A/N: This is Jewel, the original ShipFicsRus.
Megs is no longer writing with me due to... Events. Needless to say,
I'm in need of a new writing partner. PM me?

PROLOGUE:

"Sometimes... fear is your best friend. If I didn't live my life constantly in fear, I wouldn't be alive. But sometimes... fear can be your worst enemy. When the paranoia becomes too much, to the point where you snap. Mental Illness is the second-leading death rate in the New World, only because those who are too far gone are killed off. No sense in feeding a person who can't benefit us with food we don't have to spare, right? I've learned to love my fear. Because sometimes, fear is the only one, the only thing, that you can trust." - Mitchell Hughes

-Chapter 1-

"The death toll of the Rising is estimated to be approximately 6 billion, or about 85% of Old World's population." I answered. My teacher smiled at me appreciatively.

"Thank you, Mitchell." She nodded, writing the answer on the board, just under the large title 'Old World Review'. By the end of this year, my final year of schooling before I'd go on to train full-time as a soldier, we were expected to know everything about the history of New World, and Old World, as early as 2010. That was exactly 490 years ago.

Test day fell exactly a week before Rising's 300th anniversary. That allowed the students at the HuBaccain Academy to do their 6 day test. That included me.

The HuBaccain Academy is where the best soldier duos come from. They have a stunning training program, and my partner is the best. I wouldn't see him until after school, but I could hardly wait. Just seconds before the-

An ominous tolling interrupted my thoughts, and I jumped up excitedly. Finally I could see my partner! I rushed out of the room, heading quickly towards the Academy. It was a short walk from my school, since all educational buildings stand in one block.

"Jerome!" I called towards the trees. No answer. I impatiently moved towards Jerome's tree. Unlike other Baccas, who simply slept on the branches, Jerome hollowed out his thick tree and made a little home.

Jerome was... different. I knew he was, from the moment he spoke. That was it; Baccas didn't speak, but he did.

"Knock, knock, biggums." I murmured, walking in.

"Gosh, Mitch, I was just putting on my clothes." Jerome huffed, unfolding his charcoal-black jacket and pulling it on. He could really work that business suit, for a Bacca. Not that I was interested in Jerome that way.

"Sorry, I was just excited to see you. We graduate soon." I grinned.

"And graduation means celebration." Jerome murmured huskily, draping his tie around my neck and pulling me closer. Of course it was like Jerome to be flirty, even if I was a boy. My Bacca didn't seem to have a gender preference.

"All night, dood." I replied in the same tone, playing along and pressing my forehead against his. He laughed, pecking my cheek and moving towards his mirror, where he proceeded to tie the bright red silk tie around his neck.

"Merome for days." He smirked, looking at me through the mirror. Merome, the little nickname he gave us whenever we got close. Though I've been as close to him as I can get before.

"Has it occurred to you that in about two weeks, we'll be real soldiers? That battle is real after that? Not 'if they say ow, stop' kind of fights like in school?" I asked, sitting on his bed. He focused on his fingers for a second, fascinated at the material in them.

"Yeah." He replied. "It has." He nodded, turning around.

"'Ow' isn't gonna make them stop." I sighed. I was talking about the Sky Army. The same army that my first friend, Adam, was now corrupted and commanding.

Jerome sat down beside me, taking my hand sympathetically. "Don't worry, Mitch. We'll be alright." He assured.

"But what if we're not?" I asked. "We're fighting the Sky Army. The same army that we've been battling for the past 300 years! They killed 6 billion people!" I pointed out.

"You have a point, Mitch. Sometimes it seems useless to fight back. But we've survived as long as we have." He argued.

"Says the radioactive beast." I muttered. Jerome winced. He'd always been sensitive at the fact that his species was the result of the first Radioactive bomb the Sky Army dropped in 2200.

"No need to throw petty insults, Mitch." He whimpered. I sighed, pulling the smaller creature into my arms. I loved it, actually, that Jerome was so small. Most Baccas were huge. Battle Baccas.

"I'm sorry. This whole thing is just stressing me out." I admitted. He looked up at me.

"And it doesn't stress me out?" He asked bluntly. And I let him do what always seemed to mend our little arguments. He pressed his lips against mine.

Let me reiterate that Jerome and I were simply friends. Partners. I just found comfort in his kisses. Sometimes more. This time was no exception as he pushed me down, straddling my hips. This was the kind of friendship I liked. Friendship with benefits.

"We're gonna be okay, Mitch." Jerome repeated as he kissed my neck. I nodded, closing my eyes.

"We're gonna be okay..." I echoed quietly.