Going back to the Police Force after a forced break was a real blessing. Midoriya never would've thought he would miss browsing through the archives or gathering information, but at least he was doing something instead of laying on a futon and staring at the ceiling. He sometimes went out, yes, with Todoroki by his side like a bodyguard, but the walks to the supermarket were dull and uneventful. They were very, very short, for Todoroki didn't want him to strain his knee and even considered the idea of renting a wheelchair, which Midoriya rejected outrightly.

The Hero, much to his relief, wasn't much of a hassle when they were in his apartment. He let him enough space to breathe, although Midoriya never forgot his presence. As expected, the second futon didn't fit with all the boxes cramping the space, thus Todoroki decided to clean the apartment on his own, ordering Midoriya to stay seated. While the contents of the boxes thoroughly intrigued him, Midoriya was soon disappointed to see they held nothing he could use against him. There were mostly clothes and books, but a box marked 'fragile' contained a whole tea service kit in porcelain.

"It belonged to my grandmother, on my mother's side," Todoroki had told him as he dusted the kit.

In the last box there was another pleasant surprise. It was filled to the brim with notebooks, pencils, erasers reduced to a tiny stump from being overused, and even some medals from Todoroki's passage at Yuuei. A singed training uniform was even neatly folded at the very bottom of the box. While Midoriya marvelled at such a treasure, Todoroki's eyes were set in stone.

"There's nothing useful in there."

If Midoriya hadn't insisted on keeping them, Todoroki would've set them afire with his newly discovered Quirk.

Even after cleaning, the second futon didn't exactly fit, but Todoroki had no qualms about settling down next to Midoriya with their futons overlapping each other. However, Midoriya never caught him sleeping, for he would always wait before Midoriya is asleep to rest and he would always wake up at first light. Truthfully, Midoriya was more comfortable like this since he never realised Todoroki was there, inches away from him. His presence was a fleeting ghost, and he could almost make himself believe he was sleeping alone.

But today, their old routine would resume and Midoriya is giddy as he steps into the elevator. The exhaustion he might have felt after the fight near Sumida River disappeared completely, leaving him with renewed strength and determination to tackle the Judge case. After days of restlessness, he's ready to face whatever Life would throw at him.

But he didn't expect Life to offer him a rival.

"We have another case on the hand," Tsukauchi announces as Tamakawa distributes among them photographs and reports by the forensics team. "It's a murderer who attacks civilians and Heroes alike and drains them of their blood."

"I didn't hear anything from the media," Todoroki notes as he gazes down at a photograph of a bald, stout man with his round glasses askew on his nose. He flips through the pictures before gazing at one of chopped fingers, one of them sporting a ring dyed crimson. "You must've kept it secret."

"Since we also have the Judge to deal with, we don't want the citizens to panic and doubt us. I admit we didn't progress a lot but we're doing what we can with our effectives, our equipment and what little time occurs between the crimes."

Todoroki gives Midoriya the photo but the latter turns away, his stomach churning. The murder is messy, even messier than his own with Tozawa, which he didn't think could be possible. "It can't be worse than the Judge, can it?" He squeaks, fearing the answer.

"Actually, we have five victims as of now, four civilians and one Pro Hero, which is two more than with the Judge, but only the Hero died of blood loss. I assume we will give him a codename as well since this case is growing in importance," Tsukauchi declares.

A burning sensation settles in his stomach, his fists curling. He's been out for five days. Five days were enough for some nobody to kill messily with no definite goal in mind and make everyone forget the Judge even existed. It's revolting. It's insulting. Midoriya remembers promising in the League of Villains' den they would strike in a week, that in a week actually is tomorrow, but he has no way of contacting his agents with his phone taken away from him and not even knowing what number to dial should he ever stumble upon a phone.

Did they forget already? Will they carry on the Judge's legacy even if his hands are tied?

"Are we still working on the Judge's case?"

