Pairings: Aomine/Tamaki

Warnings: AU Universe. OOC. Gender swap. Nice Akashi. Overprotective Generation of Miracles.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me


Chapter Twenty Seven: We'll Meet Again

"If the five members of the Generation of Miracles have a weakness, it's their overabundance of talent." - Kuroko Tamaki

XXXXXX

Furihata was frozen to his spot in fear, and next to him, Fukuda wasn't any better as both boys watched the purple haired giant reached down with his hand towards Tamaki's head.

'Whoa. Whoa. What is he trying to do?' Furihata thought in horror.

The Seirin members present then blinked in confusion as a rather child-like grin then appeared on the face of the purple haired giant as he messed up Tamaki's teal hair.

"I'm just kidding." Murasakibara grinned, leaning down a little to meet Tamaki's height. He continued messing up Tamaki's hair in the way that he always knew would annoy the teal haired girl ever since their elementary school days.

Tamaki's eye twitched with annoyance. "Atsushi-kun…" Tamaki almost growled even as she grasped the hand that was messing up her hair and lifting it off her head. "Please don't do that." She combed through her now untidy hair with her other hand, trying to straighten it out.

"Oh, are you mad?" Murasakibara pouted rather like that of a child. "I'm sorry." Not that he sound very sorry at all.

Meanwhile, Kagami was watching this scene with bewilderment. He definitely recognised this guy. After all, how many people in Japan have purple hair and is nearly two meters tall? He had a brief memory of walking past this guy after Seirin had watched the Kaijo versus Touou match. And he definitely remembers Tamaki saying something at that time about 'forgetting to greet someone'.

So he's one of them too. A member of Tamaki's former team. One of the Generation of Miracles.

'This guy… So he is the Center of the Generation of Miracles, Murasakibara!'

"I thought you weren't coming?" Tatsuya asked Murasakibara with amusement.

"Actually, it's your fault for changing our meeting place at the last second." Murasakibara pouted, tossing the basketball in his hand towards Tatsuya. He grumbled beneath his breath as he reached into the bag of snacks hanging from his arm. "I only came because you said you wanted to go sightseeing around Tokyo since you came back to Japan. But you're playing street ball." Murasakibara muttered whilst munching on his chips.

"Sorry. Sorry." Tatsuya chuckled, and Tamaki's lips twitched slightly. Seems like Murasakibara is in good hands after all. Given how childish her old childhood friend is, and the disputes he is likely to get into with people who disagree with him, she is a little concerned about him when they've all gone their separate ways. "They said they were down a player, and it sounded like fun." Tatsuya gestured towards his makeshift team who were all as bewildered as everyone else at the ongoing scene in front of them. But more so at Murasakibara's height.

"Hey…" Furihata noticed the bag that Tatsuya had been carrying near the referee's tent just then, recognising the purple and white sports bag immediately. "Yosen played in the Inter High, didn't they?" He asked carefully, remembering what the coach had told them of the Inter High line-ups before their dismissal from practice the day before.

"What?" Fukuda was bewildered for a moment before he caught onto what Furihata was trying to tell them. "You mean he played in the Inter High too?"

'No. He didn't play.' Tamaki mused to herself. 'Along with everyone else.'

Even though Seirin didn't get to participate in the Inter High after losing to both Touou and Senshinkan, she had received the same mail from her cousin the day before the semi-finals of the Inter High: don't play in the rest of the matches for the Inter High.

None of the members of the Generation of Miracles have played in the finals and semi-finals of the Inter High, though Aomine actually had to be forced not to play, as he isn't one to take orders, and ever since their Teiko days, he had never liked following whatever that Akashi told him to do. Most of the time, he usually do end up following Akashi's orders in the end, as the redhead is extremely sneaky and manipulative, and had ways of making sure that Aomine follows his orders even without the tanned teen realising it.

Most people would be confused at Akashi's orders to his former teammates for not playing for the rest of the Inter High, but Tamaki knew that her cousin had two reasons for this order.

The first reason is that he wanted to even the playing field so that the power of the teams that each had a member of the Generation of Miracles wouldn't be so overwhelming against teams that doesn't have one. The second reason is that Akashi wanted to make things more 'interesting' if the Generation of Miracles didn't play in those matches.

