The Roar Of The Crowd (Gladiator Reader x RWBY)

Part 6: Shakedown

It has been a month. One month of walking, of finding leads, place to place. I am currently in some sort of small village, which I, surprisingly haven't seen anyone. It's obvious people still live here, but they are nowhere to be found.

"Psst, over here!"

I look in the direction of the voice to see a bearded man waving me over into his house. Hesitantly, I enter his home and he closes the door behind us.

"Are you an idiot, boy? Today is the shakedown!"

"Sorry, I'm not from around here, what is the shakedown?"

Suddenly, I hear a scream from outside.

"Looks like you get to see it firsthand."

We look out of the window to see a woman being thrown to the ground by a man in a full suit of armor and a poleaxe.

"This time every three months, the Lawbringer comes to town and kills whoever he sees, their belief being if they can see you, you're up to no good."

"And you're just going to let her die?"

"There's nothing we can do."

"Like hell, I'll do it myself."

I quickly walk over to the door and kick it open, yelling out to the Lawbringer.

"Leave her alone, fucker!"

The man looks up to me from the woman and tilts his head.

"You dare interrupt the shakedown? Only a fool does that."

"Well if only a fool does that, I must be a damn harlequin." I reply, pulling out Poseidon's Wrath and pointing it at him.

As we are about to fight, we hear another voice.

"Both of you, stop!"

I turn around and see him, the man from my vision. Before I could say anything, the man pointed to me.

"You, come with me. You must have many questions, and they will be answered in due time, but we have lives at stake."

"No."

"What?"

"I said no, you must have some influence in these 'Shakedowns' right?"

"Yes, I do."

"Call them off."

"What do you mean?"

"Did I fucking stutter? I want them all called off, and never done again! You can't just kill innocents that didn't make it into their houses!"

He just shakes his head and sighs.

"You do not understand, the Shakedowns are necessary, and the Lawbringers Do not just kill whoever is outside of their homes, they bring those who are known criminals to justice."

"Yeah, this one is a prostitute, and she killed one of her 'clients' the other day in cold blood, a very poor choice this time around." The Lawbringer said in a low, gruff voice, gesturing to the woman on the ground.

"Oh, then why did what guy tell me tha-"

Just then, I felt a sharp pain in my side and I looked over to see the man who pulled me into his house had just shot me.

"You! I've been looking for you for awhile, you slippery little bastard!" The Lawbringer said as he ran over to the man, impaling him on the tip of his axe before the man could shoot him. I then finally collapsed from blood loss and the man with the wolf pommel picked me up.

"Damn, that was a good shot, we need to get you some help. Don't worry, everything will be explained soon."

And with that, I blacked out.

End Of Chapter