The Fall, Part-Three

Kuroko Tetsuya was the phantom sixth man of Teiko Middle School Basketball Team. He was the cornerstone of the pass play of Teiko's teamwork.

He was the reason that Teiko Middle School pass work was so famous in the middle school basketball scene.

When five high-level players played with an impeccable pass play, it bought their offense to a whole new level.

But now? Now it seemed that the team didn't need the pass work.

So, here Kuroko was, after practice trying to improve his shooting skills.

The talk with Aomine had Kuroko deep within.

He knew that the five called the Generation Of Miracles were too strong, that at their level, they didn't need his help.

But, he wanted to contribute, so he decided to train his shooting skills, to become a player that could contribute to the team.

He got into the shooting motion and shot the ball towards the basket, but the shot missed and bounced off the rim.

Kuroko held his knees as he stared at the floor with frustration. He thought back to the words spoken by Aomine.

Aomine: **Understand? Hah!

What part of it do you understand? Tell me!

How could someone who can't do anything by himself understand this?

Kuroko, you realize that you aren't necessary to the team?**

Those words haunted him. He felt like he had returned to his time in the third-string, the time when no matter what he did, he couldn't improve or advance.

The time that made him want to quit basketball.

He heard footsteps, so turned his head to look, he saw Akashi walking towards him.

Kuroko stood up straight and faced his captain and friend.

Kuroko: "Akashi-kun."

Akashi observed the balls on the floor of the court, and then regarded Kuroko.

Akashi: "Tetsuya, it's unusual for you to practice shooting."

He pointed at the ball on the floor of the court and remarked.

Akashi: "Shooting is a discipline that you no longer require, isn't it?"

A melancholy smile appeared on his face as he thought back to the moment when he had first met and talked to Akashi.

He was struggling with his inability to improve, and suddenly one day, while practicing, he met Akashi Seijuro.

Akashi opened the path to becoming the player he was today.

Kuroko gripped the ball in his hand and uttered.

Kuroko: "But, does my current style contribute anything to the team?"

Akashi titled his head and questioned.

Akashi: "What do you mean?"

Kuroko gazed at Akashi and explained.

Kuroko: "As the current team is progressing, there is no place for a player like me.

Ever since Coach Sanada gave the team the freedom to operate freely, the team has started to move in another direction."

Kuroko paused and corrected himself.

Kuroko: "No, it was much before that. The team started to change just after the preliminaries."

Akashi sighed and stated.

Akashi: "I have noticed that all of the people in the club have started to look at me differently.

I haven't changed at all.

There were two of me from the very start. It was merely a swap between the two of us.

I am in control now."

Akashi ended with a smile on his face.

He stared at Kuroko with his heterochromatic eyes and continued.

Akashi: "I have no intention of hiding the fact that I switched out.

Whether or not you believe it is up to you, Tetsuya."

He paused for a second to organize his words and spoke.

Akashi: "However, if you want me to call it a 'change,' then that was because it was necessary.

My 'change' is what bought us victory.

And, the team didn't change because of me. It changed because we saw something that appealed to all of us.

Do you know what it was, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko slowly shook his head.

Akashi's smile widened, and he answered.

Akashi: "We all saw Kageyama Shun."

Kuroko was confused by the statement.

Kuroko: "Eh, what do you mean?"

Akashi elaborated on his statement.

Akashi: "We saw what a single player could do on the court.

We all saw that team play wasn't important for victory.

Our game against Tokiwadai was proof that we don't need team play to win.

Kageyama abandoned team play because his teammates couldn't keep up, he essentially played alone."

An unknown look surfaced in Akashi's eyes as he dictated.

Akashi: "Us five, who have been blessed with limitless talent, and none of us desire to be in Kageyama's shadow.

We don't want to hear that it requires the whole Generation Of Miracles to stop Kageyama Shun.

If he can reach that level of play on his own, then that means us five can do it too.

We want to tell everybody that we aren't inferior to him.

That is why Aomine and Murasakibara don't skip the whole practice. They still show up and participate in drills and personal skill development.

All of us know what we want.

So, when the opportunity presented itself, we jumped at it, this way there will be no doubt who stands at the top.

If I try to round powers who don't want to cooperate, then there is the possibility that everything will crumble from the inside."

Kuroko was stunned with reasoning.

Kuroko: "Such a reason. Just for that, you..."

Akashi peered into Kuroko's eyes and emphasized.

Akashi: "This is what happened to you and Daiki.

Even you two, the light and its shadow, because the light was too strong, it started to get out of balance.

The balance crumbled."

Kuroko's eyes started to sting, he spoke in a voice that sounded like it was about to crack.

Kuroko: "So, there isn't anything more important than victory, even if it is among teammates."

Akashi answered in a flat, emotionless tone.

Akashi: "There is not.

Obscure ideals are powerless, and nothing else."

Tears began pooling in Kuroko's eyes.

Kuroko: "Perhaps, that is exactly the case.

As people grow, they change. Yet, I..."

He remembered all the fun times they had before.

Kuroko: "Perhaps I just desperately wanted to go back to those days before we won the Nationals..."

Akashi observed Kuroko before informing him.

Akashi: "If you want to resign, I will not stop you. But, if you want to complete, accept it.

If, from here on, you want to continue being the sixth man for Teiko."