A/N: Hey all,

June 28, 2022: Here is the next chapter of Who Knows What Fate May Hold For You, as promised. I can't believe we've reached 40 chapters in this work. Thank you all so much for sticking with me and for enjoying this story. I look forward to seeing you next month with a new chapter. Please leave a review to let me know what you think or what you would like to see different. Having feedback from all of you really helps me motivate to write. Well, I hope to hear from you and can't wait to see you again next month with the next chapter of Who Knows What Fate May Hold For You.

Your faithful author,

Spiral of Destiny

Chapter 40: Reservation

Darkness was falling as Akito stared mutely out of the small window of his tiny hotel room. The waning light of early evening bathed the room in soft orange and shadows, distorting the shapes within and leaving the lone figure to blur into the background. A quiet sigh broke the silence as Akito lowered his head to stare at the cellphone clutched between his clasped hands. He had been in the hotel for two days now and hadn't really heard from anyone in that time. Since his move he had tried to call Naoki several times, but each attempt had been met with no answer. Whether Naoki was ignoring his calls or had blocked him completely, Akito wasn't sure. Another sigh escaped his lips.

"Did I make the right choice?" He wondered aloud to no one. He released his phone with his left hand in order to run his fingers shakily through his hair. He didn't want to kill the Blade Children. That much he knew for a fact. But the continued isolation and the way thinks had transpired with Naoki were starting to make him wonder whether he was strong enough to do it anyway; if for no other reason that to reinstate himself with Naoki and the others. Work provided a good distraction for him, but with the weekend approaching, he knew that the feeling of isolation would only increase once he was left with nothing to do but stare at the dirty ceiling over his bed.

"Could I do it? Could I kill them?" He allowed himself to fall backwards, his back resting on top of the bed while his legs still hung bent over the side. He pressed his hand to his forehead, staring wearily at the ceiling. "Could I live with myself if I did?" Deep down Akito knew the answer to these questions. "I don't think so." He let out a heavy sigh, dropping his arm to cover his eyes. "Whether Sai is right or wrong, I don't have the conviction to do something like that." Frustration bubbled up in his throat, creating a tightness that he fought to keep down. He swallowed hard and sat up once more. Since leaving the apartment Akito had not been sleeping well. His loneliness, mixed with his doubt about his decisions, had led to confusing nightmares and countless hours of insomnia or fitful rest. He was exhausted and his head was pounding from a mix of fatigue and anxiety. He sighed for a fourth time.

"I'm pathetic." He mumbled, rising to his feet. Tucking his phone into the front left pocket of his jeans, he retrieved his coat and quickly left the room.

OOoOoOo

Kisame walked slowly through the quickly emptying street. He had left the shooting range a half hour ago and had seen Eyes and Hiroshume safely home. Shinu had tagged along for a while, but had bid them all farewell once their path had taken them in a direction divergent from his own. Eyes had invited him in once they had reached the performer's apartment, but Kisame had refused the invitation. While he felt the day had been productive, he was at his limit for human interaction. A part of his mind was telling him that he should stop by the hospital and escort the rest of the Blade Children home, but a larger part couldn't be bothered. He would leave that task to Kanone this time.

Slowing, Kisame moved off of the main walkway and slowed to a stop beside a small storefront. Inside he could see the shopkeeper readying the place to close down, paying no attention to the teen idling outside his establishment. Redirecting his attention, Kisame looked out over the thinning crowd. The time was approaching 8pm, so the rush of people returning home from work was nearly over. Kisame sighed, looking at the sky. He felt tired. More tired than he could remember feeling in a long time. His emotions had calmed throughout the day, but the strain of their continually escalating situation was taking a mental toll on him. He sighed again, closing his eyes for a few moments. His jaw set into a tight line as he thought over the "Hunters'" recent actions and everything that was happening. His fingers itched to take out the gun concealed in his coat pocket and annihilate every "Hunter" he could find without any consideration for the ramifications such an act would produce.

Grimacing, he pushed himself off the wall and rejoined the flow of people. His skin was crawling as he was bumped and shoved by people moving past him. The actions weren't abnormal for daily life in a busy city, but today Kisame found it particularly difficult not to break Kanone's cardinal rule and involve people uninvolved with the Blade Children and create a massacre just to be able to have a bit or room to breathe. He shook his head, realizing the danger of such thoughts.

