Lifestyle choices

Jaune's wide blue eyes roved over the room, idly noticing the mess that now covered the floor, as well as the still dishevelled state of his bed, before finally coming to rest on one of the two intruders in his room. The black-haired girl looked a mixture between terrified and horrified, mortification mixing with fear to create an expression that was difficult to not laugh at. Her blonde partner-in-crime only looked nervous in comparison, though that expression deviated a little as her lilac eyes began inspecting the lacy underwear once more.

Fucking Neo. He cursed once more in his mind, taking a brief moment to glance at the open drawer, in which he could easily see more sets of female underwear mixed with his own. The ice-cream taking over his freezer had been annoying, but he'd assumed it was a one off thing. Her making sure her addiction could be sated after training.

Her clothes taking over his drawers painted a much darker picture.

"I know I said it once." The blonde girl began, speaking slowly into the silence. "But I thought I should maybe make my point clear, this totally isn't what it looks like."

Oh yeah, people, his rooms. He'd nearly forgotten.

"I don't even know what it's supposed to look like." Jaune sighed out, not sure what he was meant to do in this kind of situation. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Glynda's notes on how to deal with students hadn't really covered young women breaking into your room and playing with your boxers. "Other than you breaking into my room for some nefarious purpose."

"Well there you go." Yang jumped on a chance. "That's where it's not what it looks like. Our purpose is anything but nefarious." She nodded her head along with her words, as though to somehow make them more acceptable. In return Jaune just felt a headache coming on.

He could give a detention, he supposed? But then he would need to bring them to Glynda and explain what had happened to cause that. The problem was, he didn't really want to explain to Glynda that he had a bunch of young women in his bedroom… the sheer embarrassment aside, it would also drag his night on by a couple of hours – and after his earlier training and a full day of work, that was the last thing he needed.

Then there was the fact that what they had done could actually be considered criminal… it was one thing to sacrifice them to Glynda's tender mercy, but another to have to explain to the police what had happened… That might cause them to dig a little into his own past, and that way lay disaster.

"But you still broke into my room?" He instead pointed out, stalling for time.

"We didn't break in." The blonde corrected. "The door was unlocked, we walked in. In fact you could say we simply got lost! Right Blake!?"

"…" The Black haired girl didn't respond. Amber eyes still wide as they were fixed on him.

"Blake agreed." Yang nodded.

"She didn't say anything." Jaune pointed out with a deep sigh, leaning back so that he was resting on the door. It wasn't the moral support he needed, but at least the door didn't do its best to confuse him.

"She's quiet like that, really shy." The blonde girl continued blithely, one arm gesturing dismissively at the other girl, whose face was now resting in her hands, shaking back and forth in mute horror.

"And so, lost. You decided to search for an exit not by the door, but within my clothes drawers?"

"As well as being shy, Blake's also really bad at directions."

His headache was growing, he knew exactly what she was doing. Trying to drag his attention on so many different tangents that he couldn't keep up with her. Confusing and distracting him from what she had done, so he might forget. It was something he or his sisters had done countless times when they had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. On the giving end, he had always thought it quite the clever tactic.

On the receiving end, all he could do was praise his parents' patience.

"This is a serious issue Miss Xiao-Long." Jaune sighed out, fixing her with the hardest glare he could muster. Somewhere between what he had seen Glynda pull off, and the look his father would give when he was both disappointed and angry. Jaune was sure he didn't pull it off very well, but the blonde climbed to her feet and straightened regardless.

"Shutting up now." Yang parroted, miming a zipping motion across her lips.

Jaune felt the need to sigh again. Okay, so he had control of the situation right now – that was good, right? Except that he didn't really know what to do with it, and the mounting silence was no doubt becoming as tense for them as it was himself. His options were fairly limited really. He could hand them over to Glynda, and run the risks involved. No doubt she would be willing to handle everything without his input, but it might mean more trouble later on.

Alternatively, he could sort something out himself, punishment or otherwise… The question was what to give them? If he set the punishment then really he wouldn't need to explain to Glynda what it was they had done wrong, which was definitely safer. He could just make something up if she asked. Though he would need to make sure these two would stick to that story.

