Six in the afternoon. Kingdom of Vacuo.

The Blackfinn Tavern was bustling as usual with music and its occupants. A rather unlikely customer, Specialist Winter Schnee was seated at the front of the bar; observing and toying with her empty glass drink before giving it to the bartender for another refill. Seemingly out from nowhere, Qrow Branwen slipped out from a nearby circle of chatting customers and slouched his way towards the bar front with a smirk; nodding at the bartender.

"Vodka Martini. Shaken. Not stirred." he called out his order in his gruff voice before sitting down right next to Winter.

She observed the dark haired scythe wielder from the corner of her eyes; rolling them and shaking her head.

"Look who has decided to join us. Your highness. To what do I owe the pleasure?" she greeted him sarcastically; at last turning her head to look at him as the bartender slid both their drinks towards them.

"I figured I'd celebrate you and me never having to work together again." He replied cheekily; his smirk not fading in the slightest. Winter paused briefly before giving a small nod

"I'll drink to that." She replied plainly and lifted up her White Rose with a tilt and took a sip.

Qrow thanked the bartender with a nod and moved the vodka around slightly as he replied. "As successful as that last mission was, this is never going to work out. We're just...too different."

Winter nodded in agreement.

"Precisely. Ozpin did not think this through." she replied while setting her glass down before continuing. "Putting the two of us together. One is a smart, sophisticated, well dressed Atlesian. And the other..." she listed off the merits; counting them on the fingers of her left hand before tilting her head sideways at him; a grin plastered all over face "...Qrow Branwen" Satisfied with her own snark, she lifted up her drink once again to take another sip.

Qrow chuckled and pushed his hair back out of his face; clearly enjoying this. "Ya know Ice Queen, if you weren't such a hotheaded princess all the time who-".

She nearly slammed her drink back down and fully turned around towards him; interrupting him with agitation at the nicknames "Oh I'm a hothead? I'M a HOTHEAD?"

"Yes! Case in point; right here!" Qrow pointed up and down at her and raising his voice to match hers.

"Maybe if you weren't DRUNK all the time I WOULDN'T have to get angry!"

"Pfft. Whatever." Qrow grunted and returned to his drink. Winter did likewise shortly after; both clearly disgruntled at each other once again. "Well...at least we'll always the gratitude of those villages we saved" Qrow remarked after a few minutes of silence.

Winter smiled and nodded slowly. "Indeed we will. It's almost fascinating how we cleared hordes of Grimm together...and can't even stand each other".

Qrow chuckled and threw his head back after a large swig of his second vodka; the memories of just this morning and prior days fresh in his head "If we're on the same page, together we're the strongest duo in Remnant. Hands down."

"I hate to admit this...but you're the most reliable partner I've ever had. I just can't STAND you!"

For a little while, a large black man with messy dark hair was watching the duo and decided to stroll over towards Winter. "I know you…" he slurred loudly and leaned on the counter; clearly encroaching into Winter's personal space.

She slowly turned and glared at him with a frown; not at all pleased at his action.

"You're that uh...Schnee huntress...from uh...Atlas."

"Yes. I am." she replied in an icy tone; continuing to glare at him. What the hell did he want?

"Yeah well uh...welcome to Vacuo. Did daddy pay for your plane ticket too?"

A series of excited crowd cheering and going "ooooooooooh" could be heard behind them; a sizable number of people entertained by this.

Now Winter was getting agitated. She slowly got up to her feet and so did the taller stranger; getting into a stare down with each other.

"Hey...calm down...calm down...be professional…" Qrow murmured from behind; clutching her arm and shoulder to make sure she wouldn't attack the man.

After a few seconds of nothing else happening, the stranger laughed in her face and began to slowly back away; still taunting her with his actions.

"And look who's with her!" a bearded fellow with horns on his head remarked as he approached Qrow and slung an arm around his shoulder as if he was some kind of old buddy.

The look on Qrow's face clearly said otherwise.

The black man stood beside the horned faunus with his arms crossed; grinning. The new unwelcome guest leaned closer into Qrow's face "You are supposed to be a huntsman?" he mocked Qrow; pointing at his tattered cape, unshaven beard and not quite buttoned up shirt. Amused by their own crassness, the pair retreated back slightly to laugh amongst themselves while the entire tavern was now cackling at this shitshow.

Qrow sighed and took a deep sip of his drink; making eye contact with Winter who seemed to be waiting to see what he would do. "Hmm...maybe we should leave?" Qrow suggested.

Winter pondered before her eyes narrowed slightly. "Hmm...maybe we shouldn't."

A silent understanding passed between the two and Qrow took a step backwards and drove a hard elbow into the jaw of the faunus man who had just taunted him.

His large black friend charged towards Winter with a heavy right hand.

However, she side stepped and pulled him close by his overstretched arm and kicked him right in the face with the sole of her boots.

A couple other patrons, presumably their friends, joined in the fray as well. Other patrons in the lower floor were hurrying to the exit; not wanting to get caught in the crossfire while those on the upper level were cheering on the combatants.

The melee was short and messy; ending with tables, chairs and drink bottles knocked over. Winter was about to suggest that maybe now they could leave before Qrow hopped over to the other side of the bar and shouted "OPEN BAR!" to which he received a thunderous cheering and applause.

Winter shook her head but could not help but crack a smile as she sat down near the bar again; watching Qrow pull out two glasses and filling them with beer. "I think we made some improvements." she said as she caught the drink that Qrow had slid towards her.

"Agreed." the amused reply of Qrow came as he lifted up his own glass and tilted it towards her. "Partners?"

"Partners." and they clicked their glasses.