Chapter 11: Fate

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.

The next week passed swiftly for both the Blade Children and the Hunters. The Hunters had opted to wait for Eyes and the others to act and so had made no attempts to locate or engage them. The Blade Children had taken advantage of this grace period to prepare and plan. They had managed to complete much of this planning in secret, so the Hunters were unaware of just how prepared the Blade Children had become in the past week.

Now the day opened on the first day of the third week of school and all of the Blade Children were assembled once more at Tsukiomi Academy in order to uphold their cover as normal students. However, education was the last thing that any of the Blade Children were concerned about.

During the past week, Kanone had moved out of Eyes' apartment and into his own. Since the move, he and Kisame had been in regular contact and there were a number of nights that Kisame stayed at Kanone's apartment for the purpose of planning and preparing for the inevitable battles with the Hunters. Only Eyes knew about the regular meetings, but he didn't pry into them as he saw that Kanone did not feel the need to share the information that was discussed.

Eyes now sat in his first class of the day. It did not escape his notice that Hiroshume was absent that day. While the quiet performer was not entirely surprised by the hacker's absence, it did make him curious as to his reason. Since Kanone had come to live with Eyes, Hiroshume had stopped coming to meet him every morning so the pianist saw far less of his informant than he had previously. Even after Kanone moved out the two Blade Children had continued to meet and walk to school together, which gave Hiroshume no reason to step back into the picture. Eyes glanced over at Kousuke briefly as he pondered over his acquaintance's absence but soon dismissed it and focused back on the lesson.

oOoOoOoOo

In another part of the school, hidden in one of the many faculty offices available, one person in particular had not dismissed the absence of Hiroshume Hadaka. His recent involvement with the Blade Children had also not escaped her notice. The Watcher, Kirie Tsuchiya, stood by the window in an office that overlooked the outside of the campus. She had a cellphone held to her ear and a deep frown on her face.

"You do realize they are planning something, don't you? Why aren't you getting involved? Does this all align with your plan?" She called angrily into the receiver. A calm voice answered her.

"You needn't worry. I'm fully aware of what the Blade Children are doing. Nothing is contradicting with my plan." The man on the other end of the line replied, his deep tone giving the impression that he was amused. Kirie's frown darkened.

"The Blade Children will only be able to be controlled for so long. You're distant approach won't work for much longer. Many of them have already lost faith in your abilities or the abilities of that little brother of yours. You're losing your control, Kiyotaka." She warned.

She didn't necessarily want Kiyotaka to win in whatever he was planning, but she still hoped that what he had planned would keep the Blade Children from getting killed. Although she was a Watcher, and so was not supposed to get involved with the Blade Children, she had grown a fondness for Eyes after the events of the last school year when Kanone had made his move.

She was also concerned because Ayumu Narumi had withdrawn his hand from the game and was no longer involved with the Blade Children. She knew she was supposed to be neutral on the issue of the Blade Children, but she had seen potential in Ayumu. She had thought that he may have been able to save the Blade Children as Kiyotaka said and she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she wasn't a little disappointed when he had withdrawn himself from the game.

Now she was forced to return her hope to Kiyotaka, though she doubted that what he had planned involved the best interest of the Blade Children. For now she would have to wait and see what fate decided. She pulled her attention back to the conversation as she heard Kiyotaka chuckle on the other end of the line.

"What about this situation is funny? If something isn't done people are going to die!" She said angrily, managing to keep her voice at a normal volume despite her irritation toward the man on the other end of the line. She purposely left out which party would get killed as she spoke. She was concerned that the Blade Children would be the ones to die, but saying so would only cause the twisted man she was speaking with to ridicule her for her favoritism and less than neutral standing. She knew she was pushing the line on being a Watcher, but she didn't need Kiyotaka Narumi to point it out to her. She frowned when she heard the man speak.

"You are far too concerned about the present. Everything that is happening and everything that will happen will go according to my plan. As I've told you in the past, in the end, those who are meant to kill will kill and those who are meant to die will die." He replied calmly.

