It had been a while since Kuroko had done this. Three years ago, it would've been a natural occurrence, almost like a routine. For hours he would remain crouched in a fetal position, pondering the meaning behind his existence. Lost in his thoughts, he would gradually forget the time ticking by along with his lonely reality. He would sink into an alternate world in which all his dreams came true. At times, sleep would overtake him and that world would take on a realistic tinge. Either way, when he came to, he would eventually face the real world and all the horrors it brought him. Three years ago, he sincerely believed that his dreams were far better than his reality. However, in a drastic turn of events, reality blossomed into a pleasing sight. At least, for a while.

Black Radiance

A Kuroko no Basuke Fanfiction

by beni kuro

Prologue : "I will beat them."

Everything started changing when he met Aomine. The ace of the female basketball club accepted him on account of their shared love for the sport. They would practice for hours on end, polishing their skills and giving each other advice (more her to him than him to her). It was a lagging process but his basketball improved somewhat. Basketball had been one of the things tying him to reality. She became the second. He began to notice the clear blue shades in the sky.

Next came Akashi, whom helped develop his style of basketball. She gave him the chance to actually play in games and to fulfill his promise with his childhood friend. She was his teacher and was patient with him. She was the one he respected the most and had the highest regard for. To him, she was the tiny push of encouragement that he had lacked all throughout his life. The beautiful red of the sunset came into view.

All the while, Midorima and Murasakibara were there to support. Although he and Midorima were not as compatible, her advice and support had kept him standing. Her (not so) discrete methods of aiding him were fairly amusing to watch and the green haired female provided him all the good luck he needed in life.

Despite his low stamina, the team made no exceptions for his practice sessions. He would feel ragged after every practice. It was during those times that he found the most pleasure in Murasakibara's company. She was a more relaxed character and her childish personality was refreshing after harsh training. She belittled him sometimes, however he liked the attention as he had not been treated that way during his childhood. Green and purple pigments were visible in the plants and flowers.

Later on, Momoi and then Kise entered his life. Momoi, with her cheerful and bubbly personality, was extremely encouraging. She was motherly in a way, constantly watching over the team and taking care of them. He felt the attention he had lacked from his own mother. Kise was a different influence. She was an equally cheerful and childish person. She was also quite reliable and surprisingly insightful. She would read into people's expressions and try to help those in need of encouragement. Sometimes people appreciated it, but most of the time it was annoying. All the same, she was a thankful presence. Slowly, he began to see the soft hues of yellow from the sun's rays and the lovely pink in the evening sky.

It was a picture of perfection, full of vibrant colors. Nothing was amiss, or at least, he didn't think there was anything wrong. His naïvety and inexperience led to his own downfall. His foolish ideals of compassion and affection stabbed him in the back. He didn't realize it, until the truth could be seen right before his eyes. One by one, the beautiful hues disappeared and returned to its gray color. However, on that fateful day, months before present, his world turned black. He got launched into the abyss and had to watch the five from afar. He was powerless as he saw them fall deeper into their intricate cages, woven by their own hands. He could barely withstand the pangs of pain he received as he observed them grow stronger. At that point, he lost all the courage he had built up. He ran away as fast as he could and hid away from them out of despair.

After resigning from the basketball club, he had shut himself up in his house, refusing to go to school. His attendance record suffered no blows, after all, his teachers couldn't see whether he was there or not. It had been many months since then. During those months, he hadn't seen a trace of them but he had heard plenty about them. Everywhere he went, he heard their names, their title. 'The Generation of Miracles.'

He could only wonder what they were doing now. Since they had not pursued him, he guessed that they did not care about him after all. He was simply a tool for success, which soon became useless in their eyes. Although he was a tiny piece in their life, they had been the largest influence in his. To him, their existence was essential, they meant life to him. Therefore, life without them was simply not life at all.

Now, in March, their third year in middle school was drawing to a close. Tomorrow was the third year's graduation ceremony. There was the question that had nagged him for a while. He contemplated the pros and cons of attending the graduation ceremony but one thing outweighed all else. He had avoided them for so long that a small bubble of longing had filled his heart. No matter how many times he denied it, he wanted to see them. He knew he couldn't win against his desires this time. He tried, he persisted, but in the end his heart won. They won.

