I went to see Azu after spending a couple of days with Dan. I knew she was a Grimm and I don't trust her.

Her trust is broken, I don't like Grimm. They killed my brother's father and mom married Yukio Silver, my father. People label me as Fuwa's little brother.

It was a bit of a way out from Dan's grandma. I left the jacket back there. I prefer my own way of doing things.

I approached the dorm where Azu was staying, my thoughts swirling with frustration. After spending a couple of days with Dan, I still couldn't shake the unease I felt around Azu. I knew she was a Grimm, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring myself to fully trust her. Grimm had caused too much pain in my life.

My brother's father was killed by one, and ever since my mom remarried Yukio Silver, I've been labeled as "Fuwa's little brother." It was hard enough dealing with the baggage of my own past, but the constant comparison only added to my anger. It felt like no one really saw me for who I was-just a shadow of someone else.

As I neared the dorm, I realized I had left the jacket Dan had given me back at his grandma's place. It didn't really matter. I didn't feel like it suited me anyway. I preferred doing things my way, not someone else's.

I knocked on the door and waited. When Azu opened it, her eyes widened slightly. She seemed hesitant, probably sensing the tension between us.

"Corey... what brings you here?" she asked, her voice cautious.

I crossed my arms, trying to keep my emotions in check. "I wanted to talk. About you... and about us as a team."

She blinked, clearly taken aback. "What about it?"

"I don't trust you," I said bluntly, not bothering to sugarcoat it. "You're a Grimm, and I've lost people because of Grimm. I know what you said about turning human, but that doesn't change what you were."

Azu's expression hardened, though there was a flicker of sadness in her eyes. "I didn't choose to be born a Grimm. And I didn't choose this human life either. But I'm trying, Corey. I'm trying to live differently now."

I shook my head. "It's not that simple. I've seen what Grimm can do. They're monsters, and I can't just forget that."

She stepped closer, her voice trembling slightly. "I know you hate Grimm, but I'm not the same as them anymore. I've made my choice to fight alongside you, with this team. If you can't trust me... then what am I even fighting for?"

I looked away, struggling to find the right words. A part of me wanted to push her away, to keep my distance, but another part of me knew that this was bigger than just me and my past. We were supposed to be a team, and if I kept this up, I'd be the one tearing it apart.

"I don't know if I can trust you," I admitted, my voice quieter now. "But I'll try... for the team."

Azu nodded slowly, understanding the weight behind my words. "That's all I can ask for."

There was a long silence between us, but in that moment, something shifted. It wasn't trust, not yet, but maybe the start of something close to it.

"Just don't make me regret it," I said finally.

"I won't," she replied softly. Deep down I knew she was trying to be a good person but I'm not accepting it. "Gold Senpai, why are you so closed off?"

"I'm not going to answer that question for now. Maybe one day I'll tell you about myself." I sat down by her.

"My mission was to kill humans. I found myself envious of what you guys had." There were tears in her eyes. Was she crying?

"Hey don't cry." I try comforting her.

"Why when deep down I'm a monster and my human form is a facade?" Her hair fell down.

I'm not good at dealing with crying girls. "You're not a monster. You're Azul Hiden, my teammate." I told her.

Azu wiped her eyes, but the tears kept coming. "I don't deserve that kindness, Corey. After everything I've done... or was supposed to do, I don't know who I am anymore."

I sighed, scratching the back of my head. "Look, I don't care what you were before. We all have things we're not proud of." I leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Hell, I spent half my life as part of the White Fang, and I'm still trying to shake that off."

Azu looked up at me, surprised. "But you left that life behind. I... I can't leave what I am."

"You can. It just takes time." I gave her a small smile. "And, you know, some really stubborn friends to remind you you're not alone."

She sniffled, hugging her knees. "Do you really believe that?"

I nodded, even though I wasn't entirely sure myself. "Yeah. You're not just your past, Azu. None of us are."

Azu hesitated, then leaned against me slightly, the weight of her sadness still heavy, but a little lighter with someone to share it. "Thank you, Corey. I... I'll try to believe that."

"Good." I patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. "Now, come on, you're going to need that strength. We still have a semester break coming up, and I'm not letting you mope the whole time."

A small, almost fragile smile crept onto her face. "I'll try. And Corey?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks... for not giving up on me."

I gave her a light chuckle. "Hey, don't worry about it. We're teammates. We don't give up on each other."

