Uploaded 19/11/14

The third chapter is here at last!

Huge thanks to the following for reviewing the last chapter and everyone please review / review again!
KurokoTetsuya101; Colibrys; Fanlover18; clarit; Scarlet Aki-chin; kuroshiro.19; CloudCarnivore.

The Emperor's Trilogy II
The Emperor's Shadow
Chapter 3

It took an unusual amount of time for Akashi to find Kuroko. Aomine had been incapable of locating the newborn before he had to leave for school or risk being even later than he usually was. Akashi eventually had found him at noon on the window seat at the far end of his vast library reading a mystery novel from the numerous selves.

The newborn flicked through the pages with ease only taking a few seconds to read each page. A pile of already completed books was precariously stacked at his side.

The redhead observed how Kuroko's reading slowed at his presence before putting the book down at the end of the chapter.

"Tetsuya," Akashi greeted, and Kuroko nodded his own acknowledgement. "I've thought over our earlier... discussion." The newborn's gaze sharpened as he focused further on Akashi. "I still feel it unwise that you attend school, I could keep you in control with my gift, however without me attending classes with you there is always the chance you could slip and I would not be there to regain control."

Akashi allowed Kuroko to absorb his argument before taking an unnecessarily deep breath and continuing.

"Nevertheless, I have decided that there would be little harm in you visiting you friends during club hours after school, as long, that is, as I remain present." Kuroko's eyes lit up and Akashi felt a bubble of jealousy expanding in his chest. "After all we can't have you killing them when you are supposed to be ending any suspicions." He added spitefully, but immediately wished he had not when Kuroko's eyes returned to their naturally dull sheen.

"When will we go?" Kuroko asked blandly, inside he was excited despite his apprehensions Akashi's comment had brought forth.

"Today's cloudy and will hide our nature. If we leave now, take a stroll, we can arrive during their afterschool training."

-x-

Akashi's definition of 'a stroll' was in fact vampire paced travel from the Kyoto prefecture to Tokyo. The journey that by car takes over five hours took the two vampires just over two including a brief hunt in Akashi's attempt to leave Kuroko overly sated and hopefully in less pain when meeting his friends.

Arriving in the general area of Seirin at a little before three they had half an hour to spare till the school bell rung and Seirin's basketball team would gather in the gymnasium for practice.

Akashi decided to walk around the area and observe Kuroko's resistance to the blood pulsing through the walking circuits of veins around them. He was pleased to see that Aomine was right and whilst still very much affected by the thick, sweet scent in the air he was much more restrained than Kise had been at this time in his vampirism. Not only that but Kuroko's emotionless visage made it impossible for anyone other than those who knew him well to see the internal struggle he was facing.

As it was, the redhead watched how Kuroko bit into his inner lip and he had stopped breathing all together, only taking a short sharp breath to give single word answers to Akashi's probing questions.

"You look forward to seeing your friends." Akashi more stated than asked and restrained his self from letting any of his bitter emotions colour his words.

"Hai," came as more of a gasp using the last of Kuroko's breath and forcing him to intake another.

"We cannot stay long," Akashi warned, "your control is impressive for one so young but we must not push it so far that you are set back. If you were to attack them out of blood lust then your moral would fall making it easier for you control to slip in future."

Kuroko's eyes narrowed a minuscule amount making it clear to someone who knew him as well as Akashi did that he was less that pleased over the casual reference to the deaths of his 'friends'. Not only that but his eyes lingered on a passing man longer than was typically acceptable, and Akashi made the quick and accurate deduction that talk of blood was not helping the newborns control any and promptly changed the subject.

"Remember: your family circumstances have changed and you have had to move out of the area. It was quite sudden and you had no time to warn them. You have been removed from school and will be attending a new one come next semester." Akashi ran over Kuroko's cover story, more to keep the newborn's mind off of other things than anything else because there was no chance a vampire mind could forget such details in years let alone an hour.

