Hello again, everyone! I came back quickly this time, haha! You can thank the new dub for Kuroko for that, I watched just the first episode and wrote the next chapter in just about four hours. I plan to watch the entire dub, of course, and so far Kuroko's English VA gets full points from me, he is FANTASTIC. Please go watch it, even if it isn't the same as the sub, it took SEVER YEARS to get this, please help them decide to finish it.

Anyways, onto this chapter! Again, a lot of sudden POV changes that I'm doing my best to keep track of, hopefully it doesn't feel like it's too sudden. And, again, it's a game chapter so hopefully I wrote it okay...

Moving on, thanks to LetTheWorldHonorTheFallen (Thank you, again! I hope you continue to enjoy these boys, and I think you'll really enjoy the next chapter ;)) for reviewing, all 13 followers, 10 favorites and 194 readers!

I think that's everything then...please enjoy!

Chapter 4: Until the End

The entire gym was silent as both teams stared at the grinning Kagami, the shocked Kise and, of course, the pouting Kuroko. And Kuroko could admit he was pouting, but come on, Kagami was treating him like some sort of doll, holding him down and grabbing him by the hair!

Kuroko could hear Hyuuga and Riko whispering in shock at this turn of events, the revelation that Kise's weakness was Kuroko himself.

(But they were overlooking the bigger picture, all of them. Sure, Kise couldn't copy Kuroko, but he couldn't copy a single other Miracle either. And not from a lack of trying either, he just couldn't do it. But there was still a bigger, more fundamental weakness in Kise, in all of them.)

"So?" Kise proposed, smiling confidently at Kagami. By that point, Kuroko had had enough, grabbed Kagami's hand and threw it off his head angrily. "It's true Kurokocchi's style is the only one I can't imitate."

On this court. Kuroko mentally added.

"But what does that change?" Kise asked.

Then a whistle blew.

"End of the first quarter! Take a two minute break!" The referee called out.

Kuroko glanced over at the score briefly. 35-27, in favor of Kaijo.

"It changes everything!" Kagami insisted. "We'll bring you to tears in the second quarter."

Kuroko turned towards Seirin's bench then, feeling Kise's calculating eyes on him. Kise's eyes carried a different weight than anyone else's. With Akashi's eyes, you felt the weight of his expectations. But with Kise's, you felt the weight of him trying to learn how you work and change it to work for himself. Both gazes were calculating and cold at times, but their weights were entirely different.

But that didn't mean either gaze was unwelcome, not to Kuroko. Because to Kuroko, those gazes meant that the two of them saw him and expected many things of him, either standards to meet or to pass on knowledge. And, without fail every time, he did everything he could to meet every expectation they gave him.

The other pieces of himself deserved nothing less than that.

"I see. Yeah, that could work." Riko smiled as they all rested for two minutes, planning their strategy going forward. "Kagami-kun, looks like you finally cooled down."

"No, I was always-" Kagami started to say.

"You were really pissed!" Hyuuga and Izuki cut him off in unison, glaring at the boy. Honestly, Kuroko agreed with them entirely.

"But Kuroko-kun and Kagami-kun, your coordination will be key." Riko stated. "Can you do it?"

"Yeah, probably." Kagami said. "We'll wo-"

That was the moment Kuroko jabbed his fingers into Kagami's side. His cry of pain and subsequent clutching of his side were immensely rewarding. Perhaps this was why Aomine had always thrown a basketball at Kise or Momoi started the tradition of capturing Aomine in a net to get him to every function (one that Midorima happily carried out time and again). The act of hurting someone who constantly teased you as payback was a good feeling.

"You bastard, where did that come from?" Kagami gasped through his pain (huh…perhaps Kuroko jabbed him too hard…oh well).

"You want to beat Kise-kun, don't you?" Kuroko questioned.

That sobered Kagami up and he turned towards the court with a serious expression on his face.

"Of course I do!" Kagami said…right as he jabbed his own fingers into Kuroko's side. Kuroko gasped at the pain…but it wasn't nearly as bad as what he experienced in training at Teiko.

Nothing compared to the torture of Momoi and Akashi's combined training menus. Nothing.

"Well, then." Riko smiled.

"Let the second quarter begin!" The referee yelled.

"Take care of the counter attack!" The coach called out as Kagami and Kuroko led the way back to the court.

