Chapter Two: Velvet and Cardin

Two weeks after the previous chapter

"So, Weiss" Ruby said, bouncing on her heels as she and Weiss walked through the large hallway of the school to reach the cafeteria. "What should we do after we eat? Cause we're roomies and roomies gotta do fun stuff together."

"I'd prefer to eat." The Dakuri girl said, looking at the line. "And, then maybe there's something to do."

"Yay!" Ruby exclaimed, excited. "We're gonna have so much fun."

"Whatever you say, Ruby." Weiss said, sighing as she realized once again that she'd have to deal with Ruby for the next three years. It was a thought that had its pros and cons.

Suddenly, a commotion across the room alerted them to itself.

A tough looking boy with orange hair in a set of armor was harassing a girl while two other boys held back a yelling and cursing girl who looked like she was going to help the girl being harassed, the two other boys preventing her from doing so. The boy was pulling on the girl's ears.

The girl being held back was wearing black cargo pants and black combat heels. She had on an orange turtleneck and a black beret. She wore a pair of Aviators as well as a black scarf and a black handbag. Her hair was a shade of cocoa with a grey dye to it. Her eyes were a similar shade, but with flecks of orange in them.

The girl being harassed was wearing a brown jumpsuit that covered her entire body, minus her feet, hands, and head. There was a black section that hugged her waist like a cincher. She wore brown fuzzy boots with white cotton fuzz on them. She wore a reddish brown jacket that went down to her midriff. She had gold bands on her wrists as well as cotton around them, said cotton almost completely covering her hands. She had shoulder plating as well, though this was thinner. Her hair was a beautiful reddish brown and went down to the small of her back. Her eyes were reddish brown, though now they were blurry due to the tears threatening to spill. There were two long and wide reddish brown rabbit's ears that came out of her head, the ends being white and cottony. They flopped down to be lengthwise around her stomach (though, currently, were being yanked). She also had a cottontail that emerged from her clothing.

"Well, what do you know." The boy pulling the rabbit's ears. "They're real. Seems you're a Faunus."

Weiss' irritation spiked. She knew about how the Faunus were mistreated. The Faunus were beings that had an animalistic characteristic to them. Those conducting studies would conclude that the animal characteristics came from the Pokémon said individuals were. Velvet herself was a Lopunny Faunus. Faunus were said to be more connected to their Pokémon natures, though this simply made people discriminate them more.

Weiss was about to walk over there and do something when she happened to glance over at Ruby. She became intimidated as she saw the look in Ruby's eyes. Gone completely was the childishness that she'd shown not two minutes earlier, now replaced with unbridled fury.

Weiss also noticed Blake out of the corner of her eye, moving forward as well, but Ruby beat them all to it, speeding over there with speed unnatural and pushing the boy away from the girl, standing in between them.

"Leave." She said through gritted teeth. "Her. ALONE."

"Or what?" he asked, stepping up to Ruby, a cocky smirk on his face.

"Or, I'll put you in the hospital." Ruby growled, her silver eyes beginning to get a slight glow to them.

"That's funny." The boy said, laughing. "Well, here's what I think of that idea."

The boy slammed his fist into Ruby's face with a Brick Break attack. Ruby flew backwards, bouncing three times before she stopped.

"That's what you get for playing hero." He said, yanking on the Faunus' ears harder, making the other girl struggle against the other two boys harder.

Weiss and Blake both ran over to her, Ruby standing up before they got there. Weiss and Blake noticed she wasn't even marked with the blow.

"How did you…?" Weiss asked. Ruby didn't answer, instead walking over to the boy harassing the Faunus girl.

"Back for more, eh?" He said, chuckling." You sure seem ready for a beat down. Well, as soon as I'm finished with this animal, you can be next in line."

"You've got one more chance." Ruby said, fists clenched as she walked closer, a reddish black aura materializing around her. She concentrated a lot of the energy to her left fist, said fist glowing a blackish color. "To let her go or I'll make your remaining conscious moments a living hell."

"Oh, really?" he said, shoving the Faunus at the other girl, who grabbed her into a hug, gently stroking her ears. "Well then, if that's how you want it, I'll be happy to oblige."

He walked forward, cracking his knuckles as he stepped up to Ruby.

Ruby wasted no time in moving forward, too fast for him to track and slamming her own fist into his nose, sending him flying as a pulse of Darkness came from her punch. He flew backwards, landing on a table, which snapped in two under his weight.

He stood up, more angry than hurt. He glared at Ruby with a gaze that frightened most other students in the room.

It was at that moment, however, that Yang chose to walk into the room, dressed only in an orange tank top and short shorts with a towel around her neck.

"Sup, bitches." She said to Blake and Weiss as she walked up to them. "What's goin' on in here?"

"Your sister's taking on Cardin Winchester!" Weiss said, pointing.

"What?!" Yang exclaimed, seeing it was indeed true. Cardin Machoke Winchester was basically known as the school bully. Yang, being in her second year, had tangled with him before, but it wasn't ever over anything big, just the fact that she threatened to put him in his place if he crossed her. This, however, would lead to him getting the shit beat out of him.

"I'm gonna break his legs." Yang said, her eyes glowing red.

"I think your sister's gonna do it first." Blake said, watching.

"What do you mean?" Yang asked.

"He was messing with Velvet Scarlatina." Weiss said, gaze fixed on the fight between Ruby and Cardin, which was about to escalate further. "And, Ruby stepped in. She took a huge hit from him, but she just stood up like it was nothing. She even hit him with a pretty hard punch herself."

