Ryouma was being punished way too hard. He thought so anyway. He sighed dramatically as he looked out of the window down at the street below, littered with stray tennis balls that Horio and the other two had never picked up.

Tezuka had sent him to the end of the school that nobody ever went into anymore because the emergency lights there had run out of power. It was dark down there, and spooky, if you were a baby maybe. And Ryouma wasn't a baby, unlike the rest of Seigaku. He was actually pretty bored. Tezuka had made sure that he would have nothing to do, the jerk.


Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the building, Momo was slamming his hands, open palmed, onto Tezuka's desk. He leaned over it, going nose to nose with his captain. "Tezuka, we saw him! Oishi's living just a few minutes away! We could walk there before it even got dark out-"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Tezuka grunted.

"We have to get Oishi back in Seigaku!"

Kawamura nervously looked at Tezuka. He knew Tezuka wasn't going to take the news of Oishi's continued existence well.

Not in a negative way. Tezuka loved Oishi - Oishi was his vice captain, after all, even now. Tezuka would go out and try to recruit Oishi again himself, even if he said he wouldn't. Despite the captain's reservations, his loyalty to his old friend was stronger.

"We can't force him to come back," Tezuka said after a few moments. "It was his decision to leave, so it will have to be his decision to come back."

"Captain!" Momo said, shocked. "You can't be serious-!"

"This conversation is over," Tezuka said forcefully, glaring at Momo. They continued their staring battle for a few moments before Momo gave up, turning and leaving in a huff.

Kawamura looked cautiously at a tense Tezuka. "Tezuka…"

"No," Tezuka snapped, rubbing his forehead. "Be quiet."

Kawamura complied.


Down the hall, Inui was busy concocting a juice that would pack a punch if he was able to make a zombie drink it. He was interrupted when his disgruntled kouhai, Momo, burst in, red-faced and angry. "Momoshiro," he said calmly, but was shaken out of his calmness when Momo grabbed him and shook him.

"Can't you talk some sense into Tezuka?" Momo said, eyes fiery. "He won't go get Oishi!"

"Oishi?" Inui echoed.

"Oishi!" Momo released Momo and let out an agonized groan. "Oishi is living out in a cave! We need to get him back here! He looked so sad!"

Inui carefully placed the container of juice he was holding onto a desk. "I'm sure Tezuka didn't mean anything ill-willed by it, Momoshiro."

"It's just annoying," Momo huffed. Kaidoh walked in, having heard the commotion from outside. He scowled at Momo, who ignored him. "What's wrong with Tezuka? Oishi was his best friend. Why doesn't he want to go out there and just save him?"

Inui didn't respond. Kaidoh slid into the chair at Inui's desk. He sniffed at the juice Inui had made and grunted in disgust. Momo continued.

"It's like he doesn't want to be captain. All he does is try to stay -neutral- about everything, and it pisses me off."

"Don't say that kind of shit about buchou," Kaidoh hissed. Momo glared at him. "We're in a fucking zombie apocalypse. He's trying his hardest."

"But is he really?" Momo asked. Kaidoh glared at him, but clamped his mouth shut.

Inui sighed, rubbing at his spiky head. "We have to trust Tezuka, Momoshiro. That's all we can do right now." He picked up his juice and smiled at Kaidoh. "Kaidoh, would you care to help me test this drink out?"

Momo rest his head on his desk as Kaidoh followed Inui out of the room. Something had to be done about their captain, even if Momo was going to be the one to do it.