Chapter 1: Verschwunden
Kagami Taiga tapped his foot impatiently, crossing his arms as he sat on his respective seat on his class. The roll call was starting, as the homeroom teacher started to state the student's names and they either replied a short, "Here" or "Present", if not, they would raise their hand as an indication.
And for a week and a half, the teacher stated the same name over and over again, before stopping and displaying an expression of understanding, scribbling on the attendance sheet afterwards. That name was his teammate's and shadow's—Kuroko Tetsuya.
The red-head gnawed on his gums, looking intently on the teal-head's seat in which was turning cold due to the fact that no one had sat over there the day after the Winter Cup. 'Just where the heck is Kuroko? Did something happen to him?'
"Okay, let's begin." The teacher placed the attendance sheet on the teacher's desk and initiated a very boorish lesson.
His pair of crimson hues settled on the gray-tainted sky outside, a palm cupping his cheek in the sheer boredom of it, and pondered that maybe, visiting the phantom player after class wouldn't hurt. Pure white hollow snow started to dance its way to the ground, 'I guess I should tell the rest of the Seirin team or those idiots from the Generation of Miracles.'
The Seirin tiger heaved a sigh, 'This will be a long hectic day.' He presumed.
After the bell that stipulated that the classes for the day were ending, Kagami was met by screams of joy as he rubbed his eyes followed with a long yawn, 'Damn, I fell asleep.' He then proceeded to fetch his bag and plodded towards the basketball gym where the rest of the team was at.
"Hey," He greeted none too enthusiastically as he opened the door with a rigid hand. What he didn't expect though, was to find no one, except for the female coach and their captain on the gym. Kagami blinked once, then twice.
"Err—where's everyone?" He asked, his attention paid on his two seniors while he trudged towards them.
"Ah, there's no practice today, Kagami-kun." The female coach, Aida Riko, informed with a bright smile. This made Kagami a bit intrigued, because as far as he could remember, there was no event or anything important going on after all. "Why's that?"
This time, it was the dark-haired captain, Hyuuga Junpei, who answered the returnee's question, "It's an official Seirin rest day. Let's just say that you get to rest for a whole day and the remaining days of the school year would be pure hell."
Kagami visibly paled at this. 'So much for a rest day. At least make it a week or something.'
"Are you going to head home immediately or maybe go to Maji Burger first?" The female looked at him expectantly while tucking analysis papers on her bag and zipping it.
"I'm thinking of heading to Maji Burger first and visit the idiot who's been absent for a week and a half. I was intending to ask if any of you would like to come, but from the looks of it, most can't. How about you, seniors? Do you want to tag along?"
The brunette coach merely directed him an apologetic smile and leisurely shook her head, "As much as we'd like to go, we still have things to attend on our end over here."
"Give Kuroko our regards. And tell him to attend school soon or I'll drag his ass back here." Hyuuga added playfully, but the gleam on his eyes told otherwise, which made Kagami shiver on behalf of his friend.
"Got it, I'll tell the slacker those very same words." The red-head then briskly stalked towards the door, waving a hand and the usual," I'll see you all tomorrow." and closing the door behind him without as much as glancing back at his captain and his coach who were having an intense conversation about how they should three-fold the basketball practices.
Kagami entered the Maji Burger casually and trotted towards the cashier, "Twenty-five burgers, please. And one large soda."
The female cashier skeptically nodded her head before collecting the red-haired's not-so-natural order. It was by then that he heard someone scoff just behind him, " A large helping as usual, huh?"
He turned his head and was met by the green-haired shooting guard of Shutoku High's stern expression. His emerald eyes beyond his black-framed glasses were staring squarely at the widening pair of blazing crimson.
"Geh—Why the hell are you here, Midorima?" Kagami managed to utter in mild astonishment as the green-headed fixed his glasses with a bandaged hand, retorting with a," This is a fast-food restaurant. Are you expecting that you're the only one who eats here?"
