The sun's warm beams poured over the Augur's face, clean and rejuvenating.

Leaning back in the metal sunchair, he basked in the early afternoon light, a pen resting in one hand and a paper cup of coffee in the other. And, for once, he allowed his mind to wander.

Oddly enough, he was relaxed; not mindlessly tired, or lethargic to the point of exhausted, but truly and entirely relaxed. It was a strange sensation. Not the sort that was truly 'alien' to him, just the sort that he hadn't experienced for so long, it felt odd. Like when he had found his old school uniform when packing up his apartment, a few months ago. Putting it on, it felt nice; if fit well, and was surprisingly comfortable, despite how long it had been shoved in a box. But… it felt like he didn't belong. It was from a different chapter of his life, a chapter that had long since finished. So, wearing it was nice, but… in that melancholy way. It brought back a lot of memories, ones he spent the entire afternoon sorting through alongside all of his stuff.

High school… that had been so long ago. Ok, so, he had graduated high school at eighteen; then he moved to Tokyo for a four year degree in forensic sciences. Another six months in officers' training, and then his time in the Koto police department…

God, even that seemed like ages ago. The amount of people he could remember from his time in Koto could be counted on one hand. Toshinori... the department head... his cubicle mate… The forensics expert? A face came to mind, but the it didn't feel right. No, that was the forensics expert for the Tokyo Department. Was... was that really everyone he remembered from that time? Other than his aunt, that is. But that's… a different situation. He had to have been in his twenties at the time, but it felt like centuries ago. After the Koto department, he worked in the Tokyo department, and then there was Tsuruko's case, and…

He was fifty now. Fifty-one, actually. He was probably closer to his death date than his birth date. Every day seemed mindlessly slow, not to mention insanely busy, but still… All of the time simply seemed to disappear. Sand slipping between his fingers, ignoring his desperate attempts to just slow down and catch his breath. What had he been doing all of this time? What had he been doing a year ago, at this very moment? He took a moment, trying to scrape together any answer he could, but... but there wasn't one.

Well, not one he liked. There was one, far more likely than all of the others. He had probably been behind a desk, exhausted and over caffeinated, attempting to piece together some investigation.

"How ya doing over there?" His eyes flickered open in response to Tsuruko's voice, but the rest of him remained still as stone. A very heavy, relaxed stone. A sigh slipped past his lips, but for perhaps the first time in ages, he simply sounded whimsical, rather irritated and dead tired.

"Alive."

"That's always nice." Tsuruko grinned, shrugging in that 'you're-not-technically-wrong' way, but her eyes never left her laptop screen. "But next time you're not, tell me how it feels. A lot of people are curious."

The Augur chuckled, sounding slightly less dead than usual. "I'll make sure to. And how about you?"

"Well, I'm not taking a nap in the sunlight, if that's your question." She tapped a few keys on her keyboard, before jotting down a few notes on her notepad. "This case…" She groaned, and simply shook her head, looking prepared to simply die on the spot. "It's like the guns never even go through customs. They're just showing up in Kyushu, and we have no idea why. Not to mention, ending up in the hands of so many small groups… there has to be a supplier…" The pen carelessly dropped from her hands, clattering against the glass table, and she resumed typing.

The Augur waited a moment, expecting her to continue, but the pair simply lapsed into silence. They were like this a lot, it seemed, just sitting in silence. He raised the disposable coffee cup to his lips, nursing the bitter liquid as he stared at his partner.

Watching her work so hard, the Augur couldn't help but swell with pride. It was a warm sensation, just as refreshing as the sunlight on his skin, and the sort that brought the barest of smiles to his lips. He supposed, in the past twenty years, there was only one thing he was really proud of. Only one person he had truly helped.

But then again, seeing the bags under her eyes... she looked like a shattered vase, held together by nothing other than stress and willpower. And he wouldn't say he was proud of that.

Like father, like daughter, he supposed. Well, as accurately as they could be described by that statement.

His smile faltered, and he found his eyes wandering. Settled at a small, circular table on the sidewalk, there was a cafe on one side of them and a street on the other. The sky was a vivid blue, not a single cloud blocking the sun's sweltering rays, and the air swirled with the smells of fresh coffee and car exhaust. Cars rumbled past, and the investigator listlessly listened to the undertones of quiet conversation and soft music of the open air cafe. All around them were college students and young office workers, dressed in all manners of colors and styles. And here were the two of them, dressed in various shades of black and far from casual, a pair of ravens hiding amongst the colorful Amazonian flock. Tsuruko had chosen to sit in the awning's cool shade, but the Augur purposefully decided to remain under the summer sun, despite his pinstripe business suit.

Returning to Osaka, the 'summer' part was what surprised him. In the months since he had last been here, Tokyo had reached the tipping point between summer and fall; too cool to truly be considered summer any more but still long before the leaves started to turn. So, to return to Osaka and find it just as hot as Tokyo had been in August… Well, in some ways, the Augur appreciated it. He was a Nagasaki native, after all, and nothing felt more natural than going for a swim as the torrid orange sun ducked beneath the horizon. He smiled at the memories, a bittersweet sense of familiarity creeping into his heart despite the fact that he had never been to this cafe before in his life.

Suddenly, his phone began buzzing, rattling the entire table before the Augur plucked it up. He pushed himself out of his chair and groaned, the long sort that came about whenever someone stretched muscles that had been so relaxed they forgot how to move. "I'll be back in an hour."

