A/N: Welcome back to Better Call Sau-wait... that's not right.

Before we get started, I'd like to give a little disclaimer right here at the proper start of the story. Some characters, Namely Qrow, will have personalities that are quite different from the way we see them in the show. Before anyone shouts "OoC!" in the reviews, let me just say that this is the past. People change, especially in their later teenage years.

This fic is meant to show Qrow and Raven's transition from bandits to reliable and loved members of Team STRQ, among other things. That most likely didn't happen overnight. So, don't expect them to go from mean and antisocial brigands to paragons of friendship in the span of a couple of thousand words.

Just sayin'.

Chapter 1 - Only Skin Deep

"Argh! I'm kinda freaking out right now!" The sudden outburst prompted a few people to turn in her direction as the crowd shuffled onboard the bullhead. Of course, once she took notice of the attention she was getting from complete strangers; she made sure to lower her voice a bit and pulled her white hood up to hide her embarrassed face.

She heard a mildly amused chuckle come from her scroll. "You know, it's not too late to come back home. I'm sure no one at Beacon would hold it against you if you backed out now."

Silver eyes flashed angrily at the man on the small screen. "No, dad. I'm not quitting. It's just... It's just that I've never been around this many people before. It's kinda scary."

"I get that, believe me, I do," her father smiled. "But if you want to become a huntress, you're going to have to learn to be around people. Especially since they'll be putting you on a team with four other students soon."

A pitiful whine escaped her as she sank back into her seat. She knew that, of course. Although, knowing didn't make the prospect of living, fighting, and studying alongside three people she didn't know from a hole in the ground any more appealing. What if they didn't like her? What if they thought she was too immature to be at Beacon? What if her team leader turned out to be a super mean jerk who just bossed her around all day? What if-

"Summer!" he snapped her out of the internal rant before she could have a complete mental breakdown. "I understand that you're nervous, but trust me when I say you'll be fine. You'll make friends with your new team and the other people you'll meet at Beacon. You may even find some boy that falls head over heels for you. Although I warn you, I will kill him if I ever meet him."

She blushed and laughed at the playful threat. Though, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder if there was any possibility of his words being true.

"In all seriousness though, I'm proud of you. I'm sure your mother would be as well. It takes a lot of courage and determination to become a hunter, and I have total confidence that you're up for it."

Summer's cheeks darkened even more. Her father was many things. He was brave, strong, caring, and loving to a fault. But most of all, he wasn't a liar; he may not have shared everything with her, but if she needed to know something or ask a question, he would give an honest answer. Him saying that he believed in her was the greatest morale boost she could have asked for.

"Thanks, dad. That means a lot."

The older man smiled. "Hey, I just call 'em as I see 'em, Short Stack." He chuckled as his attention was drawn away from his screen. "Alright, I'm gonna have to let you go here. There's a line forming behind me to use this terminal."

"Okay. Bye. Love you," she waved.

"Love you too, honey. I'll call again tonight. Good luck, even though I know you won't need it." The call ended as his image flashed black.

Summer let out a sigh. Though she was still nervous about the events to come, her heart was no longer pounding out of her chest. She felt like a little girl on the first day of school, which, in a way, she was. In fact, the only difference besides age was that, instead of clinging to her father's leg, she now felt terrified to let his words leave her mind. Looking around the bullhead, many others shared in her plight and were refusing to make eye contact with anyone. There were a few who carried themselves with more confidence. However, even they kept to themselves and did not address any of the other prospective students. They were all in the same boat - well, ship rather - it seemed.

"I hope you're right..."

/-/

"Arriving at Beacon Academy. Please disembark in an orderly fashion" The computerized voice called over the bullhead's intercom. A second later, the doors slid open and new students began clumsily pushing and shoving to get out and onto the campus. He couldn't blame them he supposed. The airships weren't the most comfortable means of transportation and the idea of finally reaching Beacon after all the work they'd put in was rather enticing.