Would they care whether he was there or not? Would they even notice him? How was he supposed to know?

What did he mean to them? They meant the world to him, but he had never closely questioned what he meant to them. Every breath he took was thanks to them. He owed his whole life to them, but would they even care about that?

Question upon question, contemplating the reason behind his existence, piled up in his head. His mind was in a state of complete pandemonium. Forcefully, he shut the thoughts out, leaving a single resolution behind. 'I am going to see them.'

No matter how many times he saw it, the school was impressive. Teiko Middle School was famous for its prestigious academics and sports programs and was one of the most honoured schools in Tokyo. The sight was magnificent but it had always intimidated him. Pushing the thought aside, he dodged his way into the building and towards the auditorium where the graduation ceremony would take place. The auditorium was a spacious room, filled with row upon row of black velvet chairs. The floor took on a sparkly sheen, glowing under the overhead lights. The whole room had a bright dreamy glint to it, all screaming elegance.

As the graduation ceremony began, graduates filed into the auditorium and sat down in alphabetical order. He found himself at the end of the third row. The first glimpse he got of one of the Miracles was Kise Ryouka. She was a few seats to the left of him, legs crossed and one of those customary smiles on her face. Boys and girls alike fawned over her appearance. He suddenly felt goosebumps rise on his arms. The smile that decorated Kise's face was undeniably fake, her golden eyes were cold and contemptuous. He tore his azure eyes from the scene, shivering slightly. He almost wondered who that person was.

After the principal's formal speech, one of the teachers called out the first name. The graduates stood, one by one, forming a line on one side of the stage and stepping up when it was their turn. The familiar figure with dark, navy hair and tanned skin stood out from the rest. Aomine Daina strutted forward as elegantly as she possibly could and accepted her certificate. He was unable to stop himself from letting out a chuckle. Aomine was anything but elegant. The uneasiness from Kise's sudden change in attitude disappeared as he watched Aomine. She seemed almost identical to the person he had last seen.

Soon after Akashi Seika stepped on stage, the role model student. With her long red hair flowing behind her, she bowed to the principal before descending the stage on the other side. The aura she gave off made his breath catch in his throat. The posture and expression were authoritative and something about her heterochromatic eyes turned his blood into ice. The captain of the Generation of Miracles. That was the second time he felt that something had changed completely.

Kuroko stood as his row lined up on the other side of the stage. He was barely listening to the names being called.

"Kise Ryouka." The words caught his attention and he glanced upwards as Kise walked across the stage. There was something mysteriously disconcerting about his former teammates. He knew they had changed since their second year but it seemed as if they had all done a drastic character change. Kuroko remembered how they had acted before he had left, but the Miracles all seemed more distant from everyone else than they used to be. More importantly, they were far from a basketball court.

"Kuroko Tetsuya."

In his peripheral, he saw Kise stop in her tracks and turn to stare at the stage. He saw Aomine perk up in her seat. Akashi seemed to narrow her eyes in disapproval. The two other Miracles seated near the back rows now came into view. Midorima Shinju seemed to have her signature frown on her face and if his eyes weren't betraying him, for an instant, Murasakibara Atsuko had stopped eating the snacks she had smuggled in. All this he had observed in a matter of seconds.

Kuroko stepped on the stage, bowing respectfully to the principal and accepting his certificate. All the while, he felt as if someone was staring daggers at his back. He turned gracefully and left the stage as quickly as he could. Five pairs of eyes followed him but he didn't dare to meet any of them. On his way back to his seat, he passed by Kise. For a split second, he felt a soft tug on the sleeve of his uniform. As he seated himself, his azure orbs met intense, golden ones. There was a harsh glint in those eyes and he felt a shockwave throughout the length of his body. Those eyes had a predatory gleam to them, and an darknees that seemed to accuse him.

