Wow, how long has it been? Sorry, y'all. It's been a bit hectic around my place. My little sis has a wedding coming up, which I don't want to go to, and there's just a heaviness over the house. Do ya get what I mean? Anyway. Apologies of the highest order are owed to you. Here's chapter 23, which doesn't have much, but has enough I guess.

Chapter 23: A Team Meeting

I narrow my eyes at the man before me. "What revolution are you talking about?"

He smirks. "I won't believe that you haven't seen the tension brewing in the world between the Faunus and Humans. I'm pretty sure that the obvious mistreatment on both sides has made news at least once."

He turns his back to me, and I slowly sit up all the way. "Okay, yeah, I know about that shit. Some of my classmates when I was in Beacon were going on about it before graduation. There's been a tremendous uproar," I wave my hand about in a dramatic gesture, "in the Faunus community about the banning of certain species from certain shops, and it's fucking sick."

The door opens slightly, revealing the people that I needed to see the most. I jump up and rush to Summer, hugging her to me. Burying my face in her hair, I can't believe how much I was actually being torn up inside about not seeing her until I had. I can sense that she just rolled her eyes. "You make it seem like it's been years since we all saw each other."

I scoff and pull away to lightly kiss her. "Well, to me, it seemed like it." I bite my lip and turn back to the man who was going on about a revolution. "And that doesn't really explain what the hell you're talking about."

His small smile turned grim. "The Faunus are getting rowdy, and the Humans see it as a sign of shrugging off the years of oppression. They're calling it the rise of a revolution in civilized company. I suppose it really is just the shrugging off of oppression. The Faunus are tired of the demeaning mentality that Humans have employed for generations. I suppose that it's the White Fang's duty to right the balance in the world, while still disregarding the unnecessary inequality of the world. We'd like to recruit you as honorary members of the White Fang, the first Humans to ever be allowed here."

He looks so sincere, and I suppose that it's a very good idea. I never could stand the horrendous treatment that others would inflict on the Faunus. I mean, we're all people. They just have extra appendages and such. I really think it'd have been cool to have an extra set of ears for hunts and stuff. I bite my lip and look down at Summer. "It's up to you, oh fearless leader. I'll follow you into Hell if that's where you lead. You know that."

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Hell would probably bar us from entering once they saw you on my tail. There's only so much destruction and uninhibited disputes between people that even that place can stand." I open my mouth to object, but she puts out her finger to hush me. "You know it's true. Don't deny it." She laughs a bit before hugging me. "Plus, I can't just make a decision like this on my own. You guys have a say in anything and everything we do."

Tai shrugs noncommittally. "I'm for whatever. Life's been boring." I roll my eyes. Of course, he'd be one to just follow blindly because there's a chance there could be a thrill in it.

Summer chuckles a bit at his statement. "You call almost being killed boring?" He just shrugs again with a small smile lifting his lips. She turns to the man and asks the question that we should have asked to begin with. "What could we even do for your project?"

He laughs a bit under his breath. I can see the laugh, but there's not really a sound coming out. "Well, it's not so much a project as an activist movement, but you are going to be our ambassadors."

Ambassadors? Really? I almost bust out laughing. The only one of us with even a remote chance of pulling off any PR shit is Tai. I don't have a lick of people skills to go off of. Summer could do well if she puts her mind to it, but she'd be a hell of a nervous wreck beforehand. Qrow, well, he doesn't need to represent an entire population for any reason. I doubt he would help. I mean, come on, the guy barely functions in his own day to day life, let alone speaking for the populace of an entire species! I sober quickly, though, when I see the expression on the man's face. He's serious. He's fucking serious. He wants us to be the go-between for two different people! God damn. Why doesn't he just sign his and the Faunus' death warrants right now?

I hear a sigh from beside me, breaking me from the trance. "How do you expect us to just drop our lives and help you out? Why do you think this will even work? How much planning have you actually done for you to expect this to succeed? Cause, bud, I'll tell you now, we ain't no fucking people persons. I can count on one hand how many people that I actually like, and you can damn well know that you aren't one of them. There is no fucking way that we can just walk into a council meeting and declare ourselves the representatives of all Faunus everywhere. Do you realize that we could be targeted, our families could be targeted, YOU could be targeted because of this cockameme plan of yours?" Qrow has definitely put some thought into this in the last few minutes. I just can't believe that it was him that actually pointed it out.

The man pulls his collar from his neck nervously and gulps. "I understand. How about, instead of ambassadors, you be White Fang liasons? Is that more feasable?" He clears his throat. "This way you only represent the Faunus here, under my control. They will understand that it's for their own benefit, and it will be better for relations."

Clearly, that would be the best thing, but I still cringe at the thought of being responsible for so many people. The implications of failure, the consequences, could be horrific. It could literally turn into mass genecide, with the Faunus being hunted like the olden days. I shake my head. "I don't think that I could be responsible for an entire race like this." I fold my arms over my chest and worry my bottom lip with my teeth.

The man nods. "Is that your final decision?" I can see the sweat dripping from him, his nervousness showing physically.

