Chapter One: The Phantom Player

Hello to my (old and new) readers~

If you already know who I am, welcome again, and if you've just stumbled upon me, welcome to my…interesting world. I hope you enjoy this.

Okay, I literally just found out about KnB yesterday when I was looking up AMVs for Gold Forever by The Wanted on YouTube. I make a point not to watch an AMV if I haven't seen/read a little of the material in question and…the rest in history!

Okay, my Kuroko will be VERY OOC, because following canon too closely is boring. If you have any questions about anything, please put it in your reviews and I'll answer it in the next chapter's beginning AN. Please note that I'll be using the Japanese way of saying names (family name, given name). I've always liked that method when writing. Also, I'll try (key word being "try") to update every Saturday since it's summer now, but I make no promises. I really hope you enjoy this story. I do accept constructive criticism, so feel free to give me a few tips.

Teikou Middle School Basketball Club. A super strong school with more than 100 club members, boasting several successive championship wins. But even within that glorious history, there is still a team that can without fail be called the "strongest" - a generation of five players with talents that you would see once every ten years called the "Generation of Miracles." But there was a strange rumor that there was still one person the five geniuses acknowledged as superior...

Seirin Private High School

Students were crowded into the courtyard of Seirin Academy as the variety of clubs attempted to recruit the incoming first-years. Cherry blossom petals were falling gently, as it was spring. Spring, she decided, was a time for new beginnings, and a new beginning it would be.

"Interested in rugby?"

"Have you ever played shogi?"

"You've gotta play baseball if you're Japanese!"

"Swimming! It feels great!"

And, finally: "Basketball! Basketball club!" An odd looking second-year stood in the middle of the crowd, waving pamphlets around like his life depended on it. His eyes were closed and his mouth, she decided, was rather feline-like in appearance. He was slightly tanned, most likely from his training, and his hair was a dark shade of brown, almost to the point of being black. "How'd you like to join the basketball club?"

Of course, nothing anyone was saying was directed at her. Why would it? After all, her specialty was being invisible.

Another second-year turned to the first, scowling. He looked more normal, with paler skin and a human-like face. "Koganei, you can't be serious."

"How else am I supposed to say it?" Koganei demanded, eyes opening.

The other guy held up a finger. "New kids, join the basketball club! The basketball club needs some serious help!"

A pause. Then, "I've had enough of your jokes, Izuki." Koganei turned over his shoulder and called, "Mitobe, make sure they hear you!"

Mitobe, another second-year with longer black hair and almost glazy eyes, nodded reassuringly and continued to silently offer up fliers.

Koganei face-faulted. "You're not gonna do it, are you?" he asked rhetorically.

More clubs continued yelling their names out. "Hey, you're a reader, right?"

"Join the art club! Express yourself in an artistic way!"

"Come make music with us!"

As the second-year basketball club members continued handing out fliers, an intimidating boy walked up to them. He was easily over six feet tall, and his short, messy hair was somewhere between blood and brick red, his eyes retaining the same shade. His skin was very tan, and even under his school uniform it was obvious how well-built he was. "Is this the basketball club?" he asked in a deep, rumbling voice.

Back at the club table, Coach Aida Riko sighed, flipping her short, light brown hair out of her face. "Just a few more would be nice," she grumbled to the club's captain, Hyuuga Junpei.

"We couldn't even get ten," Hyuuga agreed. Hyuuga was very tall, and his skin was tan. His glasses were a bit foggy because he hadn't had time to clean them that morning.

"We're just getting started!" Aida insisted. "We're a new school. If we win the Inter-High and Winter Cup, we'll be a big deal starting next year!"

Hyuuga narrowed his eyes in what could have been called a playful glare. "Are you casually putting pressure on your captain?"

"Hyuuga-kun, have you always been so delicate?" she teased.

Hyuuga groaned and slammed his forehead into the table, nearly toppling the cup of coffee he had on it, his hands still raised in the position he'd been holding his head up in. "I'll do my best. I will do my best," he said.

"I wonder how the recruitment is going." Aida said off-handedly. "If they could just bring in some promising ones, that would be…"

She'd trailed off when Koganei's limp form was dangled over the table, held by the tall redhead. "The new students are here," Koganei whimpered, tears streaming down his face.

"What?"

It was then that Aida noticed the redhead. She and Hyuuga stared, wide-eyed at him, as he asked, "Is this the basketball club?"

Aida nodded.

"I want to join," he said. He dropped Koganei in a chair and sat in the other, pulling it up to the table violently.

"Um, welcome, welcome!" Aida said excitedly.

The boy ignored the rest of her chatter as he signed the papers. Then he stood and left as quickly as he'd come.

Aida and Hyuuga looked at the sign-up form.