Atsushi, Tamaki knew will definitely follow Akashi's 'orders' to a T. The same way that he always did ever since elementary school. Midorima would grumble and complain, but he will comply as well. Kise will be too fearful of Akashi's threats to his life to even think about defying the redhead, and not to mention that Tamaki had a funny feeling that the blonde wouldn't even want to be on the same court against Akashi. As for Aomine, he actually has to be forced by his coach and captain to not play. She should know, since Satsuki had actually called her for help the day when Touou was supposed to play against Rakuzan.

"No, I didn't play." Murasakibara mumbled via his mouthful of chips. It is a wonder that they could still interpret his words via his continuous munching.

Kagami's eyes widened slightly in confusion whilst Furihata merely looked confused. "What? Why not?"

"I don't know." Murasakibara drawled lazily, looking extremely bored. "I mean, the only reason I didn't play is because Aka-chin told me not to. Everyone got the same message. Right, Hime-chin?"

Tamaki nodded silently.

"Uh…" Furihata looked very confused at this small exchange between the two members of the Generation of Miracles, and he isn't the only one. "Who's Aka-chin?" He asked, directing this question to Tamaki.

Tamaki was silent for a moment before she answered. "He's referring to Sei," she answered. "Akashi Seijuro." She added. "He used to be the former captain of the Generation of Miracles."

Kagami's eyes widened slightly upon hearing the name of the captain of the legendary team passed Tamaki's lips. Kiyoshi frowned slightly. Being nearly an entire year Tamaki's senior, and being one of the Crownless Generals, he of course knew about the famous captain of the Generation of Miracles since he was often featured in basketball magazines ever since the Generation of Miracles had made their debut in their first year of Teiko.

"Oh, I forgot." Murasakibara blinked slowly, almost as if just remembering something. "Muro-chin, we can't play in unofficial games. That's why I came here to stop you."

No one bothered to mention the fact that Tatsuya did indeed already played in some matches before Seirin and even Murasakibara had came into the picture. The match against Seiho comes to mind.

"I see." Tatsuya looks rather disappointed. "That's a shame."

"That's why, let's go." Murasakibara grasped Tatsuya by the shoulder and started leading him away from the crowd.

"Hey wait." Kagami grabbed Murasakibara by the shoulder before he could walk away. "You can't barge in here and leave like that. Stay a while and play."

"Kagami!" Furihata and Fukuda almost groaned in unison. This always happens without fail whenever a member of the Generation of Miracles showed up!

"Kagami-kun." Tamaki sighed tiredly. She is glad and all that her partner is so enthusiastic and fired up about squaring off against the Generation of Miracles when most basketball players couldn't wait to run as fast as they could in the other direction when faced with the threat of the Generation of Miracles. But still, must he go about challenging every single one of her former teammates even before an official match? "If you challenge him here and Yosen hears about it, they'll be disqualified from the Winter Cup." She warned him. "If you really want to play him, then wait until the Winter Cup."

"I can't wait that long!" Kagami said. 'I can't keep my mouth shut with a member of the Generation of Miracles in front of me. Besides, I won't let him interfere with my game against Tatsuya!'

Murasakibara looked at Kagami with an expression rather reminiscent to a child who had found something interesting and poked Kagami in between his eyebrows, much to his confusion. "What's going on with your eyebrows?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "Why are they split in two?" He then snapped off a bit of Kagami's eyebrow, causing the redhead to howl in pain.

"Ow! What are you doing?"

"They're so long."

"Are you listening to me?"

"Huh? Say what?"

"I told you to play, so play!"

"I don't want to. It's so tiring."

Everyone on the sidelines was watching this rather one-sided argument with bewilderment, unable to believe that this giant of a teen is so…childish. Furihata and Fukuda in particular were extremely confused and bewildered, unable to believe that this…guy is really a member of the famous basketball team that every single basketball player in the middle school and high school districts knew of.

"He's not what I expected." Furihata said at last.

"He's so weird." Fukuda agreed.

"When it comes to everything besides basketball, he's like a child with a screw loose." Tamaki explained, her lips quirking slightly at her teammates' reactions to Murasakibara. Though truthfully, it had already gone well. She still remembered Kise's first meeting with Murasakibara when he was first promoted to the first string back in Teiko. "You occasionally see athletes like him. While he possesses great talent in one area, he is incompetent at everything else."

"You mean he's an idiot?" Furihata deadpanned.

Tamaki didn't answer for several moments. Furihata wasn't the only one to wonder if perchance Murasakibara had been dropped on his head as a child. Multiple times.