That being said, he was certainly in no rush. All these idiots thought that getting to the welcoming speech first somehow guaranteed them studentship, like hearing the headmaster address them was the most important event of their lives. Qrow, on the other hand, was content to watch and take his approach slowly, gathering as much information about the campus as he could through basic observation.

One of the first things that came to his attention was the fact that no one seemed bothered by his very "bandit-like" attire. Between the black leather jacket with a missing sleeve, the gray wife-beater tank top, and faded black combat fatigues he was certain he would have given off an aura of unease. He'd thought for sure that his outfit would give people the "keep your distance and don't fuck with me" vibe. Yet, now that he got a better look at everyone, they were all sporting similar dress, although they didn't carry themselves with the same level of caution. Likely they thought themselves safe in their current environment, that there was nothing to be aware of around them.

To their credit, Qrow could feel a sense of peace and security the second he stepped off the aircraft. Though it felt artificial, like a farce. Like the people in charge were sheltering them from the horrors that roamed the nearby forest. It only served to put him even more on edge and he felt himself reaching for the hilt of his weapon in preparation for an attack that wouldn't come.

Relax, it's just nerves. Don't draw any unneeded attention. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, letting his mind empty and focus back onto the goal at hand. There was still a good fifteen minutes until the welcoming speech, so he had time to get a lay of the land. Breaking off from the rest of the herd, he headed down a small path that looped around and past some pillars.

Beacon's main courtyard was beautifully arranged in terms of both architecture and landscaping. Every brick and plant appeared to have been expertly placed, and likely was. But as impressive as it was, the spectacle was wasted on him. Years of living out of a tent, and seeing that it was an adequate way of life, had numbed Qrow to the sense of awe that the school would have given a normal person. To him, it was nothing more than a giant monument to Vale, the nation simply swinging its dick around for all the world to see.

That someone would dedicate so much time and effort to making a school for training kids to kill monsters look so pretty simply baffled him. All they really needed was an open field for drills and sparring, a couple of tents for shelter, and that would be it. There would be no need for so much glitz and glam. Honestly, Beacon could learn a thing or two from the spartan lifestyle of the Branwen tribe.

Qrow's inner criticism of the campus was cut short by a massive heap and a shock of golden hair slamming into him as he rounded a corner. Next thing he knew, he was half of a tangled pile of limbs on the ground, his own groans mixing with those of the new guy.

"Ungh," it felt like he'd been hit by a truck. "...the hell?"

His new companion seemed to enjoy the collision about as much as he did, responding in kind with his own confused mumbling. The two of them slowly but surely made their way out of the twisted knot of human, grunting with displeasure all the way. On his way up, Qrow did manage to get a look at his unfortunate new friend.

Blond, almost sunbleached hair, tanned skin, and muscles on muscles told him that this was a man used to hot and heavy labor out in the sun. His clothing reinforced that assumption. Hiking boots, worn khaki cargo pants, a rough beige dress shirt which didn't look like it had been seriously washed ever. Farmboy, perhaps.

"Ugh, sorry about that," he said, dusting himself off. "Was in a bit of a hurry and guess I wasn't looking where I was going."

Okay, let's see if anyone actually buys this bullshit act. He took a deep breath. "No, no, it was my fault," Qrow laughed awkwardly. "I'm not really the luckiest person, so this was just a matter of time."

The blond glanced over him, probably making his own assessment. A person's outfit told a lot about their personality and Qrow had tried to make his match the face he would be putting on. "Well, either way, as far as first impressions go, that was pretty piss poor on my part." He rubbed the back of his neck, giving a smile and a laugh that closely resembled the one Qrow had on. "Name's Taiyang, Taiyang Xiao Long." He held out a hand in greeting.

And, hook, line, and sinker.

"Qrow," Taiyang's hand was calloused and rough as though he'd spent his whole life digging in the dirt. His grip was firm as well, a testament to the great physical strength he most likely commanded. Yep, definitely a country kid. "Good to meet you, Tai." His use of the nickname almost immediately alleviated the tension that had befallen the two young men.

