The two of them exchanged looks before turning to regard Naz once again. He knew they were going to be skeptical. Clementine most of all. They'd both been thorns in each other's sides since the first day they were dropped off at Greenberg's. There was not a scrap of trust between them.

"You want to talk?" Buckets knelt to examine the rifle, "If it's about this thing you brought here, then I think we better."

Naz readjusted the sling that held his left arm. "Sned sent me to kill you."

"Ah," that simple recognition came without surprise, but twice the sorrow than Naz was expecting. Buckets faced him. "Is it safe to assume that you're going against those orders?"

"I'm not a murderer." said Naz.

"Could've fooled me." Mocked Clementine.

Buckets retrieved the gun from the mud, inspecting it with familiar care. "This is part of the arsenal. The City Guard is only supposed to use these for a massive Grimm invasion on the city. Where'd you get it?"

"Sned. He got his paws on a whole crate full of them."

"How?"

"I don't know. No one asked. They were too busy thinking about how they can use them."

Clementine's face grew pale. "Use them for what?"

"To turn Sned's dream into reality," said Naz in a droll tone, "To take over the Mud District."

"You're joking."

Naz grimaced, "Do I look like I'm joking?"

"You never look like you're joking."

"At least with me you can tell."

As they bickered Buckets disassembled the rifle in a matter of seconds, dropping each piece into the mud. The ease and efficiency of how he did that startled Naz. It was as if he'd done it before, a thousand times. Naz wasn't alone in his curiosity. Clementine took note as well but kept his thoughts to himself as he's always done.

Buckets wiped his palms together, "So Sned is a sore loser and wants me dead. Who could've guess? What else is he planning?"

"My guess, he's going to try and take out anyone who poses a threat to his authority. These guns give him the power he needs to control this district, but he doesn't want anyone rallying the people against him. That includes you Buckets, and Kiera, but most of all, Runt Braun. Sned's no fool. He knows that even amongst his own, people still respect Braun. If he stood in their way then they'd likely stand down. Even with the power to take him out it wouldn't sit well with the majority of us. We were Braun's before Sned's and he knows this. But if he sent me to kill you in secret…"

"Then he's probably going to do the same with Runt and Kiera…" Clementine dropped his wooden plank in the mud. "Buckets!"

The young man was already breaking into a sprint. "I got Kiera." He shouted back, "You head to Runt's. Warn him before it's too late."

Clementine dashed in another direction. Naz watched them go. He wanted to follow…to help…to take Sned's guns away and break them over his head but he couldn't. He barely had the strength to stand. His body ached. The pain shooting through his broken nose filled his eyes with water, blurring his vision. Naz took one step in the direction Clementine went, his ribs groaning in protest. Then he took another and another.

Runt opened the door to find no one there. Confused, he glanced about, noticing several cloaked men across the street. They formed a half circle around him. The one in the center threw back his hood and laughed. Runt was too groggy to see his face clear, but the laugh was recognizable. Sned. From each cloaked man there came a flash of light.

It was perfect. The giant fool was caught totally unawares. By the time the shooting started it was already too late. Runt Braun had been blown back into his home, where he disappeared in the chaos. Sned and his men continued to fire, tearing through the squat building as if it were made out of paper. The jarring recoil of the rifle was the most pleasurable sensation Sned had ever felt. It took him to new heights. Ones he'd never even dreamed of before. He became lost in that high and only stopped when Runt's home had been demolished into a pile of wood chips.

The racket of gunfire was like a kick in Clementine's ass, spurring him faster. Other residents of the Mud District stopped all that they were doing and rushed towards the noise. They were panicked and scared. He shared their sentiments. By the time he got there a crowd had already formed around the scene. Clementine had to squeeze his way through just to see.

Runt's home was gone. There was little difference between what now took its place and the ruin where he had just been collecting wood. Sned sauntered towards the crowd, his own rifle now relaxed against his shoulder. The Mudslinger did away with his cloak and let his gaudy bathrobe billow out behind him.

