Here we go.


Cover Art: Aristeo Storm

Chapter 75


Qrow had a feeling everyone was going to be pissed at him.

It wasn't just the whole "almost dying" thing, since that was reason enough for them to be angry, but it was the fact he was going to be really limited on his ability to give them real answers. He couldn't risk incriminating himself over the facility, but refusing to tell them or making up some cock and bull story would have them hating his guts.

Worst of all, he knew with the power of future foresight that Raven got a vague sense of where her connected people were when she opened a portal. Even if he gave the same docks story he had to Ozpin and Maria, Raven would know it was bullshit. When his and his sister's team were finally allowed into the infirmary, and after the doctor had vacated, Qrow answered the question before it could be asked.

"I'm limited in what I can tell you."

As he predicted, no one was happy.

"You can fuck off—" Nessa began.

"I'm limited here and now," he interrupted. "For very good reasons involving not getting everyone in a shit tonne of trouble. But I'm willing to give you some pretty obvious hints that'll let you figure it out on your own. As long as you make it clear to anyone who asks that this is your assumption and not something I said."

There were head tilts and frowns but a lot less anger than before. They got the general idea.

"And how truthful will these assumptions of ours be?" asked Gretchen.

"Pretty close to the truth."

"Why can't you tell us?" asked Summer.

"The reasons should be obvious." Qrow took a deep breath. "Officially, I was out looking for those White Fang terrorists who released the Apathy on us at the docks. I got in over my head fighting one of those White Fang Terrorists."

Their expressions were gobsmacked.

"You fought Atlas—"

"Atlas? Who said anything about Atlas? I sure as hell didn't." Qrow waved his hands anxiously at them, conveying the sheer level of danger inherent in that word. Willow stopped talking. "It was the White Fang that released the Apathy, remember? So, if I fought anyone, it was definitely them."

"Right." Raven rolled her eyes. "Because you and Kali were definitely at each other's throats."

Taiyang elbowed her. "Don't. If this is what we're all thinking it is, then Qrow really is best not saying it. Atlas is desperate for someone to scapegoat right now. They'd throw Qrow in a dark prison at the drop of a hat." He hesitated. "Assuming he's telling the truth."

Qrow sighed. "Where else do you think I got fucked up like this? Who else could do this?"

"Underground fighting ring?" That was Peter. "What? It's what I assumed at first."

Nessa cocked an eyebrow at him. "You thought he was sneaking off to pit fights…?"

"Yeah. Why not? He gets bored in combat class and better pit fights than him being some serial killer."

Raven cocked her head. "Vale has pit fights?"

"No. No, no, no."

"Those don't exist. They're urban rumours."

Summer and Taiyang were quick to lie to her. Vale absolutely did have underground fights, but they were staunchly anti-huntsman. Qrow knew because he'd busted a few. Those places liked to see blood, and aura prevented that. They also made animals fight because they were sick fucks like that.

"My money situation is fairly good thanks to Willow's dad." He nodded to the girl. "And Ray and I got into Beacon on an orphan scheme so we don't have to pay any costs. I don't need money, so I sure as he wouldn't be out gambling, fighting or robbing places. Where would I even stash any loot? As for killing, you think some innocent victim in a dark alley could do this to me?"

Gretchen laughed. "He has a point. So, you fought a huntsman? A real one?"

"Fought is a strong term. A huntsman fucked me up would be more accurate. Ozpin thinks he may have been working with the one that crashed our exam." His team's eyes widened. "But you didn't hear that from me."

"And he's working with At— with the White Fang?"

"All evidence says no since he killed one of them in front of me. More like he was using them." Qrow let that sink in. "I really can't say more, especially not here. Just… keep an eye on the news and look out for some White Fang related content. I'm sure you can piece it together. Gretchen will probably have the best idea."

"Me!?"

"It's related to something you and I did."

The short girl panicked when every set of eyes turned on her. Nessa and Peter looked reproachful, Raven annoyed, Summer and Willow complicated, and Taiyang just looked like a disappointed father.

"H—Hey, don't look at me like that!" she cried. "We haven't done anything together! The only time we've ever been alone is when we went to Mountain Gle—" Her eyes widened and she rounded on him. "You didn't!"

"You're right," he lied. "I didn't."