Tsuruko gave him a curt nod, not bothering to glance up. "Okay, see ya. Good luck the interview."

The Augur grunted, picking up his briefcase and turning on his heel. "Thanks. I'll need it."

The walk to the psychiatric hospital wasn't too long; crossing the street only took a moment. That was, in fact, the reason they had chosen this cafe, rather than the overpriced coffee, the trendy atmosphere, or myriad of… interesting fashion choices. He was the first to admit that his sense of passion might be subpar, but he had the distinct feeling that any pictures those kids took of them wearing torn jeans and beanies would not age well. Imagine when they look back in three decades. The Augur certainly regretted his choices in dress.

He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. Potential mistakes about mundane fashion by people he'd never met nor would ever meet were not the most important topic for him to be considering. Other, more consequential topics for consideration included an important witness interview, a series of unsolved murders that have gone completely cold for six months, and the fact that he still had yet to get around to unpacking his new apartment. At least those, he could do something about.

Hopefully.

Pushing open the glass door, the first thing that came to the Augurs attention was how little the place felt like a hospital. While the very front of the small lobby was tiled, the vast majority was carpeted with warm chocolate and orange designs, crashing and flowing like the ocean's waves. The various chairs and sofas scattered around were much nicer than most places he had been, made in an almost European style with lacquer wood and soft cushions. The walls were a soft shade of pinkish-red, like an overripe peach, and the Augur actually quite appreciated the various pictures hung about; they appeared to be reprints of several prominent renaissance era paintings, portraits, still lifes, and the like. He supposed that he wasn't expecting it to be a hospital in 'proper' sense, with the ever-lingering scent of sanitizers and death, but he hadn't been expecting something so… welcoming?

He nodded in approval, and continued to the front desk.

The man behind the desk glanced up, ducking his head in acknowledgement, but continued to type. "Good afternoon. How may I help you?"

"I'm an investigator from the Criminal Affairs Bureau, here for an interview with Dr. Teshima." He didn't bother waiting, pulling the paperwork out of his breast pocket and handing it to the secretary.

Giving it a quick scan, the man pushed up his thick glasses, and typed out a few small things. "You name, sir? There are two here, though neither are 'Augur.'"

The Augur groaned. You think, after being in the force for twenty years, they'd finally stop doing that. He had literally used his alias from day one; it wasn't like he was a very indecisive person. Digging out his I.D., he shoved it into the man's hand. "Shimura Shou. Though 'Augur' is fine."

The man looked over his I.D., and gave a curt nod. "... Ok, everything seems to be in order. Dr. Teshima should be available in a few minutes, so feel free to take a seat while you wait. There's also a complimentary tea, in case you're thirsty." He returned the card to its owner, and gestured towards an electric kettle near the back wall.

"Thank you."

The minutes passed quickly; the tea was surprisingly good, its mint flavor quite refreshing, and he appreciated the time to look over his notes. The Augur didn't have the slightest idea why everything in the building seemed to have been taken directly from one of Queen Victoria's lounges, but after driving all the way to Osaka in a van that seemed to lack even basic suspension, he wasn't going to complain.

Reading through his various case notes, all the small details came back to him. And, alongside that, his stomach continued to sink. He had dug a bit, despite how busy he had been and came to some conclusions that…

That he hoped Dr. Teshima would disprove. His gut twisted in an odd mix of anxiety and anticipation, as though he was a student once again, waiting to begin his written final.

"Ah, Mr. Augur." The Augur's eyes shot up, catching sight of a tall, skeletal man with a graying puffball of hair on his skull and a black suit a few sizes too large. "How are you today?"

"Fine." He snapped the case file shut, and forced down the anxious feeling in his throat. He was an investigator; regardless of how he felt on the matter, he was going to find the necessary information, and use that to conduct his investigation. Now he needed to get that through his dense skull before another murder struck, and he was watching another set of parents cry. "Thank you for allowing me this time. May we proceed to the interview?"

"Of course! Please follow me" The doctor clapped his hands together, beginning down the hallway with a nervous spring in his step, while the investigator trailed behind him, one hand spinning a pen and the other carrying a briefcase. The two soon reached the doctor's office, and the older man gestured towards one of the wooden chairs.

"Please, take a seat! I'm, uh, just as enthusiastic about this as you are!" Dr. Teshima's forced positivity made the Augur want to groan. What was the point of it? Neither of them were convinced by it. Then again… the Augur had no right to complain. He had dealt with far worse interviewees, so at least this one wanted to answer his questions. He settled into his seat, unloading his briefcase of various important note taking devices.

"So, um," The man grinned in a strange, lopsided way that little to hide the anxiousness in his chocolate eyes. "You're here to discuss Ms. Toga?"

"Indeed." The Augur grit his teeth. What was with people and their odd desire for small talk? The Augur just wanted to have his questions answered, and he didn't need to take an investigative methods class to see that the doctor simply wanted this man out of his office as soon as socially acceptable. "However, this shall be a rather short interview. Only a few questions."

Dr. Teshima opened his mouth to continue, but upon seeing the look in the Augur's sandalwood eyes, wisely decided against it. Thank the lord.

The man's office was much like the other rooms outside, with an old wooden desk that looked like it belonged in an old German university, and a bookshelf along the back of the room. A scattering of other, more modern objects threw the entire room off balance, though; a laptop, an electronic picture frame that faded between pictures of the man's family, and a small speaker system playing violin music just loud enough to be noticable. The man himself sat down in a large leather chair across from the Augur, his thin frame far too small for the heavy desk in front of him.

