Chapter 9: Resolve

Disclaimer: I do not own this. Spiral: The Bonds Of Reasoning is the property of Kyo Shirodaira and Eita Mizuno. The only ownership I claim is for this story and the OCs involved.

Akito stood frozen, watching Kisame. His hand was raised slightly from when he had been preparing to take his shot, but now it was paralyzed in mid-lift. His hand trembled slightly, causing the gun to shake almost imperceptibly.

When Kisame spoke Akito felt his breath hitch momentarily in his throat and he closed his eyes, briefly removing his gaze from Kisame in order to calm his own nerves. When he focused once more on the Blade Child before him his expression was calmer and his hands had stopped trembling. Kisame was standing calmly, watching him. His gun was held loosely at his side but Akito was fully aware that it could be switched into attack position before he would even be able to register the action. Akito sighed.

"Hello." Akito replied. "What a surprise running into you."

Kisame smirked. "Indeed it is." He raised his arm and glancing quickly in the direction he was aiming, fired another shot into the target, hitting dead center. The sound of the shot caused Akito to flinch and his heart beat quickened. He cursed inwardly when he saw that Kisame had noticed his reaction.

"What is it that you want?" Akito asked, tired of waiting for something to happen despite the fact that the two of them had only been standing together for a maximum of five minutes. Kisame's smirk darkened, but he didn't respond. Instead he fired another shot into the target, causing Akito to jump a second time.

Akito's hands were shaking once more. He knew that the Blade Child before him was toying with him, showing how simple it was for him to hit a target without hardly looking. By watching Kisame, Akito knew that running, as well as a gun fight at close range would only end in his death. The only thing that still gave him a chance at survival was that they were in a monitored area and, as far as Akito could see, they were the only ones that were still shooting. This meant that if Kisame were to kill him, he wouldn't get away with it. He was pulled from his thoughts when Kisame spoke.

"If you're thinking this location will save you, you're sadly misled." He said calmly. Akito looked at Kisame with confusion, wondering how the "Savage Gun" had come to that conclusion. In response to Akito's questioning look, Kisame nodded in the direction behind Akito. Taking the risk, Akito glanced behind himself to see the employee on duty walking toward the two of them. He spoke to Kisame when he reached them.

"Hey, I gotta take off. The place is all locked up other than the office. Since you work here the boss says that it's okay for you to stay for a little while longer. Just lock up when you leave." The man said as he handed Kisame a set of keys. Akito's face drained of color and a cold sweat broken out on his face by the time the man turned to him. "You can stay until he leaves." The man said in a good-natured tone as he gestured to Kisame.

"Th-that's alright. I- I should be going anyway." Akito stuttered, moving quickly to try and escape from the shooting range. A warm hand stopped him as it grasped his arm firmly.

"Nonsense. You should stay and shoot. I'd enjoy the company." Kisame said in a voice that Akito perceived as far too friendly. Kisame's apparent coworker seemed to buy the act, though, and cast Kisame a friendly smile before waving at him and Akito before leaving. Akito stood frozen where he was. He felt the pressure increase on his upper arm to a point where it was painful and he winced. Inwardly, he panicked when he felt Kisame pull him backwards toward him. Not wanting to be shot in the back, Akito turned to face Kisame, attempting to pull his arm free from the vice grip of his enemy.

Kisame didn't budge in his grip, only allowing Akito to turn partially. It didn't escape Akito's notice that when Kisame had reached for him he had bypassed the easy grasping point on Akito's left arm and had instead grabbed him by the right arm so as to impair his ability to use the gun that was still clasped in his trembling hand. He shuddered when he heard Kisame chuckle.

"Now why are you shaking, Hunter? Are you that afraid of me?" Kisame asked, his tone mocking, yet hateful. Akito closed his eyes.

"It would be pointless to say I wasn't afraid right now." Akito said, managing to keep his voice calm and even despite the slight shaking that had overtaken his body. He arched his back and tried to pull away from Kisame as he felt the barrel of the gun pressed against the small of his back in response to his answer. "You've ensured that I would be afraid of you." He added as he felt the gun press harder into his spine. He grimaced as Kisame spoke and he heard the smirk on his words.

