The T of STRQ [Hiatus]

A man is seen walking with his hands in his pockets. He wore a red cloak with black and silver armor pieces, gray gauntlets, gray muscle pants with gray and black boots. He had slightly tan skin, silver hair where the tips turned gray before turning darker the closer to the tips they were, and hazel brown eyes.

On the man's back is a sword with a red handle and golden guard. The sword is not able to be seen due to it being hidden in a black sheath with a golden line running down the middle all the way to the end.

The man looked around and saw tall buildings, likely apartments, stores, and likely contained the shadier parts of the town.

"I need to be at Beacon tomorrow morning for initiation." He spoke aloud. "From what I've found out, Beacon is on the edge of town. I should try to find a place to sleep for the night."

He continued walking for another half hour before he found a place that he had asked some people where he could sleep.

"The Dusk to Dawn." He muttered before entering.

He walked to the front desk before seeing the receptionist.

It was a man in his mid to late thirties, spiky black hair, green eyes, black tux with dark blue tux pants.

He also had black wolf ears on his head.

"Hello and welcome to the Dusk to Dawn. Are you planning on spending the night here?"

"Yes."

"Great. Before you decide to pay, I need to tell you the rules here. Anyone and everyone is allowed here, Faunus or not. There will be no racism towards humans or Faunus. If anyone picks on another, we can not guarantee your stay here will continue." He listed off.

He nodded.

"How long do you plan on staying here?"

"3 days."

Should be long enough in case Beacon doesn't let their students live on grounds. If they don't he could just stay here longer or look for a cheaper place.

"That will be 42 Lien." He stated.

The man pulled out a 50 Lien and handed it to him. "Keep it."

The receptionist nodded. "The name is Fenn."

"Topaz."

Topaz took his room key before walking to his room and opened it.

He entered before closing the door and locking it.

"Only four years until I get it." He muttered, taking off his cloak, revealing four silver, fluffy tails with black tips that went to the back of his knees.

Topaz was a Kitsune Faunus.

They were a rare breed of Faunus known for their multiple tails but there is a fact about them that only Kitsune Faunus know.

The number of tails they have can indicate three different things decided on the moment of their birth based on the length and color of the tails.

One, the number of tails can increase based on their age, showing how old they are where they grow a tail every 10 years up to a total of 9 tails. These tails tend to be small, skinny tails. They are known as Korei Kitsune, literally meaning 'Aging Fox' to other Kitsunes. These are the most common with them being 1 in 5.

Two, they can increase based on their knowledge. The more knowledge they attain, their tails indicate how much they value intelligence and should have their advice be taken seriously. These tails tend to be singular in color and can be short or long. They are known as Chishiki Kitsune, 'Knowledge Fox.' These are less common with them being 1 in 30.

Or three, and the most rare, 1 in 200, they increase based on their strength. These Kitsunes tend to focus on becoming as strong as they can be, whether it be literal strength, mental strength, or even speed. These tails tend to be long with a dominant color with the tips being different colors, with the most common, 4 in 5, being white or yellow. The least common to the point that there have been at total of 5 since they've been around from 1,000 years ago have their tips being black. These Kitsunes are called Fushi no Kitsune, roughly meaning 'Immortal Fox' due to the few who surpass 7 tails being known as one man armies, 8 tails as one man kingdom-able to take down a kingdom alone. 9 tails tend to be strong enough that even Grimm stay away from them.

So, all together, Topaz is an extremely rare version of a rare Faunus known to his species as a Kuro Sentan Fushi, 'Black tipped immortal.'

Topaz stretched his tails while stretching his back. "Never like having to hold them still for so long." He whispered.

Underneath his cloak, he wore a tight, short-sleeved, black t-shirt.

He placed his sword that he named Kitsune Fang beside his bed before laying down.

He placed his hands behind his head and laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes.

Screaming and fire could be heard.

People were being slaughtered, burned alive, or being left to die.

Parts of people were being cut off while others were being put into chains and cages.

