Summary: "'There's no honor in attacking one of our own. You're a disgrace to the Republic.'" A group of regs beats cadet Tech into submission, not for the first time. But, this does prove to be the first time that someone steps in and helps him out. Or, how Tech met Hunter. One-shot.

A/N: Based on a headcanon that Tech's goggles actually help him to see, and that he's basically/almost blind without them.

Unity In Difference

Tech didn't like to go to the cafeteria.

It was where all the normal clones were- and he wasn't normal.

They always made sure to remind him of it.

But no matter how he always avoided the cafeteria, he still had to eat.

And the regs still found enjoyment in tormenting him.

He kept his eyes on the floor as he made his way through the halls leading up to the main cafeteria room. He could hear the voices of other clones- some older than him, some not- from where they were eating up ahead, exchanging gossip and bantering about training.

Not for the first time, Tech wished he had someone who would talk to him like that.

But he understood that he was different, and had calculated the chances of having a true brother long ago; they were low- very low.

"Hey, Goggles, eyes up!" A slightly older voice jeered from an offshooting hall.

Tech cringed, but kept walking. Please, just this once…

The sounds of soft footsteps behind him didn't even register in his mind before his goggles were snatched away and the world turned into a very white blur. Eyes wide, he whipped around to catch sight of the familiar red and blue outfit of four other cadets, all taller than him. Anxiety jumped up into his throat.

"Give those back!" He leapt up at the blur that was his goggles, dangling from one of the cadets' hands. He couldn't reach, of course he couldn't reach. "I need them!"

"No can do, Goggles. They really don't look good on you."

"I can't see without them!"

But they already knew that.

"Aw, quit whining, kid. Sounds awful with that voice."

For the first time, Tech initiated the real violence.

With a frustrated cry, he thrust a punch at the boy with his goggles. The cadet gracefully moved aside, however, and Tech tumbled to the floor with a grunt. The older cadets laughed at him, and shame flooded his system, his face burning as he realized that he was making an even bigger fool of himself. He hid in the crook of his arm, trying to even out his breathing.

"You gonna cry, Goggles?"

He wanted to.

But that was one satisfaction he'd never allow them.

So, instead, he closed his eyes and just laid there. His heart beat painfully against his ribs as he awaited the inevitable.

It came, in the form of a sharp kick right in the side. He gasped at the sudden shoot of agony tearing through his body. He clenched his teeth hard as his body jerked involuntarily. Tears pricked at his eyes.

He hated being different.

Why couldn't he just be another number, lost in the crowd, unidentifiable from the rest?

A rough impact to his shoulder jolted him from his thoughts, knocked him over onto his back with a wheeze. He blinked blearily as the world spun, his hands weakly raising to instinctively cover his face. Pain shot through his side once more, and he whimpered.

Someone sneered.

He tried to curl further inwards, protect himself, but he only found more pain to course through his body. He cried out when his head was suddenly pulled up by his hair. A choked sound escaped him, and he recognized it to be a sob. His eyes were still holding back unshed tears.

"What the blazes do you think you're doing?" Someone growled from farther down the hall, owning a voice that belonged to a clone about the age of the cadets who tormented Tech.

Tech was too scared to move, even as he was thrown back to the floor.

He watched the scene unfolding before him the best he could, his four tormentors squaring up to the broad-shouldered newcomer.

"And who are you?" One sneered. "Another defective?"

"You're the defective ones." The cadet shot back, unphased and undeterred. His voice grew darker as he went on. "There's no honor in attacking one of our own. You're a disgrace to the Republic."

All four of the clones froze, exchanging uneasy glances.

"That's what I thought. Now scram, unless you want me to report you." He warned. "Oh, and give me those."

Tech watched in muted awe as one of the cadets tossed something to the newcomer, and as the group turned and vanished into the mass of clones in the cafeteria. A breath he didn't realize he'd held escaped him in a relieved hiss.

The cadet watched them go, standing tall in the middle of the hallway. Once he could no longer see them, his shoulders relaxed and he slowly approached Tech.

"Here. I believe these are yours." His rescuer handed him his goggles.

A small pang of safety at having proper sight came over him, though his voice shook nonetheless. "T-thanks."

"By the way, I think they suit you just fine." The boy told him, offering a small smile. He held a hand down to him. "I'm Hunter. I'm different too, like you."

"Tech." He accepted the hand, letting Hunter help him up. "...Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Tech bit his lip, averting his gaze from the other cadet. He wished he knew what to say, but he had no friendly experiences with any of the other clones. He didn't want to scare Hunter off.

"Come on, let's go eat." Hunter suggested. "If any of those regs so much as get near you, I'll chase 'em off."

Tech gave him a grateful smile, allowing him to walk at his side as they entered the cafeteria.

Even if he could hear the murmurs at the other tables, he felt safer now that he had Hunter at his side.

He couldn't help but to wonder: Was Hunter part of the small percentage of clones that would be a real brother to him?