For those who didn't catch my AN on my profile, there was no update on Thursday as I spent all of Thursday and Friday conducting redundancy meetings with individual members of staff. The closure is being finalised now, and it is legalities time. Fun, fun, fun.

But I'm so close to being free of this.

Cover Art: Aristeo Storm

Chapter 67

Being back in Beacon after just a single night out somehow felt alien to him. The short trip out with Maria had reminded Qrow of what being a huntsman was normally about, and now being back in a cramped dorm with lessons was messing with his head. Everyone always looks back fondly on school, but they never realise how boring it is as an adult. It wasn't just because he was retreading things he already knew, but because there was less to do. No jobs, no looking after his nieces, no running around at Ozpin's beck and call.

He'd gone from having barely any free time to having more than he knew what to deal with, and it sucked. It wouldn't be such a problem if he could spar with Roman or get on with the infiltration of the research facility, but both those things were gated by his arm. Instead, he went with Team SWRT to visit Kali and Ghira, who had been released from his unjust imprisonment in the time since Qrow had left Vale.

"Yo. Big man." Qrow waved. "Good to see you."

"You're free!" Summer bounced up to hug him, and Ghira returned it with a fond smile. Kali and Raven exchanged bumps of their fists. "Did they mistreat you? Were they fair?"

"Fair, no, but I wasn't mistreated," Ghira rumbled. "They wouldn't want to give me that kind of ammunition. I understand I have you all to thank."

"Qrow, mostly," Raven said.

"Ozpin, mostly," Qrow countered. "I brought your situation to his attention and he went and fixed it. But enough about that. Not that it isn't good to see you and all, but we're here about the bullshit Atlas is pulling."

"Bullshit indeed," Kali spat. "This is causing us serious problems. We have members who are from Atlas who now have to contend with being labelled as terrorists. Many of them are already saying they can't take that risk and will have to quit. And who can blame them? Many have jobs and families they'd lose to openly support us. Atlas won't think twice about arresting them on the pretence of national security. And there's a chance other kingdoms will follow suit just to keep favour with Atlas."

"What's the plan?" asked Raven.

"Plan? We don't have one. Not really. Just a bunch of ideas that everyone is throwing around. Everyone is shouting ideas and hoping one will stick."

"Our best option for now is to take the fight to Atlas," Ghira said.

Qrow panicked. "Don't to anything reckless. Violence will play into Atlas' hands."

"I don't mean we would be violent, we'd protest as we always have. Prove them wrong about us. If the locals there see we're harmless, they might start to question what their media and leaders are saying."

It was a reasonable conclusion, and one no one could fault, but Ghira had forgotten one thing.

People were not reasonable.

"Atlas won't change their mind," Qrow told him. It caught everyone by surprise, as the others had been nodding along with the idea. He hated to be the one to pour cold water on it but someone had to. "You're naïve if you think proof and evidence will change the way people think. You could spend the next ten years rescuing orphans in Atlas and they'll say you're radicalising them. You can peacefully protest until the cows come home and they'll call you evil. You don't understand the people of Atlas."

Ghira took it all calmly. "And you do, Qrow…?"

"Yes."

"How? You're an orphan from Mistral as I recall. You can't know them any better than we do."

Damn it. He knew because he'd seen it all happen. Because he could recall stories of how White Fang protests in Atlas had been greeted with thrown stones, and how the terrorist group – the actual one – had formed as a result of Atlas' constant refusal to listen. That'd be twice as bad now that Atlas had jumped the gun and labelled them terrorists early. The people who threw rocks in his time hadn't had nearly as good a reason to hate the faunus as they did now. And yet what could he say? How could he convince them?

"They'll arrest you the second you get there."

"I'll gladly let them take me to court," Ghira said. "Their evidence won't stand up. The people will see my innocence."

"The people won't give a rat's ass about you. And it wouldn't be a public court. You're terrorists now. That means a closed-door military tribunal in the interests of national security. You'll be judged by someone who is also military, which means they'll be loyal to the same dogma that labelled you a terrorist in the first place."

Ghira didn't look convinced. "Are you sure you're not biased? I heard what they did to you, Qrow. How you almost got hurt because of them. Atlas isn't some pit of evil, though. It's a country. Corrupt, yes, but good people live there. People like Willow."

"People are fine when they're on their own! It's when they're in groups that they refuse to listen – because they can't hear their own thoughts over the constant buzz of media nonsense and politicians pushing lies."

