Chapter 2: Return

Kuroko arise, his mind was still delusional thick with darkness and sleep, his body was aching with tenderness of familiarity that he had not felt in a long time. He took a quick glance around the room. The four-poster queen sized bed he was in, the curtains, the windows, the desks and wardrobes. The arrangement of the furniture was the same as ever as far as he remembered.

Sounds like Akashi. Kuroko huffed.

It was just yesterday Kuroko remembered he was happily living his life in Seirin, until the advent of Kise Ryouta, Teiko's favourite assassin. The meeting had shaken and stirred Kuroko from within, awakening emotions and sentiments of darkness he had restrained, being kept far from bay. He had often lamented himself for being weak. He could've escaped and left the hall, instead of presenting the golden opportunity for Kise to kidnap him.

Where am I? Kuroko's obstinate nature refusing to capitulate had whispered those words out loud.

"There is no excuse for that. You know very well where you are."

The uptight figure of speech, the voice of the man who had spoken was seated comfortably in the darkest corner with a bear soft toy in his taped hands. He adjusted his glasses with a soft click with his left hand. His name was Midorima Shintarou. Kuroko stared at the green-haired man. Had he been there since yesterday?

"Are you my new watchdog?" Kuroko asked.

The door gave a loud creaking noise, signifying the door was being opened. A man of a shorter stature entered the room. The significant features were the heterochromatic eyes and the crimson red hair. The fine elegant cloth of the velvet and black layered kimono adoring the Akashi clan's insignia. Kuroko's insides churned. A feeling of wanting to be released, to return to his master's side. By the side of the man named Akashi Seijuurou.

"You're finally back, Tetsuya." His observant heterochromatic eyes were carefully and meticulously scrutinizing Kuroko's every movement.

Kuroko scowled. "Do not play dumb. You ordered Kise to do that, didn't you?"

Akashi settled himself on the edge of the bed, fingers hovered over the slight sensations his Tetsuya. Akashi pulled his chin into the proximity of himself and had locked him into a contest of glaring. Akashi rubbed his fingers against the pale lips of his beloved Tetsuya.

"And you know the futility of your efforts, Tetsuya." Akashi smirked, fully aware of his orders had the reverse effect on Tetsuya. "How many days, how many months, how many years since you last fed? My dear Tetsuya, you must be very hungry. Three years since you left me, three years you have not fed."

"Surely you jest, Master." Kuroko pulled away from Akashi's hands. "I survived just fine without feeding. Do not underestimate me."

Akashi sighed. "That's fine, but you shall be confined till you are summoned." Akashi took one last look at Kuroko's new ankle chain and Akashi's black leather choker which was worn over Kuroko's pale, delicate neck. Akashi rose from beside Kuroko, took a quick glance at his Shutoku subordinate. "Shintarou."

"

Picture for reference: Ankle chains and choker

Picture for reference: Ankle chains and choker

Midorima clicked his glasses, pushing the delicate metal frame across the bridge of his nose with his carefully taped fingers. "I understand, Akashi."

"You shall soon learn what it means to be discovered by me." Was Akashi's final warning before vanishing from the elegant bedroom with black and gold sophisticated designs befitting of a demon.

Two chambermaids entered the bedroom, which Kuroko was slightly thankful for. Both of them had bowed, bringing Kuroko's clothes and towels. The both of them were around 160's in height. One had extremely long, silky hair, the other had relatively short hair. They were donning the Teiko chambermaid uniform with green floral design. Besides their facial features, there wasn't anything else Kuroko could use to differentiate the both of them. Curved eyebrows, double eyelids, thin plump lips and rosy cheeks. Kuroko could've sworn they were twins

"What's your name?" Kuroko had asked.

"No way, Kuroko-sama! We are just your chambermaids!" They had replied in panic, fearing the anger of the great master.

Kuroko sighed. "It's fine. I can't be calling you hey all the time. And to such beautiful girls."

His chambermaids glanced at each other and gave in to Kuroko's advances. Midorima was well aware of Kuroko's observant ability to make people capitulating to his advances.

"My name is Hae-In" replied the chambermaid with silky long hair.

"And please call me Amaya." The other replied.

Midorima had once claimed that Kuroko who bear the blood type A does not get along with him who belongs to blood type B. His reserved character was the main cause of the tensed and taxing ambience. He was Akashi's second-in-command, and Kuroko and Midorima had decided they never got along well.

"Kuroko-sama, it's time to bathe." The chambermaids Akashi sent were gentle. One of them unlocked the chain locked onto the wall, and was guided for shower.