Kagami Taiga. He'd left his reason for joining blank, as well, confusing both second-years.

"He's terrifying!" Koganei whimpered, face pale. "Is he really a first-year student?!"

"He's one in a million," Izuki said, appearing suddenly with Mitobe behind him.

Koganei leapt up and pointed an accusing finger at his teammates. "Where the hell have you been? I just got kidnapped!"

Hyuuga continued to look at the paper. "Kagami-kun went to middle school in America. Must have learned from the source."

"Either way, I'm sure he'll be extraordinary," Aida confidently said, already imagining the team with a first-place tournament trophy.

"Yo," Koganei said suddenly. "You forgot this one." In his fingers was another club sign-up sheet.

"Ah, sorry." Aida plucked it from his fingers and read aloud. "Kuroko Tetsuya…huh?" She held it up closer to her face. "I was here the whole time, and I didn't notice him—eh?"

Kuroko Tetsuya, whoever he was, had been a part of the Teikou Middle School basketball club. And if he was a first year, he had to have been from the Generation of Miracles.

That afternoon, all of the basketball club members gathered in the gymnasium, wearing casual cloth clothes for the impending exercises they would surely be forced to do.

Aida introduced herself to the boys, not noticing the one person that stood at the end of the line. Needless to say, all of the first-years were shocked (and some were kind of turned on, honestly) to find that a girl just a year older than them was their coach. One boy thought that their elderly advisor was their coach and was mortified when Aida corrected him.

"Now that you guys are acquainted with Takeda-sensei," she said, pacing in front of them, "take off your shirts!"

There was a moment of disbelieving silence. Once again, the first-years yelled out in surprise, some blushing slightly at the prospect of such a cute girl seeing them shirtless. "Why?!" they demanded as one.

Aida smirked.

Eventually, all of the first-years were bare-chested. Aida paced in front of them, taking the time to stare at each chest carefully and decide their stats. As she did so, she made comments on their physical abilities, stunning every one of the first-years. How could she tell those things just by looking at them? Hyuuga clarified that her father was a sports trainer, and Aida had inherited his ability to see an athlete's statistics on sight.

When Aida got to Kagami, she was literally blown away for a moment. How could a first-year have those kinds of stats?!

Hyuuga snapped her out of her trance. "That's all of them. Kagami was the last one."

"Really?" Aida asked, looking at her clipboard. "Uh, is there a Kuroko Tetsuya here?"

"Right here."

Aida blinked and screamed, taking several steps backward and away from the person that had magically appeared in front of her. Kuroko was still wearing a loose white tee-shirt, though Aida swore she could see more fabric underneath. He had light blue hair that reached to his chin and eyes to match and he was much shorter than normal. He was also way too skinny, in her opinion.

"W-what?" Hyuuga said, slightly terrified. "How long have you been there?"

"I've been here the whole time," Kuroko said in a weirdly high voice.

Almost everyone in the room had the same thought at the same time: He's practically invisible!

The second-years began to chatter nervously. How could he be part of the Generation of Miracles? There was no way he'd been a starter!

"I played in games," Kuroko corrected blandly.

Hyuuga and Koganei both exclaimed at that, seemingly speechless.

Kagami, on the other hand, wondered what they were talking about. What was the Generation of Miracles?

Aida had seemingly recovered. "T-take off your shirt!" she demanded of Kuroko.

Kuroko looked a bit taken aback. "Huh?"

"Take it off!"

After a moment of deliberation, Kuroko shrugged and took off his shirt.

Everyone stared blankly at her sports-bra covered chest in shock for a moment. Aida, however was the most shocked.

On the bus home that day, Aida stared blankly out the window as her music blasted in her ears. Who is she? she wondered of Kuroko. Her stats are way too low for her to have been part of the Generation of Miracles. Her numbers are all below average. On top of that, she's almost at her limit.

Kagami grunted as he took a shot at the basket in the starlight, the air filled with the scent of his sweat. He'd abandoned his blazer and school shirt for a muscle shirt to show off his well-toned arms as he practiced, though he left his slacks on. He'd left his practice shorts in his new gym locker.

To say he was pissed was an understatement. As Aida messed with Kuroko that afternoon, he pulled aside one of the other first-years. "What's the Generation of Miracles?"

"They're a group of five basketball prodigies that went to the same middle school last year. They were undefeated. There've been rumors about a sixth phantom member, but I never thought it'd be a girl!"

Kagami growled at the memory and shot again. If that bitch was part of the Generation of Miracles, I'd hate to see what the rest of them are like. This is so disappointing! The ball bounced back and he grabbed it and aimed.

Suddenly he saw a flash of light blue out of the corner of his eye and he fumbled, missing the shot. The ball fell into Kuroko's hands.