"If I accept that, then I should give up entirely. I won't. I have to believe we can change their minds."

Qrow groaned at the naivete. It wasn't just a Ghira thing at this point. It was a teenager thing. Every teenager ever seemed to think they could change the world and win people over. It wasn't until you got older that you realised some people would refuse to listen for no other reason than because they didn't want to.

Some people just didn't want to live better lives. They'd cling doggedly to bad habits or downright terrible living standards just because they were familiar with it, or because the person suggesting it was of the wrong political leaning. People would rather die of hunger than accept food from someone they didn't like. And Atlas was worse than most. Not because there was something in the water or because they were idiots, but because of how centralised power in the kingdom was. Every kingdom favoured its capital city but Atlas took it further, all but ignoring everything that wasn't up on Atlas or down on Mantle. And, of course, the military had a hand in everything, and they were filled with corrupt people.

General Ironwood had once said that nothing rotted faster than an army without a war to fight. Positions that once went to capable leaders suddenly became political, and nepotism festered because there was no war conflict to weed out the weak.

Summer stepped up. "You're decided, then? You're going to Atlas?"

"Yes." Kali nodded, though she didn't look thrilled with it. "If we ignore this accusation from them, they'll use it as proof we're guilty. While I'm no more positive about their honesty than Qrow, I don't think we can ignore it. We have to challenge Atlas head on."

"Stay in Vale," Qrow begged. He was out of ideas of what to say. "You can prove to the people here you're not terrorists."

"We were always planning to move on eventually. The White Fang travels. We came here to protest, we protested, and now it's time we move on."

"It'll be a shame to see you go," said Taiyang.

"We'll stay in touch. Another reason it'd be bad for us to stay is we could get you in trouble," Kali pointed out. "You're the ones responsible for catching Atlas on their crap. Being seen associating with us won't help you. Won't help us, either. They'll use it to discredit us both. Say we worked together to frame them."

"Awfully convenient we just happened to find those containers with Grimm in," Willow said, crossing her arms. "I see your point. They'll suggest you switched them out and we worked with you to discover them in Vale and let the Grimm out."

"Would they dare call Willow Schnee a terrorist?" Taiyang asked. "That sounds ballsy."

"They wouldn't accuse me. They'd just lay out all those facts and make a few insinuations and then let their audience fill in the gaps. The media in Atlas is good at that. They know the best ways to imply everything without actually saying enough to be liable legally. My father hates dealing with them, especially since they've criticised some of his charity drives."

"How does someone criticise charity?" Summer asked.

"They say he's just trying to appear virtuous by doing it. That he doesn't really care about the people he's helping and just wants to buy popularity. It's stupid. Charity is charity. They don't see it that way, though."

Qrow nodded, hoping that would help them see reason.

It didn't. Of course it didn't.

They were on a doomed campaign from the start, and he wasn't sure there was anything that could be done to save it. The world just had a startling amount of apathy when it came to discrimination against faunus. Rich businessowners, who backed politicians, didn't want to lose access to cheap labour. Most people didn't see a reason to care, simple arguing that it didn't affect them.

That wouldn't stop Ghira and Kali trying. It hadn't stopped them starting this. And maybe there was nothing he could do to stop it ending the same way it had in his time. And maybe I shouldn't, he thought darkly. Yang's partner relies on these two getting together. No Blake at Beacon might mean more knock-on effects. Or her not being born at all.

"How long until you go?" Summer asked.

"A day. Maybe two. We need to move quick before Atlas has time to discredit us further."

"I need a stiff drink," Qrow grumbled.

"I think we could all use one," Ghira said. "If only to calm down. Come. This shouldn't be such a tense get together. I owe you all drinks for helping get me out of prison."

/-/

"You're killing the mood."

For it to be Raven of all people who told him that would have made it funny normally; she was supposed to be the doom and gloom one among them. Qrow tried to feign confusion, raising an eyebrow and taking a drink, but she wasn't having it.

"You're such a moody prick sometimes."

"Atlas isn't going to end up well for them. It won' work out."

"Nothing is going to work out for them," Raven replied, delivering the blunt assessment with all the grace of a Beowolf. "It wasn't working for them here either. Ghira got arrested, they all got assaulted, and they're no closer to changing the way people look at faunus. Won't matter if they stay here, go to Atlas, Mistral or anywhere else. Same shit, different place."

