Disclaimer: RWBY still isn't mine

Location: Sin, Vale

Time: 9:55 A.M.

Date: 5/8/1096 P.R.

Reason: Recruitment

"That was, interesting I suppose is a word for it."

"Yeah, I know. Like I said though, the longer you live here the more you hate it. That was just a piece of this place. It only gets worse."

Two figures walked away from the southern wall of the town of Sin. One a male and the other female. A bigger contrast between two people could not have existed. One stood with regal poise, with crisp, clean, and calculated movements, no wasted energy and controlled motion. Dressed in bright white clothes and body armor, denoting her status as a high ranking official in the Atlas military, this woman is Atlas Specialist Winter Schnee.

Her companion, however, dressed himself in clothing a size or two too large. A blue hoodie with a rabbit face on the front crossed out with a black 'x' over his body and regular blue jeans covered his legs. Golden blonde hair, a younger and more relaxed appearance, and an air of nonchalance, this is 'Spider', mercenary and Sin resident.

"I can tell you're not used to the questionable side of the kingdoms."

"No, I can't say I am. The military is what I have grown used to, and what I have come to expect."

"Sounds pretty boring. Too much discipline and rigidity."

"Yes, I suppose those are some aspects to describe it. Though it is far from boring, I can assure you."

"Ha, I'll see it when I believe it. Not enough to do, and you waste a lot of time."

"We run a strict schedule, that wastes no time."

"While you're in the base you mean. The guys out here, the "soldiers" put here, don't do that. They stay in shape sure , but they quickly had to make sure to use whatever dead time they had they spent doing something. Watching us, their places of interest, or the forest, otherwise they'd be dead. The monsters outside the walls or inside Sin itself would swallow them. When they transfer out they can't take the sitting around and the boredom. It made them too paranoid"

"These soldiers can hardly be called as such. They have some failing in regard to how they see the world, and as such were put where that won't matter."

"On the walls of a place the people will sell their flesh and blood for some Lien, yeah I know why they're here. Made a couple friends inside their ranks, too. Not the greatest bunch, but friends are friends."

"You don't strike me as the type to just make random friends."

"And you'd be right with that assumption, but it's better to be called friend than enemy. Keeps them less likely to watch what I'm doing."

"I'd applaud you if you weren't duping them to keep them close to you for your own gains."

"Eh, your either a player or a piece. I'm not huge fan of being on the board."

"I can understand that sentiment. Do they control the people here then?"

"Mm, the regular people that are junkies on something do, the soldiers will take them otherwise. The mercs like me don't though, we're strong enough to fight them. Not even the Grimm could make us listen."

"You don't follow protocol for frontier townspeople?"

"Hell no. Never have, never will. It's outdated and likely to get me killed."

"Why don't you try to change it then?"

"Because the soldiers like the way things are. That and I don't get along with their captain. Says I'm an issue that needs to "fuck off or follow orders"."

"Do you think his orders are wrong?"

"Yes, but I didn't think it was wrong to question decisions of something you don't agree with."

"Hmm, not inherently, but complete discipline is something these men are accustomed to. To question an order is to question their training."

A snort preceded his response,

"No offense, but that's the stupidest thing I've ever fucking heard, and I talked to a guy that thought the grimm wanted to give him donuts and cake for his birthday. Never saw him again either, wonder where he went?"

"I would assume to look for his party, but what has you so against the idea?"

"Never been one to follow orders. Too much goes wrong when I rely on others to know what they're doing. Don't see why these guys are so bent when I don't either."

"So, you'd rather give them?"

"No, I'd rather be a one man team. Need something done quickly, quietly, and efficiently I'm your guy. You give me orders to go somewhere and wait for further instruction, to rely on someone else, and I'll just do what I want anyway. Besides, kills my creative spirit."

"I can't relate to your way of thinking and I must disagree with what you say. While not necessarily wrong, there is a time and place to take action, it is not, however, often. Higher-ups give orders for a reason, and I find following them makes things run much smoother all around. Both at the top and bottom of the chain of command. People can coordinate better attacks, reinforce other groups, and accomplish goals quicker than if they each had their own goals in mind to act upon."

