When the Bullhead finally arrives in the city of Vale, Erik parts ways with Team RWBY. While they head off toward their own destinations, Erik immediately makes his way toward the heart of the city.
Along the way, something catches his attention.
A Dust shop has been completely ransacked. The front windows are shattered, shelves overturned, and yellow police tape stretches across the storefront. Several officers stand guard, keeping civilians away.
Erik slows his steps, then approaches one of the officers.
"What happened here?" he asks.
"Robbery," the officer replies flatly.
"Who did it?"
"According to the victims and witnesses, the perpetrators were a group of Faunus. Our preliminary assumption is that they're connected to the White Fang."
"White Fang, huh," Erik mutters.
"Thanks for answering."
He doesn't linger. Erik turns away and continues walking, his expression unreadable.
After some time, he reaches a small shop tucked away in a quiet corner of Vale, far from the crowds and bright lights of the main streets.
Ting.
A small bell rings as Erik steps inside.
Behind the counter, the shopkeeper looks up—and immediately breaks into a wide grin.
"Well, well," the man says. "If it isn't you, kid. You finally come back. It's been quite a while."
"Yeah," Erik replies calmly. "I'm here to buy a new Scroll. I want you to transfer all the data from my old one—and add enhanced surveillance and combat features to the new model."
He places his old Scroll on the counter.
The shopkeeper lets out a low chuckle as he gathers his tools and takes a seat.
"Of course. Leave it to me."
As his hands move quickly, he glances at Erik.
"By the way, kid… you're not taking any jobs this time?"
"Not for now," Erik answers. "I don't want to draw attention—especially while I'm attending Beacon Academy. Most of all, I don't want to attract the attention of Beacon's headmaster."
The shopkeeper pauses briefly. "Beacon's headmaster, huh? What kind of man is he?"
"To put it simply," Erik says, "he's a perfect example of a hero."
The shopkeeper smiles faintly.
"A hero, huh? That's a pretty high evaluation."
"But even so," Erik continues, his tone lowering, "he feels like someone who hides too many things. I don't fully trust people like that."
The shopkeeper hums. "So he's on your blacklist."
"Yeah."
"Well then," the man says, leaning back slightly, "I might have a job that suits your current situation. The pay is pretty generous, too."
Erik looks up. "I'm listening."
"A few days ago," the shopkeeper explains, "some people from the underground received a request from a client. They're willing to pay a large sum for any information about Beacon—anything that isn't publicly accessible."
Erik grows quiet, already considering what kind of information he can realistically gather from within the academy.
"…All right," he says at last. "I'll do it. I'll come back next week with whatever I find. Is there any other job I can take in the meantime?"
The shopkeeper thinks for a moment.
"Hm. Actually, there is one more request. Someone's asking for information about the whereabouts of a girl named Blake Belladonna."
Erik freezes.
"…Blake Belladonna?"
The shopkeeper raises an eyebrow. "You know her?"
"Yeah," Erik says slowly. "She's my friend at Beacon. Gathering information about her would be easy."
"Looks like you just found yourself some easy money," the shopkeeper says with a grin.
Not long after, the shopkeeper finishes his work and slides the new Scroll across the counter.
"All done."
Erik picks it up and gives a short nod.
"Thank you. I'll see you next week."
"I'll be waiting for the good news," the shopkeeper replies. "Take care, little boy."
Erik decides to visit a café on the second floor to wait for the Bullhead's departure schedule back to Beacon. He chooses a quiet table near the railing and orders a cup of coffee, letting himself relax as the city of Vale moves below him.
As he enjoys his drink, something unusual catches his attention.
Down on the street, he spots Penny walking along cheerfully—only to suddenly bump into Weiss, who appears abruptly from around a corner.
Erik doesn't approach them. Instead, he leans back in his chair and watches the interaction with casual interest.
From a distance, he observes Penny introducing herself to Team RWBY, quickly striking up a friendship with Ruby. But what truly draws his focus is Weiss's tone when the topic shifts to Faunus.
Her words carry a clear edge of hostility.
"I wonder if they actually know Blake is a Faunus."
As someone who spends time with Blake every day, Erik recognizes her identity easily—through her behavior, her guarded mannerisms, and the way the ribbon on her head subtly shifts and reacts over time. To him, the signs are obvious.
His thoughts are interrupted when his new Scroll suddenly vibrates on the table.
He glances at the screen.
Pyrrha is calling.
"…It's Pyrrha again," he murmurs softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he answers.
Time passes quickly after that. Before he knows it, Erik boards the Bullhead and returns to Beacon Academy.
Once he arrives, he heads straight toward the training hall. Inside, he spots Jaune and Pyrrha taking a break after their training session, Jaune look very exhausted while Pyrrha just sitting there waiting for the next session for training.
The moment Pyrrha sees Erik, her face lights up.
"Erik, you're back!"
She runs toward him without hesitation and throws her arms around him. Erik chuckles softly, returning the embrace as he gently runs his fingers through her hair.
"Did I make you wait too long?"
Pyrrha smiles softly. "No, it's okay."
After that, Erik glances toward Jaune, who is completely unaware of them, slumped where he sits from sheer exhaustion. The three of them remain there quietly, waiting for the break to end before continuing the final training session.
Night eventually falls.
As Erik and Pyrrha make their way back to their dorms, they suddenly notice Blake running past them before stopping a short distance away, as if she needs a moment to catch her breath.
Pyrrha tilts her head. "Is that Blake? What is she doing out this late?"
"She looks sad too," Erik says quietly. "I guess she just had a conflict with Weiss."
"Weiss?" Pyrrha asks. "Is it because she's a Schnee?"
Erik glances at her. "So you noticed too… that Blake is a Faunus."
Pyrrha nods. "It's not that hard to notice if someone really pays attention."
They watch as a blond Faunus with a monkey tail approaches Blake. The two exchange a few words, then turn and disappear into the night, vanishing from Erik and Pyrrha's sight.
Pyrrha hesitates. "Should we notify Team RWBY about Blake?"
Erik shakes his head. "No. I think Team RWBY needs to face this problem on their own. This is an internal issue for them—interfering now might only make things worse."
Pyrrha considers his words, then nods. "Maybe that's for the best."
Together, they continue walking toward their dorms, the quiet of the night settling around them.
To Be continued...