The red-head could only growl at his blunt and none-delicate answer as he was offered a tray with his orders in it. A sharp yet hoarse voice then invaded his ears that sounded very much like an, 'Oh! It's Kagamicchi and Midorimacchi!'
Kagami inwardly sighed. 'Great. Just great.' He didn't need to look at the shooting guard to figure out that he was pinching his temple to cease the wave of headache that came over after hearing the shrill.
He could see the familiar blonde stand up from his seat and wave a hand at them, "Here! Over here!" The blonde, who was none other than Kise Ryouta, beamed at them, his pair of golden hues was sending them an unspoken message that says to sit over to where he was sitting at.
The returnee could hear Midorima ordering red bean soup and was slightly amazed that they serve something like that on the place before he trudged towards the enthusiastic Kaijou High's small forward's table and place the tray that harbored a mountain of burgers.
"You really are a big eater, Kagamicchi! I knew that you frequent this restaurant but to think that I'd actually have a chance to meet you!" The blonde flopped down in his seat, palm settling for his fries and started munching it, his gaze never leaving Midorima.
Midorima, on the other hand, was about to head to an opposite table before he was disrupted by a, "Hey, I saw that, Midorimacchi! Don't be shy and sit over here will you?"
The shooter could do nothing but indignantly sigh at the offer that he so wanted to escape but knows either way that his efforts would be futile. He practically stomped all the way to the table before pushing his tray in and sat down in a dignified manner.
"Boo! You're being so mean again, Midorimacchi! It must be some kind of fate that the three of us met here, y'know! Don't be so anti-social!" Kise childishly whined and Midorima wanted nothing but to pluck the blonde's head in hopes to make him stop running his mouth off. The red-head could only shake his head in hopelessness. He wasn't expecting to be roped in this!
"Shut up for a while and let me enjoy my red bean soup, will you?" Midorima stated unrelentingly as he took a small snip from the bowl.
When Kise was about to grumble once again, Kagami cut him off with a "He gets what you mean, okay? Just continue eating or I'm going to shovel those foods you ordered down your throat forcefully."
"Harsh! That's harsher than Midorimacchi! My heart is broken, Kagamicchi!" Kise clutched his heart dramatically and Kagami could guess that they've made quite a commotion because strangely (or not) he could feel piercing glares stabbing him at the back and he could mostly guess that it all came from girls.
"Just shut up. Why are you here again?" Kagami asked, a bit pissed off as of now. The blonde rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "To eat?"
"I reckon this must be your new hiding place. But those annoying girls that are currently giving us the death stare won't let you achieve that anyway." Midorima bit his burger with closed eyes and the blonde copy cat could only hang his head with his shoulders slumped.
The returnee felt sorry, really, but he certainly doesn't want to experience what it is that Kise went through.
"Well at least, I got to meet both of you here. By the way, I know that Kagamicchi is always mass eating burgers here but I didn't know that you eat here too, Midorimacchi."
"Their new-product is this red bean soup I'm currently busying myself right now. They have advertised it to be very flavorful and I must say that they are right on their words." Midorima responded, switching from his burger to his red bean soup.
The copy cat could only nod in understanding. "Yep, no surprise there. Sounds very like you, Midorimacchi. Now that I thought about it, where's Kurokocchi, Kagamicchi? He also frequents this restaurant doesn't he? Because it sells his favorite milk shake."
His question managed to freeze Kagami from taking another huge bite from his burger, which of course, didn't went unnoticed by his fellow basketball players who have trained their eyes to see a fast moving object (namely, the ball) in the court.
"What's wrong?" Midorima asked, a few scenarios for the bluenette's absence being planted in his mind.
"Well you see, I haven't seen him since that day on the Winter cup." Kise's eyes widened at the information as he abruptly stood up with his palms slamming the table. Midorima had a much cooler exterior. He wasn't the type of guy to be swayed easily but he found it odd though, that it was uncharacteristic of the phantom player to be absent for so long. The bluenette might have a low presence but he wasn't irresponsible enough to skip school.
