Melanie and the kids are in Octovern, the sad bastard had told him. Wolfwood wasn't entirely sure he could trust a word that came out of the man's mouth, Vash or no -- he's never met somebody with as much of a self-sacrificing death wish as that guy. But even if it turns out Needles was wrong and Melanie and them aren't here, a populated town is still a populated town. There'll be work, if he decides he wants it, food that isn't entirely worm-based, maybe even a chance to connect with the Eye again, to get an idea how many of them are left and get himself invited to their hideout. It'll be much easier to kill them all in their hideout.

But Melanie and the kids from the orphanage are his first priority, which means Wolfwood is skulking around the edges of the city, looking for any kids who seem lost. It's not the best way to go about his search -- in fact, he's starting to feel a bit like a creep -- but it's not like he can just march into downtown and start calling her name. He's keeping a low profile here! Or at least he's trying to.

So when he spots the dark-haired kid taking a nap in the shade, he figures it's worth the ask. The closer he gets, however, the more familiar the kid seems, until Wolfwood lurches to a halt, standing over his younger self.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"