I looked at Azu as she woke up. She was mumbling about drones and killing. “You were mumbling in your sleep about drones.”

Her face went pale. “Yet you snore deeply.” She crossed her arms.

“I'm not the one that said Salem!” I retorted. Her face went even paler.

“Well, I guess I've been hiding something from you all… I'm a Grimm turned Human.” We all looked at her.

I immediately had Fated Hour's claws extended. “Whoa! Chill there, Kitty!” Dan stepped in front of Azu.

“Why? She's the enemy!” I was fuming. I got on all fours.

“Come at me!” Dan was ready to swing.

“Guys, maybe there is a reason why she didn't tell us to begin with.” Sumire saw how this was going to get out of hand.

I didn't speak. “Grr!” I let out.

“You think getting on all fours will help you Pussy Cat!” The cowboy took off his hat. “I'm not getting blood on this.”

“Take it outside of the dorm!” Sumire pushed out of the room. Azu was afraid of us.

___________________

We walked to the woods near the school. “The first one to fall loses.” I got back on all fours.

Drones flew around us. “Yes.” Dan winding up his fist. “Let's see how you like my boxing skills.”

I had my claws out. “This Cat has more than tricks.” My golden aura glows and Dan's… cyan Aura glows.

Shadows and Stubbornness we're different but alike. I growled as he stepped closer to me. I walked around him precisely. I know he had military training but I had experience as a member of the Terrorist organization called the White Fang.

Yang and her team saw me Dan about to fight. It was downpouring. “What are you guys fighting over?” Blake asked me.

I responded with a growl. “Azu is a Grimm turned human,” Dan answered. I scratched his leg but he kicked me into a tree.  Correction: I went through a tree.

“That's not full strength.” Dan saw where my metal claws dug into his right leg. “Damn, bastard.”

I got myself up. I spit out a tooth. I didn't mind it. I got back down on all fours. I charged towards him.

“Stop fighting!” Ruby got in between us. The blade of Crescent Rose at me and the barrel of it at Dan.

“What are you two dolts fighting over?” Weiss asked us.

“We were fighting over Azu. She's a Grimm turned human.” I answered but my cloak is covered in sap, wood shavings, and what I think is blood but I'm not sure.

“Wait she's…. A Grimm?” Yang helped me stand up.

I'm wiping off what looks like blood and debris off of me. “Yes. It explains why she has Red eyes and she doesn't have a Semblance. It explains quite a lot about her.”

“I see.” Dan puts me in a chokehold. “But it doesn't give you a reason to draw your weapon on her.”

I struggled in Dan's grip, his forearm pressing against my throat as I tried to break free. My claws extended again, instinctively, but I knew I couldn’t fight him like this.

Yang, still holding me up, gave Dan a hard look. "Hey, ease up! He’s not the enemy here either. We need to talk, not throw punches.”

Dan loosened his choke hold but didn’t completely let go. “Corey needs to understand that fighting over Azu’s past won’t change anything. We’ve all got things we regret.”

I grunted, still not completely sold on the idea. “She was a Grimm, Dan. A Grimm. We fight them every day. How am I supposed to just forget that?”

Azu stepped forward, still visibly shaken, but there was a determination in her eyes. “I never asked you to forget, Corey. I’ve done things I’m not proud of. But I didn’t choose to be a Grimm, just like you didn’t choose to be a Faunus. I want to be better. I want to help.”

Blake, standing just behind Yang, spoke up. “We’ve all got our demons, Corey. But you can’t judge someone solely on their past. You know that better than anyone.” She was speaking from her own experience in the White Fang, and her words hit me hard.

I finally relaxed a little, lowering my claws. Dan let go of me completely, and I straightened up, still glaring at Azu but less intensely. “Fine. But if she steps out of line—”

Yang interrupted with a playful shove. “Yeah, yeah, we get it. You’ll be the first to pounce.”

I gave a low growl but couldn't help the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “I just don’t want anyone getting hurt because we trusted the wrong person.”

Ruby, lowering Crescent Rose, nodded in agreement. “None of us do, but we have to give people a chance to prove they’ve changed. That’s the only way forward.”

Dan, rubbing his leg where my claws had cut into him earlier, gave me a sarcastic grin. “Besides, Kitty, I think you’ve got bigger problems right now. Like explaining to Ozpin why there’s a Corey-shaped hole in one of his trees.”

I smirked back at him. “I’ll let you handle that one.”

Yang wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close. “Let’s just call it a truce for now. No more fighting among teammates. Deal?”

I sighed, finally letting go of the tension. “Deal. But Azu better be ready to pull her weight.”

Azu, still shaken but grateful, nodded. “I won’t let you down. I promise.”

As the rain continued to fall, the group of us stood there, soaking wet and tired, but at least we were all on the same page. For now.

I wasn't too happy about this. My cloak was soaked. My ears were wet. I hate being wet. Azu's hand went to my ears. I grabbed her hand. “Don't touch my ears.”

“But they're cute.” Azu, Yang, Ruby, and Sumire said in unison.