Taiyang raised an eyebrow. "Qrow? Like the bird?"

"Yes... like the bird," Qrow growled. Do not strangle! Don't do it! he screamed internally. "My family has a really stupid tradition of naming all the kids after birds. Don't ask me why." Really, what had the Branwens been thinking? It wasn't like the tradition of naming children after colors, so there wasn't even a decent explanation.

The blond man held his hands up defensively. "Hey, I'm judging. Just a unique name, is all." There was no distrust in his voice or eyes, nothing but friendliness. To be honest, Qrow had half expected him to be suspicious of his wandering the grounds and not heading straight to the main hall. Then again, Tai had apparently been doing the same. "So... do you have any idea where we're supposed to be going?"

"Umm, the big building with all the people..."

"Oh, right," Taiyang grimaced. "I knew that. I just wanted to make sure you knew."

"Uh-huh," now it was Qrow's turn to arch his brow. "Next you're gonna tell me that you were in the bushes because you saw a fairy."

"Okay, fine. I've got no clue where I'm supposed to be."

"And you somehow deduced the way to find your destination was hidden within Beacon's enchanted garden?"

The pair began walking in the direction of the main hall, the headmaster's welcoming speech would be commencing in a few minutes. Personally, Qrow thought the whole concept was stupid. That they were just going to feed the new initiates some motivational bullshit like 'you all have the potential to change the world.' What a crock. Very few others were out at this point and it appeared as though they were the last of the newbies.

"Hey, I felt the need to answer nature's call and figured I'd cut through the bushes," Tai explained. "Figured it'd kill two birds with one stone."

There was a beat of silence as they continued down the path. The quiet was not an awkward one; at least, it wasn't for Qrow's blond companion. He must have thought he'd made an instant friend by bumping into him, and had he been anyone else, probably would have. However, Qrow wasn't looking for people to hang around with, he wasn't here to socialize. All he wanted was to get the whole huntsman training thing over with and get back home.

It wasn't any kind of problem with Taiyang himself. Granted, they'd only been acquainted for a grand total of about a minute, but so far, the man had made a decent impression. He was friendly enough, he supposed.

Better than that, though, he'd proven Qrow's facade would work.

He doubted that some of the teachers wouldn't be fooled by mere faked smiles and sarcasm - the latter of which he possessed an abundance. He would most likely need to act the part of a normal student as well. That meant no stealing, skipping classes to get laid, and worst of all, no drinking.

Qrow rubbed a hand over his face and groaned. Fuck me, it's going to be a long four years.

If Taiyang had noticed his little display of drama, he didn't show it. In fact, the musclebound blond seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. And enjoying them, by the looks of it, as he was snickering to himself.

"What's so funny?" Qrow asked, not that it mattered.

"Hmm? Oh, it's just that I said I'd 'kill two birds with one stone," he chuckled. "And then I ran into you: a really big bird."

Great, a comedian. Yet again, he didn't seem to notice or care when Qrow groaned into his palms. It was going to be a long four years indeed if this was the kind of person he was going to have to put up with on a daily basis.

Stepping through the large doors to the main auditorium, they were nearly deafened by the chatter of the hundreds of prospective students who had gathered there. Throughout the sea of heads and bodies, Qrow could only make out one or two out of every ten that would make a decent opponent based on appearances.

Many of them had weapons that were designed to kill Grimm but would do little against another person. For others, it looked to be the exact opposite. A chainsaw would work wonders carving through fur and bone, but was easily predicted and dodged by a foe who had a brain. In the same way, a bo staff could be useful in keeping a human at a distance, however, it would do little to stop an Ursa from ripping your head off.

Glancing down at his own, Qrow couldn't help but feel a sense of pride; Harbinger was a work of art in his eyes. The sword was forged from the best materials that the tribe could get their hands on - granted, most, if not, all of it was stolen, but that was neither here nor there. It was a marvel of a weapon. He'd felt like a genius when he proposed the idea of incorporating dual shotgun barrels into the mechanism to his father. Looking back fondly on the first time he'd held it, he smiled and felt the leather wrap on the hilt as he wrapped his fingers around it.

