( A/N: I had initially planned to name this chapter 'Kuroko no afro' but I sort of reconsidered after I wrote down the chapter. I suuppose the current title is more fitting to the storyline.... Which sounds better? :) )
"I thought you 'weren't going to indulge in this nonsense' " demanded Akira. Midorima had turned up wearing a long black wig. "My lucky item today was a black wig. Who am I to ignore the promptings of fate, nanodayo?" he replied.
"All this is fine, but why are you wearing a girls' wig?" said Akira skeptically. "That isn't a girls' wig, Akira-san. That's a really old fashioned wig for guys" said Sora. "But look at the length of the hair!" said Akira. "There is no way that's for boys". "Look at the thickness of the hair" suggested Sora. "Don't you know anything about fashion, nanodayo?" said Midorima. "Says the guy with the outdated wig" countered Akira.
"But where are the others?" said Sora scanning the crowd.
"They'll be here" said Akira. "Aho and Ki-kun mostly arrive just on time."
The three of them were standing outside their class when they heard a couple of screams resound through the corridor. "Looks like the boys are in the house" commented Akira with a grin.
Sora gasped and clutched the door for support. Kise was wearing a wig with thick black hair that covered one side of his face completely. He occasionally lifted up the hair on that side to wink at someone who passed him. Aomine was wearing a wig that had a lot of spikes on it. The points looked almost sharp enough to pierce something. As for Aomine himself, he just looked frankly ridiculous.
But the highlight of the trio was Kuroko. He was wearing a huge black afro on his head. People just stopped in their tracks to stare at him. "How do you do?" said Kuroko politely.
"This is a dream.... This is a dream." muttered Sora.
"Sora-chan! Quit pinching yourself. You'll get really bad bruises at this rate!" scolded Akira.
"Yo." said Aomine.
"Looking terrible." said Akira with a wink. Aomine grinned. "Why, thank you."
"Is Sora-chan alright?" said Kuroko doubtfully. Sora was staring at them with a sort of fascinated horror.
"You three just scared her to death. She's worried about the rules." said Akira.
"Did you find anything?" demanded Kise.
Sora shook her head. "But the teachers probably won't like it so....."
"That's that then." said Kise. "We're wearing them whether you like it or not!"
"Whatever. Go talk to Seijuro yourselves." said Sora.
Aomine, Kise and Kuroko exchanged glances.
---------
"I can't believe he let them off the hook!" said Sora, amazed.
"Shouldn't we be worried about the match?" said Aoba.
"Maybe. But this is just crazy!" said Sora. "They look stupid."
"This is the generation of miracles we're playing against! Shouldn't you be taking this more seriously?" demanded Aoba.
Sora just made a 'tsk' sound. "Their hair is annoying me...." she muttered.
"We've already played against them a lot of times so the whole effect has worn off a bit." explained Akira. "Besides, we even won once...."
"That wasn't exactly basketball." reminded Sora. "Anyway, I don't even feel disposed to play. All that black is seriously depressing me."
"Sora-chan, even though I hate to break this to you; Get a grip! We're playing our first match of the year against those nuts after all." said Akira.
"Just don't look at them if it bothers you so much." suggested Yukiji.
"How am I supposed to play then?" murmered Sora. But she dropped the subject anyway. This was the first match of the year and she couldn't afford to be harebrained in front of the team. "Let's go."
--------
"Let's have a good game." said Akashi during the handshake and paused. "Do you want to bet on the outcome?"
"No." said Sora.
"What if I order you to?"
"No."
"Too bad."
Coach was refereeing for them she blew the whistle and the game began. Kise was the first to take the ball and he passed it to Aomine. Akira tried to block Aomine but suddenly she stepped back and let him pass.
2 - 0.
"Akira, what the hell was that?" demanded Sora.
"Did you just see those things on his head?" exclaimed Akira. "They would have impaled me for sure!"
"Or you would have lost an eye at the least." said Yukiji. Sora nodded. "Sorry. I should have understood."
"No probs. Blame it on aho." said Akira shooting a dirty look at Aomine who was sticking his tongue out at her. The game commenced again. Sora received the ball and passed it to Aoba. Aoba was quite near the hoop and could have shot but instead she suddenly threw the ball at Kise who had come to block her.