Two people in particular were left out in the open, one with his neck slashed and the other with several stab wounds in her chest.

"This is all your fault." They whispered hauntedly.

Before their heads were chopped off, revealing a figure with strange symbols on their mask appeared.

The symbol was like a Grimm mask-white with yellow eyes with red lines around them- but had a crown on the top of the head and a crossed out cane on the chin. On the left cheek were two orbs of silver with those crossed out. And on the right cheek was a fox with 9 tails that wasn't crossed out.

The screams stopped before everyone returned, showing that it only took 8 people to cause this destruction.

The destruction of 99% of the Kitsune Species.

Topaz opened his eyes quickly before remembering where he was.

He looked at the clock and saw it was 5 A.M.

3 hours before he had to be a Beacon.

He groaned before sitting up and brushed his teeth.

'If there is one thing that I'm glad all villages outside of the kingdoms had in common with them, is the strict hygiene.' He thought.

He walked back out to his room before changing everything that he didn't need to have during the initiation.

He now wore a red t-shirt instead of his black shirt.

Other than that, he wore the same thing because they helped him in fights.

He grabbed his cloak and put it on before clasping Kitsune Fang onto his back before exiting his room.

He walked to the floor room.

"Hey Fenn, I'm going to leave my room key with you for the day. If something comes up, I'll call." He told Fenn.

He raised an eyebrow before looking at him.

"Wonder how I didn't realize you were applying for Beacon?"

Topaz shrugged. "Since you know what I'm doing, is that alright?"

"Sure. If you pass, I'll even grant you a week free stay." Fenn smirked.

Topaz smirked. "Guess I'll see you later then."

He left the key with him before leaving and heading towards Beacon.

*2 hours later*

Topaz leaned against one of the trees on the outside of Beacon, looking around at everyone.

'Shield and mace, focuses on strength and very little on dodging. Get behind them and easy victory. Dual pistols with a hunting knife on the waist. Focuses on long-range but does know how to fight close-range and would likely be focused on speed. Spear and a sawed-off. Mid-short range. Can't use both weapons at once, leaving two strategies. Get close when they're using the spear and quickly disarm them off the sawed-off, removing close-range, resulting in an easier victory. Stay out of range of the shotgun before charging in after he shoots considering it looks like a single pump to allow for maximum damage.' He analyzed.

Unlike most people, he doesn't see the big point in being friendly but does know how to be. He was a warrior first and a civilian second.

He continued looking around until he spotted something or someone.

It was a girl about 3 inches shorter than him who wore a pure white cloak with the inside being red around them. When she looked around, he could see she had short black hair with red highlights on the tips. She wore a red and black corset along with a skirt that went down to her knees along with high black boots. She seemed to have a wakizashi and a semi automatic on her back if the muzzle and grip were anything to go on.

Her eyes however, caught his attention.

She had bright silver eyes.

'Silver eyes? Like the masks?' He thought before getting rid of that thought. 'Impossible. I tracked down and killed one of those eight a month ago and the mask had crossed out the 9-tailed fox, likely referencing my race. They cross off stuff when they kill whatever they represent.'

She seemed to be looking around with a certain look of loss on her face.

He sighed before getting up and walked over.

"You alright?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

She swung around to look at him. "Wha?"

"You looked lost."

"Oh. Well, yeah. I got moved ahead a year so I left my friends behind." She explained.

"Topaz."

She smiled. "I'm Summer Rose."

"So, what do you think the initiation will be?"

"Maybe we'll have to fight each other in a tournament style." Summer suggested.

Suddenly a voice rang out through speakers.

"Will all participants report to the west side of Beacon that borders the Forever Fall Forest."

Topaz looked at Summer. "Looks like it's about to start."

Everyone headed towards the area before finding about 32 launch pads and two people already standing there.

One was wearing a black suit with specks of green while holding a metal cane with gears in a circle area. He had light brown hair with a few gray hairs. That was Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy.