"You're not wrong…"

He'd seen the future. Lived it. There were some people who treated faunus well, but it was always individuals. The kingdoms still allowed discrimination and it wasn't uncommon to see people hassling faunus on the streets. Shops would cater to faunus only to give them somewhere to feel safe, but that only heightened the segregation. He'd seen it in Signal, too. For all that he had zero patience for it, not every teacher did. They would excuse it as hazing or roughhousing or children being children. Qrow had cornered more than one parent for their children's behaviour, for all the good that did.

The ones who blindly accused him of lying because their precious child would never be that mean were annoying, but they didn't make his blood boil nearly as much as the others. The ones who praised their children and told Qrow to mind his own business. That insulting people wasn't a crime, and that if those animals couldn't take a few mean words, they shouldn't be huntsmen.

Something ice-cold touched his neck and he jumped. Raven pulled her beer bottle away. "You're doing it again. Fuck, Qrow. It's hard to tell what mood you'll be in sometimes. Totally chill when we're kids hopelessly lost in the winter and a moody prick when this happens."

"I'm worried about them. I wasn't worried about us."

"That better be because you knew we'd be fine."

"Yes." He met her gaze and Raven seemed satisfied by it. "I knew we'd make it; we only had to contend with the weather. Winter is cruel but it isn't systematic cruelty like Atlas is. I just don't see this ending well for them. For any of them."

"Me neither." Raven sighed and took a swig of her own beer. "Great. Now you've got me brooding as well."

"Misery loves company."

"Probably why they banded together, isn't it? Unhappy faunus needing support." It was unusually perceptive of her, but then this Raven already had a healthier childhood than the original. "Ghira and Kali are their hope – their spirit – or some shit like that."

"That spirit is going to get crushed. And then worse is going to happen. People will start wondering if violence isn't the answer. All it'll take is one rock thrown back and Atlas will have the evidence they need, and then the White Fang will lean into it because what else are they supposed to do?"

"What's your idea, then? Don't bother? Give up? You know they won't do that."

He knew. They knew it, too. The White Fang hadn't gotten together thinking this would be easy, or even that it would work. They'd banded together knowing they had an impossible task but wanting to try anyway. He wanted to call it stupid but… well… here he was trying to save Mountain Glenn and the future. And yet saving a city from Salem feels easier than preventing the White Fang becoming terrorists. What a twisted world this is.

"Is there room for one more at this misery party or is it private?" Kali took a seat without waiting for an answer and handed out a fresh beer to each of them. "You two are killing the mood over here."

"It's Qrow." Raven took the drink and slipped away. "I'll leave you two to it while I go remind myself this isn't a fucking funeral."

Qrow winced. "Sorry about the mood. I'm just not feeling your Atlas idea."

"None of us are." Kali said, sliding over to sit next to him. "Trust me, we're well aware of how bad this is going to be. I wouldn't be surprised if they try and arrest us both on arrival. And the people there aren't going to trust us. It's going to be bad."

"Then why bother…?"

"Because we have to be an inspiration for other faunus. Just because we'll have a bad time doesn't mean we have the right to back out. There are faunus there who are too afraid to stand up for themselves who are relying on us to do it for them."

"Screw them. They're cowards."

"Can you really say that when their livelihoods rely on not causing a scene? The military is the main job there. Faunus in there can't be seen showing loyalty to us or that means they're not loyal to Atlas. They'd be dishonourably discharged. We have to be the ones to stand up for them."

"Brave, I suppose."

Kali pulled a face. "You suppose…?"

"Brave but stupid."

She shrugged. "Those two don't have to be exclusive. Bravery often is stupid."

"You can say that again…"

Kali laughed and leaned an arm on his good shoulder. Her black hair tickled his neck, along with the scent of lavender and cheap booze. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but he was suddenly aware of the fact she was a very pretty – and older – woman. Not too much older, maybe nineteen or twenty, but old enough. Qrow gulped and took another long drink. This was the mother of Yang's best friend.

"Cheer up," she said. "This is probably our last time seeing one another for a while. Who knows when we'll next come to Vale? Maybe for the festival, but that's a whole year away."

"Hmmm."

Kali leaned forward, into his field of view, and shot him a mischievous grin. "What's with that reaction? Run out of things to say?"

Qrow took another drink. Beer really was versatile like that. Nothing to say? Drink. In a bad mood? Drink. Embarrassed because you've been put on the spot by a pretty girl? Drink. He tipped the bottle back, only for Kali to touch two fingers under it and tip further. Unprepared for it, beer spluttered out his lips and over his shirt. "Ackk— Kakkk! What the hell was that for!?"