"W-what? He hasn't been attending classes? How about basketball practices? You really didn't meet him anywhere? How about texting him or calling him?" The copy cat looked at the red-head owlishly, unbelieving and in a state of panic. "Wait, maybe something happened to him! I'm gonna make a call to Aominecchi or Momocchi!" He then fished his phone in his pocket and started dialing numbers.
"I still haven't finished talking yet…"
"Why? Is there something more that we must know?" The shooting guard eyed the returnee after finishing gulping down the red bean soup he ordered.
"I'm gonna go find out his reason later. Sort of a visit." He quickly explained and Kise stopped on his track, hearing the red-head's words. "I'm going with you!"
"Do what you like. The more, the merrier, anyway." Kagami simply shrugged. The blonde looked like he was prepared for a persuasion speech but after the short reply, his facial expression brightened, "Yay! I'll inform Aominecchi and Momocchi that we'll end up visiting! I'm positive those two would like to go as well! And you're going too, Midorimacchi!"
"You have to be kidding me," Midorima spat, "I don't have as much free time as you fools—"
"That's an okay from Midorimacchi—"
"—Do not obstruct me whilst speaking, you idiot—"
"—So that makes five of us! Wow, this is so exciting! As far as I can recall, I haven't stepped foot even once on Kurokocchi's house!"
Kagami crumpled the last wrapper of burger he devoured. "I guess I have to buy more burgers, huh?" He mused mostly to himself. Maybe his hunger would be sated before the Tōō Academy's power forward and coach would arrive.
"I beseech thou to return to where thou formally belong," Akashi walked in a steady pace, unsheathing his *nodachi as he continued his chant, "On abira un ken; bazara daito—" He then swung his sword forward, slashing through the huge and monstrous abomination of screeching *yokai in front of him, "—dan!" The screeching immediately died down and the people who were trying to support the Akashi heir could only gape at him in sheer awe.
"Are these all the demons prowling by the grounds?" The red-head queried his fellow onmyouji, only to be answered by a stuttered, "Y-yes!"
Akashi nodded in acknowledgement," Very well. Inform me immediately if another break loose. I'll forthwith deal with it." He then ambled towards the exit of the *Fushimi Inari Shrine, the footsteps made by the tapping of his wooden sandals were as tranquil as the crisp winter wind.
"Amazing, Seijuro-sama is really one of a kind!"
"Of course, he is the heir of the Akashi's! And Akashi's are the direct descendants of the great *Abe no Seimei!"
"Even us, fellow Onmyouji, couldn't handle that monstrosity! And Seijuro-sama defeated it with just a *Dainichi Nyorai chant. Maybe he's the rumored reincarnation of Abe no Seimei himself!"
"I wouldn't doubt if that was the case. Seijuro-sama is perfect in every way and angle after all!"
The nature's breath carried the hushed whispers of the onmyouji lot towards the red-head's ears as he could only grip his sword tightly. He might have worn a composed ambience but he certainly wasn't unfazed by their words. 'It's not me.'
"Seijuro."
Akashi snapped from his reverence, and in front of him was the man who he called father. Dark crimson hair, a pair of golden squinted hues, a sly smile that graced his lips, a vile aura that coated his very being—Akashi Senjuro.
"Forgive my lack of attention, father." Akashi promptly apologized and he didn't give his reason because he knew that his explanation would basically be pointless.
His father chuckled in mirth as he sauntered pass Akashi, heading inside the shrine, "Your previous action might cause your death if you weren't careful enough, Seijuro."
"I am very well aware, father." Akashi replied as he went down the stairs, his father's figure behind him slowly disappearing. The red-haired onmyouji gritted his teeth, 'The reincarnation is not me. It's that monster in a human skin. A monster far worse than any demons. Akashi Senjuro.'
