John looked to his side. Where the bombastic lord had been, there was the shinobi, Hayate, in his place.

Perhaps this wasn't shaping up to be a pleasant evening after all. John glanced at the metal of his arm, his hand resting on his shoulder. Truth to tell, even in his chair John was as tall as the ninja beside him. He looked around the table as Hayate spoke, trying to find any danger or suspicious behavior from patrons. Aside from the fog, slowly attempting to roll in and barely being beaten back by the lantern light of the open air portion of the restaurant, John could not see anything significant. The half-giant's eyes narrowed.

"Are you threatening me?" He asked of the shinobi, placing a massive arm on the table to separate Hayate and Jamie. It didn't feel like much, but it was something. He began to feel tense, and he uncrossed his legs, ready to move if he needed to.

A scream pierced the night, long and wailing, and was then cut off abruptly. Guards immediately moved toward the sound, which came from the courtyard, which sat ringed by buildings such as the restaurant. The thickness of it prevented John from seeing too far into the courtyard, no more than ten feet or so. He could not see the source of the strangled cry, but he imagined he knew who was responsible. He whipped his arm at his own shoulder, catching the shinobi's metal forearm in his hand, and squeezed tight. He felt the Titanium, strong though it was, flex slightly in his powerful grip. He pulled the boy toward him, and pushed Jamie away with his other hand. She would understand. John's metal armor began to seep down his arms, coating his skin in rivulets.

"What is this, boy?" he asked forcefully, squeezing his arm further. He could break the thing, true, but he didn't want to destroy his own work unless it was absolutely required.