The Waifu Collector

by Kohoi

Jaune Arc respects women, that's why he avoids both them and society. Yucky. However, when a spirit inside his head commands him to atomize the female gender, sanity forces obligation.

18. I Am Become Chad

I'm half tempted to make another humor fic, where instead of Jaune metaphysically T-posing on society, he's caught falsifying transcripts and becomes a goddamn pizza delivery guy who incidentally gets hella bitches.

Then he'd occasionally dance around joker style, complaining about bottom text society, pizza sauce on his face. That's what I wanted to do two chapters ago, but I've kinda chadifed Jaune for too dankly for that. Hence the title.

Anyways, we've got some more plot stuff here, and setup for more Velvet next chapter. She's here too, but later on.

---

Jaune always enjoyed Professor Peach's classroom.

Somewhat conjoined to her personal lab area, yet Ozpin's funds apparently had room for making her room at least twice the size of an average class. It's a good way to distance yourself from an unwanted audience in a flash, as he always remembers the excitable science lady doing.

The homework would be assigned, they'd be in the front area, discussing the assignment or schmoozing along by the front door. Waiting for whenever she got anything else about the assignment to say.

Chemistry was fucking hard in his opinion, so Jaune can confidently say that aid-whenever their carelessly non careless teacher made her rounds-was greatly appreciated. Well, Pyrrha and Weiss helped too, but the latter a great deal less.

Quietly, with a dignified strut befitting his assigned stature, Jaune D'Arc browsed the technical classroom setup, gently raking his gloved fingers onto their surfaces. Idly, he hoped the white fabric stuff didn't absorb excess student dirt, but then he remembered the properties of the modern clothy contraption

Definitive fruits of Team CFVY's labor, as he's been spending some quality time with them these few days: the results of maturely forcing your bunny friend's leader to help finalize your getup ideas-under sarcastic threat of expulsion-have paid themselves off. In his mind at least, the shop-owner's they went too.

Deciding that Ozpin's suit looked really good, he unabashedly spoofed any choices of wardrobe to be based somewhat upon it. Sans the scarf, instead it's a completely badass blue cloak with his family emblem a yellowish gold in the center. Even cooler was the neat golden chain connecting the billowing material to the rest of him.

His outfit, that is. A white suit, trimmed with gold at the edges, wind dust interwoven into the material.

Jaune was told the material would stay cleaner if he subtly interacted Aura to the already interactive set up of dust clothing stuff mixed in. Basically, the manitupable nature of the magic rock wind power-dust, in non Jaune terms-stuff can repeal unwanted stains on the outfit, provided he focuses some attention onto the undesired touchy touch location, or just practices constant Aura use.

Which he does anyways to be honest. He's still here to thank the information lady, though. Professor Peach's little quips about dust clothing in conjunction with weaponry really stuck.

Digressions aside, he's looking like an entrepreneur through and through now, draped in white and cloaked in heritage. And if he wrapped the baller blue cloak around himself, he'd look like some sorta War Stars character. The thoughts doing wonders for his ego, like most things these days. With so many people simply giving him stuff-attention, money, aid, you name it-how could Jaune not just take the longest time enjoying the little moments?

So that's why he strutted along, lazily straight faced and content to browse the little places. Like here, especially here, as the Deputy Headmaster's notoriety has grown infectiously upon the once contested student body. People who would've sat idly by, while Jaune walked class from class, stop him for a picture, and talk about how crazy cool he was for what he's done. Who knew distablizing a tried and true institution could bring such short term fame?

Jaune didn't, but he certainly also didn't wish to languish in that glory, as unless he'd do something dope again, the selfies and meaningless praise would drip away in time. Or not, of Pyrrha tells him the truth, as she kinda knows about being famous more than him.

Jaune sighed, looking his glove over, clenching the fist tightly, watching bubbly white power condensing, warped to a puritanical perfection of pale-bright glory waiting for further management.

But all he did was interacting with the wind dust, instantly-also sorta obsessively, as he gets that way when wearing new stuff-wiping the small clump of dust bunny fur off his glove, seeing the hardly visible strings of grayish non-goodness fall to the lab-floor. A good time as any to introduce himself, since barging into the science lady's class wasn't often done, even if the reception was usually good.

"Hello?" He said, tapping a complex beat onto the nearest desk, frowning. "Professor Peach? It's me, Jaune."

...

Silence, things whirling behind the scenes, he coughed. "I wanted to thank you for...well, everything, even if Ozpin kinda money-bagged your loyalty to fund more Atlas technological robot shits."

He thought there was some rustling in the back, behind the big test tube looking thing, which could probably fit a goddamn Beowulf in all honesty. "You've kept an extra large portion of Goodwitch's wrath away from me, and even gave me that written statement at Forever Falls! Now I currently own a quickly established fishing business-thanks to the interconnected teamwork of my foreskin boys and an embittered dominatrix-and also currently hold power second to only our Headmaster! Here..."

He pulled a business card out his front pocket, grinning ear to ear at the very fact he's got that far to even say such a thing. "Look, Peach! Read what it says! We're on the market already and are profiting off a boom in salmon consumption pre-Vale Remembrance day!"

To an almost euphoric feeling of glee underneath his skin, Jaune watched the gremlin woman-curiously beady eyed-slip out from wherever the hell she came from, the Trex Pig robot beast thingy at her side, droning out some weirdly artificial song of beeps and boops. Techno disco or some shit, Jaune had no idea. Quietly, dressed in her lab coat and safety goggles, Peach grabbed the business card, shoving her face into the item's general vicinity.

"...Oh." She blinked, adjusting her goggles, a small smile on her face. "'Arc and Co's Good Fishin'?'"

"Yes ma'am." Jaune's head was held high, pearly whites shining on down to the smaller woman ogling his successful life as is. The cloak wiped back, showing his physically refiened glory to an audience of one quirky dusf-science teacher and robotically living scroll music app, inbuilt with flamethrower and inate murder-death-kill abilities. "I had a dream last semester, where I built a boating business with the boys to propagate my hope's for a better future, and you were an integral part to that, 'teach."

He patted her shoulder, rationally glossing over the way she slowly stiffened up at contact. "Plus, you gave me some good pointers on dust consumption in general, and I made sure my, uhm...designer so to speak made it work really well. So thanks," he let his arm hang, sounding a tad bit more somber, still however glancing at the Trex pig bemusedly. "Even if you allowed your robot friends to be coopted by Atleasian shills with big bucks."

Interestingly, the aforementioned technology creature thing didn't react to that, but Peach did, humming disapprovingly. "You're welcome. But do understand...Dust is all I am, really, and all I've got to offer." She glanced over to some stray crystal on her teacher's desk, and some unactivated-assumedly dust based-light bulbs. "That's why Ozpin insisted I aid in the lighting for Vale Remembrance, I believe he said-"

Jaune remembered this one, the triad of headmasters and headmistresses fondly stupid in his mind. "'Her knowledge on dust manipulation is paramount to none.' Then he spent the next five minutes drinking coffee and mumbling about celebratory responsibilities." He rubbed his chin, pondering the green eyed pretentious unhappiness of Glynda beside him before Ozpin stuck in his mind, her silent struggle to not scream agony at Ozpin solemnly telling her Jaune's to share paperwork with her. Or, more in particular, learn from her to some degree.

He's gonna enjoy that a lot. "Glynda was there too, she was angry and didn't like her assigned aiding thing."

"Oh." Professor Peach blinked, thoughtful. "What's her assignment?'

"Besides aiding the the foreskin boys?"

"That's what you call them, really?" She wasn't even mad. Only bemusedly befuddled at the title.

"Yeah. Gylnda is helping them fish with her telekinetic bullshit magic." She blinked again, Jaune grinned nicely wide. "After that, she'll be my second in command for general event management, and must obey my orders."

He leaned forward a bit, like Peach was getting clued in on incredibly important secrets, to his widening grin, the grown woman humored him, lending an open ear. "She was absolutely livid, I had to wait for the elevator to take her down first, lest she choked me out when nobodies looking."

His Dust Studies teacher chuckled, hand conservatively over her mouth, leaning back. "Yes, well..I know Gylnda is a lot to handle, and this...ah...what would be the best thing to call you, or your people?" A pause, then a good naturedly raised brow. "Besides anything to do with foreskins, you refurbished ape."

The twinkle of curiosity behind her goggled gaze shimmered with the rather uncritical critical insult, it made Jaune slowly nodded. "Good question," he licked his lips, "I uhm... don't really know, are you knowledgeable about me as a person here?"

Peach deadpanned. "Jaune, I'd like to inform you that my sponsors from Atlas's huntsman academy themselves tell me that not only have they caught wind of you, but that they also heard of you from their Headmaster. So yes, I know of you."

"As a person, though?"

She looked his suit up and down. "You're Jaune, and apparently, you've found yourself a fishing business and semi cultic grouping within Beacon. That's what Glynda fumed to me in the break-room. I'm just happy you don't interrupt my experimentation on dust, or used to."

He chuckled, yet the lack of il-will in the exasperated chatter-chatter told him he's not quite in the wrong. Her little head shake helped that idea along too. "But, at the very least, you haven't worked to dismantle my semi-joy inducing hobby, while Ozpin sits around, perhaps discussing paperwork or something of the like?"

"Mostly bills, yeah. Also potential visitors." He winced, remembering two highly interesting individuals coming on by, apparently. A Mr. Tai Yang and Mr. Branwen. Which, as Ozpin mentioned them together, Jaune feels like there's a potential struggle in the future on that. Hopefully not. "But, honestly? Even if I wanted you to stop...wait..." he licked his lips, brows furrowed. "What do you work on in the back there?"

Distantly, something steamed behind the straight faced science lady, the robotic creature's shoulder crackling with fire underneath nearby.

She blinked, coughing into a latex glove, adjusting her goggles. "Dust. Lots of dust innovation." She nodded to the Trex pig, which squealed respectively. "This prototype among us is only one of many...inventions I find soon to be helpful for general huntsman interests and Vale society!"