"You absolutely did!"

"I sure as hell didn't," he replied, "Because that'd be illegal and probably close to terrorist activity."

The spies weren't going to be happy that he'd up and spelt it out to them, but they weren't the ones who had to deal with these people for the next four years and more. They would never have forgiven him if he kept this secret and refused to tell. He had a choice between pissing off a government agency or alienating his team and his best friends forever.

It was an easy decision.

"You can't share this with anyone," he told them.

"Definitely not." Willow agreed. "And besides, they're just wild assumptions. It would be reckless to act otherwise. Incredibly reckless," she stressed. "Why, if Atlas even caught whiff of you being interested in the White Fang, then they might arrest you on sight."

"Qrow, tell us straight." Nessa glared at him. "Will this impact our team?"

"It shouldn't."

"You won't drag us into anything?"

"By all accounts, this White Fang issue should be done with for good."

"Good." Nessa leaned back and sighed, closing her eyes. "Then I'm willing to let this go. Pete, Gret?"

"I'm pissed because you didn't tell me!" Gretchen growled. "We're partners!"

"He didn't bring his own fucking sister along," Raven said, "so don't be too surprised."

Ugh. It looked like Raven wasn't going to forgive him so easily. Nor Gretchen. In truth, he figured they'd all be watching him for the next while – but he deserved it. The real problem with knowing the future isn't having to fix it. It's not being able to explain to everyone why you had to do what you had to do, because you know they'll think you're insane.

And even if Raven would believe him – and she was the most likely to do so – he didn't dare tell her because of what became of her. If he told her about Yang, she might refuse to marry Taiyang and give birth to her. If he told her about how she ran away, she might dig into why and come to the same conclusion that Raven did.

He could never tell them the future because he needed them to follow through on it, and they might accidentally break parts of it by trying to replicate it. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy but gone wrong. Summer and Taiyang might try to get together early and miss out on Ruby. Raven might decide it better to not have a child if she was only going to abandon it anyway, and there would go Yang.

That couldn't happen.

/-/

There were a lot of things that pissed Gretchen off about her partner, but chief among them was how he'd basically thrown her under the bus when he said she'd have the best idea. The moment they left the infirmary, Raven took one of her arms and Summer the other, and then they picked her feet off the floor and carried her away like they were police taking her to a cell.

Her own team didn't even interfere!

Dragged to their team's dorm, Willow locked the door behind them and Gretchen was placed down on what she assumed was Taiyang's bed. It smelt like him – and it was humiliating how she noticed that. Her crush crossed his arms, as did everyone else, demanding more answers than Qrow had given.

What a bastard he was!

"The only thing we ever did was go to Mountain Glenn together," she explained. "It was when we overheard those Atlas people talking about the docks. We told you about that, remember!?" There were reluctant nods. "It wasn't a secret or anything! We told you every bit of it. We went to Mountain Glenn to connect because we'd been having issues. It was when Qrow was being a sulky bitch because he didn't get on your team."

Their expressions eased. "She did tell us," Peter mumbled. "We all knew about it."

"It's what had you lot going to the docks, wasn't it?" Nessa asked the other team. They nodded back. "So, Qrow was willing to invite people to help him that time. Why not this time?"

"Because Atlas clapped back," Taiyang said. "We went to the docks and almost got in trouble for it. All those interviews. And the White Fang got blamed, too. Maybe Qrow didn't want to risk us. As for why, I imagine he was pissed with what they were pulling. Him and Kali were close. Wouldn't be a big surprise he'd want to expose them. Prove the White Fang innocent."

"And he couldn't say any of that in case Atlas found out," Summer said. "I mean, I don't think any of us are unhappy with the reasons behind it. Are we…? We all like the White Fang."

"Qrow liked them more than most," Raven said. "He was the one who dragged us out to protest with them. It makes sense." She sent a quick nod Taiyang's way, praising his deduction. It tore at Gretchen's heart to see how happy her crush was with that scant amount of attention.

"Better this than Qrow breaking the law—"

"This is still breaking the law," Peter pointed out."

"Yes, but it's doing it in a way none of us would disapprove of," Summer said. "At least the motives behind it. I just wish he'd have involved us. At least one of us. What if he'd died out there?"

