Summary: The only thing that Akashi Seijūrō ever wanted was for his mother to come back. After years of waiting, he found an answer to his wish in the guise of the ugliest fish with the most beautiful blue eyes.

Disclaimer: I don't own KnB, nor the individual pictures that made up the cover photo. The names of the paintings and sculptures, the Pacific Black Flounder, and Mai Valentine are all fictional. Kuroko Tetsuya's 'Tetsuya（テツヤ）' is written in katakana, but here I shall use the characters 'clear/piercing（徹）' and 'night（夜）' for 'tetsuya(徹夜)' for the purpose of the story. Also, no fish were harmed in the process.

Warnings: Unbeta-ed. May contain OOC-ness, grammatical errors, and misspells. Read at your own risk.

A/N: This story will have four parts and one epilogue chapter, and most probably one extra story. This is my first story for this fandom. Comments, reviews, criticisms, or any sort of feedback will be appreciated. Enjoy!

Part 1: Kuroko Tetsuya

To the three-year old Akashi Seijūrō, the most important person in the world was Akashi Shiori: his mother. It wasn't his father Akashi Masaomi, who owned several multi-national companies and was one of the most prominent figures in the world of business; nor was it Kana: his nanny who practically raised him and took care of him since birth; he loved the woman dearly, mind you, but in the end she was just one of his father's hired hands and would not hesitate to betray him on his father's orders. His mother, however, was different. He believed that his mother was the most powerful woman in the entire world. She could drive away the monsters that hid under his bed and those that would invade his dreams at night, and she could calm the storm that was on his father's face on a trying day. She was not often with him, but when she would spend her time with him, he felt like the most loved child in the world. To Akashi Seijūrō, his mother was the person he loved most.

But even the most powerful woman in the world could still fall victim to an unpredictable and tragic occurrence which the believers often imply was an indirect result of the small measure of that person's faith – to which his father simply called an accident. It was during one of her many leisure hunting trips with her horse that his mother's (most detestable) horse got spooked out by a wild fox that leaped out of nowhere, which they later learned was the protective mother of the three very young kits they found afterwards. However, it was too late to save his mother who fell down her horse and rolled down on the steep slope and hit her head on a large tree. Ever since then his mother was confined in the hospital, and he had never seen his mother's eyes open again.

Seijūrō was told that his mother was not dead but asleep. They said that she was in the deepest of the deep sleep, and she cannot be woken up by normal means. Still, Seijūrō tried to wake her up everyday; but as months passed and his private lessons demanded more and more from him, it left him without time to visit his mother anymore. He felt bad, but Kana and his father told him that if he were to continue being a good, then maybe his mother might wake up sooner. "No mother can resist a good son," they said. So he remained obedient and aimed to be perfect at everything; surely his mother would not be able to resist him!

It was on his ninth birthday that Akashi Seijūrō was declared as his father's successor and heir to all Akashi assets and the next head of the Akashi family. A month after that, his father took him to a very large and grandiose establishment that was an auction house. Seijūrō remembered that it was a day that many would find special because of the number play of the date: 013013, which meant the first month of the year and the 30th day of that month on the year 2013. Perhaps it was because that it fell on a special date that Akashi Seijūrō felt that something extraordinary was going to happen. His father handed him a brochure with a list of items to be auctioned at night and told him, "Choose one to your liking. It shall serve as your present and a reward for your outstanding performance."

