Illuminati
Chapter V
His destiny is on the Spiral...
"Party?"
"What party?"
"Since when Go institute hold a party?" Ochi asked.
Two heads turned to glare at him, Waya and Shindou. Meanwhile Isumi only gave a faint smile upon seeing their attitude.
"Who cares?" Waya exclaimed.
"I do," a voice interrupted.
Four of them turned and found Ogata, he was the one who spoke earlier, and Kuwabara. It was a little bit weird to see them together since it was a common knowledge that their relation wasn't too good, mostly because Kuwabara liked to provoke the younger go player.
"Ogata-sensei!" Waya panicked. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"It's okay!" Kuwabara waved his hand, dismissing the topic. "You boys need to have a fun."
Ogata seemed wanted to argue but he didn't say anything. Arguing with Kuwabara was useless; the older go player had a talent to upset him even without trying. Actually it was not a party but a press conference for Hokuto Cup even though in informal way with buffet, cocktail, etc. Since Hokuto Cup last year was a great success, okay maybe not that success with Japan's loss, but still it attracted a lot of attention and now they wanted to use the event to promote go since go world need a new player, a talented young generation. But it seemed everyone especially a young go player, misunderstood it as a party and he was getting tired to explain it, again and again.
His gaze fell to Shindou. So what would the boy do this year? This was worth waiting to see.
"So Shindou-kun," Kuwabara began. "What do you think of Hokuto Cup this year?"
Kuwabara too, had a strange attachment to the boy, the same as Touya Meijin, Ogata noticed that. Shindou was like a magnet.
"Interesting," the boy replied, his face stern. "Very interesting. This time I'm gonna crush him!"
Kuwabara chuckled. "That's good to hear Shindou-kun."
Ogata inwardly smirked. Yes, Hokuto Cup this year indeed was very interesting. With Shindou's declaration of war, he couldn't wait to see the game between Japan and Korea.
"Kuwabara sensei," he reminded the old man. "We're almost late now."
"Hai hai."
They nodded at them and then walked away.
A long silence dawned on Isumi, Waya and Ochi after Kuwabara and Ogata left.
"I still consider that as a party," Waya commented, breaking the silence.
"Yeah!" Shindou agreed. He was too enthusiastic that he accidentally bumped into someone who walking passed them.
"Ouch! My glasses!" the man dropped his glasses due to the impact.
"Oh! Gomen nasai!" Shindou said quickly. He picked the glasses from the floor and handed it to the man. "Gomen nasai! I didn't see you." He said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.
"No, its' okay." The man assured him.
"Really? Thanks!" Shindou cocked his head to the right. "Hey...I have never seen you before," he said.
Waya sighed. The boy had no manner at all.
"Ah hai. I just moved from Nagasaki. I'm Suzuki Yuuto." He introduced himself. "Nice to meet you all." Suzuki was a young man, in his early twenties with a brown hair and glasses. A conservative type who slightly reminded Waya of Touya Akira.
"I'm Shindou Hikaru."
"Yoshitaka Waya."
"Ochi."
"Shinichirou Isumi."
"So you're a go player from Nagasaki?"
"Yes," he nodded. "I got a job at pharmacy so I moved to Tokyo."
"Job?" Shindou echoed.
"Well...I'm just an ordinary go player so I have to work."
They fell silent. It was right, go player such as Touya meijin could earn hundred millions yean a year but for an ordinary go player the prize money wasn't enough for living. Therefore they taught go or had a part time job to support their life.
"Ah gomen nasai, I don't mean anything by that," he hurriedly said. "Which reminds me...You said your name is Shindou. Are you that Shindou? You know...that one in Hokuto Cup?"
"Uhm...yes..."
"I read about you in Go Weekly. It was a great game..." and he kept rambling before a ringing voice interrupted him. He took out his cell phone from his pocket. "Moshi moshi. Ah hai. I understand." He turned to them and smiled apologetically. "I have to go now. See you all."
Waya, Shindou, Isumi and Ochi watched his hurried exit.
"I thought he would talk forever," Ochi muttered.
"Yeah... me too," Waya agreed.
They still met with Suzuki a few times after that and he was a nice person so they often ended up hanging together. He was a nice guy and they befriended with him easily.
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"Shindou? Shindou?" Touya Akira had called the boy three times but he got no respond so he tapped Shindou's shoulder. "Shindou!"
