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xxx
Hey did you hear? That thief gang, Paladins was killed?
What do you mean you've never heard of them?! They're only the crime gang that caused the biggest crime spree our city has ever seen!
What?! You still don't know who I'm talking about? Fine. I'll tell you about them then...
Well, it started off as only one, the Blue Paladin, Lance McLain.
Originally, he was the best thief this city had seen, the Blue Lion. You remember that massive diamond that the museum had on display a few years ago? He stole it. Best there ever was, I say. Strangely though, he returned it with a note filled to the brim with puns. Whenever there was a Blue Lion heist you could expect two things;1. Something would be stolen and one would get hurt. Absolutely no one, not the police, not civilians and not the thief. He had a good run too, lasted three years before he was thrown in jail by that rookie Lotor. Strange thing was though, the chiefs daughter, Allura, seemed to constantly visit him and give him talks. Something about 'teaching him to see the wrongs in his actions' or something poetic like that.
Throwing him in jail was the wrong choice though. It was there that the Blue Paladin met the Yellow Paladin, Tsuyoshi Garett but just call him Hunk.
Hunk was a sweet kid, a neighbour of mine used to know him before he was sent to the slammer. Apparently got mixed up with the wrong crowd. Him and Lance were cell mates and hit it right off. You see while Lance was all tricks and liked to stay in the background waiting for the perfect moment, Hunk was raw strength and power. In the Paladins he was the muscle, the shield to protect them and ground their schemes. In two months the duo escaped the prison and set off on their crime spree. Those two got a lot done in the little time in which it was just the two of them.
Three weeks after their escape an unknown joined their group. A hacker known only as Pidge. No one has seen a clear picture of them, so no one knows their identity, real name or even gender! Who was Pidge in the Paladins? The Green Paladin of course!
This little hacker wormed their way into the governments most secret files. The technology the group used from their on out just became simply better. Apparently, the van they used for heists, the Lion? Built by that little gremlin and Hunk. One of the best vehicles on the roads that one is. When they were still active, word on the street was that Pidge was related to those two cops that went missing a few years back, Matt and Samuel Holt. You know the ones? The Father and Son duo that went with that other cop Takashi Shirogane and weren't heard from again? 'Cept for Shiro. He was most definitely heard from again. I'll get to him soon though. I heard a few theories on the street that Pidge was actually Katie Holt, the younger daughter of the family. I say that it's stupid. Heck, a few of them went so far to actually ask for answers from Colleen Holt, the poor woman. Those three were a force to be reckoned with, I tell ya. Got themselves a name for all their troubles; 'The Garrison Trio'. No idea why it was that, so don't ask. I've got my suspicions that it was because their first big heist was at the Galaxy Garrison, the old observatory which held high class events for a while.
Who came next? Well it's a toss up between the Red and Black Paladins, Keith Kogane and Takashi Shirogane. Told you I would get to him, didn't I?
The story goes that apparently Shiro got himself caught and was being shifted to a max security prison. You see before this Shiro had been doing work for the Galra gang under the name 'Champion' or something like that. Was apparently their most ruthless enforcer. So while he was being shifted to this new hellhole, multiple people planned a breakout for him. He was something of a legend in the underworld circles apparently. The Garrison Trio had a little bit of hero worship going for them when they rescued Shiro, I reckon. Coincidentally, Keith Kogane was planning a rescue for Shiro at the same time. Word on the street was that he was the best getaway driver this city had ever known. Apparently he also had a really stupid mullet, like really, really stupid mullet. Looked like something straight out of the eighties.
Somewhere between rescuing Shiro and their fist heist as a team, Shiro became the gangs leader with Kogane as his right hand man. Before long that group had their paper faces flooding the street. Gained a new name and aliases around about the third heist. No idea why the police decided on the name but apparently Coran, the D.A and Allura pushed for it. There were so many times in which they should have been caught but they got away. Every. Single. Time. Some crazies thought that they had inside help within the police. Eventually, they grew so strong that they started taking away land from the Galra. Few weeks ago, half of this cities turf belonged to the Paladins and the other half belonged to the Galra. Now all that land is free for the taking by the cockroaches that managed to survive. They were the best at being the worst, that lot. Too bad they died.
