It was the day they finally had a breakthrough on the Kira case. Light managed to find the connection between Kira and the Yotsuba Group, and that was just the big morale booster they all needed. Sadly, the bad news followed the good, bringing the spirits down again.

There would be no more support from the police for L and the investigation team. Members of the task force had a choice to make: to be the officers of law, or to keep working on the Kira case. Aizawa wavered the most, having a family to provide for. He hesitated, but what really send him over the edge was finding out that Ryuzaki had a trust fund prepared especially for that situation, but he didn't see fit to mention it right away.

To make things worse, L straight out admitted that he kept that information a secret as a test. Aizawa didn't appreciate being tricked, and understandably so. He gave Ryuzaki a piece of his mind, ending his tirade with, "That's it, I'm outta here!" And he marched angrily to the exit.

And then something highly unexpected happened. Mogi – the human boulder who never spoke out of turn – smirked nastily and said, "Good riddance."

Chief Yagami gasped, looking at his subordinate in shock. L choked on a strawberry he was eating. Light looked away from the computer he was working on. Matsuda's jaw almost hit the floor.

Aizawa stopped walking and turned around slowly.

"What did you say?" He asked with more surprise and disbelief than anger.

"You heard me," Mogi answered, the smirk not leaving his face. "If you ask me, which you never do, I think we're better off without you."

Aizawa's face hardened as the initial shock faded. He stepped towards Mogi. "Oh, yeah?! How can you even say that, you-"

"Yes, I can say that," Mogi interrupted rudely. "Because we can all do without your constant temper tantrums."

Aizawa's face reddened. "I DON'T THROW TEMPER TANTRUMS!" He shouted, hitting the table and making Matsuda jump with a yelp. "I'M PERFECTLY CALM!"

"So I see." Mogi looked mockingly at the afro-cop and his throbbing forehead vein. "You're the embodiment of serenity indeed."

"Why you mouthy bastard!" Aizawa grabbed the larger man by the shirt. "I do twice the work you do!"

"Aizawa-" Soichiro started, but he thought better of it. Sometimes it was better to leave his men to settle things like this on their own.

"No, you don't," Mogi replied calmly, not making any move to defend himself. "All you ever do is yell every time something doesn't go your way. You yell at L, you yell at Matsuda every time he dares to have an opinion, you yell whenever you feel like it. And you're manhandling me right now."

Aizawa bared his teeth and his face reached a shade of a ripe tomato, but he forced himself to let go of Mogi's clothes.

"Listen here," he said, his voice shaking with barely suppressed rage. "You have no right to judge me. I work here day after day, with Matsuda being useless and Ryuzaki being a complete dick."

"Hey, I'm still here," said Matsuda.

"And I don't appreciate being insulted," said L.

They were both ignored.

"I work my ass off on this case," Aizawa continued. "I put up with Ryuzaki's behavior, I put up with his methods, I help however I can, I risk my own damn life to catch Kira!" His hands balled into fists. "And you have the audacity to tell me that you're better off without me?!"

For a split second Mogi seemed conflicted, but then he looked at Aizawa with a slightly over the top condescension. "Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying. All you're good for is creating stressful working conditions for the rest of us. It's best if you leave. Yes, leave now Aizawa. Run home with your tail between your legs like a coward you are!" Mogi glared. "What are you even waiting for? Go."

Aizawa raised his fist. And lowered it again. Then he looked at L.

"Ryuzaki," he said. Surprisingly, no fire or steam came out of his mouth.

"Yes, Aizawa-san?"

"I changed my mind. I'm staying."

"Thank you."

"Don't. I'm not doing this for you." He looked at Mogi again, with pure fury in his eyes. "And you're gonna have to deal with my stressful working conditions because I'm going nowhere!"

Mogi grinned inwardly. The task force, already small and lacking in manpower, was close to losing another member today, but the crisis was averted. Mission accomplished.