Raven had always had the upper hand in their spars before he'd forged Harbinger. And while some of it could be attributed to her simply being better in combat, Qrow had also considered her own weapon to be giving her an edge. How could he fight someone who could infuse their sword with dust at any second? Sure, Ravager's interchanging dust blades were cool and all, but they made Raven a pain in the ass to fight against.

Speaking of, after scanning the crowd, Qrow finally spotted his twin. It seemed she was being her regular, bitchy self and giving anyone who came too close the murder stare, as where the others in the auditorium were packed in shoulder to shoulder, there was a good six feet between her and the nearest person.

"Hey, I gotta go, Taiyang," he said, turning to face his new 'friend.' "I'll see you around?"

Somewhat confused, the blue-eyed man looked his way. "Umm yeah, sure. Catch you later, Qrow."

Qrow hadn't stuck around to hear his farewell. He had no doubt that he would be seeing Taiyang Xiao Long again in the near future. However, right now, he needed to regroup with his sister.

Raven was dressed in a similar manner to himself, except for her tee shirt being blood red and her jacket having both sleeves. If their appearance didn't give it away that they were identical twins, their outfits sure as hell would. In all honesty, it made Qrow feel stupid, as though at any moment some old woman was going to coo and say they looked so cute together. Although, if anyone did try anything of the sort, they were just begging to feel not one, but two massive blades tickling their throat.

She spared him a glance but otherwise remained facing forward as he shoved his way through the crowd to get to her, earning quite a few pissed off remarks from disgruntled teens in his way. "Where were you," she asked dryly.

"Figured I'd have a look around," Qrow answered, taking his place at her side. "Get a feel for the place before we become full students and have to worry about class times."

Raven hummed in response, although it was barely audible over the bustle of the crowd. "Who was that man you entered with? He acted as though you were friends."

How did he describe Taiyang to her? He wasn't a friend. No, even by normal people's standards it was too early to call him that. Qrow had never just met another person before; in fact, the only people he'd ever known were those within the tribe along with the occasional stray they picked up. Even then, he'd never had an acquaintance before. It was an odd feeling, not knowing if a person was an ally or enemy at first meeting them. "He's just a guy I ran into outside. His name's Taiyang Xiao Long."

"What gave you the impression that I cared to know his name?"

Qrow sighed. Why did she have to be so bitchy? "I don't know. Just forget I even said anything."

"I will."

Even if he was able to come up with some form of a reply to her comment, Qrow was cut off by the lights dimming and the crowd of teens around them going silent. A lone man stepped up on the stage. He was tall and skinny with silver hair and sported a dark green suit and glasses. At his side was an ornate cane, though he did not walk as if he needed it. More likely it was his weapon of choice.

No one dared make a sound as the old man strode slowly to the center of the stage. Once he finally reached the single microphone there, he cleared his throat and gazed out over the horde of what he likely considered to be children. There was a pregnant pause between then and when he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"What do each of you know about huntsmen? What was it that drew you here? Did you grow up hearing stories of chivalry and heroism from your parents? Or was it the promise of glory and riches?"

A few people looked confusedly at each other like they didn't understand the question or its purpose. Qrow could only smirk. If those were the reasons anyone was attempting to enter Beacon, then they would be disappointed. Heroes wound up dead and forgotten, buried in shallow unmarked graves. And wealth only came to those who stepped on the necks of the ones less fortunate than themselves.

"Well, now that you are here, I can assure you that your expectations could not be further from the truth. There is no honor in combat, only a misplaced sense of pride. No amount of slain Grimm will make your dreams of fame and fortune come true."

He could almost hear the frowns on people's faces forming.