"Oh." He could get behind that, if the crippling terror at the rise of industry and technocratic governance didn't make him feel inclined to prepare an at least somewhat unironic crusade.

"They're also great for music playlists! As you saw when Ozpin used them while pummeling you." Peach smiled, until she mentioned the old coop, instead that airy positive became thoughtfully chilled.

Jaune capitalized on that. "Yeah, how do you feel about Ozpin?" She frowned, so he added. "Don't worry, I'm not going to use this for roping you into anything crazy. Really here only to satisfy my curiosity." He put his hands up. "Honest."

"...Well," she adjusted her goggles, frowning. "I'd first like to congratulate you on your recent promotion from falsified transcripts penned by a fraudulently youthful boy to some..." she tilted her head, oddly reaching a curious hand across his shoulder, brushing the furnished flesh covering clean of invisible dirt. "Suited marauder caped in glory. Since the time I last saw you, that Is..."

He grinned, puffing his chest out a bit, liking this newfound attentiveness from the woman, only remembering the woman that was a quiet yet oddly supportive. Now? Still supportive, though he'd almost say there's a buried intrigue there, but that's assuming too much. "I appreciate that-"

"Secondly," she drawled, trailing the dusky hand down, lips puckered like her namesake. "I have little love for our esteemed Headmaster, as coopting my creations for brutally dueling a student isnt action giving men a pass in my books...so." She flicked her peachy ponytail, staring up towards him, perceptive in ways he couldn't emulate, the watchful eye of a scientist. "If I'm to do my degree justice? I'd best be coming to conclusions based on realistic findings."

Playfully-yes, playfully, holy shit-Professor Peach tapped his body away, then leaned in, vividly curious pinks staring into befuddled ocean blues, features puckered in totality. "And realistically? Physically? You're an enigma worth more than the lacksadale attention I handed out last time we had such an...up close time together, those months ago." She's touching him again, fingering the golden buttons connecting his overcoat together gently. "You're a prodigy, profoundly so."

He's confused, but continued on. "Why's that?"

"Because," Peach dragged the digit up, digging a latex gloved finger nail into his under chin. "There shouldn't be any such thing as a first year student-with falsified transcripts, implying incompetence-doing a quarter of what you've done. I'm puzzled, yet in a way I'd classify as highly positive. Forever Falls was a worthwhile investment"

She pushed the goggles off, squinting at him. "Your grade scores in my classes are average, you don't distractedly socialize, and you have nothing but the highest proclivities of respect towards honorable authorities. Incredibly different from fools like Ozpin, who I hope you honestly subvert." The digits moved down, towards his cloak connector, her facial features inquisitively scrunched together. "But do keep Atleasian funds coming in, okay?"

"Sure, but ill have to check where they come from."

The hand rested on his collarbone, their owner sighing, teeth raking her bottom lip. "I suppose I'm trying to...express emotion, yes? Curiosity mostly, and a little bit of something...else, I'm very nervous to describe what."

Jaune paused, then contemplated the little universe around them momentarily, seeing her eyes glossing in his own, searching for answers he's quite possibly to spaced out to answer. What he could answer, however, was himself.

And seeing the light flush of slightly darker brown on her face? On a shorter-yet beneath a lab coated visage-body, filled up in all the right ways. Matured, yet moderated, definitely a bit more than Pyrrha, just a little. "Can you explain something to me, Jaune?"

"Explain what?"

"Explain how you became so...well, would it be uncouth to suggest..."-this was crazy, there's no way-"bigger than before?" She's touching him again now, a little bit more boldly, yet a queer forbidden-ness sparking within those beady eyes. "I always thought you'd do great things, like all people who've impressed me with their morality. I thrive on dreamers, Jaune, because I'm a logical being familiar only with dust consumption and its scientific effects." The Trex pig squealed offhandedly beside her, she blinked. But a wonderfully big smile puckered itself on her face. "Also technological advancement, yes."

...Ooookay, he's gonna play stupid. Or just act out the stupid in him. After all, stupid is was stupid does. "Uh-huh."

The smile stayed, so to the adoration. "And now that I'm considering a young man such as yourself? Jaune...you fascinate me, I want to study you. Switch majors and cultivate those underdeveloped skills in psychology, to deconstruct the mind of a boy turned influencer."

"Uh-huuuh."

Peach gulped, cringing to herself. "Good Monty above, I know this is so weirdly sudden of me, Jaune, but I-I guess I'm letting my buried emotions get the best of me. Academic apologizes..."

She righted herself a bit, clearing her throat. "I'm flattered you'd go out of your way to thank me for helping you, and wish to aid in whatever weird...operation you've been running? You wouldn't have all your supporters still rallied together if they wouldn't do something. Right, Jaune?"

"Uhhhh." He wheezed. "Huuuu-"

"Jaune." She sighed, twirling a finger around her pony tail endings. "You can do great things, and though I'm always preoccupied, I think I can comfortably say right now, the image-though unorthodox at first glance-that you've crafted for yourself here at Beacon absolutely assaults my rational proclivities over time, given enough emotional contemplation and moments like these. I'm awed by it all," she smiled, cheeks flushed, it looked good. "I'm awed by you, my esteemed Deputy Headmaster."

...

...

Oooooooooo, this is neat.

The waifu gauntlet hummed it's gleeful agreement, metaphysically at least. Peach's silence after that sorta carnal affection confession-straight outta left field, a suprise to be sure, but not unwelcome-gave him a conscience moment to really digest this reality presented as is.

The idea of somehow he, a simple school boy, unintentionally seduced the science teacher chick with the musical Trex pig robot-it was playing jazz right now, hella sick-over the span of several months? They've barely interacted, yet she looks down for anything.

Fuuck, what's popping? He'll have to have his boys press f in chat for him later, cuz' the estrogen inside his balls found Ozpin's last name, and were promptly suicided along with the Jebodiah Foundation emails. As the literal, honest to Monty, hierarchy of dominance he's so ooga booga'd about for the past few months, where the best end up at the top, has come full motherfuckin' circle.

Chad powers have activated, he's finna be able to acquire science MILF's bread, getting into the robot maker. But he had to test the waters. So, he gently leaned over her, humming.

She didn't step back, exhaling sharply, her breaths that followed indicative of a quickly beating heart. Next, he gently poked her shoulder, cheeky grin on his face. "You're the most irrational scientist I've ever seen, know that?"

Sputtering, yet the grown woman collected herself soon enough, turning to her robot friend while Jaune morbidly took in the fact his innate chad charisma bullshit is still working, though toning down the internal meme magic would help longterm. "Leave u-us be! Shoo!" It did, not without a saddened squeal, stomping off into the backroom with what Jaune assumed laid all the other inventions of hers. Shuddering out a breath, she stopped glaring at the robot and stared up at him, longingly.

"Sorry...I love my work, but this moment...?" She bit her lip again, hissing. "I don't know, these pleasant emotions are most probably a statistical high for my academic tenure at Beacon. I should really just study it-"

"I don't think you can study that-"

"Oh. Right, perhaps not...hah..." she flicked her ponytail again, and Jaune has to say? He's got no idea how the fuck any of this even works, but somehow he had the pleasure of watching the quiet dust scientist lady squirm around beneath him because he cock and ball'd his way up Beacon's institutional schematics.

Feels really fucking good, man. "My apologizes, it's rather hard to-"

Okay, he's gonna try something very risky now, potentially dangerous to this woman's whole career. Not actually though, since he's basically the career placeholder anyways.

If Beacon had a republican form of government, he'd be the goddamn two thirds senate in agreement. So, without hesitation, Jaune D'Arc tested the boundaries of his sudden prominence, molding a gentle kiss onto his Dust Studies Professor's plucky red lips. Feeling her jolt at the contact, before graciously melting into his white clothed arms.

Her arms remained limp at her side, yet his hands kept them close upon her covered lab coated lower back. She simply subsided complete control over this situation to him, just a pretty husk humming a nervous symphony into his probing tongue, filling it with the taste of, well, peaches. The potential hesitation on her part to really 'Ara Ara' him likely caused by whatever inner emotional struggle she definitely has going on.

So while he deepened their interaction, hoisting the grown woman onto the nearest Beacon student desk plump bottom first, grounded and muffled squeal second, Jaune had some things needing personal consideration. Pertaining directly to the collected chaos of a woman, humming her appeasement in a man likely at least a decade or two younger than her.

He really didn't do much to get here, did he? Just a curt thank you, business card showcase, outfit showcase, some smiling. Yet here he fucking is: frowning to himself in a passionate lip lock with the oddly numbed out teacher beneath him, her hands trailing up to his collarbone, not before resting around the upper suit buttons thoughtfully, almost enamoured with the fashion itself. Let alone the man shes expressing forbidden carnal desires for.

Was it his personality? Looks? Mixture of both? Maybe Oobleck wasn't all that wrong about his datability chart, if not stupidly abstract. Everything Jaune does with others-and others do with him-is relative to the things he makes others feel. That's more apparent than ever, as he's developed to the point of distantly seducing women now, the weight of his past accomplishments catapulting him here.

He pulled back, looking the woman over, watching her flushed expression desperately try and recapture itself when seeing his judging gaze upon her. Swallowing what must've been both their spittle, Peach muttered deliriously quiet up to him. "I-I hope this little situation stays between me and you, yes...?"

Her chest was thumping, erect areolas peeking through the fabric deftly, latex gloved digits over her most definitely beating heart. "Ah, the rush of something so...naughty...hah."

She flicked her hair back, but paused, frowning at him with a finger to her puckered lips. "Do not tell anyone what we've done here, okay? I'm far too pleasured right now to do dust chemistry, but I'm no less capable of telling you the ramifications of me entertaining such a man as yourself..."

Numbly, Jaune nodded, letting the confusion overtaking his immature amusement simmer on the side. He adjusted his undershirt, then would've done the same for his golden buttons, yet Peach took initiative and prodded them for him.

Staring up with muted sultry, much like Pyrrha, if not only more toothy and hawkish. "Just for today, let's have fun, yes? I've kept composure for so long, and I need a stress relief before dealing with my lovely creations once again."