Let's just get this over with. He doubted there would be any new leads or information, but… leave no stone unturned. He set the recorder on the desk, and clicked it on. "This is the Augur, of the Special Investigations Squad. Today is October fifth. Please state your name, age, and occupation for the record."

"Ah, o-of course! I'm Dr. Teshima Rokuro, fifty-nine, and Toga Himiko's psychologist." He smiled in that way that screamed of discomfort, and the Augur scowled. In a way, the psychologist trying so hard to be polite was rude, as though he was sitting across the table from the grim reaper himself.

He tiredly shook his head. Just ignore it. It's the same as it's always been. So just get through with the questions, and maybe he could have a chance to actually find the killer. The investigator scowled, his lips pressed into a thin line as he prayed the answers he got weren't the ones he expected.

"First question: How long have you been Ms. Toga's psychologist?" His voice was cold and dry, and hopefully lacking in any and all emotions.

"Three years, from age twelve to now." The older man's smile wavered, displaying as much confidence as a child with stage fright. "Uh, somewhat. She has since stopped attending regular sessions. However, if she were to be returned to the foster care system, she would once again, uh…" His words petered out, but the Augur got the point. Continuing on…

He glanced down at his notepad, and clicked his pen. "The medical records provided by the foster care service and the government are contradictory; one claims that Ms. Toga has only attended therapy services here, at Hyogo Psychiatric Hospital, while the other claims that she has also attended therapy at a certain 'Kobe Quirk Counseling' facility for three years. What knowledge do you have on this?" He glanced up, careful to watch the man's reaction.

Originally, the Augur had wanted to set up an interview with that facility too, but no matter how deep he dug, he found practically nothing on it; only one or two sparse articles regarding a rather… controversial legal case on it. Not nearly enough to draw any solid conclusions from. But perhaps Dr. Teshima could provide some answers.

And considering how quickly the man's nervous smile dissolved into a grimace, he likely knew quite a bit.

"Far too much, sadly;" He clenched his fist, casting his eyes downwards. "Quite a few of my patients had attended the facility prior to it shutting down."

It made sense, in some ways; the facility was in this very city. But the sudden change his demeanor, how all of his nervousness dissipated into thin air just to be replaced with a dark sense of dread and frustration… The Augur's pen traced slow, tense circles on the yellow legal paper. "And Ms. Toga..?"

Dr. Teshima nodded, his mouth clamped firmly shut as his spindly hands organized the papers on his desk, desperate for a distraction. "Yes, she was one of them. Unfortunately. It likely set back her progress towards a normal life back by years, if she can even obtain it at all."

His pen slowed to a stop, already having worn noticeable grooves in the paper. Of all the things he had been hoping to hear, that was not one of them. If her psychological health was in that poor of a state… he didn't want to think about the implications.

But as a professional, his job was clear-cut: the truth took precedence over any feelings he may have. Even if those feelings were an overbearing sense of dread that lit his nerves on fire and anxiety so dry his mouth became a desert.

"Why do you say that?"

The doctor was quiet, his eyes wandering as he mulled something over. Finally, after a few moments of deafening silence, where the only sounds were those of soft violin music and a pen being clicked open and closed, the man spoke. "Mr. Augur, are you aware of what a 'quirk clinic' is?"

His stomach dropped like a porcelain plate, shattering against the ground.

"... I am, yes. However," The investigator rushed to gather his thoughts, haphazardly shoving his thoughts in order as the pour out of both his mouth and pen. "That form of therapy has been banned for years, has it not?"

"Technically, yes." Shaking his head, the doctor sighed, a hollow and drawn out sound. "... If you could even call it therapy. But just because there's a law in place doesn't mean it's enforced."

It was an open secret that quirk clinics operated for years after being banned, but… well, apparently he had been stupid to assume they fell out of use eventually. It had been so long, after all, and society had changed. Quirks weren't seen as a disease anymore, not as something that needed 'curing.' So it was hard to imagine that there would be enough people who thought that way to even support the practices of a quirk clinic. But for one having operated until so recently… The Augur shuddered. If it was anything like the quirk clinics of that he had read about when in college, there was little wonder as to why the girl had mental issues.

"... Do you know what sort of treatment she underwent?"

His voice, while still calm and composed, had a thin lining of concern and… and fear. This wasn't pertinent to his investigation. He wasn't going to pretend it was. And there was little doubt in his mind that using his power as an investigator to find out would be overstepping his bounds, but… something about the tightness in his chest forced him to ignore the logical, well-train part of his mind.

The psychologist briefly stopped shuffling his papers, only to give the interviewer an odd, distrustful look. He scowled, his eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, though I do not believe it is relevant enough to your case to overrule patient confidentiality. I, uh… I apologize."

"No, I understand." The Augur spoke too quickly for it to be natural, stringing the words together. Of course he couldn't tell him that. Why had he even asked? To satisfy some sad, useless craving? Focus! This is an investigation, not a novel! He'd been doing this for three decades! Get back to the questions! He steeled his eyes, honing his mind's eye. "May I at least ask if the experience has had any long-term impact on her behavior? Specifically, in a way that may prevent her from living in society?"

