Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or any of the characters in this fic, they belong to Rooster Teeth. If I owned it there would be a lot of Bumblby and White Rose moments and Cardin would have been beaten up already :D

P.S. I'm kind of an amateur writer so please cut me a little slack. I do appreciate reviews and I'd love to hear ideas or constructive criticism. Emphasis on CONSTRUCTIVE, there's no point writing something rude since I'll just ignore it. Thanks and I hope you like the story!

P.P.S. I might make some changes later on to the story if I think I can expand something better or if I get a beta. Also, this story takes place in the same universe as my other story Checking Out Books. Check it out if you like Bumblby (haha, check it out...same as title of story! I crack myself up). This is the last note I swear!

OH! and special thanks to my buddy Chaton who beta read this fic and suggested the title! Check out Chaton's fanfic page, penname: rwbyfics

WARNING: This story does contain bullying and implications of blood and violence. Please do not read if bullying or mentions of blood and violence may affect you badly.

Faunus.

Who would have thought that one word could have such a bad connotation attached to it? Velvet Scarlatina was well aware of just how damaging the word could be, well aware of the disgust and hatred it invoked from most people.

Useless

Monsters

Evil

Beasts

Animals

Half-breeds

God's Only Mistake

The list goes on and on, a list Velvet was all too familiar with being a rabbit Faunus herself. Many of those words had been shouted at her, once a person noticed the fuzzy brown ears atop her head. Sometimes the words came alone and every now and then they were followed by rocks flung through the air, be it by passing strangers or hateful classmates. More recently the hatred came as the form of snarky side comments, usually stereotyping her behavior for that of an animal. Velvet had never encountered someone who had a single nice thing to say about Faunus, though in truth you were probably more likely to find someone like that in Vale. Yes the city was filled with discriminate citizens, many private shops and real estate agencies refusing to sell to an obvious Faunus like herself. However, unlike some of the other cities, Vale had made efforts to provide a certain layer of protection for those of Faunus heritage. Specifically, against hate-crimes. These were steps that others regions like Atlas scoffed at, the Faunus population in that region on the decline from vast targeted attacks.

Having lived in Atlas until the age of nine had exposed Velvet to immeasurable horrors of brutality, hatred, and overall evil. Going to Beacon was supposed to be her escape from the loathing, from the violence and the ridicule. It should have been her chance to start anew. A chance to make friends and happy memories. So why...why was she hiding in the bushes of Beacon's main courtyard. Hiding from team CRDL, while the other students lounged about laughing and smiling while she was forced to hide just because of the ears perched atop her head.

Because of her heritage...her curse.

Velvet's small frame shook as she tried to hold back her sobs, fear of unwanted attention preventing her from outright crying. "It's not fair," Velvet thought as she tightened her grip on her ears, pulling them closer as a student walked by "I just want to be normal..." Velvet knew she had as much a right to be at Beacon as any other student, she had gone through the same training and prep, taken the same tests, gone through the same difficulties as the others had. Possibly even more. She was an adept fighter, on par or maybe just below the level of Lie Ren, and was a near perfect student. Grades rivaling those of academic perfectionist Weiss Schnee.

Yet, years of hate and bullying had left Velvet with startling low self-confidence and a need to prove her worth to the world. Even after leaving Atlas, the city of Vale was still littered with those who weren't ashamed to shake a little girl's confidence and reduce her to tears from their words alone. In a fist fight Velvet was sure that she could hold her own with Cardin, possibly even best him, but once words got involved? Words were her weakness, they brought up painful memories that spread through her veins paralyzing Velvet with her own fears and bringing her down from the inside out. Leaving nothing but a defenseless husk, even with a weapon in hand.

Velvet had just finished studying in the library and was silently walking down the empty hallway, most students could be found in the courtyard enjoying the weekend sun and discussing plans for the upcoming break. Velvet knew her team was likely in said courtyard or out on the town, her attempts to accompany them had been rebuffed by the team leader Rhia. Rhia had pulled Velvet to the side and quite plainly told her that she didn't trust Faunus and was tolerant of her presence for the sake of their grades, solidifying Velvet's fear that her team didn't need nor want her. Velvet sighed as she glanced out a window, wondering if she should have ever have even come to Beacon.

'Hey Rabbit Girl!' Velvet winced imperceptibly and quickly sped up her pace as she recognized the gruff voice calling out to her as none other than Cardin Winchester, resident bully and ring leader of Faunus haters of Beacon Academy. 'Hey, I'm talking to you! Don't walk away from me.' Cardin yelled as Dove Bronzewing and Russel Thrush stepped around a corner in front of Velvet, blocking her only escape from the hallway. Velvet whimpered and tried to step around the two boys but was roughly pushed back, causing her to stumble into the arms of her main tormentor. She felt a wave of regret wash over her for not carrying her weapon around campus like Yang did.

'Ugh, don't push her at me!' Cardin snickered pushing Velvet forcefully at the wall, a gasp of pain escaping her as the three boys chuckled behind her. Velvet leaned heavily against the wall, eyes flitting between the boys, analyzing for any possible routes of escape. Cardin sneered his brow wrinkling in disgust as he leaned forward growling out 'Didn't your mom ever teach you any respect, or was she too busy digging holes and scrounging in the trash for that?' Cardin roughly grabbed Velvet's ears and pulled her forward, eliciting another whimper of pain from Velvet and causing her already dilated pupils to grow even wider in fear.