"Aieee!" screamed Kise. "Murdah!"
"Oh, shut up." said Aomine.
"One ball won't kill you, Kise-kun." said Akira skeptically.
"I know." said Kise with a grin. "But what's life without drama?"
"One punch could kill this prat though." said Aomine cracking his knuckles.
Kise was awarded a free throw by coach. "Why?" said Sora looking at Aoba. "I just realized how annoying that wig look close up...." said Aoba sheepishly.
"Welcome to the dark side, sis." said Sora grimly. "But get it together. We can't afford something like this." Aoba nodded. "Understood."
The next time the game commenced, it was Yukiji who was affected. She was blocking Midorima when he attempted a drive. His hair flew behind him when he crossed her. Yukiji gave a loud sneeze and then collapsed laughing. "Your hair might have invaded my nose." she said between her fits of laughter.
"That's it." said Sora decisively. "I'm calling a time out."
"Where are you going Sora-chan?" said Akira.
"To speak to the captain of our opponents."
------------
"Sorry, but we are going to continue with our current tactics." said Akashi, smiling.
"This just isn't fair!" said Sora.
"In what way?"
"All that black hair is weird and distracting."
"You would be the first person to call black hair 'weird and distracting' as opposed to coloured hair." said Akashi.
"Look at your own hair." suggested Aomine.
"So you are not going to change plans?"
"Not in the least." said Akashi.
"Fine then." said Sora turning away in a huff.
"Sora?"
"What?" said Sora turning around and nearly doubled up with laughter. Akashi had borrowed Midorima's wig and was waiting for her to react.
"You're insane. This isn't going to work for more than a quarter." said Sora disguising her laughter as a violent coughing fit.
"Is it? We'll see then...." said Akashi.
---------------
"We're scr*wed." cursed Akira loudly. Sora hissed at her for swearing. Kuroko would be playing in the match. Sora suspected that one of the reasons he was subbed in was because he was wearing a wig. The g.o.m weren't having any trouble and there was no other reason for them to bring out their trump card.
"Stand your ground." said Sora. "Nothing can be worse than backing out now."
------------------
Sora could feel that something was odd with the match. With Kuroko inside, Sora had assumed that they would be in top gear. But for some reason (namely the wig) misdirection wasn't as effective as usual. In fact, the girls had been doing better after Murasakibara had been subbed out. Akashi then saw it fit to sub Kuroko out. Sora felt relieved for no particular reason. For one thing, some of the people in the stands had been pointing at Kuroko. This made Sora uneasy. He was supposed to be the invisible hero. The phantom. But Akashi didn't seem too perturbed so she let it pass. He probably had some other motive.
--------------------
"We won again, Sora."
"Nae, Seijuro, why did you sub in Kuroko-kun?"
Akashi considered her question. "Misdirection has many.... factors to it, say. I wanted to test them out. I now have a good idea of the concept, or at least I've understood the basic parameters."
"But what if Kuroko-kun's cover had been blown?" said Sora.
"Do you think I'm someone who rushes headfirst without giving things a thought?" said Akashi. "Despite your firm convictions, I do not consider most people as experimental animals."
"Most people?" said Sora suspiciously.
"Yes.... Most people."
"Speaking of experimental animals, I have a request...."
"Hmm?"
"Put this on." said Sora brandishing Kuroko's wig at him. "Where did you get this?" said Akashi.
"Kuroko-kun leant it to me." said Sora casually. Then she suddenly moved forward and fitted it onto his head. "Woah, that was a million dollar sight!"
"Oh yeah? You are going to pay for it." said Akashi transferring the wig to Sora's head.
"I don't mind." said Sora with a shrug. "How do I look?"
"Nothing like your usual self." said Akashi taking the wig off. "Black is dull....."
"Excuse me?"
"You are different." said Akashi extending his hand towards her hair only to have it swatted away.
"Well, I'm glad this fiasco's over." said Sora.
"On the contrary, Daiki approached Ryouta with a request for the wig. Ryouta enlisted me for protection."
"You agreed?" said Sora although she knew the answer.
"Of course. We have already enough commotion as it is. It's high time to restore order."