She had long given up on trying to understand Murasakibara's mindset by the time that they're in middle school. It actually helps to save some of her brain cells. But still, childish or not, there is no denying the threat that is Murasakibara Atsushi when he is on the court. His nickname of 'Maou', the Demon King, isn't for show.

"Well, not exactly. Though he does have the mindset of a child." Tamaki said at last. "When he gets going in basketball though, he is unstoppable." She glanced at Kagami who still seemed adamant on having his match against the Center of the Generation of Miracles. And knowing her partner, she'll know that he'll get his wish one way or the other.

Tamaki sighed. 'By the heavens. Why do I always have to babysit him?' she almost groaned. 'I now have a good idea how Satsuki must feel in Teiko.'

XXXXXX

Momoi Satsuki wasn't feeling all that good and happy right at this moment, especially after having just gotten into a really big argument with her childhood friend at the school just an hour earlier.

Sure, the two have gotten into scuffles and arguments before, but nothing of this scale. Can't that insensitive jerk appreciate the help that she had given him, and think with his nonexistent brain why she had even asked the coach to take him off the line-ups in the first place?

Honestly…

The pink haired girl is starting to wonder just what her best friend had seen in her childhood friend.

"Tamaki-chan…" Momoi Satsuki muttered to herself, wrapping her arms around her legs even as she sat in a corner of the building that she had taken refuge at after having taken off from Touou an hour ago.

"You all right?" asked a concerned voice, and Satsuki looked up only to blink in recognition as she recognised the boy in front of her.

"You…" Satsuki blinked. "Aren't you formerly of Meiko…?" She trailed off slowly, recognising the surprised face of the boy who had came to visit Tamaki after she was injured in the semi-finals of the Nationals during their third year of Teiko. "Aren't you Ogiwara Shigehiro?"

XXXXXX

'I knew that this would happen.' Tamaki sighed inwardly as she found herself standing on the court across Murasakibara and Tatsuya with their makeshift team, with both teams ready to commence their match once more.

"Let the game begin!" The referee announced, and the cheers from the bystanders echoed, all of them eager for a good game. Tamaki even caught sight of the Seiho players amidst the crowd.

Facing any of her old teammates could guarantee a hard and thrilling game, but…

"Stupid. Stupid." Kagami tried to provoke Murasakibara. Tamaki was strongly reminded of a boy that used to do that to her when she was in kindergarten. At least until her cousin had stepped in and put a stop to it.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Murasakibara was annoyed.

"What are they, little kids?" Furihata and Fukuda cried in unison.

"Kagami, that's enough." Thankfully, Kiyoshi came to the rescue, having seen just how worn out and tired Tamaki is. If this is what she had to deal with Kagami whenever one of her former teammates enters the picture, Kiyoshi doesn't blame her in the least. "Because of our positions, I'm the one who will face off against him." The brunette reminded Kagami. "You can't take them both on yourself." Kiyoshi glanced at a smiling Tatsuya. "You've got him."

"Yeah."

"Huh?" Murasakibara was bewildered. "Then that makes my opponent…" He started looking around, and at this point, Tamaki seriously has no idea if he seriously has no clue that Kiyoshi is his opponent or if he is trying to rile the brunette.

"It's been awhile." Kiyoshi ignored all that, and greeted Murasakibara like they're old friends. "I haven't seen you since middle school."

Knowing Murasakibara and all her other teammates, Tamaki is willing to bet that Murasakibara doesn't even remember Kiyoshi and all their other opponents. They remembered the Crownless Generals because they're particularly exceptional players. But in Murasakibara's case…

"Who are you?" Murasakibara asked bluntly.

Kiyoshi looked genuinely shocked and surprised at this. "Good grief. You don't remember me?" he sighed.

By his side, Tamaki shot him an apologetic look, knowing how her former teammates tend to treat all past opponents. Sure, she is fond of them, and they are very good friends of hers, but this is one aspect about them as fellow basketball players that she detests.

"Did we play against each other in middle school?" Murasakibara asked. "Hime-chin, did we?" He asked, looking towards Tamaki who nodded. He then yawned widely. "I forgot. I don't bother to remember weak players." He drawled.

Tamaki said nothing, but a muscle in her cheek twitched.

The players of both teams soon got ready for tip-off, and Murasakibara looked surprised when Kagami got the ball before him. Back in Teiko, it was always Murasakibara who received the tip-off because of his height that serves as a distinct advantage. Hence, they rarely, if never, manage to have players who manage to get the ball before Murasakibara.

