Hello everyone! This is my first work of fanfiction, done for writing practice and for fun! So little is known in RWBY about what kind of messes team STRQ got into while they were at Beacon Academy, so I figured I'd fill in the blanks myself and share what I come up with. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: A New Day

A girl sits on the edge of a cliff-face over looking a vast forest, her white cloak lightly moving in the breeze. She looks out into the wilderness, her hood pulled down and held in place by a metal rose. She turns her gaze to the trees far below, feeling the urge to jump, to soar free like one of the many leaves that now flutter through the air. When she leans forward however, a sound brings her back to the moment: the sound of breaking twigs at the trees some distance behind her.

Standing swiftly and turning just enough so as to see where the sound came from, she let's her hand rest on the weapon concealed by the white of her cloak, now sitting eerily still, as if it too is waiting for whatever is about to emerge from the protection of the forest. But what comes striding out from the shadows isn't exactly intimidating… actually to the white-cloaked girl he isn't even concerning, but still she keeps her hand on her weapon- it's best to keep up appearances. The boy stops at the same time a strong gust of wind blows back the cloaked girl's hood, revealing calm silver eyes that study the boy's every move as blood red locks hang just past her shoulders.

"Well… didn't expect to find anyone out here." The boy says with a sly smile, rubbing his bright blonde head in feigned surprise.

"Neither did I." the girl says with a smile of her own, attempting to reel him in with carefully practiced innocence.

"No one's supposed to know about this place," He says seriously, his brilliant blue eyes locked to the girl's silver, "What are we going to do about that?"

"I guess I'll just have to kill you and keep the secret myself." The girl replies, her tone soft and deadly, though her smile stays in place.

"I'd like to see you try." The boy laughs joyfully as he raises his fists.

In a blurry flourish of white and red, the cloaked girl reveals a large white rifle with a red rose etched into the side of it. Her- somewhat dramatic- pose has revealed her layered red and white combat uniform, complete with grey tights tucked into white boots beneath her stylized 'combat skirt'. The boy looks at her carefully, his own outfit much simpler in nature with his brown pants and cream shirt that's cut just deep enough to show off his 'masculine physique'. They stand like this for a few moments, locked in a silent battle of 'who looks cooler'- the girl wins, obviously.

The silence is broken by two sets of heavy footsteps moving at each other. The girl flings her rifle to the ground as the boy lowers his arms enough to prepare for the impact that is to come. The girl jumps on him so forcefully that he's knocked to the ground. Laughter fills the air the next moment as they cling to each other in a crushing hug.

"I missed you too, Summer," the boy says breathlessly, "But you didn't need to break my ribs."

"Yes, I did, Taiyang!" Summer says, exasperated, "You said your trip would only last two weeks, but here we are, two days from school starting on the third week of you being gone!" she yells, still smiling and trying to crush him even more.

"It's not my fault my dad can't read a calendar." Taiyang says while trying- and failing- to crush Summer back.

"But it is your duty as my best friend to make sure I'm never bored or lonely." Summer sits back pouting, her purposefully messy hair falling across her face. "And you let your hair grow!" She points at his- somewhat- shaggy hair.

"Threatening to kill me, crushing me, and criticizing my hair… Yeah, your going to be a pain to deal with at Beacon. I don't even want to think about what'll happen if I'm late for class!" They laugh together, even though what was said wasn't exceptionally funny. They laugh because they are friends, close friends, best friends. Summer remembers something, however, something that has been bothering her for a while now, something that tugs painfully at her heart and brings a frown to her face.

"Hey, Tai?"

"Yeah… what's up?" Taiyang leans closer to Summer, worried about her sudden change in tone.

"What if… what if we don't end up on the same team?"

"What? Come on that's not-"

"It could happen! A-and if it does… I don't know what I'll do. You know how I am with new people, it's bad enough that we'll have two others to team with, but at least I'd have you! If I'm put with other's o N my own-"

"Hey, Summer, c'mon. You'll be fine, we'll be fine. We've got no idea how teams are formed but I'm sure they'll want teams made up of people that work well together, even if there' a challenge or test to set up teams- I'm just sure we'll be placed together."

"I hope you're right." Summer whispers

"Hey," Taiyang puts a hand on Summers shoulder, "Look at who you're talking to- I'm always right."

"You say while your hair looks like that."

"I don't care what you say, I know I look good." Taiyang flexes while brushing back his hair, as if to impress someone- not Summer though, she just snorts and starts giggling again.

"Come on then, Mr. Good Looks, you owe me one week of fun in two days." Summer walks over to collect her discarded rifle, looking one last time over the edge of the cliff- if only she could fly.

"I can manage that," Taiyang jumps to his feet, stretching after laying on the ground so awkwardly after Summer's 'attack', "But then it's off to become the best huntsman the world has ever seen!"

"Don't you mean the best Huntress' the world has ever scene?" Summer replies with a crooked grin.

"Ok, how about: the best Huntsman and Huntress the world has ever seen." Taiyang says with a coy shrug.

"Fine with me, as long as you know which of us is better." They head back in the direction of their homes, talking all the way of what they each had done while Taiyang was away. Though Summer still dwells on thoughts of going through the academy without Taiyang, but being with him here and now puts her at ease. Maybe it isn't as big a deal as she's making it out to be anyway, everyone else is going to be there to train to fight monsters, so they'd all have a similar mindset, or at least similar goals… right?