Hey everyone I got a few things to say so I will just post that down below. So for now Enjoy the story!

Choice

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Corvo sat up from his bed. He chuckled as the room appeared to be in one piece. Half expecting the room to be fragmented, warped as it merged into the Void. The Outsider than appearing before him, talking about the past as if it happened a moment ago, and hinting with vague warning about the future. If felt almost out of place to start a new journey without a forced meeting with the Black eyed man. "He really must be stuck in that pit." Corvo thought. As he would be spared the painful headaches that came with one's mind being pulled into the Void.

" … The Void never gave me this big of a headache." Corvo sighed, as his head fell into his hands. For the past hour he had been sitting at the desk in his room staring at the blinking screen as it continued to deny him access to the Cross Continental Transmit System. (Or the CCT) While Summer had used the system before, giving that knowledge to Corvo. It appears that now a scroll is required to access it, which Corvo did not have.

While it might have been a setback, not being able to have the largest information source on the planet available. It reinforced his concern that the ten year gap had put him at a disadvantage. Summer did know basic details about most of the world but it did not stop advancing after her murder.

He would also like to know more about Dust and the Faunus. Dust seems to be this worlds versing of whale oil, as it is used for powering most of the machinery as well as being a weapon used by most of the world. The Faunus also concerned him, they are known for having sharper senses and unique traits humans do not have. The White Fang probably gained a lot of influence and support with their own information network. One he could use in his search. But they might also be involved with the Witch in some way. It would be worth investigating regardless. For now he would turn to another source of information one that he is all too familiar with, books.

Leaving his coat behind Corvo stepped out of the hotel. He was a little disappointed walking around the city. Books seem to have fallen out of demand as other devices replaced them. For information or entertainment there was only a handful of shops in the city left. All a good walk away from where he was staying. But after asking a helpful old man for directions he finally found a place called Tukson's Book Trade.

Stopping at the door Corvo saw his reflection. It was not the familiar worn face of an old man but that of a young one in his prime. A shallow laugh escaped his lips as he had to remind himself of his age. Walking into the store a chime filled the quite room, a few shelves off a black bow swayed to the sound, the girls head turned to the source. Her golden eyes peaking over the shelf meeting his own before going back to whatever book she was reading. A moment later a man holding a stack of books nudged the door behind the counter open his back to Corvo as he greeted. "Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, where you'll find every book under the sun." Putting the stack down, he turned and smiled at Corvo. "How can I help you?"

Returning the smile Corvo moved to the counter, he noticed that besides the girl with the black bow (who was standing in the adult and up section) the store was empty. Hopefully they had what he was looking for.

-Break-

As the chime on the door rang, Blake's senses were pulled to the source. A trait from her heritage and years of training sharpening her senses, it was a habit to be aware of what was around her. Spotting the new figure that came thru the door, she peaked over the book in her hands for a moment to see who had entered.

The person looked to be a young man, a few years older than herself. He wore a black vest with gold embroidering and buttons, below looked to be a navy blue dress shirt that was tucked into the same color pants. Attached to his belt was a holstered pistol, on the other side was a metal cylinder that had a leather grip around it. Looking around the shop he pushed his black hair to the side of his face as his other hand rested on the handle of his gun.

The owner of the shop soon came out from the back and greeted the man. In a relaxed manner the stranger walked to the counter and began to chat.

From just observing him Blake could tell that he was a Huntsman or at least in training. The way he walked to counter she could hardly hear him move across the wooden floor, nor did she fail to notice his eyes scanning the shop similar to how she did when she first came in.

Going back to her book, she tried to return to the story but her bow twitched slightly as she overheard parts of their conversation. The young man had asked a few odd request of the shop owner. Most of the books here where novels and fables meant to entertain the mind verses teach it. The maps and articles he was looking for would be easy to find if he just looked them up in his scroll. A point the shop owner expressed to the young man, who shrugged as a response.

Losing interest in the stranger Blake was ready to block out the conversation completely, until.