"Do it, do it, do it, do it, Kaijo!" The spectators cheered.

"Go! Get them!" Fukuda cheered from the bench.

"Go and get them, Seirin!" Kawahara and Furihata joined Fukuda in cheering then.

And thus, the second quarter began.

Kise started with the ball and made the first dunk of the quarter. Hyuuga, however, managed to return the points scored by scoring a three for Seirin. But then Kise scored once more, leaving the score 39-29 in Kaijo's favor.

Kaijio's defense was man to man and Kise was feeling confident as he marked Kagami. That is, until the captain, Hyuuga, passed to the point guard, Izuki, who then passed to Kagami.

"Something's changed, right?" Kise said. Kagami remained silent before he began to drive across the court. Just another drive? Maybe another fadeaway? Kise thought, trying to pick what the flashy Kagami would most likely do. But then…

Kagami switched the ball from his left hand to his right and passed the ball backwards.

Instantly, Kise realized what was happening, had seen it too many times to not figure it out, but he wasn't prepared to be on the other side of it.

Wasn't prepared for when Kuroko caught and passed the ball around him, straight back to Kagami.

He's coordinating with Kurokocchi!

Kise was so shocked, Kagami was able to pass him and score a lay-up, leaving the score 39-31 in Kaijo's favor.

The next time Kagami had the ball, Kise marked him again, only to watch as Kagami passed the ball again.

Again? It won't work this time! Kise swore. He prepared to charge Kagami, to stop him from scoring-

But that was when he realized he forgot something very important about Kuroko.

Kuroko may not seem like much, but he is as smart as Kise and Akashi and Midorima when it comes to a game. He watches everything he can and uses that knowledge to pass to the best of his ability.

That is why nobody ever knows just where Kuroko's passes go. Because Kuroko decides where they go only at the exact moment the ball touches his palm, after he's examined the entire court and determined the best strategy for his pass.

Kuroko did not pass to Kagami.

He passed to Hyuuga, who shot the ball and-

"Alright! A three pointer!"

"A five point gap!"

39-34, Kaijo's favor.

"No. 4's really going for it." Kobori commented.

"We should be worried about Kagami." Kasamatsu stated. "He and Kuroko have started passing back and forth to each other."

"Kagami's just started passing the ball instead of receiving it." Kobori said. "Does that really change much?

"It changes a whole lot, dumbass!" Kasamatsu scolded. "Kuroko's passing and Kagami's one-on-one were two separate offensive patterns. They only had two options. Now that they pass to each other, they both have more options, making their offense stronger."

The play didn't work every time (there were times where Kagami missed when passing to Kuroko), but it worked enough and as Kise panted for breath, he found anger and excitement sparking in his blood.

This, this, was what happened when two Miracles clashed and for the first time in a long time, Kise wanted to see how this would end, knowing that no matter what happened, it would surprise him.

But that did not mean he was giving up so easily. A Miracle did not give up victory until they had no choice, but to do so.

"Kurokocchi…" Kise ground out, meeting his old instructor's eyes.

"Kise-kun, you're strong." Kuroko stated. "I'm powerless, and Kagami-kun can't stand against you. But when we work together, we have a fighting chance."

"You really have changed, Kurokocchi." Kise stated, staring at the phantom and remembering when he was one of the only people Kuroko passed to. Kuroko accepted nothing, but the best for his partners, and yet he chose this third rate Aomine to help him defeat them all and win the Oath. But Kise just couldn't see why he had to choose people so weak, when Kuroko deserved to play alongside the strongest teams. "We never played basketball like this at Teiko, but you still can't stop me. I will be the winner!"

The battle was not over, not even close. And there was no chance in hell that Kise was going to give up now.

He wouldn't be a Miracle if he gave up now.

"It's true I can't copy your coordination, but since you'll lose your effectiveness after 40 minutes, you'll lose this game in the second half!" Kise declared as he caught the ball and moved.

"Not so fast." Kagami's extremely unwelcome voice said.

"What?" Kise gasped, having not seen this coming, not ever.

Kuroko was marking him.

"Kuroko's on Kise?" Kasamatsu cried.

Kise could hear the other players watching commenting on how they'd only seen Kuroko pass and how he didn't stand a chance.