"Make no mistake, in no way is this an attempt to dissuade you from embarking on the path laid out for you. Simply take this as a warning that merely attending this academy will not grant you a free pass to an easy life. The road ahead is fraught with perils, both outside these walls and from within.

"Out of all of you, very few will actually be able to earn your studentship. Fewer still will possess the skills and endurance necessary for the grueling journey ahead. You will be tested, both physically and emotionally, in ways you never thought possible. I will not lie; at times you may think death preferable to the hell we will put you through."

Qrow couldn't help but let out a sharp laugh. There was a reason the Branwens were feared among their own tribe as deadly warriors. They were trained from birth, put through vigorous trials that would kill any normal human. The weak die, the strong survive. If Beacon thought it could do any worse than his uncle and father, he welcomed them to try.

"However, should manage to persevere, to grit your teeth and prove yourself worthy of attaining the right to call yourselves hunters; I can assure you, that you will not leave here the same as you are now."

"You're goddamn right we won't be the same," Qrow whispered.

"Welcome to Beacon."

/-/

The crowd had little idea what to do as the headmaster finished his speech. Some people tried to applaud, only to notice that no one else was clapping with them. More common were confused looks at each other and muttering. If the old man was trying to inspire confidence in them, he needed practice. The address was most likely intended to intimidate and weed out the ones who didn't have what it took to make it at Beacon, and to prepare those that did for the future.

However, its effects were lost on Summer Rose, who had only half paid attention to Professor Ozpin's voice. Where those around her had their eyes and ears glued to the stage, hers had been flitting between it and the red-eyed "b-word" that had been so rude to her.

She had only been trying to be friendly! What was so wrong about that? Taking her father's words of encouragement to heart, she had approached the dark-haired woman thinking she could make a friend. After all, it looked like people were avoiding her, maybe she needed someone to talk to.

So, with all the confidence she could muster, Summer had stepped up to her and given a cheerful greeting and introduction of herself. She had no idea what she was expecting; maybe the girl would be shy or surprised to have someone talk to her. However, nothing could have prepared her for the response she received.

"Fuck off," the words still rang in her ears. The complete lack of interest in her tone, mixed with the animosity of the words had shocked Summer to her core. She hadn't even looked her way, instead, she kept her red eyes facing the stage. That honestly hurt more than being cursed at; the implication that she wasn't even worth glancing at.

Needless to say, as far as first impressions went, Summer had neither made nor had the best from Beacon.

She kept her hood pulled up as the crowd began filing out of the hall, she wanted to avoid human contact as much as possible now. The sea of people helped her feel as though she was blending in - though, considering the fact that she was garbed in a snow-white cloak, she was doing a very good job. Thankfully, she managed to lose sight and steer clear of her new mortal enemy, small mercies.

What would her father say when she told him about this? He'd been so certain that she would be fine, yet here she was with only two words said to her, both of them meant to insult. Would he tell her to chin up and keep going? Probably. Then again, he did have a very protective attitude when it came to her. There was a very real possibility that he would come all the way to Beacon from wherever he was now just to give her a hug and a severe tongue lashing to the mean girl.

The thought of her father, a full-fledged huntsman, wagging his finger at the girl made Summer chuckle. He could be silly like that sometimes. Throughout her childhood, every time she fell off her bike or got pushed around at school, he was right there to help her up and verbally beat her foes down, whether they were sentient or not.

Most others would have shied away from an overprotective parent like him. Not wanting to rely on them to solve all their problems. Summer was not like that. She loved it when her dad came to her rescue, it made her feel special, loved, wanted. If that was something normal people didn't like, then she didn't want to be normal. She couldn't wait for the day to be over with so he would call and she could vent all the day's frustrations on him.

Although, it seemed like fate wasn't done playing with her yet.

Within an instant, Summer felt her cloak get stepped on, her legs give way, and the ground smack her in the face. All the people in the crowd around her simply trudged on by, a few clumsy feet jabbed into her back or sides. If she had cried out, it must have been lost amongst the clamor and chatter.

"Ungh, why me?" she whimpered as the last of the throng shuffled past.