"Hmm, I suppose that is true yes, if you have competent leaders. Haven't met one yet though so I'll stick to what I do and you do you."

A crash from a nearby building interrupted them as a man jumped out of a window carrying a basket of something and started running. Another man then started chasing after him with a knife screaming about a "No good piss-guzzling thief."

"It's been a while since that's happened."

"Is that something that is not normal here?"

"Relatively, but the guy that just stole something is going to be dead by the end of the week. He stole from a resident here, no one else is going to trust him near their stuff and he'll probably get something in return for stealing. Most likely a knife in the back."

"Is living here always so… brutal."

"Not usually no. We steal from the people we get missions from or people passing through. Nothing happens to you that way when you're back in town. If you try to steal from another Sinner, though, you better be a damn good thief so no one knows it's you. Otherwise you'll end up like that guy is going to."

"That is quite barbaric."

"More than that I'd say, but it's life on the frontier. Towns gotta stick together somehow, or we'd all be dead in a month. No one but ourselves to help us. We're back by the way."

The building they left from came sharply into view after a few more steps. The patrons from earlier that morning had either left under their own, admittedly weak, power, or the employees kicked them out onto the dirt road. Stepping over one such unconscious man, they proceeded into the establishment. Walking to room 204 again and into the secret door beyond, they walked into a tension that was palpable. When Spider closed the door, he only locked two more people into it

"Boy, I really hope you didn't piss her off."

"Why?"

"Because you're going to be dealing with two already pissed off people."

Looking at Winter, he saw she was just as confused.

"O.K. Why am I dealing with that problem?"

The general started talking at this point.

"Because you're going to a hunting academy student."

Oh,now he knew why his mentor was pissed. There was a reason he wasn't in any academies right now. A very good one.

"Boss, you know that's not a good idea."

"Yes, but the esteemed general here, doesn't think it'll be a problem."

"It is something that not many academy students have, but something we can handle."

"You haven't seen anything like this. He's been through hell, you don't come out of that kind of trip unscathed."

"What is this problem, sir?"

"The agent here, has some violent reactions to certain stimuli, a product of past experiences."

"If you really plan on going through with this you better expand your hospital ward for the injuries that'll happen and open a morgue for the bodies."

"He will have a team to support him."

"That won't be enough. Boy, do you remember the last time you went under?"

"Yeah, a fireworks display went off, and I attacked the people around me."

"His restraint can be improved so he doesn't just attack random civilians."

"Ha, if only. Some of those people had been part of a huntsman-in-training team. Second years from Shade Academy with an actual huntsman. Haven't seen a single group of Huntsmen or Trainees since then, and that was over a year ago."

"A year? He has some control over it?"

Spider and the Colonel shared a look followed by some hesitation.

"Control, no. Preparedness and anticipation however serve as deterrents to it. If he knows it's coming, he's fine."

"Jackson, this is manageable. He will not have the tools he needs in the coming years if you cannot let him grow."

"James, listen to me now, and listen well, he will-

An explosion suddenly went off behind him, shooting him forward. Panic flooded through him, irrational and unbridled, pushing him into action. In in a split second he was moving. Using his momentum he rolled forward to grab the edge of the desk and flipped it over. The computer went flying off and the man behind it stepped back so as to not be hit by any of the objects going everywhere. His thoughts were everywhere. There was one man he knew near him. Protect. Taking cover behind the desk and drawing a knife hidden in his boot, he took a quick peek from cover and saw two others. They were armed. Hotsiles. More panic. He hurled his knife towards the general, and kicked the desk at Winter's legs. The time from the sound of the explosion to the desk being kicked was less than two seconds.

Before he could rush them and attack, he was grabbed from behind and had his arms restrained. Struggling produced no results, and the panic only increased. He became frantic trying to get out, yelling and kicking, danger was all around. He was going to survive, he wasn't going to be like them. He would live. He wanted to, had to, needed to live. Someone quickly jammed a syringe into his neck, injecting something that sapped his energy incredibly fast. When he tried to keep moving everything felt heavier until his eyelids closed, and he fell asleep in seconds.

