Our Phantom's Shadow

((17)) Outmatched

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this out. I originally was going to post it like two or three weeks ago but some things came up and I couldn't. I appreciate all the support! =D Votes are nice, but comments really show some love~

[DISCLAIMER] I do not own Kurobasu and its characters. The plot of this fic belongs to me.

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((17)) Outmatched

Midorima and Murasakibara were the first to meet Akashi and Kuroko at the designated meet-up.

"Are you both okay?" Kuroko asked first, quickly observing that he didn't see any external injuries on the two.

"We're okay, Kuro-chin~" Murasakibara answered with a smile but then noticed how Kuroko's fingers were still repairing and his smile faded.

"What about you? What happened?" Midorima asked after he noticed the same thing. It was a fascinating process to watch, albeit 'sickeningly fascinating' was more of the term to use...

Akashi answered, "We ran into a mass of AniNervos and narrowly escaped. Tetsu—Kuroko protected me from a building collapse." Both Midorima and Murasakibara didn't say anything about how Akashi's normally strong voice shook and wavered mid-sentence. They had a feeling the leader was shaken by what happened, and Murasakibara moved a little closer to the redhead.

"I take it this is your extreme regenerating abilities at work?" Midorima turned his attention back to Kuroko, who simply nodded, his skin forming over the newly formed bones in his hand.

They stayed in silence for a few minutes before Akashi got his bearings together and asked them what they found. Kuroko stared off, senses on alert in case of danger.

After almost ten minutes went by, the group started to get a little antsy that two of their members were not there yet.

"Shintaro, contact them again." Akashi told their sniper and he looked at Murasakibara, "Do you see anything?"

"Nothing in sight, Aka-chin." The tallest answered as he perched on a pile of debris.

Akashi looked at the alert phantom, but Kuroko shook his head. The redhead sighed and was about to start pacing when they all heard yelling in the distance.

"Hey!"

That was Kise, and the four were all on the move toward their comrades. Kuroko managed to jump over toppled vehicles to get there quicker and saw that there were bird AniNervos chasing after the two.

Summoning a type of cannon-gun on his arm through Nebullis energy, Kuroko aimed at the mutated birds flying around them and started taking them out. The energy shots caused a disturbance and the mass focused on Kuroko instead.

Murasakibara and Akashi helped him by shooting and Midorima quickly went to help pull the two in and look over them. "Any injuries?"

"Just some scrapes and bruises," Aomine spat on the ground. "The bastards broke our spare guns."

Kise pat himself down and winced when he saw blood seeping through his pants leg around his ankle. "Uh, Midorimacchi...?"

The green-haired teen quickly went over to him and frowned at the sight. He reached into his bag and threw a spare rifle to Aomine, who nodded in thanks and quickly left to cover them.

Midorima had Kise prop against a building wall and ripped the pants leg some so he could see the wound better. Green eyes narrowed as he inspected it, "For now I'll disinfect it with alcohol and wrap it up, but later I'll need to look at it better. It looks like some dirt got inside." Midorima spoke as he got out a rag and alcohol to drench it. "Find something to bite on, it will sting."