"Do you have any books about the Faunus then?" Blake's ears perked up at the mention of her race. Her attention brought back to the stranger.

The shop owner who she knew was also a Faunus but his heritage hidden as well. Also gave the man a curious look. "Could you be more specific, sir?" He replied in a polite tone.

"I'm looking for anything relating to their history or political movements after the Great War. The more recent the better." The stranger asked. Blake could only think of one major movement that happen with the Faunus after the Great War, the White Fang.

Apparently the owner also had the same thought as he folded his arms over his chest, his voice losing the polite tone. "I'm not carrying anything related to the Fang if that's what you're asking. You should check another place." Meaning leave Blake thought reading between his words of the owner.

Blake watched as the stranger heard the warning and gave a "thanks" before leaving and the chime ringing again.

-Break-

"Guess that's one store I'm not welcomed in anymore." Corvo thought as he waked out of the store in to the back alleys. It was more of a habit he picked up growing up in the slums, to travel through the alleys than the main streets to avoid attention. If you knew the back streets well, you can travel faster and also lose anyone tailing you. But you ran the risk of bumping into trouble.

"You thieving brat. You tried to pick my pocket just now didn't you?" In front of Corvo was a disheveled looking man that was clearly drunk by the half full bottle in his hand. In his other hand he was holding the arm of a small child pulling him roughly as he yelled.

The child trying to pull himself free of the man. His voice trembling. "I – I was just walking, you stumbled into me." In the struggle the child knocks the bottle from the man.

Staring at the broken glass the man snarled, "Now you cost me, my drink!" The drunk uses his free hand to grab the boy by the horns growing from his head. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out a knife brandishing the blade in front of the child. Fear cover his face. "You're gonna pay for that boy, one way or another."

Before the knife gets any closer Corvo grabs the man's hand. "Let the kid go." He says firmly, tightening his grip.

The drunk dropped the kid to the ground as he turned to see who stopped him. Seeing Corvo the man sneered and his hand turns into a fist. "This freak your bastard or something? I was just teaching it some manners, you could use a lesson too!" He shouted as he clumsily swung his fist at Corvo.

Without letting go of the hand with the knife Corvo dodged the drunken attack with easy, twist the hand behind the man's back. With another twist the drunk hissed in pain as the knife fell from his hand. Before a hand grabbed the back of his skull, he peaked through one eye to see the wall rushing towards him.

A dull crack could be heard as the drunks head bounced off the brick wall before his body slumped to the group. Picking the knife up Corvo moved to an open dumpster then dropped it in.

Looking back, the man was still on the ground, but his chest rising and fall showed that he was still breathing. The child he threatened was standing over him, staring down with cold eyes. In his hand was the broken handle of the bottle jagged.

"Kid." Corvo called but he was still looking at the man on the ground. "Kid!" Corvo called again louder.

Corvo took a step, and the child raised the broken glass over the man's head. He was about to freeze time, but the child was stopped by another.

The boy was trembling, tears were running down his cheek as he dared to look up. It was the girl from the bookstore.

The boy looked ready to run, but she softly spoke, "It's okay, it's okay. You're safe now." She knelt down, and pulled on the tread of her bow. As it fell a pair of cat ears could be seen.

Seeing the ears the boy dropped the bottle head and clung to the girl. All at once he started to cry hugging her.

The Faunus girl led the boy away from his attacker as she looked back at Corvo. She motioned for him to follow. After checking the man's pocket for any spare lien he followed after her.

A few blocks away the girl had her bow back on her head but had stopped in front of what looked to be a small school building. The wall looked to be freshly painted as Faunus children various in age could be seen inside it.

The girl let the boy down giving him one last hug and he whispering something into her ear. The boy then turned to look at Corvo. His eyes were still red from the tears but behind them he could still see fear and hate.

Taking a knee Corvo spoke. "We're not all monster kid, some just choose to be them. I know its painful but hurting people does not make it go away, it just makes it worst. Don't choose to be a monster kid. Try to be better than them and choose to be a hero." He smile as the boy listen and with one final wipe pushed the tears and hate from his face to smile back at Corvo.