The other one had red hair with an outfit that looked like a mix between Spartan armor and a teacher uniform. She had green eyes. This was Rosanne Nikos, Ozpin's right hand woman and combat instructor.

"Your initiation is about to begin." Ozpin started talking. "You will need to use your landing strategy and skills to pass. Once it begins, the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner four the next four years."

Cue the muttering of the people around them.

"This year, we're switching things up." Rosanne spoke up, quieting everyone. "Usually you would need to survive 2-days in the forest. This time, we're testing a new system. You and your partner will need to find a hidden relic that is placed randomly in the forest. You will have until sundown, about 12 hours from now. Any pairs that do not acquire and return here by then will not be admitted into Beacon."

Another few murmurs.

"We and the staff of Beacon wish you luck." Ozpin told before everyone was launched one at a time.

Topaz was flying through the air, his cloak slightly flapping from the wind but not too much due to a strap he had underneath his armor's chest piece that wrapped the back and his tails down to prevent them from being seen.

He pulled out Kitsune Fang and stabbed it into a tree at an angle so he would spin around the tree and lose his momentum.

He slowed down to a stop before pulling Fang out of the tree.

"Alright, Partner and relic." He spoke aloud before he heard a growl and turned his head to see 5 Beowolves. "Really? You underestimate me this much?"

Suddenly, an Alpha Boarbatusk, Alpha King Taijitu-two headed snake, and three Alpha Beowolves.

Topaz smiled with a feral grin. "Now you're talking."

He dashed towards them while holding his sword.

*Summer*

"If I was Topaz, where would I have landed?" Summer asked herself before hearing a bush rustle. "Topaz?"

A Beowolf stood up. "You're not Topaz."

It charged at her as she pulled up Season's Thorn, her wakizashi, and prepared to use her semblance before a katana slashed through the Beowolf.

It evaporated before revealing a tall woman with long black hair, red eyes, red armor on black clothes with black shorts halfway to the knee. She had black pantyhose up a forth above her knees and had black boots on.

"Looks like you're my partner!" Summer exclaimed with a smile.

The woman looked annoyed.

*Topaz*

Topaz sheathed his sword as the last Grimm evaporated.

"Alright, that was an okay warm-up." He stated before his instincts screamed to move.

He jumped forward, just as a tree fell where he stood.

He looked around before seeing a man with short black hair, a gray jacket with dark gray in the middle with its sleeves rolled up to his elbow. He also had black pants that went down to his black shoes. In his hand he held a sword between a one-handed sword and a great sword but he could still use it with one hand. On his side, he had a holstered dual-barreled shotgun.

"You're pretty quick, partner." The man commented.

Topaz narrowed his eyes before crossing his arms. "And you seem to bring something with you. Something that lashes out at anything or anyone."

Now the man narrowed his eyes. "And how'd you figure that?"

"Your weapon and stance are not in a position that shows that you chopped down that tree or use any other force to push it down. You also didn't warn me, meaning that you are just used to stuff like that happening but you also kept your sword out in case I decided to get violent." Topaz explained. "Now, may I know my partner's name?"

"Qrow Branwen."

"Topaz Titan."

"Any idea about where to find the relics?"

"Already got it." Topaz pulled out two white Queen chess pieces before throwing one to Qrow, who caught it.

"Chess pieces?"

Topaz shrugged. "Any other reason there would be two brand new chess pieces put in the forest full of Grimm?"

A screech caught their attention before they saw a giant Nevermore.

Topaz squinted his eyes before facepalming.

"What?" Qrow asked.

"Someone I met is riding that thing. Along with another woman wearing what looks like red armor."

"Likely my sister, Raven Branwen." He informed him.

Topaz turned towards Qrow. "Wanna kill it?"

Qrow smirked. "You seem to already know me."

With that, they both ran in the direction of the Nevermore.

*Summer and Raven*

"Why are we up here!?" Raven yelled over the roaring wind.

"Because, this stupid bird ate our Black Queen pieces! If we lose this Grimm, we'll have to get lucky to find another set!" Summer exclaimed. "If we kill it, that should let us get our pieces back!"