In that instant, he understood how much of a mistake he had made. He turned his head away, shaking violently. His instincts urged him to run out of the auditorium immediately. However, even with his lack of presence, he knew that was an impossible feat. Therefore, he forced himself to stay seated until the end of the ceremony. It was an excruciatingly slow process, but the last students finally returned to their seats. He tuned out after that, although he pretended to listen to the guest speakers.

He almost jumped out of his seat when the teacher told them to stand. Bowing once more, the graduates trickled out of the auditorium and out of the building. Only then did he hear the whoops of joy and the excited cheering of the third years. As much as he would like to join in their happiness from having closed yet another chapter in their life, something else drove him to escape. Breaking into a run, he dodged his way around the crowd and across the courtyard. It wasn't as easy as it sounded as the crowd thickened before his eyes. The crowd trapped him in the middle of the courtyard, unable to move an inch. No one made way for him as they didn't notice him. 'Damn it!'

In his desperation, he tried to push his way through, however the force of the crowd was stronger. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he flinched.

"Tetsuya."

That silky smooth voice was that of his basketball captain. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the locks of dark red hair and narrow heterochromatic eyes. The grip on his shoulder was firm. The smile that graced Akashi's pale face was that of a triumphant victor.

"Why don't we talk?" In his field of vision, he noted the rest of the Generation of Miracles standing behind Akashi. It wasn't a suggestion, it was an order. The fact that the other Miracles were there meant that Akashi would force him to speak with her, no matter what the circumstances. He couldn't put up a fight in this situation. He nodded in compliance. Akashi smirked at the boy before her.

"Follow me."

Kuroko found it ironic that they chose to talk behind the third string gymnasium. It was also alarming that they surrounded him, forcing him against the wall of the building. Being pinned against the wall, he had lost all possible escape routes. His vision strayed away from the five people in front of him, looking anywhere but them. He didn't want to meet any of those hostile eyes. Unfortunately, nothing was going as he hoped it to.

"Tetsuya, look at me," an insistent voice hissed. Kuroko complied unwillingly, staring into those dark, dichromatic eyes. He gulped his fear down, keeping his emotionless façade. A flicker of fear showed in his eyes, but he couldn't rid of it.

"What does Akashi-san want to talk about?" He was quite proud that no trace of fear could be detected in his voice. Years of keeping that emotionless mask had paid off. For once, he was glad that he had chosen to always pretend that he felt nothing. After years of practicing, he learned to hide his feelings behind that mask of nothingness. It was a useful trick in times like these.

The red-head took a step back, crossing her arms in front of her. "Akashi-san, huh?" she asked quietly, anger laced in her tone. "Didn't we use to go by a first name basis, Tetsuya?"

If the bluenette could have put more distance between himself and the red-head, he would've done so. Instead, he replied, voice tentative and cautious. "I don't think you called me here to reminisce."

Akashi let out a soft chuckle. "You're right."

Kuroko blinked as he looked at the Miracles. For a minute, no one moved or spoke. Kuroko had now deduced that they were leaving Akashi to do all the talking. He was proven wrong, however, when Aomine spoke up.

"Tetsu..." she murmured, catching the boy's attention. His azure orbs focused on the tanned girl who was running a hand through her shoulder-length, navy blue hair. Suddenly, he felt a blast of force next to his head as Aomine slammed her fist against the wall. Kuroko's eyes widened in shock as he stared into those dark eyes. They resembled that of a wild panther. This wasn't the Aomine he had last seen. Something had changed. Something horrible had happened.

Had he caused it?

"Tetsu, where have you been?" The deep resonance in Aomine's voice scared him. His fear was visible in his eyes. It didn't help that all five of the girls were probably more physically fit than him. They were all taller than him, even though they were all girls. In a physical fight, he would lose. If he tried to run away, they would catch up to him in a matter of seconds. His only choice, then, was to stand there and wait until their talk was over. That was, if this was only a talk.

Kuroko remained speechless for a while. He averted his eyes, staring down at the ground beneath them.