The dusk was an extravagance of vibrant orange, painted with a dull yellow and magenta, as it stretched over the horizon. The field of pure white lilies was as lithe and as supple as they looked as it surrounded a small building of ivory no more used than a place to drink tea.
The bluenette, who was inside the building, was lethargically pressing his cheek on the cold glass table as he stared at the lilies in full bloom, "I want to drink milkshake." He then drew a heavy sigh of despair. 'How did I manage to get in this situation in the first place?'
"I never thought that you would also get stuck here." A voice called out and Kuroko didn't bother to look up who it was. The voice was clear enough for identification.
"I could say the same for you. I presumed you were smart enough to foresee that the Demon Lords are desperate enough to drag us all back here and shut the demon gate so they could verify who is suited most for the Interim Overlord position." The phantom player retorted dryly, his patience running thin.
"Even demons have to sleep too, y'know. Lord Satan especially, since he hadn't even slept a wink these past millenniums. So? Who are you going to vote for?"
This time, Kuroko lifted his head to look at the owner of said voice; his pair of darkening icy blue confronting the pair of turquoise squinted hues that were hidden beyond those pitch black eyelashes, "I won't; I plan to be a neutral party."
"You understand that neutrality won't work this time, right? Out of billions of existing demons, only the Sixty-eight of us are chosen to vote for the possible candidates of the Interim Overlord. What do you think if some of those sixty-eight won't vote and initiate a neutral party instead?" The man pulled out a chair out of nowhere and sat opposite to the bluenette.
"I'm not interested. If you manage to convince me, who are you going to recommend? Better yet, who it is that you picked?" The bluenette's stoic expression stayed intact, but the curiosity laced in his question was conspicuous enough for the other.
"Truthfully speaking, I have no interest either, Tet-chan. The one who has the upper hand right now is King Beelzebub, though, if you consider the number of those belonging to the sixty-eight who voted for him. Prince Azazel has three of the Six Chief Gods of Hell voting for him so I wouldn't say that he is on the losing side either. Lady Astaroth, on the other hand…"
Kuroko raised a brow at the sudden pause, burying in the back of his mind of what he was addressed earlier, "What about Lady Astaroth?"
"She—Well, It's just a rumor. It was said that she allied himself with a human; not just any, but a powerful human."
The phantom sixth man kept his mouth shut, gesturing for the other to continue, grasping that the other was yet to be finished.
"That powerful human is said to be the reincarnation of Abe no Seimei himself. You know where this is leading, right?" The other briefed, his smile twitching in a despondent manner.
The stoic countenance that the bluenette wore dissolved and was replaced by a startled one, "A-are you saying that—"
"Exactly. Damn it, the son already made me cry on the Semi-finals, now the dad plans on taking over hell and thus, making me miserable? That is not funny!" The demon exclaimed in anguish, clutching his heart to show that he wanted no more.
"You overreact too much, Takao-kun. It's still not confirmed that Lady Astaroth indeed joined forced with Akashi Senjuro, right?"
The demon, now known as none other than as Shutoku's point guard Takao Kazunari, leaned his folded arms on the table and rested his head, losing hope over the very idea that yes, the Akashi family would be the end of him. "I wish that was the case and it's Prince Orobas, Tet-chan."
"It's Marquis Scox, Orobas-kun. And you haven't answered my previous question as to who your pick would be." Kuroko stated as a matter of fact and a low groan emitted from the back of Takao's throat.
"It's King Beelzebub, Scox-chan. He is the closest to Lord Satan and is his half-brother, so I betcha he knows how to lead. Prinze Azazel would ease the hell of violence though, since he's so uptight like Shin-chan. And Lady Astaroth—yeah, sure, she's a beaut." Takao half-heartedly informed, his sharp eyes fixed on the sea of lilies.