Ha…if only they knew. This was the boy who taught Kise everything he knew about basketball. Who turned his slight interest in basketball (ignited by Aomine) into a passion for the game and winning in it unlike anything else Kise had ever known. Who helped him find the other parts of his soul, the pieces that turned his shallow, boring world into something bright, brilliant, warm and miraculous.

And this moment, this moment right here, where he finally faced off against one of the six most precious people in his life, was what Kise had been waiting so eagerly for.

If anything could make basketball more than just about winning, it would be this game, this moment, right here.

"I never dreamed we'd play together like this, Kurokocchi." Kise commented.

"Neither did I." Kuroko agreed.

"I don't know what you're up to, but you can't stop me, Kurokocchi!" The copycat affirmed before he drove past Kuroko, only for Kagami to come up and mark him instead, that infuriatingly cocky smile on his face.

"Wrong. We're not gonna stop you." He said.

"We're taking the ball!" The coach, Riko, grinned at the exact moment Kise felt the ball leave his grasp.

What? A back tip! They took advantage of the second I hesitated!

"It doesn't matter how amazingly you play against us." Kagami said as number 5 caught the ball and drove to the other end of the court, leaving Kise staring in disbelief. "We're trying to let you through!"

And the ball went through the hoop, followed by yells of 'nice shot!'

"Damn it, a simple double team would've been better." Kasamatsu cursed.

"I just won't run by you, then." Kise stated as he bounced the ball once more. "No one said I couldn't shoot a three pointer!"

But suddenly, Kuroko's head was used as a launch pad and Kagami was pushing the ball out of Kise's grasp.

They got me. Kurokocchi's covering below, and Kagami's covering up top.

Though, Kuroko probably was not happy about being used in this way. Kise had no doubt that Kagami would be punished later (Kuroko's punishments could be even scarier than Akashi's if they really pissed Kuroko off. Kise had too many bad memories of that…).

But Kise wasn't focusing on that now as Kagami yelled,

"Fast break!"

Kise turned to follow, only to feel his hand hit something when he turned.

Or rather…

He hit Kuroko.

Kise felt his eyes widen in horror as he stared at Kuroko collapsed on the gym floor. He…he didn't mean for this to happen, it was an accident. But even still, he felt the pain reverberate across his own skin and he knew the burning in his stomach came in response to Kuroko's pain. But he couldn't move, couldn't do anything to make this better, still in shock over what he had done, to his instructor, his friend, one seventh of his very soul.

"Kuroko-kun!" Riko yelled.

"Referee time out!" The referee called.

"Kuroko!" Hyuuga yelled.

Kuroko looked up then, his right eye closed in pain as blood rain down the side of his face. Kise couldn't move, could barely think. He did that, he hurt someone he loved.

"Are you okay, Kuroko?" Hyuuga cried as he reached Kuroko.

"I feel lightheaded." Kuroko admitted.

"Get a first aid kit!" Riko's voice yelled as Hyuuga began to examine Kuroko.

"Are you okay?" Kagami asked, running over to Kuroko as well.

"I'm fine." Kuroko stated. "The game is just getting started." And that was the moment Kuroko collapsed to the floor.

"Kuroko!" His captain yelled.

Somehow, the sight brought Kise the smallest relief, because Kuroko was always like that. Even in mini games, when he was throwing up because his body couldn't handle the strain of such a competition, he didn't give up until he was collapsed on the ground and Aomine or Kise or Murasakibara had to carry him to the infirmary.

But he still felt horrible, the shame and shock of it all still coursing under his skin.

"You're finished." Kasamatsu stated, his voice dragging Kise back to the real world. "It's not what should have happened, though. Without that first year duo, the score difference will only grow."

Kurokocchi… Kise thought to himself, his eyes never leaving the phantom's location. He wanted nothing more than to hold him, but he can't because right now, they're enemies. But still…he could apologize when this was over, he could hold Kuroko close then, because even if the phantom lost, Kuroko would still indulge Kise in this.

Even at the end of their time at Teiko, Kise could still remember how Kuroko had taken the time to help him study so he could get into the high school he wanted, how he had still supported all of them even when he was utterly furious at them. It was the little things like that, that convinced Kise that Kuroko didn't hate them despite quitting the basketball team. And that…that meant a lot to Kise, that he didn't have to sever a bond he treasured so much.

The game started back up again, this time without Kuroko.