"You do realize that they are acting on their own now, don't you? They've even involved people who have nothing to do with the Blade Children." Kirie stated, hoping that by continuing the conversation she would be able to get Kiyotaka to provide some information on what he was planning for the Blade Children. She didn't want Eyes caught up in another pointless war between the Blade Children and Hunters simply for Kiyotaka's amusement.

"I'm fully aware of the Blade Children's current activities and their involvement of Hiroshume Hadaka." Kiyotaka stated. Kirie's eyes widened slightly in surprise at his knowledge of the specific person. She remained silent, waiting for the man to speak again.

"That boy fits into my plan as well. As I said before, everything is as it should be. Nothing is out of place."

"So you plan to just wait and see if it all plays out according to your plan?" Kirie asked with hostility. She could hear the smirk in Kiyotaka's words as he answered her.

"Of course. Those who are meant to dance will dance for fate." Kirie was about to question Kiyotaka about what he meant, but before she had the chance she heard a soft click and the line went dead. Slowly she lowered her phone from her ear. She glared at it for a moment before sighing and slipping the phone back into her pocket. She slipped a pack of cigarettes from the desk she had been leaning against and left the office, heading in the direction of the exit.

oOoOoOoOo

Classes went quickly for the Blade Children. While in school there wasn't much for them to fear from the Hunters, so this short period of safety always felt like it was over too quickly. Now, halfway through the day, Eyes, Kanone, Kisame, Ryoko, Rio, and Kousuke sat together in the cafeteria, taking advantage of the rare time that they were all together.

Still uneasy with Kanone's presence among them, Rio, Ryoko, and Kousuke occupied one side of the table where the group was seated while Eyes, Kanone, and Kisame made up the other. Eyes had arranged for all of the Blade Children to meet and now that they were all assembled the others were curious as to the reason for Eyes calling them there.

"So what did you want to talk to us about, Rutherford?" Kousuke asked, speaking for Rio, Ryoko, and himself as he figured that Kanone and Kisame already knew the reason for the meeting. Eyes was silent for a moment before glancing at Kanone and answering Kousuke's question with one of his own.

"What have the three of you seen in terms of Hunter activity in the last few weeks?" Eyes questioned. The others glanced at each other before Ryoko responded.

"Actually, we haven't seen any activity for a while. Since before you arrived back in Japan, in fact. Why, were you attacked again?" Ryoko answered calmly. She looked to Kanone and Kisame as she posed the question. Both males shook their heads in response and Eyes answered.

"Nobody has been attacked." He stated simply before falling silent for a moment. Kanone took over speaking at this point.

"That's what's unsettling. The Hunters have already shown that they know that, at the very least, I am back in Japan." He began.

"We also can't rule out the possibility that they know that Eyes is in the country as well." Kisame added, crossing his arms on the tabletop and leaning into them slightly. Kanone nodded in agreement.

"Why then haven't there been more attacks? It would seem logical for the Hunters to want to wipe out the Blade Children before all of our forces have gathered and had time to ready ourselves for battle." Kanone commented.

"However, the Hunters haven't even shown the slightest sign of making any move against the Blade Children." Eyes added, lacing his fingers together and resting his elbows on the tabletop.

"So you think they're planning something big." Kousuke suggested. The three sitting opposite him nodded.

"That would make the most sense. Why else would the Hunters back off suddenly after already attacking us once? They were obviously testing our strength when they attacked the two of you and now are working on a way that they can beat us." Rio said frowning, her eyes taking on a dangerously dark glint as she glared down at the table.

"If that's the case, then shouldn't we launch the first strike?" Kousuke questioned, looking first at Rio and then at Eyes. "I mean, if they are preparing to attack us, then shouldn't we attack them before they're ready?" He continued. Kisame shook his head.

