I kept running, that name only brought up my time in the White Fang. The memories that left me to conceal what I am, Who I am and what I did. Everything is flashing before my eyes, it's hard to know what is true and just a halation.

A girl with Emerald colored hair stood in front of me. I bumped into her. "Sorry." I said to her, I got off the floor.

"It's alright." She extended her hand. "I'm Emerald."I froze at that name. My cat ears drooped under my hood.

"Emerald," I whispered, my voice barely audible. The name resonated deep within me, stirring memories I had tried so hard to forget. The last time I had encountered her, she had been with Mercury, and it had ended in chaos. I felt my heart race, a mix of fear and anger bubbling just below the surface.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern creeping into her tone as she observed my reaction. Her green eyes searched mine, looking for an answer.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied, trying to shake off the weight of the past. "Just... lost in thought." I forced a smile, but it felt weak and unconvincing.

Emerald tilted her head, studying me. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"

I hesitated. "Maybe. I used to be involved with the White Fang."

Her expression shifted, the concern giving way to something more guarded. "You were with them?"

I nodded, my ears drooping further under my hood. "I was. But I left. I'm not that person anymore."

A flicker of recognition crossed her face. "I see." She took a step back, her posture relaxing a little. "Well, that's a relief. Not everyone who was involved in that has moved on. It's good that you have."

"Yeah, well, it's complicated," I said, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. "And now I'm dealing with Mercury, which isn't exactly helping."

Emerald's eyes widened slightly. "Mercury? He's... not someone you want to mess with. You sure you're ready for that?"

"Not really," I admitted, feeling a wave of vulnerability crash over me. "I just don't want to go back to that life, you know? I'm trying to find my place here, at Beacon. But I keep getting pulled back into my past."

She nodded, her expression softening. "You're not alone in that. I've had my own struggles with the choices I've made. But I found a way to fight against it. You can, too."

"Do you really believe that?" I asked, searching her gaze for any hint of insincerity.

Emerald smiled softly. "Absolutely. It's all about finding your strength and surrounding yourself with the right people. Like you said, you're at Beacon now. You have a chance to build a new life."

I took a deep breath, letting her words sink in. "You're right. I can't let my past define me. I have to fight for who I want to be."

Emerald looked at me, her expression serious. "Just remember, if you need someone to talk to or if you ever feel overwhelmed, I'm here. It's important to have someone you can trust."

I couldn't help but feel a little hopeful. "Thanks, Emerald. That means a lot. Maybe we can help each other out?"

"Definitely," she replied, her smile returning. "Just keep your head up. You're stronger than you think."

With that, we exchanged a brief nod before parting ways. I continued my journey through Vale, the chaos of my thoughts starting to settle. Talking to Emerald had reminded me that I wasn't alone in my struggle. Others had faced their demons and come out stronger.

As I walked, I felt my determination grow. I could face Mercury, not just for myself but for the person I was becoming. With every step, I reaffirmed my resolve to fight back against the shadows of my past and claim my future.

I just had to remember that I was not a passing-through Faunus; I was Corey Gold Towika-Silver, and I had a life to fight for.

I checked my pockets for my wallet. "Damn."

_________________________________________________________

~Dan's Perspective~

I was sitting on the bed, arms crossed, watching Azu as she sat on the floor, her eyes glistening with tears. "He's not coming back," I told her, trying to maintain a tough exterior.

"But... he's... our... leader," she sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I know, but he's obviously good at running away." I glanced out the window, the fading sunlight casting long shadows across the room. Corey had opened up to me when we were at my grandma's, sharing pieces of his family life that had shaped him into who he was. It hurt to see him struggle, but I couldn't help feeling frustrated. "Just like every other Faunus," I muttered.

"Well, he's not," Sumire shot back, her voice firm and unwavering. She stood at the door, arms crossed and a determined look in her eyes. "Corey is stronger than that. He's just scared."

I sighed, knowing she was right. "I get that, but he shouldn't have to run away. We're here for him. He just needs to realize it."

Just then, the door swung open, and Team RWBY entered the room. Yang walked in with a bright smile, but it faded as she saw the expressions on our faces. "What's going on?"

"We're worried about Corey," Azu said, her voice trembling slightly. "He ran off, and we don't know where he is."

Ruby's eyes widened. "He ran away? But he wouldn't just leave like that!"

Weiss crossed her arms, a serious expression on her face. "He's been dealing with a lot. Maybe he just needs some time to himself."

"Or maybe he needs us to go after him," Yang suggested, her fists clenching with determination. "I know how to handle things like this. We can't let him be alone right now."