Summer, sweet sweet Summer, in all her manevolent grace and selflessness, smiles sweetly and shakes her head. "I'd like to talk to my team in private, if I may?" The man sighs and nods his head once before leaving the room completely. As soon as the door shuts, Summer turns to us with that look on her face. I know that look, the one she gets, the one that denotes total dedication to the task at hand, the one that usually ends up with us doing something stupid but for the right reasons. "Guys, we have to."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Summer, I don't want to be put in the center of this fucking war. There will be no point, really." I breath out a shaky sigh, one that seems to rattle the bit of brittleness in my heart. "I just wanted to be a Huntress, someone who can stand her own, and be able to wait out the end of my days, whether they come sooner or later. I hate politics. You know I do. Why the hell do we have to take up the mantle of martyrs?" I can feel the tears start to develop in my eyes, and yet, they don't spill over.

She bites her lip and looks away. "I know. None of you appreciate politics. Heck, I don't either, but this could help a lot of people. That's why I became a Huntress, to help people!" Her arms go wide. "And this is an opportunity of a lifetime. How many humans have the chance to be in a White Fang base without hostility being pointed toward them? How many times can you say that Faunus and Humans have truly worked together outside of a team at Beacon? This could be history in the making!"

Ah, yes, I see. She's getting bored. "What about our hunts?"

She smiles. "Can't we do both?" Well, at least she's not trying to guilt me. It would have been a fucking nightmare trying to combat that. "I mean, politics are for the stress and hunts would be for destressing. It would be a perfect match!"

I can't help it. A laugh escapes. "This turned into the most complicated mission I've ever been on. We went from zero to sixty in a matter of seconds, and it just seems that our car is going down hill with no brakes. What the fuck are we all thinking, trying to get into this mess?"

Summer fingers trace my jawline. "We're thinking about the innocents that will no longer have to suffer if we succeed."

Qrow growls beside me. "That's just it, the magic words. If we succeed. This whole thing would be a giant risk for the 'if' side of things. We could make a small dent, but eventually, we will fail, and so will everyone else. Change isn't something that the world appreciates. Just look at how things are now. Even after the treaties and shit, we're stuck in a fucking rut. Faunus are practically servants right now. The vast majority of Humans trample on Faunus for no reason whatsoever. Faunus also cause trouble for themselves. There have been Faunus gangs that target Humans, thefts from Non-Faunus friendly establishments, and more. The fucking loop is killing us. An eye for an eye just leaves two people blind, you know."

I blink a couple of times. "So philisophical. Where'd you learn to be so smart?" He has a point, though. I really don't want to go into this blind. We have no idea where this will lead, or if we'll wind up dead.

Qrow sticks his tongue out at me. "You don't have to be such a bitch."

I roll my eyes. "Would it help if I said that I agree with you?"

A gasp sounds from beside me. I look down to see Summer's eyes darting from me to Qrow repeatedly. "Oh god. The world's going to end. You two agree on something. This is so not right."

I lightly slap her arm before I move closer to Qrow. "Does this mean that we're divided?"

"You guys are such downers. Why can't we be a team full of omptimists?" Summer says as she crosses her arms over her chest while blowing some of her hair out of her face.

"It's pretty hard to be an omptimist when you almost died and are filthy while standing in the headquarters of one of the most infamous Faunus rights associations in the world." I say with a huff.

Her face softens, and I regret saying anything about almost dying. God damnit. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut? "I know. Really, I don't want you to die, any of you, but this is for a good cause. Heck, we risk our lives every time we go on a mission. What makes this any different?"

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. God damnit! I hate it when she's right. Before I can voice it, though, Tai steps up. "The only real difference is that it'll people after us instead of Grimm. Grimm are basically mindless beasts, but people can think thi ngs through. It'll be a true challenge, something we can test ourselves on! I'm in."

I chew my lip. The implication of a challenge, whether it's a good idea or not, makes me think harder on this. I mean, if she's just going to jump into this without a sense of control, then I have to be there to protect her. I'd never forgive myself for standing by and letting her get hurt. "I still hate politics, but if you're so gung ho on wanting to do this, then I'm here to help. I'll be a body guard or something." I shrug. "I don't want to have to deal with anyone directly."

Summer smiles triumphantly. "Yes! Okay, three to one vote in!" She turns to Qrow. "So, are you in?"

Qrow scratches the back of his head. "You guys are really putting me on the spot, you know? I guess I can't just leave you guys hanging. I can do the bodyguard thing, too, I guess. Not so much of a people person."

I crack a smile. "Oh, we know that well."

Qrow punches me in the arm. "Like your the shining example of public relations yourself, sis." I just stick my tongue out at him while Summer gestures the man back into the room.

A/N: Okay, well, um, they agreed. I mean, Qrow and Raven made amazing points, but Summer's will overtook their realism. Yay optimism! Anyway, this should be really interesting. I guess I'm going to have to make a council for them to appeal to, and make the laws that they want to get repealed and established and stuff, as well as give the mystery man a name. Any suggestions? Did I even say what kind of Faunus he is? Hmm. Ah, no. No I didn't. Well, hmm. Any ideas? I'm open for a male OC and more for the council. Did I say everything? I think I did. Etc... Etc... Have a good whatever, like week or day or something.

I do have a account. The link is on my profile. Any contribution would be much appreciated. :)

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