"That… That is hard to determine." Chewing on his lip, the doctor set his papers aside, instead beginning to sort his desk ornaments as he puzzled together his answers. As he spoke, his words became smoother and more relaxed, a plow slipping into the grooves of a well-tilled field. "Some behaviors are easier than others to link to the therapy; distrust of doctors, nightmares, things of that sort. For the first few months, the patient practically refused to speak to me, no doubt because of her experiences within the KQC, and she avidly refused to ingest any of the medicine I prescribed her for similar reasons. But other behaviors are more difficult to determine, particularly due to her troubled childhood. Likely, though, any behavioral issues she has that would cause issues reintegrating into society were only exacerbated by the 'therapy,' and caused by her home situation."

The Augur quirked an eyebrow. "Her home situation?"

Scowling, the doctor nodded." Yes. But once again, I apologize; patient confidentiality."

Jotting down a few notes, the investigator couldn't help but grit his teeth. This was an investigation, but it didn't feel like one. He was supposed to be tracking the location of the suspect, preventing them from killing any more innocent people. But not only had he not even found the slightest hint as to where to find them, but so far… his suspect didn't seem like a villain. He had been searching for a criminal, but all he had found was a victim. He had been looking for a motive, but all he had found was a closet full of skeletons. And yet, he still had to hunt her down, put her on trial, and throw her in a jail, ruining her already awful life. Maybe this was what he signed up for, becoming an investigator, but it still felt awful. And…

And he didn't want to think she did it. He didn't want to think that this girl, who obviously had so much go wrong, had nothing to look forward to in life except a cell. The Augur wanted to find her, but just so that she could get the help she so desperately needed. He would sell his soul to actually save someone for once.

But to do that, he first needed to know she was innocent. And this was perhaps one of the largest tests for that.

"I suppose," He began, choosing his words carefully. "... I should reveal to you the purpose of this interview; I am currently investigating Ms. Toga's whereabouts due to her potential involvement in a string of serial murders. These murders involved victims, all of whom were between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, being tortured with a knife, prior to having their carotid vein cut, and having their blood consumed." He ignored the ice in his veins, and forced out the question. "As her psychologist, do you believe that Toga Himiko is capable of committing these murders?"

The man's shock was palpable, the air thick as molasses. He opened his mouth to answer, before scowling and considering a moment longer. Finally, the doctor looked up, his eyes dark and heavy. "... Yes, I do. I wish I could say otherwise, but, speaking as a professional… I would be surprised, but not doubtful if such were the case."

There was his answer.

He said it so simply. So plainly.

And it was exactly the thing the Augur didn't want to hear..

He felt the very sudden urge to swear loudly, and tear up his notepad. But instead, he simply nodded, not a single emotion crossing his face.

"Please provide your reasoning."

The doctor leaned back, grimacing as he recalled the specific details. "One of Ms. Toga's most serious issues was her sadistic behaviour; while she's far from a malicious girl, the fact of the matter is she does not seem to understand the issues with hurting other living things. After finally opening up to me in our sessions, she explained that she perceived sharing pain as an intimate experience, which did little to assuage my concerns. And after she attacked a girl in foster care…" The man reached up, hiding his eyes behind an unnaturally still hand. "I would say yes, she has the capacity for that sort of violence."

The Augur wished he hadn't come. The investigator knew he had to; every lead must be investigated, and every piece of evidence was a puzzle piece that must be carefully recorded and studied. The Augur understood that fact.

But Shimura Shou?

Shou didn't want to know it.

"Well, thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Teshima." He ignored how tight and sore his throat was, instead choosing to stare at the black ink on his notepad. "Do you have any final comments that you would like on the record?"

Dr. Teshima thought for a moment, but shook his head. "... No, not on the record, at least."

Well, that was that. And, in some ways, Shou was thankful. The Augur was disappointed with how little information applied to the case, but Shou was unsure he could hear anymore. He clicked off the recorder, and stood up, beginning to pack his briefcase.

The doctor cleared his throat, and Shou glanced up. "Do you have a family, Mr. Augur? Any children?"

Shou practically dropped his briefcase. Family? Where on earth did this come from? And… and did he even have the right to answer? "... Y-yes. a daughter."

"Have you ever failed them?" Dr. Teshima spoke slowly, his soft voice filled with remorse and regret.

Shou's eyes wandered, refusing to look at the doctor as he fought the flood of bitter words pooling on his tongue.

Had he failed her? What a stupid question.

Of course he failed her.

He had failed her more times than he'd ever want to admit.

He failed her every day.

But the man settled for a simple nod.

"Then maybe you'll understand." Dr. Teshima grunted, pushing himself up from his chair and setting an old, withered hand on Shou's shoulder. "To me, each of my patients is like a new son or daughter to take care of. Each of them unique, with their own strengths and weaknesses, dreams and regrets. And, as a psychologist, my goal is ultimately to be a guiding figure, to help them overcome that which holds them back from achieving those dreams."

Shou held back a laugh, the cold, dry kind that was more sad than anything. "It must be nice."

"... In some ways." The doctor rolled his head from side to side, as though weighing the pros and cons. "I liked Toga; I loved how cheerful she was, and how she was seemingly boundlessly enthusiastic. She reminds me a lot of my son, when he was younger. But, when I was told what she did, how she attacked her friend… I knew I had failed her. I had failed to help her when she needed it. So, I can only wish you the best in your investigation. Because, she needs help, and before anyone can do that, you need to find her."

In that moment, it wasn't Dr. Teshima and the Augur. It wasn't a psychologist and an investigator. It wasn't two professionals, seeking the find a solution.