"Kurokocchi," another voice caused him to gaze upwards. Kise returned his gaze, eyes full of determination. The old Kise wouldn't have had such a serious expression on her face. She would always be smiling genuinely and creating a cheerful atmosphere. The fact that she was frowning and practically glaring at him informed him that he had to get out of there. He already knew that...the question was how.

"Tetsuya, answer the question," Akashi commanded.

"Please be more specific with your questions." He wanted to bury his face in his hands after he had said that. He wasn't in the place to demand anything. He couldn't forsee what would happen. It was such a foolish move to test their patience.

"She meant what have you been doing these past few months?" Midorima spoke, making Kuroko jolt. It was suprising that Midorima spoke out of turn. She dedicated herself to the rules and always played safe. The idea that she would interrupt such a dangerous conversation came as a small shock to him. A small glint in her green eyes told him why. She, too, was eager to hear the answer to the question. The only person that seemed disinterested was Murasakibara who was busy devouring her snacks.

Kuroko closed his eyes briefly before finally answering. "I was at home. I haven't been feeling well these past few months." It was a lie, but what else could he say?

"You're not very good at lying, Tetsu," Aomine growled.

Kuroko blinked, feeling a little incredulous. "Then what do you want me to say?" he murmured monotonously.

Before Aomine could retort, Akashi cut in. "Enough," she spoke, irritation showing in her gaze. "It doesn't matter." She glared pointedly at Aomine who moved back into place. Without meaning to, Kuroko let out a relieved sigh, although his relief was short-lived.

"Tetsuya." The teal head turned to look at his captain. "Which high school are you planning on going to?"

The question surprised him. So this was the reason they were cornering him. In his mind, he considered whether he could spare to tell them the answer to that question. A small part of him urged him to tell them. In that case, they might come to see him. That optimistic hope meddled with his common sense and rendered him irrational. As he opened his mouth to answer, he regained his wits and stopped the words from spilling out.

"Well?" The insistent voice snapped him back into reality.

A tiny flame of defiance kindled within him. "Why should I tell you?" he asked testily, although nothing could be detected in his voice.

Akashi frowned at the question. "Are you defying me?" The words quenched the flame in Kuroko and he cowered helplessly against the wall.

Kuroko wondered what he should do. He didn't know how the Miracles would use that piece of information.

What did he want? He wanted to understand, to figure out what had happened. He didn't want to remain within the grasps of these ferocious predators. They weren't the people he once knew. He finally accepted that. His only choice now, was to run out of the reach of these people. Therefore, the only thing he could do was withhold the truth. Lying would get him nowhere. His instincts were ringing like alarm bells, demanding that he escape as soon as possible. If only someone would come. If only...

"What are you all doing out here?" The warm and cheerful voice of the basketball team's manager reached his ears. Kuroko turned to look at the girl who was approaching them. She had her usual smile on her face and her eyes had a genuine warmth to them. The sight of the girl saved him.

"Satsuki. We're busy at the moment," Akashi murmured, eyes glinting at the interruption.

"Huh, oh, is that so. Well, sorry for disturbing you," Momoi began to turn and walk away. Kuroko internally screamed at the girl to come back. Her slowly retreating figure seemed to mock him. Thankfully, she glanced over her shoulder again, her eyes widening. "Tetsu-kun?" she called out, startled.

Her interruption was all he had needed. Kuroko quickly ducked and sprinted away from the Miracles. He heard shouts behind him but he didn't dare turn to see if he had any pursuers. He ran as fast as he could, like a mouse being chased by a cat. Soon, he found himself in the courtyard where people were slowly beginning to empty out. This time, he dodged through the crowd successfully and was soon on his way towards his house at a full sprint. The sound of voices were diminishing in the background. How foolish he had been! He should have foreseen all this. Again, his naïvety had struck him from behind. He could only scream at himself for his stupidity.

"Wait! Tetsu-kun!"

Kuroko glanced over his shoulder and saw only Momoi behind him. However, he didn't stop for her. 'It could be a trick,' he thought.

"It's only me! They aren't following you, Tetsu-kun!"