Kuroko nodded anyway and they directed their roundabout trip back in the direction of Seirin as the time grew nearer.

-x-

Reaching the school grounds a few mere minutes after the bell had rung; Akashi and Kuroko entered and strolled around the main building and toward the gymnasium around the back. Pausing outside the fire escape doors they both listened in on the squeaking of trainers on laminated flooring, the team already beginning their warm ups despite such a short time since they had been dismissed from classes.

The air was reasonably cold with the beginnings of spring only touching upon the weather with the warmer breeze sweeping through the still mostly barren trees. Not that the weather would affect either vampire.

Kuroko faced straight ahead eyeing the door blandly with purple eyes. The red had begun to dilute back to his natural baby blue: a strange occurrence that only happened to those of Akashi's strain of venom and had only ever happened to one of Akashi's own eyes. He continued to stare forward even when Akashi spoke.

"Tetsuya... I order you: do not harm those beyond these doors. Do not reveal your new nature." Kuroko nodded stiffly, feeling his temptation to rush upon his now former teammates and drink them dry dampen beneath the blanket of his makers gift.

The newborn took a step forth and rested his hand upon the handle.

"Thank you." And with those words he entered the familiar space of his past ten months of life.

Seirin's basketball team was dotted around the room working in partners to stretch each other in preparation for whatever gruelling torture Riko had planned for them that day.

Kuroko's incredibly observant eyes took in each face, stressed muscle and crease and fold in their clothing. His eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly when he realised his now ex-light was not present.

"Alright guys!" Riko's voice sounded a little overly chipper, and again Kuroko frowned just a little as he noted it was not due to her usual enthusiasm for the pain her plans were to cause but instead had a hollow ring to it. "Bring it in, I'm assigning exercises and drills for today's session." She paused for a moment taking in the faces of those now gathered around her. She sighed. "Someone go tell Kagami to get his arse in gear." She muttered; Kuroko knew he would not have heard from across the gym if not for his inhuman hearing. "Ah, no need." She corrected herself as the tall freshman entered the room from the changing block and made his way over.

Kagami shuffled over to join the others, his stance unusually hunched as he stood with the others and Riko began to dish out that day's torturous training regimen.

A sudden gust of wind that Kuroko had heard coming from a mile away, the furious rustling of the leaves near deafening to his enhanced ears, caused the doors behind him to screech horrifically on their hinges before slamming shut, the force creating a vicious shudder that trembled the walls around them.

Kuroko had automatically frozen at the noise and now slowly relaxed his muscles and noted that his whole team was staring in his direction. It took him a moment to realise that they were in fact looking right through him as out of jumpy panic his gift had crept forth and hidden him in a shroud of invisibility.

"Who left the door open?" Riko asked befuddled as she could have sworn it was shut just minutes earlier. The muttered declarations that no one had even used that door to enter the gym just led to further confusion.

During their fun of pointing the finger, Kuroko allowed his invisibility to fade and instead used his usual misdirection tactics to approach the Seirin team.

"Ah... excuse me." Kuroko intoned, raising his hand into Riko's direct line of vision. The screams of surprise from all the members raised similar faded memories of his humanity and Kuroko fought back a smile ... more of a twitch of the lips.

-x-

Meanwhile outside Akashi moved forward after the doors had closed, his hand upon the handle ready to enter at a moment's noticed. Little less than all his attention was directed upon what happened beyond the flimsy double doors.

Tetsuya's polite voice followed by the screams of surprise bought a smirk to his lips as he remembered similar circumstances back at Teikō High. In his opinion Murasakibara had always been the funniest when caught out; it was surprising such a high scream could come from a boy so big.

The silence that reigned after though had Akashi on edge. Finally a tentative 'Kuroko?' was heard, the feminine voice revealing it to be the coach who spoke.

"How long were you there?" She continued.

"For a while now." Came the same blunt response.

