Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke

A/N: The Shiramine shrine in Kyoto really does exist and is indeed associated with sports. However I know very little about either Japan or Shinto as a whole, so most of what I say regarding kami and other "traditional elements" of Japanese culture in this story will be plot-driven rather than necessarily well-researched. Just so you know. :-)

Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites from Chapter 1! To the "Guest" that commented, thank you very much! Here's hoping this chapter is enjoyable as well :-)

I've Been Here the Whole Time

Chapter 2

When Kuroko opened his eyes, he immediately felt the difference between this form that he'd bound so severely and his usual mortal appearance. As a shadow spirit, taking on the weight of more substantial physical forms was always an adjustment, but his body felt heavier than he'd ever experienced before since he'd cancelled all normal gravity negotiations in order to move like an ordinary human boy would do. It was funny, in its way, because he knew this body was small and not designed for bulk in the way many athletes could pull off. Despite that, he might as well as have been carrying the weight of a far heavier frame for all of the disorientation he was experiencing.

He took in the television in front of him; it was tuned to show a basketball championship and the announcers were speculating on the forthcoming match. He'd picked this moment very specifically when discussing the best time to begin his experience of the human world with some of his friends. Kuroko had been alive long enough to know the basics of human language (he spoke several due to the increasingly globalized nature of athletic competitions) and social customs; but he didn't know how to communicate first memories. Kuroko had such a vast store of information about athletes and competitions throughout the millennia that he had wanted to ensure he could properly portray his first infatuation with this sport. He'd decided the best way would be to experience it with the mind and psyche of a young boy rather than with the appreciation of the connoisseur he'd become through the centuries.

Kuroko could feel his consciousness settling between his memories as a shadow and his identity as a human. He had wanted his plan to proceed as authentically as possible, but he'd acknowledged he'd also have to retain awareness of his past to avoid distraction from his goals. Because of that, he hadn't enacted a complete separation; rather his mind was organized along lazily shifting layers. The majority of his presence was aligned to be Kuroko Tetsuya, the fifth grade student about to fall in love with basketball, yet a significant amount was reserved as the shadow guardian that had too much at stake to risk otherwise.

As the teams were introduced by the announcers, Kuroko couldn't help but smile. Neither of these teams had one of his master's explosive prodigies, but they each had decent amounts of the more subtle gifts that made a match unpredictable. He could see glimmers of Seidai Myojin's influence in the battle-hardened eyes of the captains; the two men were both formidable strategists with the talent to rally their teams in times of need. These were some of the best games to watch because barring a serious injury or unforeseen circumstance; they were just as much up to the quality of team spirit as they were to the physical skills of the players. He recognized both as strong teams, their awareness of each other's expertise and appreciation for the upcoming contest meant he needn't feign his interest.

Almost without meaning to, Kuroko found himself leaning forward to better observe the athletes. He knew the technical aspects of the game but it didn't lessen his true appreciation of their artistry. These weren't prodigies, they were experts, and their precision was of a level he'd call beautiful even with the brutal edges that were inherent to so many forms of athletic competition.

As the game progressed, Kuroko remembered why he'd asked to oversee this sport over five decades ago. It imbued so much of what he loved about Japanese athletics through the centuries; the graceful moves around the court called to mind the legacy of traditional Japanese dancing; their steals and blocks hinted at martial arts and the proud traditions of the ancient hunters. He saw the feints and parries of sword play and kendo in their dodges, the sportsmanship alongside the dedicated intensity reminded him of honorable ninjas and samurai, and the huddles during time outs became counsels of war that would have made any imperial general proud. Basketball hadn't been invented in Japan, but it had taken on a character that made for a more than worthy legacy of the values and techniques he and his colleagues had so carefully cultivated over time.

When it was over Kuroko's hands itched to find a basketball and begin testing himself. He considered his options. He had a child's body and he knew he would have the skill of an absolute beginner. It was an intentional result of how he'd chosen to proceed, but in the back of his mind Kuroko knew it would be unfamiliar to be so amateurish. He was an ambassador of the protector of sports after all, in both his shadow and normal human form he was more than able to demonstrate mastery in any sport he wished. But he hadn't chosen this task for his own glory, he had purposefully taken the harder path and he was resigned to the consequences.

