Out In The Crowd

Chapter 2

"Hey are you in trouble ?" Leon whispered after I took my seat in class.

"No they were just asking about my semblance," I whispered back as I opened my textbook.

"Or your lack of." She teased right before someone hit me in the back of the head with a ruler. "Hey cut it out Cardin."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Cut the act prick I saw you throw it." she stood up and started to head toward him.

"Leon just let it go I'm fine." I grabbed her wrist before she could any closer to him.

"I'm tired of him picking on you." she tried to force my hand away from hers.

"Please. I promise I'm fine just sit down."

I managed to get her to sit back down and we continued listening to our teacher.

I'm not surprised that he didn't notice what was going on. Most people don't notice when a faunus is getting picked on.

Did I forget to mention that? I'm a faunus except even occasionally I am considered a freak among faunus. Because I have both ears and a tail, the reason why is something I promised my father I would never speak of.

I could hear Cardin and his friends making jokes and laughing at things they had done.

Suddenly I felt a pain against my right ear.

"Hey!" I heard someone yell. I didn't turn to see who it was, I just ducked my head and covered my ears.

For the rest of the class I stayed like that. I was worried that if I moved something would happen again, and I didn't want to get in troubled for disrupting the class again.

"That concludes today's lesson as soon as the bell rings..." the bell cut him off as he was speaking and the sound of kids rushing out of the room muffled what ever else he was about to say.

I peaked my head up a little to see Cardin and his goons standing next to me. I quickly ducked my head back down in hopes he hadn't noticed yet.

Sadly he had and he was already pinching my sore ear.

"What's with these things they don't even match your hair color."

"Why don't you leave her alone?" It was the same voice from earlier. I knew it wasn't Leon's voice, she's normally the first person out the door.

"What if I don't want to. What if I want to play with my friend Verndari." Cardin snapped back at whoever it was.

"Well I guess it will have to wait. I need to have a talk with Verndari Brynhildr." the teacher was standing right in front of my desk.

Everyone quickly left as I looked up at the teacher.

"Yes sir?"

"What was going on?" he crossed his arms

"Nothing just some talking." I felt my ears lower as I talked to him.

"Look you need to stand up for yourself. Leon Thomson and others aren't always gonna be there."

"I've been told this already. It's hard when I don't have the ability to do so." I looked a my desk and began to gather my stuff.

"You have the ability, you just aren't confident about it." he said as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Work on trying to stand up for yourself. I promise it will help you with becoming a better huntress."

"Yes sir."

He walked away from me and began erasing his board, so I took that as a sign for me to leave.

"Hey are you OK?" I turned to see Nora and her friend Ren waiting outside the class room. 

"Yes.  I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Ren suddenly  spoke out.  "I know faunus tend to over sensitive ears  and eyes. We saw that he hit your ear a couple times and actually  grabbed it."

"It's nothing I'm not already use to." I felt my ears lower as my mind rummaged through a few memories of people pulling on my ears and such.

"Well anyway do you want to walk with us to our next class. I believe  you're in there with is in Professor Ports class, right? You know so Cardin  doesn't mess with you again, also so you don't have to be alone. " Nora asked cheerfully.

I noticed she was a bit calmer right now that she normally  is.

"That would be nice." I couldn't help but smile at how excited she was that I said yes. 

The three of us walked to class together while Nora  would ask questions or talk about random stories. It was quite amusing and she made it seem like I have always been apart of her group of friends.