"Do you have a grudge towards Lady Astaroth since you sound so bitter compared to when you talk about Prince Azazel or King Beelzebub? Or maybe you still haven't gotten over the fact that she dumped you and still has many men for her disposal?"
Takao spluttered at the Marquis' unforgiving words, "O-of course not!" He stuttered, "I have already gotten over! That was thousands of years ago!"
"Sure." was the short reply that reeked of not believing any of the point guard's excuses.
The prince exhaled in exhaustion, knowing that once the other had decided what to believe, he will not relent. "By the way, when did you get here? I just returned yesterday myself and sadly, got stuck."
"You're still lucky, Orobas-kun. I returned a week and a half ago, or rather, after the Winter cup, since Sargatanas decided to pay the Akashi's a visit, or so my butler informed me, and in my case, curiosity killed the cat."
"Seirin must be worried. Maybe even Shin-chan. And as I know, Sargatanas is an avid supporter of Lady Astaroth, as quiet as he may be, so it isn't really a surprise. Wait. Does this mean that Lady Astaroth really joined forces with Akashi Senjuro?"
"Maybe? That's the least of my concern as of now. All I want to do right now is return to the human realm and drink milkshake."
"You're so unaffected; it's starting to scare me! I want to get out of here too. If I stay here for a long period, the background of my human counterpart will diminish and be reduced to dust." The Shutoku player threw his arms in the air childishly, and Kuroko could only shake his head.
"As I remember, you have a mother, father and a younger sister, right? You should have brought a demon servant to prevent that."
" I know. But it's as if I feel that if I do bring one, I would have the same feeling I had when I stayed here. Let's just say, I wanted to be alone for a while." Takao's fingers intertwined in the back of his head, his gaze now set in the ceiling.
"I feel the same, but I thought that I ought to be careful."
"I just want to ask, since you're one of the intelligent demons out there," Takao started which instantly made the Marquis' attention fixated on him," With the demon gate closed shut, how many ways do you have in mind concerning about getting out of here?"
Kuroko's eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly, his brick-like facial expression unaltered," Out of a few hundred? None. There's one, but very unlikely in our case."
"Hmm.. So what's that 'one', then?" The Shutoku's Hawk eye persisted and Kuroko could only find himself responding, "Being summoned back there by a human. The 'human' in consideration would either be a conjurer, exorcist, or maybe an onmyouji and we'll end up in a position where we have to follow the human's orders."
*nodachi (野太刀, field sword) - a type of long, traditionally made Japanese sword (nihonto) used by the samurai class of feudal Japan.
*yokai (妖怪, ghost, phantom, strange apparition) - a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore.
*Fushimi Inari Shrine/ Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社) - the head shrine of Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
*Abe no Seimei (安倍の晴明) - an onmyōji, a leading specialist of onmyōdō during the middle of the Heian Period in Japan.
*Dainichi Nyorai - thecentral deity of Esoteric Buddhism.
NOTE: THE DEMONS MENTIONED IN THIS FIC ARE EXISTING ONES, MOST BELONG TO THE SEVENTY-TWO LESSER KEYS OF SOLOMON,OR YET CALLED, ARS GOETIA AND THE OTHERS ARE HIGH-RANKING DEMONS WORTH MENTIONING.
「Sargatanas」
Rank: Brigadier Major
Sargatanas is directly under Astaroth's command. He can open all locks and transport anyone anywhere through Astral Projection. He confers invisibility and bestows skill at lovemaking.
His subordinate demons are: Loray, Valefor and Forail.
「Behemoth」
Rank: Night Watchman
Behemoth presides over all of the feasts and parties in hell.
「Scox」
Also called Shax or Chax
Zodiac Position: 5-9 degrees of Scorpio
October 28th-November 1st
Tarot Card: 5 of Cups
Planet: Mars/Pluto
Candle Color: Black
Plant: Purslane
Metal: Iron/Plutonium
Element: Water
Rank: Marquis
Shax is a Night Demon and rules 30 legions of spirits.