But that didn't mean anything, as Seirin began to pass to their captain, Hyuuga, who easily scored three pointers.

And, of course, they were all just like Kuroko: they never gave up.

Midorima was content as he sat in the rear car, listening to Takao's panting as they rode along towards Kaijo.

"Damn it, we were supposed to trade at the signal. You haven't pedaled once!" Takao groused between his pants for breath.

"Of course I haven't. Today's Oha-Asa horoscope predicted the greatest of days for Cancers like me." Midorima smirked.

"What does that have to do with this?" Takao huffed. "Anyway, if we're coming all the way out here to see a practice match, your middle school teammates better be good!"

Is there any doubt that they are? Midorima thought. Takao knew who he was, knew where he came from, yet he was still complaining when he had a chance to scout two members of the Generation of Miracles. He was odd, yet Midorima found himself keeping him around.

Well, it's not like he cared about Takao. He was simply useful, that was all.

(He ignored the voice in his head that sounded strangely like a mix of Takao and Aomine, calling him a tsundere, which he most certainly was not!)

"It's the copycat and the invisible man." Midorima said aloud.

"Are they good?" Takao asked, between grunts as he pedaled as hard as he could.

"Hurry up, or the game will be over." Midorima stated. He'd made the decision to come to this game after learning of it from Kuroko himself. It's not like he was interested in seeing how his old teammates (and so much more, an insidious voice whispered in his mind as his fingers tingled beneath their tape) were faring, he was simply coming to check out how his enemies had improved when he was not around to observe them. That was all, nothing more.

"It's your fault for reading horoscopes!" Takao shouted to the sky in agony.

The game was moving quite fast, to the point where the second quarter was almost over. And though Kise could tell that Seirin was weaker without Kuroko (any team with a Miracle would be noticeably weaker without them, however, this was to be expected), they were still putting their captain's shooting ability to extremely good use.

The score was 52-48, still in Kaijo's favor.

But the game didn't end there. Before Kise knew it, it was the fourth quarter and the score was 74-68, still in favor of Kaijo. But Kise knew, unless Kuroko recovered and returned to the court, there was not a chance in hell that Seirin would win.

And Kuroko, he knew that as well. So as soon as he heard Riko mention that they needed him, he spoke.

"Very well." With effort, but not too much, Kuroko sat up, stood up and stared up at his teammates. "Good morning. I'll be going, then."

"Hey, wait." Riko cried, standing in front of him as Kuroko walked towards the court and holding her hands up to stop him. "What are you talking about?"

"But you just told me to go." Kuroko stated.

"I didn't tell you to do that. It just slipped out." Riko protested.

Oh, yes…this isn't Teiko where you had to go out as long as your injuries were manageable. Kuroko thought. Even in his first game, where he'd fallen and gotten a bloody nose right out of the gate, he was still brought back out and played, right where he belonged with his team.

"Then I'm going." Kuroko reaffirmed, however. He could manage this, and besides, it's not like it stopped him from playing. And he refused to lose. He would not lose, not to Kise. Not to any of the Miracles. Winning is everything and always within reach, all he had to do was grasp it.

"Oi!" Riko cried, frustrated with him.

"If I can change anything by going out there, please." Kuroko said. "Besides…I promised Kagami-kun that I would be his shadow." That I would use him to win against the Generation of Miracles. I cannot break that promise, I refuse.

Everyone simply stared at him in shock until Riko sighed.

"Fine." She agreed. "But if I think you're in trouble, I'm switching you out immediately."

That's fine. I won't give you a reason to think so then.

The referee blew his whistle and Kuroko switched out with Koganei, approaching Kagami silently. They simply stared at each other for a bit before Kagami spoke.

"Let's go."

"Yes." Kuroko nodded in agreement.

And from there, the beginning of the end started.

Seirin utilized Hyuuga, Kagami and Kuroko to score, with Kise also scoring for Kaijo quite often. But thanks to Kuroko's…nap, for lack of a better term, his misdirection had returned in full force and there was no time to stop him.

Kuroko would not give them time.

And so, the scores climbed higher, resulting in 82-80 for Kaijo with five minutes left.

But that was not the end. Soon after, Hyuuga scored again, leaving the score 82-82. A tie.