Almost on cue, the Trex Pig squealed in the background, playing something much more hip-hop from its speakers. "So please entertain this troubled teacher? I'll let you out by the end of the block..."

He's practically not even a conventional student at this point, so eh, why not? It'll allow him to test some stuff out, maybe give him insist as to how his magic soul gem bullshit gauntlet worked.

Jaune D'Arc agreed, and took the initiative.

She moaned, feeling his veiny hand pressing her steadily onto the desk, as the other hand rode up underneath her lab coat and onto clean shaven dusky-brown stomach flesh. "Yes..."

Her eyes were closed, latex'd hands gripping his broad shoulders tight, scrubbed legs kicked up to her thighs, a guilty smile on her countenance. "Do enjoy me...won't you, Mister Arc...?"

Jaune blinked at the crazy science MILF, then saw the robot friend dancing around in the back, uncaring of the impending sexy times its creator was groveling for. Feeling his hand ride up all the way to enflamed-and likely dark-nipples underneath the rational exterior.

Yeah, fuck it. Literally. Extra waifu collection wouldn't hurt a bit. He'll explain it later if asked, probably.

/-/

"You're amazing, bro!" Said a random freshman boy, who just started tailing along beside Jaune while he wandered across the courtyard confidently, wind dust suit-because whatever else would he call it?-completely free of stain or clumpage. "I just wanted to say hi, and uh, mind if I take a selfie with you?"

Nobody else was around, as passing periods were just ending, and the people putting up the lights wouldn't be farting around the courtyard.

This guy? Jaune didn't know, but figured to indulge in moderation, nodding wordlessly to the happy camper, and giving the scroll a cool smile while they bodied up next to each other, a big ol' scuffed Arc grin cheek to cheek on the freshman's face.

When they finished up, the guy rushed ahead, waving back energetically. "I gotta get to class! Oobleck's really chill and let me go to the nurses office, but I told him that because one of my buddies saw you just walking around and wanted to see you." A energetic finger pointed above his head. "Hes up there!"

From the dormitory to their right, a barely distinguishable blur person holding colorful dust-LEDs waved over to them. "Professor Peach is apparently super happy today. Just told them to go help set up lights inside the dorms and stuff, wonder why?"

Jaune hummed, holding his cloak over himself, glancing off towards the now numerous blurs waving at him from the window perch. Occupied, yet still enamored. "Anyways, I have to go." Said the sophomore boy, who turned back to him one more time before running off back to Oobleck's. Both thumbs up. "Foreskin Gang forever, man! Never forget!"

He went off then, leaving Jaune to his bemusement. Might as well enjoy the weird fame while it lasts, yeah? Even at the expense of bastardizing his Foreskin Gang, sorta. Jaune couldn handle it.

At the very least, he had his gauntlet, watching it quietly manifest itself once again, thoughtfully frowning. An extra soul gem added to the collection, lightly peachy orange, warping a somewhat brighter glow then Velvet's, yet nowhere near the blinding luster within Ruby and Pyrrha's.

Casual sex apparently gets it's closeness measured by his semblance too. The brighter the glow, the greater the lovey dovey stuff. Actual love bound inclinations, not carnal affection from science MILFs

Whatever the case, he's got a new power up to contemplate or practice later. Morality is a fickle thing.

/-/

Oobleck closed his book, the lunch bell's tillage marked the classes end, Jaune saw a bulky portion of then immediately shuffling to the door, though like usual, his group of companions stayed seated.

Yet the thoughts crossed his mind: due to agency, or to Jaune himself casually laying back, one hand on his cheek, the other diddling random nothingness on Pyrrha's scrap paper, while the mentioned redhead and Ruby amusedly watched. "Ah! Saved by the bell..."

Jaune saw Cardin go to leave, but one poignant stare was enough for the foreskin comrade to slink off from exit, sitting down again, orbiting his broader group of compatriots while they quietly mumbled amongst themselves.

Oobleck himself took a seat at his desk, dashing smile on his face, while Jaune took stupid enjoyment at Ruby exicatbly scribbling onto the paper as well. Cowboy hat placed tenderly to the side. "Jaune? Or, should I say...Deputy Headmaster?"

A snort was the renewed history Teacher's response. "Yes, Oobleck?"

Pyrrha was casually stroking his length hair locks now, mumbling over their unhinged nature. "You need a haircut..." out the corner of his eye, Jaune also saw Blake greedily getting a look at the interaction, definitely less conflicted than usual, but still very sneaky. "What do you think, Ruby? What's the best haircut for him..."

Yang could be seen quietly groaning to herself, as Ruby perked up immediately at the question, choosing to herself groom Jaune like an affectionate chimpanzee shamelessly, smothering Jaune as Pyrrha was, all while the young man tried to keep straight faced conversation with an equally-albeit somewhat bemused-straight faced history teacher sipping some liquidy goodness from his personal mug.

Jaune could swear Ren's quiet chuckles graced his ears, but that could be Ruby' upper chest chafing against his shoulder, as she adamantly scuffed her lover's blonde locks further. "Do take me seriously, 'teach?"

Weiss joined in on the 'be grumpy with Yang' party, shaking her head indignantly at Pyrrha swatting Ruby's hands away briefly, grabbing a hold of Jaune's stationary visage in order to look for any abnormalities. "I'm surrounded by fools..."

Oobleck must've found this raggedy lot of crazy girls-and some boys, deadpanning Cardin and patiently entertained Ren included-quite amusing, as he chuckled into his next sip. "That's entirely possible, Miss Schnee, but you and the rest of your companions are still staying around, despite lunch just starting?"

Blake spoke up then, sighing grumpily, not even bothering to raise her hand up or anything pertaining to the usual proper etiquette. An evolution from the girl who he debated racial equality with last semester, though it's possible she only doesn't do so since class ended. "Thanks to our foreskin leader being popular, getting non-swarmed at lunch has been a hassle the last few days."

Weiss, Yang, a once quietly humming to herself Nora, and occupied Pyrha all mumbled their agreement to that. "I'd rather get our lunch trays and hide here, or just wait to buy things to eat later."

"Preach it, Blakey." Yang wrapped an arm around her shoulder, lightly grinning. To Jaune's surprise, Blake didn't tightened up as much, only looking surprised at the contact. Negative or not? He couldn't say. "We're gonna need to wait a bit before becoming regular people again, as I think it's been like three times this week that someone has asked me about our naked cowboy foreskin gang leader."

Weiss quietly squawked along, Ruby giggled from practically atop his shoulders. "Yeah! His super sexy walk-around-school-without-clothing stunt practially exploded his Remnantgramm popularity! I checked!"

"Can confirm," helpfully noted Nora, squishing her cheeks against palms wrapped under her jawline. "I tagged his hashtag in a team photo of us, even one without him, and got loads of extra internet points for it! He's a local celebrity! Like Pyrrha!"

Pyrrha hissed disapprovingly, not even bothering to look her bubbly provacetuer, focused intently on the tiny splint in his-ow, fuck. She roughly untangled some loose locks, muttered maternalisticslly unhappy critiques into his ear while comfortingly stroking his hair straight.

Beating him in equal amounts to loving him. Jaune wanted to laugh at his self-destructive choice in women, but felt Ruby's soothing loli chest smush against his cheek, chilling out almost immediately.

Ruby herself practically rode him like the cowgirl she was, whispering her own critical analysis at Pyrrha, about Pyrrha. They then began a whisper war nobody heard-besides Jaune of course-yet fully understood on an almost spiritual level.

Blake meowed confliction, Yang frowned goofily, Weiss glared at Nora, who stared back in challenge, and Ren-as he was a top lad-calmy stole the harem groupies paper doodling within the girl's hardly audible chaos, looking the manufactured product over with a silent smile.

These were his friends, his companions on a peer-wise basis. Jaune could only smile, loving the people he's somehow stuck himself with, as two of this amazing group stuck themselves to him. Smothering their lover's face and chest with probing hands and flirty pokes, not caring a lick about Oobleck's uncertain gaze from behind his non-smug coffee mug, or thermos.

Wonder if he's even drinking coffee? "Well, I'd love to wait for my Deputy Headmaster's comradery to waver," Oobleck put the drink down, tapping his desk rapidly, a brow raised. "But there's matters of relative importance worth discussion. Perhaps the popularity related struggled wouldn't apply so harshly if you are without the star to your eight-man show."

Their history teacher paused, looking over the quietly somber neutered bully boy Jaune essentially colonized. "Or twelve, or fourteen, or...hmm...nevermind!" He shook his head, fingers lightning bolts on a wooden teacher's desk. "Irrelevant, most certainly! What I'm trying to tell you, Jaune and company, is that-"

"You wanna talk, and have..." Jaune turned around, gently pushing his practical loli body pillow back in her seat, much to the waifu's highly mature dissatisfactory grunbkrd. He pointed a middle n' pointer finger at them, channeling his belated father's supposed drawl. "Y'all get yourselves some lunch without me. That right?"

"Indeed!-"

"Then I'm in," Jaune heard his girls-Ruby and Pyrrha moslty-protest that loudly, with Blake hissing unhappily in the back. Undeterred, he addressed them firmly. "Nope, c'mon everyone, I'll meet up with you soon enough, theres abosolutely no need for hesitation. Matter of fact..."

He looked Weiss over, who meet his gaze relatively evenly, though a hidden stress underlined the eye contact. The remnants of her poor reaction to needing rebuking, most likely, still bringing an unneeded hesitation to their casual talking time's table. Jaune couldn't get to know someone if she didn't even trust the notion of their cooperation. "Weiss?"

She sighed, frowning. If it'd of been him last semester, he'd assume the open negativity meant uncaring malevolence against him because Snow Angel wasn't holy at heart. Now? She's just a prideful snowflake who needs certain enthusiasms curbed, and eventually, like with Ruby, he's hoping to formulate a connection somehow. "Yes...?"