The ball was soon passed to Fukuda who in turn passed it to Furihata who was standing nearby.

"Team Seirin takes the ball!"

"Tamaki…" Kiyoshi glanced at Tamaki who is standing near him.

With one look at the brunette senior, Tamaki understood what he wants and she nodded. "I understand," she said. She then frowned. "Actually, his attitude made me a little angry too." She admitted.

Fukuda immediately got ready to pass the ball as he soon found himself getting guarded, and spotted Tamaki who didn't have anyone on her, and he tossed the ball towards her direction. The teal haired girl was soon ready with one of her fast passes that soon found its way into Kiyoshi's waiting hands.

"It's an Ignite Pass to Kiyoshi-sempai!" Fukuda cheered.

'Ouch!' Kiyoshi winced slightly at the impact that the ball made with his palms as he received the pass from Tamaki. He wonders for a moment how Kagami and even the Generation of Miracles manages to receive pass after pass like this from Tamaki and not get their hands bruised. 'What an amazing pass. I can't keep catching these forever.'

Kiyoshi immediately turned around and slammed the ball into the net, with Murasakibara not even bothering to make a single move to stop him, a dark look appearing on the face of the purple haired Center. Like always, ever since Murasakibara had switched from an offense Center to a defense role, he had never bothered to move from his comfortable spot beneath the net.

"Well, I can't help it if you forgot about me." Kiyoshi commented after he'd made the basket. "I'll make you remember who I am through basketball."

"No, that's enough." Murasakibara murmured. "I remember you. Kiyoshi Teppei of Shoei Middle."

Kagami glanced at Tamaki who looked solemn and a little concerned. Honestly, this is more confrontations than she could handle in a day!

"You played against Kiyoshi-sempai before?" Kagami asked, confused.

Tamaki nodded. "Yeah. During our first and second years of middle school. Because Kiyoshi-sempai's role is a Center, his main opponent had been Atsushi-kun." 'Back when he was still an offensive player.' "But our final match with Kiyoshi-sempai…" She trailed off slowly, a dark look covering her face.

Shoei Middle School had just been one of the schools that had been crushed by the overwhelming might of the Emperor, Teiko Middle School. In basketball, winning and losing is something that everyone expected whenever they participated in tournaments. But what the Generation of Miracles had done in the second half of their second year that had lasted all the way to their third year is something that Tamaki can't fully accept. Hence, it might not be so farfetched as to say that everyone in the middle school circuit had hated their guts.

"I feel motivated now." Murasakibara drawled, a frown on his face as he almost glared at Kiyoshi. "It may have been better if I hadn't remembered." Kiyoshi frowned even as he watched Murasakibara walked over to the ball and picked it up with both hands.

"Atsushi, could you wait a little longer to play?" Tatsuya called out, and Murasakibara then tossed the ball towards his partner who caught it with ease. "Since we're a pick-up team, let's clearly establish our roles. Atsushi, you're defense. I'll be offense."

"Sure, got it." Murasakibara drawled, waving his hand back and forth.

"What?" A player on Murasakibara and Tatsuya's team spluttered even as he saw Murasakibara staying below the net without moving a single inch. "He's not trying to score?"

"Yeah, don't worry. That's Atsushi's style." Tatsuya answered. "Besides, I'm more than enough." Kagami stepped in front of Tatsuya, and the two then prepared for a face-off against each other once more.

Tamaki frowned as she studied Himuro Tatsuya's movements, and even the way that he released the ball. For some reason, his movements really remind her of a dancer. It isn't common to find guys that are this flexible in sports. It is usually the females who tend to be more flexible, hence why Tamaki had always used it to her advantage when playing against their opponents.

But this Himuro Tatsuya…

"Furihata, don't just stand there!" Kiyoshi shouted. "Restart! Restart!"

"Y-Yes!"

'It's similar in aspects to my old style, yet different.' Tamaki thought even as her eyes flickered from left to right, ready to step in to lend her teammates support, her mind running over the memory of how Tatsuya had made the shot earlier. 'He transitioned from his setup to his shot so smoothly, it looked like he was in slow motion. It was clearly a condensed practice shot.'

Fukuda is currently in possession of the ball even as dark clouds started converging overhead, and a light drizzle started, but not enough to hinder the basketball match.

"Fukuda-kun, give me the ball." Fukuda turned only to see Tamaki near him, and without further ado, immediately passed the ball to Tamaki who served an Ignite Pass towards a waiting Kagami, with the ball easily bypassing the grasp of the shocked opposing player who is guarding Kagami.

