A/N Hello all,

Here is the next chapter of Who Knows What Fate May Hold For You. I'm sorry that it has taken me a year and six months to get the next chapter out. I can't believe it's 2021 already! Time flies! I have no idea when I will be able to publish the next chapter, as I currently don't have a lot of free time to write, but I will try not to have another year go by without updating. For anyone who is still following this story for updates, you are the best! I wouldn't blame anyone for abandoning it after all this time.

I know I am probably the worst person at updating out of everyone who uses this site, but I want you all to know that, no matter how long it takes, I will be finishing this story. So, for anyone who is invested enough to want to see how this story ends, please be patient with me and watch for updates. They may be slow in coming, but I will not give up on this story until it has been written in its entirety; and I refuse to simply rush into the ending just to get it completed.

I know I don't really have a right to ask any of you for anything, but I would like to put out one request. If any of you are willing, would you please post a review to this chapter? Even if its just a guest review with the message "reading", I would really appreciate it. Watching the metrics over the years that this story has been up, its been rather disheartening to see how little traffic Who Knows What Fate May Hold For You, as well as most other stories in this fandom, get. I will still be posting chapters regardless, but it really helps my motivation if I can see that there are people actually reading and enjoying this story. I know its a selfish request, but I hope it is one you all will be willing to honor.

Thank you all for being so loyal for so many years and sticking with this story. I hope that I can pick up the pace with publication and wrap up this series before too many more years have passed. There's still a long way to go, but hope the journey will be a fun one for all of my wonderful readers!

Thank you all for keeping this story and this fandom alive! You're the greatest!

Until next time,

Spiral of Destiny

It was still several hours before daylight as Akito lay awake. His gaze rested on the vase of bright, red flowers, which were illuminated a deep purple in the pale moonlight. His mind was swimming with the details of his conversation with Shinu earlier the day before. Unlike the previous nights where he lay awake troubled by indecision towards the Blade Children, tonight he felt more at ease about the matter. The more he thought about what Shinu had said, the more he appreciated the teen's honesty. It was no secret that the boy was biased in favor of the Blade Children, but Akito wouldn't have expected anything different. Regardless, the teen had been willing to approach Akito's dilemma with a fairly neutral opinion. Granted, it was slightly swayed in favor of prompting sympathy, but Akito didn't honestly believe that such a portrayal had been intentional. He appreciated Shinu's honesty more than the teen would ever know.

Akito shifted his gaze to the window near his bed. The moon was nearly full that night, though a light cloud cover partially obscured it from view. Akito smiled lightly.

.

"My advice would be to look at the situation without taking into account the opinions of those people and see what you come up with. Then decide whether their approval is worth going against what you personally feel is right."

.

These words kept running through his mind, yet they didn't trouble him as much as he expected. Rather, they gave him a sense of calm. It was as if he had finally been given permission to consider the situation without taking into account Naoki's or Sai's feelings about it. Up until this point, he had been unable to separate his own wishes from those of his brother and leader in order to really consider what it was that he felt toward the matter.

"Alright then," He rolled onto his back, crossing his fingers lightly over his chest on top of the blankets. "How do 'I' feel about all of this?"

By the time the sun began to peek over the horizon, he had found an answer.

()

Several hours later Akito rested in the apartment's kitchen. Naoki had awoken an hour before and now the two men were seated across from one another at the small table. Akito sat quietly as Naoki spoke, telling him about work and what was going on with Sai and the "Hunters". The blond man was less than thrilled about Yan's current approach to the Blade Children, but Sai seemed to approve, so he wouldn't disagree.

Akito was tuning the older man out a bit, until a particular piece of the conversation caught his attention.

"So anyway, Sai asked if I could stop by his place this morning so we could work out something concerning how to move forward."

"Would you mind if I come with you?" Naoki looked at Akito in surprise.

"I thought you were taking some time off."

"I am. But I have something I need to talk to Sai about." Naoki looked at him curiously.

"Alright, sure. I'll be leaving in about fifteen minutes. That give you enough time?" Akito nodded mutely. "Alright then… get ready, I guess." Naoki watched in confusion as Akito rose from the table and left the kitchen in the direction of his room. "Maybe he's finally made a decision…" He mumbled to himself.

()

Forty-five minutes later Naoki and Akito were standing in the elevator of Sai's building. Akito was quieter than usual, but Naoki didn't comment on it. He was just happy to have his brother with him again. He had missed the younger man during his absence, though he would never admit it to himself or anyone else.