"Well, do you have a plan of any sort?!"

"Yeah! Kill it!" Summer yelled before taking out her sword.

"Summer!" Raven exclaimed before Summer stabbed Thorn into the Nevermore's wing, causing it to cry out and fall towards the ground while spinning.

"I! Will! Kill! You! Summer!" Raven yelled while stabbing her own blade, Omen, into the Nevermore to prevent herself from being flung off into the ground.

They crashed into the ground.

*Topaz and Qrow*

"That friend of yours must be crazy because Raven would never do that!" Qrow exclaimed after the bird crashed.

"That makes her even more fun now. Who cares for sanity when all that does is ruin the fun?" Topaz asked.

"So my sister and I got the lunatics?"

"Call me what you want," Topaz shrugged. "I like to have my own fun."

They arrived to see Summer and Raven getting up.

The Nevermore got up and prepared to shoot its feathers.

"Shit!" Qrow cursed, about to dash forward until something that would change the world occurred.

Topaz pulled his sword, sheath and all, off his back and pointed it at the Nevermore. The sheathe started to shift as the handle of the sword started expanding and arching, looking like a stock of a gun. The sheathe revealed the blade of Kitsune Fang had shifted where the sheathe and blade formed the barrel of a gun just as the guard of the sword twisted and turned into what looked like a trigger. The end of the sheathe opened up into a scope and allowed the exit of the barrel to be shown.

Topaz had just shifted a sword and sheath into a black and silvered barrel with a golden line on both sides, a golden guard into a golden trigger, and a red sword handle into a red stock.

Topaz had changed a sword into a sniper rifle.

Topaz pulled the trigger before a bullet shining in silver aura shot forward with a bang that blew a hole into the Nevermore's head, killing it.

Topaz spun the sniper rifle before it returned to a sword and sheath and placed it on his back.

Qrow and Raven were staring at him in shock while Summer seemed to have found something she found amazing.

"Why were you on a Nevermore?" Topaz asked.

Summer realized something before looking where it evaporated before finding the Black Queen pieces.

"Here, Raven!" Summer exclaimed, handing it to Raven.

"Hold on." Raven spoke. "What did you just do?"

Topaz raised an eyebrow. "I made sure that the Nevermore didn't cause any injuries that could be avoided."

"Not that!" She exclaimed, surprising Qrow. "How did you turn your sword into a gun!?"

"Through something I invented. I'm thinking of calling it mecha-shift." He held his chin. "But I'm still not sold on the name."

"Well, I like the name." Summer chipped in.

"Alright, guess it's good then."

"Topaz," Qrow started, getting his attention. "Can you explain how you did that?"

"How about I explain it after we return to Beacon?"

With that, they headed back to where they began and found a few other pairs there as well.

Topaz looked up at the sky.

"We have about 1 hour and 30 minutes before this ends."

"Woah, you can tell it down to the minute?" Summer asked.

"Years of practice."

Qrow and Raven were talking to each other as well.

"Who is he?"

"Topaz Titan. Uses a Tachi that apparently can shift into a M-24 rifle. Seems to be Bolt-action as well. He has incredible instincts because my semblance knocked down a tree that would have smeared him, only for him to dodge it when it didn't make a sound. He is also incredibly smart. He immediately knew that I had something to do with it but that I didn't do it. Also knew that I kept my weapon in my hand in case he got violent, thinking I did that on purpose." He listed off. "He deduced all that with a few seconds."

Raven looked over to Topaz and saw him laughing at Summer who seemed a bit red in the face and finding the trees to be more interesting to look at.

"I don't understand him. He clearly has more power than anyone here except the teachers yet he acts like he's having fun."

"Because he is sis." Qrow told her. "When I called him a lunatic for saying that sanity is only good for ruining all the fun, all he did was shrug and say 'Call me what you want, I'm still going to have my fun.' He doesn't seem to care what people think of him, only if he is having fun."