"Let's go, Murasakibara!" Kagami hollered even as he made his way towards Murasakibara who looked extremely bored even as he stood there, almost slouching.

"You're smothering me." Murasakibara complained. "Don't be so zealous." He then pulled one of his hands out of his pockets. "It makes me want to crush you." He said darkly.

Kagami was taken aback for just a moment. Is this really the childish guy that had plucked one of his eyebrows just because he's curious? 'I don't know what's going on, but this guy's trouble!'

Rain soon started coming down heavily, drenching the players. A shrill whistle rang out even as the spectators ran for cover.

"We have an announcement to make. The game will be suspended. Players and referees, please return to the tents."

Tamaki sighed even as she ran her hand through her wet locks, pushing her dripping hair out of her eyes. "It's too bad. Just as we're getting to the good part too," she muttered.

Kiyoshi laughed. "Well, we still have the official tournament to look forward to if you really want to face him that badly, Tamaki."

"I guess so. But I got some good information too." Tamaki remarked, her eyes glancing at Murasakibara and then at Tatsuya who is now squaring off against Kagami, offering to 'show him something good'. "We'll be ready for them once the time comes." She commented.

Kiyoshi chuckled. "That we will."

"See you later." Tatsuya smiled at Kagami. "If we meet again…"

"It'll be this winter." Kiyoshi cut in. He grinned at Tatsuya. "Next time, we'll play in our uniforms."

Murasakibara grumbled. "You still haven't learned your lesson," he grumbled. "I beat you so badly last time."

"Well yeah." Kiyoshi smiled even as Murasakibara and Tatsuya moved towards the tent to get out of the rain.

"See you later, Hime-chin." Murasakibara reverted back to the childish him even as he walked past Tamaki, resting a hand atop her head. He beamed at her rather reminiscent in a manner of a child towards his mother.

Tamaki sighed even as she caught hold of Murasakibara's wrist before he could mess up her hair any further. "Stop this, Atsushi-kun."

"Oh, sorry. Are you mad?"

Tamaki sighed. Just what is she going to do with him? She then looked at the purple haired giant.

She had never brought up this topic at the last reunion party that they've had, as she didn't want to spoil the mood. Murasakibara and Tamaki had shared a very good relationship with each other, having been friends ever since elementary school. But ever since they've started their second year at Teiko, and Murasakibara had started seeing his opponents as nothing more than trash, whenever someone brought basketball into their conversation, they always end up arguing.

"Atsushi-kun, do you still find basketball boring?" Tamaki asked blandly.

Murasakibara frowned, not liking the question, but also not wanting to argue with Tamaki whom he hasn't seen in months, since it always puts him in a bad mood, and not to mention that Akashi wouldn't be happy with him.

"If you keep talking like that, I'll get angry, Hime-chin." He pouted. Tamaki said nothing to that reply, and he frowned. "I don't know what it's like to have fun. Is it not enough that I like winning and I'm good at it?" Without even waiting for Tamaki's reply, he started to walk off, the rainwater sloshing beneath his sneakers. "Well, if you have anything to say, I'll hear it at the Winter Cup."

XXXXXX

Aoi whined even as he shook his body to rid his coat of the water droplets that is currently chilling him to the bone, thus splattering rainwater everywhere.

The Seirin players have already changed into their street clothes and out of their drenched basketball attires, and were currently taking shelter from the rain at the ticket station. The boys were currently drying themselves off even as Tamaki towelled Aoi's body with his towel that she had brought with her that day.

"Huh?" Kagami raised a confused brow even as he stared at his phone.

"What's wrong?" Furihata asked, towelling his hair dry.

"The coach is telling us to come to the school now." Kagami told his teammates.

"What?"

Aoi barked even as he got into Tamaki's bag, ready to be carried and to also keep out of the rain while he was at it.


Due to the heavy downpour, the trains were travelling at a slower speed than usual, though not that the Seirin players minded in the least since it actually allows them to rest a little after their short but intense match from earlier.

"That was a pretty threatening greeting." Kagami remarked even as he glanced at Tamaki who is seated beside him, writing something in that notebook of hers. Most probably new information that she had gotten on Murasakibara and Tatsuya from earlier that might help them in any future matches that Seirin might have with Yosen in the Winter Cup. The redhead glanced at Tamaki. "Do you two not get along?" He asked curiously.