Kuroko had struggled against the discomfort of the chains and collars. "Can't you take these off?" Kuroko asked, indicating to the ankle chain and the choker. "I won't run away."

"No." Was Midrorima's strict and reserved voice echoed through the silence the chambermaids' inability to make provisions. "You escaped once. You will not escape twice. The next time it happens, Akashi will not be able to restrain himself. You should be aware what Akashi would do. Bathe well, Kuroko."

Tch. Kuroko clicked his tongue. He knew Midorima wasn't an idiot, but Kuroko was bad at dealing with the man called Midorima Shintarou. Akashi must have known this would happen. Midorima adjusted his glasses with a soft click. He must've known how much Kuroko despised being chained, and how powerless Kuroko was before Midorima. The purpose Akashi had assigned Midorima to be Kuroko's watchdog instead, Midorima imagined could only be that.

Just how obsessive are you going to become, Akashi?

"Kuroko!" Kagami roared. His classmate who he barely knew, only one week had passed since he learnt Kuroko was a member of the famous Teiko basketball team, the phantom player who was a passing specialist.

He glanced at his seniors and his peers. Their expressions were darkened, as if bad luck had befallen them. None of them could accept the reality, the famous Kise Ryouta had challenged Seirin, and lost. The worst of all, Kise had turned into a fox spirit, and their valuable teammate was kidnapped.

"How can we just leave it be? Coach!" Kagami protested.

Their coach, Aida Riko did not have the strength to make a single sound. "I...."

"Stop it, Kagami. You saw it, didn't you? The difference in strength. We were worlds apart." Seirin's captain, Hyuuga Junpei retorted darkly. It was unbelievable, but the hard truth of the Kaijou ace, Kise Ryouta. They were worlds apart, Hyuuga had decided since their last defeat in middle school against Teiko's team. In a different sense. "How can humans be victorious of the God's messengers? Fox spirits are the epitome of divine creatures who carry out God's orders, our divine Creator."

Kagami was at loss. Seirin had just lost a veteran player. None of them was willing to war against the great Teiko, which their territory was revered as the Devil's den.

"Then I alone will bring back Kuroko." Kagami was eructing the raw aura of the wild. There was no stopping Kagami. His seniors were silent. None of them could gather the courage nor accept the fact that Teiko wasn't just a group of miracles, they were a group of unworldly beings. They were individuals beyond man's understanding.

"I wonder if Kuroko was human." Furihata broke the silence.

Kagami glared the worst daggers he could muster. "I'll find him, and I'll make him explain everything."

Kagami!

Izuki sighed. "Is that okay?" He looked at their coach. "We may have lost Kuroko, but the way it is, we may lose Kagami too."

The team knew of Kagami's recklessness and rashness. Kagami would soon seek for the door of death. His spiritual self would be fated to be bound to Teiko. They remembered Kuroko's words that Kagami would become someone belong to Teiko who walked a different path from the miracles of Teiko.

"We are powerless, Izuki." Riko came to a decision. We would do what we can. Pray for their blessings they would return to us.

A furious Kagami had stormed his way into Teiko's territory. He had demanded answers from the gatekeepers, and were beaten up upon his incomplacentment. Teiko could not believe a single human who possessed such strengths had breached the entrance of the mighty Teiko. Midorima had ordered bodyguards and soldiers alike in subduing and capturing Kagami.

Alive, Akashi had told his fellow miracles. Seems like Akashi had plans for Kagami in a den filled with devils. Akashi was amused and intrigued when Kise had reported on an extraordinary human called Kagami Taiga. Kise foresaw that Kagami would eventually reach the level of the miracles, growing closer to the unearthly beings of the netherworld, the gap between his peers growing further apart. Kise had felt one day Kagami would be left alone as his extraordinary skills continue to mature.

Kagami Taiga is someone who belonged to our world.

"Kagami Taiga." Akashi's emperor eye observed the human intruder. Since Akashi had inherited the hegemony of Teiko, Teiko had not suffered such heavy damage since Kuroko's last rebellion. Kuroko was an exception. However, Kagami Taiga was special too. No human had escaped the over overlord's fury had lived to tell the story.

"You kidnapper! Where is Kuroko!" Kagami roared, pushing aside his falterings of overwhelming feelings before Akashi.

"Aomine. Make sure he's locked in the first basement till it's time." Akashi issued an order.

Aomine yawned. "Fine. Hey, Sakurai! Get him."