"Your fear isn't just a result of this moment, though, right? I mean, fear is the whole reason you're trying to kill us, isn't it?" Kisame taunted, using "us" rather than "me" to show the connection that the Blade Children had with one another. Akito grit his teeth but nodded his head. If it had been any other Blade Child, besides Kanone, he would have attempted to lie to them. However, he knew enough about the deadly efficiency that had earned the man behind him the title of "Savage Gun" to realize that lying to him would not help his case. He also knew that truth wouldn't help his case either but he figured it would likely cause a far less painful and drawn out death. When he felt Kisame's hand tighten around his arm further Akito opted to answer verbally.

"Yes, that's why the Hunters want the Blade Children dead. The Blade Children are time bombs waiting to go off. You're proof of that." Akito said quickly, his agitation, mixed with his discomfort, causing him to speak without thinking. His eyes widened when he realized what he had said and he clamped his mouth shut, silently cursing. His eyes widened further in panic as he heard Kisame start to laugh. He was just about to risk glancing at Kisame before he felt Kisame's hand release his arm and grab the collar of his jacket. He yelped in surprise as he was forcefully turned so that he was facing Kisame and was pulled forward to where his face was roughly six inches from Kisame's face. The seasoned killer's eyes had darkened and a deadly smirk etched his face.

"I'm proof that the Blade Children are dangerous? That's what you said, right?" Kisame questioned as he raised his gun again and fired at Akito. Akito screamed in pain as the gun he had been holding exploded from the impact of the bullet and the shrapnel buried into his flesh. He tried to pull away from Kisame, but the "Savage Gun" would not allow it. He shook Akito by the collar, forcing the Hunter to refocus his attention on Kisame. "Don't forget that it was you Hunters that made the Blade Children this way." Kisame challenged. Akito shook his head angrily, his left hand clasping his wounded right hand.

"If you Blade Children had just died you would have never had to kill. If you Blade Children had never been born you wouldn't have had to suffer this way." Akito said, his voice rising in volume as he became more agitated.

"Whose fault is it that we were born in the first place?" Kisame asked with a laugh. "The blame for our existence falls on you! You say that if we had just died then we wouldn't have had to kill? That we wouldn't have had to be hunted? Well that works both ways. If you Hunters had never started hunting us then we would never have had to kill." Kisame countered, his tone extremely calm but firm. Akito shook his head.

"It's too big a risk leaving any of the Blade Children alive. Look at yourself. You've proven what you Blade Children can do. What would happen if the switch inside you was triggered with your abilities? Normal people wouldn't have a chance. The Blade Children are simply too dangerous to be left alive. Deep down you have to know that."

"So is that how you justify hunting down and slaughtering a bunch of kids who originally had done nothing wrong? It's all worth it in order to prevent the activation of a curse, that may or may not be real, because of the mistakes that you people made? You've turned many of the Blade Children into murderers because there was no way for them to survive without killing. You Hunters have forced them closer to the curse that you are trying to prevent than they likely would have ever reached on their own. You try to kill them when all that they want is to live like normal people." Kisame responded with a scoff, irritated by Akito's attitude and naivety. He released Akito's collar and pushed him back, causing Akito to stumble slightly before regaining his footing. He stood facing Kisame.

"You kill those who are innocent. How does that make you any better than the stigma you paint on us?" Kisame questioned. Akito's eyes darkened.

"How can you say that you're innocent? You Blade Children have killed countless people! At this point you deserve to die!" Akito stated. He felt confused, as though Kisame was getting into his head and messing with him. He wanted to end the conversation, but couldn't seem to bring himself to and continued to talk as a result. Kisame smirked.

"So then we didn't initially deserve to die?" Kisame asked.

"Of course not. The Blade Children needed to be eliminated before they hurt someone, but they didn't deserve to die. They were just kids when this all started." Akito exclaimed quickly, slipping up and revealing the problem he had always had with the Hunters ideals. His eyes widened as Kisame fell momentarily silent and Akito realized what he had just said. He cursed verbally and Kisame smirked.

