The night seemed unwilling to give way, struggling against the far off dawn. The promise of day was only in the far distance, a faint splash of indigo in the sky. The darkness clung to the ground of the Beacon Academy, seeming to fight against its fate. A Bullhead peeled away from Beacon's signature clock tower, leaving passengers standing on a balcony high over the school. Four people stood, watching and being watched.

"This is rather unexpected." The speaker reached up with his manacled hands and briefly scratched his nose. His companion stared out over the night shrouded landscape and made sort of a depressed grunt.

Thick steel manacles gripped his hands. Another set grasped his ankles. He looked down at his associate. "Why you think we are here, Nigel?"

"I'm sure we'll find out in due time. This place brings back a few memories though, doesn't it?" Nigel Malish glanced up, looking for a reaction. But the larger man only stared back out over the campus. Nigel smiled grimly and examined the two hunters that had captured them. One was a tall, lanky man who looked fairly tough. His weapon of choice appeared to be some sort of sword combined with a gun. A depressingly boring weapon. The other was a faunus with some sort of canine lineage. She seemed to only have a steel club, little more than a bar of metal really.

Nigel smiled at her, though his face appeared more mocking than reassuring. "What exactly is your semblance? You managed to sneak up on us somehow. That's not an easy task."

The club wielding faunus stared at him with a dead expression for a moment, weighing her reply. "Somnolence."

Nigel nodded, "You can make people go to sleep? That seems rather an ideal semblance for a bounty huntress. Does that mean your nemesis is a strong cup of coffee? It seems a shame now that I abhor the stuff. What about you, Stone? You think a pot of coffee would have protected us?"

The large man turned away from his thoughts on the campus and looked down at his fellow prisoner. "I doubt it. Even if we had stayed awake, her friend over there looks dangerous. It would have been a nasty fight."

Nigel examined the sword wielder for a moment, judging. "No, you'd have killed him."

Stone looked at the man for a moment before looking back out over the darkened landscape. The swordsman was clearly disconcerted by his prisoners lack of worry. "Then its good the lady put us to sleep. I don't like to kill."

Stone's glum pronouncement killed the conversation. The four stood silently, watching the first tendrils of purple and red reach across the sky. The darkness slowly surrendered to the inevitable sun.

Doors opened behind them and a woman's voice broke the silence. "He will see you now."

Nigel grinned sarcastically, "Its showtime, folks."

Professor Ozpin sat at his desk, sipping from a steaming mug. Before him lay several folders, two of which were opened, proof of a recent examination. The pictures in the folders were younger incarnations of the two manacled prisoners sitting before him.

"I'm sure you are wondering why you were brought here, instead of to Vale's prison." Ozpin reached forward and touched the picture on the left. "Stone Dunn, you were a student here. In your third year, you killed two fellow students and fled the campus." Ozpin's hand drifted from the first picture over to the second. "And Nigel Malish. Also a student, and Stone's teammate. You left alongside Mr. Dunn. And you killed three policemen, four guards, and a fully trained hunter that were in pursuit of you."

"You are both wanted criminals and have been on the run for over ten years. You've been surviving as paid muscle for a criminal organization. And now you are here."

Stone shifted uncomfortably in his chair, unwilling to hear his past. Nigel glanced briefly sideways at the big man, then leaned forward, an interested look on his face. "We're a captive audience, Professor. Do go on."

Ozpin's lip moved upward slightly, an acknowledgment of the clever wordplay, "I'm aware of the circumstances surrounding the initial crime. And of Mr. Dunn's personal problem. He's hardly the first person in history with a bad temper. You, Mr. Malish, are a different problem. While I can understand a crime of passion, you murdered eight people in cold blood."

Nigel shrugged, "They shouldn't have gotten in my way."

Behind Ozpin, the blonde woman scowled. "This is a mistake, Professor. These two are unredeemable."

Ozpin turned his head slightly. "Now Glynda, I understand your position. A second chance shouldn't come easily. Still, they have proved quite capable. Perhaps they are even capable of proving themselves worthy of a reprieve."

Ozpin took a sip out of his mug. "I have a problem. One which I think you two will be able to solve. And if you can, I can guarantee you a pardon for your past. A second chance at life, so to speak."

Stone shifted slightly, his bulk making the chair creak. Nigel's eyes widened, betraying a glimmer of excitement. "We'll need our weapons." It was a statement more than a request.

Ozpin nodded. "Yes. You will. I will explain more once the rest of the guests have arrived." The professor waved over the two hunters. "Remove the manacles, if you please. I've already transmitted your payment." The lanky swordsman slid forward and silently collected his gear. Only the dog girl seemed troubled.