Kuroko stopped in his tracks and stared blankly at his manager. He wasn't sure whether he could trust her or not. She finally caught up, grabbing his shoulder for support as she panted. After catching her breath, the peachette looked up towards him. "Tetsu-kun," she muttered concern in her voice. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Kuroko shook his head, his soft blue locks flying. "I don't know," he answered, his voice wavering. "I don't understand either." Momoi stared at him, slightly shocked.

"But-" she began, but the teal head cut her off.

"They only asked me which high school I was going to, but, there was something wrong. They were so different," he murmured softly. His voice cracked for a second and he paused. "They―" His voice was weak as he searched for the words to describe his feelings, yet there were none.

"What happened?" he asked her, eyes glinting with fear. "What happened while I was gone?"

Now it was Momoi's turn to shake her head. "I don't really know either. I haven't seen them like that before, at least, in anything other than basketball."

'Basketball.' It was the only thing tying them together, that had tied them together. It was the reason they had changed. The Generation of Miracles had changed because of basketball. Kuroko despised it. Kuroko despised basketball. It had stolen away everything that was important to him. It had taken away the people that he had once loved and replaced them with monsters. To think that basketball had been the only thing anchoring him to reality was extremely ironic. It made him want to laugh at himself.

"Tetsu-kun?" the peach-haired girl asked hesitantly. "What happened to you?"

Kuroko shut his eyes for a second, before opening them to inspect the girl. She was obviously shaken. The change was not only limited to the Generation of Miracles. No, Momoi had changed too. In the place of the girl who had been like a mother was a frightened woman, who had to watch her dear friends falling into a bottomless cage, unable to reach them, or understand them.

He too, had changed. He knew that very well, and it was all because of basketball.

When he didn't answer, Momoi let her curiosity take over. "Tetsu-kun, are you going to continue playing basketball?"

Kuroko jolted out of his reverie. The shock he felt from the question showed in his azure eyes. "Momoi-san," he murmured. "I...can't..."

"Please, Tetsu-kun! I know this a selfish request, but please! I know I'm not the only one that wants them back! You're the only one who can do it!" she gushed out, her vision starting to blur. The boy looked on, unable to answer. How could he comply with such a request? How was he supposed to bring them back? The answer was right before him, but it was such a detestable solution to him. 'Why is it that the cause is the solution?!'

"You know there is only one way we can help them, right?" Momoi asked, tears finally spilling from her magenta eyes. "You have to beat them. You have to beat them in basketball. It's the only way we can bring them back. So, please, Tetsu-kun..." Her voice trailed off and she began to sob softly into her hands.

Kuroko's eyes narrowed a fraction and he felt an ache in his heart. He clutched at the place above his heart. The empty feeling he felt pained him. He knew what Momoi was saying was right. She was right. He already knew the answer. He already knew the answer to her plea. All he had to do was say it.

Hesitantly, he opened his mouth. Then, he gave her a promise he would most likely fail to keep. "I will beat them."

It was his promise to save them, but in reality, it was just a simple excuse. An excuse to continue playing basketball. After all, that was all he had left to live for.

Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading this horribly written fan fiction. This is my first fan fiction and I'm not used to all this yet...so please bear with me. English isn't my first language, although it is my strongest, so if there are any grammatical errors, I apologize. This was just a stray idea that I wanted to turn into a story. I will warn anyone that characters will be OOC, especially the GoM because I have turned them into females. There will be some differences from the actual characters and their actual personalities will only be an outline, so to speak. Kuroko is also quite different, the way he acts is the same, but the way he thinks and feels will differ.

This story will follow the plotline for the actual manga/anime. Again, that is just an outline though. There will be many differences from the story (mainly because the GoM are female here). I made the first name of the GoM's in a craze...I wasn't extremely serious. These names you can find in Japanese females (I know, because I am one), except Aomine's name. If you have another suggestion for Aomine's name, don't hesitate to tell me.

Lastly, please don't kill me because of this fan fiction. As I said before, I'm new to this and I'm just experimenting. So, please tell me your opinion on this. Thank you again, if you actually read this...sorry if this is too long for your liking. If you have any questions about the content please do not hesitate to ask.