"He almost did," Willow said. "If Raven hadn't unlocked her Semblance, he wouldn't have gotten out. And what are the odds she just happens to have one that lets her reach out and pluck Qrow out of danger? It's a miracle he's alive."

Raven scowled.

"We need to take down Atlas."

Gretchen laughed. It was just like Raven to come to the absolute wrong conclusion at a time like this. Predictably, Summer swatted the back of her head.

"We do not need to take down Atlas. We need to keep Qrow out of trouble. We need to drill it into his head that he isn't the only one here capable of fighting. That even if he doesn't want to risk our lives, we don't want him to risk his."

As much as Gretchen wasn't going to agree they should go after a whole country, she knew Atlas would be a problem. With attention finally off her, she quickly picked out her scroll and began checking the news. There wasn't much – Atlas would hide it – but she was able to find news of a "minor chemical leak and explosion" at the research lab she and Qrow had seen the soldiers talking to the scientist outside of.

Qrow wasn't wrong when he said he'd give us an obvious hint. So, he went after the facility. That idiot. He could have died in there and Atlas would probably have dissolved his body to hide the evidence. We'd have never known what happened to him.

Frustration aside, there was another question.

What had he seen in there? It had to be bad. Gretchen would place money on Grimm seeing as how they'd wanted to smuggle the Apathy in. He also mentioned a huntsman who had killed Atlas soldiers, and she expected their deaths would be revealed as tragic accidents in this "chemical explosion" at a later date.

Hopefully, Atlas wouldn't assume it was Qrow. He was a prime suspect, though, and everyone would know he'd been injured. It wouldn't be hard to put two and two together. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't imagine Atlas not connecting the dots.

As much as she hated to admit it, Raven might have had a better point than they thought.

Atlas was going to have to be dealt with if they came for Qrow.

/-/

The headmaster's resignation was announced before Qrow even got out the infirmary. It was sudden and shared with the public as him wishing to retire in his old age to focus on his health and enjoy his golden years.

"I'm guessing the truth is a bit different."

Maria snorted as she sliced into an apple. She popped the slice in her mouth. "It was quite a lot louder if that's what you mean. The old fart accused Ozpin of staging a coup. Lots of shouting about loyalty and honesty, but he couldn't argue with the fact six teachers threatened to quit if he didn't resign. And most of them had nothing to do with Ozpin."

"How much of it was because he caved to Atlas?"

"A bit of it," she admitted. "But he was unpopular even before your shitshow with the Apathy. He put on airs after Mountain Glenn, acted like he was a god among huntsmen. From what I hear, he liked to throw his weight around and belittle the teachers – usually going on about how much better things were in his day, and how they didn't hold a candle to the old teachers. A lot of that could have – and did – go ignored, but when a student was hurt and he practically handed them over to Atlas, well, that was the last straw for a lot of them. You don't fuck with a student in front of their teachers."

You certainly did not. Qrow knew that from experience. As a teacher, you weren't supposed to get too emotionally involved. The law had it that the parents knew best, but he knew that wasn't always the case. Sometimes parents were shitheads or just blind to their child's needs. He'd seen that far too many times. There were kids he'd favoured above others because he knew they didn't have a good home life, and he'd threatened more than one set of parents over it.

It was easier to feel that way when you were teaching young children. Preteens. They were helpless and naïve, new to the world, lacking in cynicism and bitterness. Or they were meant to be. That was what made it so easy to spot the children from bad households. They exhibited behaviours other kids couldn't even dream of.

I guess it holds the same in Beacon. A good teacher should always care.

"Can't say I'll miss him." Qrow glanced over. "By the way, aren't you meant to be offering me some of that?"

"Fuck off, brat. This is my apple."

"How kind. So, how much trouble is the headmaster going to cause on the way out?"

"Nothing meaningful. His resignation is official and has been accepted. He can no longer make firing or hiring decisions. I'm sure he'll throw spiteful words around and try to cause drama, but the problem with pissing everyone off is that people will just ignore you."

"How is Atlas taking it?"

"They're not. Beacon's appointments are none of Atlas' business. If he expected his loyalty to them to win him anything, he'll be surprised. They only cared about him so long as he was useful – and he won't be without his position." Maria chuckled. "He'll have a lot of free time to reconsider his choices in his retirement. I'd say good riddance but it's a shame, really. He wasn't always this bad."