"Professor, are you sure? These two are dangerous." She shifted her grip on her steel club nervously.

Ozpin smiled reassuringly. "Of course. Stone isn't angry, and he's a generally decent person." His gray head nodded towards Nigel. "And as far Mr. Malish goes, right now none of us are in his way. You two have been up all night. Feel free to stop by the cafeteria for some breakfast and if you want, there are some guest rooms you can rest in afterward."

The woman seemed unhappy, and the pointy dog's ears on her head drooped in a mute display of emotion. The swordsman placed the heavy manacles in a backpack, then stood. "Lets go, Tonny. Our job is done." He glanced briefly towards the shorter of his two former prisoners and his mouth formed a quirky half-smile. "I could use a good, strong cup of coffee."

The two bounty hunters departed. Ozpin waited until until their footsteps had faded away, then pressed a button on his desk. "Captain, we are ready for you now." The professor reached down and opened a third folder, a picture of an attractive girl with long, dark hair appearing inside. He idly flipped through the pages in front of him. Before him, Stone rubbed his wrists absently, trying to erase the lingering sensation of confinement. Nigel, his face a study of inattention, focused on the professors hands, attempting to absorb any information that became visible.

The doors soon opened and two women walked in. The first was a tall, athletic woman with short red hair, wearing a military uniform with captain's insignia. The other was dressed in a nondescript gray jumpsuit. She appeared to be somewhat plump next to the athletic captain, and her face was disfigured by several large bruises. She had long, black hair reaching down nearly to her waist. At least on the left side of her head. The right side had been completely shaved. The contrast between baldness and hair lent her a deranged appearance. The bruising on her face only served to enhance the look of madness.

Ozpin nodded an acknowledgment. "Captain. Thank you. Why don't you go get some breakfast. I'll take care of the prisoner from here." The red-haired officer saluted, then turned and left.

Ozpin tapped on the picture of her that lay on his desk. "Itari Cry. An unusual name. I understand you were arrested for several counts of attempted murder. You apparently used a car to run over your ex-boyfriend. Then you severely injured the woman with him. And destroyed several buildings in the vicinity. It seems a rather intemperate action."

Nigel turned to look at her. "Cry? What sort of color is that supposed to evoke?"

Itari glanced down at him. Her abused face grimaced in distaste "It doesn't. My mother was blind. Its hard to name someone after a color when you have no idea what a color is." She turned towards Ozpin, her unbattered eye glaring. "The bastard deserved to get a car in the face. That's what you get when you cheat on me."

Ozpin stared back, unphased by her outburst. "You may have cost him the ability to walk. That seems a little excessive, don't you think?"

She grinned, though it was not so much a smile as a baring of teeth. "At least he won't be walking around behind his next girlfriend's back. And that bitch learned her lesson for betraying me."

Ozpin sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Be that as it may. I have a job for you four. One which, if you succeed, will reward you with a pardon for your past offenses. I have the guarantees right here." He patted another folder resting on his desk.

Stone looked up. "Four? There are only three of us." Nigel jabbed an elbow into his side. "What?"

Nigel pointed to a darkened corner. "Four." The other prisoners turned to look.

The shadows covering the corner of the room seemed to waver for a moment, then dissipated. A tall figure leaned against the corner, then moved forward towards Ozpin's desk, sliding gracefully over the floor. He was a cat faunus, and had a slender build typical of his kind. His face had a certain feline cast to it, and vivid green eyes whose vertical pupils gave testimony to his animal heritage.

He bowed with an ostentatious flourish of his hands. "Slade Paris, at your service."

Stone sat up, "Paris? That name seems familiar for some reason."

Nigel responded, "Nigel Paris. There's a price on his head. From a gang in the industrial district, if I recall correctly. A rather large price. What ever did you do?" Nigel's voice faded off into speculation, and Slade's eyes focused on him, then flickered back to Ozpin as the headmaster spoke.

"Gambler. Thief. Confidence man. Scamming organized crime doesn't lend itself to a long lifespan, Mr. Paris. No matter why you may have decided to do so." Ozpin held up his hand to stop a protest before it started.

"I understand you had reasons. Everyone does. All of you here have had problems in your past. All of you are also very competent and dangerous. Or as Ms. Goodwitch said to me earlier, walking disasters waiting to happen. But there are times when good and competent isn't enough. Like now. I have need of a group of dangerously competent walking disasters. Here is my proposition for you all."