Then I felt something stab me. I looked where Azu was sitting. In her place was a Queen Lancer. "Rest now...forever!" I didn't have enough to react. My eyes felt heavy and I was out.

___________________

~A few hours later~

I woke up and Azu was gone. I saw Sumire standing over me. "What happened?" I asked her but my voice was barely audible.

Sumire's violet eyes were wide with concern as she knelt beside me. "Corey, you're awake! I thought... I thought you were..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "What happened to you?"

I groaned, sitting up slowly, feeling the pain in my chest where I'd been stabbed. "Azu... she... she wasn't herself. It was a Queen Lancer." My words came out in a strained breath as I tried to make sense of it.

Sumire helped steady me as I looked around. We were still in the same spot, but Azu was gone-there were no signs of her. "A Queen Lancer? Here? How did we miss that?" she asked, frowning.

I shook my head. "I don't know... but it wasn't just the Lancer. It was like she transformed right in front of me. One second it was Azu, the next... I didn't even have time to react."

Sumire bit her lip, clearly disturbed. "This doesn't make sense. She was with us the whole time. Why now?"

I tried standing, wincing at the pain. "Because she was working for Salem all along. She just... finally snapped."

Sumire's eyes widened in shock. "Azu? Working for Salem?" She took a step back, processing the weight of that revelation. "Are you sure?"

I nodded grimly, clenching my fists. "Yeah. She tricked us. All of us. But I can't believe she'd do that... she was our teammate, Sumire."

Sumire looked conflicted. "What do we do now, Corey?"

I took a deep breath, my mind racing. "We find her. We stop her before she hurts anyone else-or before Salem uses her to do something even worse."

"But how? She could be anywhere by now."

I looked down, determination building despite the pain. "We'll track her down. If there's anything left of Azu in there... we need to try to save her. But if she's gone, we can't hesitate."

Sumire nodded, a fierce look in her eyes. "Then let's get her back."

Great, first getting backstab by Azu now I'm going to find her and bring her back. Second, I'm pretty sure this is how I die. Third, I need to keep passing through on my own.

"Corey, you said your semblance is a reflection of yourself. What does that mean?" Sumire looked at me.

"I... am afraid of my own power. I'm running from my own power, I'm running from a part of me that I wished I never had." I answered honestly. "I'm afraid of using my own semblance unless I need to." I sat down and looked at my hands. They were shaking as I answered her. Her red hair bounced around as she moved her head.

"Why are you afraid?" Sumire sat beside me.

"I... have killed my father when I first unlocked my Semblance. I was always called Fuwa's little brother. I was called his shadow." I replied.

Sumire's expression softened as she absorbed what I'd said. "You killed your father? Corey... I had no idea."

I nodded slowly, staring at the trembling in my hands. "It wasn't intentional. I didn't mean to-my Semblance, it was out of control back then. I didn't even know what I was capable of." I clenched my fists, trying to will away the memories that haunted me. "That's why I'm afraid. Afraid of what I could do if I let it loose again."

Sumire placed a hand gently on my shoulder. "You're not that person anymore. You've grown since then, Corey. You've learned to control your power. We've all seen it."

"Maybe... but that fear doesn't just go away," I said, my voice low. "Every time I think about using my Semblance, I remember what happened. I remember the look on his face, the way everything just... collapsed."

Sumire looked down, her voice quiet. "It wasn't your fault. You were just a kid, right? You didn't know what you were doing."

I nodded, though it didn't make the weight on my chest feel any lighter. "Yeah, I was just a kid. But it doesn't change the fact that I've been running from it ever since."

"You don't have to run anymore," Sumire said, her voice steady. "You've got people who care about you now, Corey. Dan, Blake, even Azu before all this happened. We're your team. We'll help you through this, no matter what."

I let out a heavy breath, feeling some of the tension release from my body. "Thanks, Sumire. I just... I need to figure this out. Before I can face Azu, or Salem, or whoever else is coming next."

Sumire smiled gently. "And we'll figure it out together. You're not Fuwa's shadow, Corey. You're your own person, and you'll find your way."

Her words sank in, and for the first time in a long time, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe I didn't have to be afraid anymore. Maybe I could stop running. But first, we had to bring Azu back.

"Alright," I said, standing up. "Let's go find her."

Sumire nodded, determination in her eyes. "Yeah. Let's bring our teammate home."