With that in mind, Kuroko left his house and went in search of a street court. He soon found one and at the invitation of the other children already there, he began to play. It was a joyously chaotic experience. He was uncoordinated and unskilled, but he was having fun as he worked to gain familiarity with the demands of his body and the experience of playing this way. The others teased him, but it was not mean-spirited and he found a mentor in the form of one boy named Ogiwara Shigehiro. The brown haired boy was friendly and enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge with Kuroko, and the shadow spirit recognized one of the generalized talents that would be awakened in him. Ogiwara was not a prodigy, but he would be an excellent motivator for his teammates and his cheerfulness would counter many a demoralized athlete having an off day.

Weeks passed in this way, with Kuroko and Ogiwara meeting to play basketball with an ever-rotating supply of neighborhood children. Kuroko knew that even though he was improving, he was far below the level he'd need to gain access to the Kiseki no Sedai. But he persevered and formed a genuine friendship with the brunette that so freely shared his time and talents with Kuroko. He felt sincere regret when Ogiwara told him one day that he was moving away. Kuroko hadn't formed a lasting attachment to a human in a long time; it was an unhappy reminder of the potential pain associated with becoming too involved in their lives. But he was cheered by their promise to compete against one another in middle school.

The day Kuroko entered Teiko middle school as a student; he felt a renewed sense of purpose. He knew the five prodigies would be there and that soon his task would begin in earnest. As he walked around the campus engrossed in his book, another long-standing delight he'd discovered in the human realm at some point in his past, he caught glimpses of them and knew that while their connected fates had many possible outcomes, there was only one in which he was interested. They had far too much to offer to grow bored with their gifts and he would fight with that in mind.

When the day for basketball tryouts finally arrived, it was with no little chagrin that Kuroko found himself on the third string. Teiko's strength was outstanding even before the arrival of the four prodigies that joined the team that day; he was not proficient enough to be ranked any higher. Four prodigies…Kuroko looked at them curiously, who was missing? It took a moment to search his memories before he realized the golden haired one wasn't present. He wasn't terribly worried; the events would play out in accordance with the original storyline before he decided to meddle, so it must be that the blonde joined at a later point. As he surveyed the four young talents that had earned a spot on the first string, he felt his human mind experience both discouragement and amazement; it was a curious feeling to be so genuinely impressed while aware of one's own lack of talent. His shadow spirit side rejoiced to see them like this – it was a unique opportunity he'd carved out for himself.

They were confident, as they'd been when he first saw them. But their eyes weren't jaded yet and they seemed…lighter, somehow. Even the purple-haired giant that looked so sleepy seemed more content. During the tryouts they'd all moved with energy and purpose, their limbs had conveyed their potential strength and unconsciously the lines of their bodies spoke of the freedom they felt while playing. Each of them had different motivations for taking up the game, but Kuroko knew that beneath the specifics, was a shared sense of feeling truly comfortable with themselves that they could indulge while they played this game.

Practices were draining, but he kept at them. Despite his lack of advancement in the team's ranking, Kuroko knew he couldn't give up at this early juncture. Kuroko asked the coach if he might stay late for extra sessions and permission was granted. He had been exchanging letters with Ogiwara to stay apprised of the other's progress and was pleased his friend had made the team at Meiko middle school. He had several promises to keep and it went against his nature to not pursue his goals wholeheartedly.

It wasn't until the evening Aomine was bored enough to check out the rumors of a ghost in the third string gym that Kuroko actually spoke with one of the Kiseki no Sedai. He was amused when Aomine thought he was a ghost, it wasn't quite true of course, but it wasn't that far from reality either. It was part of the condition of being human for one of his kind, while he could forcibly amplify his presence, it was not worth the energy to do so in most cases, and it meant he was usually difficult to notice.

"Please don't hurt me! I meant no disrespect!" It was a little disconcerting to hear the fear in the usually confident voice, but the situation was a bit unusual, Kuroko knew.

"Aomine-kun, why are you here?"