When he came to again, it was to loud noises and a major headache. Without moving he looked at as much as he could through slanted eyelids. He saw a tall figure gesturing towards him violently. Two white shapes were standing across from him. He couldn't make anything out about them other than their basic colors and body shape, so he closed his eyes again and tried to assess himself. He was lying on his back with a leaden feeling all across his body that was slowly fading, feeling started returning to his extremities enough that he felt he'd be able to move them again after a while. A few more seconds and the loud noises became words of an argument, so he listened to what was being said.

"-Any idea how utterly stupid that sounds?! You are bringing a mercenary, one that I helped create, might I add, into a school for children still trying to understand what end of the gun you point at an enemy! Do you understand that! Someone who lives by stealing, killing, kidnapping, and playing dirty. Not a soldier, but a mercenary. Even aside from that, the first one to startle him might cause a massacre across all of his classmates. You saw how he moves, what he could do to someone."

"I believe you underestimate my students' capabilities."

"And you're underestimating his abilities, you idiot."

"He will be under watch during his stay, until he can control his outbursts."

"By who? Who do you have that you can trust enough for that?"

"She is standing right next to me."

"Sir?"

"Winter you are to watch over him and stop him in any case of a negative reaction. Your duties will be lessened in sight of this, and you will be compensated for your new role. We will work out what must be done at a later date."

"Understood, sir."

"Good. Now colonel I have a few questions."

"Like what?"

"Does he have his aura?"

"No. It attracts danger and his missions are bad enough without adding to it."

Both Atlas citizens hesitated before Winter spoke,

"Colonel, sir, how has he been able to be a mercenary for so long? Without aura he shouldn't be capable of what he is."

A sigh followed by "Boy, explain to them how you're even alive."

The other's eyes turned to his prone form. He saw no more point in pretending to be down, and started to stand as he spoke,

"I studied dust. Found out its properties, how to mix it, refine it, and what makes it tick the best I could. I use a suit powered by it to simulate an aura. It's durable enough to take a hit from an ursa and has a few tricks to simulate a kind of semblance, if I wanted to use it."

"How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough." He turned to his mentor. "Where am I going and how much am I being paid?"

"Atlas and then Beacon for the Vytal Festival. You're going to be a transfer student at that time. As for payment, he's still someone for hire general. What can you offer?"

"I offer you the ability to study learn and to gro-

"No." The simple word stopping the general. "If I do this, I want access to your dust labs."

If this surprised the general, his poker face hid it extremely well.

"That… is not a request I take lightly."

"It's my price. I can only do so much in this shithole. I'm surprised I've found as much as I have, but I want to be able to study it more. The labs you have in Atlas are new and fitted with the best tools. If I do this I want clearance into them."

"I will see what I can arrange. I can get you in but it is up to your conduct in what you are able to do inside of the labs. Pose a threat to anyone there and you will be there only as an audience not a participant. The academy's labs will let you orient yourself with what is available. When the professors deem you skilled enough they will contact an official lab where you may research what you wish, within reason."

"Deal."

"Good. Collect your things we leave tomorrow at 0500."

Finished with his dealings, he signalled for Winter to follow him and exited the room.

The large man regarded his ward with a critical eye before starting to speak," Boy, I hope you're ready. I know you've got problems with authority and I also know how Atlas is, so give 'em hell."

This elicited a large smirk from Spider.

"I fully plan on it, but why are they here? What do they want with me?"

"He wants you for a special team that's being put together. Calls it the H-K Initiative."

"What's it got to do with me?"

"Before he can make a true program of it he needs to test it. You're going to be a guinea pig, and he needs someone good enough to last the growing pains it'll go through. He also needs someone willing to take action when others won't. This isn't going to be something for the regular people, boy, this is for the people that produce positive results in the worst conditions. You're taking it for a test run, and you're going to see just how good you can really handle yourself."

"Ha, don't worry about me oldtimer." A swat to the head. "Why's he taking me to Atlas to do this? Isn't there a better place for this?"

"Because it's something no one else will approve of. Boy, I may not know much about your past, but I know you. Be smart enough to know your limits, when to fight or when to fight another day. This will be unlike anything you have ever done before. It has never been attempted in recorded history, so take in everything you can. Learn as much as possible, never take breaks unless you have to, and remember-"

"- The knife at your side today could be the one in your back tomorrow, I know. It's proven itself true many times before."

