Chapter 9: True Ability
Kuroko collapsed on the floor of the forth gym, his breathing shallow and hurried as he tried to wash away his sense of fatigue and the aching in his muscles. He was not even training to Rakuzan's normal training regimen, he was just having a practice session with Mayuzumi. His replayed back their conversation earlier.
"Do you mean for me to abandon my style of Misdirection?" Kuroko frowned. "I can't. Misdirection is the only reason why…I can still be of any use."
Mayuzumi shook his head. "No. You set the limitations yourself." He paused for a moment. "Has anyone ever told you that you have no sense?"
Kuroko thought about it for a moment before noddeing, yeah heard that from Kagami-kun a few number of times already. "Why?"
"Because I couldn't sense any strength from you. Even I, as invisible as I am, has a sense. I'm mediocre at best but you…nothing."
"And what does that entail?"
"You have no limitations."
Kuroko thought it was absurd. How can he have no limitations when he could do almost nothing without Misdirection and also that the coach…Seirin High basketball coach says that he was already almost at the peak of his limit. He ran over his hair with his hand, depression ruling over him. Why is he here in Rakuzan? Why didn't he think this through? Closing his eyes he breathed another sigh at the problematic questions that lingers in his mind.
A splash of cold water lapped over his face making the blunette sputtered. Kuroko scrutinized the source of trouble but of course it was none other than the original phantom of Rakuzan who was standing at his side, a water bottle with condensed water on the outside ring in his hand, holding back a smile. Kuroko was not amused and grunted as he tried to wipe away the water of his face using his bare hands. He was all wet now thanks to a senior.
Kuroko sat up, his body obviously still worned out.
"You should go and change." Kuroko glared, as if it was not that obvious. "And you're phones been ringing non-stop for the last few minutes." Kuroko's hand quickly flew to his pants pocket, reassurred that his pants wasn't wet as that would definitely damaged his phone.
Kuroko answered the phone immediately without checking the caller ID.
"BASTARD! COULDN'T YOU ANSWER EARLIER?" A voice deafen Kuroko's ear making him wince. The senior could be seen walking out of the gym to give Kuroko some privacy.
"Kagami-kun. What can I help you with?" Kuroko answered calmly.
Kagami sighed before answering. "I'm in Kyoto. I'm waiting at the school gate of Rakuzan High."
"Did you skip practice." Kuroko's tone sound unapproving.
"BAKA! I have permission from the coach." Then Kagami mumbled something. "I'll die if I skip!"
Kuroko gave a short chuckle. "Alright. I've just finish practicing. I'll come out in a moment." Then he cut the line.
Quickly change his clothes a feeling of excitement in his heart. The practice for the first string has already ended and to his relief the redhead was again nowhere in sight. Unexpectedly Kuroko met again with Mayuzumi outside of the gym who seem like he had been waiting for someone. The brunette look at the bluenette, both look at each other with an empty look, both waited for the other to say something and this time it was Mayuzumi who broke the silence.
"You're meeting up with your old teammate." He stated. Kuroko said nothing. "That's good." He approved.
A warm feeling seeped into the bluenette's heart and he just nodded before bowing respectfully and excuse himself from the older teen. Kuroko walk back to the front gate of Rakuzan High which took a few moment to remember the direction of where to head from the first gym because of the sheer size of the school. When the school front gate appear in sight, the bluenette saw a crowd of girls flocking around, whispering something in excitement. Kuroko could guess the cause of it.
A handsome student from another school that does not belong in the district leaning against the school wall, oblivious to his surrounding. The sheer intensity of his presence also beckoned the males eyes to look at him. Kagami might not rival against Kise's good-looks but his features are also not something to be overlooked.
"Kuroko?" Kagami called on to him, almost like a question.
"Why so confused, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko asked. The others look at him curiously.
Kagami gaped because it seems like everybody can see the bluenette now and so he just shook his head and slung his arm around the bluenette. "Nothing. Let's go. The crowds making my head ache." Tch. Kuroko's lips twitched into a smile as he nod his agreement.