Seijūrō was neither ecstatic nor disappointed. The auction was of little interest to him, and he quickly dismissed it as an adult thing. Then a thought occurred to him: "What if that 'something extraordinary' is something that can be bought in the auction?" He quickly browsed the brochure, but soon his hopes were dashed when none of the items struck him as 'something extraordinary'. There were five items in the list: the first was a painting by a long-dead artist during the renaissance period, the second was a two-thousand-year-old Greek sculpture, both of which were equally impressive but meant little to him since he had not yet acquired a discerning taste with art; the third was a lock of hair from a very famous yet deceased actress, which he found too creepy to even consider; the fourth was a very ugly looking fish that no one would want as a pet unless he or she was a collector; and the last was a very lavish dresser laden with precious gems, which was perhaps the the most practical item in the list but was still of little interest to him since he was not a girl nor did he desire extravagance. But since he was bidden by his father to choose, he had to obey. Then he thought it would be wiser to choose an item that would please his father. He could pick the last item for his mother, but he was sure that his father would frown upon such choice. He thought long and hard on which item would meet his father's approval, but he found no answer. Still, he was an Akashi, and an Akashi would never give up.

It was to Seijūrō's surprise and delight that he found another boy inside the auction house. However, when he approached him, he was disappointed to find that the boy was rather childish, loud, and uncouth despite being taller, and perhaps even older, than him. But there was one thing that he could envy the boy of: the boy, whose name he learned was Taiga, was very vocal of his complains even if it made him look miserable. Taiga complained that he was there not by choice, and then went on a much biased yet quite interesting discussion about the unfairness of adults, until finally, he complained about how complaining made him hungry. Seijūrō wanted leave him, but he did not want to leave empty handed. So he asked the boy the question that was the reason why he approached him in the first place: "If you were to have one of the items in this list, what would you choose?"

Taiga stopped his tirade of complains and took the brochure from Seijūrō. He flipped through the pages without actually reading, and predictably complained about the lack of food items when he finished browsing the list. But Seijūrō was a patient boy, so he urged Taiga to go through the list again. Taiga reluctantly went back to one entry and studied the picture. "This one!" he proudly exclaimed. Seijūrō took back the brochure and found that the boy was pointing at the ugliest fish in the world.

"You do realize that chances are high that it's not even edible, don't you?" asked Seijūrō.

"Yah, you'd probably get the worst stomach ache ever," answered Taiga.

"Then why would you want such fish?" he pressed on.

Taiga grinned. "I've always wanted a pet, and that fish looks badass!"

It was pointless to ask the boy which was just as Seijūrō expected. He bid Taiga farewell and then went back to his father. "Have you finally decided, Sei?" his father asked.

"Not yet," he answered. "But I will, soon."

When it was time, Seijūrō found himself for the first time seated inside the auction hall. The first item to be auctioned was the old painting entitled God's Abode. It was empowering, like a glimpse of the heaven that believers were literally dying to get to. He wondered whether or not his father was a secret believer, but quickly dismissed it when he saw his unimpressed face when the painting was examined on the large screen in front. So he waited for the next item.

The second item was the 2000 year old sculpture called "The Chaining of Atlas". It was a rather cruel depiction of a man– or a titan if the stories were to be believed– who was bound with thorns and was forced to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Seijūrō thought his father might be more interested in this work. But the older Akashi remained unimpressed.

The third item was a lock of hair from Mai Valentine: a very famous actress and singer from his father's time. Seijūrō had seen some of her records in the music room, and he thought that his father would surely want it. To his dismay, his father still showed no reaction.

The fourth one was, without doubt, the ugliest fish that Seijūrō had ever seen. It was small, only a foot in length, but the brochure said that it could grow to as long as a meter and half. Its fins and scales were black and disfigured as if there was mud that was permanently stuck on it. Its mouth was small and narrow and its teeth were dirty white and jagged. But what caught Seijūrō's attention were its eyes: they were pale and blue and they shone like light sapphires. It was, perhaps, the only beautiful thing about the fish.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the auctioneer started. "I present to you the fourth item for tonight: the Pacific Black Flounder. The Pacific Black Flounder is a very rare species found only at the bottom of the Central Pacific region. This fish is so rare that the island natives in the region call it the Deep Sea King. Legends say that once this fish matures, it can grant any one wish. Whether it's real or not, we'll leave it to the new owner to verify. Real or not, the Deep Sea King is a must-have for a rare species collector. Let's start with $1,150,000!"