When they reached Sai's apartment they received a look of surprise from their leader.

"Akito! I wasn't expecting to see you. Come in, both of you." Sai stepped aside to allow the men entrance and followed them deeper into the apartment. Once they were all seated, Sai turned to the youngest "Hunter" in the room. "So, what brings you to my door today?" He laced his fingers in front of his chest and leaned back in his chair. Akito watched him thoughtfully.

"I've come to a decision concerning my place with the "Hunters"." He said resolutely. Naoki looked over at him, surprised by the confidence that he hadn't seen for so long. Sai's expression grew more serious.

"Alright. What have you decided?" Akito took a deep breath to steady himself. Naoki frowned.

"I've decided I no longer have a place with you. I've become too emotionally involved with the Blade Children's situation." He tensed as he felt Naoki's gaze level on him. Without turning he couldn't be sure what sort of expression the other man wore. But the silence suddenly felt heavier. Swallowing, he focused fully on Sai and continued. "I can't help but see them as human beings. I don't know if they need to be killed or not, but I've had a number of personal interactions with them, and none of them have led me to the conclusion that they for sure need to die." He took another deep breath, his confidence shaking under Naoki's gaze. He looked from Sai to Naoki and back again. "I'm not saying that the "Hunters" are wrong. But at the same time, I can't say that they're right either. I…"

"How can you say that?!" Akito looked at Naoki. He could see his brother's anger masking a myriad of other emotions. Although his volume was even and his tone level, the disgust behind the words was evident. The younger man frowned apologetically.

"Because it's not something that's black and white, Naoki." Akito said slowly, trying to keep his voice steady as the anxiety created by his brother's anger grew. "If you look at it from the "Hunters" point of view, then we're in the right, and it's for the greater good. But if you take the time, even for a moment, to consider things from the Blade Children's perspective, then it becomes a lot less clear. The "Hunters" have a valid reason for trying to eliminate the Blade Children, just as the Blade Children have an equally valid reason to fight back. Think about it. They're human beings, reacting the same way any of us would. Don't tell me that you wouldn't fight back if someone decided you had to die because of something you might do in the future?"

"Have you lost your mind?" Akito flinched at how hard Naoki's words were. He had known that his decision would upset the man, but he had expected disappointment, not hostility.

"No, I haven't." Akito forced his voice to sound strong. He couldn't live for Naoki and Sai's ideals. He wouldn't allow himself to back down on this. The older man's gaze hardened.

"You do realize what they are, don't you?" His voice was growing louder; exasperation building.

"They're kids."

"They're murderers!"

"Because we made them into that!"

"That doesn't change the truth!" Naoki's posture was rigid now, leaning toward his brother who had, wisely, chosen to sit opposite the older "Hunter", instead of beside him. His eyes narrowed as Akito turned his own irritated gaze upon him.

"That doesn't mean they don't deserve a chance."

"That's way too big of a risk, Akito. They need to die before anyone gets hurt!"

"Killing them can't be the only option!" Naoki threw his hands in the air.

"And what would you suggest as an alternative?" His tone had turned from frustration to angry sarcasm. He glared a challenge into Akito, who shrunk slightly, but didn't back down.

"I don't know. But wouldn't it be worthwhile to figure that out?" Naoki dropped violently into the back of the couch, completely at a loss about what Akito was saying.

"This is ridiculous!"

"No, it isn't." Both men turned their attention to Sai, halting their argument. He was still sitting reclined slightly in his chair, his hands clasped in front of his chest. His face was serious, but not hard. "Akito's position is valid in this." Naoki looked incredulously at his brother. "It is very difficult to decide which path to take. From the beginning there has been dispute over the proper direction in regards to the Blade Children. That's the reason that we have "Savers" and "Watchers" as well as "Hunters". The threat of Yaiba Mizushiro's blood in those children is very real. But the weight it carries for each individual is different. Naoki, you and I believe that it's in the best interest of the larger population to eliminate the Blade Children. It's not that we hate those children. It's just that we consider the risk greater than the sacrifice. Your brother, it seems, does not. That's his choice to make." Sai looked to Akito. "So, dear boy. Are you throwing your hand in with the "Savers", then? It certainly sounds as though you are leaning in that direction." Akito shook his head.