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They stopped at an empty basketball court before Kagami spoke the first sentence, if he waited for Kuroko to speak first then 20 minutes could be wasted before he lose his patience. The sky was darkening but it concerns neither of them since both of them live alone. Nobody would lecture them if they come home a little bit late than usual.
"Where you staying at, Kuroko?" Kagami asked as he spinned the basketball in his hand.
"I rented an apartment."
"You live alone?"
"Hai."
Kagami merely hummed at Kuroko's reply. "How's school?"
"Terrible."
Kagami quirked his eyebrows. He didn't expect that at all. "The whole lot?"
Kuroko nodded.
"Even Akashi?"
Kuroko gave a slight shrug before opening his mouth. "Mayuzumi-senpai is excluded."
Another answer Kagami didn't expect. Perhaps it is because they are both shadows they couldn't resent each other as they understand each other perhaps? Kagami tossed the ball high which soon landed in the palms of the shadow. Kuroko look up expectantly at Kagami.
Kagami grinned. "Let's play." With a bit of a stretch on his lips, Kuroko agreed.
Kuroko started of by dribbling the ball and using vanishing drive he got pass through Kagami and scored a basket using Phantom Shot. Kagami 'tch'ed. When the ball reached the ground he quickly steal the ball and dribbled across the court to the other goal, Kuroko appeared trying to steal the ball but failed. Kagami jumped in order to use Meteor Jam to score, the bluenette too jumped on impulse. Kagami was a bit surprised as the tealhead had never jumped to try and block his shot before because it would be futile. Somehow Kuroko managed to tip off the ball from Kagami's grasp and slam it down the floor.
Both were wide-eyed but the ball is still alive and the game continues.
The ball is in Kuroko's posession now and was alarmed when Kagami out of the sudden went for the dive and accidentally tossed the ball backwards which flew in a rotating motion, landing back in front of Kuroko. Both of them blinked in confusion but they didn't stop and Kuroko dashed on and shot normally as getting into the Phantom Shot stance requires time and Kagami was close by. The ball went in. And that concludes the amount of shock they can receive as they absolutely froze.
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[A/N: I'm sorry I don't really know how to describe basketball scene]
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"Mayuzumi-senpai." The first person Kuroko met in the next morning was the senior. They met right outside of the apartment, apparently and coincidentally they live right next to each other. "Ohayou gozaimasu." Surprised feelings filled them but they didn't react instead they exchanged greetings. The senior returned Kuroko's good morning and nodded at the bluenette. He knew there was something inside the bluenette's mind. "Senpai…ano. Yesterday after practice I went to see Kagami-kun and we play one-on-one and I…" Kuroko does not know how to describe the amazing phenomenon that happened.
"You shot a normal shot and it went in?"
"Yes, how does senpai know?"
"Its just a basic guess. I did say you shone your own light, right?" Mayuzumi rewarded Kuroko a faint smile.
Kuroko blinked and nodded. "Thank you." Unexpectedly the brunette ruffled bluenette's hair before walking off on his own to Rakuzan High, Kuroko felt a strange feeling deep inside his heart. Like a small piece is back on its place. Smiling inwardly to himself he trailed along behind his senior.
When Kuroko slide the door open to his class he was immediately greeted by the basketball trio of his class. The immediately dragged the bluenette to his seat and when everything was in place they started to interrogate him. The bluenette was taken aback.
"How do you know Akashi Seijuurou?"
"You're part of the Kiseki no Sedai?"
"Why are you our new vice-captain?"
Kuroko waited untill all three of them asked the questions in their mind before answering starting with Shiki. "He discovered me. He hinted on my possible talent." Then he turned to Sakaki. "That's how and why I became part of the GoM." Then to Natsui. "I knew nothing of what is in that person's mind." Kuroko answered all of their question with all honesty. Now they felt a twinge of regret and shame on themselves. Both Shiki and Natsui apologize but Sakaki did naught as he did nothing wrong towards the small bluenette.
"Your apologies are accepted." He responded with a small smile making the trio blush.
The rest of the class went by, the others still tried to bully or make a servant out of him but when that happens any of the trio or all of them at once would suddenly came up and defended the poor boy out of the trouble. Ah, how his smile is the enemy of human sanity. Once you see his smile you'll be charmed just like what happened to the trio.