No, in that moment, it was just two old men, past their prime and filled with regrets. Two old men, hoping the other might succeed where they failed.

The Augur shook his head, a dejected sigh slipping from his lips, but he didn't move to shrug the doctor away. "You put too much faith in me. I'm going to fail her too, even if I do find her."

The doctor raised his eyebrows, but scowled disbelievingly. "Now why do you say that?"

"I'm an investigator." His brown eyes, tired and torn, weren't quite able to hide the riptide of emotions clawing at his heart. "If I succeed, the only place she'll end up is in a prison. I can't help her, not in the way she needs."

Patting him on the shoulder, Teshima gave the investigator a small smile. "I would politely disagree, if you don't mind. Even if it isn't your job to help her, it doesn't mean you can't. After all, a little bit of compassion can go a long way, no matter the situation."

Compassion, huh?

Shou had never been too good at that, really. But...

"... I'll keep that in mind."

)ooOoo(

Izuku hissed, sucking in a sharp breath as he rubbed the burn on his cheek. Compared to some of the ones he'd had before, it wasn't that bad, but still…

… Maybe he should've gone to the nurse after the principal dismissed him.

Izuku probably got on her nerves, but… well, he might as well just make visiting her part of his daily schedule. There was always something to be patched up, after all. Katsuki was nothing if not diligent, at least in this regard. The boy sighed, his soft green eyes firmly locked on his toes as he passed through the school gate. It might be a beautiful day, the sun bright as summer and the air cool as fall, but Izuku could only watch the cement as he wandered down the sidewalk, trapped inside the recesses of his own mind.

Everything was sore, but not for any reasons he could solve. Some parts of him were sore from his morning jog; he had upped his distance again, and today was the first day of that cycle. Nothing he could do other than piledrive through it, really, and hope that practice today was easier than normal. But, while that explained the stiffness in his glutes, the burns on his face and soreness in his jaw came from... quite a different place.

Izuku knew he shouldn't get in fights. His gut was heavy, weighed down by guilt, and his mouth tasted bitter and bone-dry, as though he were swallowing a spoonful of salt. It wasn't the right thing to do, not at all. Nothing more than unnecessary violence. Toga said heroes have to fight, but… but that's only when there were no other options. It was the last resort, not the primary goal. They were protectors of the peace, and you can't protect the peace if you're busy beating up everyone you disagree with. Heroes were there to help people, first and foremost.

… Well, in theory, at least. Definitely not in practice. But a 'protector of peace' was what Izuku wanted to become, so that was the definition he was going to use.

But what other options did he have? He clutched his notebook to his chest, defiance and anger burning behind his evergreen glare. It wasn't like he was the ones starting the fights! If Katsuki just kept his distance, then there'd be no problems! But no, the fiery blond just had to start something wherever he got the chance. He never missed an opportunity to make himself feel superior, but the only way he knew how was by tearing others down. That was probably the exact reason he wanted to be a hero, really! Just to make himself above the law, and above criticism. How heroic of him. The boy clenched his jaw, forcing down a groan.

And what did the principal do? Or the teachers? Nothing! Nothing at all! But for some reason, whenever Katsuki threw a punch, it was Izuku's fault, and he got the pleasure of sitting through another one of the principal's 'disappointed teacher' lectures. So what was he supposed to do? Just lay down and take it? Let the blond do whatever he wanted, just because he was the principal's favorite racehorse? He had done that! For fourteen years! And it changed nothing! It just made him so angry, he wanted to-!

A scream caught in his throat, followed by a long, shaky sigh that carried with it all of his tension. Getting angry wasn't going to solve anything. No, it would just cause more issues. He was weak, and even if he was the most furious kid on earth, he was still weak. The only thing he could was train, so that one day, he could change things. First he'd need to get into U.A., and to do that, he needed to effectively apply the strengths he did have. Shaking his head, he rubbed his chin between two fingers and continued his steady, if slow, walk to the garage.

That was a quandry, really. The big one, and the one he had yet to solve. How was he going to get into U.A.? He had improved a lot, but it would never be enough, not if he didn't have a strategy going into the test. And he couldn't build a proper strategy without information. But where could he information?

He turned into a back alley, the narrow one he passed through practically every day. Trash littered the stained concrete, and graffiti marred the walls. Just a few months ago, this place had terrified him, and being pinned to the ground here by Toga hadn't helped. But now, he had grown used to the place, the inky shadows and rancid smell. Maybe even comfortable.

What about Reddit? There had to be at least a few people who had taken the test, and decided to write about it. He mostly stuck on hero-monitoring forums, but maybe he could find one or two subreddits dedicated to hero test prep? It was worth a shot. He already knew of a few for hero training, and that had come in handy over the past few months, especially for designing his workouts. Of course, he'd have to talk with Toga about it too; she was potentially his greatest resource. He couldn't have gotten this far without her, and not just because of her physical training. He owed Toga a lot.

But suddenly, he froze, his eyes going wide.

Toga.

Her training.

Her mental training.

How had he not even realized it?

Slowly, he lowered his hand, slipping it into his pocket-

And spun around, steel ringing against steel. He grabbed the person's wrist, attempting to twisted it behind their back, but a sharp kick to his legs dropped him to the ground.

How had he been so stupid? This was exactly what Toga had been trying to prepare him for! Idiot!