Jaune gently wrapped a hand around Ruby's, getting the girl to softly smile. "You've always been oddly supportive of my relationships with Ruby, and the concept of hesitation just made me realize something."

"That being?"

"You shouldn't hesitate when unnecessary, so I'll tell ya this: thank you for the heads up-in this class, mind you-that Ruby wanted to screw my pooch positively." The cookie loli giggled, Pyrrha hummed, Weiss scrunched her face in further. "So how about we plan to discuss your current, uh, hesitation yourself, Weiss. After y'all go to get something good to eat."

Horrible timing to plan conversations, Jaune knows. Hopefully he doesn't make last minute interactions with baffled pretty girls a stable of his next three years at Beacon.

The Schnee's eyes looked off, puffing out an unhappy breath, yet not perturbed like the expression beforehand. He's got her considering stuff. "I...suppose I'm okay with that, you have been rather..."

She looked at Yang, who shrugged back. "Cordial with our interacts lately," never mind the fact they've yet to talk one on one absent any of their other comrades. "So yes, I'm willing to discuss things with you."

The pride leaked in a bit, non-confrontationally puffing her cheeks out this time, a coping mechanism? "Not these supposed struggled with myself you think I harbor, I'm a highly complete woman." Oh, she opened her eyes, staring down the cookie loli dumbly staring back. "Surely, my partner can attest? Xiao Long too?"

Yang wrapped an arm around her shoulder then, while Ruby gave a quirky thumbs up. "Yeah, let's go with that, Weissy."

The heiress squawked, yet Yang cared very little, yawning into the face of tiny cold fury, and addressing their vacated room with a mellowed version of her usual charisma. "Aight, everyone! I say we head out! I'm not interested in watching Rubes manhandle for the next thirty minutes." That got the bulk of Team RWBY in agreement, while Nora and Pyrrha-Ruby cheekily included too-watched on amusedly. "Whose with me?"

A good portion, apparently. Which became the entirety of the room. In their lacking awareness, none of the fleeing girls looked back to steal Pyr and Rubes along with them. Jaune sat back in his chair, already hearing the bickering going on outside the classroom doors. Contemplating the ups and downs of storing back in to reclaim the stubborn waifus, surely spearheaded by one fellow blonde-

"Jaune?"

"Mhm?" He looked at his sides, finding both redheads staring back, one beaming ear to ear, another warmly moderated. "You guys going along with them? I'm thinking that Oobleck's private time has some important Beacon Deputy Headmaster stuff to relate to, which is probably the super unfun politics. And I know..."

He tugged Ruby's cowgirl hat down, amused at her little pouty groan. "That y'all aren't political animals, or even really political. Besides personal biases of course-"

Pyrrha simply shushed him, collecting her notebooks sprayed about Jaune's desk section. She leaned In close, fondness twinkling within cooled emeralds. "Just give kisses, Jaune. We'll see you soon."

A gonace over showed Ruby in adamant agreement, so he did just that. Two fleshy lip pecks-and giggly waifus-later, his Pretty Cowgirl closed the door for an Invincible Girl, leaving three remaining schmoozers to congregate under a silent sound.

Left to fester among them by the echoing snap-shutting door lock sealing Oobleck's class from conceptual society. Jaune knew this feeling well, as people shouted and bantered muffledly outside this cage haven.

Once he thought the script was removed when stepping into silent atmospheric non-social interaction, that he escaped the simulation for the briefest of moments and achieved true enlightenment by being an introverted shitlord.

Now? Watching Cardin quietly fail to meet his gaze head on at extended intervals, Oobleck content to sip extra-rationally concluded in Jaune's spaced out mind to be-caffeinated goodness. A new reailty presented itself to one empowered Jaune D'Arc, some musing born nuance.

He's not escaping society bu sitting here and talking to the movers of it, he's simply invoking the script of his existence in with unconventional flesh people, which anybody could do. Nobody's incompetence is sacred after all, quite the opposite. So Jaune took a thoughtful moment to reflect on the things he's done, the women he's interacted and slept with.

But on second thought, there wasn't much material to work with, so Jaune started conversation with the only other peer in the room.

"Hey," he said, detailing Cardin's mopey expression onto his mind's hard drive of first concerns before discussing major matters. "How's the gang doing? Been awhile since I've joined a fishing expedition with everyone, my current...uh...occupation hasn't given ample time to join in on stuff, ya know?" Post becoming Deputy Headmaster, that was. A few days then, but the at of place sadness coming from a usually chilled reformed bully concerned Jaune greatly.

Cardin rose his head, face scrunched in thoughtful consideration. "Yeah, we've been chugging along pretty well." A scoff, almost condescending. "Nothing Ren wouldn't tell you. Glynda has helped us a metric fuckton with fishing in large bulks, already we've got at least a couple hundred pulled from the lake and onto the general Valen market this week. That's the kinda work we usually do in two, or over even a month!"

Jaune liked that, he can even imagine the salty sea's oceanic airs kissing his cheeks, the labors of fishing soon to be paid off, and bringing him one step closer to finalizing treasured dreams. "Very good, man. Was it the telekinesis?"

"Yep."

"Figures." Jaune mused, but reminded more focused then ever, seeing the uncertainty sparkling within those dull orbs of his Foreskin Comrade. Jaune leaned forward, practicing his decent Ozpin stare-through-your-soul gaze, watching Cardin watch him suspiciously. "But really, Cardin, what're things like for you? Because as your figurehead dude, I'm needing to correct behavior I find destructive."

Oh, that hit a sore spot, Cardin tch'd. "Yeah, well, just ask your second in command then. I'm not the guy you'd get answers from, or even tell anything to."

Ah, right there, Jaune snapped shifted his gaze into Cardin's bitterness, knowing then the answer. "What's even going on, anyways?" Cardin's cheeks were rosey red with indignant strife, accusingly him, yet judging all at the same time. "Why ask me about anything?"

The soreness of his past bully's loss at forever falls still irked the boy's mind. That imbalance of hormonal stability causes moments of anger like these, where Cardin flounders for the truth incidentally.

Jaune egged him on a bit. "I'm wondering about you in particular, and why my follower is stubbornly unhappy with our current situation so soon, practically coming outta the lake waters I send y'all fishing at."

A groan, Cardin's anger was sizzling, just begging to burst from underneath. "It's just...what's even my point, our point? Everything feels like a inconsequential footstep to your eventual rise to power and nothing else. What's the pursuit of Beacon's educational offices got fuckall to do with finding ourselves and the people who stole our foreskins?"

"...hmm." Those cheeks were practically flushed tomatoes. "I'd argue there's a lot of things that relates to, long term. But Cardin..."

He pointed, frowning at the conflicted follower. Chad powers mustn't be only used to fuck bitches, after all, "You're not satisfied with things, man. Yet most are, so I need you to either get your act together, and trust me on the obvious power I've garnered for us, or..."

He stood up, strutting up to the uncertainty stricken boy at his acquired desk, cloak flicked back and fancy smancy white suit shining in its full glory. "You'd best tell me the issue so I can fix it. Because I'm sure as hell not leaving you be. There's an anger there that'll fuck us all over if I let you stew on it."

Cardin's next ranting parade wasn't as angry, the opposing presence of his Foreskin Leader nullifying the dissatisfaction's blatant manifestation. "I...I don't fucking know. I just feels like we're being used for someone else's ultimate game, and I don't like it." His comrade meet his eyes, probing, yet not overtly hostile. "Could you reaffirm what our point even is? I'd like to understand, Jauney-boy...ignorance isn't bliss."

Oobleck caught Jaune's gaze, theatrically shooed the young man onwards, who himself nodded at the saddened Winchester hunched over his desk before him.

An ungloved hand found itself in Cardin's peripheral, Jaune smiled onto the baffled look his hand got for it. "All is according to plan, my guy. Power will get us free range to build ourselves an influence in the hearts and minds of the people. My victory will be your victory, and we will profit from the margins that widen ever so slowly. Building rapport, constructing dominance, the whole uncovered shebang."

There was budding mysticism there, chad powers fully blooming their effects onto the directionless non-bully right now. Jaune bubbled some Aura onto his hand for extra affect, taking Cardin's full attention. "So, don't worry about your individual insignificance, because I'll always worked towards that which I find good. You'll be safe and secure with adequate comforts too."

"...And that 'good' is?" The uncertainty was going away again, geniuine curiosity taking its place, the hopefulness of a lost young man looking for meaning, just as Jaune is. Or was, depending on what constitutes as wisdom these days.

"Ah, besides the hopeful look you're giving me?" He grinned. "The unity of Beacon against the Grimm threat, our pursuit of wealth and power, and the ever growing strength of our business. So! What say you to that? To our further progress?"

...

...

Cardin sighed, and grabbed that hand tight, Oobleck was smiling in the back. "Yeah, sure bro, I'm starting to get it now. You wanna join us for fishing soon?"

Jaune smiled, giving a healthy thumbs up. "Yeah, I'll see y'all tonight, if not tomorrow morning."

Quietly, after that, Cardin nodded, excusing himself from their presence, taking his work stuff and stumbling on out the door in a semi hurry. Leaving the two-technically speaking-Beacon staff members to silent company. Oobleck clinked his thermos back down, joining Jaune at the half way point, strutting over to the suited Depty Headmaster with a calmer waltz. Speed wasn't the key, it seemed.

A few feet away from each other, his history teacher stopped, looking his student over. Glasses pressed gently in, dashing smile hinted with the faintest traces of-dare Jaune even consider-paternal glee.

They've known each other personally very little, that was true, but somehow...Jaune felt a common connection with this usually jolted up historian, maybe it was the fact that deep in his memories, it was this guy that gave him some advice while he struggled by wheel-chaired life, a small reprieve in between wandering in the forest and angsting over girl struggles. But Jaune couldn't say for certain, the only thing he knew right now? Was that weird swell of pride he saw behind those covered orbs of Oobleck's.

A thermos was sheathed onto the man's side, and he tilted his head at Jaune, hand on his chin mockingly thoughtful. "I must say, if Glynda told me you, Jaune, were the boy befitting the highest punishments Ozpin so uncaringly bestowed onto you, I'd call her bluff immediately. At least on first sight, not many delinquents casually dress for success..."

