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THEN

Two days had passed since the green cat-eyes female had first landed in the sunny Californian city of Los Angeles, where yesterday Kensho Kagami had taken the two for Anna to sightsee from the golden sand beaches to the rolling streets towered by the iconic palm trees towering the road.

It was then early in the morning when the maroon haired boy had just come from the beach from surfing as he entered the house when his eyes shot up to see his dad coming down the stairs in an urgent manner, a phone next to his ear with his appearance made up of a pale blue buttoned shirt and formal black pants.

"yes, yes I'm coming down! Yeah-, let me call you back I need to tell my son I have to leave," Kensho ended the call as he reached the bottom of the stairs, "Taiga, I need to head to the office, the client just pushed up the meeting to today. Hey, can you look after Anna for me? Make sure you take her somewhere or something. I left my card if you guys want anything on your study desk."

"What do you mean?! I have a game today! I told you! I'm going to leave after I take a shower!" Taiga exclaimed as his dad sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"Uhh, look why don't you take Anna with you. She likes basketball-"

"I didn't know that," Taiga mumbled.

"- so maybe you can play with her or whatever, just make sure she gets to do something for herself after your game, ok? Look I'm so sorry Taiga, I've got to go this client is from a huge associate from New York and I can't afford to lose him-, bye!" Kensho finished mid-sentence as he swung the door behind him.

Taiga sighed as he looked upstairs where Anna room was. After putting his surfboard outside in the balcony Taiga trudged up the stairs and touched his hair to feel if it was still wet hoping he wouldn't get a trail of droplets in Anna's room. After ruffling his hair with a towel and putting on a robe Taiga knocked on her door.

"Who is it?" she called out.

"It's Taiga," he leaned against the door waiting for a reply.

"Uh, come in." Taiga twisted the doorknob and let himself in and looked to the side to see a dishevelled Anna. "Hey," he said awkwardly.

"Hey," she replied shyly as an awkward pause followed.

Taiga scratched the back of his neck, "Look, uh... um, my dad got called for a meeting with some client."

"Oh..." Anna trailed, dangling her legs over the bed as she pursed her lips.

"Uh, so I've got a game today. Um, and I can't really leave you alone since he's gonna be gone practically all day. Do you mind coming with me, the game is gonna probably last an hour or two, well maybe three because my master is going to teach me something before the game starts," he explained as he looked back up at her blank face.

"It's alright, I guess," she shrugged.

"Great! We can do whatever you want afterwards! Look, I'm gonna take a shower and we have to leave after that," he rambled quickly and then left.

---

"Yo who's the hot chick?" the brunette haired boy named Weston asked as Taiga panted and wiped his sweat with his shirt and looked up.

"Oh, that's just Anna she's just staying with us for a bit," Taiga replied.

"Wait, is that your girlfriend? Dude, don't you think she's out of your league?" a boy wearing a dark blue singlet and basketball shorts chimed in a teasing manner as he swung his arm around the maroon haired boy.

"No! Dammit Josh, haven't you been listening? She's just staying with us, one of my dad's clients. Were gonna attend the same school," Taiga chided as he swung off Weston's hand.

"Oh, right forgot you're a rich boy," Luke ruffled his hair from behind as Taiga threw the ball at him.

"Oi!"

"Relax, dude. Chill," Weston sniggered as the other two laughed in the background, "So, since your not dating can I ask for her number?"

"Wes, aren't you dating that one from the school across from yours?" Luke raised a brow knowing his friend's antics.

"And the one from mine?" Joshua put his hands on his hips riding along with Luke's question.

"Wes, she's younger than me," Taiga cringed at the thought someone older than him by three years would hit on someone young than he was.

"Right-, shoot game is starting! Other guys are there look at that!" Weston stammered and ran back to the other side of the court as the three boys only sighed at their older friend. Back at the top of the bleachers as the sun poured down on her and the scattered crowd watching the other team arrive. Anna's green eyes trailed the game.

Perhaps it was a little like the American movies she would watch, how movie stars about basketball movies or older 2000s movies would have the iconic basketball streetball scenes. They were good to her expectations, they were rough and unpolished but they were good. Unpolished unlike Japan focused more on clean and technique but it was one of the birthplaces of future NBA players.

Her eyes moved to Taiga, who was the youngest of the lot easily managed to keep up with the 'lot' of older players. His dribbling was good and he was fast and certainly could jump high and reach high a boy of his age. Anna watched as the ball was passed to him and he made a shot with the result of a little celebration happening between what seemed to be his friends.

"Enjoying the game?" came a voice as Anna turned to her side to see a tall blonde woman with glasses approach her and sat down beside her. She was a woman attractive with a slender body and curves and had a welcoming smile radiating off her face as she was seated next to Anna. Pondering in the back of her head, Anna debated if she had seen her before.

"y- yeah," she stammered in reply. No matter the age difference Americans easily approached one another unlike in Japan.