Had she committed some kind of cardinal sin and angered a deity? Was that why she was having such terrible luck today? On top of getting royally rejected at her first attempt to make a friend, now she had been trampled over by her so-called 'peers.' No one had even stopped to help her up, ask if she was okay, or anything. They just kept on their way like she wasn't worth the effort. Summer had even caught a few snickers and casual insults thrown her way.

Could today get any worse?

"Hey, you need a hand?" a masculine voice asked.

"Huh?" she looked up, brushing her red-tipped bangs out of her eyes. Standing above her with a concerned look on his face was a tall blond man. His blue eyes remained locked on hers as she just stared up like a dow in headlights.

"I mean unless you're down there by choice..." he joked. "In that case, I'll just be on my way." He wore a smile that said he found her current state amusing yet not so at her expense. More like he found the situation funny.

"I-I uh... yeah," Summer stammered, as he pulled her to her feet. He was strong, deceptively so, even for his massive physique; it appeared to take no effort on his part to lift her one-handed. "Thanks."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Eh, no sweat. You look like you're havin' a rough day."

"Ugh, you don't know the half of it."

Summer scowled as her knight without armor chuckled. "Well, hopefully, I can make it at least a little better. I'm Taiyang, but most people call me Tai." He stretched out a hand.

"Summer Rose," she smiled for what felt like the first time that day. Maybe her luck wasn't so bad after all? "Are you a new student, too?"

Taiyang nodded as they began walking in the direction of the crowd. "Yep. New guy here, ready to kick Beacon's ass!" He made an overly dramatic show of flexing his biceps, earning a giggle from his audience. The pose didn't last long, as he shook his head, laughing. "That's what I tell people anyway. In reality, I'm kinda freaked out by this whole ordeal."

Summer nodded. So, she wasn't the only one? A part of her felt like jumping for joy that someone else was sharing her pain. The rest was ashamed at that part for even thinking such things. "Was it the headmaster's not-so-warm welcome?"

"Nah, that's not really all that intimidating. I wasn't expecting it to be so pessimistic, but it didn't have me pissing myself, either," he said. "No, it's more the fact that - and this is gonna sound stupid - I'm nervous at being so far away from home."

She blinked. Really? They were enrolling in a school to learn to fight literal monsters, and he was homesick? Well, it wasn't like she was any better. Not an hour ago had she been clinging to her father's voice as she boarded a bullhead. Who was she to judge, anyway?

"It's not like I've never been away before, my family's taken the occasional vacation," Tai continued. "I'm honestly worried about what might happen with me gone. My parents can only do so much without me."

"That's understandable. I guess if my dad weren't a huntsman, I'd be worried, too."

He nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I know they'll be fine, but it doesn't stop me from thinking about them."

"Hey," Summer nudged his arm. "Old people are old for a reason. They lived long enough to be that way. I'm sure your folks'll be fine."

Tai smiled. "I guess you're right. Thanks, Summer."

As they continued toward the dining hall, where they would be spending the night in a big co-ed sleepover, the pair chatted back and forth. Nothing too profound, mostly how they were excited to begin training, that they had a shared dread of the upcoming academic classes, and various other random bits of banter. The conversation felt nice, relaxed like one she would have with her dad. It seemed as though she had made a friend in him. Yes! So, I'm not cursed, she cheered from within her own mind.

Maybe things would work out fine after all.

A/N: Wow, Tai's making a very Jaune-ish entrance to the story. I knew I would be making some parallels to the first few episodes of RWBY at the beginning of this fic, but damn. Honestly, I'm trying not to rely on the show too much, and I wish I didn't have to do an initiation arc; but, sadly, it is necessary to establish the personalities and relationships of the characters early on.

Anywho, I hope you enjoyed the first real chapter of A Stark Contrast. The next one will be out as soon as I can get a free moment to write. Between raising a kid, prepping for a new baby, and working full-time, I'm surprised that I can even keep my fucking eyes open.