It was the same question Midoriya wanted to ask, but it's Todoroki who voiced it. Tsukauchi looks hesitant, avoiding the Hero's eyes. The other officers in the room also turn away unconsciously, either looking at their feet or staring straight ahead. Midoriya looks around but none of them meets his gaze, and he notices how blank the walls are, devoid of any newspapers cut and photographs.

"I'm afraid Chief Tsuragamae handed the Judge case to another team."

Todoroki's eyes are blazing. "How come?"

Tsukauchi swallows. "We had no results and if the Judge follows his strategy, he'll kill tomorrow. We're only six men, so there's little we can do to counter the next murder."

"So you gave up all your hard work to some unknown team and if they ever catch the Judge, they'll be the ones people will be thanking when you were the one who gathered the information?"

"Todoroki, we're not men of the law for glory," Tamakawa intervenes. "As long as the Judge gets arrested, our job will be done."

"But my father is not a man of the law."

There's a shift in the office, like a breeze rustling the leaves off a dying tree. Tsukauchi brings a hand to his forehead as he shakes his head, sighing.

"Todoroki, can we talk—"

"Chief Tsuragamae didn't decide on his own, did he? Endeavor convinced him."

"It doesn't change anything," the detective answers with measured words, neither denying nor confirming the accusation. "We won't get the case back."

"But we are competent. We are determined and we are ready to die to catch this killer. We deserve to be on the case," Todoroki protests.

"It's not within our jurisdiction to decide who gets which case."

Todoroki snarls and storms out of the office. The silence falling in the room is crushing and the air, colder, and Midoriya wonders if the Hero used his Quirk without even noticing, as if his instincts reacted on their own free will.

"Midoriya-kun," Tsukauchi sighs, "can you...?" He doesn't finish, rather gesturing towards the exit.

It didn't even cross Midoriya's mind to let Todoroki go away so he gets out of the office without hesitation. He doesn't have to search for long since Todoroki's striking two-toned hair acts as a beacon calling for his attention. The Hero's leaning against the wall, arms folded.

"Todoroki-kun..."

"I won't let this wretched man get the better of me. The Judge's case is mine."

"Our case, you mean," Midoriya rectifies, "and we will solve it but first, we have to solve the one Tsukauchi-san just dumped on us. Then, we'll be able to convince him to take the Judge's case back."

Todoroki groans but straightens, edging away from the wall. "Then we have to solve it now."

Midoriya blinks, repeating, "Now?"

"Yes, now. The sooner it gets done, the sooner we'll have the Judge's case back."

Todoroki's halfway down the corridor, urging Midoriya to job to catch him up, and he's heading towards the elevator. Midoriya believes the Hero did it on purpose, remembering that his knee prevents him from using the stairs. It embarrasses him that he has to use the elevator to get down of one floor, but with Todoroki riding it with him he finds himself less useless.

"How are we going to lure the Leech?"

"The Leech?"

"It's the name I came up with for the bastard since they're draining blood."

He almost expects a rebuke but Todoroki shrugs, "Fair enough."

The elevator jostles as it reaches the ground, the doors dinging as they slide open. Todoroki's walking slower now to match his pace and Midoriya reddens at such consideration. They leave the building and the thought that Tsukauchi might be waiting for their return crosses their mind like a shooting star, incandescent albeit fleeting. Neither of them falters, rather hurrying away and seeking the windows' blind spots.

"From what the Police Force gathered, the Leech acts at night and knocks the victim out before draining them," Todoroki reveals. "They use a machine to collect the blood but we have no idea what they do with it."

"It surely has to do something with a Quirk."

"That's what I think as well."

Midoriya nods, meeting Todoroki's eyes. He's ready to face whatever Life's throwing at him for the sake of his beliefs but what of Todoroki? The Hero is as adamant if not more as him to regain the case from his father's clutches and while it's understandable, there must be a greater purpose. He has no intention of emulating Endeavor and he also doesn't seem to search for his approval. Is it to spite him, to show to Endeavor that he missed a remarkable case and that he, his son, received it instead?