"It's nothing like that." Tamaki said, ignoring the fact that Kiyoshi, Furihata and even Fukuda seems particularly interested in this conversation. "If anything, I like him as a person. We just didn't get along as athletes." She stopped writing in her notebook, closing it with a light snap. "We were classmates in elementary school. So you can say that Atsushi-kun and I went way back. He started basketball around that time too. But… He does not like basketball." Tamaki admitted.

"Huh?" Kagami was bewildered, not understanding just how someone wouldn't like basketball when they're so good at it.

"However, even though he didn't like it, he was extremely good at it. To start with, he didn't get into basketball the way that all of us in the Generation of Miracles did. Someone introduced him to the sport when we were in elementary school because of his height." Tamaki explained. "It is from there when he picked it up, and he was exceptionally good at it. But it's a pity that he started playing basketball without liking it first. He can do it, even though he doesn't care. Despite his lack of interest, he became an overwhelming strong Center. That's why he believes that it doesn't matter if he likes it as long as he's talented, and hates players who like the game but aren't very good."

At this point, Kiyoshi understood why Murasakibara had said as much to him back during the middle school tournament.

"Is basketball really that fun for you?"

"He said so before." Tamaki stated even as they reached their stop, and got off the train even as more commuters got on. "It's true you cannot win just because you love the game." All Seirin players were instantly reminded of their game against Touou, and how it had turned out for them. "But you can work hard because you do, and when you win, you're happy from the bottom of the heart."

By this time, they have exited from the train station, and are currently walking towards the school. Due to the rain, there is hardly anyone about.

"That's why I like basketball. And I like Seirin because everyone loves basketball." Tamaki remembered why she had chosen to attend Seirin in the first place, and she smiled to herself.

In front of her, Kiyoshi who noticed that small miniscule smile smiled to himself.

XXXXXX

Kuroko Tamaki definitely wasn't expecting for this to be waiting for them as they entered the gym of Seirin High School.

"Tamaki-chan!"

Tamaki was confused for a moment upon seeing her best friend present in Seirin High's gym. "Satsuki?"

The teal haired girl definitely didn't miss the looks that the guys were giving Satsuki, particularly the stretched image of the bear on the too small shirt that she had on – most probably one of Riko's, as Tamaki knew that Satsuki doesn't own any shirts like this.

"T-The bear!" Kiyoshi spluttered, his eyes immediately going towards Satsuki's chest.

"Tamaki-chan!" Satsuki threw herself on her best friend, crying uncontrollably.

"What is going on?" Kagami muttered even as he watched Tamaki guide Satsuki towards a nearby chair, but not before removing her jacket and draping it over her best friend's body to give her some sense of modesty. "I have no idea what is going on here…"

"Have something to drink. It'll make you feel better." Tamaki handed a can of coffee that she had taken out from her bag to Satsuki even as the rest of Seirin crowded around.

"Thank you." Satsuki smiled weakly.

"Coach, what's going on?" Furihata asked, growing more confused by the minute, and he wasn't the only one.

"What happened, Satsuki?" Tamaki asked bluntly. "Did something happen?"

"I…" Satsuki tightened her grip on the canned coffee. "What should I do, Tamaki-chan? I think Aomine-kun hates me." She admitted.

"What?" Tamaki was confused for a moment.

She had known Aomine and Satsuki for three years, and had even been in the same class as them throughout her years at Teiko. And sure, she knew that those two have their fair share of fights and arguments, but they always made up within an hour of fighting with each other. Usually it is Aomine who went grovelling towards Satsuki, begging for her forgiveness, even if it is usually because he needs her help for something or the other.

"Aomine-kun didn't participate in the semi-final and the final matches of the Inter High this year." Satsuki finally stated, though it is more for Seirin's benefit than Tamaki, as she already knew this.

"That sounds like him." Hyuuga remarked. "Why not though?"

"Injuries. His elbow mostly." Satsuki sighed.

Riko frowned. "Well, I thought that might be it," she said, much to Seirin's surprise. "The reason must be the quarter final game against Kise-kun and Kaijo, right?"

"That's right." Satsuki nodded. "You may be a B, but you're right." She couldn't resist taking a dig at Riko at this.

"What do my boobs have to do with this?" Riko raged.

Tamaki sighed. She had been concerned about Aomine and Kise after they have their matches, as she knew better than anyone else what would happen if players of their calibre overtaxed their bodies by utilising abilities that their bodies are not ready for.

