It was still dark... But it was so noisy... Blearily, Tezuka's eyes opened a crack. Then, it all came back to him, and his eyes shot wide. A loud clanging noise almost caused his ears to bleed. He curled up and covered his ears, but the noise just got louder, and louder.

He was in a behaviour correctional facility. Also known as boot camp.

He didn't want to get up, but the noise bored into his brain and ears. Slowly and painfully. He sat up, and prodded at Fuji's limp body. He turned over, a peaceful smile reposing on his lips, and Tezuka hadn't the heart to wake him. Instead, he looked around the place...

But all he could make out in the dark were rows upon rows of bunk beds against the cold, blank walls. There were nearly thirty beds squeezed into this tiny room, and Tezuka saw why his entire body was aching. The beds didn't have mattresses.

Suppressing a groan, Tezuka lifted himself off what they called bed, each movement painful and limited. What should he do? Just sit around and wait for instructions? He stole another look at the still sleeping Fuji and let out a small, shaky sigh.

"Oi! Wake up, wake up!" The sudden holler sent Tezuka's pulse rate skyrocketing. Tapping reluctantly on Fuji's shoulder, he...

Reluctantly, he shook Fuji, trying to make him wake up, but his friend seemed dead to the world. A sudden fear stabbed at his heart.

"Don't worry." A calm, even voice spoke from above him. Tezuka looked up to see a dark-haired boy dangling precariously from the rusty light fixture.

"I've seen them worse, just let him rest. He's new, if we don't act suspiciously, they might not notice that he's missing."

Tezuka hesitated.

"Thanks." He smiled.

"You're welcome." The boy leaped nimbly off the fixture and landed lightly next to him."In a place like this, we got to stick for each other, or we won't make it through."

He reached towards Fuji. Reflexively, Tezuka jumped up, and stood between the strange boy, and his friend.

The boy regarded him keenly, then, he held out his hand.

"Mizuki Hajime."

--

When he got home, they were talking. As a rule, it really isn't good when your parents start talking. Not when the parents of your best friend are over at your house, deep in talk. Not when the –aunt- of your best friend, notorious for busying and bodying over other people's business was over at your house deep in talk with –your- parents.

All the ingredients for disaster were lined up like bowling pins, and Tezuka knew that something was wrong. Quickly, he dumped his bag on the floor, and backed out through the door. Heart pounding, he called out.

"Tadaima!" then, he waited two seconds before yelling "Ittekimasu!", and running off.

Seconds later (Fuji did live next door after all.) he was hammering on next door's door. No pun intended.

"Fuji!" He pounded heavily and desperately on the antique rosewood. It creaked ominously. "Fuji! Open the door!" Without warning, it swung open, and Tezuka lost his balance, falling forwards…

After they had separated, Fuji went on a hunt of the neighbourhood. An hour later, he had found them. He entered the cafe calmly, and looked at home, despite rivulets of water dripping down his hair. He'd eyed the pack leader, and walked back out. He stood outside the doorway, waiting. The gorillas were smirking, and cracking their knuckles. Apparently, they found him small fry. His smile widened as he led them away.

Fifteen minutes later, he had a black eye, and his leg felt like it was fractured. A large gaping wound in his right knee bled freely, staining his clothes with a bright, sticky red.

But the other five were comatose on the ground. Panting, Fuji hobbled away from the alley, numbing his mind to the pain.

--

He did not want Tezuka to see him in his current state, but fear for the door led him to open it. Comically, Tezuka began to fall forwards. Reflexively, he attempted to catch him before he fell. But his leg sent pain wrenching into his heart, and he collapsed, Tezuka landing awkwardly, on top of him. Fuji looked up, and would have felt like laughing, but for two thins.

First, his leg hurt like hell.

Secondly, their parents, and his aunt were storming up the driveway.

"You see! Do you see what I'm talking about?!" Her hair is an angry tangle, and her face is red. "Your child is behaving too intimately with my nephew! I cannot have it! I will not have it! If they turn out to be homosexual, I will hold you responsible!" Dramatically, she stalked off to the spare room, leaving a queer silence in her wake. Fuji turned to face his parents, smiling as if amused, but they did not smile back at him. They looked worried.

He dropped the smile, and took hold of Tezuka's hand, dragging him back to his room. His parents looked anxiously after their disappearing figures.

--

"Fuji, what happened? You look terrible."

He made no reply, and looked away.

"You looked them up didn't you?"

He shrugged. What was there to say?