Whatever reason drives Todoroki, it feeds the resolve burning in his eyes, and Midoriya couldn't ask for a better partner.

"Where do we start?"

"The Leech's victims are concentrated in an area, so that's where we'll head and then we'll establish a strategy to neutralise them."

It might be a coincidence that the Leech's hunting grounds are nearby Todoroki's apartment but as much as Midoriya would like to believe it, he can't. Somehow, he's aware Todoroki doesn't believe it as well. He can read it in the tense line his shoulders form and how his eyes often stray to the sides, observing the throng of people flowing around them.

Then the tide shifts, or rather Todoroki cuts through the current like a salmon fraying its way in a river. Midoriya doesn't recall the Hero grabbing his coat, but the latter's pulling him in his wake with a firm grip on his coat's sleeve.

"Todoroki-kun? Where are you dragging me?"

"The Leech preys in alleys. That's where we're going," Todoroki answers without looking back.

"But it's still day and you said he attacked at night."

Todoroki slows down as they reach the entrance to a labyrinth of alleys. Midoriya wrenches himself free from Todoroki's grip, shivering as he gazes down at the passageway. It's called 'Fog Lane' according to a rusty metal plate fixed against the wall and as if faithful to its name, the alley was obscured by a charcoal cloud, its tendrils curling around their legs as if to drag them in the abyss. The dramatic effect is somewhat lessened by its location right next to a crepe shop, the scent of chocolate permeating the air.

"One can never be too prudent," Todoroki mumbles, taking something out from his coat and tossing it to him.

Midoriya catches the object instinctively but fumbles with it once it's in his hands, chills rolling down his back. "Oh dear, of all things... A gun, Todoroki-kun?"

Todoroki nods curtly, revealing a second weapon in the fold of his coat, identical to the gun he's holding. Midoriya flinches at the sound of the pistol charging. Somehow, he can't find the strength to do the same with his firearm.

"You're going in front of me."

"I-In front?" He stammers, glancing back at the fog swallowing the alley. "Are you sure...?"

"But first, your grip's too loose and you're handling it wrong. Always handle your gun with two hands to bear the recoil when you shoot and if you ever shoot, then you'll lodge a bullet in your foot. Fortunately for you, you didn't take off the safety."

Midoriya grimaces and waves the gun back to Todoroki, "Take it back."

He complies with a chuckle. "Also, when you give a gun, always show the butt instead of the chamber. People might interpret your gesture differently during a fight."

Instead of putting it back in his pocket, he hooks it in a holster attached to his waist. His trench coat ripples, and Midoriya catches a glimpse of a sheath peeking beneath the hem of his shirt. Judging by its slim shape, it's something akin to a dagger. He jolts when a strong and callous hand closes around his chin, jerking it upward, and their eyes locked.

"Never let your eyes wander," he told him sternly. "Always focus on the matter at hand."

"And what might the matter at hand be, this time?"

"The Leech, then the Judge, in a chronological order but not of priority." Todoroki lets go of his chin, gesturing towards the alley. "Go on. I hope you can use your fists better than a gun."

Midoriya offers him a wobbly thumbs up, which Todoroki shrugs aside by a roll of his eyes, and steps forward. Much to his chagrin, the fog-like cloud doesn't dissipate as he advances and he finds himself squinting and trying to discern shapes. While aware that fog hampers visibility and doesn't drown noise, he can't hear anything but his shallow breaths coming out in puffs and his footsteps combined with Todoroki's.

"You have a plan, don't you?" He murmurs, not daring to talk louder. "Tell me you have a plan."

"I have a plan," his disembodied voice confirms. "It consists of improvisation."

Midoriya halts dead in his tracks. Behind him, he senses Todoroki doing the same. Slowly, he turns around to stare at a brutally honest face, devoid of any signs of dupery.

"You're not serious."

Todoroki tilts his head to the side. "But I am."