"Your Taiga's friend aren't you? Anna right? I'm Alexandra, but Alex is fine," she introduced herself as Anna came into realisation.

"By any chance, a-are you, um, Alexandra Garcia?" Anna inquired making the older female raise a questioning brow.

"Yes! Did Taiga tell you?" Alexandra exulted.

"N-no, I mean, no. Are you Alexandra Garcia, as in UCLA MVP basketball player and WNBA Alexandra Garcia?" Anna sheepishly asked.

Alex only blinked processing what she had said only to let a huge giddy smile take over her face, "Hey you know me?! Wow, are you a basketball fan?!" Alexandra enthusiastically questioned leaning forward.

"Y-yes! of course, oh my god!" Anna slapped her cheeks, "You know how much I idolise you! I'm a huge fan! I mean, I first watched that game where you scored the highest record of points by a female and then I was completely hooked! I got into WNBA and then sifted through your college games!" she rambled making the older blonde laugh.

"Jeez, why didn't Taiga mention this earlier! Well, my young padawan, you and I are going to see each other a lot and get along just fine!" Alex grinned.

"Pada what?" Anna blinked discombobulated by the term she used.

"So-! Do you play?" Alex questioned.

"Uh, I do, sort of. Back in Japan I helped managed and coached a really good basketball team," she answered.

"Cool! So do you want to play?" Alex asked as she paused.

"Uh, well I don't think I can keep up with them," she looked back down at the game.

"Well then, we'll just play on the other side of the court, they're not using it anyway. I want to see what you could do," Alex grinned with a bright smile as Anna's eyes widened. The way she held her wrist as she guided her down the bleachers was so similar to how Seijuro was when his mother was still alive.

It was truly like a utopia fantasy when it was just the two of them when Seijuro's father was more out of the picture and his mother was present. Anna's mind went back to when she would make her frequent visits to the household, how she would be eating Seijuro's mother famous delicious Japanese cheesecakes, how fluffy and light they were. And when Anna wanted another piece Seijuro would beg her to leave it and play with him outside. The good old days' Anna described it.

"Anna?" Alex called out as Anna snapped out looking straight up to see the female holding a ball in her hand.

"Sorry, spaced out," she explained.

"It's alright," Alex chuckled, "Here," she bounced the ball to her, "Let's see what you can do."

Anna paused and hesitated at the ball in her hands, staring at it as if it was her first time. Looking back up and without a second thought, Anna made a shot without thinking only for Alex to jump up and grab it with ease. Anna flushed with embarrassment, she knew she should have got closer to make the shot. Why was she trying to copy Midoriama all of a sudden?

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I didn't know what to do I wasn't thinking!" Anna exclaimed as Alex only passed before bursting into laughter.

"It's alright, chill, it's alright," Alex eased, "You have such good form! For a second I thought you intentionally did that." Alex dribbled the ball, "Come on, you defend."

"A-against you?" Anna exclaimed at the ex WNBA player.

"Come on! It shouldn't matter what our experience or skill is in basketball, that shouldn't stop you! I'll go easy you and if it helps I haven't played in a long time," Alex smiled making Anna creep one up her lips as well. ' It shouldn't matter what our experience or skill is in basketball' those words hit her with a soft nostalgia, it was like a first-year middle schooler Aomine all over again with Kuroko and those late-night practices.

With a breath of confidence, Anna got into position, switching to defence as Alex dribbled the ball on her right. Something happened inside of Anna. Her cat eyes lingered at her hand for a brief moment as she looked back into Alex's green eyes hidden behind her red glasses.

'Alex's right is her dominant hand, it's almost impossible to make a steal if the ball is in control especially if she gets in a very close radius of the hoop, her double clutches are impeccable. If I can just make her switch to her left' Anna thought

Anna made the advance making Alex spin only for the advance to be fake with Anna reaching from behind catching Alex by surprise. Alex started to dribble at an unnatural pace as Anna tried to shut her down multiple times.

She's keeping up really good, her feet can easily switch directions without hesitation Alex noted. Alex went into a fake two-step only for Anna to catch on and steal the ball when the ball was just about to dribble to her left hand. Anna quickly went back down the court and advanced as fast as she could.

She's good Alex smirked as the two entered a frenzy of Anna trying to get past only for Alex to keep up. I'm close enough for a formless shot Anna said to herself but I've never done one before despite teaching it countless times to Aomine and Kise. Should I go for it?

Anna faked multiple moves convincingly as she acted that Alex's moves had supposedly shut down Anna faked she was going into a floater (anna didn't even know how to actually make the shot) making Alex jump up high in the air. Only Anna made one-foo boost up in the air letting the other making her lean back and make the shot. Alex's eyes widen as in slow motion as Anna went in for the shot.

Anna only tumbled to the grown, her back banging against the concrete floor as she spread her arms out and jerked at the pain. "Ow," she let out and exhaled tiredly.

