Chapter 1: The Revelation
"Aren't you excited? We're finally gonna be high schoolers!"
"Yeah I guess, what school are you gonna go to? Did you want to go the same one or…"
A basketball came rolling back to the feet of Daiiro. He was a boy of average height, maybe taller with a light orange hair. He picked it up and looked at the small boy beside him, or looked down at him rather. They had been together forever, they grew up neighbors, they went to the same elementary school, by coincidence they even transferred school together, now graduating from the same middle school, they've even gone to the same basketball camp with each other for the past 8 years. There's no one he'd rather shoot around with at the local court with on his last weekend of summer vacation then his best friend, Mizuiro. Daiiro picked up the ball and looked at the feet of his friend, "I mean, we've always been together these past few years," an excited look and spark jumped into Daiiro's eyes as they jumped up to meet Mizuiro. "Do you think it'd be fun if we finally got to play each other?" Mizuiro met his excitement and before Daiiro even realized it Mizuiro had stolen the ball from his hands and was dribbling down the court. Mizuiro was a small boy, he could shoot, ball handle and jump, but his lack of height proved to be his downfall when facing against Daiiro. Daiiro's smile got even wider as he bolted towards Mizuiro. Mizuiro was fast, but Daiiro might be faster, even with his big build. Mizuiro now just under the basket made the smooth transition to a layup, and in the heat of this moment, he didn't even realize that Daiiro was just on his heels, the ball getting smacked into the backboard with tremendous power was sent flying and rolling to the other side of the court. Mizuiro turned towards his best friend and exclaimed with pure intensity and the biggest smile on his face, "There's nothing more that I would want." The boys clasped hands and eyes were locked. In unison, with Daiiro meeting Mizuiro's intensity and pure joy "IT'S ON!"
Teiko Middle School basketball club, and incredibly strong team boasting over 100 members and 5 consecutive championship wins. Amongst their brilliant history, 2 generations of prodigies have been acknowledged as the strongest to ever come through the school. One of 5 prodigies, dubbed the Generation of Miracles, the second of a team containing 2 prodigies dubbed the Twin Legends. Having never played a match against each other, it said the Generation of Miracles was stronger, but one can only assume as time kept them apart.
The next day...
"So what school did you apply to again, I keep forgetting..." Daiiro looked at Mizuiro sitting across from him at their favorite fast food restaurant. It was their last weekend as middle schoolers, and Daiiro would be moving into his own apartment closer to his new school later that weekend. "I'm going to Touou, location was easiest and there basketball club is said to be one of the best so hopefully it doesn't disappoint me" Mizuiro responded. He took a sip of his drink as he looked out the window away from Daiiro. Daiiro's expression saddened a bit as he heard the last part of Mizuiro's sentence. He searched for something to say and his smile came back as he exclaimed "Hey! Isn't that where one of the Generation of Miracles went? He might still be there! I'm sure he's amazing, probably even better than you!" Daiiro gave Mizuiro a big smile as he tried to cheer up his friend. Mizuiro ears perked as soon as he heard the name Generation of Miracles. He had heard a little about them, that's why when his parents told them he'd be going to a new school after his first year in middle school and it was Teiko, he wasn't disappointed. He was only disappointed after he got there and realized they had graduated the year earlier. He was upset he never met them, but even more upset he never got play basketball against them. Hearing that one of them went to his school got him excited just thinking about it. Before he was indifferent, just another year of school, and another team of basketball that he would have to be the star of. Now a fire burned in him. Daiiro could sense this as well. Mizuiro asked "Hey you're going to Rakuzan right? Didn't one of them go there as well?" Daiiro nodded "Yeah! Pretty sure one of them did! I'm so excited to meet him! I wonder what he'll be like. I heard there was 5 of them and they were all amazing! It'll be so cool to play basketball with one of the best players in Japan!" Daiiro glanced at the clock. "I think I have to head out, I've got pack my stuff the train leaves pretty early tomorrow morning." Mizuiro was having trouble accepting the fact that his best and really only friend was leaving him. He had to convince himself that being able to play basketball against him was worth it, and they could always hang out on the weekends. Daiiro stood up and put out his hand. "To all our future battles, whoever wins more has to buy the other dinner at the end of the year." Mizuiro stood up and smiled and grabbed Daiiro's hand with his. "I want ramen" Mizuiro said with a smirk, his smile said it was joke, but his eyes held the intensity of a wild lion, the king of the jungle. Daiiro's eyes returned the same intensity, but those of the alpha wolf. "As if" he responded, he pulled Mizuiro in for a hug, he patted his back twice with his hand before pulling away and saying "I'll miss you man, good luck." Daiiro stuck out his fist and looked Mizuiro for the last time, Mizuiro met his gaze and with a slight yet almost sad smile fist bumped his best friend and watched him walk towards the exit, hearing the door the of the bell ringing as the door was opened and closed.