"Right… so, if Miss Belladonna would answer this time. Why were you in my room?" It was clear he wasn't going to get anything out of Yang, she was too confident and too cheeky, and honestly she still scared him a little. At least Blake seemed to respect his authority a little more.

"…We got lost."

Or then again, maybe not.

"Et tu, Miss Belladonna?" Jaune sighed, getting a nod of confirmation from the black-haired girl. From the corner of his eye he could see the tiny smirk that appeared on Yang's features for a nanosecond, before she wiped it clean. And here he had thought that Blake of all people would have been mature enough to just tell him the truth, instead of sticking to that ridiculous tale.

Why do I feel like I'd have to resort to genuine torture to get anything out of these two?

It was the age-old holding the line against a teacher. The last time he'd experienced it was Ruby refusing to admit that she was upset, and now he was faced with Yang and Blake refusing to admit their reasons for breaking the rules. Sisters in arms against a common enemy, except he was the enemy and none of it made sense because it was his bedroom they had broken into – and he just wanted to fucking sleep!

"You're both in detention this Friday. Six until eight. My office." That would give him two days to think of something for them to do, and would also be after his work with Glynda in her combat classes. Somehow he knew he'd come to regret the decision, but the alluring temptation of his warm bed pushed that aside.

"Understood sir." The Dark haired girl accepted, while the blonde simply shrugged but nodded. Jaune let out another sigh. He couldn't help but feel like the villain in this situation, and that wasn't a role he was used to.

"Look. I'm trying to be fair here. In fact I'll even pretend this whole `breaking into my room` thing never happened. If anyone asks what you did to receive a detention, you can just say it was dress code or something. Or being caught after curfew. Your punishment should be a lot worse."

Neither of them responded. The two instead just watching him with the cautious gazes of two animals in the presence of a predator. He supposed it was to be expected, students and teachers could never really see on the same level as one another, and they were choosing to stay silent rather than get in any more trouble.

"You can go now." He instead offered, knowing that was what they really wanted. Blake nodded once and adopted a fast-paced march to the door, while Yang sashayed after her. Jaune moved aside to let them exit.

"Oh! So that's where the exit is." Yang gasped as she walked by him, catching him off guard as she leaned in suggestively to place a hand on his cheek. Despite himself, Jaune felt the blood creeping into his cheeks as the blonde grinned. "Thanks for the directions. See ya Friday Prof."