The Beacon Academy headmaster rolled out a large map. It was covered in notes, but Ozpin pointed to a rather large blank area on the map far to the southwest of Vale. "This area concerns me. We know far too little of what is happening here. So I sent out a team of hunters specializing in long range reconnaissance to see if they can shed light on a part of our continent. Team SALT was very well trained and very competent. We lost contact with them several weeks ago. I have to assume they are beyond help. But now I have a bigger problem. I need to know what happened to a full team of highly competent hunters, all of whom are used to handling large numbers of the most viscous Grimm on remnant. Competent isn't enough. I need disasters."

Itari waved at the map with her arm, "And you want to send me there, to an area that killed off an entire team of hunters? I'd rather take my chances in front of a military tribunal."

Slade nodded in agreement. "I think I'd be safer dodging the occasional assassin. Besides, we're in a time of peace. Why worry about some place halfway across the continent?"

Glynda stepped forward. Distaste seemed permanently etched into her features. "The problem, Mr. Paris, is you don't seem to realize how fragile our peace really is. Or how close we are to losing it. Things have been happening. We are approaching a dangerous time. As much as I dislike this idea, I agree with Headmaster Ozpin. You four are too dangerous to let go, and too useful to lock up. You are all strong. Very strong. If humans and faunus are going to survive whats coming, we can't afford the luxury of just locking you all up and forgetting about you."

Ozpin stood, "This isn't about locating a missing team of hunters. If you can find and rescue them, then there will be a bonus in it for you all. But this is my offer. Pardons for all of you for any crimes you've committed. I'll get the price on Mr. Paris' head removed. This is a chance for all of you to come out of this clean, your previous transgressions washed away." Ozpin's finger slammed down on to the map, landing on the symbol for Beacon Academy. "There is a very real risk of an imminent threat to Vale's existence. Can you all go through the rest of your lives with the knowledge that you could have protected all of these lives but didn't? A silence descended on the room. Five sets of eyes rested on the map, to the city marked by Ozpin's pointing finger, contemplating his words.

Then Stone stood up, his bulk looming over the seated professor. "I'll do it. Growing up, I wanted to be a hunter, after all. To protect people against the monsters of the world. Maybe its time I did."

Nigel stood up. "Can't let you go alone, I guess. I'm in." He looked over at the girl with the beaten face. The bruising was already receding. He thought, She's got a strong aura. He cleared his throat softly, "What about you, Itari Cry? Do you want to go see what's there with us, or wait in prison for it to come here instead?"

Itari turned towards him, testing him with her eyes. She point at a brace on his leg. "What's wrong with your foot?"

Nigel looked down, then back up. His eyes glittered with a hidden emotion. It wasn't a pleasant look. "I've got a club foot; it's a birth defect. I wear the prosthetic to so I can move normally. Why are you asking?" Stone tuned to regard Nigel. Then he stepped back, prudently removing himself from the line of fire.

Itari's attention had already wandered back to the map. She looked up at Ozpin and shrugged. "Eh, why not. Sign me up."

Slade watched. It seemed clear that Itari was oblivious to anything that didn't concern her. This fellow Nigel Malish should have concerned her, though. Slade saw the barely concealed ugliness recede back behind the crippled man's eyes, leaving only a look of fierce intelligence. Nigel's eyes moved to over to lock him in a stare. Slade immediately inclined his head and shifted his eyes away. It seemed a wise thing to do. Being part cat, Slade instinctively avoided a staring contest. Among his own kind, it would have been a challenge. And he didn't feel like challenging someone with that much hatred hidden inside him. Not all monsters were Grimm, after all.

Slade stepped forward and made an expansive gesture with is hands. "Since you three agreed, I guess I'll go ahead with it as well. Dodging assassins is less fun than it sounds." Then Slade blinked his cat's eyes as a thought occurred to him. "You managed to get all four of us to agree to what looks like a suicide mission. You're quite a manipulator, Professor Ozpin. And that's a complement, coming from a professional conman."

Glynda Goodwitch opened her mouth, her eyes reflecting an outrage at this accusation. But before she could speak, Ozpin stood and took a drink out of his now cooled beverage. "I am that, Mr. Paris. I'm the Headmaster of Beacon Academy. My job is to manipulate people. I manipulate children and mold them. I use words to shape them into fine hunters and huntresses so they will help to protect humanity. And I am proud of that."

"Now if you all will excuse me, I have duties here I must attend to. Ms Goodwitch will show you to your weapons and equipment and provide you with any supplies you think you'll need. Good luck, all of you." Ozpin took a last sip from his mug and set it down on the desk. "One last thing. Be very careful. You are now one of my teams, whatever you were before. And I hate to lose people. I've already lost too many."