"So you use our past crimes to justify our deaths now. Is that where you stand, Hunter?" Kisame asked, watching Akito. Akito remained quiet, looking away from Kisame and feeling at a loss for what to do.

"Akito, right?" Akito's eyes flew back to Kisame at the mention of his name.

"How did you – "He began before Kisame motioned toward the building and Akito realized that he must have seen his name written on the sign in form. He focused back on Kisame when the teen spoke again.

"What do you think I am going to do with you, Akito?" Kisame questioned, his tone knowing and amused. Akito swallowed hard, his throat feeling extremely dry by this point in the encounter, but his voice was even as he spoke.

"You're going to kill me." He stated resolutely. He felt sick as he voiced the words and the full reality settled upon him. He was surprised when he heard Kisame chuckle.

"Wrong answer." Akito looked at him with confusion. He now feared an even worse fate. He was surprised again by what Kisame said when he continued. "You see, I have no reason to kill you because I have no reason to fear you. As far as I'm concerned you are no threat. You don't even have enough conviction and support for the Hunter cause to say that we all, even those who haven't taken a life, deserve to die. You don't belong with the Hunters. Now when you actually get in my way I will kill you. Until then, you should think about what your life is worth because you won't keep it long if you stay involved with the Blade Children." Kisame said calmly.

Akito stood speechless, staring at Kisame with wide eyes. He couldn't believe that the most dangerous known Blade Child was actually letting him go. His eyes locked onto the gun that was leveled suddenly at his chest.

"Get out before my good will runs out." Kisame said, releasing the safety on the gun. Akito didn't offer a second glance to Kisame before he turned and fled, hoping he was faster than Kisame's blood lust. As he made it to the exit he heard a shot go off and he dropped to the ground, expecting to feel the pain of the shot impacting some point on his body. Instead he heard laughter from the Blade Child behind him. He fought down the urge to try and defend the little dignity that he had left and opted for self-preservation, pulling himself out of the dirt and fleeing down the street.

Kisame just watched him go, smirking, before turning his attention to the target and emptying his clip into the center of the target in a succession of calculated shots.

oOoOoOoOo

At the end of the school day, Rio, Ryoko, and Kousuke accompanied Kanone and Eyes back to the pianist's apartment. During the trip, the three visitors remained several feet behind Eyes and Kanone. They were still wary of Kanone and, while they tried to believe that it was alright to trust him based on Eyes acceptance of him, they still had their reservations.

In contrast to the morning's meeting, it now seemed as though Rio was putting up the most effort toward welcoming Kanone back, while Kousuke and Ryoko had let anger over his past offenses cloud their mindsets.

Kanone could feel the hostility that the others were directing at him, but he said nothing. He had been aware from the start that there would be a difficult transitioning period before he would be able to regain the trust of the people he had injured and betrayed. He also knew that nothing he said or did would expedite the forgiveness process. He glanced over at Eyes as they walked, relieved that he felt no ill will from the stoic pianist. Kanone hadn't really expected a lot of anger from Eyes, but he was still surprised at how quickly forgiveness had been offered. Out of all the Blade Children, Eyes was the one he had hurt the most, both emotionally and physically. He sighed softly and returned his gaze to the direction they were heading.

When they arrived at Eyes apartment, the atmosphere grew worse. The confined space of the apartment brought back unpleasant memories. Eyes ignored the hostility in the air and, after changing out of his school uniform, returned to the room where the others were waiting and took his customary place at the piano. He sat with his back to the keys and looked at the others in the room. The three visitors had yet to seat themselves and instead stood in a slightly defensive group, watching both Eyes and Kanone with reservation. When Eyes had seated himself, Kanone elected to move to stand beside the piano, standing to the left of Eyes. Eyes watched him move before returning his gaze to the others, waiting for them to sit so that they could address the issues they had gathered to discuss. After a moment Rio broke away from the group and seated herself on couch. Ryoko followed reluctantly, seating herself beside Rio and Kousuke leaned against the arm of the couch and crossed his arms. The three looked slightly irritated, but normal otherwise.