But you didn't come here to hear me ramble did you? No, you want to learn about their down fall don't you.
Well, like any great story their has to be a conclusion. Few weeks ago, the Paladins attempted to take a huge chunk of land away from the Galra. Everything was meticulously planned, every variable they could think of accounted for. Or so they thought. Word somehow got out to the police who were waiting on the gang when they arrived to take the land. The five had to retreat, out of fear of being caught. They escaped in the Lion, speeding away. But, of course, the fuzz wouldn't give up that easily and gave chase. Remember how so many roads were closed a few weeks back? The car chase was why. Around the border of the city, a stray bullet hit the wheels ending up in the group ducking for cover behind their truck. After an hour or so of shooting... well
This is the Altea Police Department. Come out with your hands behind your heads, we have you surrounded.
The Paladins had run out of bullets.
Put your weapons down.
They were surrounded.
Put your weapons down!
There was no escape.
Ready men?
A long time ago, the group had sworn to be never taken in alive.
Aim!
So with their backs against the wall, the five kept true to their oath.
Fire!
That apparent 'fireworks test' a few weeks ago? That was the explosion caused by the Lion in the Paladins final act; taking their own lives in order to be free. That night, the Paladins perished in the fires, their mark on this city forever staining the streets. They wanted to live like spoiled royalty and to be forever free but in the end, they were only human.
The week or so after their death was full of turmoil, the streets constantly shifting and becoming warped. You did not want to be outside after dark in the Paladins' old territory the past few weeks. All the cockroaches that survived scurried to take the land. I still wouldn't go near the West district though. That's where the majority of the fighting is.
Did you hear about the new gang? They've been called Voltron and the strange thing is that no one seems to know how many people exactly are in the group. There's apparently five members at least but I think that there's seven in that group, not even counting their allies. I heard that their mainly taking control of the Paladins old land. For some reason though, the media and police have remained suspiciously quiet on the group.
Well, I've got to go, got myself a whole family to deal with. If you need any more information on the gangs in our city, I'm always up for a chat. I'll be going now. See ya!
xxx
Chuckling, our story teller walked away from the pedestrian. Pulling his hood up and looking both ways, the speaker stepped into the shadows of the alleyway. Graffiti covered the walls with one repeating image; a large robot like man with five colours. Whistling a bit the man talked to the darkness.
"You guys gonna stay in the shadows forever? I bought lunch."
His call was answered when five people stepped out of the shadows. The five all had various heights and body shapes but moved as one.
"Took you long enough." The small one with glasses and green clothing said, taking a peanut butter cookie from the stash.
"Quiet you. I got caught up telling stories of our glory days."
The male in red snorted, stashing the ornate knife he was sharpening.
"Oh yeah Mullet? Have something to say about it?!"
The red one opened his mouth to respond but before he could the large male in yellow spoke.
"Cut it off you guys, we're about to fight another gang and you pick now of all times to pick a fight?"
Chuckling, the older male with the bushy moustache spoke;
"Ahh, the wonders of youth. It reminds me of the time that I battled a lion in the savanna. I should tell you all that story one time."
"We would love to hear it another day but right now we need to be preparing." The male dressed in black with a metallic arm said. Finally stepping out of the shadows, the final member of the group was revealed. Her long silver hair was pulled into a neat bun making her look extremely professional.
"Lance? Lance! Lance are you with us?"
Our dear story teller blinked and then cracked into a wide smile. Because he was Lance McLain, the Blue Paladin, master thief and sniper and valued member of Voltron. He was a man thought to be dead, who defied the law of life with four other people. He was a person who had changed the criminal world forever, no longer fighting for his own gain but to right the wrongs of the Galra. Taking down his hood he smiled even wider.
"Always Princess."
The world would know Voltron's name.