'What do you think you're even doing here, Faunus? No one wants your kind here. Do you even know how to fight? Or are you planning on just getting by with grades? That why you were in the library, trying to show up us humans?' Cardin asked as he twisted Velvet's ears, eyes glinting maliciously at the look of pain on the young girls face. 'You know..I think we need to teach you your place around here' Cardin's free hand rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he stared at Velvet, a small smile beginning to appear.

Velvet could feel her heart beat begin to race even faster at Cardin's words, images of beaten Faunus flowing through her mind in blurs. She could feel herself being sucked into the darkest recesses of her mind, full of all the repressed memories she had tried to leave behind by going to Beacon. A quick push and the rough release of her ears brought Velvet back to her senses, unknowingly sparing her from further emotional torment. 'I would suggest you run' Dove stated as Cardin and Russel pulled out their weapons, Dove's eyes hardened 'This won't be any fun if you just sit there like a lump on a log!' He grunted as he kicked close to her head. Velvet's eyes widened as she scrambled to her feet and took off running, faintly hearing Cardin cry out 'We're going on a rabbit hunt boys!' And the following cheer of excitement from all three.

That had been over three hours ago, Velvet had foolishly hoped that they would have gotten tired after a while but the boys had persisted in chasing her all around the grounds of Beacon. Sky had joined them after an hour, though it seemed to Velvet he was slightly less enthusiastic about hurting her. They had caught her twice, once giving her a split lip (courtesy of Russel and his fist) and the other resulting in a deep gash to her shoulder from Cardin's mace. She had to admit that they made a good team, even if they did use their teamwork to hurt her. They were annoyingly efficient in their efforts. Jerks.

Velvet shifted uncomfortably, branches from the bush scratching her legs as the fading adrenaline rush reminded her of the pain in her shoulder and knees. She had initially considered running to Goodwitch or Ozpin when the 'hunt' had first started but had feared that they would dismiss her as being an attention seeker and kick her out of the academy. She was sure if they saw her now they probably wouldn't think that, but she was more afraid of how Cardin would react if he found out she 'snitched' on him. No...she would just have to wait until team CRDL stopped their search before making her own way back and treating her wounds. Speaking of team CRDL, where were they? It had been at least thirty minutes since Velvet had last seen them, had they given up the search already?

She stood slowly, glancing around quickly as she released her ears and stepped out from behind the bush. A soft sigh escaped her as she stretched her sore muscles and examined the now empty courtyard. 'Everyone must have left..' Velvet thought as she began to make her way back to the main hall, a sudden burst of light from the darkened skies and the loud roar of thunder making her jump high into the hair. 'That explains it,' Velvet said as it began to pour 'Just my luck!' She muttered angrily already starting to shiver from the cold rain. Velvet clutched her ears as another flash of lightning lit up the clouded sky, her heart beat beginning to race as she hurriedly rushed to the main doors of Beacon. Her heart dropped as she tried to open the doors.

Locked. The doors were locked.

Velvet suppressed a shiver as she reviewed her options, stay outside in the pouring rain and possibly freeze to death OR go searching for another way in. Another burst of thunder had Velvet scurrying out from the covered doorway, 'look for another way in it is!' Velvet exclaimed as she clutched her shoulder, a sharp pain shooting up her arm as she tried to heal it with her aura. She'd been slowly healing her shoulder since Cardin's attack, deciding that since it was the worst of her injuries it warranted her full attention. She was pretty sure the attack had torn through the muscle which is why it was taking longer to heal than any other wounds she's had, usually aura healing was used for minor wounds or as a temporary solution for more serious wounds. Hence why Velvet was making sure to be very precise and careful with her healing, the torn muscle had been repaired and all that remained was the gash. While still semi-deep Velvet didn't consider it as dangerous as it could have been and was confident that after she rested and ate she'd be able to heal it completely, though it'd probably scar.

Velvet circled the building twice, sticking as close to the wall as she could so the roof could provide some form of protection from the rain, but couldn't find any unlocked door or open windows that she could reach. Even with her enhanced jumping ability. Sighing as she finished circling the building a third time, Velvet looked up at the dark sky and wondered if dinner had already passed inside. Had anyone noticed her absence? Probably not...her own team barely seemed to notice when she was there. Cardin and his cronies probably noticed, if not only because her absence took away their amusement, they probably thought she'd be hiding in her room. Her warm, warm room.

Velvet's ears began to droop as she leaned against the main doorway, a sudden tiredness washing over her as the day's activities began to catch up with her. Running from bullies, missing lunch and dinner, being attacked, blood loss and freezing rain had a way of doing that to a person. As her eyes drooped and blackness began to consume her vision, Velvet sank backwards and curled up in the doorway. The sound of the rain soothing her frayed nerves, she drifted off into a fitful slumber.

Authors Note:

Whelp, new RWBY fanfic. I hope it didn't suck (someone please point out any grammatical errors!) and I would appreciate any reviews :)

I do plan on continuing this, I'm hoping it will turn into a multi-chapter fic about Velvet developing as a person and establishing friendships, maybe even romance later on (way later on). I really want it to focus more on backstory and character development though. :)

Thanks for reading! And don't worry, plans for the next chapter are already in development.

Love, Dragoncatcher123