Yang looked at me as I felt the arena. "Wait!" She called out to me.

My ears are down. "I'm sorry!" I couldn't bring myself to face her. I felt her hand being placed on my shoulder.

"What happened to you there?" Weiss approached us. Dan, Azu, and Sumire were with them.

"I... lost my temper and gave into my instincts." I answered.

"I know that you are a stray cat but I didn't know that you have a feral side." Blake looked at me. "Just talk to us!"

Ruby looked at me. "Corey, what's going on with you?"

Nora, Jaune, Ren, and Pyrrha approached. I wanted to run, I needed to run. They all stood around me. "You're not leaving this time."

I stood there, rooted to the spot, feeling the heat of everyone's gaze. My heart was racing, and my breath was shallow. I couldn't look them in the eye-couldn't bring myself to face them after what I'd just done. The feeling of losing control still lingered, like a bitter taste in the back of my throat.

Yang's voice was gentle but firm as she spoke again. "Corey, you don't have to hide from us. You're part of our team, and we're here for you." She placed her hand on my arm, giving it a soft squeeze.

I flinched at the touch but didn't pull away. I knew she meant well, but the weight of my actions was too heavy to ignore. "I don't know what happened... It was like I just snapped." I looked at the ground, unable to meet anyone's eyes. "I've been feeling like this for a while, like there's something inside of me I can't control."

"You're not the only one with a past, Corey." Ruby stepped forward, her voice filled with understanding. "We've all struggled with parts of ourselves-things we don't like or things we fear. But that doesn't define us."

I wanted to believe that. I really did. But right now, it felt like my past was dragging me down, chaining me to a person I didn't want to be.

"We don't expect you to have everything figured out," Sumire said softly, stepping up beside me. "But we are here for you. Not just when things are easy, but especially when they're hard. That's what being a team means."

I felt a tight knot in my chest loosen slightly. They were right. I couldn't just hide from it-running away would only make it worse. These were my friends, my teammates. They cared about me, even when I didn't feel like I deserved it.

Blake's words cut through my thoughts like a knife. "Corey, you're a lot stronger than you think. But losing control... that's not the answer. It's okay to have those feelings, but you don't have to give in to them. We won't let you."

I finally looked up, meeting Blake's gaze. Her eyes were steady, serious, but there was no judgment in them. Just trust.

"I... I don't know if I can change." I whispered the words, more to myself than anyone else. "It's like I'm two different people-one who wants to be better and one who just wants to fight. I don't know how to balance that."

Dan stepped in then, his usual cocky demeanor softened. "You've already taken the first step, Gold Senpai. You're not fighting alone. You've got us."

Azu smiled gently. "And you're not alone inside, either. If you ever feel like you're losing control, just reach out. We'll be there to remind you who you are."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. The crowd in the arena had all but disappeared now, leaving only my team and the people who genuinely cared about me. "I'm sorry," I said again, but this time, the words felt a little less heavy.

Ruby smiled at me, her eyes bright with reassurance. "You're good, Corey. You've got this. We all do."

The knot in my chest loosened just a little more as I looked at my team. They were all standing with me, not turning their backs, not walking away. They were giving me the space to be who I was, but also pushing me to be better. And for the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe, just maybe, I could be something more than my rage.

"I'll try," I said, my voice steadying. "I'll try to be better."

And with that, I knew it wouldn't be easy. But as long as I had them by my side, I wasn't going to give up. As long as I had them, Sumire's fate still hung above all of us.

The rest of my team, Team JNPR, and Team RWBY walked away. I went to the stands as Ruby's team was next for their match.

Dan looked concerned at me. "Hey Cat?"

I looked at him. "Yeah?"

"I'm just concerned about you." He told me. "It seems that Josh pushed you to that feral mode, and I don't want you to fight in the duo round."

I looked at Dan, his concern clear in his eyes. He wasn't one to mince words, and I appreciated that about him. He didn't sugarcoat things or dance around the truth.

"I'll be fine," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure if I believed it myself. The feral rage I felt during the fight with Josh still lingered at the edge of my mind, like a shadow I couldn't shake.

Dan shook his head. "No offense, but that's exactly what someone not fine would say. I know you're tough, Cat, but you don't have to keep proving it. Sit this one out, just this once. Let the rest of us carry the load."

I clenched my fists, my claws still tucked away but itching to come out. "Dan, you know I can't just sit on the sidelines. I have to pull my weight."

"You already pulled your weight!" Dan raised his voice slightly, his frustration breaking through. "You saved our butts, took down a giant Grimm, and made it through the first round. No one's doubting you, least of all me. But if you push yourself too hard, you'll lose more than the match-you'll lose yourself."

His words hit harder than I expected. I hated how right he was. I hated how much I was struggling to control whatever was brewing inside me. But more than anything, I hated the idea of being a burden on my team.

"I can handle it," I insisted, though my voice lacked conviction. "I need to handle it."

Dan crossed his arms, his cowboy hat tilted slightly as he leaned closer. "Corey, you've got nothing to prove. Not to me, not to Azu, not to anyone. We're a team. You don't have to fight every battle alone. Trust us, alright?"

I exhaled sharply, the tension in my chest loosening just a bit more. "Fine. I'll sit this one out," I said reluctantly. "But only if you promise not to do anything reckless while I'm on the bench."

Dan smirked, the playful glint returning to his eyes. "Reckless? Me? Never."

I rolled my eyes but felt a small smile tug at my lips despite myself. "Just try not to set the arena on fire, Cowboy."

"No promises," he quipped, tipping his hat with a grin.

As I watched him walk toward the stands to join the others, I felt a strange mix of relief and frustration. Sitting out wasn't in my nature, but maybe Dan was right. Maybe taking a step back would give me the chance to figure out what was really going on with me-before it was too late.

From my spot on the sidelines, I glanced up at the scoreboard, already feeling the itch to jump back into the fray. But for now, I'd have to trust my team to carry the fight without me.