And just like that, Midoriya bursts out laughing. This whole search is silly. He doesn't know what's worse: being patronised by Tsukauchi or blindly following Todoroki who proves himself to be as clueless as he is. Ending up in the middle of nowhere hunting for a ghost, how ridiculous can it be and how much more absurd can it get? As his laugher echoes and bounces back in his own ears, he's quieted by urgent hushing and a slight slap on his shoulder.

"Quiet! You—"

"I can't believe I thought you were better than me," Midoriya guffaws. "You're just a—"

Todoroki scowls and presses one hand against his mouth, silencing his last words. Midoriya's first reaction is to laugh even louder but Todoroki's not looking at him, rather staring in the distance. He can't fathom what the Hero sees in the fog. Perhaps he's hallucinating.

"Did you hear that?"

Midoriya gazes sideways at him but Todoroki's eyes are darting all around. Soon, the hand leaves his lips as Todoroki swivels as if to strike an enemy behind him but there's nothing but an endless alley. The cloud billows around them, breezing past their shoulders and unfurling around their body. Midoriya clears his throat but Todoroki shoots him a warning look that he ignores entirely.

"Just what—"

"Hush!" Todoroki snaps, glowering at him. "Listen."

The childish urge to disobey flickers through Midoriya's mind but he doesn't heed it. He closes his eyes and and breathes through his nose. The cloud's drowning everything: the noise, the surroundings and even his senses are dulled because he can't smell the chocolate anymore. The revelation makes him start and he hits his forehead with a gasp.

It doesn't smell anything.

"It's a Quirk," Midoriya realises. "Todoroki, we have to go."

The latter stares at him as if Midoriya asked of him to make up with Endeavor. "What are you blabbering on about?"

"It's a trap."

"Of course it's a—" He stops short, his eyes widening. "Behind you!"

In a blur Todoroki's reaching out for him and Midoriya flinches, raising both fists and adopting a fighting stance. He knows the Hero's undoubtedly targeting someone behind him, but his mind matches his motion to Bakugou's lunging before dealing a blow. But the hit he half-expects never connects. Instead, Todoroki's pushing him behind himself, shielding his frail body with his own much stronger and adapted to battle, and doesn't even jolt when a dagger shoots out of the cloud, seeking his heart. Midoriya cries out to warn him but Todoroki doesn't even wince as the weapon sinks... into ice.

Midoriya sighs in relief, watching the blade stuck mere millimetres before piercing Todoroki's skin. Three more knives shoot from the cloud, but Todoroki creates a wall of ice, blocking the attack.

"Retreat," is the only word he utters.

"But if it's the Leech then we have to arrest them."

"No." He doesn't even spare him glance, his fingers trailing on the wall of ice. "I'll be the only one to arrest him. You go warn Tsukauchi."

"I go what?"

Todoroki graces him with a glare thrown from over his shoulder. Neither of them flinches when two more blades are thrown out of thin air from the other side of the ice wall before clattering on the ground.

"I'm not your assistant or your goddamn secretary. If you want to warn the police do it yourself with the phone you took from me," Midoriya seethes.

Todoroki snorts, looking back to his ice. "You've gained confidence, Midoriya. That's good." It sounds like a praise, not that Midoriya was seeking for it. "Then stay with me but don't fuck up."

Midoriya lets out a strangled noise, "Did you just swear?"

"Yeah, I fucking did."

He can't contain his laugher, but the relaxed moment is ruptured by the wall of ice exploding. Todoroki's fire melts the tiny shards hurtling towards them, the smoke weaving with the cloud and creating a cloud of such thickness that Midoriya has trouble seeing even Todoroki standing a few feet away from him.

"No, don't tell me... Is this who I think it is?"

The male voice comes from the fog, unfamiliar and gravelly. Midoriya and Todoroki tense, the latter aiming ahead of him with his gun.

"Are you the one accused of draining five people of their blood, resulting in the death of Pro Hero Kenichirou Garou?" Todoroki asks, projecting his voice.

"What if I am? It was so much fun to watch all that blood spilling from him! Now, what will strong and handsome Pro Hero Shouto do?"