"If the five members of the Generation of Miracles have a weakness, it's their overabundance of talent." Tamaki explained, and Seirin was taken aback by the seriousness in Tamaki's voice. "The Generation of Miracles possesses strength far greater than any high school student. However, because their bodies are not fully developed, their bodies cannot keep up with their talent. Because of this, they must restrict the use of their power. If they don't, they'll end up hurting themselves."

A memory of the time when Seirin have faced off against Shutoku came to mind just then.

"Aomine-kun was reckless when he faced Kise-kun." Satsuki told them. "That's why I didn't want him to play. I even asked the coach to prevent him from playing. But Aomine-kun was stubborn. That's why…" She trailed off slowly, glancing at Tamaki.

"That's why you asked me to come and stop him?" Tamaki finished for Satsuki who nodded meekly, much to Seirin's surprise, since this is the first that they've heard of it.

"Tamaki-chan! I can't take it anymore!" Tamaki's ear was nearly blown out by the shriek that echoed through her phone the moment that she had answered it. "Do something about your boyfriend!"

It had taken Satsuki a little over ten minutes to explain the current situation to Tamaki, but she was quick to understand, and was soon on the train that would take her to the gym where the semi-final and the final matches of the Inter High tournament would be held, making her way towards the changing rooms of Touou Academy.

Even without Satsuki's directions, Tamaki could probably find it anyway, as the loud shouts and yells from within the locker room could be heard even before Tamaki had approached the room.

"I'm fine!" Aomine was insisting even as Wakamatsu and Susa held him back, being the only ones brave enough to go near him. "That's why, let me play!"

"And how many times must I say 'no'?" Harasawa Katsunori was annoyed. "I'm not about to send an injured player out on the field. The principal will have my head for this."

"I'm fine!" Aomine insisted.

"No, you're not." A soft voice cut in just then, and a hand grasped Aomine's elbow, causing him to wince in pain. Everyone in the changing room jumped as they saw that a teal haired girl had somehow materialised next to Aomine.

"Tamaki?" Aomine spluttered. "What are you doing here?"

Satsuki sighed in relief upon seeing her best friend. "Tamaki-chan! Finally!" she cried in relief. "Do something about Aomine-kun!" The pink haired manager didn't miss the interested looks that Imayoshi-san was giving Tamaki.

"Satsuki! Damn you! You called Tamaki here?" Aomine barked.

"And thankfully she did too." Tamaki fixed Aomine with a steely look that dared him to argue. "What do you think would happen if you went into a match with injuries like this?" She tightened her grip on Aomine's elbow, but not that much that it would hurt him badly. Tamaki then turned towards Satsuki. "Sorry for the late arrival. I'm right on the other side of Tokyo when you called. I'll handle this." She called over her shoulder even as she grasped Aomine by the wrist and literally dragged him out of the changing room, much to Touou's amusement. "Concentrate on your match."

"Wait, Tamaki—"

"Stop complaining and come with me!"

"Aomine-kun was furious, and we got into a heated argument." Satsuki admitted sadly. "He even said that he didn't want to see me again."

Tamaki sighed. "Was he mad because of my involvement?" she asked, and Satsuki nodded meekly.

"Yes. Imayoshi-san got real interested in you because of this," she admitted. 'Not like he wasn't before when he tried recruiting you for Touou, but failed, and got Aomine-kun and myself instead.'

There was silence in the gym momentarily before Kagami spoke up. "By the way, I've been wondering something," he said. "Why did you come to Tamaki complaining about Aomine hating you? Who cares if Aomine doesn't like you? And apart from that, why did you call Tamaki for help in stopping Aomine from playing? What business it is of hers anyway?"

Satsuki looked as if she was about to burst into tears. "Yes, but that's not the problem." Her lips trembled. "Tamaki-chan is the only one whom Aomine-kun would listen to, so what choice do I have? I'm worried about him, and I can't just leave him alone." She then burst into tears.

Kagami blanched and looked as if he didn't know what to do. Did he seriously just make his partner's best friend cry? He wouldn't be surprised if he was dealt an Ignite Pass to the face their next practice.

"Uh… Sorry." Kagami tried to apologise, but to no avail. And the cold glare that Tamaki was giving him isn't helping any matters either.

"You made her cry." Seirin echoed as one.

"No, I…"

Tamaki sighed in frustration. "Kagami-kun, you lack delicacy," she stated. Ignoring the gobsmacked expression on Kagami's face, she then turned towards her best friend and patted her gently on the head the way she always does whenever Satsuki is upset. "It's okay, Satsuki. Aomine-kun won't hate you. He knows you were just worried about him. I'll talk to him, so don't worry."