"Calm down." He warned himself with a slow, deliberate breath. He could hear both Kanone and Eyes echoing in his head as he spoke and he couldn't help but smile slightly. Though it had been years since those words had been uttered to him, in the past it had been a routine warning from his German and English companions. He stopped again, pausing in the middle of the path this time and forcing people to walk around him. The memory was nostalgic. He had been so much more aggressive and wild back then. Back when he was an actual child. He had met Kanone first and then had been introduced to Eyes. They had clicked right away and he had found himself growing attached easily to the two young men. They were like him. They were killers. At that time they were the first he had met like him. Kanone had been calmer then. More confident. More savage.

Kisame frowned. Part of him wanted to go back. Back to a time where things were clearer. In reality things hadn't changed all that much from that time, but Kisame and the others certainly had. While the scenario was essentially the same, everything felt out of control and disjointed and completely wrong. It left Kisame feeling on edge and unsure about what move to make next. The actions of the "Hunter" who visited Ryoko had thrown him. It was so "wrong". Everything about the situation was wrong. "Hunters" didn't leave Blade Children alive. It wasn't how the game was played. As grateful as he was that no harm had come to Ryoko or Hiroshume, he was still left with a cold feeling about the entire situation. This wasn't how things worked. It almost seemed against the rules of the game that the Blade Children and "Hunters" had been playing for nearly two decades. How was he supposed to keep everyone safe and combat the "Hunters" when they were changing the rules? With all these murders, how could he alter the rules to get them back on an even playing field?

Kisame started walking again, his eyes turned more toward the pavement than looking where he was going. A familiar form in his peripheral caught his attention and he paused to take a closer look. Across the street his eyes fell on the form of a man with black hair and brown eyes. Kisame's eyes narrowed in recognition.

"Of all the nights…" He mumbled, slipping his hand into his pocket and bypassing his gun in favor of his knife. Never taking his eyes off the man, he kicked off the curb and made his way across the street.

Akito was lost in thought as he made his way down the darkening street. His head was pulsing uncomfortably as he walked and he squinted slightly against the ache. Every few minutes he would raise his hand to press against his temple or cover his eyes in an attempt to ease the discomfort. The cool air had helped marginally, but it hardly felt like enough. His mind was still running rapidly over his decisions and whether he was right in what he had decided, so it took him completely by surprise as someone collided with his shoulder. A vice like grip closed around his arm and guided him in an off balance stumble to his right until his shoulder made contact with the wall of a shop. Before he could register who had run into him, he was pulled away from the wall and pivoted around the corner of an alleyway directly in front of him. He was thrown firmly against the wall and he closed his eyes momentarily at the impact. His eyes widened when he looked upon his assailant a moment later.

"You?" Standing less than three feet in front of Akito stood a visibly irritated Kisame Hosagi. Kisame's eyes narrowed.

"Me." He sneered, withdrawing the knife from his pocket and stepping closer to Akito. The older man's eyes widened further at the sight of the weapon and he raised his hands quickly before himself in a placating gesture.

"Hang on. I'm not a "Hunter" anymore." He said quickly, his eyes glued to the knife as Kisame stopped moving, pausing less than a foot away from the "ex-Hunter". "I left the "Hunters" after I ran into you last time." His eyes quickly flicked up to meet Kisame's gaze in an attempt to determine whether the Blade Child intended to continue to arrest his attack or if Akito needed to brace for a stab wound and a fight for his life. Kisame was glaring at him.

"I should kill you anyway." He hissed. The knife shook slightly in his hand with the force of his hold on the handle. Akito swallowed nervously at Kisame's words, tone, and the sheer killing intent he could feel radiating off the younger man. He watched anxiously as Kisame's jaw set firmly, glaring at the "Hunter" with more hatred than Akito had ever felt directed at himself before. Watching Kisame, Akito could see what Sai had been talking about in regards to the Blade Children. He swallowed thickly, never breaking his gaze away from the monster before him. After what felt like an eternity to Akito, but was less than twenty seconds in reality, Kisame clicked his tongue in frustration and lowered the knife, turning away from Akito. "You're lucky the other Blade Children have better values than me. If I had my way you'd be a bleeding corpse on the ground right now, involved or not. But the others would be angry if I killed you." Slowly he flicked his knife closed with an audible click, returned it to his pocket. "Get away from me before I change my mind." Without another word, Kisame started to make his way back toward the mouth of the alley. Akito fought the urge to collapse to the ground as he watched Kisame's retreating form. Eyes widening, Akito pushed suddenly off the wall and dashed forward; not to escape as he was instructed, but after the retreating Blade Child.

"Wait!" Akito exclaimed, his hand closing around Kisame's left arm and forcing the younger man to a halt. Kisame turned a murderous glare over his shoulder. His eyes widened slightly in anger, but softened marginally a moment later as he noted the desperation in the "ex-Hunter's" expression.

