Kiku

(Just Kidding, Ivan And Yao)

They stopped in front of the house and knocked on the door, this being one of the places Brian and Roy said Alfred might be. There was something about the house that seemed a bit odd to Vash, but at this rate he believed he might become immune to it. Or at least numb.

The door opened a crack. "Hello?"

"'ello, Kiku," Roy said. "We're 'ere with Officer Zwingli ta talk 'bout the thefts. Anythin' missin'?"

"No. I cannot talk now. Busy!"

With that, the door shut.

"Wait a second!" Vash announced, rapping his fist against the door once more. "Open up! That was not one of your options!"

"We can come back later." Brian shrugged it off, causing Vash to whip about and stare at him.

"Later?"

Vash was not happy about this, but to be honest he had only been happy once today (when Natalia had backed up his claim about the time the train arrived), so it really was not that big of a deal. The other two were insistent that Kiku would not be that shut off if Alfred was there and it was time to move on. Despite his feelings on the matter, Vash decided he would come back to this house soon. It was not as if there were not higher prioritised people on the list.

"What are you doing, aru?" asked a man from a house they were passing, up from where he was standing on his porch. Vash decided to give him the entire explanation.

This is "the entire explanation" in a single sentence.

"That didn't take long."

"Not when you are efficient," Vash explained. Brian looked like he was taking notes while Roy was staring two lines above. "Where were you yesterday evening, Mr. Wang?"

"Just gotten back into Hearth," Yao began. "We left the truck at the inn, like normal, aru. Shooed Alfred away." The Chinese man looked tired at the very thought of that. Vash's curiosity about this Alfred continued to mount, but he did not ask. "Shooed Muhammad away. Then went to stretch my legs."

"Glad ta 'ear yer back did na give out," Roy commented.

"Right back at you," Yao said, annoyed.

"Is there anything else?" Vash interrupted them, doing a smashing job of pretending he was not desperate for some more information.

"Nothing worth mentioning," Yao shrugged, leaning forward on the porch railing. "Stopped by the restaurant to have dinner, got in an argument with Lovino, helped Ivan escape Natalia... the usual."

Vash remembered Natalia mentioning something about a Yao, as had Feliciano include him in the list of people who ate at the restaurant. Most everyone seemed to be telling the truth. Excluding Lovino's obvious lie and the fact Gilbert was very tight lipped out what had happened to his face. And Maddox, not having said anything yet. Yes, he was on the top of Vash's list. Vash also had a feeling he would regret that.

"Helped Ivan escape Natalia?" he decided to question instead.

"Just pointed her in the wrong direction, aru. Don't tell her that."

"We ken be'er," Roy nodded.

"Yer secret's safe wit' us," Brian agreed.

"Where did Ivan go?" Vash asked, wondering why he was bothering as he was pretty certain he had the picture of what happened to this Ivan yesterday evening.

"Ask him yourself. He's right over there, aru." Yao pointed behind them, right before he waved at someone. "Ivan! Come and meet our newest policeman!"

"This is not permanent," Vash tried to remind him, but he was distracted by the giant of a man who was now striding over.

"New officer, da?" the Russian asked, looking down at him with this overly friendly smile.

"What are ye doin', Ivan?" Brian asked him.

"Looking for Ludwig's fan," Ivan said. "He vas so helpful yesterday zat I return favour now."

There is nothing new in this, Vash thought miserably. He was getting very tired of this entire place and this investigation had gone on for far too long. Not that he had not had any that lasted longer. Most of them were longer than this. But this investigation felt like it had already taken over a month.

"Have either of you seen Alfred Jones?" he asked.

Ivan's face darkened. "Zankfully... no."

"Probably at the doctor's," Yao shrugged, seeming to find the entire idea distasteful. "He is flying through medical school like you would not believe, aru."

"It's because 'e 'as already been taugh' everythin' 'ere," Roy grinned.

"We will head there," Vash established, looking at the list. It seemed like of the people who had been prioritized he still had a few left, but at least people seemed to know where this Alfred was.

"Then we go this way," Brian pointed.

"Good luck, aru," Yao waved.

"I vill find ceiling fan first," Ivan continued, smiling once more.

Vash doubted it, but he took his leave.