Kuroko, even though he didn't show it, was in awe. Was that unique group of people what others referred to as the basketball prodigies called Generation of Miracles? Five teenagers who, be in a conscious course of actions or an unconscious one, managed to destroy their peers' dreams just by playing a sport?

(Kuroko enjoys basketball, not as much as his 'friend' Kagami is enamoured with it; but the thought of using something pure as the fondness of a sport is terrifying. The mind who came up with such concept is a terrifying one, indeed.)

"Akashi." he hears the tanned one, Aomine, if he recalls correctly, speak, snapping him out of his trance. "Are you sure he's the right one? It's another thing to not look like the thing and another not to act it at all."

Midorima started cleaning his glasses, as though something offensive got caught up in them. "I agree with the idiot for once, nanodayo."

A joyful chuckle, most uncharacteristic of the redhead reached his ears. It was the kind he'd expect from Kise rather than Akashi.

"I've never been a bad judge of character in the fifteen years I'm alive. What makes you think I'd be wrong with Tetsuya, Daiki?" he asked, but his choice of words was such that it left no way for a reply.

Seijuro took a step backwards so he could take a better look of the five at the same time. "Daiki, Ryota, Shintarou, and Atsushi. You are dismissed for now. You may stay the night or leave whenever you wish. I will send you Tetsuya's contact information, as well as hand him yours. I hope there are no objections to it."

"It's a drag going back to Tokyo now, anyways." Murasakibara muttered, walking out. "Hey, Aka-chin, I can borrow the kitchen, right?"

"I need sometime away from you imbeciles." Midorima all but whispered, eyeing Aomine and Kise mostly. "If you need me, Akashi, I'll be in the library."

"I'm tired, so I'll be going to sleep." Aomine announced to no one in particular.

"Me too!" was Kise's enthousiastic reply. "I have a photoshoot tomorrow morning, so I'll need to get up early!"

Akashi nodded in reply, seemingly giving them permission to do what they wanted to and, when they were finally gone, he turned his full attention to Kuroko, giving him a seemingly innocent smile.

(It obviously wasn't one.)

He could see the redhead was planning on talk to him, however, a phone ringing interrupted him, to which he let out an irritated sigh. His gaze turned to Kuroko, who nodded, seemingly allowing him to pick up the phone.

"Sei-chan!" the person on the other side of the line called. "What are you ignoring my calls for? Really now. If I didn't know you, I'd say you're turning into the old man! Well, Ei-chan seems to think that."

"Don't compare me with Father, Reo."

"I know, I know~" he heard the person on the other side of the line laughing mirthfully. "You're too much like Shiori, both in appearance, and in personality. Well, both your parents have that stubbornness in them, no? It's only natural you'd be the same."

It was obvious to Kuroko that the younger was beyond irritated. "And what exactly brought Mother into this conversation?"

"Well, that's one of the main reasons I called. The old man wants you to find the new Empress soon instead of continuing acting like her."

"He has no right!" the teenager yelled in frustration. "Empress, above all, was my mother! If he didn't want me to deal with her business then he shouldn't have tried to bed her in the first place! Save us all from the trouble he caused!"

He spared a glance towards Tetsuya, before resuming his talk, calmer than he was only a few seconds ago. "I've found someone with the potential of becoming Empress. However, until they're ready to assume the role to the fullest, I'll continue to it."

"I see. Well, it's only right, after all." the person on the other side of the line agreed. "Oh, and Sei-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Please be careful."

"You too, Reo. We'll meet soon." he gave a promise, and ended the call, fully focusing on his guest. "There are quite a lot of questions in your mind." he observed, receiving a nod as a reply to something that wasn't a question in the first place.

"Your mother, was she...?"

He was faced with a pure, somewhat innocent smile that could remind one of a child caught in causing mischief. "I expected you to be familiar with the title of Empress, Tetsuya. And yes, she was my mother." he paused for what it seemed to be an attempt at adding dramatic effect.

"When she was alive, my mother was in head of Japan's underworld. And you will receive her place."

(chapter end)

Heehee, sorry for the delayed chapter! I hope you enjoyed it, as well Reo's appearance! Reo is trully precious to me, okay?

Emperor Eye be damned, I'm not sure where exactly and how to get there with this story (of course I love working on it), so I thought I'll make it official that updates will be irregular. Unlike For the world we dream that, I started toying with that idea on April (during akakuro week, if I had to be precise), and started writing it on May, this came up seemingly out of nowhere. Almost nothing is planned, or stands on solid ground.

And I know I said there'll be no pairing, and I'll stay true to that. There will be, however, a lot of interaction between Akashi and Kuroko.

I think I mentioned how this is actually part of an AU list? Well, we're currently at 155 AUs, and I thought I could make it an AU challenge out of it.

This is the list: chibified/journal/2257047/100-Days-of-Basketball-Idiots-KuroBasu-AUs-masterlist/ You can choose one by either picking a number or choosing one AU you like, suggest a character/pairing and I'll give it a shot at writing it. I hope this one will be a trip both of us will enjoy!

As always, thank you wonderful reviewers! You make my day when I see you liking this story of mine so much!