"Why?" He questioned, aggressively pulling his arm free from Akito's grip and turning to face the older man fully.

"I have a brother." Akito said quickly, straightening and taking a step back from the Blade Child.

"Good for you. And?" Sarcasm was clear in Kisame's tone.

"He's a "Hunter"." Akito said hesitantly.

"I'm aware. And?" Kisame interrupted, crossing his arms impatiently. Akito swallowed nervously.

"I know I have no right to ask anything of you after everything "The Hunters" have done. But please, if it ever comes to a situation where the Blade Children end up facing my brother, please don't kill him." Kisame's eyes narrowed into a violent glare at the request. "Please. He's not a bad person. He's the only family I have. I can't protect him myself because he won't listen to me anymore. I know I'm asking you to spare an enemy, but please. If it's at all avoidable, don't kill my brother." Akito begged. He felt his heart sink as Kisame turned with a scoff and continued back to the street, Akito's pleas seeming to fall on deaf ears. "Please!" He called desperately after Kisame, though not daring to try and physically stop him a second time. Kisame paused, casting a cold gaze back at Akito.

"I'll consider it." Without another word Kisame began moving forward again, quickly leaving the alley and Akito behind.

oOoOoOo

Sai sat quietly observing the sunset from the window of his apartment. His eyes traced lazily over the colors marking the horizon as he silently reviewed the events of the previous few days in his mind. His meeting with Ryoko had been more enlightening than he'd expected. While the girl hadn't been able to tell him much, what she had given him was enough for him to make some speculations about the newest threat to the war between the Blade Children and "Hunters".

"What is he thinking?" He mused softly, leaning back in his chair and clasping his chin lightly in his hand. His mind shifted from Ryoko's experience to the rash of murders that had made the news in recent days. A frown settled heavily over his features. Everything was happening too fast. The war on the Blade Children was not something that was sanctioned by the majority, so it needed to be handled carefully. If a Blade Child was to be taken out, it needed to be done in a way that didn't jeopardize the larger "Hunter" operation.

"If this keeps up he's going to destroy everything." He clenched his hand tightly into a fist and rested it against his lips, watching the last of the sunlight give way to night. He turned his gaze away from the window, letting it fall on the chess board resting on the small table before him. Lowering his hand from his lips, he leaned forward to pick the black king from its place on the board. His eyes traveled over the smooth surface for a few moments before his gaze moved to the white king standing at attention on the far side of the board. He leaned back, turning the king thoughtfully in his fingers.

"This game has rules. It always has. So…" His eyes traveled back to the piece in his hand. "How to adapt when a third king joins the battle?" Reaching forward again, he removed the white king from the board and rested it beside the black king in his palm.

"The Blade Children…" he lifted the black king to eye level. "And my "Hunters"." The white king was brought up to join the black. "It's always been clear cut. Black at white. So," He transferred both pieces into his right hand and returned his gaze thoughtfully to the window. "How do we adjust when red mars the perfect monochrome?" He sighed and laid his head back against the chair, closing his eyes.

"Just who is the greater threat at this point?" He let the kings fall lightly from his grasp to clatter on the floor as he once again let himself drift back into his silent musings.

oOoOoOo

It was late as Naoki lay staring at his bedroom ceiling. The apartment was quiet, save the sound of his even breathing. He was exhausted, but sleep wouldn't come. Akito had obeyed his ultimatum and had been gone from the apartment when Naoki had returned, and he had been ignoring the younger man's calls since then. While he believed that he had made the right choice in regards to Akito, he still felt restless. He wanted to check up on his former roommate, but couldn't. It was best for both of them to maintain distance until everything had concluded. It was the best way to keep Akito safe.

Naoki let out a heavy sigh. It had only been two days since Akito had left, but it felt so much longer. He hadn't entered Akito's room yet to check that it was empty, but the silence behind the wall seemed deafening regardless.

"This is so stupid." He mumbled into the darkness. For the past several days the news had been buzzing with stories of children being murdered by unknown assailants. The media had connected the kids to Tsukiomi Academy, but had made no further progress than that. For Naoki, though, it was far too clear. Someone was acting against the Blade Children and, once again, it wasn't Sai. Naoki clenched his jaw in frustration.