She's going to be the death of me.

~~~~~Professor Arc~~~~~

"Yang!" Blake hissed angrily, as the two made their way down the corridors from the Professor's rooms. "Did you just have to get the last word in?" Yang spared a glance for her partner, noticing the deadly glare in her amber eyes. Instead of feeling nervous, it just made her grin.

"Nobody one-up's Yang Xiao-Long. It's a lesson you'll learn some day Blakey." She quipped, one hand reaching into her pockets as Blake threw her arms in the air in frustration. Poor Blake she mused to herself. The girl was so bookish that Yang honestly wondered if she had ever been in trouble with teachers before.

"I hope it was worth it, we literally dodged a bullet there! We could have been expelled, or arrested!" She ranted, causing Yang to roll her eyes, though she didn't disagree with that statement. Yeah they could have been in serious trouble, she hadn't honestly expected the Professor to retire to his room so early in the day. It was only like half-nine. Where was his night life!?

"But we haven't been arrested. It's fine Blake. Besides, Jaune's cool, he won't rat us out." He was only a couple of years older than themselves after all. Sure, they'd gotten a detention out of it, but at least he'd offered to not bring up what they'd actually done. No matter how young he was, she didn't want people to hear that she had snuck into his bedroom. That was how the worst rumours got started.

"Is that what this is? Your whole seeing how far you can push him, thing!? Can you not test his boundaries when I'm involved?"

"What was that?" Yang questioned dramatically, leaning towards Blake with an overly raised eyebrow. "Was that Blake complaining for us getting in trouble trying to cover up her mess!?"

Blake instantly went red, as Yang grinned in triumph. Sure, it hadn't taken much to convince her to take part in Blake's frankly hair-brained scheme. Sneaking into his office and finding the book hadn't honestly sounded too tough. It was just like sneaking your late homework into a teacher's office. She just hadn't expected his office to be attached to his bedroom.

Then again, they hadn't come out of this completely empty-handed.

"Yang, what the actual fuck!?" Blake hissed as Yang brought out the lacy underwear and started spinning it on one finger, enjoying the pattern of colours that span in the air. "Please explain to me why you took that."

"Eh." Yang shrugged. "Black-mail? Amusement? Because it was in my hand and I couldn't exactly give it back to him? You pick." Truthfully it had been the latter. After he had basically offered to let them go without any serious punishment, she couldn't exactly walk up to him and hand him his frilly girl's underwear back, could she?

"Well could you stop playing with it? I can't understand how you're so calm about all of this."

Again, poor Blake. Yang supposed if you never really got into trouble as much as she had, that you would look at detentions and reprimands like they were actually a serious problem. It was only a couple of hours of their time on Friday, they'd have the weekend free regardless.

"Where's your sense of adventure Blake? Being so close, getting caught. The fear, the panic. The excitement." Yang's eyes flashed red for a moment, before she controlled herself.

"Oh God…" Blake sighed. "I think we have different ideas of what counts as an adrenaline rush."

"You'll risk your life fighting Grimm, but panic at being caught by a teacher? That's pretty cute." Blake didn't respond, instead sparing her a withering glare as Yang grinned. Maybe it was herself who was the messed up one, she didn't really know. But after the adrenaline of the initiation and Emerald forest, going to classes had been a real anti-climax. It had been that boredom that had convinced her to tag along with Blake in the first place, and now that the immediate risk of being in serious trouble was gone, she could approve of the rush the fear had given her.

Professor Arc had got her heart beating alright. Though maybe not in the same way he had Ruby's.

"So who do you think it belongs to?" Blake finally asked, her curiosity overcoming her irritation. Yang's smile widened at the interest, even as she performed a quick upwards toss and catch of the incriminating article.

"That's the million lien question isn't it? Has the Professor got a girl he's sneaking into Beacon for some alone time? Or is it a gift from an amorous student? Or is he sleeping with a student!? Or even better… is it his!" Her brain whirled at the myriad possibilities. So much to consider, so much she didn't know. It was painful.

"I'd have thought you'd be more worried if he was a player, considering your sister is into him."

"Eh, he hurts Ruby, he dies. No need to complicate things." Yang quipped. Internally though she wasn't too worried. Sometimes it was difficult to get a good read on him. On the first night he'd taken her flirtations like a veteran, completely unruffled by her and even putting her on the back foot. Even when she'd collided with him and ended up sat on his crotch he hadn't even raised an eyebrow.

But back there, maybe it had been the dark… but she'd seen a reaction. A chink in the armour! Like a wolf smelling blood, it almost made her mouth water. If he wasn't impossible, then that meant it was possible… which made him a challenge. Challenges were good, challenges were exciting. Whether it was beating the best in combat class, smacking down a Nevermore, or getting a guy to melt into a pile of goo.

Heh, I'm coming for you Prof.

"You realise you can't spread any knowledge of this around, right?" Blake interrupted, cutting into Yang's happy place. "If you so much as mention where you found that, we'll be in bigger trouble again."

"Hmm." Yang hummed in agreement, nodding to show she had realised that. As gossip material or blackmail the lacy garment was useless to her. Maybe that was why he had given them the lesser punishment, as a subtle request that they not rat out his dirty little secret. Whatever that secret is… God I hope he cross-dresses, that would be hilarious. "I'll get rid of it once we get back, can't just leave it in the hallway. I think the bigger question is; what are we going to do about your book? We've lost our best chance."

"What are you talking about?" Blake drawled, stepping in front of Yang and crossing her arms with a tiny smirk on her lips. "We've got two hours this Friday in his office to find it."

"Why Blake, I do believe you're right." Yang laughed, before leaning forwards to place a teasing finger on Blake's neck. "If you keep taking advantage of the rules like this Blakey, I might have to punish you myself." Yang's grin widened as she trailed her finger down to the collarbone in an effort to see when her partner would panic and bolt. Blake stared back challengingly, her taunting gaze saying she wouldn't dare.

"My word!" A female voice gasped angrily from nearby, causing the two teens to jump apart in shock.

"Miss G… I mean Goodwitch!" Yang stumbled, eyes going wide even as the underwear she had kept spinning on one finger slapped into her own face. One lilac eye peeped open, looking through the leg hole at the woman. Yep, definitely angry… though was that an embarrassed blush on the woman's face?

And why did Yang feel so worried?