"Jesus that was incredible! How the hell did you that!" Alexandra exclaimed loudly hovering over her, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," she groaned before the two of them just burst into laughter. Helping Anna up the former WNBA star began to ramble on to the younger female before kids from Taiga's game came running in as they crowded around her.

"That was sick!"

"You got some serious moves!"

"Anna!" Taiga managed to move through the small crowd, "I didn't know you could play!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Uh, well that was sort of a fluke. I used to help manage a championship basketball team back in my school in Tokyo," she sheepishly chuckled rubbing the back of her head. "Also I'm a big basketball fan, including Miss Garcia here,"

"What are you talking about? No need for formalities here, just call me Alex, everyone does anyway," she wrapped her arm around the shoulder as Anna slouched at the weight slightly.

"Seriously I had no idea! Hey, you should play come play with us!" Taiga grinned us everyone around them agreed. She didn't know what to feel, the last time she had played with anyone at all with full teams was when the Generation of miracles was still in their first year.

"I dunno, I might not keep up with you guys... and I'm the only girl..." Anna trailed looking around feeling intimidated by the tall guys that surpassed Midoriama by far.

"So?" Luke had chimed in, "It's the fvcking twenty-first century now."

"Yeah, if you can play you can play," Weston added with a grin, "We'll even teach you some stuff, the last time a girl played was my sister and her friends came but she's in college now and in college league shit."

"Please!" Taiga begged as she paused in thought and looked up at Alex who only gave a smile and nodded.

"O-okay," Anna answered before only to be dragged by the herd of older boys.

For the first time in a while, Anna had genuinely laughed.

NOW

Green emerald cat eyes gaze at the current score: 86 to 83 in favour of Tōō. Anna sits with her arms crossed as Seirin celebrates their three free falls that have all made the basket as cheering around Aomine who only stands there with an arcane aura blanketing the stadium as Anna can hear the cheers of Kogenai yelling:

"We're three points behind! Three points!"

Aomine begins to walk down the court into his position as every single member of the generation of miracles including Anna sitting in their seats or watching the game can feel it. The tall power forward only stands there and without a single word or gesture Imayoshi looks up and instantly passes the ball feeling the powerful string gesturing towards Aomine. It was inevitable the feeling.

Without even trying Aomine passes Kagami not in like any other way before catching the Seirin number ten off guard; Aomine makes the basket effortlessly as both teams feel the different ambience on the court.

"He's in," Anna simply states, "he's in the zone." To say Anna would never have known that Aomine would have achieved the level of the Zone was impossible, Anna never needed data to see his potential of growth within a small time span. She just simply never knew when he would ever use it seeing how he was arrogant on the fact that other players weren't 'worthy' of such a thing. Yet it seemed the shadow, the rookie and their team somehow manage to crack such a light out of the darkness only-, were they ready for it?

Hyuga is with the ball as he is marked by Sakurai. Izuki manages to go around as just when the captain was about to pass Aomine intercepts with an unprecedented rate of speed, only to then pass Taiga and Izuki like they were training cones. The two are hardly able to respond to Aomine dunk with ease as Kiyoshi comments in shock about the two of them.

With Seirin behind by seven points with five more minutes to spare Seirin's captain declares to hang in there as if -any most likely is- the last resort. WIth Kiyoshi guarded by Wakamatsu, Kiyoshi manages to score past him allowing morale to slip back through the team.

With a time out in place, Seirin score is 85 to 92 Anna huffs in bore down letting her cheek rest on her elbow as it sits on the armrest. It most likely might end in Tōō but I have a gut feeling something is up Anna prompts as she turns her eyes back down at the court with something catching her eye. Taiga seems he's saying something serious to his teammates, he had always had the expression with his eyebrows when he was determined under pressure. Anna grins as Hyuga and Kuroko seem to physically show their support.

The timeout ends, everyone is eager to see what happens next only to be surprised by the change of slight positions. In the centre of the court, Taiga is in stance, ready more spiritually than physically Anna cold describe as. As she watches Aomine eliminating Seirin's other players as he scores Anna assesses Taiga who is only analysing more than playing his usual self. Anna grins knowing what he was doing.

Seirin seems to be in a gamble, trying to do whatever they can to get Taiga in rhythm. A gamble again Anna says. With Taiga trying to stop Aomine inevitably to get past him as something flashes in Taiga's eyes, something else. A Fire of determination.

Anna is at the end edge of her seat as she watches something Anna had always hoped for-

The ball is pushed from behind out of Aomine's hand catching everyone off guard as the ball rolls off-court....

Taiga was in the zone.

THANK GOD I FINISHED THIS GAME!

UGHHH I HATE WRITING GAMES THAT AREN'T IRRELEVANT TO THE PLOTLINE OR JUST TAKE TWO LONG, I WAS GOING TO SKIP THIS BUT IT WAS A KEY MOMENT THAT I COULDN'T JUST SKIP SO BARE WITH ME.

Anywho bare with me so we can get this story on a roll!

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