Jaune grinned, crossing his arms, feeling the cloak unwind a bit. "Oh yeah?"

"Indeed," Oobleck cracked his own little grin, twiddling boney fingers excitedly. "You've changed dramatically, I don't even think you need my personal past time charts for further aid anymore, as those...hah, interactions with your recent peers would suggest. I'd love to claim it's from an in-depth understanding of my Personality subcategory."

Funny, he snorted at the undeservedly amusing thought, flicking his lengthy hair back, finally seem some merits in his girls' fussy behavior, besides being really fucking cute. "Wow, teach, glad you're truly acknowledging my scientifically inclined superiority on all things social." He pounded his chest, ungloved hand first, that'll be his sign of valuing people now, Jaune thinks. "Really gets the testosterone levels up, ya know?"

Ah, some cheekiness came onto those features now. "Not to say you're cut from a perfect clothe, I just can't see myself sitting you down as a lost boy without the ability to use his legs. You're even taller now! You see that?"

"Yet not Cardin?"

"There's a reason why I stayed silent, Jaune." A light chuckle, fingers tapping a sleek thermos. "I have a knack for spotting proper moments to interfere with the lives of capable children, and interestingly? I think you're about to handle yourself well enough

Oobleck smugly walked close, patting Jaune's shoulder nice and firm. "At least an inch or two more, I'd beat Vale's sovereignty on it." Yeah, there was definitely pride there, and Jaune couldn't help but feel himself rejoice in it slightly.

This man was a supporting pillar of the most unspoken kind, it took several near death experiences and violent pummeling to truly grasp that now. "You've certainly changed your mind, body, and spirit! All on your own! You've even secured yourself a place within Beacon more so then academic successes! Outstanding work, Arc!"

He blinked, then looked the man over, noticing at least a three inch height difference, as Oobleck was fucking tall. It took nearly two months but Jaune only now realized that, and smiled. "Thanks, Oobleck."

Many things, Jaune knows, are done on impulse. Fighting, planning, adapting to change, all of their Grimm-bound livelihood revolves around coming up with things on the fly, good or bad.

He's done quite a lot of that, especially at the docks when fighting Torchwrick. But here? As he rationally interprets his historian ally-whose a full supporter of him in ways Ozpin barely could be compared-wholeheartedly compliment his progress? Jaune D'Arc acted on impulsivity, a good one in his opinion.

He embraced his teacher, pulling the shocked man in tight, patting the man's dress shirt tight. "Just...thanks for the support, man. I appreciate it greatly."

A moment passed, before the man's pleasantly supreme cackles reached his ear, lanky arms glad-fully patting the caped back. An utmost showcasing of masculine comfort one friend to the next, Jaune would say.

Though he's never really claimed-or should claim-to know what masculinity even is in practice, the idea that two bros can respectfully hug it out like this? Jaune thought it good, so he patted the lanky tree bodied man's upper back some more, enjoying the moment.

Oobleck soon enough pulled him back, hands tightly on his shoulders, not really even having to look down onto him anymore. A six foot seven tree beast of a lanky man being damn near as tall as him said a lot to Jaune, mostly metaphysical and pertaining to making him feel better about himself. This day has simply been the biggest white pill he's ever had. Chad confidence for the fuckin' win.

There was a sigh, Oobleck's trademarked dashing smile stretched across face. "Be proud, Arc, I know I certainly am."

He smiled, moments like these made Jaune oddly at peace, much more...mentally then if he'd simply experience an orgasm or something material of the kind, Ozpin's sadness and incompetence dulled it, but interacting so warmly with a cool dude like his history teacher felt almost paternal.

If he's honest with himself. Jaune could possibly consider if having a father would be like this in anyway. Absent all the midday caffeine and messy green hair, or eccentric super speed. Whoever Joseph D'Arc was, he most definitely didn't have half those traits, probably.

Oobleck patted his suited shoulders lightly, slinking off towards his desk, coughing away the remaining tenderness. "So! I've got some things to brief you on, that I'd rather you tell to Ozpin for me. Understood, Deputy?"

He blinked, then groaned into his gloved hand. "Ugh, that's the nickname?-"

"That's the nickname, like it? Too bad, I like your angst about it!" Oobleck flashed his teeth, then picked up his pen, fluttering it around his boney grip. "Now, do stay perceptive, as I'm about to tell you the tale of me several days ago when I spoke with a councilman's daughter and captured two assassins hellbent on murdering a highly informed ex-white fang operative for the federal government!"

He blinked, again. "And also yes, those Councilman are considering an audience with one Jaune Arc, preferably on their territory, as Ozpin's current status with them is very on the negative end of things!"

Possibilities hit his mind, yet equally went out the window. The High Council is the federal body of governing things, if he's not mistaken, and they'll be requiring some dependence on broader Vale...Jaune frowned. "Politics, then?"

"Yes, absolutely!"

"Well." He groaned, coping with his tiresome fate, as these politics weren't the kind involving highly provocative debate and more stuffy kissassery. But as he's not the highest on the hierarchy around Beacon quite yet..."Explain yourself, teach. We're gonna need a game plan."

No doubts appeared, yet Oobleck found it proper to raise a curious brow onto his student, pointing that gold tinged pen Jaune's way provocatively. "What's it for, truly? I'm not doubtful as Mister Winchester was, but I'd like to know what you're planning to politically empower yourself with. I've set us on a good path, but as I'm a fan of initiative..."

He rapped the pen against the desk. "We've need of proper discussion, no? Debates are over, and power is in the air. Quite literally, Ozpin is very much so situated above us."

Cracking his knuckles, Jaune grabbed a seat real quick, licking his cracked lips over and collecting stray thoughts together. As cohesive as possible. "Well, here's what I think..."

/-/

Fishing went well today, even if Glynda grumpily trumpeted in front of them.

The boys were quiet, Dive and Sky's asinine banter the only constant stimulation they've received for the last dozen minutes. Jaune's grown pretty fond of little annoyances as such, people genuinely making a scene around them are rarities. What's different, too, is that the snarky boys weren't violent superwomen with a pension for constant internal conflict nearly reaching to blows in its intensities.

That said? Jaune could empathize with Ren sighing unhappily besides him, the second in command Foreskin boy has often watched over those two particularly close, and knows their fascination with women and outdated usage of memes more then anyone. The rest of them either occasionally snap their own retorts at the two, like a grumpy Cardin, or bubbly Sun. If not that, then they simply ignore everything.

Glynda did that too, but as he's told her 'you can't punish my boys for saying naughty words' she's taken the small minuscule route of free will the neutered teacher still harbored and is somewhat leading their charge down Beacon's courtyard. Two stacked buckets of freshly caught fishies nearly squirming out her storage. He'd tell her about that, but the last time he offered advice, she flubbed her telekinesis bullshit and whacked him with an innocent catch, solely out of spite.

As they reached the courtyard's statue, Jaune turned onto his people, even while Glynda trudged on ahead, most likely so she can drop off the daily catch to their cafeteria workers. "Alrighty boys, we've done some good shit today."

He pointed to their buckets, which they've all filled up to the brim, only one each though. "Our quota has just about been meet, and our independence has already secured itself beforehand. Now? We wait until Vale Remembrance ends."

Cardin perked up then, not too surprisingly. Well, not for Jaune, but for an intrigued Sun? Most definitely. "What's to be done after Vale Remembrance?"

"Good question," Jaune rubbed his hands together, raking a determined gaze onto all his immediate followers, grinning ear to ear. "We're gonna integrates ourselves with Vale's sea society, basically, and hire young huntsman in training to part-time guard shipping trade coming in and out of port!"

The business card was on him still, and he-wearing is fishing gear, but still having pockets-pulled it out for them. "The 'good fishin'' portion of our name is doubling for fish and protection of fishing n' stuff. Aren't I clever?"

The general response was lukewarm-even from Dove, whose shrugged-so Jaune rolled his eyes. "Oh, whatever!" He glanced back, seeing Glynda nearly done power walking to the cafeteria in the distance, pointing her out to the rest of them.

It's getting very dark, and if Jaune squint hard enough, the midnight moon would have been fully eclipsing the orangey sunlight bleeding in soon enough. "Here, go follow Mis Goodbitch to our destination," he placed his bucket on the floor, "and one of y'all take my bucket with you, I've got some personal business to take care of..."

Jaune would've let them go then, content with Ren's ability to take command in his absence, but after Sun grabbed his bucket nice and quick, there was a cheeky question on his tongue, and out his mouth. "Does it have anything to do with the bunny girl?" Shit, the others were staring now, the humor even reaching skittish Neptune's eyes. "You've been talking about her recently, or her team at least."

He felt Ren's hand in his shoulder, a patiently knowing smile gifted onto him, over the din of foolish Foreskin boys 'oooh'ing in amused delight. "I'll take these men from here."

Ah, relief, Jaune smiled. "Thanks-"

"But," Ren insisted, pointer finger raised bemusedly. "You were very interested in a scroll conversation earlier, so distractedly, that I snuck a decent look at your messages."

Fuck, they're even louder now, Sun literally hanging off a stupidly grinning Russel. Dove encouragingly proclaiming the necessity of getting this bread. "Ren." He hissed, grimacing the deep betrayal he's feeling at his once most trusted comrade. "You can't be doing this-"

Too late now, Ren shrugged, Sky wandered over and pat his back sympathetically, whilst the rest of the foreskin boys devolved into the legitimacy of Faunus girlfriends, which was spearheaded by Cardin and Sun's randomly intense debate.

Jaune frowned, then shook his head. "Whatever, you just keep these bastards"-as he says this, Cardin was already bringing up statistics, Russel was cackling like mad-"in a somewhat non rowdy state, yeah? They've always been good, but I'd rather not get noise complaints about the budding race war a bloomin' over here."