Seijūrō felt that this was the 'something extraordinary' that he was waiting for. It was the answer to Seijūrō's only wish: to have his mother back. So he called his father's attention and declared, "I want that one."

His father raised a brow at the sudden declaration. "Why?" he asked.

Seijūrō knew that if he were to say something about fairy tale wishes, his father would undoubtedly disapprove. Instead, he said, "I want to try having a pet. A fish won't take too much of my time, and that fish looks intimidating enough to show off."

Mr. Akashi beamed proudly at his son and immediately won the bid by doubling the amount of the last bidder.

...

That night, after they reached home, Seijūrō disobeyed his father for the first time in many years: he slipped out from his bedroom in the middle of the night when he was expected to be asleep. He sneaked into the garden and crept silently to the edge of the pond, and his eyes sought for his new black fish. It was hard to find it, especially when the only light he was relying on was the light of the gibuous moon. It was its eyes that betrayed it from its hiding place at the bottom of the pond. Seijūrō eyed it and willed it to heed him.

"Let me tell you straight," he said. "I am Akashi Seijūrō, and I am your new owner. Once you mature, I want you to rid my mother of her sickness. That is your only worth."

The pale blue eyes just stared at him.

"Father bought you and gave you to me. I am your owner, therefore you will listen to me."

The eye continued to blankly stare at him.

Seijūrō felt that it was challenging him, daring him to make it obey. He glared at the fish and willed it to submit. So he pronounced the words slow and clear, "I am your master. You will obey me, you hideous fish."

The fish seemed to understand him because it stood straight and swam closer to him. Seijūrō smirked in triumph. But then, it turned its back on him, raised its spiky tail above the water, and with a 'splash', Seijūrō found the bottom of his pajama pants wet. The black fish swam farther and left him.

Seijūrō stood stock-still and he couldn't comprehend what had just happened. A mere fish dared to defy him, which was was unconceivable. He thought about how the fish reacted, and it almost felt as if it was a child throwing a tantrum. Then, his lips curled upwards. Laughter seemed to bubble up from his lungs, and he had to stifle it with his hand while the other one clutched his stomach. Then he fell kneeling on the grass. It was too hilarious for him. Slowly, he reigned his outburst and laid on the carefully tended grass, and tried to catch his breath. He suddenly noticed the winter night sky. When was the last time that he found the glittering stars splayed out on the clear night to be beautiful? When did the croaking of the frogs and the chirping of the crickets sound so serene? He laid there, lulled by the night noises and the cold night breeze. His breathing started to relax and his eyes began to drop.

Then he caught himself almost asleep, and the sudden jolt returned him to wakefulness. He stood up, brushed his clothes, and went back to the edge of the pond. He sought out the pale blue eyes once more.

"You fish. Flounder, wasn't it? You understood my words." There was movement in the water a little far from him, but Seijūrō caught it nonetheless. "You can understand speech. You are an intelligent fish. I like intelligent creatures, therefore I can like you. I have decided that I shall give you a name. Be grateful."

There was a splash from a distance, and Seijūrō patiently waited. The black fish drew close until he could see it. It stopped, not close but also not far, and tilted sideways until its eye can fully see him. It was listening.

"At first, I was tempted to call you Makkuro for you are entirely black. But it sounds too ominous, not to mention that it also sounds like tuna, which is not permissible since you are clearly a species of higher intelligence than they." The blue eye continued to watch him and Seijūrō was pleased. "Therefore, I want to give you the name 'Kuroko' with the characters for 'black' and 'child'. Will you receive it?"

The black fish drew closer. Seijūrō thought it liked its new name, but then it raised its tail and made a splash. However, it did not move back. Seijūrō's brow creased in thought.

"I don't think we'll be able to understand each other unless we agree on some sign or gesture. How about you move forward towards me if you agree and backwards if you don't?"