"Hmm." Qrow had never known the man. He'd also not been aware of this drama in the past, and it sounded like it was there in the background. Then again, he'd been a student dealing with a new team and a new environment. It just hadn't been something he'd have cared about. "Is Ozpin the new headmaster, then?"

"A vote will be held between the teachers. Nothing is official yet."

"But we both know it'll be him."

"It's likely." Maria said, shrugging. "But we'll have to wait and see. I visited the docks by the way."

Qrow tried not to tense. "Oh?"

Hopefully, the spies had left some compelling evidence.

"You made quite a mess there. They're saying the damage could rack up to a hundred thousand lien."

Which was nothing compared to the damage his nieces and their team had caused when they brought down Atlas' stolen robot. Yang had punched it through a support pillar of an overhanging freeway. Inflation was a thing, but that didn't fully explain away the millions in repair costs, not to mention the hit to the economy by having to close a major road for six weeks right before the Vytal Festival. And that was after Team RWBY set fire to the whole fucking docks.

He loved those girls, he really did, but he wouldn't have begrudged the Council wanting them dead. They'd caused more property damage than the terrorists who had actively been trying to do so.

"I'd like to point out I was there to scout only. That prick caused the damage. Also, any luck on figuring out who he is or where?"

Maria snorted. "You know I can't comment on that."

"Bullshit. The guy's face is half melted off. Someone must have seen him."

The fact he hadn't been seen or caught was proof enough to Qrow he'd left the city. Both of them. While he didn't doubt Salem's forces had some people on their side or at least doctors willing to treat them for cash without asking questions, the damage he'd caused would take time to heal. Lappy wouldn't be out in the field anytime soon, but then neither would Qrow.

"You ought to be careful about that," she said. "The fact you wore a mask might be the only reason you're alive right now. If Lappy and Tock were working together, then interfering twice would be more than enough reason to kill you."

"It's not like I sought them out."

"I believe that." Maria pointed an apple slice on a knife at him. "I don't believe shit about you being there accidentally, but I believe you didn't expect to fight someone like that. Because it'd be suicidal if you did."

It was no surprise Maria called him out. He'd be surprised if Ozpin believed half the shit he said either. But he didn't need them to believe it. He just needed them to not be able to disprove it. And to believe he was on their side.

"I'm not an idiot," he said.

"Debatable."

"Ah, come on. I jumped in with Tock because you were a huntress – and clearly a good person."

"I was wearing a skull mask. Most wouldn't see that as a good thing."

"Yeah, but she was a crazy ass person with sharpened teeth. And those weren't faunus features since her skin was the faunus part. That means she intentionally sharpened them."

Maria blinked, then looked aside. "Huh. You're right."

"Damn right I am. And tell me, would you trust a person who sharpens their teeth to points?"

"I want to say that's judging someone on appearances but no, I wouldn't." Maria sighed and ate her apple slice. "I feel like I've insulted a lot of people who like tattoos, studs, and weird piercings with that one."

"Tats and piercings are hot. Forked tongues and sharp teeth aren't. Point is, she gave off bad person vibes. It wasn't just the looks, either. It was the way she fought. That was obvious murder right there. Clear as day."

Maria hummed. "And you're familiar with that, aren't you? You've killed."

"I have. Only ever for a good reason, though."

"Such as?"

"Self-defence."

"Every time?"

Qrow nodded. "Every time. And if you really want to know how fucked up that is, my first kill was me defending myself when I was about fourteen. Against someone who was closer to thirty and who wanted to kill me to make an example of me to his people. Show them how tough he was, and why none of them should ever argue back with him." Qrow laughed. "By brutally murdering a child."

"Fuck me." Maria covered her eyes. "I knew you and your sister were a mess, but this is ridiculous. Give it to me honest, kid. How much death have you seen?"

"Personally? Not as much as you're thinking. But I've been around it a lot. Seen the aftermath. Our own parents used to attack villages, kill people, and make off with valuables. Sometimes those valuables were women and children that could be ransomed off."

"Fuckers."

