A/N: Hello, hello! I'm back with the next chapter of the Musical Massacre- but first! My week! It's been amazing, because I have a reading week, which means I haven't had any lectures and seminars this entire time! I know, I get work and reading to do, but it's definitely a lot less than the usual busy week! I went home for it, and seeing my family again has been really nice. We've been making and eating so much cake... I'm actually a little caked out, which I never thought I'd say in my entire life! It's been fun, though. Not only that, but my sister came round, too! I haven't seen her in 6 weeks, so it's been nice to catch up and see her face to face.

And Halloween has been and gone! Can I just say... mine was awesome? I had a great time, even if it meant I only got four and a half hours of sleep in order to catch my train the next day... But seriously, I had loads of fun, and I was with really nice company the entire time. My Puss In Boots look went very well, too- the make-up turned out to be just on point!

I don't know if this is just a British thing, but a lot of us have probably been celebrating Guy Fawkes night recently. Unfortunately, I missed the fireworks at my university, and chose to have dinner with my family rather than going to the fireworks held at my old school... It was actually a really great night out! We ate Italian style food and it was so rich and so good! I was stuffed at the end- in fact, I overate by miles... Not a good habit... It was a fun night, though, so my week's been very good.

Without further ado, the next chapter of Investigasians!

Chapter 20

Yao opened his eyes from a deep sleep. He was lying in bed, and his face, exposed to the air, had chilled overnight. The blankets around him were warm, and he could smell the broth downstairs as Kiku started the breakfast choices for the day. He knew it was Kiku, rather than Mr Honda, because his friend was no longer present in the bed that stood parallel to his on the other side of the room. The covers had been delicately made, and looked pristine, as if no one had slept there. Tiredly, Yao sat up and glanced outside.

His eyes widened to see the heaps of snow tumbling down from the skies above. Awed, he noted the white substance that had left a thick layer on the window sill, and how the windows themselves had frosted over a little. The city lacked the sounds of noisy traffic it usually had, and although Yao knew that wouldn't last once they finished placing salt on the roads, the silence was wonderfully pleasant whilst it lasted.

However, he could foresee a problem arise relatively soon. Peeling the covers away, Yao exposed himself to the freezing temperatures. He dragged himself across the room and wiped a hand across the clouded glass. Snowflakes drifted past and the city, covered in a sheet of white, stood serenely around him. Grey clouds hovered in the sky above, murky and obscured, and there was no sight of the sun. The city seemed to have turned monochrome. Beneath, he could just about make the shapes of the Honda family car and the Old Civic. If he couldn't get his car to work, how was he supposed to reach the Edelstein household?

With a sigh, Yao clambered across his bed, wrapping his sheets around him and curling into their warmth. He grabbed his phone from its charge beside his bed and scrutinized the screen, hoping to see something from either Mei or Yong. There was nothing from either. He tried calling the latter. No response. He was about to give Mei a ring when he recalled her advice, and instead texted her about his plights. It wasn't long before her response came.

'Are you kidding? I haven't had a break like this in ages! It'll be a while until the salt reaches my street.'

Yao sighed. It seemed neither of his teammates were being particularly cooperative. Mei's focus seemed to be missing a day of work at the cafe, it seemed... This day would be dedicated to his own searches. Sitting in bed, he gazed around the little room he shared with Kiku. Maybe this case would be the boost for his career, which would in turn let him invest in his own place to stay? Mr Honda would be pleased about that.

Yao whipped the covers off and took a quick morning shower. Once he was warm and relatively comfortable, he wandered into his office and assessed all the notes he'd compiled within the room. He needed to clarify the locations of both Roderich and Elizabeta throughout the night of the murder. However, the missing pen and sheet music also remained questions that needed answering. The type of gun used to break the padlock was also hidden in the clouds of mystery. There were still so many unanswered questions that Yao needed to consider. It would've been handy to have cars available, but it seemed that wasn't an option at this point of time.

He decided to stick within local boundaries. If Roderich or Elizabeta had stayed for some reason or another at the music theatre, then he could speak to them then. Snapping his notebook shut, Yao breathed in deeply before grabbing his coat from the hooks in the hallway. Shrugging on the long piece of clothing, he hurried down the stairs and leant his weight against the door at the bottom, pushing it open into the ramen bar where Kiku calmly worked at a large tub of boiling broth. Customers were low in numbers due to the weather; it was mostly the regulars who lived within walking distance who were present, but some others who had perhaps been stranded in the frozen city had decided hot ramen would be suitable to ready them for the day.