The fish moved forward. Seijūrō was delighted by the response.

"Then, let us start over again. Are you not pleased with the name 'Kuroko'?"

The fish moved backward.

"Then, you like that name," he surmised.

The fish move forward.

"Do you wish to keep that name?"

The fish moved forward again."

"Then I can see no problem. Your name from now on shall be Kuroko." Seijūrō finished.

But the fish made a splash and swam far until Seijūrō could barely see it. Seijūrō sighed.

"Is there a problem with your new name?"

The fish moved forward.

"You are harder to please than I expect. But since you cannot speak, and only I can, I shall endure."

"Kuroko," he called. The fish moved towards him.

"You want to keep that name, but you want more," he guessed. The fish seemed excited because it swam in a circle before it moved forward.

"You want more, but what more can I give you? A title, perhaps? Sir Kuroko... that doesn't sound right." The fish just continued to watch him.

"Then perhaps you want more names," he guessed.

The fish moved forward.

"This isn't about names, isn't it?" he asked.

The fish rounded another circle in excitement.

He stared at the fish, as if willing it to tell him the answer to its riddle. He badly wanted to understand the fish because it was, for him, the most amusing creature in his household– not to mention the absurdity of the situation that he was actually communicating with a fish. Perhaps he was the only human to have ever communicate with a fish, that is, not including dolphins and killer whales. And what's more, this fish was whimsical and hard to please, and would even openly defy him. He should have been furious at its display, but getting worked up over a fish was plain unsightly. No matter how intelligent the fish was, he was the more rational being, therefore he has to act more dignified than the fish. Yet, the fish would continue to challenge him. And instead of getting furious, Seijūrō found himself getting more exhilarated than he had in years since his mother's sickness. It was then that Seijūrō finally realized the answer to its riddle.

"You wish to be on equal terms with me. Therefore, you want to be named in the manner of my people. You want two names."

The fish was visibly pleased as it actually rounded three circles and drew a lot closer until it was at the edge of the pond nearest to Seijūrō.

Seijūrō laughed, and quickly stifled it before he could wake up the whole household. A mere fish who wanted to be equals with humans was the most outrageous thought! But he composed himself.

"You are the most curious creature that I have ever seen. Very well, I shall grant you a second name."

The boy and the fish continued to trade their thoughts in that manner: Seijūrō proposing and asking, and Kuroko either rejecting or accepting, or even splashing when it was indignant. They continued to do so long into the night. Seijūrō was too immersed in their communication– for he cannot call it a proper conversation– that he completely forgot about the time. It was not until when the first cock crowed that he was reminded that he still had to sleep. But, his stubborn Akashi side wouldn't allow him to sleep without giving Kuroko a satisfying name. He thought that if the servants found him now, he would appear to them as fey. He wouldn't even contest that because any man caught having a pseudo-conversation with a fish all night would definitely be thought of as mad. He himself couldn't believe that a fish had kept him up all night.

Then he realized that he found the answer to Kuroko's second riddle.

"Tetsuya," Seijūrō declared with confidence. "Your second name shall be Tetsuya, written with the characters for 'clear or piercing', and 'night'. If read together, it means 'sleepless night', which will be a reminiscent of this memorable night. Yet, as lone characters, it shall describe you as the shadow that pierces through the night; unseen unless you wish to be seen. And most of all, it tells of the clarity of your eyes that best describes you: beautiful– because you are indeed a creature of beauty, intelligence, and magnificence, Kuroko Tetsuya."

Kuroko Tetsuya drew closest to Seijūrō, and Seijūrō was very pleased... until the fish jumped up and let out a large splash that made the lower bottom of his pajamas wet. However, the fish made no move to swim away.

Seijūrō could hold it no longer hold it. He laughed, regardless of the consequence of waking the whole household. It seemed that his new pet was not only stubborn and whimsical, but was also easily embarrassed.