A fidgety and easily flustered young man, was called Sakurai stepped forward. He donned the same uniform as Aomine, signifying he belonged to the To'ou forces who are veterans specializing in front-line offenses.

"I'm sorry!" Sakurai apologized as he landed a quick punch to Kagami's gut.

Aomine clapped his hands."Good job, Sakurai!" Aomine had a complacent expression on his face as he picked up Kagami like a sack of potatoes.

"Stop bullying Sakurai!" Wakamatsu landed a smack on Aomine. Wakamatsu Kousuke was a powerful center for the To'ou forces, easily get excited and impulsive, often irritated To'ou Captain and his team, especially a member of the miracles on their team, the man nicknamed The Invincible Ace, Aomine Daiki.

"What does it matter? The job gets done." Aomine retorted, leaving Wakamatsu in the dust.

Kuroko wondered the source of the chaotic ruckus. Just few seconds ago sounds of explosions, the heavy footsteps of Teiko's military forces dispatched, the metal clanging of soldiers' weaponry had reached Kuroko's observant senses. His watchdog Midorima had left in a hurry, had placed his trusted Takao Kazunari in his position.

His chambermaids had finished their job in cleaning and dressing him. His shabby clothes were tossed and thrown away. His chambermaids had dressed him in his finely woven black-and-blue traditional kimono. Kuroko was well-aware of the meaning behind the kimono signifies. Kuroko had only been allowed to wear kimonos, his daily clothing was often chosen by his master, clothes disapproved by Akashi were forbidden.

My words are absolute. Kuroko feared of punishments awaited him after disobeying Akashi once.

"What happened to Midorima-kun?" Kuroko finally asked. He couldn't bear the curiosity something tremendous was about to happen.

"Are you worried, Kuroko-kun?" Takao winked. "Don't worry. Shin-chan will be back soon."

"Shut up, Takao." Midorima had snapped when he returned upon hearing Takao's tacky words.

"Oh, welcome back!" Takao winked and Midorima was pounced by the man named Takao Kazunari.

Kuroko's phlegmatic expression had decided otherwise. "Of course not. Being forced to shower and decorated like some China doll, it makes sense only if there is a catch."

"There is no need to worry." Midorima adjusted his glasses after getting rid of the enormous pack of luggage in a sorry state called Takao. Takao enjoyed teasing the uptight Midorima Shintarou, often he was thrown aside without second thoughts. "You will know soon. Take it as your punishment for deceiving Teiko and running away from Akashi."

The basement cellar Kagami was taken to and imprisoned was dark and cold, not letting even a slight heat wave seeping into the cellar. The only heat was the lit candles hanging on the walls.

Kagami stirred, with a pained groan of his body aching. Aomine was indulging in his hobbies in reading his gravures of his favourite Japanese idol, Horiguichi Mai.

"Where am I?" Kagami seethed through his tightly gritted teeth.

"Isn't that obvious?" Aomine sighed, putting down his gravure magazine, pestering Sakurai to hasten his pace so that he could resume his hobby. "Oi, Sakurai! Do it quickly!"

"I'm sorry!" Sakurai had apologized out of habit as he injected the prepared substance into Kagami's veins. Sakurai movements was why he was chosen for To'ou's team.

Kagami realizations were a second too late. Everything was meticulously planned. "Bastard! You knew from the start...! How could you play with someone's life!" Kagami collapsed due to the sudden pain and fatigue. Strength was gradually vanishing from his body, leaving him barely any to move even a muscle.

"Let me be honest for once, Kagami. We have no ability in planning. You're in this sorry state is all thanks to our lord, young man."

The hem of Akashi's red kimono swished behind him as he descended down the stairs, the dull entrance of the basement he ordered Kagami to be imprisoned. Akashi had smirked, his elegant figure appearing before the collapsed Kagami.

"Is it painful?"

From that moment, Kagami felt he had finally had a glimpse of the dark abyss. A devil who had cursed him for disobeying the teachings of the elders, he had laid hands on the devil's most beloved possession, God's fallen holy fruit who was deemed sacred within the darkness of the devil obsession.

Darkness slowly encroached upon Kagami, his vision of Akashi standing before him was slowly fading, eventually he was left in the darkness. Kuroko! The drug Sakurai had injected was finally taking effect. Kagami could not muster strength to altercate against Akashi. It was a ludicrous idea. Akashi was complacent on the satisfactory results, achieving its objectives the drug was designed to. It was the source of Kagami's delusions and the alterations in body functions.

"You will become the chain that bind the one you held dear, Kagami Taiga."