Everyone looked over.

"No worries!" Kali called. "He's just had an accident. Poor man can't handle a proper drink. I'll take him to clean up."

/-/

Qrow blearily blinked open his eyes. His head was pounding, his tongue felt too big for his mouth and his body was hot and sweaty all over. It felt like there was a weight pressing down on his chest. A quick glance down revealed a head of black hair.

"Huh… I guess that explains it…"

A part of him felt bad for sleeping with the mother of Yang's best friend, but it wasn't like he was getting in the way of anything. Kali had committed to going to Atlas, kicking off what would be the White Fang's descent into terrorism. He couldn't change her mind and he couldn't go with her, not with Mountain Glenn and Beacon needing him.

They had their separate paths.

"You awake…?"

"Mmmngh." Kali shifted her body a little, sliding a bare leg up his as she peeked up through messy hair. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her ears dipped. "I am now. Why couldn't you let me sleep in?"

"Just wanted to make sure you didn't regret this."

He felt her laughter through his chest. "Little late to ask that, isn't it? Besides, what's to regret? You were amazing. Are you seriously telling me that was your first time?"

It both had and hadn't been. Qrow was by no means as experienced with women as the older version of Taiyang was, but he was a lot more experienced in the bedroom than this version of Kali. Even an averagely experienced man might as well be a savant to a virgin like her. Or a once-virgin. Qrow glanced to the side and the pack of rubbers. At least we remembered those.

Kali pushed up suddenly, hair spilling over her naked chest. "Wait, are you saying you regret this? Did I—"

"No. No, I'm fine." Qrow smiled and settled his good hand on her hip. "I'm just wondering why is all. Trying to make sense of it. I didn't think you… about me…"

"Hmm. You're handsome and sweet," she said, laying back down on him again. "I think I could fall for you."

"Could implies you haven't."

"Hmmm." A fingernail stroked over his chest. "I could say I wanted to pay you back for helping us get Ghira out but that'd be a cowardly excuse. I guess I'm just scared of Atlas. I wanted at least one good memory before that, and you're someone I could see myself falling for."

"Don't go, then. Convince Ghira not to."

"We can't. You know that. Right?"

Qrow grunted unhappily. "I know."

"It's probably for the best anyway," she murmured. "Willow and Summer will want my head on a platter after tonight."

Qrow laughed. "Willow, maybe, but Summer won't mind."

Kali sighed. "I know it's none of my business but I can't help myself. They both like you, Qrow. Both of them are rivals for your love. You're just too dense to notice it."

"I'm not dense. You're just wrong. On Summer, anyway."

He knew Willow liked him and he had his own issues there. Encourage it and save her from Jacques or let her have Winter and Weiss with the man – who were a friend of his (as much as Winter refused to admit it) and a friend to his nieces for her younger sister. But to let them be born, he had to push Willow into what would be a miserable marriage.

As for Summer…

"I can see why you'd think it," he said. "I get it from Gretchen as well. That's just the way Summer is, though. She's friendly like that. Affectionate." She always had been, even in his prior life. "I guess it'd look like a crush to most people, but I know for a fact that she's into Taiyang."

Kali looked up at him sceptically, then rolled her eyes and muttered something dismissive about his intelligence. Qrow let it go. Everyone at this age seemed to think friendship was love. He'd seen enough poor kids in Signal get the wrong message and confess to someone who just wanted to be friends with them. In all honesty, he'd have thought Summer had a crush on him as well if he didn't know her as well as he did.

Even I can't help but think she feels that way sometimes, like when she invited me to the prom.

But he did know Summer. He knew her better than anyone else. And he also knew that Ruby had to be born. He could think to himself about how sad it'd be if Blake or Weiss weren't, but he didn't know them. Not truthfully. It'd be a shame if they didn't exist but Yang and Ruby couldn't miss people they never met.

The same couldn't be said for him with his nieces.

"What would you do if she asked you out for real?"

"She won't," he said. "And that's a strange thing for a girl who just slept with a man to ask."

"Hmm. Maybe I just want to know you'll be happy after I'm gone. You didn't answer the question, though. What would you do? Would you say yes?"

Qrow thought about it. The hypothetical, even if it'd never be real.

The answer was obvious.

"No. I'd say no."

Next Chapter: 22nd February

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