Shax can cause one to become deaf, dumb or blind and can take away understanding. He can take money or possessions and reveal the way to stolen property or hidden things. He provides good familiars and will transport anything.
「Orobas」
Zodiac Position: 0-4 degrees of Capricorn
December 22nd-26th
Tarot Card: 2 of Pentacles
Planet: Saturn
Metal: Lead
Plant: Broom
Candle color: Orange
Element: Earth
Rank: Prince
Orobas is a Night Demon and rules 20 legions of spirits
Orobas answers questions and gives one power and control over others. He protects one from the persecution of evil spirits and also from one's enemies. He will put a stop to slander and gossip. He can foretell the future, and discern the past and present.
「Beelzebub」
BEELZEBUB is also known as BAALZEBUB, ENLIL, BEL, "PIR BUB"* BAAL ZEBUL and BEELZEBUTH
He is also known as the Goetic Demon "BAEL"
Zodiac Position: 0-4 Degrees of Aries
March 21st-25th *[March 21-30]
Tarot Card: 2 of Rods [From Azazel]
Candle color: Black
Plant: Fern
Planet: Sun [From Azazel]
Metal: Iron *[Gold]
Element of Fire
Rank: King
Bael is a Day Demon and rules over 66 legions of spirits.
Beelzebub is best known as the God of the Philistines, He ruled over the city of Ekron. He is second in command to Satan. The Ancient Philistines worshiped Him under the name "Baalzebub." Beelzebub is "Lord over all that Flies". Wherever he was worshipped, he was known as God of the weather and meteorology. He also controlled the airways when the Nephilim came to Earth. His name was perverted by the Hebrews to mean "Lord of the Flies."
「Azazel」
AZAZEL aka ZAZEL, SAMYAZA, SAMYAZAZEL, SHAMGAZ, SHEMYAZA, SHAMYAZA, SHEMIHAZAH, SHAMASH (Babylonian), UTU (Sumerian; The Shining One),* SAMAS (Akkadian), BABBAR (Sumerian), Ashur (Assyrian), SHAMIYAH (Hathra), SEMJAZA
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn/Aquarius (both 1-10 degrees)
Tarot Card: Ace of Swords
Planet: Saturn, the Lunar South Node (Dragon's Tail)
Candle Color: Blue, Black
Metal: Lead
Element of Air
Symbols: The Eagle and the Scorpion; the Faravahar (see below)
Number: 20
Rank: Chief Standard Bearer of the Infernal Army
Azazel works directly with Satan
He is in charge of top security in Hell.
「Astaroth」
She was known to the Canaanites as ASTARTE, to the Sumerians, she was known as INANNA, to the Babylonians, she was known as ISHTAR to the Assyrians and the Akkadians, ASHTART, ASHTORETH, ASHERAH, and ASTORETH, to the Egyptians, ISIS, ASHET AND ASET, to the Phoenicians, she was known as TANIT-ASHTART and ASHTAROTH. Her Ugaritic name was ANAT.
Zodiac Position: 10-20 degrees of Capricorn
December 31st-January 9th
Tarot Card: 3 of Pentacles (Azazel told me the Ace of Cups)
Planet: Venus
Candle Color: Brown or Green
Animal: Cobra or Viper
Metal: Copper
Element of Earth
Rank: Grand Duke of the Western Regions of Hell; Crowned Princess
Astaroth is a Guidance Councilor for both Demons and humans. She deals in mostly human affairs
Astaroth rules 40 legions of spirits and is a Day Demoness
Astaroth is also The Treasurer of Hell
Author's Note: YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! I never expected a lot of favorites, follows and reviews by the time I returned! Most of the reviews are asking for AkaKuro/KuroAka so I thought, why not? They're my OTP anyway, it won't hurt. Once again, thanks a lot!
黒子のバスケ© Tadatoshi Fujimaki