Almost like a confirmation of that, Sun was glaring disapprovingly at Cardin, not hostile per say, but certainly untrusting of what's being put down. "How'd you even come up with the thirteen percent commit fifty percent shit? I need some sources-"

Yeah, Jaune's not sticking around to see the results of Cardin's heavy handed grin. He looked to his immediate comrades, then walked off, waving. "I'm out, you guys take care," they waved back, and Jaune had an epiphany, shouting back from a few-almost a dozen-feet away. "Also, don't let them discuss Mantlean shilling! Ozpin might hear y'all and shut us down."

Ren hollered a 'duly noted' back, and Jaune watched him walk over to the group...discussion...probingly, Sky at his side. Secured with their cooperation, he left his Foreskin boys to their politicking amongst themselves, and focused on the more immediately important things.

Like Velvet, and her insistence they hang out for a bit tonight. DMing wasn't the best skill he had, but their back and forth has bore some good friendship fruit. Which-Jaune mentally groans-wasn't all that wrong for his boys to lambast him for, as they're kinda right. It's a long time a' comin', but he's gonna try to actually try to relationship women, not simply let close friends orbit into him.

Well, whatever! Jaune D'Arc wandered off to the dormitories, head held high, and fishing rod higher, feeling the inner chad confidence bubbling beneath. Not literal...mostly. If the Waifu Gauntlet didn't count.

/-/

He's had the gold-lined white discount Ozpin suit for no less then a week, yet it's provided enjoyment meets no bounds. Already, two students who've stopped him on his way to Velvet's dorm room have commented on the quality garb. It felt good, he smiled a lot too. Eventually, as night time isn't a haven for activity, Jaune managed to wander past the tired stragglers here and here, remembering Velvet's place by memory.

Ocean blue cloaked around him, and he took a childish moment just admiring the fine quality, how it practically obscured him from all conventual sight, dark blue nearly translucent under the moonlight almost fully arriving.

The shopping adventures-though simplistic in the interaction he had with Velvet, or really most of them-paid off very nicely. It's time he gave back to his friends, now. By that he means somewhat ironically assert dominance and chill around. All Jaune's got really.

Two knocks, hefty and tempered, Jaune made sure they weren't rationally discounted, neither ignored. A solid dozen few seconds past by before some hectic hollering muffled itself past the door, and into their Deputy Headmaster's lukewarm eardrums.

He nodded to himself, bleated smile on his face reflecting the incoming embarrassment he's about to feel smother his soul for meeting these guys again at such a poor time. Nit like they're bad people, per say, but he's only interacted with them like twice, and half of those times were in a group, two or less but still-

An abrupt clinking and shifting behind the wooden barrier marked an answer to Jaune's knock, and without any hesitation, the door zoomed half-way open from the inside.

Familiar brown-to-pale-brown bangs entered the scene, peaking through the door and drawing down. Coco was here, and she squinted at him, without glasses and any head coverings whatsoever. "Ah, you're here."

"I am."

She snorted at the frankness, the darkly lit room behind her showcasing nothing in particular. He saw Velvet peaking on from the back, and what he'd assumed to be Yatsuhashi and Fox hampered on down in their own bed-stuffs, a really nice holoscreen tv blaring it's infomercials from center stage. "Bun-Bun told me you'd drop by announced sometime tonight, good thing that sometimes now, where you didn't interrupt my beauty sleep anymore so then those lugs back there," she glanced back, lazily grinning. "Yats has issues sleeping in the dark, and Fox just likes the stimulation."

For her troubles, Fox muttered a sassy 'Mhm' from the comforts of a pale pillow, while the bigger man laying back was seemingly fast asleep, snoring away the daily stresses. Velvet came on closer, staring tender chocolate orbs at the probing Arc glancing above Coco's draping locks. "Ah, I do wish to say, Jaune..."

Coco looked him over, fixing his collar up nice and spiffy, humming to herself, satisfaction bleeding off. "I've done fantastically well on this piece, haven't I? You look positively bastardly, have you gotten any complaints for it yet?"

Heh, he grinned, looking both brown haired beauties over this time. "Plenty, actually. People love taking pictures with their justly appointed Deputy Headmaster, something to do with foreskins and the like."

Velvet giggled, burying the humor into Coco's shoulder, who herself gave him a curious look. "Among other things, though." He flicked his hair, it nearly graced the shoulder blades. "A shame we didn't do any hair care, I'd have loved to please Rubes and Pyr earlier, because this mess? Not desired, apparently."

Velvet beamed, head sheepishly chin first on Coco's shoulder, wearing a baggy sweater shirt and carrot themed pajama pants. "I like it quite a lot, Jaune. Makes you appear very rough, in a good way!"

"Hah," Coco patted her, and Jaune halfway wanted to contribute physical touches too. "I'd tentatively agree on that, but I'd agree more on you two hurrying up with this little rendezvous and getting some sleep."

There was a seriousness there, testing dark orbs with the potential for punishment, Jaune could feel it. "I'm an overprotective person by heart, and though you've proven yourself quite reserved, I'd hope you return her by the next hour or two. She's spent a hard days work putting some extra Vale Remembrance lights up, if you haven't noticed."

He did now, glancing back out to the hallway outside, seeing tangle-some light bulbs spayed out and about, probably filled with dust stuff.

A chill went through him at that, a reminder of the grown woman he casually slept with not even fourteen hours prior. It quieted him down ever more so, as he furrowed conflicted brows and frowned. "Yeah, I have now..."

Quiet. Until Velvet gave Coco a little hug, exiting the doorway with an interesting little shuffle. She turned back, giving her teammate a beaming smile, different from the pearly white idealism Ruby often has, a more earnest expression. "I'm okay, Coco. Go get some sleep, you shouldn't have to worry about Jaune, he's our true Headmaster, don't you remember?"

Coco blinked, rubbing her eyes with tightened fists. "...Yeah," she grumbled, but smiled, grabbing a hold of the door, oddly somber. "I know, Bun-Bun, but take care of yourself anyways, both of you..."

She said that with intense foreboding, Jaune could only afford her his best dissuading smile. He'd use these kinda facial movement stuffs when politicking the weeks prior, it must've hit something decent, as Coco immediately nodding at the look, steadily closing herself off from the pair. Before Velvet could so much as sputter wisps of her response to the somber fashionista, the door clicked in place, leaving them to the silence.

"...Oh, I wouldn't worry." She mumbled, brushing a hand onto the extra locks of brown mane cascading down her front, smiling mutely. "She's really supportive of me talking to you, which might not necessarily be apparent."

Those orbs centered themselves into him again, positively probing. "When I told her that you'd be coming by, she didn't even tighten up or anything major, she just said 'oh' and stood around dumbly." She's giggling again, it sounded like her namesake. "Later on, she even commented about your performance at the debates and beyond."

Jaune hummed, gently shuffling his feet a bit. "The...You mean while we shopped for huntsmen clothing?"

"Yes! You were very quiet, like right now..." she leaned forward in place, bunny ears dropped forwards slightly. "The only things out your mouth and probably in your mind were 'Ozpin clothes' and big cloaks, which Coco definitely didn't disappoint on! She's really good with fashion. And..."

Velvet fiddled with an ear lightly, only with a dainty digit, somewhat Ruby's size, yet more accurately Pyrrha's length. "I thought that you did wonderful debating, and the fact you held your own against Ozpin? Badass, you really make that outfit work!"

Much like Coco, Velvet spruced up his collar, only diverging from the fashionista by prodding instead the golden chain connection the cloak gave around him. "You're like a Wizard, or shadow man, or some neat fantasy character that's surprisingly tough!"

Humored, he caught the hands fidgeting with him, putting the offending touchy touch digits to the now embarrassed Velveteen rabbit's sides. "I'm surprisingly tough?"

"W-Well, when you say it like that," Velvet smiled nervously. "It's kinda bad sounding, but no! I don't think it's a surprise that you're strong, not anymore..."

He rose a brow at that, for the sake of his boundless curiosity if nothing else. Velvet sighed excess stress away, fiddling with her hands clumped together. "I still remember the first time I met you-"

He put an unloved hand up, gesturing down the hall. It peaked out his cloak, another little chad moment in the making, attempt numero...two...? Peach shouldn't count, and Weiss got kinda spooked. He's a persistent bastard though, even if personal dissatisfaction with himself was his biggest-

Ah, that sounded very familiar, fuck.

Jaune frowned, echoes of skeletal condemnation for excess wee-wee use in his mind. "Let's walk and talk. We're not going to go far, if you'd worry about that. A Jaunty Jaunt, yeah?" She raised a suspicious brow at the naming convention, he gave a broad smile, pushing away the stupid mind games for now.

"I'm serious, Velvet. Let's just have some fun, tell me all about yourself." Jaune leaned in, conveying some of that personal grief into persuasion power, grinning an Arc grin wealthier than his cloak's golden chains. "And how you view me." Confrontational approaches might work here, or not, he's trying new stuff.

She flushed a bit, staring at the ground for dominance, tiny little smile paradoxically on her face. "Can I first talk about you, Mister Headmaster? "

Something told him there was a hidden sarcasm there, or an intimidation she's expressing, no idea why though. He's a simple guy, much different to her: what kind of girl smiles just as they get embarrassed? Is she embarrassed? Is he stupid for thinking about these newfound complexities of talking to flesh people?

Probably, so he'll have to man up. Weiss wasn't much different. Peach literally came onto him too. Twice.

"Yes," he stoically gestured forward, already taking a few steps off towards the windowsill at the hallway's end. He really enjoyed windows, especially when moonlight traced down and he's in general proximity to a companion. He'd exclusively say feminine companion, but in theory he'd just like to be there with friends that matter. In practice? He's mostly with women at night, only two really, but still. "Absolutely."

Velvet nodded, meeting him side to side, head self consciously lowered downwards, eyeballing the fine red carpet marking the hallways dully.

They settled into a good pace, not-funny enough in his mind-overtly turtleish, yet not like her species's sake would suggest. They were calm, quietly happy campers with entirely scuffed looks in comparison. Pajamas compared to wizard cloak often does that.