The next monday…
Mizuiro felt the cool spring air hit him as he walked up to the gate at Touou Academy. It was a warm day with a slight breeze. He walked through the gate and was immediately bombarded with a crowd of people, freshman like themselves trying to navigate their way to entrance of the building, older students trying to attract as many as they could to get them to join their multitude of activities, sports and clubs. Being a small kid he found it difficult to see exactly where he was going. Tsk, all these people need to get out of my way, I'm trying to actually go somewhere not just stand around. I wonder if the basketball club is somewhere out here… Mizuiro wondered to himself. He was quickly getting frustrated with the amount of people just everywhere. He sighed heavily and began pushing his way to what he thought was the sides of the street to get out of the main crowd. When he finally got out of the crowd of bodies he bumped into something. He found himself face to face with a beautiful girl, probably one of the prettiest girls he had ever seen in his entire life. She was about the same height as him with just beyond shoulder length pink hair. She put on the warmest pink smile. He stepped back quickly and looked away as he stammered "I-I-I'm so sorry I didn't see you there, I got stuck in the crowd and I didn't mean to run into you like that…" The girl continued to stare at him with the same smile, a slight pause after looking him up and down and stated "Hahaha you're fine! My name is Satsuki Momoi. You're so cute are you a first year? What middle school did you go to?" Mizuiro's face flushed red as he heard this beautiful girl call him cute. He looked up at her and face flushed even more as she put back on that warm smile she had before. She's so cute! And pretty! She's got to be a third year, no way any first year is this good looking! Mizuiro's mind raced. After a slight pause he responded and stood a little taller trying to act confident. "Nice to meet you Momoi-san, my name is Mizuiro Tokuda, I'm a first year and I just graduated from Teiko Middle school." Satsuki's eyes lit up a little bit as she heard Teiko Middle school. *In Satsuki's POV* She had heard the stories of a dynamic duo propelling Teiko to 2 more national championships after she herself and the Generation of Miracles graduated. I thought something looked special about him, right away I didn't notice too much but I was suspicious. Looking at him more closely I can tell he's a Twin King. Lucky! Who knew one would be coming to Touou! Maybe he came to play with Dai-chan...Ohhh if only he would answer my texts! I told him to come help me try and get new kids to try out for the basketball club, it's his duty as Captain! I'll just have to find him later, but I should get this boy to come to tryouts after school today! If he is who I think he is he'll definitely make the team! "Teiko huh? My best friends and I went there! Do you happen to play basketball…?" She asked him. Mizuiro, faced still a bit flushed became more serious as he heard her question. "Yeah I play basketball, I was on the first string at Teiko for the past 2 years." Satsuki smiled a bit more, making Mizuiro start to blush again. "Great! I happen to be the manager for the basketball club here at Touou! I'd love to have you stop by after schools over, just come to the gym and look for me! I've got to go find someone so I've got to go right now, it was nice meeting you Tokuda-kun see you after class!" *In Mizuiro's POV* Mizuiro just nodded and watched as the prettiest girl he had ever seen walk away from him, as she started walking away she turned and looked at him, gave that warm smile and waved. His heart almost jumped out of his chest as all he could manage to do was do a small wave back. Wow. I might actually like this place. I am definitely going to gym after classes are over. I better text mom and let her know I might be home a bit late. He shook his head a bit, trying to shake his flushed face out and kept walking. Mizuiro made his way into the school and began looking for his homeroom, it was a big school and he very quickly found himself lost. How big can one school be? It shouldn't be this hard to find a classroom can it? I better find it quick I don't want to be late for my first day of class! If only I could find Momoi-san, she's the only person I know here! He had walked up and down so many different hallways he didn't even know where the entrance was anymore. He started to panic a bit and turned a corner and started walking down another hallway. Okay next person I see I'm going to ask them for directions, this is ridiculous I'm in high school, if I need help I'll ask for help. He took a few more steps down the hallway before he heard an unfamiliar from behind him. A deep voice, one he had definitely never heard before and it seemed to be calling out to him! "Oi, kid. What are you doing up here? This is the third year homerooms floor." Mizuiro froze, he looked around a bit to make sure whoever it was was definitely talking to him before turning around. A door he had just walked past was open, and standing in the doorway was a massive third year. He had short dark blue hair, the same style as Mizuiro's and hair color the same shade except this guy's was much darker. He was wearing a sleeveless cut off and had his school jacket slung over his shoulder. Yeah, this guy was definitely a third year he thought to himself. He looked like the same type of build as Daiiro, just taller and more natural looking. He just stared at Mizuiro with a blank