"Handsome?" Todoroki repeats in bewilderment.

Midoriaya rolls his eyes and steps forward, his shoulder bumping Todoroki's. "He's not alone. I'm Officer Midoriya Izuku of the Police Force."

"Officer... Midoriya?"

He shudders at the stranger's tone, as if he had an epiphany. The cloud begins clearing, revealing a bald, stout man with his glasses askew on his nose. Both Todoroki and Midoriya falter, recognising him as one of the Leech's victims supposedly bedridden in the hospital.

"What the...?"

A grin splits the man's face from ear to ear, the only warning they get before he thrust forward, knives already flying out of his hands. One of them lands on the stone wall, a mere inch from Midoriya's surprised face. The others are all deflected by Todoroki's arm encased in ice, the daggers bouncing back without causing any damage.

"Midoriya, get back!"

He unleashes his flames on the man who dodges it by dropping to the ground. The Leech should've focused on Todoroki who was now continuing the offensive with his ice, but his eyes are riveted on Midoriya as his manic beam grows wider. For a corpulent man, he moves with grace and stealth, twisting his body around so fast Midoriya's eyes have trouble following him. But one's thing certain through the series of kicks and punches and thrown daggers he delivers: the Leech's getting closer, advantaged by the alley's narrowness that prevents Todoroki from using mid and long-range attacks.

The Hero may counter and par but at this rate, he's never going to defeat his opponent, so Midoriya spins around and runs. As much as he wants to prove to Todoroki that he's not as useless as he thinks he is, his instincts are telling him to get as far as possible from the Leech. He feels a twinge in his knee and curses Tomura for the umpteenth time, gritting his teeth as he keeps dashing down the clouded passageway.

He can smell chocolate again, which means he's nearing the main avenue, but right before he can reach it, a hand shoots from a perpendicular alley he didn't see and grabs him by the neck. Groaning, he elbows his assailant in the ribs, earning a satisfying pained grunt. He dislodges himself by kicking the stranger in the shins with his foot and without losing his momentum, he whirls around with his fist flying to hit whoever it is in the face only to meet a firm hand stopping his punch.

"Easy there, little Judge," the stranger, who is not a stranger the more Midoriya distinguishes his features, sneers. "You wouldn't want to hurt your agent, would you?"

Midoriya retracts his fist, his eyes raking his agent's lanky frame. "Dabi. You're taking an immense risk by coming here alone."

"Who said I was alone?" He retorts with this same infuriating smile. "You're the one who told us what to do after, all."

If Midoriya had growing doubts about Dabi's sanity, now he's certain there's something missing in the other's brain. "What are you talking about? I never issued any order."

"But you did. Don't you remember?" Midoriya shakes his head and Dabi snaps his fingers, features lighting up in awareness. "That's right. There's a coded sentence that can break the spell you're under or something. What was it again? Something along the lines of... 'you can't run from the shadows but you can invite them to dance'."

Midoriya gasps as the memories rush back in his head, fitting in the murky spots in his mind that he shrugged aside. The fall with the winged creature near Sumida River...

Midoriya stares at the sky clear of any clouds and sighs. If he had Quirk, he could soar and join its vastness. If he had a Quirk, he could make its weather bend to his will. If he had a Quirk, he could be so much more.

He tenses as crunching noises grow louder behind him. Kicking the rubble, hands tucked in his pants, posture casual as if it's nothing but a walk in the park, a person's walking towards him. After skirting around the creature's motionless body sprawled a few meters from Midoriya, they stop only mere feet away from him, licking their parched lips.

Midoriya lets his eyes fall shut.

"So it worked."

"I don't know what did but I assume it has to do with your next selection," Dabi mumbles as he sits on top of the creature instead of on the ground like Midoriya. "Heroes are coming so make it quick."

"You have to tell me everything about your Quirk and Toga's. If I'm planning an offensive, then I need to know what assets I possess before placing them."