~~~~~Professor Arc~~~~~

Jaune's eyes cracked open as his scroll relentlessly informed him that it was the morning. One arm snaked out from beneath the blankets, blindly patting around on the side table, knocking both his wallet and lamp to the floor in his quest for the fuck off button. Eventually, the battle of the blind was won, fingers flopping over the touchscreen in what was apparently enough to convince the piece of technology that he was up.

The temptation to go back to sleep was strong. But he knew it was not possible. He had Oobleck's class in just over two hours, and he couldn't afford to be late to that. It still took a few minutes for him to climb out of the bed and collect some clothes however, as he stumbled towards the bathroom and pushed his way inside. Cold water was what he needed to wake up properly, slapping a few handfuls into his face as he let the steamy bathroom air warm him.

Wait…

Steamy?

Mismatched eyes met his own as he turned around, the two of them blinking, before blue eyes dipped a little lower. Damn bubbles. His brain cursed as Neo's pale shoulders lowered into thick white bubbles, with only the tips of her knees visible in the bath.

It still took another forty or so seconds for his brain to catch up with his libido, during which his eyes unashamedly roved over any skin he could make out.

"Shit!" He finally shouted, brain adding two and two together, and after a brief exclamation of "boobs!" getting four. "I'm sorry!" He slammed the door behind him as he fled the room, leaning back onto it and letting out short, panting breaths. Holy crap, he'd just walked in on a girl having a bath. That was like… well, nowhere on the base system, but still!

To his credit it only took another three nano-seconds for his brain to kick in and point out that it was his bathroom, and Neo wasn't supposed to be in there. Taking a deep breath he roughly pushed the door open and stepped inside, intent on letting her know just what her boundaries were.

Just in time to receive a thick wad of soapy bubbles to the face.