"Yeah. I didn't take part. Raven and I split off before we could." A white lie, to protect Raven for her one actual raid. "But we were still around it. Grew up with it. The strong do what they want and the weak suffer what they must. That was the law we grew up by, so it probably shaped us no matter how much we wanted to escape it."

"But you did want to escape it."

"Yeah. And we did."

"Why?" Maria leaned in. "Not to say I'm displeased, but why? Most kids grow up to accept the logic of the people they're surrounded by. They think it normal because they've never had anyone to share another point of view. What made you two so different? Where did the empathy come from if your own people didn't instil it in you?"

It was a good question for his old self.

Truth was, Qrow hadn't had any when he first came to Beacon. They'd come because they wanted to steal the secrets of huntsmen combat, then come back and take over the tribe. Raven had hated Balmung and wanted to replace him, and Qrow had been bitter enough to want to see that as well.

"I guess it was losing our parents," he said, lamely. "Forced us to realise what it's like for the victims of our raids. The tribe throwing us out to survive the winter alone hardly helped. It was just Raven and I. We relied on one another. And I started thinking that wasn't right. We were one bad night away from dying there. So, we decided to leave. Made it to Mistral and got into an orphanage – and I'll tell you now, no matter how bad the foster system is, life there was wonderful compared to the tribe. The matrons really tried. They had so much love to give and so little resources to give it with. They were saints!"

Maria seemed pleased with the answer. "Glad to hear there's still some scrap of good in this forsaken world. I'll be clear, kid. That story you fed Ozpin? I don't believe it. I think you're spinning shit."

Qrow didn't answer.

"I just need to know one thing. What side are you on? Who are you fighting for?"

"My sister. My friends. My team. Beacon. I promise you that, Maria. I would die for any one of them."

"Your family and friends I can get, but Beacon? Beacon can be rebuilt—"

"No. No, it can't be. Beacon needs to stand. Too much relies on it."

"…"

Maria let out a powerful sigh and turned away.

"You sound so much like him. That worries me. He has excuses for being as focused as he is. He has good reasons. You're seventeen. You should be chatting up girls and complaining when none want anything to do with you."

"Hey. I'll have you know I lost my virginity a few weeks back."

Maria snorted. "How much you pay for it?"

"Rude! I was seduced." Qrow postured proudly in the bed. "By an older woman. A faunus, too. Cat faunus. That's, like, a fantasy of every guy my age."

"Ha!" Maria barked a laugh, oddly relieved by his boast. "Well at least you're not as focused on self-sacrifice as he is. You should have a life, kid. The way you're going, I can't help but think you're destined for a hard life. One that leaves you alone surrounded by enemies."

He couldn't help it. "Like you?"

"Yeah, like me. Ozpin trusts me. And I trust him. We work together to protect Vale from dangerous threats." Maria watched his expression, but Qrow kept it neutral. "I won't lie, kid. Ozpin has his eyes on you. As a potential recruit. I worry. As someone who has been through it all, I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

"But it's necessary work, right?"

"… yeah… yeah, it is…"

Qrow left it at that. He knew what would come and he knew she wasn't lying. Under Ozpin, he'd lost Summer. It would have been so easy to blame Ozpin for that, and Raven had, but he knew that hadn't been Ozpin's fault. Not really.

It was Salem who hunted down the silver-eyed warriors. It was Summer who went out to fight them even knowing that, taking only Raven with her and not telling him or Taiyang. He'd never found out what it was Raven saw then, that drove her away from Ozpin. He'd always just assumed it was Summer's death.

A part of him hadn't wanted to know.

It'll be different this time. We'll still end up working for Ozpin most likely, because the safety of Vale – and the future safety of Ruby and Yang – depends on it. But Summer won't be alone. Salem won't get her hands on her.

Maria saw his determination and sighed. There was a haunted look on her face.

"I guess it's too late," she whispered. "It really is like looking in a mirror. Damn fool that I was, I couldn't see how hard it'd be, and you're just as much an idiot as me."

"I'm sorry."

"You will be once you recover. I'm taking your training personally, kid, and you need to be stronger because there's a good chance the ones behind Tock and Lappy know of you. If not that you were involved with him, then that you're my apprentice here and killed Tock. Your life is in danger, and I'll be damned if I'm burying a student."

"Heh. Bring it on, grandma."


Next Chapter: 3rd May

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