"My Quirk is Cremation. I burn things, mostly people. As for the bitch, she takes blood and transforms into that someone whose blood it is or something like that." Midoriya nods eagerly, hand waving in the air and prompting it to elaborate, which causes Dabi to click his tongue and look away. "I don't know much about her Quirk but I can tell you about mine. I can produce flames and I use them to attack but also as a defence by screening myself and using the recoil to get out of range."

"Can you screen others? How long does it hold?"

"Don't know. Never tried."

Midoriya hums, rubbing his chin. A plan was slowly bubbling up in his head but the loose variables and the lack of knowledge made him uneasy. He isn't an idiot who'd enact his strategy without backing it up twice, thrice, even four times when it comes to attacking that man.

"If I may," the villain asks, "who did you choose as your next victims?"

"A victim. But first, what can you tell me about Toga?"

Dabi groans, "She needs blood to transform, but I don't know how much it takes for her to actually get to transform. As for the transformation itself, I don't know how long it lasts but I know for sure that she doesn't gain the person's Quirk."

"Disappointing but manageable," Midoriya mumbles under his breath. "Is she a good actress?"

His agent blinks. "What? How should I know?"

"I need to know if she can properly impersonate someone. It's essential for the next cleansing."

"If she can't then she'll practice. She'd do anything for you. Ever the romantic since she started spewing nonsense about how she'd like to dance in a rain made of your blood."

Midoriya shudders. "That matter aside, here's my plan."

He tells Dabi who listens without any emotions hinting his approval. However, when Midoriya's finished, a lazy smile curls his lips and he chuckles, "That'll be fun."

"Another thing. I need you to recruit another agent if we want to win this one. Take a skilled fighter, someone who isn't afraid, someone loyal to the cause. I trust your judgment."

He makes a lousy reverence, assuring him, "I shall be a judge for your sake. If we're done, then I'm afraid we'll have to make you forget this little conversation we had."

Midoriya starts, "But how will I know—?"

Dabi stands from his spot and shushes him. "You don't need to. Have some faith, Judge. All for One is watching you. He won't let anything go wrong."

He turns around, whistling, and another blue monster emerges from the smoke. It towers above the men, gangly limbs dragging dust on the ground as it approaches them at a snail's pace. Its unblinking eyes are locked on Midoriya who swallows, hitting his legs to keep them from twitching.

He musters a smile, inquiring, "What is that... thing doing here?"

"This Nomu has mind-control abilities. He'll take good care of you," Dabi promises as he pats the creature's arm like one would do so with a dog. "But first, to make your memory loss credible, I'll have to do this little thing..."

Before Midoriya can ask him what the 'little thing' entails, Dabi grabs the back of his head with his nails digging in his matted hair and brings it down against the concrete. Midoriya groans as pain spikes in his forehead, his entire head throbbing and his vision swimming. The last thing he hears before he succumbs to the darkness is Dabi's snigger as he lets go of him, "Good night, Judge."

"You bastard," Midoriya splutters as he rubs the back of his head. "I had a concussion."

"I'm glad to hear that since it was the goal."

His scowls deepens as he observes Dabi's triumphant grin. Things were starting to become less muddy. With her transformation Quirk, Toga was capable of sneaking into heavily guarded places like the Police Force's building. He's now convinced that she was the one who took Tsukauchi's backup USB key since she's the only one who has the ability to carry on an important thievery without getting caught. Before he even asserted himself as the Judge, his agents were already watching his back, weren't they?

An explosion makes him look back to where Todoroki was fighting with a disguised Toga and his heart clenches, although he's not sure who he's worrying more about.

"Do you think she'll win?"

"Don't worry about that sadist. Besides, the agent I've recruited is with her."

Midoriya has never looked around so fast before. "You found someone?"

"Yes. A man in his thirties incredibly skilled, naturally."

"Naturally," Midoriya murmurs. "What's his name?"

"Don't know. Like you, he refused to tell us his true name."

"Then how does he want to be called?"

"Uhm, Smear? Smudge? No, that's not it," Dabi mutters. "Ah. It's Stain."