"Argh! My eyes!" Jaune gritted as he fell backwards in shock, the door closing suddenly on his blind form and knocking him flat on his ass. Angrily he scrubbed at his eyes, hoping to ward off the burning as he climbed to his feet and tried to get back to the sink. The door didn't budge. "Neo, open the damn door, I need to wash this out of my eyes!"

~~~~~Professor Arc~~~~~

"Morning lad." Peter greeted as Jaune slumped down in the staff room seat next to him. "You look a little bushed, late night?"

"No hot water, had to have a cold shower." He mumbled back, letting out a defeated sigh. It was just his typical luck that Neo had used all the hot water, leaving him to take a miserably cold shower before getting ready for his day. Of course the hellion had been completely unrepentant, and had vanished before he could get any explanation out of her.

"A sad day when a man cannot have his morning shower." Peter commiserated with a slow nod. "Speaking of sad days…" He trailed off, nodding towards the other occupants of the room.

Glynda and Ozpin, the latter looking increasingly haggard as the blonde Deputy apparently ranted at him. Jaune wasn't able to make out the specifics, only able to hear the fact that Glynda sounded angry, and Ozpin was remaining silent.

Considering the mug of coffee in his grip, Jaune wondered if the man was even cognizant of the world around him. Perhaps he had retreated into a coffee haze to escape the world. Jaune wished he could join him.

"Any idea what that's about?" He instead asked of his companion. It was hardly unusual to see Glynda telling the Headmaster off, in fact it was an almost daily occurrence in the staffroom for one reason or another. There had been the one time where Ozpin had gotten bored and wandered off half-way through a speech. Then that time where he had done the budgeting from the school and assigned 30% of their budget to the kitchens. Apparently that had been less of a problem than the fact that only 10% of it was for food, the remaining 20% was for coffee supplies.

This time though Glynda looked particularly flushed, her cheeks a deep red as she spoke. In fact, he would almost go as far as to say she looked embarrassed, which threw the `Ozpin being crazy again` theory out the window.

"It's just not appropriate!" The blonde woman finally shouted out, apparently having had enough and storming away from the Headmaster, who simply shook his head in silent amusement, before making his way slowly over to them.

"Morning sir…" Jaune greeted. "Glynda seemed a little… well…"

"Flustered, Mr Arc?" The older man gracefully offered, a ghost of a smile coming across his lips for a moment. "Worry not, she simply came across something she would rather not have. Tell me Mr Arc, have you had any visitors yet in your new role?"

Something she would rather hot have? Jaune wondered to himself briefly. Considering that the Headmaster didn't look too worried, it probably wasn't anything serious, but he still couldn't help feeling a little curious.

"I have." He admitted to the question. "Apparently I helped her, though I'm not sure how." He didn't really want to mention Pyrrha's name, unsure if he was supposed to keep it confidential or not. If the Headmaster noticed, he didn't seem to mind simply nodding with that typical enigmatic smile of his.

"Sometimes it's the smallest things that can help Mr Arc. The difficulty we have is understanding the teenage mind. For all that we were teenagers ourselves once…"

"That's true!" Peter guffawed loudly. "Why I remember when I was a lad and a girl turned me down, it felt like the worst moment in my life! Looking back, it's hard to believe how dramatic I was!"

Because you're totally not dramatic now. Jaune thought to himself sarcastically, but he could see the point he was making. I suppose that's why Ozpin wanted me in this role, since my age is so similar.

A distant ringing of a bell signalled the end of their conversation. Ozpin leaving them with a nod, even as Peter let out a long sigh and climbed from his chair. Jaune could sympathise with it, but it was Thursday - the week was almost done.

Oobleck was already in the class as Jaune arrived, hurriedly scratching a number of things onto a board at a speed that would have turned a computer green with envy. A few students were beginning to filter into the room as Jaune took his customary position to the side of Oobleck's desk. His role in these classes could end up being pretty nebulous. When the lessons were mostly theory then he would wander around, answering any questions about the topics the students might have. Sometimes though the classes turned a little more practical, with Oobleck getting them all involved in a discussion. In those cases, unless he was addressed specifically he usually just stood around looking stupid.