And while everyone was in shock or full of pride, Kuroko turned and watched Kise, seeing the genuine shock on his face, something Kuroko couldn't remember seeing outside of the first time he ever played against Kise in a mini game with the other Miracles and shocked him with his misdirection.

It felt nice…surprising Kise again.

But then Kise's entire aura changed and Kuroko felt fear strike him.

"Kise!" Kasamatsu yelled as he passed the ball.

And then Kise passed Kuroko, as if Kuroko were nothing but air, so fast that Kuroko almost felt as if he had been subjected to misdirection.

"Kuroko!" Kagami yelled.

Kuroko reached out to steal the ball, only for Kise to switch the ball from his right hand to his left, preventing Kuroko's attack.

With that, Kise drove past Kagami and dunked the ball.

"I won't lose." Kise stated firmly, his eyes like stone, yet desperate. Hungry for victory that he was so used to tasting, that the thought of tasting defeat instead struck the ultimate fear inside his heart. "Not to anyone. Not even Kurokocchi."

But I can say the same, Kise-kun. I won't lose either. Not to anyone and not even you.

"This isn't good." Hyuuga commented. "Give it your all, everyone. This'll be just like the first quarter from here on out. A back and forth run and gun game!"

The score was 84-82, Kaijo.

"Hurry up, defense!" Hyuuga yelled.

"Hyuuga-kun, hurry!" Riko yelled from the sidelines. "Mitobe-kun, post up!"

"Kagami!" Koganei yelled.

"Go, go!" Tsuchida cheered.

"What are you doing?" Takeuchi yelled at Kaijo. "You're slow getting back!"

And just like that, the game continued as fast as before, each team pushing as hard as they could. Neither giving up, neither giving so much as an inch.

Two minutes left.

93-91, Kaijo.

One minute left.

30 seconds.

22 seconds.

98-98, tie.

15 seconds.

"There's no time left! Get them!" Hyuuga shouted. "If we don't take the ball here, it's over!"

"Kagami-kun…" Kuroko cut in before Kagami could run. "If we can get the ball, there's one more thing we can do that Kise-kun can't copy. It's a simple strategy that will only work once, though."

"You can't just defend! Take the ball!" Riko yelled over cries of defense.

Kasamatsu tried to score, to win the game for Kaijo, but Kagami jumped and knocked the ball off course.

Hyuuga caught the ball and threw it across the court.

"Don't let them through!" Kasamatsu ordered.

Kagami dribbled the ball, Kuroko at his side. And Kise stepped out to stop them.

"Kuroko!" Kagami cried, passing to the phantom.

"Kurokocchi can't shoot!" Kise cried as he turned towards Kuroko. "With only two of them, he'll have to pass it back to Kagami!"

But Kuroko didn't do what Kise expected and tossed the ball towards the hoop.

"He shot the ball?" Kise cried, shocked.

1 second…

"No…it's an alley-oop!" Kasamatsu shouted as Kagami jumped up and grabbed the ball, which had not been shot towards the net.

"I won't let you do that!" Kise shouted, jumping up to block the dunk. But as Kuroko watched…Kagami continued to climb higher and higher into the air, even as Kise began to fall back to the ground.

"I don't need you to return the favor!" Kagami cried as the ball hit his palm. "Because…this ends now!"

The ball went through the hoop.

The referee blew the whistle.

Final score: 100-98, Seirin.

Kise had lost for the very first time.

And there we are! I hope the transitions are okay...in case it isn't obvious, each line break is a change in POV or scene, but since most of the chapter is 'one scene', it's a change in POV more often than not. Yes, folks, this gets worse. Writing the last games is going to be very hard. But I will figure it out!

Also, we finished the Kaijo-Seirin match! Yay! One game down! Haha, but in any case, I hope this turned out okay. This was also my first time writing Midorima, so I hope he's in character. It's hard writing tsunderes, after all. But I love him and Takao with all my heart, so I will do them justice, I promise!

Okay, now then! Next chapter is my absolute favorite chapter so far, because it's a culmination of everything I've set up since Kise stepped onto the stage. And, of course, it's the completion of our first arc, which is exciting! I don't know when I'll post it (for the record, I just reached the Seirin-Shutoku series of episodes, so that'll be the next thing I write, meaning it could take me one night again, or a little while). But I'll be back as soon as I can so hold tight for me! Bye for now!