"Tamaki-chan…" Satsuki's lower lip trembled. "Thank you."

Riko stepped up just then, a question that had been bugging her ever since she had found out about the Generation of Miracles' lack of participation during the semi-final and final matches of the Inter High tournament at the back of her mind.

"Let me ask you one more thing." Riko started, and Satsuki turned towards her with confusion. "I know why Aomine-kun didn't play in the Inter High, but do you know why the other two didn't?"

Satsuki and Tamaki exchanged looks. "This is only conjecture, so I can't say for certain, but…" Satsuki trailed off. "Mukkun—I mean, Murasakibara-kun only listens to Akashi-kun, and doesn't want to play against him. I believe he sat out the Rakuzan versus Yosen game for that reason."

"What about Akashi?" Kiyoshi asked.

Satsuki hesitated, wondering just how to phrase it in a way that Seirin would understand. Sighing, Tamaki answered for Satsuki. "He has his own weird quirks." Tamaki started. "But if I have to put it in words and give a reason why he wouldn't play in the semi-final and even the final… It's probably that he's not interested in the championship."

"What?" Seirin was taken aback by those words. Not interested in the championship?

"It isn't because he doesn't want to win, but because victory is assured." Satsuki sighed. "After his team beat Touou, he was asked if he couldn't have beaten us more easily if he had played. He said only one thing in reply. That it wouldn't have been interesting."

"What's up with that?" Hyuuga was confused. "What is up with the captain of the Generation of Miracles?"

"I've given up on trying to figure that out a long time ago." Tamaki rubbed her temples tiredly. "Sei has his own weird quirks, but it is true that I've never seen him lose at anything. He always wins. But the fact that 'it wouldn't have been interesting' is probably only part of the reason. I think that he doesn't want the teams that each possesses a member of the Generation of Miracles to overwhelm the teams that didn't have one of us. It's to keep the competition even, and to also stop the Generation of Miracles from completely dominating the tournament." She glanced at Seirin. "If Seirin hadn't been kicked out of the Inter High tournament after our losses to Touou and Senshinkan, probably, Sei would have asked me not to play either." She told Seirin, much to their shock.

"He most definitely would have, knowing Akashi-kun." Satsuki nodded knowingly.

"Wait a moment. 'Sei'?" Riko asked slowly, noticing the nickname that Tamaki had given the captain of the Generation of Miracles. "Where did I hear that name before?" She wondered. "And are you two close, Tamaki-chan?"

Satsuki and Tamaki traded looks.

Well, it's not like Tamaki is trying to hide her relationship with her cousin anyway. It's more like the topic just never came up, and her cousin is always busy in Kyoto. The time when he does come to Tokyo is extremely minimal, and is usually spent with his family.

"Something like that." Tamaki said with a sigh. "He's my cousin."

The stunned and gobsmacked expressions on the faces of the Seirin players just about made their day.


"Well, I wasn't really expecting that." Hyuuga sighed after watching Tamaki and Satsuki head out of the gym, with Aoi walking by Tamaki's heels. "But I guess it's really none of our business even if Tamaki and Akashi Seijuro are related. It's their family affair."

"I guess so." Izuki agreed. "But what they said earlier…" He trailed off.

"You mean about why none of the Generation of Miracles participated in the semi-final and the final matches?" Koganei asked, and Izuki nodded. He then frowned. "Just what kind of people are they? The last two members of the Generation of Miracles." He wondered.

Kagami kept quiet, thinking about their encounter with Murasakibara earlier. He wonders for a moment just what the captain of the Generation of Miracles is like. He must be as much a monster like the rest of them to be able to command a team like that.

"We'll meet them soon enough in the Winter Cup." Riko told them grimly. "Once we get past the preliminaries."

Hyuuga sighed. "The Generation of Miracles is full of monsters," he admitted. "The upcoming Winter Cup is going to be tough. It is going to be a full-out war amongst the Generation of Miracles. And the teams that each possesses one of them will be caught up in it."

"Without a doubt, one of them intends to stand on top." Izuki stated grimly. "This winter will be war."


A/N: I feel like my fingers are about to fall off, with how long that I've been typing this out. Anyway, I hope that you like the additional bits that I've added in this chapter. I might also pair Momoi with Ogiwara, since I really like him, and I want to add him as a side character in the story.

Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!