The boy turned. "Ah Touya! Sorry I didn't hear you!" and he put his iPod away.
"It's okay," he assured him. "It must be a beautiful song then, you're absorbed in listening it."
"Wanna hear it?" Shindou offered.
Akira wanted to reject the offer but seeing Shindou's face he finally said yes. He suspected that the song was some kind of rock or pop song that Shindou seemed to enjoy. He llistened to the song for a few moments. "It's a beautiful song," he commented. And totally out of his prediction. Who ever thought that Shindou like classical music? Akira himself knew of classical music but he never heard this song before. "What's the title?"
"It's called 'Blessing of God in Solitude' by Franz Liszt, a famous Hungarian composer/pianist," Shindou explained. "One of his masterpieces though I like 'Dante's Symphony' better."
"I never knew you like classical music," he said in astonishment.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" his friend retorted indignantly.
Akira only smiled in respond.
"Ne Touya...'bout yesterday...don't tell anyone that Eyes came to see me, okay? I don't want to cause a fuss coz Eyes is very famous."
Very famous? That caught his attention. Eyes Rutherford name somehow were familiar but he couldn't remember it. "How do you know him?" he asked, his curiosity was eating him.
"Through internet, in chatting room." Shindou answered casually.
"Chatting room?"
"Yeah! In chatting room." Seeing his blank expression, Shindou continued his words. "Chatting room? Friendster? Weblog? Do you know any of these?"
The answer came in insant. "No."
"Geez Touya! What planet are you come from? Have you ever done something that is not related t Go?" he asked in exasperation.
"No. And when are we going to play go?" Akira only used internet to play online go or to look information for his school's paper. And he knew nothing of what Shindou had mentioned earlier. Knowing Shindou would tease him again, there was no doubt the change of topic would benefit for him.
Sure enough, Shindou was distracted easily. "Uhm...How 'bout tomorrow?"
"Fine." He looked at his watch. "I have a go session now. See you tomorrow Shindou."
"Ok! See ya!"
Soon after Touya left, Hikaru sighed and flopped himself back to the couch. It was good that Touya was distracted easily. If he mentioned about manga or the stuff like that he knew Touya would quickly change the topic to avert the subject. After all Touya didn't like it if people talking about his almost non existent 'teenage life.'
His gaze fell to his iPod, "'Blessing of God in Solitude', the song which describes the emotional splendors evoked by the beauties of the world and life which God has bestowed upon us..." he said, almost in trance.
"A beautiful and yet a stupid song." He muttered darkly. "Blessing of God? There is no such a thing like that in this world. I wonder why Eyes likes this song so much."
Just as he finished his words someone walked in.
"Shindou-kun."
Hikaru turned and greeted the newcomer. "Suzuki-san."
"You're alone?" Suzuki Yuuto asked, walking to the vending machine.
He shrugged. "Yeah, Isumi-san and Waya have gone home already."
"Drinks Shindou-kun? My treat of course."
"Really?" he exclaimed. "I want orange juice then."
"Ok. One orange juice and one coffee," he pressed the button. "Here Shindou-kun," he gave the can to him.
"Thanks." He sipped his orange juice happily.
Suzuki sat near him, inspecting his face thoughtfully. "You know...you are truly a good actor Shindou-san," he said at last.
Hikaru slowly turned, his face confused. "Huh! I don't know what you are talking about Suzuki-san." He said in genuine confusion.
"On the contrary, you know exactly what I am talking about."
"Suzuki-san?" Now Hikaru's face and tone were really worried. "Are you really ok? Maybe I should call a doctor."
"Or maybe I should call you Blade Children."
"Huh! Blade Children? What is that? Ano...I think you mistook me for another person Suzuki-san."
"Fraid not. Shindou Hikaru, the last Blade Children, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. The son of MIT professor, Shindou Yamato and Alice Seymour, who disappeared mysteriously and is assumed dead when the explosion which killed the Shindous happened. Am I right? Or do you want to hear more?"
The room went silent.
"You're also a good actor Suzuki-san. To think that you have fooled me." Hikaru broke the silence. His voice was calm though. "Tell me...Suzuki Yuuto is not you real name, right? You're such a dedicated Hunter, pretending to be a go player in order to get closer to me."
Suzuki smiled. "Yes and no Shindou-san. It's true that my real name is not Suzuki but I am truly a go player."
Hikaru raised his eyebrow. "So, is that a reason why they send you? Because you're a go player too?"