An hour and a half later, Ozpin and Rosanne appeared.

"The time is up." Rosanne announced. "All the people here who brought back a relic have passed." A few cheers happened. "Now, for team placements."

She pulled out a scroll and four people appeared in the air on a hologram.

"The first team is SNLT (Sunlight) consisting of Sola Beem, Nyte Beem, Lava Cole, and Teal Bleu. SNLT's team leader is Sola Beem."

Sola was a woman with bright blond hair down to her shoulders, green eyes, green tank-top, black shorts, and brown shoes. She had a dagger and pistol on her sides.

Nyte was a woman with dark black hair that had purple highlights towards the tips down to the middle of her back, purple eyes, black jacket over a dark blue dress shirt, black skirt down halfway to the knees, and had black pantyhose up to her knees that connected with her black high heels. She only had a rapier on her side, leaving Topaz to believe her semblance likely could do something to balance out not having a long range weapon.

Lava was a male faunus with wolf ears that were the same orange as his short hair, blue eyes, red jacket with black outlining over a white shirt, black shorts, and dark red shoes. On his waist, he had a tanto with a red edge and a black magnum.

Teal was a woman who had long, dark teal hair with lighter shades near the end. She had bright blue eyes, a dark blue kimono with teal swirls like a wave and had dark blue sandals that still covered her feet. On her back she had a blue hammer and an automatic pistol on her side.

Rosanne scrolled to a team with their faces on it.

"This team is team STRQ [Stark] which contains Summer Rose, Topaz Titan, Raven Branwen, and Qrow Branwen. The leader of team STRQ is Summer Rose."

Topaz wrapped an arm around Summer.

"Congrats Summer. You were placed in a position that will have you responsible for all of my actions." Topaz purposely drew out a certain word.

Raven looked at him with an eyebrow raised, Qrow sighed, and Summer cocked her head to the side.

"And you have been put in a place where you would normally be expected to follow my orders." Summer shot back. "But since we're not, we're both off the hook largely."

Topaz pulled his arm back with a smile.

"I know, just joking around."

"And our last team is team WTML [Watermelon] with Jay Winchester, Carmel Thrush, Moon Bronzewing, and Frost Lark. With Jay Winchester as the leader."

Jay was a man with brown hair, blue eyes, that wore a lot of armor and wielded a mace but no gun, leaving Topez to believe he over-relied on close-range based on his stance.

Carmel was a man with dark brown hair, brown eyes, shoulder spike over his left shoulder, green vest, dark brown pants, and very dark green shoes. He held an automatic on his back and two pistols on his waist, leaving him best at long-range.

Moon was a woman with silver hair, gray eyes, brown chest armor over a black shirt with no sleeves, brown waist armor, dark blue pants down to the shin, and silver heels. She had a weapon that had its blade circled around the user's hand and a semi-automatic pistol.

Frost had light blue hair, white eyes, light blue jacket with blue shirt underneath, black pants down to the shin, and blue shoes. He had a shield and lance but no gun.

"Looks like only one of those animals made it in." Jay muttered to Carmel but only 5 others could hear it.

Lava because he could hear them due to his ears and STRQ because they were close enough to hear it.

Lava clenched a fist, Qrow and Raven were uninterested, Summer stared at Jay before looking away.

Topaz didn't react outward but if it could be described what he felt inside would be close to him growling.

"As of now, you are officially students of Beacon. You will be shown where your dorms are. Classes will start in three days to get yourself used to being around Beacon." Rosanne finished.

With that, everyone went their own ways before STRQ found themselves in their room.

"Alright, I waited long enough." Raven spoke up. "Now, explain."

Topaz sighed.

"It'll be a long explanation."

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This is my first public story, so sorry if somethings might not make sense.

This character was obviously supposed to replace Taiyang but I wonder if he should stay gone or be on another team?

If so, should the team go to Beacon or come during the Vytal Festival?

Anyways, what did you think and do you have any ideas that you might find interesting that I could try and implement?