Kuroko was wearing her uniform now, and her femininity was much more obvious with the skirt. She seemed to have switched her sports bra out for a cup bra, making her chest a bit more pronounced under her blazer. Her eyes were still blank, like they'd been at practice. It only served to piss Kagami off more. "When did you get here?" he demanded.

"It's nice to see you, Kagami-kun," she said softly instead.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kagami tried again.

"What are you doing here by yourself?" she shot back, tossing the ball with surprising accuracy. It was easy for Kagami to catch, though he didn't quite notice it then. He would later, though. Most girls wouldn't be able to know how hard to throw a basketball to get it a certain distance, and they certainly wouldn't know how to let someone else catch it.

"Nothing," Kagami said, "I'm not doing anything."

"Is that so?"

Kagami ignored her. "I lived in America until my second year of middle school. I've been appalled ever since I came back by how low the standards are here. I'm not looking to play basketball for fun."

That last sentence got a wince out of her, though Kagami didn't quite catch it. Later, as he replayed that fateful conversation over in his head on some sleepless night, he'd wonder how he hadn't picked it up. It would've saved him a lot of trouble in the long run if only he'd been more perceptive during those first few weeks he'd spent with her.

Kuroko easily caught the ball when Kagami threw it at her and he continued talking. "I can tell those who work hard, because they smell strong. The weak smell weak. But you…I can't smell anything from you. Your strength has no scent."

"I'd show you my strength," Kuroko deadpanned, "but I'm wearing a skirt."

"I'm aware of that!" Kagami snarled. "How strong are you then?"

"You're stronger than me, Kagami-kun. I knew that when I saw you during recruitment."

Kagami groaned and turned away from her. "What the hell are you doing here so late at night?"

Kuroko casually said, "I wanted to see just how strong you were for myself."

Kagami growled once again and moved to put his shirt on. It felt weird to have a woman's gaze on his back while he dressed, but he told himself to dismiss it. "You should quit basketball," he said as he was about to leave. "You don't have the talent."

"I won't quit, because I love basketball."

Kagami whipped around to stare at Kuroko. "Huh?"

"I'm not like you," she continued, looking behind her at the black blur of her form on the park's basketball court. "I'm a shadow."

Kagami groaned and stalked away from Kuroko and the court angrily.

It was raining the next day as the basketball club gathered in the gymnasium. The first-years put on yellow jerseys and the second-years put on blue. It was (unfortunately, in the minds of some first-years) time for their first practice match. Kagami, however, delighted in the fact that they were already facing their seniors. "It's better to have strong opponents than weak ones," he said as he strode confidently to the center of the court for tip-off.

Time to see what these rookies can do, Aida thought somewhat sadistically, and she blew the whistle.

The first-years got the ball first, thanks to Kagami. As soon as he regained control of the ball, he violently dunked it in their hoop, nearly crushing Izuki in the process. Kagami proceeded to make up the vast majority of the first-years' points, and to everyone else it was as if he was playing by himself—not with a team. Though no one noticed, it made Kuroko clench her fists.

On the off occasions that Kuroko had the ball, the second-years quickly took it from her, much to Kagami's chagrin. Can't she even hold on to a basketball? he mentally snarled, his anger quickly spiking. She can't play for shit!

They were trailing 11-8, and the second-years were starting to get pissed off. Who knew first-years could be so good? Izuki wondered.

He and Hyuuga exchanged looks. "Time to put them in their place," Hyuuga said, an evil glint in his eye. Izuki nodded.

The second-years kept at least two people on Kagami, even when he didn't have the ball. They're desperate to stop Kagami! one first-year thought. They have no intention of letting him have the ball!

Eventually the score was 31-15 in the second-years' favor. The first-years began to whimper, and that just pissed Kagami off even more. He lifted one up by the front of his shirt. "Enough?" he demanded of him. "What the hell do you mean?"

Suddenly he felt a slight force hit the underside of his knees, making his legs buckle. An infuriatingly-familiar voice said, "Please calm down."

Kagami turned and glared at Kuroko. "You bitch…" he growled. The other first-years became terrified just watching the exchange, though Kuroko herself wasn't even breaking a sweat.

Koganei watched them nervously. "It looks like they're fighting," he commented. Suddenly Izuki's eyes widened and he leaned forward. "What's wrong?"

Izuki pointed to Kuroko. "Was she in the game?"

"Kuroko? I dunno."

Aida, hearing the exchange, sweatdropped. Even I don't know, and I'm the referee. Then another thought occurred to her, making her jaw go slack and her whistle thump against her chest. How long was she in?

As the teams moved back into tip-off formation, no one noticed Kuroko flexing her wrist slightly. "Could you just pass me the ball?" she said to another first-year.