Izuku rolled out of the way, only a fraction of a moment before a knife struck the where his head had been. Balancing on one hand, he delivered a sweeping kick, but the attacker dodged, simply jumping over it as Izuku used his momentum to throw himself to his feet. Slipping another knife out of his pocket, he spun them in his hands, catching them where the blades faced outwards.

Wide stance.

Shoulders narrow.

Fist on guard.

And his opponent in front of him, balancing on one heel as she spun her blade between her fingers. A set of toxic yellow eyes, and a thin, mischievous smile.

"Aw, I thought I'd get you! You didn't look prepared at all!" Toga giggled, clicking her knife closed and folding her hands behind her back.

"Not this time." A smile spread across Izuku's face, but it wasn't the warm, soft sort. No, it was the sort that was carved in steel. A runner at attention, ready for the gun to go off. "I'm gonna win today."

Toga grin only widened, peppy and enthusiastic as she gave him two big, dramatic thumbs up. "I believe in you! Good luck!"

Izuku would've responded with a thumbs up of his own, but he didn't dare drop his guard. Her words may make his chest swell with warmth, but he had long since learned to not assume that meant the fight was on hold. Last time he did that, he had a hard time explaining to Mom why his school uniform was practically slashed in two.

The two stared at each other, still as stone. A car rumbled past, but silence prevailed. Izuku had a time limit, and he knew it. Toga was playing with him, watching the mouse squirm before the hunt began. And unless the mouse found a strategy, it was nothing more than a meal living on borrowed time.

Her stance was unsteady, but if he moved to attack, she'd certainly maneuver. How? Jumping, almost definitely. Unless he managed to grapple her, that would almost certainly end in another round of exchanging blows, until one fled or won. And considering both his fight and jog from earlier, he wasn't in any position to grapple nor box; his limbs were already exhausted, not to mention far slower than Toga's. He squeezed his knives, his knuckles turning white. That left only two possible strategies.

So he spun on his heel and ran.

Which strategy? One or two? Uh… Uh..! He glanced back, just to see Toga sprinting after him, a lynx's smile stretched across her face. His green eyes widened in panic.

Strategy one! Definitely strategy one! There was no way he was gonna try and trip her up!

Skidding on one of his heels, Izuku rounded a corner into an even narrower back alley. Another turn, left, right, another left... Was this the way? Or was it the next alley? Oh, please be this one! He twisted around pipes and jumped garbage cans, not daring to slow down. And then, his heart dropped.

There was a fence.

There was a fence at the end of the alley.

And Toga behind him.

Izuku bit his lips, tasting blood, but only sped up. No way through it. No way under it. No way around it. So he could only go-!

He kicked against one of the alley's narrow walls, catching the top of the chain link fence and pushing himself over it.

He landed with a thud, rolling forward a few paces before he pushed himself up and kept running. That wasn't according to plan, but he got where he had meant to go: a junkyard.

He dashed through the piles of scrap metal, running along narrow paths and slipping through crevices of rusted car frames. Toga was just moments behind him; he didn't need to look back to know. She might not be as good as him at mounting high obstacles, but that was less of her being slow and more of him just being fast. And that meant he only had mere moments before she found him again. His eyes shot back and forth as he ran, searching desperately.

Too small. Too obvious. Too far from the path.

There!

Without a moment of hesitation, he lept into a rusted-out car frame, half buried in trash and long since abandoned by any hope of repair. He grabbed the front seat, throwing himself over it and hiding just out of sight.

And now, he waited.

It was dark inside the car; squeezed behind the seat, Izuku couldn't help but feel he was being crushed by the shadows. But he ignored it, focused entirely on his goal. His breaths were slow and shaky, the sudden stillness in stark contrast to his throbbing heart.

Calm… calm… calm…

The air stunk of oil and mold, and the rusted metal was ice cold in the shadows. He forced his breathing to slow, but his eyes stayed snapped open, panicked and bloodshot. He had to be quiet! If she heard him, then the plan would be ruined!

"Izuuuuuu-kun!" The silence was struck down by a sing-songy voice, a smile in the girl's voice, and Izuku's heart lurched. "Where are yoooooou?"

His entire body quivered, adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he forced himself to move slowly as he peaked out of the car's rusted husk. And there, only a few paces away, was Toga, searching a broken down car across the path.

His chance.

Slowly, slowly, he pushed himself up. One step out of the car, and then another. Balancing on the balls of his feet, he cradled his closed knives in his palms. Blood roared in his ears, drowning out everything but the pounding in his chest. A fire seared the insides of his lungs, screaming for air, but he didn't dare breath.

They were mere centimeters away.

He could hear her soft breaths.

See the individual strands of her hair.

And all he had to do was strike blood.

All he had to do was aim for the neck.

He licked his lips, his hands trembling in excitement, and flicked open his blades.

Toga froze, a cannibalistic smile stretching across her face as she slowly turned around. "Fooound you!"

For a brief moment, the world was completely still, as though frozen in ice. Putrid yellow met rotten green, both filled with an insatiable hunger. A small smile flickered across Izuku's face, not so unlike Toga's.

And then, time exploded back into existence.

His blade went straight for her neck, but it only met steel, and Toga's foot slammed into Izuku's gut. He choked, coughing as he stumbled backwards, and the girl leaped at him, savage joy in her eyes.

Before she could reach him, Izuku rammed into her, headbutting her stomach and sending her flying towards the junk pile. He shook his head, loosening his shoulders, but any opportunities he had melted into thin air, the girl landing on her feet.