"I accidentally read about you in Go Weekly and found out the similarity between you and the rumored dead Blade Children so I began an investigation and found out the truth. Who ever guess that you live happily here and totally forget the fact that you're the condemned one. It is a time to remember Shindou-san. That's why I came here and for your other question..." he paused."my real name is Imazato Yuuto. Does the name sound familiar for you?"
Hikaru cocked his head to the left. "Why? None at all Imazato-san."
"Imazato-sensei...that's how they called him, my older brother. And they killed him."
Hikaru smiled brightly. "Wow! A hunter and a saver. What a contradiction. Interesting family ne?" then he turned serious. "So, you want to avenge your brother then?" Hikaru regarded him calmly.
A frown marred Suzuki'/Imazato's face. "Isn't it is written 'Do not avenge yourself Dear Friends but give place to the God wrath for it is written, vengeance is Mine, I will repay.'"
"Romans 12:19." He gave him a bored look. "Now you remind me of my Sunday school's teacher Imazato-san."
"You're right." He chuckled. "Such words don't fit for the condemned one like you. I'm not a sentimental person Shindou-san. The only reason why my brother got killed was because his own stupid ness. He wanted to help them but in return they killed him. He was such an idiot..." he shook his head.
"And what do you want Imazato-san?"
"Join us."
"Are you asking me to become a Hunter?" he asked with careful nonchalance. "To go against my kind?"
"Yes."
"Really. And what makes you think I will help you?"
"The truth behind your very existence," he said confidently. "After all Blade Children should never exist in this world since the beginning."
Hikaru narrowed his eyes. "The truth? What truth?"
"Why we have to kill you? Why you born in this world? Why you don't deserve to live?" he said. "Have you ever asked yourself those questions? Do you want the answer?"
Hikaru looked at him hesitantly.
Suzuki had a triumphant look on his face as he continued. "You don't know, do you? Kanone Hilbert knows the truth, that's why he is in our side now." He should never tell the secret to anyone but he was too confident, too full of himself. His mistake.
Hikaru's expression didn't change at the revelation but there was a gleam in his eyes.
"I will tell you the truth and the exchange..." he didn't finish his words. "Shindou-san...the way you're now...of course you wouldn't want to endanger your friends, do you? You know...many things could happen to them...just like your parents."
Suppressing his intense anger and hatred with an actor finesse,Hikaru yawned and blandly remarked. "Are you blackmailing me Imazato-san?"
"No, of course no. It's only a persuasion. I mean no harm. Not for now," he smiled. "I didn't poison you, did I? Though I have an opportunity for that," he pointed the orange juice can in Hikaru's hand. "So what do you think of my offer Shindou-san?"
"The press conference,"Hikaru muttered.
"Eh?"
"The press conference at Go Institute next week. I will tell you my answer at that time,"Hikaru said, his tone was perfectly neutral.
"I see. Of course you need time to think. Fine then. We will meet again next week." He opened the door and walked out. "And don't forget that your friend's fate is in your hand. Well...I hope for a good news Shindou-san." With that the door was closed, leaving the angry Shindou Hikaru.
Hikaru gritted his teeth. That son of a bitch, how dared him to blackmail him. He wanted to kill him, right then and there. Unfortunately this was not a right time or a right place.
The truth behind their existence, eh? The offer was so tempting that no one, not even Kanone could resist it. Unfortunately for Suzuki, he already knew the truth. His mother had told him the secret...right before she died.
"Mom! Dad!" the ten years old Shindou Hikaru shouted desperately. The smoke was getting into his lungs and it also covered his sight. Fire was in everywhere. It was a nightmare.
He was in his room when he heard the loud explosion that seemed to split his eardrums. He ran to basement short after that. His parents had changed the basement into lab so maybe...there was something wrong with their experiment. But what he found there was a total mess.
"Mom! Dad!"
"Hikaru..." came a weak reply.
"Mom!" he ran to the source of the voice. There, he found Alice Seymour, lying on the ground, scratch in her body and blood running in her face.
"Mom! Are you okay! I will call ambulance! Daddy? Where is Daddy?" then he spotted his father. "DAAAAAD!" Shindou Yamato was sprawled on the floor, his blood oozing out from his chest, dripping onto the floor to form a pool. From all these indications anyone could tell he was died.
"Dad..."