Kiku glanced towards him, a faint smile on his face. "Good morning."

"Morning, aru," Yao said. "I'm just off to the music theatre. You OK on your own here?"

"Naturally," Kiku replied. "My parents are here, anyway. Are you looking for someone at the theatre?"

"Miss Hédeváry, hopefully," Yao admitted. "However, she may have returned home. It's just a gamble, since all my other tasks require me to go out and around."

"I understand," his childhood friend lowered his gaze to the food he was preparing. "Good luck and have a good day."

"You, too, aru," Yao nodded, stepping out into the snow.

He was instantly showered in white flakes, and a cold wind swept straight through him, down to the marrow in his bones. A slight shiver passed across him, but he pressed on, boots crunching in the snow. He ploughed through, for the snow had managed to layer significantly through the night. No cars passed by, and the salting services had yet to pass this area of the city. It was like an eerie ghost town, but the peacefulness was pleasant at the same time. Yao was a city lover. He enjoyed seeing other people in masses surrounding him, where he could blend in and disappear. He wouldn't be the type to inhabit a country manor and see the same people again every day. New faces interested him, another perk to his career as a private investigator.

The music theatre lacked the grandeur it had had in the night. Morning had dimmed its shine; it blended with the buildings surrounding it. The music theatre had become yet another concrete structure where significant events took place. It was difficult to associate it with the murder of Niklas Edelstein, but less than two weeks ago, a man had died there in cold blood. As incredible as Roderich's performance had been last night, the strange idea of a recent death having taken place inside bothered him. Questions flew around his head, but no one could or were willing to answer them.

He traversed across the parking lot that had become a plain, white expanse, disturbed by several sets of footprints, both human and animal. The main lobby was a warm relief once he was inside, and he was surprised to see he was not the only person there.

A young man wearing an expensive looking coat was handing some kind of envelope in to the secretary. His chin-length, ash blonde hair was shaped into fine waves, and he had light stubble growing along his chin. He was dashingly handsome, in a plucked and pristine kind of way. His entire outfit spoke of the rich, and his gloves and scarf looked both stylish and warm. He turned, cornflower blue eyes resting on Yao, who stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Hello," he said politely as he breezed past.

He did not pronounce the 'h'; although his tone was formal. He had an accent, French, presumably. Yao wasn't entirely sure who he was, but he was gone out the door by the time he reached the desk. It didn't matter, anyway. Not every stranger could hold a significant role in his life.

"Hello, how can I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"Hi, is there any chance either Mr Edelstein or Miss Hédeváry are present?" he asked.

The receptionist shook her head. "I'm afraid not. They left the music theatre after last night's concert, but as you can see, the snow fell very heavily after that. I can call Mr Edelstein and let him know you dropped by?"

"Yeah, sure," Yao nodded, knowing Roderich was the type of person to get back to people. "My name is Yao Wang. That's Detective Wang."

"Ah," there was understanding in her eyes, but she asked no questions. "I'll call him and let him know you were here."

"Thanks, aru," he pushed away from the desk, briefly admired the cleanness of the lobby, and wondered if Mr Edelstein had hired himself a new set of janitors.

Stepping out in the cold, his phone began to vibrate. Startled, he rummaged into his pockets, and held the device to his ear.

"Hello?" he asked, cursing himself for having forgotten to check to see who was calling.

"Aniki," his heart deflated at the sound of Yong's voice. "Just wanted to know if you were working on the case?"

It was a test, but Yao knew honesty was the best thing to use with Yong. "Yes."

"Without me – and Mei?" he asked, sounding hurt.

"Well, yes; this is my job," Yao complained, cramming his other hand into his pocket. He had forgotten to bring gloves, and the cold threatened to numb his fingers. "Besides, I live close enough to the theatre to be able to visit it whenever."

"Fill me in," Yong Soo said.

"What?" Yao stopped dead in the empty car park and pulled a face. "Why?"

"I'm just curious, Aniki," he begged. "I'm your sidekick; I've gotta know the deets."

"Well, I've just checked for the client, but he's not here," Yao sighed, relenting to the boy's silly demands. "I think they went back to their home, which means I won't be able to see them until the roads have been properly salted."