The boy waved back to them as he reached the door and entered inside. An old women with a scaled tail at the door also waved, mouthing her gratitude as she led the child inside.

Corvo stood beside the girl both waving back till the door shut. There was a pause before the girl turned to him. "If you want to know more about us and the Fang follow me." She then turned and began to walk towards a coffee shop.

It was noon judging by the sun and heat, but the girl still insisted on getting the table outside on the roof. She did not speak even after the waiter brought their drinks, tea that she had ordered for the both of them. He did not mind as it was of good quality. Apparently even with the threat of the Grimm trade was still good in this world.

After giving his name Corvo waited, as the girl was looking down at her tea thinking carefully over her words before speaking. Taking a deep breath, brought his attention back to the table as she started. "My name is Blake, and I overheard you talking in the book store. If you're interested in learning more about the Faunus and the White Fang, you just saw what it's like to be one and why the White Fang excises." She spoke calm, but she looked guarded as she waited for Corvo.

When he did not speak she continued, "The White Fang was not always seen as terrorists. The Faunus were promised equality that things would be different, but it was just a lovely lie told to us. Instead of accepting us, they made laws and rules to keep us below them. Refusing to sell to us or give us aid. That's was when the Fang was born to fight and protest for what was promised to us. But even when we were peaceful humans still attacked us. Change was not coming so someone new stepped up and instead of signs we had weapons." She paused again looking at Corvo, his face did not change nor did he speak.

Blake took another deep breath. "After that change, people did stop attacking us…"

"But not accept you." Corvo spoke for her. And she nodded.

This time it was Corvo that took a heavy sign. "What the Fang did, what you did." He looked into her eyes, knowing she let that part slip. "You did create change, but you did so by fear and force. People do not accept the Faunus they are just scared to go against them. That hate and resentment is still there, only now it festers behind a mask."

Blake slammed her hand on the table, outrage by what he just said. "So we should just sit by and let ourselves be mistreated?"

"No." Corvo spoke cutting her off and taking of sip of his tea. "I am not saying that the Faunus stop protecting themselves nor should they stop fighting for equality. But…" Corvo looked to the side of the shop out to the center of the city. "I, have seen what people would do thinking they would be fixing the problem. I have seen desperate people join them just for offering hope. And I have seen these people turn into the very thing they were fight against in the end."

Blake stared at the man sitting across from her. She understood what he was saying, it was the reason she turned away from the Fang, on him. She could not stand to see him turn so she ran away.

With another sip, Corvo turned back to her. "People can change if you point a sword at them, but they can also change if you offer them a hand." Blake was about to speak but Corvo continued. "Even if someone slaps the hand way, does not mean that someone else with not take it. Like I told the kid, we choose whether to be Heroes or Monsters."

Blake stared at the cup in her hands. Letting his words sink in she seemed to be conflicted, so Corvo gave her a light push before he left. "You choose to do the right thing. You showed the kid how to be a Hero, how to make a difference." Her bow twitched but that was all. Seeing their conversation was over Corvo got up, covered the bill and walked to the door. With his back to her Blake picked up her head, staring at Beacon.

She reminded him of his past during the rat plague. He also joined a group that started out to be just, only in the end it turned rotten from the inside out. It still left a bitter taste in his mouth as his friends poisoned him, both figuratively and literally.

But there is still hope for that girl, she just has to make the right choices.

Alright so first things first this chapter was going to be a lot longer. This might be a spoiler but I was going to include Weiss and Yang as well, but it was running long and I felt bad not posting anything. So good news I have all the outline work done for the next chapter. But I'm having Corvo talk with the girls since this is a RWBY story and I wanted a little dialog with the main cast before I branch out. I said this before but this story will be mostly thru Corvo with the events of Rwby in the background. While the Main cast will be there. Their screen time will be only when he runs into the girls while he is on his missions as he will be dealing more with minor character and a few Oc's.

But thank you all for reading please comment, and review I love seeing what people think. I will see you all soon THanks!