After a few seconds of silent wandering, Velvet gathered her flushed self up, and cleared her throat. "As I was saying...when I first met you, I was really intrigued by your weirdness. The whole, heh, Foreskin stuff wasn't something I've ever heard before."

She's holding in some chuckles now, face scrunched up in humored thoughtfulness, fair flesh looking really good under the dim lighting. Despite the sudden haha at his circumcision's expense. "You also decided to help me, which was really intriguing, because most people simply don't care about a girl like me, or what I feel."

He's got several ideas on the meaning behind that, but for conversations sake, he stayed his course. A quiet knight: respecting women one troubled queen at a time by shutting up, and listening to them talk about him. He'd have almost chuckled too. "Whatcha mean by that?"

Velvet gave him a fruity look, brushing stray locks back. "Huh?"

Oh, this'll be new. Jaune furrowed his brows, bullshittery powers working on maximum overdrive, producing coherent excuses for failed humor. "I, uhhh...I mean, what's the reason for nobody caring?"

He winced, feeling a strong sense of self-sabotage. "Not that I don't care for it, I'm just curious about the word choice, it sounded really poetic and it made me think." He's thinking that's a good save right there, as Velvet's breath hitched interestedly at the last emission. "If I'd be honest, since it seems you really care, I'd like to know why people don't care for you. Is it because of your Faunus traits and stuff?"

She blinked, he saw why. Usually, Jaune's a fair batch more secured in his expression, able to reasonably mature his speech for highly capable audiences. However, there's moments like these where usual confidence in big words heads down the stairs and never comes back. Too busy acquiring 'good appearance' milk at the local gas station, leaving the reluctant remnants of his confidence to hesitate for certain things.

Like potentially talking racial oppression with a cool girl he likes, which might be now. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to-"

A burst of fluffy giggles. Jaune didn't notice it whilst contemplating his lack of tack, but they've reached the windowsill now. Velvet leaned onto the architecture casually, oddly confident in herself where he wasn't, though it didn't look that way. If somebody wandered down the hall and found these two folks clumped together by the window, they'd find a very interesting sight indeed.

A-he's pretty tall-behemoth in dark blue covering, hunched slightly over towards a wistfully smiling bunny Faunus girl leaning chest first onto the windowsill. The wildishly blonde maned man looking down at his companion concernedly.

Velvet probably knew this, she glanced at him from her wistful rut, then at herself. Another comforting array of giggles sounded. "No, Jaune. I want to talk with you, please don't mistake my...heh, shyness for anything otherwise."

She's looking off again, into the courtyard below, putting stray locks behind her non-Faunus ears this time. "I'm a nervous person by nature, no matter who I'm with. But it's moments like these were that stuff begins to...settle down."

"Why's that?"

Their eyes meet, she cracked a smile, he felt himself rise internally in temperature. This wasn't the abstract obsessiveness of Momma Pyrrha, adoringly looking after every aspect of his existence, neither Pretty Girl Ruby, who'd have lovingly given her mortal coil to Jaune's assumedly capable hands. They loved him, and he them, yet their affections weren't often able to not dabble in casual conversation. Bringing things to an oddly tender prized personal-ness, very sappy stuff.

Once again, it's great to have that, but...

The friendly smile he's seeing, as Velvet gave him proper consideration, made him almost flush. He's often dealing with other people's problems, or having people who listen to him solve it for him.

Watching her treat this conversation so warmly casual-due probably to his general proximity interesting her or something? He couldn't say-was incredibly refreshing. It made the Arc feel less like a Deputy, on patrol for new waifu friends to get jiggly with, and more an actual teenage boy talking to somebody with equal interests at heart.

It's like he isn't planning to eventually impregnate and build a strong blooded family from her off the haremistic bat, as is with his other lovers.

That he really loves! Not taking those affections for granted, especially since he helped fan the flames and sometimes instigated the tender happenstances periodically. Things are simple right here, letting themselves develop on their own to-...well, Jaune doesn't know the hell what.

Velvet kept the smile, and tossed the quiet. "You're weird, remember? I like weird."

Jaune frowned, joining her side by the sill, a gloved hand slipping out his oceanic coverings, rubbing against the marble surface softly. She watched him all the while, chocolate orbs truthful in their engagement. "I might remember, or not. My head is full of oddities that'd make you concerned right off the bat, I'm-"

"'Provocative?'" She mused, soft tone contrasting greatly with her cheeky speech, chin resting comfortably atop her loosely tightened knuckles. "That's the end all be all in my mind, the other girls seemed in agreement on that too. A freshman so..." her gaze dilated, for better he'd hopefully assume. "...Subversive, maybe. I'd never particularly liked or disliked Ozpin, but seeing you just hyping everyone up, walking around so confidently, looking like a knight in shining armor...I like that, and I'd like to be friends some more."

Oooh, okay. He's getting some Peachy echoes from that look, but nothing purely sultry lust and more positively curious. They've got a perfect opportunity to really buddy buddy together, and Jaune wouldn't want to waste it. So, Jaune put thoughts of the surprising science thot away, leaning against the windowsill too. "Yeah, well..."

She's listening, that's good, comradeship is a two way streak. He licked his lips. "I'm just here to find the truth, I think. That's not necessarily for me soley either, all those foreskin boys"-once again, there's a muffled gigglyness there, he's almost amused himself-"if you've not understood, are kinda important to me and represent something meaningful."

"Like?" She's got this controlled giddiness, paradoxically expected at this point.

But she's brought up a good point, so with only a moment's hesitation, Jaune met those sweetly dark orbs again, determination hopefully leaking out.

"Rebellion."

"Of?"

"Must ye question everything I do?"

"Yes," she's smirking now, definite Coco trait. "Absolutely."

He groaned, but humored her. "Rebellion against the basic things keeping me and the boys down, like bottom text society." She's looking far too amused for his liking, but that didn't stop him yet. "We're always told to do things to please others, and the whole concept of just...I don't know, fucking off into the forest for several hours? That's manly as fuck-"

"And you're all about masculinity?"

He threw his hand up, grinning. "You wouldn't be?"

"Pfft. No."

"Why not?"

"Because I, my esteemed Headmaster," those wavy brown locks flipped, face beaming in equal cheekiness. "Am not an Individual with proper masculine equipment."

Jaune started, she stared, the moon highlighted her fair flesh, and he'd be lying if there wasn't something budding beneath the skin that was appreciating this unconventional bunny waifu all the more.

Laughing, Jaune laid his ungloved hand onto the girl's wavy forehead, feeling silent glee at her positive reaction. Rubbing herself against the comfort palm, eyes closed happily.

Finishing up, he patted twice for god measure, gently, yet his bunny friend appreciated the tender comforts all the same. "I'd say that's pretty unprogressive of you, Velvet."

A feminine hand removed him from her, laying it beside their little rut together. He heard her sigh sarcastically, light cheeriness in full-throttle. "I'm taking some offense to that, Jaune. As a woman of beastial trait-"

"That's what you call it?-"

"That's what you call it." She meet his eyes, lightly smirking, soft features undercutting the sass. "Yes, I'm completely serious, Juane. That's my identity and the proper usage. Anyways...yes, I'd consider myself a moderate on things. The White Fang is...destructive to say the least, and that your masculinity in particular isn't toxic."

Faunus identity wasn't really addressed under his rule yet, simply left on the back burner for the foreseeable future. Truth be told, Juane couldn't say that wasn't a satisfying thing to continually do,assuming that Faunus and human peoples weren't different on a fundamental level. However, though he's still of the opinion as such, Jaune realized then the potential camaraderie possible if he answered the Faunus question. Moderately, like Velvet.

He scratched his head. "I'll have to simply appreciate your opinions on that, because I'm not the best multiple issue politician. I'm focused on the extermination of the Grimm threat if nothing else. Also..." he smiled. "I'm not a proponent of toxic masculinity?"

"You're provocative and challenging, yet I don't see you harming those who weren't doing it-will themselves, like the Schnee." She's looking doozy now, eyes fluttering closed periodically. Obviously no night owl Faunus. "She made light of another's grievances, and you put onto her reasonabllleee"-she's yawning, droopy Bun-Bun face gazing aimlessly onto the a courtyard below-"incentive to cooperate with the grand plan...heh...the grand Foreskin Plan..."

She's picked up a lot from Coco, yet the cheeriness was most certainly there, morphed into cutely-doopey-bunny syndrome. He liked it a lot, and wanted this moment to continue for awhile longer. So, he harnessed the inner chadic confidence under the fancy clothes, and took her hand. Completely, overtaking it from sight, as he's always done to Ruby, only a tiny bit harder to fully encapsulate.

A moment onwards, she stared at the contact, ears perked up with surprise. "Oh? Jaune...?" She looked concerned, the sleepiness wearing off in smaller increments. Jaune shushed her plight down nicely calm, placing a finger to his lips, seeing her fair features flushed embarrassedly. "Hey, Velvet?"

Gulping, her eyes were focused solely on his hairline. Why? Remained to be seen, he'd imagine. "M..hm?"

"Wanna walk for a bit?" He placed the shushing finger towards the windowsill, waggling it about. "It's a wonder talking to you, I'd like all the time I can get continuing to do so." Oh, she's blushing now, this was good. "You're funny, smart, supportive, and surprisingly sassy."

A dainty finger from her non captured hand scratched at her drooped bunny ear. "Y-you, heh, think so?"

"Mhm." He rubbed her hand, thumbing of comfort in circling repetitions. "The attitude comes from Coco I bet, she's like a momma bird. Always caring for her friends and stuff. You got her smirk, I'll tell ya that."

"Yeeeah." She looked away from him, ironically devolving into her Into personality's baseline shyness. He wouldn't say he's upset about it, but Jaune felt himself from at her self-doubt randomly spiking so hard now, when they're only friends schmoozing by the window for a couple dozen minutes. "Coco is nice, she's the first layer between me and a...not so kind society, it makes me feel willing to expose my ears more, and dress up like I do."

"Your outfit?"