"Huh? How do you know who I am?" He quickly lost his earlier uncertainty and the dark blue eyes were taking in the figure before him with no small amount of curiosity.

"You're Aomine-kun, you are on the first string, and everyone knows who you are."

"Who are you then? And why are you in here so late?"

After Kuroko explained who he was and why he was there, Aomine was impressed by his commitment and they agreed to practice together from then on. It was an interesting experience for both of them. Kuroko had to give everything he had to keep up with the speed and intricacy of the darker teen's plays, while Aomine was continually on guard against the indomitable spirit in the other's eyes. Kuroko couldn't really match him, but if he wasn't careful, the smaller teen could catch him unawares by anticipating his route or managing to distract him just enough to make the shot more difficult. More than anything, he appreciated how Kuroko didn't give up even with the obvious difference in their skill levels.

This was what Kuroko wanted to preserve in Aomine and the others. Aomine was patient even as he was demanding; he tried to help Kuroko develop and there were some noticeable changes. His stamina improved, and he acquired a deep familiarity with the tricky and improvised movements that so characterized Aomine's style of basketball. It was gratifying to experience, it was one of the more difficult gifts his master could bestow and even at this early stage, Aomine had a fluid mastery that made it seem laughably easy, until you tried to stop him.

Selfishly, Kuroko enjoyed having this opportunity to watch Aomine's gifts develop while he still enjoyed the game. He also felt that he was getting better with forced endurance and strategy drills that resulted from their training. So it was with utter shock that he heard the third-string coach suggest he quit because of his poor performances. He couldn't help his disappointment but Aomine unexpectedly came to his rescue.

"Tetsu, I can't promise you'll make it if you keep trying. But if you give up, you'll have nothing. I don't think you're useless, that can't be true of someone that works so hard. Let's keep working at it, we'll find something only you can do and one day we'll be on the court together."

Although Kuroko had no intention of quitting, he was still incredibly touched by this show of support- it was such a marked difference from the future he'd seen when this person became isolated by his own talent. It was at that moment the door to the gym opened and in walked Akashi, flanked by Midorima and Murasakibara. Kuroko looked at them curiously; it was odd for them to be in this building.

"So this is where you've been, Aomine?" The question was uttered in tones so self-assured that even Kuroko, a spirit with centuries of experience and a great deal of authority himself, took note of the leadership that seemed bred into the very bones of the speaker. He looked again and he saw something fascinating; the redhead had the potential for two unique gifts from the kami's blessing. That was extremely rare; Kuroko hadn't encountered this since the 1700s.

"Eh? Yeah, we've been practicing together."

"Together…?" Akashi's eyes swept the gym before settling on Kuroko; while he clearly hadn't noticed the smaller teen before, he did not have the usual reaction of fear or surprise. He looked merely interested.

And in this manner, Kuroko came to the attention of Akashi Seijuro; the eventual captain of the Kiseki no Sedai. The redhead observed him play for a while and dangled the lure of using his lack of presence to become a valuable member of the team. Kuroko immediately knew he was referring to misdirection, but as a mortal, he would have to actually work to perfect this technique rather than rely on the shadows themselves to aid him. It was an intriguing notion and while it took him a few months to master it, he made sufficient progress to be able to impress both Akashi and Nijimura, the current middle school captain.

Aomine was happy for him and they went to celebrate with ice cream at the convenience store, a habit they'd long ago established in their evolving friendship. Kuroko didn't have much of an appetite as a human, but ice cream was definitely something he found deliciously revitalizing and he was always pleased when the opportunity to have it arose.

Kuroko was tired, but pleased. It was draining being in the mortal realm for such extended periods and even his reserves were getting low. He needed to recharge in the shadow realm among the kami before much longer had passed; if for no other reason than he would soon be given a trial run at the first string competition and needed to do well. He was looking forward to his first game with the starting squad; it would give him a better sense of how their talents would develop at their current rate. Kuroko considered his schedule and decided he would make a trip home in the morning, at the same time he renewed his energy levels, he could report to his master. He fell asleep with the thought that he still hadn't met the blond prodigy yet and that it would not be ill-advised to check with one of his staff to see what the blond had been up to while he was in the other realm...