After tip-off and a moment of deliberation, the first-year decided to let it happen. At least don't let them take it, he mentally begged as he passed Kuroko the ball.

Suddenly the ball was on the other end of the court, in the hands of another first-year, who promptly shot it through the hoop.

Hyuuga, Izuki, and Mitobe were stunned. "When did it get over there?" Hyuuga wondered. "How did that pass go through?"

As the game continued, passes suddenly became very prevalent in the first-year team. The ball would disappear for a moment before reappearing in a complete different part of the court, much to the second-years' wonder and dismay. "They keep passing the ball and shooting before we even realize it!" Izuki exclaimed quietly to Koganei.

The cat-like second-year was just as confused. "What's happening?"

Aida started suddenly, having connected the dots. Kuroko-chan is using her lack of presence to pass the ball. She's not even touching it for very long—she just redirects it! She's drawing the opponents' attention away from herself!

Then a thought hit her. That's her! She's the invisible regular of Teikou who excelled at passing! I'd heard rumors, but didn't think she actually existed—or that she was a girl! The sixth phantom member of the Generation of Miracles!

The score was 37-36 in the second-years' favor. One point difference! Kuroko got the ball and began running down the court. Everyone was following her slight form, but Kagami was faster, and he was right on her tail. She took a shot, but it hit the rim. As it started to fall, Kagami leapt up and slammed it into the net. "You have to make the shot, dumbass," he said to her. While he didn't know it, Kuroko had a grin on her face.

After practice that evening, Kagami went to a local restaurant and ordered thirty of their burgers, completely loaded. If you were to ask him about his eating habits, he would protest that he burned a lot of calories because of his exercise and metabolism and, as such, needed to eat more. As he sat, however, he didn't notice a certain blue-haired girl.

As he took the first bite of his first burger, he saw Kuroko out of the corner of his eye. She was back in her school uniform, minus the blazer, and she was sipping out of a cup. "Good evening, Kagami-kun."

Kagami nearly choked on the burger. "Where did you come from and what are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I was sitting here first," she pointed out. Then, gesturing to her cup, she continued, "I like this place's vanilla shakes."

Kagami scoffed. "Go somewhere else," he said, reaching for another burger.

"I don't want to," Kuroko protested.

"If people see us, they'll think we're dating or something!" Kagami insisted, getting angry.

Kuroko shook her head. "They won't even see me, but they'll think you're schizophrenic."

"An even better reason you should leave!" the redhead roared quietly, smacking his fist on the table. The girl didn't even flinch—she just kept drinking that stupid milkshake of hers. Kagami sighed and tossed a burger at her. "I don't like gu—people who suck at basketball, but you've earned yourself one of those."

While she was confused for a moment, she gave him a bright smile (that didn't make his heart go faster or his skin get hotter, thank you very much), and said, "Thank you, Kagami-kun," before unwrapping it and taking a bite.

After Kagami finished his dinner, the two left the restaurant, though later he would deny they were together. "Just how strong is the Generation of Miracles?" he asked her. "If I played them now, how would I do?"

Kuroko paused from drinking her shake to answer him. "You'd be destroyed instantly."

Kagami popped a vein in his forehead. "Do you have to put it like that?"

"It's the truth," she responded coolly. "Each of the prodigies has gone to different schools, and one of those schools will be the best."

Kagami chuckled darkly. "That kinda thing really starts a fire in me. I've decided."

"What have you decided, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko asked.

"I'll crush all of them and become Japan's best basketball player!" he declared.

Kuroko waited until she drained her cup of her remaining milkshake before she spoke again. "That's not possible right now."

Kagami popped another vein. "Hey!"

"Those five are on a completely different level," she said matter-of-factly. "If you were to play them now, you wouldn't even reach their shoes. At least not alone." As they were standing at a crosswalk and the light just turned green, Kuroko jumped in front of Kagami so she was standing in the street. "I've decided as well."

"What have you decided, Kuroko-chan?" he echoed, not even realizing he'd used –chan instead of –san or no honorific at all.

"I'm a shadow," she said, reminding Kagami of the conversation they'd had only the previous day. Was it really only yesterday? It seems like an eternity has passed. "But the stronger the light, the darker the shadow and the more it accentuates the brightness of the light. I will be the shadow to your light, Kagami-kun. I will make you the best player in Japan."

Kagami stared at her in disbelief for a moment before scoffing, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the street just as the light turned red. "Do whatever you want," he said, even though he was still holding her arm.

She smiled at him again. "I'll do my best."

Word count not including the title and ANs: 3,548

Wooooooooooooooooow….longest chapter EVAH!

The bit at the beginning talking about GoM is from the page on Kuroko no Basuke, if anyone wanted to know.

I really hope you enjoyed this! Please review to tell me how you think I did.