"What is he thinking? He's letting everything get out of control." While he trusted Sai's judgment, he couldn't figure out his actions in this situation. They knew about Makoto and it was obvious that the man was acting in a way that would jeopardize the entire mission to eliminate the Blade Children. So why wasn't Sai acting? Why wasn't he moving to eliminate the Blade Children before Makoto ended up exposing their fight to the whole world or, at the very least, why hadn't Sai moved to corral Makoto before he caused more damage than they could contain? Rolling onto his side, Naoki nestled his arm beneath his head and stared thoughtfully into the darkness. "Everything's going to collapse at this rate." Mumbling to himself, Naoki rolled to his other side and closed with eyes. Willing his mind to clear, he did his best to relax and coax sleep to reach him.

oOoOoOo

Morning came far too early for Naoki as he was pulled awake by the chime of his phone. Pulling the offensive device from beside him on the night stand, he forced his eyes open to look at the new message.

8:00am.

A frown crossed his face as he forced himself to sit up at glance at the clock. 7:15am, the clock read. He sighed.

"Not a lot of time." He mumbled, throwing back the blankets and rising to his feet. Though seemingly random, the message was more than clear to Naoki. Sai was calling a meeting and, in the absence of any location specified, it was assumed the meeting would take place at the older man's apartment. Normally he would be frustrated by being called out on such short notice, but at this point Naoki was happy with any initiative shown by the "Hunter" leader. Quickly throwing on a fresh set of clothes, he pocketed his phone and left the apartment.

Yan was already seated in Sai's apartment by the time Naoki arrived. Giving him a curt nod as he entered, she moved to the side to offer room for him to sit beside her on the couch.

"So what's going on?" He asked as he took a seat, looking from Sai to Yan and back again. Sai glanced away from the window to look at Naoki before turning fully to face his guests.

"There have been a few developments regarding our fight with the Blade Children." Sai began.

"No kidding. It's practically all the news can talk about." Naoki said sarcastically, earning a humorless smile from Sai.

"Indeed. Which is precisely the problem." He paused a moment to look at the faces of the two people seated across from him. After a moment he sighed. "I know you two must be frustrated with our recent inaction in this fight."

"No…"

"Damn right." Sai chuckled at the radically different answers from his most trusted allies.

"Right. Well, I know at least you, Naoki, are frustrated." The smile fell from his face. "However, at this point I feel that our hands are tied. The media is too involved in our fight. If we try to make a move then we will only jeopardize the situation further."

"What do you suggest?" Yan asked curtly. Sai crossed his fingers thoughtfully over his mouth.

"For the time being, I believe our only option is to monitor the movements of both the Blade Children and Makoto's "Hunters". We may even have to take policing his "Hunters" into our own hands if he doesn't call off his mad dogs.

"So you essentially want us to do nothing." Naoki stated bluntly. Annoyance was clear in his voice.

"No, I want you to proceed with caution and monitor our enemies. At this point it is obvious that both the Blade Children and Makoto's "Hunters" are an equal threat in this fight."

"So then why don't we make a move? Blade Children, Makoto, I don't care. But lets at least to something! All we're doing now is wasting time and allowing Makoto free reign to sabotage any future opportunities we might have to eliminate the Blade Children!"

"I understand your frustration, Naoki. But right now it's entirely too risky for us to make a move against the Blade Children without all of us getting caught up in this media firestorm that Makoto has created. And I am not about to send you, or Yan, or any of the other "Hunters" into a situation where you could be killed just so we can slow Makoto down. There is only so much the police will allow before they get involved and we do have "Hunters" among their ranks. There will come a time where we will act, but that time isn't now. I know you want to finish this game, but we need to be patient and move in a way that won't end up with senseless deaths.

"So just monitor, then?" His tone dripped disgust.

"For now."

"And then?"

"Then we end this."

"You have a plan?" Yan questioned calmly.

"I do." Sai said, looking seriously at the dark haired woman.

"Care to share?" Naoki leaned back irritably into the couch cushion.

"Eventually. But not now." Sai said apologetically. "There are still a few things I need to do before we can end all of this." Naoki sighed heavily, leaning forward again and rising to his feet.

"Right. Well, call me when you have something you 'can' share. I have to get ready for work." Without another word, Naoki turned and left the apartment.

Sai and Yan watched him go before Yan turned her attention back to Sai.

"Need?"

"Nothing at the moment, my dear. For now I want you to keep tabs on Makoto for me. The rest is something I need to deal with."

"Information?" Sai nodded.

"Yes. I paid a visit to one of the Blade Children the other night." He ignored the slight widening of Yan's eyes. "She gave me some interesting information. I need to look into it a bit more, but once I find what I need we will know who we need to target to cripple Makoto's killing spree."

"Naoki?"

"Naoki doesn't need to know about this yet. He's dealing with a lot right now. I'd like you to keep an eye on him as well. Make sure he stays safe. I don't want his impatience and frustration to lead to him doing anything rash." With a nod, Yan rose to her feet in preparation to leave as well.

"Of course."