"I still don't know what the right path to take is. I definitely don't feel that the "Hunters" are completely wrong in their actions. But I know that I can't be the one to hunt them down. If a path does open where it's possible to save the Blade Children without endangering others, I might be willing to get involved then. But without a plan in place I don't believe that the "Savers" can, nor should become overly involved with the Blade Children. Their position doesn't seem correct either." Sai nodded in understanding.

"That's perfectly fine. There's nothing wrong with waiting to see what the outcome will be." He smiled softly at Akito. "You always have a place here with the "Hunters", if ever you change your mind, and you are always welcome in my home regardless of your allegiance, to the "Hunters" or the Blade Children." Akito returned the smile.

"Thank you."

Naoki seethed as he listened. He had redirected his gaze to the ground halfway through the conversation and now sat glaring at the floor boards. Through the bulk of the latter interaction he had stayed quiet, shifting his gaze from Akito to Sai and back again. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure, he had expected Akito's departure from the "Hunters", but he had never imagined that he would hear his brother defending the Blade Children. It was wrong. The Blade Children weren't to be pitied or sympathized. They needed to be destroyed in order to protect everyone from them. You couldn't get emotionally involved if you wanted to protect. How had Akito fallen so far into sympathy for the Blade Children? How had he even managed to come into contact with them? It made no sense. He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Sai say his name.

"Naoki. I think in light of this new development we should postpone our conversation. Why don't you and Akito head home? I can see there are things you still wish to say to him." He rose to his feet and Akito followed. Sai extended his hand. "Good luck, Akito. Don't doubt your conviction, alright? If this is your choice, then stand by it. Don't let others sway your thinking…." He glanced to where Naoki still sat glaring at the ground. "Even your brother." Akito nodded, shaking Sai's hand gratefully. Looking back at Naoki, who had yet to make any indication of moving, Sai cleared his throat to get his attention. Without a word, Naoki rose and made his way toward the door. Akito sighed heavily as he was roughly pushed aside, before silently following behind. Casting a final glance back at Sai, he left the apartment.

()

As the door clicked closed, Sai slumped back down heavily into his chair. He rested his hand over his eyes and exhaled deeply.

"Oh Akito…" He laughed humorlessly, rubbing his temple before looking out of the window. He felt sad to lose Akito, though he was grateful that it was by the young man's choice, and not because he'd been killed. Sai had always resonated with the younger "Hunter" because of his similar views. He knew the boy had been conflicted for some time, and it was precisely because of this similarity that he hadn't offered any assistance. He wanted Akito to make his own choice. While it was sad to lose the young man, he was happy with the decision he had come to. From the beginning, Sai had been skeptical about Akito's convictions. But he trusted Naoki, so he had given the boy a chance. A grim smile crossed his face as he placed his hand lightly against his chin.

"I can't say that I blame you for your decision. It's certainly easier…" He sighed again, resting his head back and focusing his gaze on the ceiling. "But I wonder if you and Naoki will survive this?" A sad smile crossed his lips.

"I'll miss him…" He muttered to himself. He closed his eyes wearily. "But it's the right thing. He's better off uninvolved with all of this." Slowly he opened his eyes again, the smile lingering on his lips.

"Well then,… good luck."

oOoOoOo

The start of the week opened with the Blade Children gathered together once more. Ryoko was still in the hospital, but the rest of the group was focused on moving forward in any way they could. Earlier in the day they had met to discuss what to do about Shinu Hachima. Following Kisame and Kanone's private conversation with Eyes, the two "Guns" had informed the others on how they would deal with the newly identified Blade Child, and now they intended to move forward with their decision.

So it was that as midday approached Eyes, Rio, and Kousuke tracked Shinu down. They found him in the cafeteria alongside Asura. The two were engaged in conversation and didn't immediately look up when they approached. Shinu was the first to notice them walking up behind Asura.

"Hello everyone." Shinu greeted lightly. Asura turned to see who was there and frowned when he identified them.

"What do you want?" Kousuke scoffed at Asura's tone.

"Could we have a word with you?" Eyes ignored Asura and spoke directly to Shinu. Shinu and Asura glanced curiously at one another before Shinu shrugged and rose.

"Sure, why not. I'll be right back." He cast a dismissive wave to his companion before following the Blade Children out of the cafeteria. Asura watched them go, mildly curious over the nature of the meeting, before shrugging indifferently and returning his attention to his food.

()

Eyes, Rio, and Kousuke were silent as they walked. Shinu followed a few steps behind them, his hands in his pockets and a calm smirk on his face. After their last encounter he was curious as to what intentions they had for summoning him.

