than a single target at once, too busy trying to work out motives.
"I don't care what your price is, oldtimer!" Swerve finally snarls. His weapon is lowered, but don't think for an instant he won't take aim again if he feels threatened. "I ain't payin' for your protection, you got that? You wanna keep stepping in? Fine! How about I take you on instead?!"
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Dec 19, 2007 20:20:24 GMT -5
While Nightbeat would personally like nothing more than to let the three duke it out while he watches, he figures he's bound to get in trouble with Emirate Xaaron if that happens on his watch. And besides, he likes Kup. The old timer might not be quite the same one as his reality, but the basic personality is the same. Besides, having Kup around makes this grizzled detective look like a young buck.
Not to mention Swerve is really starting to get on his last nerve. He may be a bit of a loner himself, but even he's not this anti-social. And this is dangerous, for all parties concerned. Time for a semi-disinterested partner to take action.
"All right, hotheads," he shouts, "cool your jets! You wanna do the Decepticons job for them, Swerve? Keep opening your yap!" He doesn't have his weapon drawn, but in an instant, he can snap his antenna down and into firing mode. "And Grimlock... you're waaaay to tough to be taking it out on Swerve here. No spot in it."
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Grimlock
Major
There's no crying in Basebrawl!
Posts: 637
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Post by Grimlock on Dec 19, 2007 23:03:50 GMT -5
Grimlock listens to Kup, and stops right before he'd smash into the elder. Just like when Kup told him he couldn't attack Long Haul, he looms over the older Autobot, dust kicking up around him from his sudden stop. He's not all that pleased that Kup just compared the little upstart to him and his Dinobots...but he has a point, much as Grimlock doesn't want to admit it.
Though, the little 'bot does kinda remind him of Slag. Minus the flamethrowing.
Then Swerve spouts off about Kup's price for protection, and Grimlock's anger leaves him, replaced by confusion. He turns his head away from Kup, and looks over at Swerve, head canted sideways.
"...what in world little red car talking about?"
Nightbeat goes unnoticed, as Grimlock is officially in Boggle-Mode.
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Post by Kup on Dec 20, 2007 11:31:09 GMT -5
Kup doesn't even bother hiding his relief when Grimlock finally calms down. Angry Grimlock is a fine thing to point at Decepticons, but amongst Autobots Kup would much rather deal with baffled Grimlock any day.
"Thanks, Grimlock," Kup murmurs when it's obvious the Dinobot will not be plowing through him today. Then he turns away, offering Nightbeat a brief, grateful nod for his attempts to calm the situation as he does, and then he faces Swerve completely.
"Swerve, what the smelt have you even got that you think I'd want as payment?" He starts strolling almost casually towards the racer, adding, "My for-hire days are way behind me, and if they weren't," Kup shakes his head in amusement, "there's no way you could afford my rates, anyway.
"As for takin' me on, I thought that's why you came over here to begin with." Kup stops not far from Swerve, facing him, and his right hand reaches up to rub absently at the deep dent in the lower right side of his face as he nods towards Swerve's cannon. "Now, you gonna put that way first, or what?"
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Post by Swerve on Dec 21, 2007 3:00:15 GMT -5
Swerve turns his glare on Nightbeat, free hand clenched tightly. If it isn't one of them, it's another.
"Nobody asked you to butt in, either!" he snaps, then turns back again to face Kup as the old Autobot advances his way. A little more tense, a little more on edge, Swerve warily holds his ground. He wouldn't back down for Grimlock, he sure won't back down for Kup. "And you," he growls, optics gleaming faintly gold with fury and a deeper indignation, at the green mech. "Quit. Mocking. Me." Like credit is the only way to collect.
He doesn't disarm when Kup asks; his weapon remains in hand and he remains ready to use it if he has to, but he holds it aside. He'll at least give the oldtimer some small benefit of a doubt.
"You keepin' your friends out of it?" Swerve's stare flickers away from Kup very briefly, first and most significantly to Grimlock, then to Nightbeat. 'Friends' carries an ugly note to it. That word means something for Swerve it might not for the others.
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Post by Claw Jaw on Dec 21, 2007 7:54:42 GMT -5
Casually, the Transmetal Squid walked towards the ensuing melee, his tentacles left, seemingly decoratively, against his shoulders and chest.
Claw Jaw hadn't mentioned that at a seconds notice he could spring all of them out to ensnare an opponent, secrets like that were what made melee combat fun. Continuing his slow gait, he walked towards Nightbeat before turning to watch the fight, his regular emotionless gaze upon Kup and Swerve.
It is a little hard to emote when you don't even have a mouth.
"Hnn. So, when will this... Scuffle be over? I am interested in a... Fight of some variety" Claw Jaw asked Nightbeat, his raspy voice having a slight tone of amusement to it. Claw Jaw also folded his two arms over his chest, just below the massive set of jaws.
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