"All sorts of other stuff too, like this." She tugged on her baggy pajama top, shaking it around. "But that's just the outside, she's always...cared for me, even when I'd get bullied for being that one Bunny girl everyone knows yet doesn't understand because...-"

Emotions are running a tad higher, he's noticing it early. Velvet had a little frown on her face, ignoring the tender touch he's putting onto her for a foray into the negativity her past entailed. So, he'll take initiative for another individual flesh person.

Jaune tightened his hold, and gently tugged her up from the window, and towards the stairs. When she started nervously up at him, he simply smiled back with equal positivity. "C'mon, Bun-Bun, let's have fun!"

The rhyming convention made her giggle into an un-captured palm, and follow along.

Side by side, Jaune leading the charge against the road to the dreaded stairs, yet he's long past removed his fear of them, taking the rabbit Faunus down quietly. Untroubled, neither fettered by their proximity towards one another or even Velvet's constantly flushed features shyly eyeing her feet the whole way.

His confidence was back, and he made use of not hesitating to slowly break his bunny friend's mold. Not simply crack it.

/-/

She's not looking down, that's for sure.

Thirty minutes later, and Velvet openly leaned on him for support. A fit of giggles raking through her body, comfortably burying herself into a cloaked side. Bunny ears meshed against him softly.

Nothing special really happened: just a healthy walk down the dormitory corridors, as Jaune didn't want to take Velvet's socked feet out into the courtyard like he did Ruby, even if she insisted her 'bunny strength' would've saved her the troubles other girls go through. She's got strong feet, and certainly stronger legs, but Jaune still declined. Better safe than sorry, or overtly embarrassed, for Velvet's sake at least.

So instead, they wandered about, talking about life. How friends were made, what colors they like, what's the best food, all wrapped up in little jokes here and there. Like now.

"No!" She groaned into his chest, pushing off and glaring half-heartedly up at him, yet still keeping a firm hold on his hand. The bunny ears drooped a tiny inch less than earlier, almost reflecting Coco's attentiveness in his mind. "You'd so not be a dog Faunus!"

A thrilling conversation topics to be sure, he'd have never considered the viability of him becoming a beast-man without her, that's for sure. She's interesting like that.

He smiled, eyes glancing off to the dormitory hallways, seeing her room a couple good strides away, Velvet being too absorbed in their good humor to really notice their complete loop around the school.

The day ended on a quietly fun note, he'd think, and apparently express. He squeezed that hand tight, musing to her a neat little rebuttal to her Faunus-slight.

"Wha? Why not?" He jolted his head at her, roughish locks flicked across his gaze, yet not blinding to the bunny friend pestering him down below. "I'm an absolute hound-dog, one hundred."

"Dogs are stinky!"

"I smell like incense and iron."

"But that's manly! You're comfortably smelly." She's giggling again, hand comftabky limp in his, eyes shut positively tight. Angled towards the floor, but no worse off for it. "It smells like hard work. That's something Faunus appreciate."

Jaune slowed them down, striding at half the speed, yet two times the feminine triggering absurdities. Leaning into an undroopy Bun-Bun ear, he whispered secretly. "I've heard it's less a Faunus exclusive thing, and more cute girl thing."

Yikes, he wanted to wince, feeling the second hand embarrassment of his own joke through himself. But plaintively, Jaune kept the angst hidden, though there wasn't anyway she'd-

Giggles, the ear twitched, fluffy pajama top meeting blue cloak warmth-fully. "That's not fair! What if I think being Faunus makes me cuter?"

Good, this was working. He schmoozed some more, not morbidly focusing on the fact his chadness wasn't faltering the game quite yet. "Who says I disagreed? Extra cuddly bits for the win."

"Ugh!" Groaning, good humored.

He hummed, tapping a gloved hand onto Crocea Mor's sheathed edge under his cloak. "Ugh what?-"

"No wonder Ruby likes you so much," she's leaning close, sparkly chocolate orbs happily beaming up at him. "You're a big dork. Yet really quiet, compared to when you were all shouty at the debates."

Eh, Jaune shrugged. "That's a given...is it good to be quiet?"

They've stopped completely now, encouraged a bit because Velvet simply stopped full circle upon hearing that, tossing the idea in her head momentarily. Several seconds later, she looked up at him again, and in all seriousness, told him: "I'd say so, leaders who know when to speak are often good leaders."

She cracked a pretty smile, teeth nervously showing. "That's why I'd consider you less a dog Faunus, and more a wolf or lion Faunus. The hair kinda completes the image too, being very wild looking..."

A gloved hand an through his locks, Jaune cracking his own humor at the shyly serious Bun-Bun. "I'd think golden retriever would've worked better though." She groaned, still reluctantly smiling. He did a sarcastic double take on her, hand over his heart in offense. "What?! They'd be good leaders too!"

"Pfft, no." She giggled, scratching a bunny ear again, staring half-hearted disapproval. "They'd be terrible leaders, we need a wolf that's able to take control, not a pupper that's already rolled over for tummy rubs."

"I'd love both, to be honest."

"Yeah? Well you know what, buster?" Velvet poked his chest lightly, flushed cheeks and shyness put away momentarily. "That's an impossibility on levels yet to be found, so I'm calling you for bluff."

Jaune put his hands up, she let of his, sadly, so he'd might as well play along to the fullest. An Arc grin-genuinely humored-split his face wide apart, and her newfound confidence poking the dismissiveness wavered visibly in those chocolate eyes. "Okay, Bun-Bun..."

He leaned in, teeth shining a pearly white glow, hair draped over his locks once again, Velvet's red flushed face in the vicinity. "How's about this: we do this stuff again, at a later date, where we walk around town instead of Beacon."

Her eyes widened a smidge, realizing the offer. "Give me another chance to...change your mind about my spiritual dog Faunus prowess, yeah?"

A pointer finger, ungloved, rose up between them. A challenging whisper surely gracing Velvet's ears. "Just one day-or night-to show ya the best I've for to offer, much more enjoyable then a silly walk around the dormitories to wake bunnyied beauty up."

She's blushing now, merely disgusting the implications, hands fidgeting together. Somewhat like Ruby, yet much less unrefined. "Your choice though, don't wanna push you into things you're uncomfortably with..."

...

"...Jaune," she whispered, spaying stray locks from out of her peripheral, curling them atop her human ears. Eyes beading themselves into his from healthy forays of fully developed eyelashes. Their was a reddening to her cheeks still, but her words harbored a hidden clarity. "Are you...heh...asking me out on a date?"

He shrugged, standing up to full height, cracking a sparklingly ocean blue orb towards the tiny bunny girl watching him, seeing the intensive interest in that gaze. "That depends on whatever you think about it, Bun-Bun. Like I said earlier..." he scratched his cheek, lost in thought. "I really just enjoy your company. And would like to see the most fashionable beauty you have to offer."

She stared, he smiled, holding an ungloved palm out for her. Glancing briefly to the Team CFVY dorm room over her head. "It's late, and I'd much rather pester you when you're ready for my stupid interruptions at twelve in the morning, so...whatcha say? Wanna go downtown together? Watch a movie, get some clothes?"

She swallowed, collecting herself. Eyes glossed over in thought, intrigue and obligation warring to a bunnifed end. It ended several seconds later, with Velvet shyly scratching her floppy bunny ear again. "It doesn't have to be inherently romantic, right?"

Ah, she's a smart Easter cookie. He nodded, smile reassuring. "Not one bit, we're just two friends hoping to chill out for several hours, alone. Sans all the traffic and city life, ya know?"

The shy hesitation bubbled beneath the surface, but Velvet nodded slowly nonetheless. "Good...I think you're...fun to talk to-"

"I appreciate that-"

"Shush!" She yelped. Right after, she covered her yapper hole, embarrassed. Much like Rubes would've done. Muffled a tad, Velvet apologized. "I'm sorry! It's just-"

He put his gloved hand up, silencing her. "Don't be. I'm listening to you, because your input matters to me."

Silence, she's blushing again. "R-right. So, I...I suppose if it wouldn't hurt? Sure! I'd really..."

It's almost as if she's expecting him to interrupt, looking him over like that. "I'd really like to hang out with you more, but when I don't wear my silly carrot pajamas." She laughed, twirling some stray locks around.

"I like silly." He hummed, quietly honest. She inhaled. "Carrot pajamas included, they're nicely stylish too."

An exhale, as Velvet shook her flushed expression away, glancing back to her team dorm room. "Okay, Jaune...no more compliments right now, not until we go on our da-" she paused, "I mean, day out together. Just friends, none of...this, okay?"

"Arc's promise."

"Can y-you promise to be less serious too? And not stare directly into my eyes while saying such heavy things?"

"Nope."

"Ugh, fine..." she turned back, stealing her resolve, and sending him a friendly wave from a couple feet away. Already half-way to her dormitory home. "I'll have to tell everyone about this! Be prepared to look decent, okay? Coco would kill you otherwise!"

He smiled, waving an ungloved hand back. "Understood, Bun-Bun. Now do get some sleep, yes? Your Headmaster demands it."

Cheery laughter was his response, until he himself turned away, instantly losing the smile when her dorm door cracked open and subsequently closed. Conflicted on an almost spiritual level.

No, actually, it was a spiritual level, because personality is metaphysical somewhat. Chadness is too, which makes him wonder...

Was it the personality? The looks? The power? What made Jaune so influential? It's a morbid concept, especially when remembering Peach from earlier. How easy it was to acquire a casual lay about solely from his past accomplishments.

Definitely not normal, yet not unnatural, maybe? He didn't know.

Jaune sighed, wrapping his heritage cloak around him fully, wandering quietly down the dormitory corridors, a million things on the mind. Impossibilities the likes of Jebodiah's bullshittery included.

"Shit." He mumbled, halting his homeward trajectory. "How's he doing, anyways?"

...

...

...

Well, nothing told him anything, so Jaune shrugged, figuring It'd be to time find out on the way there. Surprise funerals weren't the most comforting idea, but...

Things changed, in a world of bloody evolution. It made him smile, grim-certainty on the expression's edges.

Even the body, and even the soul.