Eh? Ah, Sou. [Kise R.] ✓

「 二十四 」

[A/N] I actually have the next two chapters already written? In all honesty, I usually wait for some comments before posting because I'm always so curious about what you guys think is happening and stuff. So!! If ya'll comment more, I'll be more motivated to write/post more often~ Just saying~

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「 二十四 」 Danger

The beginning of November brought with it the Winter Cup. Just like the gales that blew in with the beginnings of winter, teams from all corners of Japan blew into Tokyo, saturating Tokyo- specifically the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium area.

Surprisingly, in Yohime's opinion, yet again Kaijou had booked themselves a hotel (even after a certain someone broke a tv the last time they booked a hotel in Tokyo), splashing out yet again and showing off the ludicrous amount of money Kaijou allocated for their basketball team. Though she certainly wasn't complaining when she was reclining lazily in her very comfortable queen sized bed surrounded by four mountainous pillows.

Her musings of the school's uneconomical ways would have to wait, though, as Kasamatsu in his long-socked glory strode up to her in a rage that only Kise Ryouta could put him in, disrupting the calm bubble she had created around herself in a nice cushy corner of their allocated changing room. She didn't even look up from her reports, swiftly moving her double-shot Americano out of the way as Kasamatsu threw himself down beside her in a confrontative and furious rage.

" Where the heck is that stupid model?! " Why did they always ask her whenever he disappeared into oblivion, Yohime wondered. Did they think she was omniscient simply because of her Divine Perception because it really didn't work that way- but she digressed. 

The girl shrugged calmly in the face of the fired up captain of the Blue Elites. " He said he had something to do and left. " Kasamatsu's brow twitched at her simple reply.

" And you just let him?! " His frustration was somewhat warranted, after all the entrance ceremony for the Winter Cup followed by a match (that they would win with quite little resistance, she noted) was in half an hour and Kise was AWOL. Still, she wasn't exactly amused that it was her supposed job to babysit the blond. It wasn't exactly in her job description.

" What am I? " Yohime retorted. " His mother? " Nevertheless, she got up from her spot on the bench surrounded by her multiple papers (after all, simply because she wasn't present, didn't mean she didn't run the Disciplinary Committee) and stretched her arms over her head causing the bones to pop with audible cracks. " I'll go retrieve the peasant. Don't get a stroke while I'm gone, senpai. Deep breaths, deep breaths. " Oh, if she wasn't actually female Kasamatsu would have so kicked her in the back like he does Kise.

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Eventually, after some aimless wandering, she had managed to locate Kise. Unfortunately, he was... engaged. By that, Yohime meant: was there some ritualistic sacrifice the Kiseki no Sedai members did before tournaments? 

A tsundere carrot stood at the bottom of the stairs opposite a titan; who was more preoccupied with stuffing his face than anything, nearby was stood an imposing ganguro blueberry, with an airhead model next to him, and a heterochromatic strawberry wielding a pair of scissors in one hand. Finally, right at the bottom was the blue haired phantom, hotheaded tiger and a first-year point guard from Seirin- who was very overwhelmed at the moment. Especially after Akashi literally tried to stab his teammate with a pair of scissors before his eyes. (If Yohime ever thought that she had truly met all the strange people there were to meet in this world, she took that back. This bunch took the rainbow colored cake when it came to strange.)

" My, my, " Akashi laughed humorlessly, " you actually managed to dodge that. " Was his immediate response to the failed attack. " In light of such a display of grace, I'll forgive you this once. However, there are no second chances. " The captain remarked, lifting the scissors he had procured from his ex-teammate to his head. " When I tell you to leave, leave. " He snipped at his bangs in some weird display of power. " In this world, winning is everything. Winners are affirmed and losers are denied. I have never lost once, and I never will. Since I never lose, I am always right. I show no mercy to those who oppose me. Even my own father. " 

Was it ironic that all the members of the Kiseki no Sedai had characters in their family names that alluded to their hair colors? Well besides Kuroko, though Yohime justified that by likening it to the fact that anime protagonists, by default, often have eye-catching hair colors. Though she had to put aside her musings, sensing the sheer tension and overload of testosterone in the air.

