"This should be an interesting match," Jo commented as she strolled into the stadium. It was strange, walking into this place through the bleachers and not through the doors onto the court. Ishimura was walking in beside her, hands behind her head and elbows sticking out, as though she needed to take up more space than she usually did. Her expression was quite cool, which was strange because normally she would be bouncing around, making comments about the upcoming match and getting irritated about having to watch Aomine play. There was only silence from the small forward.

"I think Seirin's going to win," Shira chimed in from behind the giant centre. Jo glanced over her shoulder, grinning slightly as the power forward tugged on her dark brown pony tail. For the first time in what felt like years, Shira had decided to dye her hair a colour similiar to her own natural. The trio made their way down to the front row, where Meyer, Jean and Takami were already sitting and waiting. Saka said she would be coming later due to a late assignment and Kazuki was only five minutes away. Still, Saka wouldn't be missing out on the first game, just the opening ceremony. The teams were already starting to line up and Jo strained to see everyone who had made it into the Winter Cup.

Shutoku's bright orange tracksuits weren't hard to spot, nor was the tall, lean, green haired shooting guard. Jo couldn't see his expression, but she assumed that he looked as constipated as he usually did. She was also certain that if she listened carefully she would hear Takao's giggle wafting gently through the air. Her gaze swept over the rest of the teams and she spotted Kaijo's players. The honey hair was easily identifiable, but Jo was more interested in the dark haired captain than the Miracle that was Kise Ryouta. Kasamatsu Yukio had always drawn Meyer's attention compared to any other player.

The large purple haired centre was the easiest of all the players to spot, and Jo wondered how she would manage to measure up against them if they were able to play Yosen. He seemed completely disinterested in anything to do with the opening ceremony, as she could see a shorter dark haired teen tugging gently on the sleeve of his tracksuit jacket. Touou were like a dark cloud, their dark tracksuits drawing the attention of any onlooker.

However, it was the red head that drew the gaze of all the girls. He was hard to miss, he seemed to have an aura that drew the eye. Jo knew that Ishimura had spotted him, as the small forward sneered and probably would have spat if they had been outside. Shira had shrunk back into her chair, her upper lip curling angrily as her eyebrows pulled together. Even Meyer seemed to stiffen when her gaze swept over the player. Takami's gaze wavered on him for a moment before sweeping over the rest of his team.

The Red Emperor, Akashi Seijuro.

"Do you think we should ask him again?" Takami questioned, tilting hed head to the side as she frowned. Although she could figure out almost any opponent, she had never quite managed to crack this new Akashi. Meyer shook her head, her gaze not lifting from her old friend as her lips cracked from their grim line.

"He'll come to us."

...

"Man, I feel nervous and I'm not even playing," Shira mumbled as she kicked at the vending machine, attempting to get it to the can to drop from where it had been jammed behind the glass. Ishimura was leaning against the wall, holding a soda in one hand and her mobile in the other. She grunted in reply to Shira, not really paying attention to the power forward, more focused on the conversation with Midorima. She had considered sending him a message of luck after the opening ceremony, but surprisingly the green haired shooter had sent her a message instead, mostly apologising for what he had said at training and how he would gladly play the Queens once more. Ishimura suspected it was Takao on Midorima's phone. "Yuki, grunting like that doesn't convince me you're paying attention."

"Uh-huh."

"Yuki-Chan, pay attention!" Shira half snapped, smacking her friend gently on the arm as she kicked the vending machine again. The can finally dropped to the bin at the bottom and she fished it out, placing it with the others they had collected. The pair had been send to collect sodas for everyone, inclduing Saka who still hadn't managed to make an appearance, much to the chagrin of Kazuki.

"I am, I am, sheesh, calm yourself!" Ishimura muttered back as she shoved her phone into her pocket. She pushed herself off the wall, letting her shoulder bounce her body as before she straightened herself. Standing next to Shira, Ishimura always felt small. It wasn't the same feeling as whens he stood next to Jo, even though the centre towered above them all, it was different because once upon a time Ishimura would look down to look at Shira. Then one day Shira just came back from a holiday, and Ishimura had to look up to see her properly. "We should be getting back to the others."

"What's going on with you, huh?" Shira leant against the vending machine, a coin poised and ready to go into the machine to get one last soda (unnecessary because they already had eight) and looking as though she wasn't ready to move any time soon. Her eyes didn't shift from Ishimura's face, and it made the younger teen feel uncomfortable. Although she wasn't older than Shira, she always felt as though she was. Shira was more often than not the one to run off and do something stupid, and Ishimura would trail after her to try and stop her. Why was Shira looking at her like a concerned mother right now?

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're acting really weird. Like Meyer version weird. Is this because of what we said when you walked off with Kuroko?" The mention of the night left a sour taste on Ishimura's tongue. The teen hadn't spoken to Kuroko since that night, and although she had been tempted to go see him for one of their nightly games, she had refused on principle alone.

"Okay I'm not acting weird and especially not to Meyer standard."

"I've known you for what, seven, eight years now? You're acting weird."

"Yeah well your face is weird, I'm going." Shira stared dumbfounded as her friend turned on her heel and stormed off. The last Ishimura had acted this cranky and idiotic in regards to insults, she had found out that Kibo was quitting basketball for good. That was not a good few months for the team. Shira let out a sigh, settling this down to the upcoming stress of final exams as well as playing the Generation of Miracles, something they had always hoped for but never really quite managed.

Shira's mouth twitched into an irritated smirk as she thought to the games they would be playing. It wasn't exactly what they had been hoping for, in regards to who was on the actual team, but the other players looked just as strong and skilled as the Miracles themselves. Plus they didn't have their heads so far up their own asses they couldn't see the lights of the basketball court any more. Shira sighed as she bent down, scooping up the all cans into her arms, with great difficulty, before trotting off back to the court. She sure as hell wasn't going to miss any part of the game, that was for sure.