"KUROKO, YOU BASTARD!" The roar from Kagami was to be expected what with Kuroko suddenly disappearing on him, but the redheads eyes narrowed at the amount of rage the ace's voice held toward the newborn.

"Kagami-kun." Kuroko greeted as monotonous as ever.

"YOU LEFT US YOU-!"

"KAGAMI!" The coach screamed. A few seconds of silence that Akashi presumed were used in a glaring contest between the two hot heads of the team, followed by a growl from Kagami and a sigh from Riko. "Kuroko, where have you been? What happened to you?" Riko questioned, worry evident in her gentle tone. "The school would only say that you were absent due to extenuating circumstances..." She trailed off clearly waiting for an explanation.

"My family circumstances have changed and I have had to move out of the area. It was quite sudden and I had no time to warn you. I'm being removed from Seirin and will be attending a new school next semester." Kuroko recounted near word for word what Akashi had told him to. "I'm sorry." He added a long silence later.

"But Kuroko, you've been missing over a month! We called the police we were so worried!" Riko exclaimed. "The school disapproved and aborted any investigation saying you had gone through the right channels of authority to legitimise your absence, but we were so worried. Why didn't you contact one of us? Just a text to let us know you were okay?"

"I appreciate your concern but I am fine Riko-san, I-"

Kuroko's sudden silence immediately had Akashi's hairs on end.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU DISAPPEAR FOR WEEKS, MISS THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME, WHICH BY THE WAY WE LOST, AND THEN COME WALTZING IN HERE TO TELL US YOU'RE FINE?!"

Akashi, having heard enough silently opened the door and stepped into the gym. He immediately lost his relatively calm façade, however, when he sighted Tetsuya being held off the ground by his collar. Kagami's hand was fisted in the material at Kuroko's neck and the rest of the team just watched in silent agreement with Kagami's words but did nothing to stop the freshman despite their awkward shuffles showing they weren't as appeased with the physical violence.

"Remove your hands before I remove them for you." The redhead growled, imbuing his words with his gift in his anger. The room froze and Kagami let go of Kuroko who tumbled to the floor but managed to gain his footing at the last moment what with his vampire reflexes.

Akashi continued to glare at his fellow redhead, how dare the boy lay hand on what was his?

A soft shuffle of fabric at his side distracted him from his vengeful thoughts and instead he took in the newborn.

Tetsuya stood half a step behind him to his left, unconsciously feeling safer with Akashi between him and Seirin. His hands were clenched tight and his lower lip trembled despite the sharp teeth that bit into it. Akashi knew Kuroko was aware Seirin could no more hurt him than an ant could, but it was the emotional hurt that was still possible and now afflicted the child of his venom.

Twisting to face the team a harsh hiss escaped his lips and all of them stepped back instinctually terrified by the ancient creature before them. The only thing that stopped his lunge was a small tug on his sleeve and a barely audible 'Akashi-kun'.

Coming up short, the redhead quickly composed his self and turned on the spot once more, pulling Kuroko into his side and wrapping an arm around his waist. Gently he led the distraught newborn away from the humans only pausing in the door for a moment to make a promise.

"You will pay for this."

-x-

It had taken a day for them to notice but eventually the Generation of Miracles became aware that Kuroko had not spoken a word since the incident at Seirin. A week had passed since then and Kuroko kept to himself, mainly seated in the library or in his designated room.

Despite his apparent will to remain alone Akashi seemed to have taken to ironically shadowing the boy, following him from his room to the library and back, companionably reading a book when the newborn did so or sat in consolable silence, again upon Kuroko's desire.

This routine was brought to a close when Midorima strode into the library where they were sitting watching the sun's glow fall below the tree line one evening in amiable silence.

"Akashi-san," he greeted his back straight and his voice professional. "I have received word from my spy within the Volturi."

"What news?" Akashi asked, curious as to what had occurred to cause Midorima's air of meaning.

