So in anticipation for Volume 4 and since I'm stuck on this dang Hype Train, I decided to do a thing about Team STRQ, the coolest team to ever graduate Beacon.

I get the feeling a lot of what I'm writing here is going to be de-canonized, but I'm going to try and make an educated guess as far as Semblances and Weapons go. And hey, this is a fanfic so who even cares?

Gonna try and keep word count here under 1000, maybe even around 500 since this is just the first chapter, but we'll see how badly I fail at that.

RWBY - Thus Kindly

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."

Chapter 1: Welcome to Beacon

Summer Rose shifted against the window, unable as always to find a comfortable reading position for the book she held in her lap. She looked away, frustrated at her body's unwillingness to let her read in peace, and tried once more to take in her surroundings through the opening of her white hood.

To her back, out the window of the enormous ship, was the city of Vale, hundreds of feet below her. The wonder and power of Remnant's technology had always amazed her, from Scrolls to ships; perhaps it was growing up on Patch, in the middle of nowhere with only her mother and father, that had conditioned her to a much simpler life, to the point where it was almost overwhelming at times just how much she could do with a few clicks of a button or a tap of a screen.

Thinking of her Scroll reminded her that she hadn't checked the time for a while. They said earlier we were supposed to land about 1:45... She pulled out her Scroll and flipped it open: 1:39 blinked across the top of the translucent screen. She sighed, resigning herself to waiting and hunching over to return to her book.

Taiyang Xiao Long slouched in his chair, sighing and rubbing his temple at the incessant voice of another incoming student to Beacon Academy next to him, when something the student said caught his attention. "Wait, hold on a second. Did you say you don't want to be a Huntsman?"

"My good friend, wherever did you get that idea?" said the student, pushing his glasses up and running a hand through his slick, green hair. "I said I wanted to be a student of history, not that I didn't want to be a Huntsman! That is some very close-minded thinking on your part, sir, to suggest that I can't be both! Wherever in the world did you get such a notion? I mean-"

"You know what? Forget I said anything, Barry."

"Bartholomew."

"Gesundheit."

"No, no, that's my name. Bartholomew."

Taiyang frowned. "Oh. Whoops."

Bartholomew adjusted his glasses again. "It's not a problem, Taiyang. Now, as I was about to ask-"

Taiyang held up a hand. "Actually, Barty-"

"Bartholomew!"

"Bartholomew." Taiyang frowned. "I'd really like to just sit here for the rest of the ride in silence. Can you do that?"

Bartholomew looked at Taiyang blankly. "Oh. I see. Well, I've always considered myself to be a master of self-control, so yes, I do believe that I can do that for you. Starting now."

Taiyang sighed. This is going to be a long semester.

Raven Branwen brushed her black hair out of her crimson eyes, crossing her arms in front of her. She had never liked crowds, and this many people all in one place had her a bit on edge. She frowned as one of the students bumped into her.

"Relax, Raven." She turned at her brother's voice; Qrow Branwen, her twin, smirked at her, his light-ish red eyes glinting at her. "You're scaring the lesser men, sis."

"So? It's not as if I'm in this to make friends."

"Hmph. Maybe not, but that doesn't mean you couldn't stand to drop the, 'I'm Raven Branwen, edgiest and scariest girl you know,' routine."

Raven shrugged "Probably. But who says it's not true?"

"I do," said Qrow, slouching. "After 17 years of your crap, it stops being scary." He laughed. "Besides, we both know I'm the better fighter, anyways, so it wouldn't scare me anyways."

"Excuse me?" Raven frowned, cocking her head at her brother. "Now who's doing a routine? 'Hey, look everybody, I'm Qrow Branwen and I use a scythe, I'm so dangerous.'"

"Pfft. Whatever." He scratched the back of his neck idly. "I suppose we could both stand to be a little less edgy."

"It's not as if we're just in school, anymore," said Raven, turning away from her brother. "This is our first step towards becoming bona fide, legitimate Huntsman. So, yes. We could both stand to better ourselves."

"Attention, everyone," came a voice over the ship's P.A. system. "This is your captain speaking. We are initiating the landing process now."

The announcement sparked an excited hubbub from the crowd of entering students. Behind her, Raven heard someone exclaim, "Finally!" She turned, and noticed a tall, blonde man, with blue eyes, standing up from his chair, stretching.

"Well," said Qrow, stepping forward. "Looks like we should get going toward the exit." He kept walking, but stopped when Raven didn't move. "Sis?"

Raven looked away from the blonde man. "Yeah. Let's get going."

Summer stood up after the P.A. announcement, closing her book and clutching it to her chest. To her left, towards the bow of the ship, she heard another student say what she was just thinking: "Finally!" She looked up and spotted a tall, blonde man, standing up and stretching his arms, next to a shorter, bespectacled green-haired man. "Man, it feels so good to move. You'd think they'd be able to afford more comfortable chairs on these ships."

"Yes, I do agree that I have seen enough of this ship to last a lifetime," said the green-haired man, stepping towards the bow of the ship. "Or at the very least, a long year. Come along, Taiyang, it's time we disembarked."

The blonde man-Taiyang-locked his blue eyes with Summer's silver ones. Summer smiled and waved awkwardly; it felt as though he was staring right through her. Taiyang waved sheepishly back, as the green-haired man returned to Taiyang's side. "Taiyang! You will have plenty of time to flirt with girls later! I, for one, would like to start my education at Beacon Academy!" Summer giggled as she watched the lanky green-haired man pull Taiyang towards the bow of the ship.

This is going to be an interesting year, she thought.