"That's exactly what I was thinking," I said, feeling a spark of hope. "If we split up, we might be able to find him faster."

Blake stepped forward, her gaze steady. "Let's not make him feel cornered. We should approach this carefully. He needs to know we're here for him without pushing him."

Sumire nodded in agreement. "We need to let him know he's not alone. Maybe we can find him together and just talk."

"Okay, then," Ruby said, her enthusiasm returning. "Let's form teams! Yang, you and I can search the outskirts of Vale. Azu, you go with Blake and keep an eye out for him in town. Dan and Sumire can check the nearby parks and cafés."

"Sounds like a plan," I said, feeling a surge of energy. "Let's move quickly before he gets too far away."

As we all prepared to head out, Azu wiped her eyes, determination replacing her tears. "We'll find him. He needs us."

With that, we split up, each of us taking a different direction in search of our missing leader. As I ran through the streets of Vale, I couldn't shake the feeling that we needed to remind Corey of who he was and that he didn't have to face his demons alone.

In the distance, I could hear Yang calling out to Ruby, her laughter cutting through the tension of the moment. I held onto that hope, knowing that we were all in this together, and no one could run forever.

I looked at a douchebag, a pale, young man with gray eyes and gray hair, partially slicked back while unkempt at the front. The air felt still around him. Besides him was a girl with emerald hair. These were Mercury Black and Emerald from Haven Academy.

"Excuse me," I said, walking towards them, my heart racing with anxiety and anger.

"Yes?" Mercury replied, raising an eyebrow, his tone casual but with a hint of mockery.

"Have you seen a cat Faunus with a hood covering his ears that sounds like a sarcastic asshole?" I did my best to describe him, hoping they had information.

"Sorry, I haven't," Emerald replied, her voice more sympathetic than Mercury's. But as I glanced at her, I noticed something in her hands-a wallet with a magenta coloring to it. My blood ran cold.

"That's his!" I exclaimed, pointing at the wallet. "Where did you get that?"

Mercury smirked, leaning back slightly, clearly enjoying my distress. "You know, I found it just lying around. A shame to see it abandoned."

"Give it back!" I demanded, stepping closer. "That belongs to Corey."

Emerald shifted uneasily, glancing at Mercury. "Maybe you should just leave him alone, Dan. This isn't your business."

I felt my temper flare. "Are you seriously defending him? He's been through enough crap without you two messing with him."

Mercury chuckled, his gray eyes glinting with amusement. "What? Is your little friend too soft to handle a little confrontation? Maybe he just needs to grow up."

I clenched my fists, my heart pounding. "Corey is stronger than you think. You don't know what he's been through!"

"Then why is he hiding?" Mercury challenged, crossing his arms. "He should face the world instead of running away like a coward."

Emerald frowned, her emerald hair swaying slightly as she shook her head. "Mercury, stop. You're just making things worse."

"Yeah, I bet you're the one to talk about being a coward," I shot back, glaring at him. "If you really care about him, why are you holding onto his wallet?"

Mercury shrugged nonchalantly, tossing the wallet from one hand to the other. "Maybe I just wanted a little fun. A Faunus with a hood, huh? Sounds like a real loser."

Before I could think twice, I lunged forward, grabbing the wallet from Mercury's hand. "Enough of this! I'm not letting you toy with him!"

Mercury didn't seem fazed, merely smiling as I took the wallet. "Good luck finding your friend, then," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Just don't be surprised if he doesn't want to come back."

I felt a surge of frustration as I turned away from them, gripping the wallet tightly. "You have no idea what you're talking about," I muttered under my breath. "He's not a coward. He just needs time."

Emerald watched me with a look of concern. "If you care about him, you should find him quickly. He might be in trouble."

I nodded, already knowing that time was of the essence. "Thanks for the tip," I said, not wanting to engage with her any further. I took off in the direction I thought Corey might have gone, determined to find him and make sure he was okay.

As I ran, my mind raced with thoughts of Corey-how he must be feeling right now, alone and uncertain. I couldn't let him face whatever demons haunted him without our support. We were a team, and I wouldn't stop until he knew he wasn't alone in this fight.

I went to Vale to find, cat. He was my friend and I needed to find him. I was wrong to set up the fight between him and Mercury. I was the one that started it all. I'm Donald 'Dan' Crimson, and I'm a Faunus, a Failure of a Friend, a Racist towards my own kins, a liar, and Pretty Damn Stubborn person.

I saw someone in a black jacket with their hood on. He walked away. I chased after him. "Corey!" I called out.