"What have you found out, Rutherford?" Ryoko asked, not wanting to waste time and feeling irritated by the two people before her. "Do either of you know why the Hunters are behaving so uncharacteristically?"

"There appears to be new leadership." Eyes responded simply.

"What do you mean? How do you know?" Kousuke asked, looking from Eyes to Kanone, suspecting that the older teen was likely the source of the pianist's information.

"From what both Kanone and Kisame have described of their encounter with the Hunters yesterday, there were two factions of the group that attacked them. The ones that they fought were the same as any other Hunters that we've faced in the past, but there was another group that held back." Eyes explained before falling silent. Kanone picked up where the performer had left off.

"Unlike how the Hunters normally operate, this group was calculated and showed far more concern for self-preservation. From what I could tell, it appeared that they were trying to enforce a calculated retreat of all of the Hunters present, but they were not obeyed." He explained. He paused when Kousuke interjected the thought that every member in the room shared.

"The Hunters don't retreat when they have us outnumbered. How many were there? Was a retreat really necessary?" He questioned, looking to Kanone for the answer. Kanone shook his head.

"I wasn't able to tell how many there were in the other group, but in the one that Kisame and I faced there were nine men." He reported. "I know I saw at least two people in the other group as well." He added, causing the other occupants of the room to frown.

"That's more than enough for the Hunters to stay and fight. So why would they try to implement a retreat? It'd be the wisest choice for them, given who their opponents were, but it's still not the Hunters' style." Rio comment thoughtfully.

"Whatever the reason, their leadership must be new." Kousuke observed, causing the others to look at him for clarification. He looked at Kanone before continuing. "You said that it looked like they were trying to implement a retreat, but the Hunters who attacked you didn't listen to the order." He explained. Ryoko nodded.

"That's a good point. If the leadership was strongly grounded, then the other Hunters would have listened to the order to retreat and not attacked." She said, looking at the ground thoughtfully as she spoke.

"Which means that right now the Hunters are trying to establish themselves. We already knew that more dangerous Hunters would be coming. That's exactly why everyone is here now. Perhaps this new leadership is at the heart of that." Kanone theorized, looking to the others to ascertain their thoughts.

"If that's the case, then we can probably assume that they won't be making another move for a while. The Hunters were most likely testing their abilities yesterday. Now that they know that they lack control over their members, they'll need time to remedy that." Eyes said, causing the others to look at him.

"That would make sense, but we can't be sure that's what they'll do. We need to gain more information on these Hunters before we can judge what sort of action they will take. Under these new circumstances we could get ourselves killed if we act rashly and assume that they won't make a move." Rio commented, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"So what are we supposed to do, then? Just wait for the Hunters to make a move?" Kousuke questioned, looking at Rio skeptically.

"No, we're supposed to move with caution. We know that the Hunters operate in a certain way and that they are limited in what they can do without getting the police involved. Knowing this, there are areas where we can remain that the Hunters won't be able to reach us. For the time being, we need to stick to populated areas and try to operate as a group. If we can stay together, then there is less of a chance of being cornered." Kanone said. Eyes nodded in agreement.

"We need to find out what the Hunters are planning, but staying alive is the top priority." He said, causing the others to nod in agreement as well.

"So how do we plan to gather information on these new Hunters? Are we supposed to just leave it all up to Kanone and you Rutherford, as usual, or is there a way that we can help as well?" Ryoko spat, not happy about leaving their fate in the hands of a traitor and an undesirable ally.

"For the time being, yes." Eyes replied, earning himself a glare from Ryoko. He ignored it.

"We'll all be investigating this new threat to a certain degree," Kanone clarified. "but if you find anything that requires you to risk your life to gain, leave that to Kisame and I. We don't want to divide our attention and give the Hunters a way to sneak past us or put ourselves in a situation where we make ourselves vulnerable. For now, the best thing we can do is to see what we can find and to keep in contact with one another. If you three are okay with it, any information that you find will be given to Eyes and he will get it to Kisame and me." Kanone said. Ryoko glared at him.