"You could Skype chat me!" Yong said excitedly.

Yao couldn't think of anything worse. "First of all, no. Secondly, I am not giving you any more of my personal details. You know enough as it is. I'm not in the mood for giving your mother ammunition to get me arrested. Finally, that's a really weird thing to ask a man who is no longer in education. You're still a high school student. Get some friends."

"I have friends," Yong Soo said indignantly. "I just don't see them much over the holidays. They go abroad."

He should've expected his sidekick would mingle with the rich community, who could afford not one, but probably three abroad holidays across the year.

"Right, aru," he shook his head disbelievingly. "If I happen to miraculously come across either of them, or find something out, I'll-"

"Excusez-moi, I think I might be able to help you," the familiar French lilt rang across the parking lot as someone called out to him.

Yao turned to see the young man from before running towards him.

"Who is that, Aniki?" Yong Soo asked.

"I'll call you back later, aru," he hurriedly said, then disconnected the call, just as the man reached him.

"Ah, merci," he dropped a cigarette to the ground, crushed it with his shoe, and rummaged through his pocket. "Who are you looking for, may I ask?"

"Roderich Edelstein or his fiancée," he replied, watching the man take out breath spray and utilise it – a smoker who attempted to hide his habits? "I don't mind which one, aru."

"It must've been fate, then, that we crossed paths," the man smiled warmly; the curve on his mouth suited him. "Roderich Edelstein is actually a good friend of mine, so I naturally attended his celebration party last night."

"Oh?" Yao was suddenly interested.

"Oui, but the snow suddenly came on thick, and all us guests got stranded at the venue," the man continued, grimacing slightly. "Including Roderich and Elizabeta. Luckily, the venue is within the city. It's quite a walk, but that's fine when you're with pleasant company..."

Yao had always been a naturally suspicious character. He had never met this man. He could've been anyone.

"What did you say your name was, again?" he asked, keeping his tone jovial and colloquial. "I didn't catch it, aru."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," the man laughed melodramatically. "How rude of me! I completely forgot to introduce myself."

Yao watched carefully as he slipped off a warm glove and extended a hand towards him.

"My name is Francis Bonnefoy," he said pleasantly – and the name rang a bell.

Elizabeta had mentioned this man. He had been at the concert last night for sure. Yao reached out a hand and clasped the smooth palm of the other man. Francis' fingers closed around his hand and squeezed lightly as they shook hands. He was very forward, holding Yao's gaze the entire time in his own cornflower irises. Francis was slow to release his hand, but quick to pull the glove back over his elegant fingers.

"Yao Wang," Yao said.

"Roderich mentioned you," Francis began walking, an easy-going smile on his face. "You're the private investigator, am I correct?"

It was weird to think people had conversations about him without him knowing. Yao nodded.

"That sounds like such an interesting job," Francis purred, then leant a little closer as they walked. "But tell me – have you found whoever did it?"

"I'm afraid I'm not allowed to disclose any information on the case, aru," Yao explained. "Client's privacy; I'm sure you understand."

"I have no understanding of privacy whatsoever!" he laughed. "My life is constantly being recorded. I haven't been in the city since Niklas' sixtieth, and I was sorry to leave when Roderich was in such a state."

"You were there, aru?" Yao asked, interested.

"Hmm, yes," Francis' smile thinned. "But before you start accusing me, please don't. I was at the party until it ended at around two – or three even! If it comes as an interest, I was actually with Roderich moments before the party ended."

"He never left the party once?" Yao asked.

"Of course not – he's such a prude," Francis chuckled. "I suppose he was a suspect for quite some time, then? He mentioned you accusing Elizabeta…"

Yao had wished Roderich would keep the case as private as possible until it was over. It seemed, however, that his client had other ideas. Perhaps Francis was just a very close friend, though?

"Not accusing, but just getting an idea of where everyone was at the time of Niklas' death, aru," Yao muttered.

"Touchy subject – I see," Francis held up his hands. "But I personally think it was that janitor, Beilschmidt."

"Right?" Yao wasn't about to be spilling information, no matter how much this man pushed.

"Yeah, he was such a foolish loudmouth," Francis said. "Roderich had nothing to say on him, though, so I do wonder…"

"But you liked Niklas Edelstein?" Yao asked.