He had let his… his excitement get the better of him, and didn't strike when he had the chance! Stupid! He grit his teeth, and ducked to the side, barely dodged the girl's blade as it sliced through where his head had been not even seconds before. Now, he was stuck in a hand-to-hand situation that he was bound to lose in! Strategy one failed, all because of his hesitation! She stabbed at him again, but he caught her wrist, and sliced at her forearm with his other blade. Twisting her arm, she just barely escaped his grasp unscathed, and then threw herself into a counterattack.

She was wearing him down, he knew it. He was keeping up with her, but just barely. His muscles burned, as though sulfuric acid was pumping through his veins, and his limbs became heavier and heavier as the two fought. He had to disengage, or end this quickly, because, if he didn't…

He tossed the thought out of his head. He refused to lose.

A kick to his side sent Izuku to the dusty ground, and he let out a shout. The blonde flew through the air, her feline eyes shining with glee and her knife glinting in the afternoon sunlight like a large, silver claw.

He refused to consider losing.

Snatching up a fist-full of the grainy dirt, he threw it in her face, scrambling to his feet. She stumbled backwards, trying to rub the dirt out of her eyes, but Izuku refused to hesitate once more. The predator became the prey, and Izuku stuck out, bearing his teeth. He aimed to win.

He aimed for the neck.

But Toga sidestepped, avoiding his knife completely. Izuku's legs were kicked out from under him, and he tumbled to the ground, the girl straddling his chest. He lashed out with his knives, and-

Froze, feeling the icy edge of a blade against his jugular. It was balanced just so, light enough to not cut him is he stayed still, but firm enough to slice him open if he made even the faintest move.

"So!" Toga cracked a wide smile, cocking her head. "Do I win?"

Izuku scowled, but remained silent. Did she win yet? Logically speaking… yes. He was in a position where, at her whim, he could be dead. She could… she could slice open his neck with casual ease…

A single vein split open. His limbs too weak too move, and his sight filling with inky black. A pool of sticky blood spreading from his body as he gasped desperately for air. And, above it all, a girl with messy blond hair, eyes sparkling with twisted joy and his lips coated in dark blood.

Izuku's heart had already been beating fast, working as hard as it could to keep up with the boy's oxygen-deprived muscles, but now it was working even faster, as though specifically to make his chest pop.

"I, uh-" Izuku's face flushed red, his eyes darting away from Toga's face. Don't think about it. Not now, not here, not while she's literally on top of him. Was he really that much of a… well, maybe pervert wasn't the right word for this, but it felt about the same! "I y-yield!"

"Yay!" Toga threw her hands in the air, smiling with almost childish glee as she jumped to her feet. She grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him to his feet so quickly he almost lost his balance, before playfully wrapping her arms around his neck and hanging off him. And, despite his hot, uncomfortable blush and the fire in his muscles… Izuku couldn't help but smile warmly back. Toga's energy was infectious, even on the worst of days.

"You did really well this time, Izu-kun!" She let go of him, stumbling back a pace and balancing on one foot. "That part with the dirt was really clever! It really hurt!"

Izuku's smile fell like a stone. "I-I'm sorry! Are you okay?" his hands shook in front of him, paralyzed by both the need to grab her and look her over for injuries, and the fear of crossing one boundary too many. He had thrown dirt in her eyes! Dirt that probably had flecks of metal, plastic and glass in it, right into her eyes, one of the most sensitive parts of the body! He had just been in the heat of the moment, and-!

"You're so cute when you're worried!" Toga giggled, interrupting his thought process with a pat on his head. "But I'm doing great! You're so much fun to fight against, even if you've had a bad day!"

A bad day? Well, yeah, maybe he had a bad day, but if he hurt her, that was far more impor-

How did she know he had a bad day?

His hands froze, his mind flooding with panic. Had she been following him all day? L-like a stalker? She honestly seemed like she could, and he still didn't even know what her quirk was! Had she seen his fights with Katsuki in the courtyard? Did she hear what they had said? Just the thought of Toga knowing what they had fought over made Izuku's face bloom red.

But instead of the dozens of chaotic questions from of his mouth, only a few space words squeezed out. "... What do you mean?"

"Do you think you can hide it from me, Izu-kun?" Toga carelessly twirled around him, her fingers weaved together behind her back and her sharp eyes never straying from Izuku's thin frame. "You looked so cloudy earlier, and not to mention you're covered in cute little burns, like pink polka-dots! You're such an unfaithful boyfriend!"

"Boyfr-?" Izuku stood starid as a board, the cold composure previously brought on by confusion and stress disintegrating into a mess of muttering. "What? N-no, I- uh- I can't possibly be- That's-" Boyfriend? It wasn't that he didn't like her, b-but-

It just wasn't true. And her teasing only made his heart ache more. Besides, there wasn't a single doubt in his mind that she could find someone better than him. Someone who wasn't a scrawny deku, or chased after impossible dreams, or hurt her by accident. Not to mention, whenever Katsuki got involved… Izuku clenched his fists, trying to force down the tears burning his eyes.

Toga's mischievous smile, oh-so pleased with his embarrassed mumbling, fell apart. "Izu-kun, what's wrong?"

"It's…" A lot of things. A lot of things were wrong. There were only four months left, and he still couldn't even go toe-to-toe with a girl who wasn't even using a quirk. Katsuki beat him up every other day, no matter how much he fought back. The school always pinned it on him. He had wet dreams about drinking his friend's blood. And so many other, smaller things. But… but he didn't have the right to put those issues on her. These were his battles, and to force those issues on the girl who was already giving so much to help him..? He scowled, his eyes refusing to look anywhere other than the safety of the ground. "… Well, it's nothing that I should trouble you with."