look waiting for a response, like he just woke up from a nap. He spoke again in the same voice "You lost kid? What's your homeroom?" Mizuiro took out a piece of paper that he had wrote it on to remind himself in case he forgot. He held it out to the third year. The third year walked over from the door. As he got closer Mizuiro stiffened, not out of fear, but out of confusion. He had felt something similar, an aura. It felt just like Daiiro, but more powerful and wise, like an old master. His fear went away as the presence felt comforting. He eased up and stood a little taller as he was approached by this third year. Is this who I think it is...I've never seen them before, only heard stories. I've heard people say that they were good but I can feel the pressure and power coming from this guy! It's like nothing I've ever felt before, were not even on a court, this is insane! A small spark went off in Mizuiro's eye as he began to get excited. If this guy is who I think he is...high school will be so much better than I thought! *In Aomine's POV* As he moved closer to this small first year he felt something, he stopped mid-way between the 2 of them, paused for a second and kept walking to take this piece of paper out of this obviously lost boy. As he got closer he realized that the boy's face had changed, fear moved to confusion and then it looked like he realized something. A spark jumped into the boy's eyes. I know this feeling, I've seen that spark. I saw that spark when I first met Kagami 2 years ago. This is the same feeling I get when I play against the rest of the Generation of Miracles. His seems...strong, much stronger than it should be for a boy in his first year. Have I heard anything about anyone strong in the middle schools? I definitely would have heard something...but I can't put my finger on it. Whatever, I probably should go to homeroom or Satsuki will not be happy to find out I was late on my first day of my third year. He took the paper from the boy's hand, he looked at the letters scrawled on the small piece of paper: "1B". I know that classroom; that was mine my first year. "Okay, just take the stairs behind you down to the first floor then take a right and it should be the first classroom on the right, better hurry up you're gonna be late." He looked back at the boy and held the piece of paper out to him. "Thanks, sorry." The boy whispered quietly and turned and quickly scurried to the stairs. That spark... Aomine thought to himself. He thought back to the first time he met Kagami, the spark in his eyes then, when he first lost to Kagami and Kuroko, the pain he felt, but the spark he also felt at that time to never lose again. A small smile creeped on to his face. I should make some calls. He pulled his jacket off his shoulder and slipped it on and made his way to his first day of class in his last year of high school. *In Mizuiro's POV* The rest of the day was a slow one, a day of introductions and formalities. He talked to a few boys in his class, although no one of interest to him. All he could think about was waiting for that final class to end and sprint to the gym. He was so happy that he planned on going to shoot around anyway after school and had his stuff with him. And when it finally did, he took off like a bullet, he ran to his locker to grab his clothes and made his way into the gym. The gym was massive. When he walked in he was almost taken back, he had never played in a gym so massive. Even the one he played at in the summer was small in comparison. He looked around at all the other boys that seemed interested in trying out as they shot around waiting for try outs to begin. He saw a few faces that might have been familiar, like he played against them in middle school. He analyzed how they carried themselves on the court and made his way to the boy's locker room. Inside he found a quiet corner and began taking off his school clothes and replacing them with the ones he had brought from home and planned to play at the local street court in. When he reemerged from the boy's locker room he heard a familiar voice echoing through the gym "Alright boys, all freshman please come stand on this line!" Satsuki yelled with clipboard in hand. Mizuiro smiled as he saw a familiar figure from behind in front of a line of 12 boys he had analyzed earlier. Standing off towards the side was what he assumed already those in the club, he looked and didn't see the older boy from the morning, shook off a quick feeling of disappointment and jogged over to the end of line. Satsuki looked up and down the line of boys and stopped when her gaze finally fell on Mizuiro, she gave that warm smile and a small wave and then went back to looking towards the rest of the guys. Mizuiro gave a small smile back. He noticed a few of the boys turn their heads just a little to catch a glimpse of the lucky one of them who had the pleasure of receiving that smile and wave, Mizuiro could tell the different types of glances he was getting, a mix between astonishment, and jealousy. "My name is Satsuki Momoi, I am the manager of this team. The coach is busy and your Captain is pretty lazy except when it comes to actually playing basketball so I'll be running tryouts today. The plan is to have quick introductions, some warmups, and then we will play a pickup game where you have your shot to show off your skills. First go we will go down the line, give your name, the middle school you came from, and why you're here. We will start at this end with you Mizuiro." She turned and looked at him and gave the same warm smile