"Then you'll also heed all the other advice I've given you, right?"

"Yeah, sure."

Leaning over the larger man whacked Spider in the back of the head again and said, "Boy be serious. This is a very large decision with consequences reaching beyond what we can possibly imagine."

"I am, believe me. I know I have to get better and I know this place as great as it is for forcing you to be the best, just won't let me advance like an actual academy will. I'll study up on everything they tell me to and learn about the other academies. I'll keep myself from becoming complacent and I'll be sure to keep in touch so you know what's happening."

"Good. Then I'll give you any help I can from here. Can't have my idiot student dying after all the time and energy I put into training him."

"Oh, you do care. That's such a heart warming thought." Was the sarcastic reply, before a large fist punched him in the chest and out of the chair.

"Hmph. Don't you forget it."

Spider picked himself up and an amiable silence followed as the thought of what was to come started to really sink in. Both man's thoughts were in the future, and on what moves they would have to make to ensure they kept ahead. Spider broke it with a question, "Hey boss, how do you know those two anyway?"

Silence was his first response. This stretched into over a minute of awaiting an answer.

"I don't know Winter personally, just heard about her enough to know her by appearance. The general on the other hand, used to be my captain. I know we don't talk much about it, but I'm going to give you a little into who you see before you. I want no interruptions from you, boy, while I tell this, for it's not one of my more pleasant memories."

A deep breath preceded the start of his tale. Looking at Spider, he began, "It started after my second year of service; I was 23 at the time. A regular grunt in the Atlas military during the few years of skirmishes the kingdoms had at the time. They wanted land and resources, the usual bullshit to cover up their ego tantrums. Major Ironwood was a growing leader in the army at the time. People were talking about him, but he wasn't with us at first. We were beating a force from Vacuo back from Atlas shores. A small force, they were there to scout us for weaknesses. We beat them back with few casualties on both sides. A regular battle for the time, so we gathered our casualties and got them treated or packed up."

Over the course of his talking he had gained a wistful look on his face before it took on a harsher appearance.

"A few days later a larger force approached, it looked like they wanted to start a real fight. That was when the bell rang. It was loud and everyone heard it. Throwing their gear on as fast as possible, people were running every direction. They knew something was wrong. The base was fully stocked with defenders, almost two hundred of us in one place on a small snowy hill with ammo crates ready. The bell meant a Grimm attack that needed all hands, but we weren't prepared for this kind of attack. We were close to the Grimmlands, close enough for this armada. For everyone of us there were at least a hundred of them. The beating wings, the cawing and screeching, the buzzing, it was enough to drive a man mad, but we had to hold our ground no matter what. We couldn't give up our position to anyone or anything, the towns behind us that were helping, would be defenseless without the base to keep everything away, and that's even assuming we'd live the retreat from it. No we had to stay and fight. The Vacuans were trying to keep their ships afloat and the grimm away. They weren't successful in the least. Men were pecked to death, carried off the ship, drowned by the weight of their equipment, and assaulted on all sides by destruction. We watched it happen in terror of the black mass coming our way. Our fear just drove them towards us. Thousands of flying killers coming at us. When the ships were almost to land, we had one man take off to try and get reinforcements, but we weren't going to hold our breath on it. Guns were going off all around me, just as I was doing the same with mine. It was impossible to miss a grimm and all of our shots landed, but they just kept coming and coming and coming. Two hundred yards, one hundred yards, fifty, twenty, ten, then they were in the base. They had reached us, and we were fucking terrified. No man was safe. We didn't have the fancy suits given out now. Body armor and a helmet had saved many lives before. That day, it was worthless. People were torn to shreds, armor capable of stopping a bullet dead was ripped like paper, and the people who had aura found it was about as useless as the armor."

A pause and another, shakier, breath.