Honestly. It hardly felt like any of the teachers needed support.

"Today class!" The green-haired man finally spoke, the exact moment that the final student had sat down. "We shall continue our discussion on recent history that has shaped prejudice, with a lesson on the recent change in approach of the faunus rights activists, commonly known as the White Fang."

There were muted mumbles at those words. A large majority of people looking angry or disgusted, though Jaune noticed more than a few looking scared. Human and faunus alike.

Honestly, he considered, as Oobleck began his lecture. The White Fang had been pretty much unknown from where he had come from. Presumably too few residents in his home village to generate any interest from the extremist group. Of course there had been faunus there, and he supposed there had been those who discriminated against them too. But he'd go so far as to say the majority of people didn't really care.

But then, that was the same as it was here at Beacon, wasn't it? Unbidden, his eyes trailed over to the bunny-eared member of team RVNN, Velvet Scarlatina. She hadn't made any move to approach him for counselling, and honestly he was beginning to think she wouldn't. What was that old saying, about abused people never realising anything was wrong?

Beyond that though, the whole thing about most people being indifferent was probably what the problem was. When Cardin was bullying her, Jaune thought he could see plenty of people looking on in distaste. At Cardin. But they didn't act. Could he really blame them? Even when the rules of Beacon itself pretty much prohibited them from fighting in the cafeteria, if you saw a dangerous person on the street attack someone. The first thought of a passer-by wasn't going to be jumping into the fray.

It was bystander behaviour. Something he'd read about in one of the psychology books. The mistaken assumption that somebody else would do something, so you didn't have to. Also mixed with a little bit of conformism, maybe? When hundreds of other people just watched on, you felt compelled to do the same.

What with the psychology books to read, on top of everything else. It was little wonder his brain was feeling so scrambled lately.

"-and that is why, recent incursions by the White Fang have begun to take on a more militaristic edge. Of course the ill-will aimed towards the White Fang has resulted in increased levels of discrimination against innocent faunus."

"Makes you wonder why we let faunus even attend schools for combat, if they're just going to turn traitor." Cardin butted in, grinning as a few people mumbled in agreement. From the corner of his eye, Jaune noticed the members of teams RWBY and RVNN looking particularly venomous.

"I will ignore that less-than-subtle racism in favour of you raising an interesting point Mr Winchester." Oobleck continued blithely. "While there were calls for sanctions against faunus in the name of `safety,` the idea was dismissed. Ultimately the Grimm remain a larger threat, and discrimination against faunus actually supports the White Fang – by making their recruitment easier. In fact, it might even be accurate to state that the White Fang benefit from increasing the hatred and racism against their own kind. Though of course they would never admit to that."

"So discrimination causes them to become more numerous?" Cardin asked once more, grinning. Jaune wondered why the man was so interested in the subject.

"In this case, that is correct."

Jaune watched as Cardin leaned back in his seat, turning to the side to address a comment towards the other students.

"Hey Yang, heard about you and your partner got caught in the halls by Goodwitch!" This prompted a number of bouts of laughter and giggling to sound out across the room, even as Jaune's face took on a worried expression. Had they been seen sneaking out of his rooms!? Oh Gods, this could be bad, especially if they made the obvious – though completely mistaken – assumption, of why two young teenagers were coming out his bedroom…

"You think if I start discriminating against you, you can convert a few other girls?"

"I'll convert your face if you don't shut up Cardin!" The blonde screamed angrily as she shot to her feet, eyes and face both turning red. Beside her, Jaune could see Blake hiding her face behind a text book. Though judging from her slumped posture, she wasn't feeling any better.

"Mr Winchester!" The teacher finally shouted, apparently tired with the interruption. "I have warned you once about discrimination in my class room. Miss Xiao-Long's sexual preferences are no concern of yours, or anyone else in this class."

Wait.

What!?