They led him to what appeared to be an old computer room. Shinu vaguely remembered the room being used by the Newspaper Club president the year before, but it didn't appear to have gained any new occupants since the President's graduation. Upon entering, he noted two additional people waiting for them. He tensed at the obvious danger, though the unease didn't register on his face.

"My my. Quite the turnout we have here." He commented. No one responded. "So, what is it that you want from me?" Instead of acknowledging Shinu's question, Kisame turned his attention to the other Blade Children.

"Can you guys give us a few minutes? I think Kanone and I would like to speak to Hachima alone." Rio and Kousuke looked worriedly at Kisame before turning to Eyes. The pianist nodded lightly.

"I will stay here with them." Kousuke sighed, slightly more confident that a murder wouldn't be momentarily occurring on Tsukiomi's campus again.

"Alright. We'll see you later, then." Turning, the two left the room without another word.

Once Rio and Kousuke were gone Kisame turned his attention to Shinu.

"We've heard some interesting things about you, Hachima. Why don't you have a seat so we can discuss recent events?" His tone was light as he gestured to the table in the center of the room. Shinu watched him calmly.

"I'd prefer to stand, if it's all the same to you." He answered, not entering more than a few feet into the room. He could hear Eyes move to stand behind him near the door. Kisame's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly though he maintained the smile on his face.

"Suit yourself." He looked at Kanone who took the opportunity to speak.

"We've been informed that you are a Blade Child and are interested in working alongside us." Shinu shrugged.

"I said I would if you had need of me. Personally I don't really care one way or another." The German frowned at his dismissive attitude.

"That's hardly an attitude that breeds trust." Again Shinu shrugged. "Add that to your unnecessary attack on the Blade Children, and I find it hard to believe you when you say you're on our side."

"That's your choice. I said I'd help you. But I can't if you won't allow me to."

"Then show us why we should trust you."

"And how do you expect I do that?" He looked calmly at Kanone and Kisame. "You guys seem to be forgetting that it doesn't matter to me whether you trust me or not. I don't care if you even utilize me at all. I'm not a target like you are. I stay under the "Hunters'" radar so they don't focus on me. You two in particular are simply too well known. Your chances are further reduced by all of you getting involved with Kiyotaka Narumi." Kanone sighed and lowered his head. Kisame watched him before turning his gaze on Shinu, his expression serious.

"That's enough." Shinu looked curiously at him. "We don't need this kind of devil-may-care attitude from you. If you're offering yourself up as an ally, then we could use you. But we don't have the time or the resources to waste on you if you aren't going to take this seriously. You're treating this like it doesn't matter, but there are lives on the line, and not just ours." Shinu frowned, crossing his arms.

"I know that."

"Then act like it. If you intend to get involved with us then do so. Don't flight around on the periphery and expect us to come crawling to you for help. We've managed without you before and can continue doing so. Right now we don't even know if you can be trusted after the stunt you pulled." Shinu glanced out of the corner of his eye at the quiet performer who stood watching him. Shinu grimaced lightly in irritation, but didn't reply.

After several minutes of silence Eyes spoke up.

"When we found you, you were with Asura Noragami. Why was that?" Shinu's smirk returned.

"Because we're friends." He glanced from one face to another. "You guys have been rather curious about him, though, haven't you?" Kisame and Kanone narrowed their gaze at him. This only seemed to encourage Shinu, and he grinned arrogantly at them. "Why is that?"

"For the same reason we've approached you." Shinu looked at Kanone curiously, unsure of the connection the German was making.

"We don't trust him." Kisame elaborated.

"I guessed that much." Shinu's attitude had sobered. "I mean, he has been watching you guys since he arrived. I just assumed he saw something interesting. You all do behave a bit strangely compared to the rest of the students." Kisame and Kanone shared a look.

"You mean you haven't noticed?" Kanone asked. Shinu looked at him with curiosity, inviting him to continue.

"That aura he gives off." Kisame provided.

"Oh, you mean the killing intent? Yeah, I've noticed it. It's the same as the one I'm getting from you right now." He said calmly, challenging Kisame. The black haired teen smirked humorlessly, glaring a challenge back. Kanone interrupted.

"That's enough." He said, parroting Kisame's earlier warning. He placed a firm hand on Kisame's shoulder, who leaned back with disinterest and watched Shinu was clear the black haired teen did not see the newcomer as a threat. Shinu also leaned back a bit.