"Listen up!" he shouted, "I don't like to repeat myself. This is all very simple. This district now belongs to us. We ask, you deliver. That's all." Sned leaned forward, cupping his hand around his ear. "What's that you ask? What if we resist?" With a snap of his finger's Sned's fellow assassins opened fire at the crowd's feet, just in front of the first row where Clementine stood. Mud exploded. People shouted in alarm and leapt back, falling over each other.

Sned held up his hand and the shooting stopped. He brought his pointer finger to his lips. "Shhhh. Hush, my friends." The startled crowd went silent. "Now are there any other questions? No? Good, I'm glad we understand each other. We'll be in touch. In the meantime…think over what you all just witnessed and imagine if you would, what could still happen if you step out of line. Until tomorrow then."

When Sned turned his back Clementine stepped out. "Where did you get the guns, Sned? Someone of your caliber couldn't possibly steal them. So how?"

Sned's shoulders trembled with laughter hiding rage. He spun around, driving the butt of his rifle into Clementine's gut. Wheezing, Clementine collapsed to his knees. The barrel of the gun pressed down onto his drooping head. Its muzzle torrid from the excessive use.

"I thought we were all understood?!" shouted Sned, "It appears I was wrong. Clearly not all of you grasp what I am telling you. Should I make an example then? An even further demonstration of our power?" The crowd reared and cried their opposition. Insults were thrown Sned's way like rocks. In truth, Clementine was touched. He had not expected so many to speak up for him. But their defiant tone did not help his situation. It just irked Sned more, making the need to prove his dominance even stronger.

"You want to live like a king, is that it?" Clementine dug one hand into the mud and held it up to Sned's face. "Here then, Sned. Your kingdom of mud! Take it!" Sned jumped back and kicked Clementine square in the chest, knocking him flat on his back. The people of the crowd moved into a protective circle around him. Of all the faces it was Naz's pain wrenched expression that helped Clementine to his feet.

"Kiera and Buckets?"

"I don't know." Said Naz, his face pale and clammy.

The mob of people swelled past them, threatening to crash down on Sned and his assassins like an ocean's wave. The thugs backed away, one hesitant step after another and each one quicker than the last. The threat of their guns did little to impede the growing enmity. Under different circumstances Clementine would've found this situation rather humorous. Sned thought he could take over the Mud District with some big threats and a couple of guns? These people are no strangers to hardship and violence. It's been their history. Past, present, and ultimately their future. Oh Sned, the people's tolerance has grown thin.

Wood exploded into the air scattering large beams as if they were mere splinters. A hush fell over the street and everyone turned towards the demolished ruin of a home where another explosion sent debris flying. But it was no explosion, those were fists. Wood fell like rain and through the dust, Runt emerged. Scraped and bleeding. Several gunshot wounds sizzled, the heat of the blast cauterizing. Still he stood taller than any other. His hyper blue eyes tracked across the mud road until they found Sned. The wounded giant took one step forward and the Mudslinger leader shrieked.

"Kill him! Kill him now!"

Runt dodged to the left, keeping their fire away from the crowd. His aura had been depleted in their assault, but his physical strength was unbound. Runt blunted the pain with pure force of will. His movements were swift and light-footed, something he knew unexpected from a man of his size. Runt came upon the first thug and with a sweep of his arm sent the tiny man hurdling down the street. He skipped across the mud like a stone on water. The next one tried to flee so Runt grabbed him by his cloak and with a twirl, tossed him over the buildings. He didn't crash down until he was two streets over. By then Runt had turned on those still remaining.

Before he could cross the distance towards them Kiera emerged from the crowd. The heel of her boot took one of the Mudslingers in the head. Following her lead, the crowd surged and tackled another to the ground. The only one left was Sned himself. Runt charged the smaller man, slapping the gun away and lifting him high by his throat. His legs flailed helplessly in the air.

"Wait!" Augustus Clementine rushed towards him. "He needs to answer my question. Where did he get the weapons?"

Runt squeezed, "You heard him."

"From the city!" croaked Sned, "I got them from the city!"

Clementine stood at Runt's side. "How? From who?" Sned tried to speak but whatever he was trying to say came out as a squeak. "Runt, let him go."

Runt obeyed without a moment's hesitation.