he had seen throughout the day. Mizuiro stepped forward and with a confident voice he exclaimed. "My name is Mizuiro Tokuda from Teiko Middle School, and I'm here because I love playing basketball." As soon as he said Teiko Middle school he noticed a heads turn from around the room. The second years stopped shooting to turn around and look at the boy whose name they recognized. The boy's faces who he thought familiar were staring right at him. They had thought he looked familiar but decided to take notice. They decided not to notice the one of the strongest players to ever step foot on the court at Teiko Middle school, and at away games one of the strongest players to set foot in their own gym outside their own team. They were in the presence of a Twin King, second only in achievements to the Generation of Miracles, and equal skill wise to them at that age. A half of the sole reason Teiko was able to take home 2 more national championships, responsible for scoring over 90 points in a single game, and consistently scoring over 50. Most of the gazes changed from shock to more of suppressed rage. Like a sickness they thought was gone but just came back. Mizuiro noticed this but he was used to it. He had been called many things on the court, 'monster' being the most common of them. He heard the Generation of Miracles were often seen as the same thing, so being referred to the same thing as them only fueled his fire to play them. And his chance was coming soon. His face was dead serious as he gave his introduction, and after a moment's pause he gave Satsuki a smile and stepped back into the line. She returned it and looked to the boy next to him, and the introductions continued. All from schools Mizuiro had played in middle school, all of them he stomped into the ground with Daiiro. *In Satsuki's POV* I did some research, I found his captain from 2 years and gave him a call. I asked him about the Twin Kings and he told me everything he needed to know. I wish Dai-chan was here to here his introduction and see his introduction, the reaction was the exact same when Dai-chan came to tryouts in 2 years ago. The way their captain from 2 years ago described them and the way they played, it reminds me so much of the rest of the Generation of Miracles and Dai-chan. Satsuki remembered their captains exact words, "The Twin Kings? Yeah I played with them. The only thing I can compare them to is the Generation of Miracles, I was only a first year in middle school when they were there at Teiko but I remember enough, I even went to one of their games, and saw the spirits of the other players just leave their bodies. But it's something different when you play with them. It's scary almost. Mizuiro was a shy kid and didn't really say much. The only person he was ever really open with was the other Twin King, a boy named Daiiro. Daiiro was a good kid, but he was even better at basketball. He was naturally gifted with something, but he never lost a tip off, and he's not even that tall. His will to play is amazing. I remember one play, the ball had just been stolen for me and I had given up on stopping the lay up as I was too far behind, and out of nowhere Daiiro came sprinting past and the ball never even made it close to the rim. The scariest part? I was at the three point line, and Daiiro was by the basket looking to get a rebound. How can you be that fast and only a second year in middle school? The guy's huge though too, you can't really tell with his shirt on, but in the changing room I've looked over, you think he's a professional body builder or something. But Mizuiro was scarier. He was a shy kid outside the court, didn't really do much but nod and smile. But something changed when he walked on the court, when the ball first touched his hands. A switch flicked, and he just, controlled the game. He could read people, better than anyone I've ever met. Combine that with his insane control with the basketball, and his opponents were reduced to nothing. He saw their movements, he could steal anything, most of the time the kids didn't even realize he had taken the ball, and they also didn't even realize he was past them. Him being a small kid and being fast to boot, there was no chance. They're monsters." *In Mizuiro's POV* Mizuiro had felt great, better than ever before as he stood on the court waiting for Satsuki to blow the whistle. As soon as it did, he smiled, and a switch flipped. *In Aomine's POV* Aomine started jogging, he had just gotten off the phone with Satsuki and it sounded important. All she said was "You NEED to get here, NOW." Why did she sound so urgent? Yeah I'm the captain and yeah I'm late but come on Satsuki. Let a guy get a chance to flip through some porn magazines. Aomine slowed to a walk as he entered the gym and as soon as he did he felt the same pressure he had felt earlier this morning, with that random kid in the hallway. He looked at the gym and found Satsuki just standing watching a game between what looked like the first years. He walked up behind her and said "Oi Satsuki I'm here, what's the matter that I needed to get here so fast." Satsuki turned and her face had an expression he had never seen before, a mix between amazement and almost a bit scared. Satsuki just mouthed, "Look", and pointed towards the game going on. Aomine hadn't paid much attention but now looking, he saw something familiar, something he did himself every once in a while. He saw the same kid from earlier in the morning, except one thing was different. The spark in his eye had become a striking bolt of lightning.