"What about the information that you find? Do you intend to share it with us as well?" She questioned, recalling the secrecy that usually existed between Eyes and Kanone. Eyes shook his head.

"All relevant information will be given to all of you. You needn't worry about that." He said. The others nodded.

"So how do we go about finding this information?" Kousuke asked. Eyes and Kanone exchanged glances before looking back at the group and beginning to go over the tactics they had worked out for finding the information they needed.

oOoOoOoOo

The sun had set completely by the time Akito returned to his apartment. He entered quietly, not wanting to alert Naoki to his arrival. He was relieved to find the apartment dark, indicating that Naoki wasn't home. Sighing, he discarded his jacket on the back of a kitchen chair and walked the bathroom. He retrieved the first aid kit before proceeding to undertake the tedious task of removing the shrapnel from his hand. Looking at the damage, he mused that it would be wise to go to the hospital for the injury, but he disregarded the option and continued to treat the wound himself.

Once he had removed all of the shrapnel that he could see, he soaked the wound in warm water before drying it and wrapping his hand tightly in bandages. He watched as the blood seeped through the bandage as he wrapped it, but he paid it no mind and continued. Once he had his hand treated, he retraced his steps through the apartment, cleaning up any signs of blood that had been left during his entry into the space. Having completed his treatment and removal of the evidence, he retreated to his room.

He locked the door once he had entered, not wanting to be bothered when Naoki came home. He stood with his back pressed against the door, staring at the dark wood of the floor in the moonlight that streamed through the narrow window across from his bed. His body felt numb as he thought over just how close he had come to dying and how powerless he had felt. He grit his teeth and slammed the side of his injured fist into the door behind him.

"He's just a kid! I couldn't do a thing and he was just a stupid kid!" He shouted to the quiet air around him. He could feel a dull pain ebbing its way through his hand in response to the impact against the door and he slowly loosened his fist and allowed his fingers to hang limp. He dropped his head and covered his eyes with his other hand.

"What am I doing?" He mumbled to himself. He pushed off the door and walked over to the bed. Laying down on his right side, facing the window, he stared out at the night sky. His attention was barely focused on the world beyond the window. The earlier conversation kept running through his head and he buried his face in his pillow in an attempt to block it out.

"Whose fault is it that we were born in the first place? The blame for our existence falls on you!"

"…"

"If you Hunters had never started hunting us then we would never have had to kill."

"…"

"You've turned many of the Blade Children into murderers because there was no way for them to survive without killing."

"…"

"You Hunters have forced them closer to the curse that you are trying to prevent than they likely would have ever reached on their own."

"…"

"You try to kill them when all that they want is to live like normal people."

"…"

"You kill those who are innocent. How does that make you any better than the stigma you paint on us?"

"…"

"I have no reason to kill you because I have no reason to fear you. As far as I'm concerned you are no threat."

"…"

"You don't belong with the Hunters."

"…"

"When you actually get in my way I will kill you. Until then, you should think about what your life is worth because you won't keep it long if you stay involved with the Blade Children."

"Dammit!" Akito shouted, tossing the pillow across the room and rose quickly to stand before the window. He rested his hands on the window sill, spaced far apart with his shoulders raised and his head sunk into them as he hung his head and rested his forehead against the glass. He glared angrily at his reflection.

"What are those Blade Children thinking? He could have easily killed me and covered it up. So why didn't he?" He mumbled to himself. "The Blade Children have to die! There's no other way!" He said firmly, his voice increasing in volume. After speaking, he sighed and looked down, pressing his forehead harder into the window. "Then why can't I believe that?" He said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the apartment door opening and the heavy shuffling as Naoki entered. He heard his roommate mumbling about how Akito should have turned on the lights if he was home. Sighing, Akito stepped away from the window and sat down on the edge of the bed. He glanced at the door when he heard Naoki knock.

"What do you want?" Akito called, neither annoyance nor cordiality showing in his voice.

"Nothing. Just wanted to make sure you weren't dead." Came Naoki's nonchalant response before the sound of retreating footsteps could be heard. Akito shook his head in amusement over his roommate's unique way of thinking and lay back on the bed again, looking at the ceiling.