Francis lapsed into a trance-like state. "He was like an older Roderich, only more stubborn. I never really had a father figure growing up, so he acted like that to me. No, I wouldn't harm a hair on that man, no matter what you may think."

"I'm not one for jumping to conclusions," Yao answered.

"No?" Francis glanced at him. "No, I suppose you're not. Far too rational for excitement. But that's what'll make you good at solving mysteries, Mr Wang. You could be the next Sherlock Holmes."

"Thank you, aru," he said.

"Is that a verbal tic?" Francis asked, casting him a curious side glance as they crossed an empty road with half-melted snow: the salting had begun.

"Hmm?" Yao frowned.

"The 'aru'," Francis noted. "I couldn't help but notice you said it a lot."

Unsure of how to react to this stranger's analysis, Yao crammed his hands into his pockets and thought hard about how to respond.

"I guess so," he said slowly, ensuring not to say 'aru'.

"I don't see many people with them," Francis said. "I quite like them; they're oddly fashionable."

"Ah, well, I don't hear many people from France around here, aru," Yao said, hoping to change the subject.

"Really?" Francis looked surprised. "I don't live in the city, so I wouldn't know."

"But you are French?" he asked.

"Oui, I come from the land of love," Francis smiled warmly. "Have you ever been to France, Yao?"

"I can't say I have," he shook his head.

"Well, you must visit Paris," Francis said, then paused, suddenly thoughtful. "You know, I have a house there. I ought to bring you along one summer, and show you around- it's truly a beautiful city."

Yao couldn't believe what he was hearing. He barely knew this man, and was already being invited to spend the summer in his other house. Yao didn't even have one house.

"I think that's what we shall do," Francis cast him a side glance. "It's one thing to talk about France, but actually seeing it is a whole matter entirely. I hear so many people tell me they've been to Paris, and whenever I ask about the Eiffel Tower, they tell me they go to Disneyland. So disappointing."

"I can imagine," Yao had never been to Disneyland before. "I've heard the south of France is very nice."

"I have a summer house there," Francis beamed. "Maybe I should just take you for a tour around France, never mind Paris! You must learn the language, Yao. You can impress so many people if you know a lot of languages."

"I know English and Mandarin," he replied. "A significant amount of Japanese, too."

"Yes, well, you may be ahead of the game, but if you can learn more than three – and more than what your parents have probably taught you – then people will really respect you," Francis smiled. "I had to learn English before I came here, and it was really difficult; much harder than learning other European languages as a French speaker."

"OK, aru," Yao said, sheepish that he was limited to the languages his family had learnt, as well as what Kiku had taught him over the years.

"Do you dance as well?" Francis asked. "Drink? Socialise? I want to know the man Roderich has hired to find out who killed his father..."

"Sorry?" Yao paused, alarmed by the sudden swing of conversation.

"You heard me," Francis frowned. "Niklas Edelstein was a father to me as well. I want to find out who killed him just as much as Roderich does, if not, more. Forgive me, but I needed to find out more about your character, and make the judgement whether you were capable of not."

"What?" Yao blinked.

"If it comes as any consolation," Francis smiled lightly and awkwardly. "Then I think you can do this."

"Uh…" Yao struggled for words. "How long until we reach the venue, aru?"

"We passed it a long time ago," Francis replied nonchalantly. "Our conversation was just so delightful and I had yet to make a conclusion about you at the time. Again, I'm deeply sorry if I've made you uncomfortable."

"Not at all," Yao said uncomfortably.

Francis laughed. "Then, come along, mon ami; Roderich and Elizabeta will probably be more than willing to speak with you."

A/N: A new character!? 20 chapters in and we've met a new character? I like surprises, you see... Speaking of which, 20 chapters in and Yao still hasn't found the murderer! He needs to get a move on. Also, 20 chapters... and 2,000 people who have viewed Investigasians: The Musical Massacre! That's absolutely amazing that so many people have taken the time to look at this Fic! Thank you very much for all of your support, and if you want to leave a review... please do! I love reading and replying so much! It's so good to hear what people think of what I've written! Also, if there are any French speakers out there, feel free to correct me if I've gotten anything wrong. I try, and tend to fail quite a lot... but I try! Either way, it's not hard to edit chapters, so if there are any linguistic mistakes, please say so! Feedback makes the best story.

Thank you everyone- all 2,000 of you!- and until next time!