She sighed as she took it upon herself to step in; lest one of the boys tries to kill another (again).

" Oi, pretty boy, Kasamatsu-senpai is going to explode if you don't leave your little playgroup now. " She called out to the yellow Crayola in the pack, walking leisurely towards the group. Upon gaining their attention, Kagami and Aomine whirled around and pointed at her, yelling in sync: " You again?! " (Yohime wouldn't be surprised if they had practiced that). She received much more tame reactions from the others, receiving a stiff nod from Midorima, a lazy (as always) look from Murasakibara, and a scrutinizing glare from Akashi.

" Me. " She replied, unenthusiastically before turning to a certain blond.  " Get moving. Chop chop. " She said waving her hands at him languidly in a shoo-ing motion, the blond himself being in the very unfortunate position of being sandwiched (sort of physically but more mentally) between two terrifying forces.

Inadvertently, she had garnered the attention of one Red Emperor. " Ryouta, " Akashi called, " who is this? "

Kise chewed his lip nervously but replied nevertheless. " This is Kaijou's manager, Akashicchi, Nijicchi. "

" More like his babysitter. " The girl in question interrupted.

" Nijicchi...! " Kise whined, slapping on a pout. He sank even further into his faux (sort of) depression when she blatantly ignored him in favor of introducing herself (for the sake of politeness): " Nijimura Yohime. " She stated in the most uninterested tone ever imagined. " Nice to meet you. " The action eliciting even more whining from a certain blonde to which Yohime had one response- " Shut up, Kise. " Inspecting her nails, she stole a guarded glance at the rather brightly colored motley crew that was currently fixated on her. 

" I don't feel like being victimized by coach because you had to have some intense reunion with a box of crayons. So let's go, ok? " She asked Kise in a way that it was apparent to everyone that she was, in fact, ordering him. Feeling as if lightning struck him, Kise froze, as much as Kise feared Akashi, he feared Yohime just as much. Quickly descending the stairs, he made his way towards her, only stopping when the Red Emperor himself spoke.

" So, a new piece has emerged on this chessboard. " Akashi commented. " What are you, Yohime? A pawn or a Queen? " Yohime smirked as she looked to the heterochromatic eyed boy with a look of defiance that positively infuriated him who had obviously made it exceptionally clear he did not accept opposition.

" A player, Seijurou, " the girl replied in the same eerily calm tone that he himself possessed, " and only time will tell what move I'll make next. " The dark look in her silver eyes showed the full extent of the malevolence that lurked underneath her even facade. The two ominous forces held each other's gazes for a moment or two longer, as if trying to destroy each other with the mere intensity of the gaze, before the manageress suddenly turned on her heel, leaving the basketball players- Kise included- behind.

Akashi himself had also decided to leave then. " I've seen enough. " He said, straightening up to full height. " Seeing your faces, it's clear you've all remembered your oath. The next time we meet will be in battle. " He concluded in a dark tone before departing just as abruptly as the girl. Leaving Kise to run after Yohime, who had stalked away swiftly.

" Y-yo! " Kise cried. " Slow down, Nijicchi! " He protested at the speed in which she had set. Even with his significantly longer legs, it was no joke. Yohime had ignored him completely (both verbally and speed-wise), prompting Kise to peer down at the even face girl with his lower lip between his teeth. Had Akashi pissed Nijicchi off? Had he? Her silver eyes seemed to darken to a darker shade, doing nothing to lighten the scary aura pouring off her in buckets.

" Hey... Kise... " she finally spoke " ... I'm excited. " She finished, a large, maniacal grin slowly spreading on her face. A chill ran down Kise's spine.

Yeah... 

Kise decided that she was really just as scary as Akashicchi.