"There was a skirmish between the Volturi and an American coven. Eleazar was there supporting the Americans but despite Aro never coming in contact with him he has learnt of our existence."

"How?" Akashi asked, eyes sharp.

"Takao said there was a vampire gifted with mind reading present who was read by Aro. If this mind reader ever heard of us in Eleazar's thoughts when in his company then Aro would have picked up on us through him." Midorima explained.

"I see. I don't doubt they prepare for travel even now..."

"Hai."

"It is much earlier than I had hoped." Akashi murmured his eyes drifting to Kuroko who continued to stare at the world beyond the window.

With a nod and a softening of the eyes as they landed upon Kuroko's form, Midorima exited the library leaving Akashi alone with the newborn once more.

Sighing quietly the redhead retrieved a book from the shelves and sat down beside Kuroko, flipping the book open to the first page...

"They are coming?" Akashi almost dropped the book.

"Yes. They are coming."

"The ones who stole your throne?" Tetsuya's voice was wispy but grew in strength with each word.

"Yes."

"I want to help."

"You said you would." Akashi confirmed.

-x-

Aomine, Murasakibara and Kuroko stood within the shadows of an alley. The evening was fresh with spring so close and the breeze held a pleasant warmth. They watched the humans on the street with calculating eyes, waiting for someone more appetising to stroll past.

"Aomine-kun," Kuroko began.

"Hmm?"

"What was it like for you after the change?"

Aomine sighed and removed his eyes from a woman that had been promising, to eye his shadow. He knew Kuroko was taking things a lot harder than any of the rest of the coven had. Though Kuroko had regained his voice and supposedly returned to his usual self it was evident he was not when he asked socialising questions such as these. The subject also made it clear that things were still on his mind.

"Well I actually belong to the 'young' half of our coven. I'm only 156, excluding my human years." He paused gathering his thoughts. "I'm not going to lie to you Tetsu', my home was abusive. My father and I would disagree on the smallest of things and he would take his belt to me... a broken bottle was another favourite.

"After one of our many arguments and the consequent beating I left the house to roam the streets and wait for his drunken ass to fall into bed... I ran into a gang and I don't really remember all that much after that.

"Akashi found me, having smelt the blood, he says he thought he'd found an easy meal. To be honest I didn't care all that much if Akashi killed me and it was this that caught his curiosity. He changed me, said it was a bonus I came out with a gift."

Kuroko absorbed this for a while before turning to the other present.

"Murasakibara-kun?"

The giant looked almost vertically down to meet Kuroko's eyes before glancing at Aomine and nodding.

"Murasakibara's much older, though still not nearly as old as Akashi and Midorima. 2350?"

"2347." Murasakibara muttered around the home made blood-lolly in his mouth. "Aka-chin smelt sweet so I followed him. It hurt for a while but now I get to brink everyone's sweet blood. Aka-chin's 6079, and Mido-chin's 5031."

They waited a while longer and eventually agree to lead a group of four friends into the alley. Murasakibara drained a girl in a minute and started on a boy whilst Aomine drank relatively slower but soon finished the other male of the group.

Meanwhile Kuroko drank the life blood of the other girl. Having recovered from the original newborn frenzy of feasting, Kuroko's appetite had shrunk back to the miniscule portions he used to consume in his humanity. Only half drained, but the girl dead, Kuroko offered the rest of his kill to Aomine who had begun to search for another target.

"Wha... but-" Aomine seemed shocked for a moment before he laughed shamelessly.

Growing impatient with his behaviour Kuroko jabbed the vampire in his ribs receiving an indignant yelp.

"You don't share meals, Tetsu'." Aomine eventually explained.

"Why not?" The younger question, his head tilted to the side revealing his confusion despite his blank face. "Akashi-kun has shared."

Aomine stilled his eyes wide, before turning his back on Kuroko.

"Akashi was more serious than I thought..." The shadow heard him murmur.

That's all for now, I will update again December :)
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