Sned fell to the ground, coughing. "I-I don't know his name. My contact from the city…Just some rich man. He gave them to me. He gave me everything."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Cried Sned.

"Not good enough." Said Clementine.

Without needing to say anything Runt knew what Clementine wanted and Runt was willing to oblige. He stepped on Sned's hand, probably breaking his fingers. The would-be king howled in pain. "I swear! I swear, please! He never told me why! He just gave me what I needed. The guns, the Dust-"

"Dust?" asked Clementine, "What Dust?"

Sned went pale. His lips shriveled so much he looked to have swallowed them. Clementine loomed over the Mudslinger.

"Answer me or I'll have Runt squeeze your head like a melon."

"Years ago," rasped Sned, "in the city. I was out networking! He approached me. It was just a job. I was in a bad way with a lot of people and needed the money."

Runt lifted his foot off Sned's hand, "What was the job?"

"Just to deliver this case of Dust shards to the Mud District. I didn't know what for. I was drunk and didn't bother asking. Please, you have to believe me. I didn't know what would happen. Please!"

Runt's heart thundered like a drum in his chest. A sound so deafening it threatened to drown out the rest of the world. Sned wasn't making any sense. A rich man supplying him with weapons and Dust, not to mention all the toys and food. What for? It didn't add up. None of it did. Lies, they have to be lies.

"The fire." Clementine spoke so soft only those in immediate distance could hear him. "The Dust shards started the fire." His words were repeated by those who heard and it spread through the street quicker than any rumor had before. "You brought a bomb here. To our homes…Our families."

"I didn't know." Pleaded Sned. "Please, you have to believe me, I didn't know!"

The murmuring crowd descended into panic. Their voices shouted out in earnest confusion. The street grew hysteric. All of it faded to the background. All Runt could hear was the beating of his heart. Delayed, but echoing. His blood boiled underneath his skin. A fire of his own raged inside him and in that inferno a voice cried out, shouting his name. Runt's body moved on its own. He took Sned by the face and tossed him in the air. That hand made a fist and pounded into Sned's chest mid-fall. The hapless thug plummeted to the mud where he tore across it like a crashing meteor.

Runt stomped towards him, following the streak until he made it to the man-sized crater where Sned's body convulsed. Blind with white hot fury Runt clasped both his hands together and lifted them over his head. As he was about to bring it down Clementine jumped in the way, putting himself between Runt and Sned. Runt's fiery wrath was met with cold rage. He hesitated and in that instant Clementine struck him right in the sternum with his open palm. A purple pulse emanated from that strike. The force of the thrust staggered Runt backwards several yards. He recovered but made no further movement. Clementine held him still with just a look. An aura of deep purple shrouded him in its glow. It flickered and dissipated all within the blink of an eye.

With the adrenaline subsiding, the pain flowed in. Clenching his jaw, Runt took a step forward before collapsing to one knee. He would've fallen further if Kiera and Buckets didn't catch him.

As she slung Runt's arm over her shoulder Kiera tried to meet Clementine's eyes, but he wouldn't allow it. He turned and knelt before Sned who stared up with a blank expression.

Sned struggled to even speak. "Thank…you."

Clementine pressed a finger down on Sned's chest. Just a small amount of pressure but after that blow dealt by Runt he might as well been stomping on his sternum. Sned was too weak to cry out. He merely groaned in agony. "I don't want your thanks. I want your story. From the beginning. Include every detail no matter how small and if I even feel like you might be lying to me…" Clementine pressed down, causing Sned to writhe like a worm pinned in the mud. "Then I'll make you eat your black heart."

"Kiera!" Buckets had to shout into her ear to get her attention. "We have to help him now!"

For the first-time Kiera took note of Runt's injuries. Too many to count. Seared patches of flesh marked his biceps, chest, and thighs. Smoke wreathed his heated body as if he were steaming. Blood leaked from the crest of puckered skin surrounding the wounds. His head drooped low as if he were unconscious but his eyes were wide open. She thought to see a look of agonizing pain, but it was just numb shock that fixed his features in a frigid pose.

Kiera grunted under the giant's weight, "Somebody give us a hand."

The fervent crowd rushed to help.