"So you're interested in him because he's a killer like us?" Shinu tried to clarify. They gave him no response. He frowned. "Is it something more?" Kanone sighed.

"With the way he behaves, it makes it difficult to determine his motives. We don't know if he's a "Hunter" or just a killer who is otherwise uninvolved with this game. It is possible that he may even be a Blade Child that we are unaware of. Given his age, though, his lack of involvement seems unlikely." Shinu frowned thoughtfully, placing his thumb and pointer finger around his chin. The room fell silent for several minutes before Shinu surprised everyone.

"I could find out if you want. I mean, I can't prove whether he's a "Hunter" or not, but I can definitely confirm or disprove the Blade Child theory."

"How would you propose to do that?" Kanone asked.

"I'm already close to him. If you get him distracted enough he's pretty willing to talk about whatever. I can even check if he has the physical traits of a Blade Child." He watched the looks of skepticism cross the faces of the other occupants in the room. He smirked. "I at least have a better shot at it than any of you." They couldn't deny his statement. Kanone nodded.

"Very well. We'll leave it to you for now. At this point, Noragami is not our greatest concern. We can afford to let you deal with him for the time being. However, don't make us regret trusting you with this." Shinu smirked.

"Haven't I done that already?" The others watched him defensively, though the silent threat didn't seem to weigh heavily on him. "I'll let you know what I find." He turned toward the door. A thought seemed to stop him and he searched through his pocket for a moment before withdrawing a scrap of paper and scrawling something on it. "In the meantime, here's my cell number. This way you can contact me without dragging me to some isolated room in the middle of the afternoon." He handed the scrap of paper to Eyes as he opened the door. He glanced back at the others. "Is that all you need from me?" When no response came he smirked and made his way out of the room.

OOoOoOo

No words were spoken as Naoki and Akito made their way back home. Naoki was too angry to risk speaking, and Akito felt the gravity of the situation. To avoid any further conflict, he kept his eyes focused on the ground.

By the time they reached their shared apartment, Naoki's anger appeared to have cooled. What remained was a serious and quiet countenance. Akito watched him cautiously, unsure whether to approach his brother or not. He had suspected that Naoki might be unhappy if he decided to leave the "Hunters", but he had never expected him to be this angry about it. Since he had started to doubt his convictions Naoki had either been disinterested or sarcastic about it. He always dismissed Akito when it came to topics of the Blade Children, so the reaction he'd received had been a complete shock.

Naoki had yet to speak since leaving the meeting, and he appeared to be ignoring Akito's presence altogether. The action saddened Akito, but he understood his roommate's frustration. Deciding to give him his space, Akito took the opportunity to retreat to his room.

()

Several hours passed before Akito resurfaced. He had spent the day trying to distract himself while giving Naoki time to process his decision. He hadn't heard the apartment door, so he knew that Naoki hadn't left, and was likely either in the kitchen or his own bedroom. He couldn't hear any sounds from the shared wall of their two rooms, so he suspected that Naoki still resided in the main part of the apartment.

It was nearly dark when Akito finally risked leaving his room. He hadn't eaten anything all day and was willing to risk encountering his roommate for the brief amount of time it would take to acquire some food.

He found Naoki sitting at the kitchen table, his fingers laced in front of his mouth; his gaze stern, yet aimless.". Akito frowned sadly.

"Hey…" He tried. Naoki didn't move. Akito's eyes fell. "I'm going to make something to eat. Do you want anything?" Again, he received no answer. Akito sighed, placing his hand gently on the counter top; waiting uncertainly. After several minutes, he glanced cautiously at his brother.

"Naoki?" At the sound of his name, Naoki slammed his hands down on the table and stood quickly, his eyes angry. Akito was taken aback by the sudden movement, and he braced back against the counter as he tried to lean away from the older man. Jaw set, Naoki kept his gaze forward and away from Akito as he turned, grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair, and stormed out of the apartment. Akito watched him go before slumping to the floor defeated. He cradled his head in his hands as the echo of the slamming door slowly faded.

()

Naoki didn't slow his pace until he was nearly two miles from his apartment. The chill of the night had cooled his anger, but it had done little to raise his mood. When he had sufficiently walked off the last of his rage, he made his way to a small club. Taking a seat in an isolated corner at the side of the bar, he summoned the bartender and proceeded to pass the remainder of the evening in the numbing embrace of heavy drinking and isolation.