There were a few moments of silence, and as she slowed to a stop, he could practically feel Toga's disappointment. It radiated off of her in thick waves, cold and heavy compared to her normal bouts of hot and fast energy. He knew he was hiding it from her, and it made his stomach twist into nasty knots. But if he were to tell her, saddle her with his problems, it would only make him feel worse.

"... You not telling me troubles me." She spoke quietly, but not softly, as though she were pressing the flat of her knife against his cheek. Not sharp, but most certainly not warm.

"I-I'm sorry." Why was he apologizing? It wasn't like that would solve anything. But there wasn't anything he could say. He bit his lip, purposefully avoiding Toga's soul-seeing gaze. The silence of the junkyard boxed him in like a steel cage, while the orange sun began its descent, casting long shadows.

He hesitantly cast a glance toward the girl, only to find her carefully studying him. There was hurt in her eyes, but it was small, pushed to the side by… something colder? Izuku couldn't quite describe it, other than how it made him shiver. It was something that was always there, hiding in the nooks and crannies of her eyes, but he always chose to ignore it. Because… because it always reminded Izuku that Toga was, fundamentally, not normal. She did things that were, in some ways, more animal than human. How her eyes always followed him, as though tracking a target. How her smiles always contained a drop of sadistic desire alongside their lighthearted jubilation. How she seemed to move far more fluidly than any person should, and how her entire posture could change at the drop of a pen.

But now, there were no other emotions watering down the sensation in her eyes, and Izuku was forced to look at the demons in her soul.

"Why do you want to be a hero, Izuku?"

Izuku choked down a yelp, her simple words snapping him out of a petrified trance. Why? Well, because he wanted to-

"T-to help people!" The words tumbled out of his mouth, his mind still scrambling. How did this relate to anything? And besides, she already knew, didn't she? They had their promise!

"Then make sure not to forget one thing, ok?" She took a small step towards him, her eyes filling with much more human warmth as she wrapped her arms around him.

"W-... What?" Izuku trembled under her touch, his arms held out, as far away from her body as he could. Why was she hugging him? Was he supposed to hug back? And why couldn't he think of anything more intelligent to say than stuttered one word answers?

She cupped his cheek, long dagger-like nails resting against his skin as she forced him to look at her. Toga wasn't smiling. "Just because you're going to help others, doesn't mean others can't help you."

The wind, in that moment, actually changed directions, delivering a distinct chill.

She wanted to know.

She wanted to help.

But…

Did he deserve it?

A/N: G'evening, all, this is Imp! Hope you're liking the chapter, it was actually pretty hard to write. I can't say I'm the best at fight scenes, and I actually had to rewrite the interview between the Augur and Dr. Teshima twice. In brief, a lot of deleting and notetaking. But hopefully it came out well!

With only the worst of intentions,

Imp the Nefarious

AO3:

Atryx10: A comrade! Those are some awesome beats! I've heard guitarmass by infected mushroom, but I no idea they did covers; the pretender is already one of my favorite songs, so to find this cover is really cool. I do hope to do Toga's character justice in this, because she is undeniably both incredibly fit, and incredibly strong. She seems to almost intentionally hide her very innate sense of cunning and intelligence throughout canon, which always lead me to wonder why. She's obviously very talented in a variety of ways; now, what would lead her to try and disguise that? Of course, if you have any recommendations, please do share! I can only get better.

DragonstoneH: No problem! There always seems to be quite the shortage of fics for this rarepair, at least, beyond smut and dekubowl fics. So, I thought, maybe there'd be someone on that server who'd enjoy!

(Quick question to you AO3 users: should I just respond to you in the threads instead of in the author's note? I am not at all used to the AO3 system, so what's more common practice?)

FFN:

PandaTone: Who doesn't like a bit of crazy? Sane people are boring, after all. "You think your girlfriend's crazy? Does she murder people and drink their blood? No? Then you don't know nothin'!" But no, don't worry! I was just travelling last week, and wasn't able to write for four days. It drove me completely nuts, so getting out that chapter was more of a relief than anything.

Tealgryffin: Thanks! I know a lot of people are kinda so-so on the Augur, but I've actually come to really enjoy writing his scenes. The Augur, in my opinion, is a a man, broken by his regrets but held together by the stresses of society and responsibility, which, honestly… well, simply put, I relate to him a lot more than the other characters so far. Maybe he's not as dramatic or entertaining as some of the other characters throughout this will be, but I feel that's simply because he is facing significantly different issues as a person. Regardless, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope this one continued to build on it!

: I wholeheartedly agree! One thing that often irks me about some fics, and this isn't limited to any fandom or troupe, is when they completely changes the main character's core motivation, or, at least, without proper justification. Sometimes, it can work, but sometimes, it just doesn't. Let's say you shove Izuku into a situation from a young age that drastically changes his views on heroes, then that makes since, but to assume just because of his encounter with All Might he'd become an insane villain..? More than likely, he'd just become more depressed than before, and continue to develop his inferiority complex until it reached a point that he'd just kill himself, or just let himself rot away. Well, unless he ran into a certain blonde who's sense of morality is a tad bit less… constricted. The ship of theseus has to be changed one plank at a time, after all.