"No." The others looked at him questioningly. His comment even earned him the attention of Eyes and Kanone. Sighing, he continued. "While it's likely that the Hunters are planning something, we can't just assume that it's something that warrants us acting rashly. The Hunters may have some new people giving orders, but they are far from a formidable force. The vast majority of the Hunters are still as easily defeated as they always were." He said calmly.

"Easy for you." Kousuke mumbled under his breath. Kisame ignored him.

"For all we know, the Hunters could be wanting us to attack first. We need to find out more about these new Hunters before we act. If it turns out that they are waiting for us to make the first move, then we will be walking right into a trap by doing so." Kisame said.

"But if they aren't waiting on us and are actually plotting something, then we could lose our chance of stopping them if we wait." Rio pointed out, feeling that Kisame's logic was flawed in its reasoning.

"Perhaps. But we have a better possibility of defeating a future attack when we are more prepared than if we act recklessly now." Kisame pointed out. Rio looked displeased, but didn't argue.

"You said that we needed more information on their leadership. How do you intend for us to get that?" Ryoko asked, looking at Kisame as she spoke and referencing a previous conversation. Without answering her, Kisame looked over to Eyes. Kanone did the same. They both felt that it would be in the Blade Children's best interest to have Eyes new acquaintance locate some information for them. Eyes didn't respond, but gave both Kisame and Kanone a look that told them he would not be involving Hiroshume in the affairs of the Blade Children. Both killers sighed and looked away again.

"Kanone and I are working on a plan for that." Kisame replied, slight annoyance present in his voice.

"For now, the best strategy we have is to look out for one another and be extremely vigilant. It isn't a matter of if the Hunters will attack, but when. Knowing this, try to go out alone as little as possible." Eyes said.

"If possible, it might also be a good idea for some of us to move in together for the time being. Everyone will be safer if they have someone watching their backs." Kanone added.

The others looked displeased by the suggestion but did not immediately shoot it down. They saw the reasoning behind the idea but were not sure if they approved or not.

"That might do more harm than good, though." Rio stated slowly, voicing her thoughts. "It's true that if we are together we may have a lower chance of being attacked by the Hunters and some of us living together would make it easier to protect one another. But doing that could also make us more of a target. If we are constantly together we could be making ourselves easier targets for the Hunters. It would also make our movements easier to track." She concluded, looking at Eyes in order to gather his thoughts on the matter.

"Rio has a good point." Kousuke agreed. "We could be opening ourselves to attack if we did that. It could be more harmful than helpful." He added. Ryoko nodded in agreement, not thrilled by the idea either. The three males on the opposite side of the table exchanged glances before sighing and refocusing on the three before them.

"I still believe that it's a better idea to stay as a group, or at least in parties of two, but since the three of you are so opposed to the idea, we'll leave it for now." Eyes said with slight frustration, though it was not directed at any of the members at the table. The others nodded. Before any of them could say anything more the bell sounded, signaling the end of the lunch hour. The six teens rose to their feet and began to exit the room. As they were about to part ways Eyes gave a final warning.

"Make sure to keep your guard up. The last thing we want is to lose one of you." He said. The others paused and looked at Eyes before nodding and breaking away from each other to head to their respective classes.

oOoOoOoOo

Off campus Hiroshume walked down the busy street on a return journey to his apartment. He had spent the better half of the morning gathering information on various different subjects of interest and had now stepped outside for some fresh air. He had been cooped up in his apartment for the entire weekend, so a change of scenery was a welcome sight.

Now, having spent an hour in the cool weather he was returning to his apartment to continue his research. He briefly entertained the idea of attending his afternoon classes and not missing the entire day, but he quickly dismissed the idea, not having any desire to waste his day in an institution of learning.

He had nearly made it back to his apartment when his phone sounded, signaling a call. The sound caused the hacker to arrest his forward advance and withdraw the phone from his jacket pocket. He glanced at the caller ID before answering and was puzzled to see a blocked number. Immediately curious he allowed the call to come through. He said nothing as he brought the phone to his ear and waited for the caller to speak. When they did, he frowned darkly.