"Can you tell me what is happening now?"

Fuji looked up, and stared steadily into Tezuka's eyes.

"After I got injured, my aunt screamed bloody murder, and claims we're homosexuals because I got injured fighting for you."

Tezuka stuffed back a giggle.

"Very funny."

Fuji stared back somberly at him.

"I'm serious, she's been looking for an excuse for a long time now."

"Excuse? Excuse for what?"

His tone was grim.

"To send us to her friend's special facility." He drew a breath. "For troubled teens."

--

Warning lights went off instinctively in Tezuka's mind, and a small voice said that no one should be trusted in this place. But now that Fuji was down, Tezuka told himself he had no choice.

He held out a hand cautiously, feeling the other boy's strong, firm grip, and didn't stop him when he edged closer to the tensai. "Don't let your guard down. ...Right?"

"He doesn't look well." That simple comment caused his heart to tighten with worry. If Fuji fell sick here, God knew what could happen to him.

The same hand he had shaken now rested on Fuji's forehead. Mizuki's eyebrows furrowed ominously, an almost telltale sign that something was definitely wrong.

"He feels hot. I think he's got a fever coming."

Fear. It struck deep into his heart, clawing its way through.

Hurriedly, he felt his friend's forehead as well. Then, he grabbed his hand back.

"Ow!" He glanced at Mizuki."Let's inform them, they'll bring him to a doctor, and - "

"Stop! Don't you realise it? None of us have received medical assistance, and your friend here won't be an exception!"

Tezuka glared at him, and he looked steadily back.

"Please." His voice was gentle. "I want to help your friend too. But now there is nothing we can do, so let's go down to breakfast, and decide on a plan after eating, alright?"

Tezuka paused, wavering, unsure.

"Trust me."

"Fine." He snapped. "But no matter what, I'm getting him to a doctor."

Tezuka hadn't expected a normal, decent breakfast at this boot camp. But once again, it proved him wrong. Wholemeal sandwiches with ham and egg were placed in paper plates resting on the long rows of tables, where many cadets had already settled down at. He turned to the only other person he knew, and asked sceptically, "Did they poison those?"

Mizuki replied with a hearty laugh. "Of course not. Genocide wouldn't exactly look good on their perfect record now would it?" He led Tezuka to a less crowded table and sat down, beginning to eat.

Still feeling dubious, he chose a sandwich, and gingerly took a small bite out of it. It seemed normal. It looked normal, and it tasted normal.

Fuji's words resounded in his brain. "Yudan sezu ni iko!" But it seemed to be alright. He relaxed, and took a larger bite. Then, the crying started. Tezuka glanced at Mizuki.

To his surprise, Mizuki did not look back at him. Instead, he was staring steadily ahead of him.

"Don't look." He whispered.

But he could not stop himself. Already, his head was swivelling to the side, and he was staring in shock at the spectacle.

The girl seemed no more than seven or eight, and she was kneeling on the floor. The fat man from the day before was stuffing sandwiches into her protesting mouth.

"No!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and vomit rained down on the bright blue tiles. His stomach lurched, and an arm came whipping out of nowhere, striking him across the cheek.

"What're you looking at, sucker? You want to be just like her? No? THEN MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!"

It stung badly where he was slapped, but Tezuka hardly felt the pain. His heart cried out in despair for the girl. Grudgingly, he forced himself to look away from the sight.

"Don't be so upset. It happens every day." Mizuki continued eating.

"You could sit there and do nothing about it." Tezuka felt his anger flare uncontrollably, his voice unnaturally hard. He tried to suppress it before he did something foolish, but right now, that attempt was failing. This was inhumane!

"You'll only make it worse." Mizuki replied indifferently. "Eat, or you'll suffer the same fate. Believe me."

Helpless, Tezuka faced his food, and crammed it down his throat, a solitary tear travelling down his cheek.

They hurried back to their bunks, for a quick change before a 'light morning jog'. He felt queasy and unwell. The food he had forced down his throat threatened to come out the wrong way. He turned to face the friend he wasn't sure he could trust.

"Help us."

Mizuki regarded him appraisingly.

"I can get him to a hospital. But you need muscles... Are you up for it? If so, here's the plan..."

A/N Basically, the girl was vomiting coz she was Hindu and didn't want to eat meat. It's against her religion. In real life, the situation was, that the Hindu girl ate meat, vomited, and was made to eat her own vomit. Yups. Coming up next, Fuji's POV…. For a change. ) See you at the next chapter!