Teiko's basketball III: Three's a charm

Ghosts of the past

Sora gripped her tin of soda in her hand and hummed while she walked. Yukiji had declared that she didn't need the dented can and Sora supposed that there was no harm in putting that soda to it's proper use a.k.a drinking it before it went warm. The matches had gone quite well. As Mayu had put it, they had 'instilled the fear of God in their opponents'. Even coach couldn't complain about the score and she had grudgingly released them after a short lecture.
Sora raised the can and tried to imitate Midorima. Luckily for her the can went in the bin so it lessened her embarrassment. Usually she wouldn't pull such stunts where there were witnesses but now she was in a state of euphoria.
"Yes!" exclaimed Sora.
"Not bad at all, kouhai. Who would have known you'd come this far," said someone behind her. Sora turned and then her jaw dropped.
"Eru-senpai!" she exclaimed, cannoning into the older girl. "I've missed you so much!"
"Easy kouhai. Easy," said Eru with a laugh. "Who would have known I was so loved.... I just got a similar reception in the locker room."
"Tell me everything!"
"Well, there isn't much to say," said Eru. "I was in the vicinity. I was here for my own match. Chihaya came to watch the match with me. She had to leave the match half-way though. She said something about 'cat-trouble'."
Sora clicked her tongue sympathetically. "Tibbles is growing old, I suppose. I have a cat of my own too, or sort of...... I can understand. Poor thing."
"Not to worry," assured Eru. "Oh and she wanted me to tell you guys that you rocked."
"Glad to hear that," said Sora with a smile. "But we should play together some day..."
"True, kouhai," said Eru. "Even now, I still feel the difference.... The time you were first years.... Teiko's basketball team. The best in Japan."
Sora gave a sigh. "Wait! Speaking of that year's team.... Do you know what happened to Honami senpai?"
"She's in a different city now," said Eru. "She just texts once in a while."
"So that's that then," said Sora gloomily.
"Cheer up, kouhai!" said Eru. "You saw me today, didn't you? Thanks to basketball... Tell you what, we'll see each other at tournaments at least. As long as we keep playing."
"Yeah!" said Sora with some suspicious moisture in her eyes.
Eru parted from Sora after many promises to see her again. Sora stood rooted in her spot, her nostalgia and some queer ache preventing her from doing anything. Sora felt someone looking at her and raised her eyes up to see Kuroko. Sora felt uneasy. Normally she wouldn't have noticed Kuroko that easily but there was something in his eyes that held her attention.
"Are you okay, Kuroko-kun?" said Sora. Kuroko quickly looked away and nodded. "Today's a day for quite a lot of greetings isn't it?"
Sora looked at him. "Kuroko-kun, you don't look so well. Why don't you sit down?"
Kuroko smiled a bit. "I should be the one saying that to you, Himeji-san. Forgive me."
Sora went to the nearest bench and put her head in her hands taking deep breaths. She could guess Kuroko was sitting in quite the same manner next to her. She turned and saw him squishing a black arm band in his palm but Sora decided to let it go for the moment.
It was Kuroko who finally broke the silence. "That was your senpai, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"You miss her so much?"
"I do. But it's more like I miss the team itself. Back then, the only thing I had to do was give my all. I felt safe... But right now... I carry lot more burdens."
Kuroko paused. "From what I know of Himeji-san, this wouldn't be the real reason."
"Is it?" said Sora carefully.
"Yes," said Kuroko with a grimace. "Even Akashi-kun is weary of you sometimes."
Sora clenched her hands. "It's nothing. She just... Reminded me of someone."
Kuroko looked at her. "Who?"
"You wouldn't know, Kuroko-kun," said Sora, who was plainly agitated. "Do you know what it feels like? To have someone you would trust like your own sister and then watch as everything slips away."
Kuroko gave her a smile. "So that's it.."
"You don't understand..." began Sora. Kuroko took out the armband that he had stowed in his pocket. "I think you are familiar with this."
"Of course..." said Sora slowly. "You never play without it, Kuroko-kun."
"I made a promise too," said Kuroko.
"And? Did you keep it?" said Sora.
"In a way. I saw him today, Himeji-san. My friend, Shigehiro Ogiwara. He is the reason I play basketball," said Kuroko.
"What did he say?" said Sora. She suspected that that was the reason for Kuroko's mood.
"He accused me of becoming a poker face," said Kuroko.
Sora laughed. "He's quite right you know!"
Kuroko smiled and then began to finger the armband again. "He asked me... Whether I still smiled when I touched the ball."
Sora froze. That was a hard one. She knew that the g.o.m were now quite different from what they were in the beginning. She had no idea what to say to him. Luckily, Kuroko spoke again. "He made me question why I played ball again. What is victory..."
"Kuroko-kun... If you're going to spend time trying to define something that hard, you'll probably just loose sleep," said Sora with a grimace. "What is wrong with both of us... It isn't advisable to get caught up in the past..."
"Running away isn't always good, Himeji-san," said Kuroko.
"Then what will thinking about dead promises bring me?"
"If we keep running... Someday we'll come onto places we never thought existed. Everyone one of us is led by our destinies. We just have to have the courage to follow."
Sora blinked and then gave a small laugh. "You sounded like Midorima-kun."
Kuroko smiled slightly. "Nanodayo," he said still maintaining a poker face. Sora laughed. "Thank you, Kuroko-kun," she said, jumping up.
"Any time," said Kuroko.
Sora turned back again. "Kuroko-kun... To answer your previous question; You're still playing for yourself. You love basketball and you don't play because you're tied down by your word. You're the ghost of practice that scared Aomine! You're the phantom. As long as there's a light, there'll be a shadow. Your shadow."
Kuroko smiled. "Himeji-san, will you keep your promise too? No matter how long it might take?"
"Yeah!"
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A/N: And again, like a few previous cases this may deviate slightly from the original story. But still, I will try to keep facts as intact as possible.
A lot of unanswered questions? That aside, I hope it was okay. How was the chapter? Any guesses on the turn of events? ( I do warn you, this one may take time to sort itself out). Until then, I shall refrain from saying anything. ;)