"Really?" Yang asked. "I knew my sister could fight, but I didn't think she had what it takes to take on Cardin Winchester. Though, if I saw him messing with Velvet like that, I'd do something too."

Weiss and Blake both nodded. Velvet Lopunny Scarlatina was just about the sweetest girl in the entire school, but she was constantly picked on. Her best friend, Coco Torkoal Adel, who the three noticed was being restrained by two of Cardin's lackeys, would always stand up for her. There were usually two others with them, but it seemed they were on holiday.

"My money's on Ruby Weiss said. "She's got this one."

"I don't know." Blake said. "Cardin's got a type advantage. He's a fighting type and from the punch Ruby threw, I'd assume she was a Dark type."

"It's neutral." Yang said. "She's also part Flying type."

"Really?" Weiss asked. "Well, I guess she has a better chance then. But, he's still got some pretty strong moves."

"She's got this.' Yang said. "I don't know how I know that, but something in my gut tells me that she's gonna nail him."

With Ruby

Ruby and Cardin stared each other down, neither having the desire to back down. Ruby, however, made the first move, leaping up and landing a punch on Cardin's face that sent him flying once again. He stood up, the two of them trading blows before Ruby knocked him off balance.

She then moved over to him and slammed him into the ground. She leapt up and drove her knees into his chest, a crack resounding from his ribs. She slammed her fist in to his face three times before leaning down to him, at which point he was dazed.

"If you EVER" she said, in a growl loud enough for everyone around to hear. "Hurt her or another Faunus again, I will bury you six feet under head first. Am I completely clear?!"

Cardin nodded, Ruby slamming her fist into his face, knocking him out.

"Miss Rose!" came the voice of Glynda, who now stood over Ruby. "I do not tolerate fighting in this school!"

"And, I don't tolerate bullying." Ruby said. "So, when you deal with that problem, I'll stop fighting people like that."

Ruby walked over to Velvet without sparing another word or glance to Glynda, Cardin's other two lackeys taking off.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked, her anger dissipated. "You're not hurt much are you?"

"N-no.' Velvet said, sniffling. "I-I'm fine. Thank you for standing up for me."

"You're welcome." Ruby said, grinning. "Nice ears."

"Th-thanks.' Velvet said. "Y-you should see my mother's."

"Cool.' Ruby said. "Well, I guess I'll have to settle for yours. They look so soft."

"They sure are." Coco said, Velvet blushing softly.

"Can…" Ruby asked. "Can I touch them? I promise I'll be gentle."

"O-okay." Velvet said. "I guess it's okay."

Ruby put her fingers on Velvet's right ear and softly ran her fingers up and down its length, amazed at the softness of them.

"You know" Ruby said after a minute, her voice softer. "I used to have a Faunus friend. She was a Pikachu Faunus. She looked so adorable with her ears and tail and those red cheeks of hers. It sucked when she moved."

"I'll bet." Velvet said, patting Ruby's shoulder. "But, maybe you can find another Faunus friend."

"Yeah." Ruby said. "But, it's a little different than that."

"What do you mean?" Velvet asked.

"I-It's nothing.' Ruby said, a small blush appearing on her face.

"Okay." Velvet said, an idea forming.

"Come on, cottontail." Coco said, an arm around Velvet's shoulder. "I got you a fun surprise. Something involving carrots."

"You know that's stereotypical." Velvet said, huffing softly.

"And, you're still gonna eat it and love it, aren't ya?" Coco asked, grinning.

'Yes.' Velvet said quieter.

"Point proven.' Coco said, grinning. "Oh, and Red. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Ruby said, waving to them as they left.

"Rubes!" Yang shouted, grabbing Ruby in her patented bear hug. "I thought you'd get smashed."

"Wow Yang." Ruby said jokingly. "I'm surprised you have so little faith in me."

"I'm just worried is all." Yang said, holding her. "I had no idea you were such a powerful fighter. You took him out like it ws nothing at all."

"He's a lot weaker than he let on.' Ruby said.

"Don't lie.' Weiss said, crossing her arms. "We all know you were using some pretty powerful attacks. Where did you learn to fight?"

"My uncle Qrow.' Ruby said. "He's awesome and taught me everything I know."

"He seems to be an interesting individual." Weiss said.

"He is." Yang said, shrugging. "Anyone who can fight as well as he does even when drunk is pretty tough."

"I'll say." Ruby said, nodding. "So, I'm gonna get cookies from our room cuz' they're better than the cafeteria ones. You guys wait here."

"Alright." Yang said.

"Yay.' Ruby said, speeding off.

"That girl will get herself into trouble one of these days acting like that." Weiss said.

"Nah.' Yang said, chuckling. "She's always like that. But, I gotta say, I didn't expect her to lay out Cardin."

"That was a personal fight." Blake said, sparing one last glance at Cardin and Glynda.

"Huh?" Yang asked. "What do you mean?"

"I could tell from the way she fought." Blake said. "She fought as if she'd known the experience."

"Huh.' Yang said. "Well… I don't know much about a good deal of her life. She was always a secretive individual."

"Well" Blake said. "I guess we may have a few questions to ask her then."

With Ruby

Ruby ran down the hall to her room, thinking about cookies. She, once again, wsn't looking where she was going and collided with someone else.

"My my, little Red." Said a voice that sounded like silk. "You sure are in a hurry."


So, Ruby's gotten into a fight. And, Blake said it was personal. Huh. Something to think about. But, more importantly, who did Ruby run into? Find out soon.