"Missed me?", asks the man behind a clear blast barrier.

Midoriya stares at him through the thick glass, staying within the concealment of shadows. The man that he sees is caught between who he was and who he is now. Pointed hair is a faded green, exposing blonde roots now that the dye is diminishing. The lime hue matches the bulb that glows above, illuminating bleached skin. Crimson eyes search for Midoriya's emerald, finding them when the garbed vigilante steps forward.

The inmate grins as he looks the caped crusader up and down. "Is that a new suit? Don't tell me you've gone and gotten all dressed up for little ol' me.", he giggles to himself while twisting back and forth to show off his own appearance, "They don't really let me wear much else than this straightjacket here. I think the color clashes with my eyes. Wouldn't you agree?"

Ever since their battle at the hospital, Midoriya had done his best to forget about the tragedy that transpired to create such a malformed version of his former friend. He'd put all of his focus into his nightly endeavors to avoid thinking about it. But now there's no ignoring what's right in front of him. He can't bring himself to look directly into the fallen hero's eyes. Not anymore. Not when there's a bullet hole in between them that destroyed his mind.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Do I have something on my face? In my teeth?", the convalescent cranes forward as he tries to goad a response out of the brooding vigilante. When he doesn't receive anything, he finally snaps and shouts, "YOU came to see ME, remember?! You have a mouth, so fucking SPEAK!"

The angry outburst is what manages to get through to Midoriya. The furious expression on his former friend's face is much more recognizable than an eerie smile. Batman swallows down his emotions, reining them in with a hoarse whisper, "Kacchan.."

Katsuki Bakugo, or what's left of him, laughs at that. "As persistent as ever with that shit nickname. I never could tell if you were playing a joke on me like I was when calling you Deku.", he returns to a nonchalant form of manner by leaning back into his chair.

Midoriya sits across from him, occupying his own chair. "You're sounding more like yourself again. They've been giving you proper treatment?", he continues to search for any remanence of his friend through the stained glass.

But all he gets in return is another shrill laugh, "There's no fixing my brain. Do I really need to get the word 'damaged' tattooed on my head for you to understand that?"

Midoriya looks away, staring down at the floor. His gloved hands curl into fists, tightening and trembling at his sides. "I don't believe there's no hope. There's always hope.", he has a difficult time believing his own words but his voice stays steady somehow.

Though he's pretty sure Kacchan sees right through it anyways. "Don't tell me you're a Lemillion supporter. Bleh. If I could throw up without being quarantined, I would.", the con's remark gets the vigilante to look up at him again. An unspoken question of how an inmate would come by any outside information, heroes or not, has the detained grinning. He shrugs as though it's no big deal, "Word gets around."

"What do you know?", Batman asks with a pointed glare.

"You'll have to be a bit more specific, lambchop.", Bakugo's toothy smile stretches a bit further as he taunts the vigilante some more. Before things can escalate, however, he sighs and slouches back into his chair. "This is all nice and well, but why don't you just ask me about what you came here for already?", he suddenly shifts to something a little more serious.

Grateful for the change in pace, Batman takes the opportunity. "Himiko Toga. What do you know about her escape?", he goes for a more direct approach.

Bakugo raises a brow, "Talking gals, are we? I didn't think she was your type."

"I'm serious.", but Batman remains unamused and undeterred.

Now fully realizing the reason for the arranged meeting between himself and the vigilante, Bakugo relents. Not without a roll of his eyes first though. "She didn't break out by herself if that's what you're asking.", he recalls the night of her escape and the conversation in her cell that he had overheard.

Looking for a lucky break in his investigation, Batman asks, "Did you see who aided her?"

But instead receives a resounding, "Nope.", with Bakugo playfully popping the P at the end. The inmate's red eyes glimmer under the limelight as he asks his own question, "Are they giving you trouble?"

Batman ignores the question, opting for another one of his own. "You went to U.A. What do you remember about the Culture Festival attack?", he just hopes that Bakugo's brain damage hasn't destroyed those memories too much.

"Boy, does that take me back.", Bakugo sighs almost rather fondly as he stares upwards in a feigned flashback state. When he looks dead ahead again, he bursts the imaginary bubble with a harsh tone, "I remember not participating. I didn't give two shits."

"You weren't there when La Brava and Gentle Criminal attacked?", Batman frowns since he's steered himself into another dead end. He doesn't know whether information is being withheld or if he's simply being led on as some sort of gag, but it's beginning to become evident that it's either of the two.

"You think those two nobodies are who broke Toga out?", Bakugo laughs at the implication like he's just been told a hilarious joke. When he's finished with his giggle fit, Kacchan shakes his head in disbelief, "I thought you were smarter than that, nerd."

Chair legs scrape against the floor when Batman abruptly stands up. He turns, his cape twisting with him, before heading for the exit. "This is getting me nowhere.", he grumbles more to himself than to the remnant of his friend.

"Leaving already? It isn't like you to storm off when upset.", Kacchan calls after the vigilante, "They must really be getting under your skin. Giving you a real challenge, are they?"

Midoriya pauses at the exit, just short of turning the door's handle and leaving. He glances over his shoulder at his former friend, "You're the only one getting on my nerves. If you're not going to be the least bit helpful, there's no reason for me to waste my time here anymore."

Bakugo's unnerving smile reminds the vigilante of Toga's bloodthirsty grin. "I was just making sure.", the inmate takes the caped crusader's words as some sick form of validation. He rolls his head, cracking his neck. "Still. You must have been desperate to come see me.", and never once does the smile leave his face, "Then again, maybe you were just looking for an excuse all this time."

Batman returns his gaze to the exit as he responds, "I doubt we'll see each other again if you don't plan on leaving here.", and then turns the latch on the door to leave. As he walks out, he says with finality, "Goodbye, Kacchan."

But it's only after the door closes behind Midoriya that Bakugo replies back. "Oh, I plan on leaving here. Eventually. We'll see each other again real soon, Deku.", he eagerly awaits his reunion with his childhood friend and rival.