He was about to run to his father place when she yanked him down. "Calm down Hikaru. There is nothing we can do for him now." Alice wanted to cry, she really wanted to but she couldn't. She couldn't shed tears in front of her only son. Hikaru had to be strong, in order to overcome his destiny.
"I will call ambulance and police," despite he was in total shock, he still could think straight.
"No, you have to listen to me Hikaru," she tightened her grip on her son's arm.
"But-" he wanted to protest but stopped seeing Alice's serious face. Never had he seen his mother was this serious.
"Listen to me Hikaru," she said. 'Please...I don't have time anymore...' the pain shot trough her body.
"I am..." she paused. "...your mother but Shindou Yamato isn't your biological father." She ignored the shock on his son face and went on.
Oh, how he remembered the moment clearly. He even could replay every word, as if it was happen yesterday and not years ago. Thanked to his photographic memory, he couldmemorize everything he had ever seen or heard.
She then told him that Shindou Yamato was sterile so he couldn't have a child. Then they heard about the project, the Blade Children Project, they thought it was a perfect opportunity to have a child. So they went to Japan for insemination. They went back to USA right after that and Hikaru was born there.
Three years after that, the nightmare came. The organization had been destroyed and its member divided into three forces: the Watcher, the Saver and...the Hunter.
Shiranatagani Rin brought the news; she came to USA along with her daughter, Sayoko, runing away for their lives. So they helped her and Sayoko. They also made a plan for Hikaru. Hikaru needed a skill to survive therefore they decided to teach him everything they knew and being a Blade Children he was, he became a master in chemistry in no time.
"So Sayoko too..."
"Yes..." she said weakly. "I have sent her to her grandfather house in Japan so at least she is safe now. And then they..."
"They?"
"Eyes Rutherford and his friend, Kanone Hilbert. That's why I took you to England every year though I forbid them to tell you the truth. And there are more of them, in Japan. You have to go to Japan..."
"Mom! I-"
"He will find you..."
"He?" he echoed for the second time.
"Narumi Kiyotaka...he will explained few things for you but you 'have' to beware Hikaru...after that you have to go to your aunt house and stay there." Her vision started to blur.
"Mom!" he cried out.
"You have to be strong Hikaru..." she smiled softly at him. "I'm not supposed to tell you this but you have to know the truth." She yanked him closer and whispered the truth into his ears.
The impact of her words was so great that he only stared at his mother in a total shock. "Why?" he asked. "...because of me...you...dad...Am I truly the cursed child?"
"You're God's Child, Hikaru. For us...me and your father...who can't have a child...you're a gift from God."
"But because of me-"
She shook her head. "You're the best son a mother could have. I couldn't have asked for anyone better. I wouldn't trade you for anyone else..."
"Mom..." Even though at the time like this she was so gentle, always so kind.
"Those Hunter! I will never forgive them! I will-"
"No. This isn't the time yet. Now...you have to live..." her voice grew weaker.
"Mom!"
"Hikaru...means shining...therefore...you have to shine and overcome the darkness. Don't forget, destiny has to be taken in our own hands..." it was the last she said.
"MOM!"
Too much blood, too much agony...that he wasn't the same person anymore after the accident.Since thenhe looked at the world with a different view.
No wonder Kanone became desperate after knowing it. That's why Eyes didn't want to tell the other. If such knowledge could bring despair to them, then it's better if they didn't know the truth at all. After all, what happened when Pandora unlocked her box? Only an endless sorrow. Believing in the fake hope...the fake Messiah...did they have any other option?
Hikaru shook his head roughly. Remembering the past did no good for him now. He better thought about his situation now and his thoughts led to one but conclusion. He had to kill the guy!
One week...that was enough time to plan everything. All successful plots depended on one important factor, skillful and thorough preparation. And as usual, a careful planning would guarantee an excellent result. "'I hope for a good news' eh?" Hikaru's eyes gleamed and his lips stretched into a malicious smile. "I promise you will not be disappointed."
Author's Note:
I'm looking for a beta reader so if you could help me tell I in your review and I will send email to you. And if you know where to find translation of Spiral, Angel Sanctuary or Count Cain tell me ok.
And I know the story of Spiral manga but I decided to write my fic base on anime coz I bet most of us only watched the anime therefore I don't want to confuse you guys.
Now some explanation for you, Imazato sensei was a teacher. He taught in their school and in Blade Children's side but after some event he wanted to help Narumi Ayumu, he said he would tell Ayumu the truth so Io killed him then.