~~~~~Professor Arc~~~~~

Yang slumped back into her seat with a loud thud, doing her best to ignore the urge to commit a massacre as people continued laughing all around them. Thank you teach, for diffusing that so effectively… you've been added to the list.

Beside her, Blake refused to meet her eyes, or even remove her face from the textbook, despite that the pages must have been less than an inch in front of her eyes. The two had barely spoken to one another after being caught by Miss Goodwitch, the embarassment too much for either.

But what had they been supposed to do, caught in the hallways after curfew, Yang with a pair of frilly underwear in one hand, and her other trailing down towards Blake's breasts? Did they admit to Miss Goodwitch that they had broken into another person's rooms? When she had demanded to know whose underwear that was, Blake had said the most obvious thing.

"Mine."

Neither of them had really thought what kind of picture that painted. And of course, Glynda's loud telling-off, in the middle of the hallway - had been heard by plenty of students. Who had been only too happy to fuel the rumour mill.

"I can't believe I'm stuck on team with a pair of perverts like you!" Weiss hissed from nearby, causing Ruby to blush, even as Blake's head sank lower into her book.

Yang Xiao-Long and Blake Belladonna, hardcore lesbians who had snuck out into the hallways to have sex where their teammates wouldn't see them.

Somehow, this is all your fault Arc! And I will have vengeance.

~~~~~Professor Arc~~~~~

(Omake: From Coeur Al'Aran)

"Cardin Winchester?" Jaune mumbled in surprise, eyes widening at the uncomfortable looking student who was standing in front of the door to his office. The bully in question looked around nervously, as though making sure no one could see him.

"Hey, teach... I... I have a problem. I could use some help..."

Well, Jaune thought to himself, as Cardin began to explain his situation while laying down on a couch. He couldn't say he had expected Cardin Winchester himself to be his first customer, especially after he made such obvious overtures towards the victim of his bullying. He supposed that was why no plan would make it past contact with the enemy.

"So what you're saying is... you don't hate faunus?" Jaune asked, trying to be certain of what he'd just been told. The boy gripped his hands into fists.

"I don't!" He gritted back. "Honest... I, well my dad does. He fought in the wars and lost so much, I can understand why he hates them. But well... they've not done anything bad to me, you know?"

"That makes perfect sense to me Mr Winchester." Jaune nodded, writing some quick things down on a notepad. "It's normal to hate those who have hurt us, I wouldn't even begrudge your father if he'd really faced bad stuff because of them. But if I can ask, why is it that you've been so anti-faunus since coming here?"

"That's my problem!" Cardin exclaimed, sitting up and holding his hands out in front of himself, looking down into them with shame. "I always wanted to make him happy... he would tell me to be cruel to them. And I did, because he would praise me. But I always knew I wasn't being serious, that I didn't hate them. I thought to myself that I would just do it until Beacon, and I could make a fresh start here."

"But it didn't work out?" Jaune finished, feeling a flash of uncharacteristic pity for the man. Who would have expected him to be such a good guy?

"Yeah... as soon as I saw that faunus, Velvet. I just couldn't stop myself, and I hated myself for it. So Prof. Can you help me?"

"I can Mr Winchester." Jaune promised, rummaging round for the book he needed. Damn it, Behavioural psychology, no... psychosis, no... ninjas of love... definitely later... ah! Here it was! "What you suffer from Mr Winchester, is a Pavlovian reaction!"

"Is it fatal?" The boy asked, suddenly worried.

"It can be. Basically a Pavlovian reaction is an automatic reaction that is ingrained or programmed into you, following an external stimulus. The old example is that if you ring a bell, and then give a dog food when you do. Eventually the dog will start to assume the bell means food, and will begin to drool when a bell is rung. Even if there is no food." Jaune read aloud. "I believe that you have been rewarded for mistreatment of faunus for so long, that your father basically programmed you to be cruel to them."

"Damn it! I can't let this continue though Professor! I'll do anything, what's the cure."

"Hmm." Jaune wondered, reading through the book. Honestly it just said what Pavlov was, and what studies he had done... the man never seemed particularly bothered in curing what he had trained dogs to do... well, logically... "Well, what we can do is apply a negative stimulus every time you mistreat faunus, and then you'll begin to associate racist behaviour as undesirable."

"Well that makes sense... I'll to it Professor Arc... can you help me with the negative stimulus?" Cardin looked so uncertain that Jaune could only reach out and place a hand on his shoulder in support.

"I will Mr Winchester. And for what it's worth, I think you're a good man."

~~~~~Omake~~~~~

Velvet rose from her seat as she finished her meal, looking to take the tray back for disposal. She was going to meet up with Coco later to talk about their week, and was looking forward to it. It was still pretty humiliating to go through classes she had covered again... but she would survive.

"Hey Velvet!" A male voice called out, making her ears twitch even as a sigh escaped her lips. Not him... not now, not when she was in such a good mood.

True to form however, Cardin Winchester approached once more. This time lacking his usual posse, though the vindictive expression on his face was as present as ever.

Ignore me, ignore me, please ignore me! She prayed to herself like a mantra as she tried to push past him, only to have his beefy arm stop her, forcing her back.

"H-hi." She forced out, stomach already dropping at what she knew would come.

"Where you going freak?" He taunted, reaching out for one of her ears. Velvet's eyes watched his hand coming in, wincing in preparation for pain.

"PAVLOVVVV!" A masculine voice screamed out, the battle-cry startling and confusing people in equal measure. Velvet's eyes widened as she saw the figure leaping towards Cardin from behind, travelling at least four feet above the floor, arms held back ready to strike.

To her credit she tried to warn the bully. Politeness, as well as a general concern for anyone's health had her mouth open, but the shock prevented the words from coming out.

"Get Pavolv'd!" The Professor finished, as a folded chair smashed into Cardin's head from behind, causing the student to slump to the floor in a dead faint. Velvet could only look on in horror, as the blonde teacher inspected the folded seat, looking at the now obvious dent in the middle of it.

Is Cardin... dead?

"Hello Miss Scarlatina, how are you?" The unrepentant possible murderer politely enquired. Velvet didn't respond, one hand pointed at him in mute horror, before it fell down to point out the student unconscious, hopefully, on the floor. "Don't worry about Mr Winchester, we're going through some treatment at the moment. That reminds me, if you ever need any help, as Student Counsellor I'd be happy to help you. You should drop by."

Velvet shook her head, ears flapping about wildly. No way! Not a chance in hell. Not if that was the treatment this man prescribed!

"Well, my door's always open." Professor Jaune offered, kneeling down and grabbing hold of one of Cardin's feet, dragging his limp form away. "Come along Cardin."

I... I think I need Yatsuhashi right now...