"Don't let it bother you. He's a Blade Child. He's just trying to manipulate you." Akito mumbled to himself as he closed his eyes. He remained this way for a few moments before rising and exiting the room. He found Naoki in the kitchen area, leaning against the counter holding a bottle of water. He looked at Akito for a moment before his brow furrowed and he set the bottle down on the counter behind him.

"What's the matter with you?" He questioned, though only out of curiosity and not concern. Akito looked at him questioningly. He had already concealed his injured hand in his pants pocket, so he wasn't sure what had prompted the question from Naoki. When he didn't clarify, Akito spoke.

"What do you mean?" Akito inquired, unsure of what Naoki was seeing in him that prompted the curiosity of the older male. The other man shrugged.

"You're pale as a ghost and you look like you're going to pass out. You been drinking?" He explained, ending his explanation with a question. Akito shook his head.

"No, I haven't been." Akito said, not sure how to explain his appearance without revealing that his current condition was likely caused by stress and blood loss.

"You that bothered by what happened yesterday?" Naoki questioned, his tone almost mocking. He figured that Akito's distress over the deaths of the other Hunters was likely the cause of his roommate's current condition. Akito didn't deny it, deciding to use the convenient excuse. Naoki shook his head, having lost interest after learning that nothing had occurred and that it was just his companion's weak convictions affecting him.

"I told you you were going to make yourself miserable over this. You'd better figure it out and get your head back in the game. The boss isn't going to tolerate this weak attitude of yours for long." Naoki cautioned. Akito nodded.

"I know. I just have some stuff to sort out." Akito replied, earning an annoyed eye roll from his roommate.

"Well do it quick." Naoki said, pushing off the counter and walking back into the main section of the apartment. "I'm going to the bar. I'll be back later." He called over his shoulder as he grabbed his coat and walked out of the apartment. Akito watched him go, noticing that he hadn't been invited, before chuckling and returning to his room to think over what he needed to do with his life and where his allegiance belonged.

oOoOoOoOo

The Blade Children remained at Eyes' apartment for another hour. Once they had left, Kanone informed Eyes that he needed to go out for a while as well and that he would be back later. After Kanone left, Eyes began to practice the piano again, happy for the quiet solitude.

As he played he thought about what had been discussed earlier. The Blade Children needed more information on the Hunters, but their options for getting the necessary information were severely limited. He sighed and paused in his playing, his fingers resting lightly on the keys. He knew that there was one option available to him, but he didn't want to resort to using it if he didn't have to. He slowly let his hands slip from off of the keys and come to rest in his lap. He clasped the fingers loosely together and looked down at his hands.

He glanced at his cellphone resting on the right corner of the piano. He wanted to take the easy route and call Hiroshume –request that he find the information that the Blade Children needed- but he knew that it wasn't the right option. By involving Hiroshume he would only be placing the hacker in danger. There was also nothing for the hacker to work with at the moment. He shook his head in order to banish the idea from his mind and began to play again. He would figure out what needed to be done in order to protect the Blade Children without involving any outsiders.

oOoOoOoOo

Hiroshume was jolted awake as the sound of a message came through over his phone. Sitting up groggily from where his head rested on the table, he picked up his phone from beside where he head had been and flipped it open. It was a message from Kisame and contained only a single line of text.

Akito Soichi

Hiroshume smirked, setting the phone down.

"I don't know who he is or what you want with him, but I'll give you everything I can find." He said as his smirk widened and he pulled his computer toward himself and began researching the name he had been sent.

A/N: Hello all. Thank you for reading this latest chapter of Who Knows What Fate May Hold For You. I apologize for the length and overall quality of this chapter. I was unable to devote as much time to it as was likely needed, as I had only three days available to me this month to complete it instead of the full month I usually need. I hope that the content was still enjoyable and I would love to hear the thoughts of anybody who is willing to give them in regards to the story so far. Thank you again for reading and sticking with this story. I will do my best to carry this story through to its conclusion, however far in the future that may be, and I would be honored to have you stick by me until the end. Until next month.

~Spiral of Destiny