"I was running through cover, crates, tables, chairs, anything, and shooting at anything in the sky. I was failing to make any kind of dent in their numbers. They had lost many of their brethren to us, but more kept filling the gaps we made. Everything seemed hopeless, yet we fought on. That was probably due to not having any other option other than that. Shoot, run, duck, hide, punch, shoot more. I found myself getting into a rhythm trying to find anyone else alive, or better a group. At one point I was cornered and had used anything I could to stay alive. A tent pole to stab some, a table to hind behind before it was destroyed, a wall that gave me some rest before I was surrounded, I kept running and running and trying to survive. Many of the scars on me now are from that day."

Spider saw the man reach with one hand to his scarred and lacerated forearm.

"Eventually, I found others. They had taken the mess hall as a defensive position, using its walls and ceiling to force the grimm to funnel to them. I don't know how I lived through the hundred feet I sprinted through to reach them, but I did. They hauled me over their walls and had me help shoot. We were living in the mess hall for another fifteen minutes, shooting the grimm coming at us in a constant stream, before the sixty of us in their realized an incredibly dangerous problem, we were low on ammo. We had been fighting for almost a half hour at this point and I lost track of how many were killed, but we had to move to get some ammo before we died. Closed in, the only way out was to go out the back, through the kitchens. The door was barricaded so nothing got in or out before it was removed. I gave my ammo to the men near me and started ripping it apart. Tables, chairs, plates, everything in front of me was moved in my panic. It took me close to ten seconds to clear it, but each second without a useful weapon and my back turned to the grimm felt like years. When I broke through into the kitchens more grimm were inside, and I had to improvise. They couldn't fly well in the cramped space, severely limiting their mobility, but they were still extremely dangerous. Their claws would've sliced me in half without any effort or I would've been pecked to death or eaten. Nevermores and Griffons abound a small kitchen. The cutlery in the area was hanging right next to me and I started throwing and stabbing. Grimm rushed me and gave me a nice reminder to never forget that day. A griffin caught me as I was reaching for more knives. "

Pointing at his forehead, Spider had a new appreciation of just what that scar represented. It showed toughness, perseverance, and above all the ability to survive. The single greatest skill of humanity.

"They kept walking or hooping at me slowly, in such a loud screeching noise of claws and screams I almost went deaf. That's when the guns joined in behind me. Those of us still alive pushed through the back and outside. We had to find ammo fast. One of the people without a working gun pointed out the ammo still on the pallets we used for storage. It was maybe thirty feet from us but looked like miles. We sprinted to the ammo cache, losing a couple more and getting scratched along the way, and reloaded."

A sigh left his lips now, before his eyes glazed a bit and he started to give the feeling of staring through Spider.

"That's when the Calvary came. The rising Major was there with a hundred men. Nothing compared to what was left of these flying monsters, but he executed a plan perfectly. Dust, the great equalizer, his men launched lighting dust straight into the center of the mass. When they hit, it spread to everything near it. The ones that fell hit other below dropping them. The sky was slowly lighting up from the sun again. The screams as those beasts fell filled ours and lifted our spirits. Minimum effort, maximum power, he had perfected that in one move. I'll never forget that day. The men were promoted for war efforts and the Major was promoted to Captain for his choices then and later. I rose to Colonel in the few years that followed. The consequences of those days are still felt today. Dust is used commonly by everyone as self defense, back then only high ranking soldiers could use it. Ironwood cleared that path for that to pass quickly. Soldiers were outfitted with better gear, up to the stuff you see them wearing today. All bases have countermeasures against flying Grimm and a fail safe that will allow the trapped personnel to get out quickly and safely. That day stopped all battles for a while, even the ones between mistral and vale. I think that's when everyone realized and accepted the Grimm were a threat to all of us."

The glazed look left and the Colonel came back to himself, his glare back in full and his frown etched into his skin.

"Ironwood has his morals as a military man, but he can be trusted with secrets. He has saved my life more times than I can count and I his. We were close before Atlas became a place I no longer wished to live in. Listen to his advice and his orders, but challenge what you don't agree with. He will listen if you prove yourself."

"Sounds like someone I might actually get along with."

The frown lifted slightly into a grotesque form of a smirk.

"Tell me how well you like him after you get done with what he wants. For now however grab your shit and prepare for tomorrow."

"Aye, aye colonel."

Another whack to the head.