"Hello Hiroshume Hadaka." The confident voice on the other end of the line instantly sat wrong with Hiroshume, causing his frown to deepen. He didn't respond. Getting no response, the speaker continued.

"It seems that you have been getting quite involved in the game." He said. Still Hiroshume didn't speak.

"Have you ever heard of the Blade Children?" The man asked, a smirk evident in his calm voice. Hiroshume focused a bit more on the conversation at the mention of the Blade Children.

"I've heard the term mentioned." Hiroshume answered calmly, his tone betraying nothing. He received no response. "So the Blade Children are involved in the game as well, then." He commented, stating the sentence as a fact rather than a question. As a result, the caller didn't respond. Hiroshume smirked at the new information he had been given. While he wasn't sure if the Blade Children had anything to do with anything, they were certainly worth looking into. He turned his attention back to the silent call.

"What did you call me for? If you have nothing to say then I am going to end this call. I have more valuable things to do with my time than to waste it on you listening to dead air." He heard the man chuckle on the other end of the line.

"Enjoy the game while you can. Just remember. No one can go against fate. The game's conclusion has already been decided. Keep that in mind." Before Hiroshume could say anything in response the call ended, leaving him standing on the busy street corner, waiting for the traffic light to change. Slowly, he lowered the phone from his ear and, after flipping it shut, slipped it back into his pocket and followed the crowd across the street.

oOoOoOoOo

After the meeting with the rest of the Blade Children, Eyes and Kousuke sat in class once more. Strangely, the instructor was absent from the room, but given the nature of that particular class's instructor, all of the students remained in the room and patiently waited. They had no desire to cross their professor and were not willing to leave the classroom and risk being marked as absent because they had left.

The majority of the class was busy conversing with one another in the absence of the professor. Even Kousuke was talking with some of the other students. Eyes, however, sat quietly at his desk and focused his attention out of the window. He completely ignored the small group of girls that had recently begun to hang around him. Despite their best attempts to get him to speak to them, the young Englishman had yet to even acknowledge them.

After roughly ten minutes the professor entered and the class fell silent, students rushing quickly to take their seats once again. Surprisingly, a student accompanied their instructor into the room. The addition of the unfamiliar student gained the class's full attention. Even Eyes focused on the front of the room, his curiosity peaked by the appearance of the strange student at such an odd time of the year.

The newcomer stopped next to the main desk in the front of the room and stood facing the class. He had dark, shaggy brown hair and cold, dark grey eyes. He cast a hard stare over the class, causing many of the students to withdraw slightly into their seats as they were intimidated by the teen's glare. He glanced at the instructor out of the corner of his eye when he heard him speak.

"Introduce yourself." The man said gruffly, irritated by having to complete a student introduction so late in the day. The student frowned further, his jaw set in a hard line but he complied.

"My name is Asura Noragami. I am sixteen but am a grade ahead of my age. Please regard me kindly." He said with hostility. His tone of voice completely contradicted his words as he delivered the customary introduction. All of the students greeted him in unison, though their tones were unsure, reserved, and rather uncomfortable as they spoke. Asura waited at the head of the classroom, looking at the instructor.

"Noragami has transferred to Tsukiomi from the United States. Be helpful to him and treat him kindly." The man said gruffly. He turned his attention to Asura and pointed into the classroom.

"Take your seat." He said. Asura nodded and walked to the empty desk that had been place to the right of Eyes' desk before class had begun. As he seated himself he glanced over at Eyes. As their gazes met, Asura's eyes took on a murderous glint and his jaw set in a harder line of contempt. He said nothing to the confused pianist but simply cast the same hateful look at Kousuke before looking at the front of the room and, remaining still, waited for the instructor begin the lesson.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read through this chapter and I sincerely hope that you enjoyed it. I hope there are still people reading this story who enjoy it. If there is anything that anyone feels could be improved or added to this story, please leave a review or pm me. I would love to hear your thoughts on this story. Thanks all.

Spiral of Destiny

Pronunciation: Asura - (Ah-sue-Rah)