Title: What is Real? Chapter 2: Sounds on the Wind

Written for: Live Journal Community: 30kisses

Author/Artist: mellonemrys

Pairing: Narumi Ayumu and Eyes Rutherford
Fandom: Spiral Suiri no Kizuna
Theme: # 29: The Sound of Waves

Words: 1,173
Disclaimer: Spiral does not belong to me…sadly enough…but the manga is finally licensed!

Thanks to: cocacat15 for beta-ing!

Notes/ Warning: This has spoilers for the very end of the anime…as well as some for the manga, but if you have only seen the anime (all of it) then you should be fine. This chapter is Ayumu POV, the story takes place about eight years after the anime ends, everything else is explained, so please read and review!

Sounds can be heard as different things. To one person something may be one thing, to another something worlds away. They are many flavors of sounds; sweet and sour, mild and spicy. Real sounds are special though. They sound clearer, more defined. People can't scream forever; at some point we run out of air. Then everything is silent, like the calm before the storm. But ears can lie, just like anything else. Your eyes are the worst; they can constantly lie to you. Causing more pain than was intended and sucking your breath away. You cannot always trust the truth as your eyes see it. Do not trust your eyes to tell you what is real.

Ayumu woke up feeling sick and disoriented. The floor moved beneath him and he guessed he was on a boat somewhere. He sat up, realizing his hands were tied behind him. Peering through the dark, he could see he was in a small room with nothing but a chair in it. The pounding in his head only continued to increase as he moved about, trying to find a comfortable position to sit and think. The incidents that had occurred the night before had been a shock, but at the time it had seemed best to go with the flow, even though all his training and intuition had pointed against it.

He had finished the investigation much more quickly than he had expected, ending up with a dead end. Since he didn't have to be back right away and he couldn't concentrate on the false lead anymore he decided to catch what was left of Eyes' performance. Maybe they could get a late dinner together afterwards. What he heard of the performance when he arrived was beautiful, and the audience agreed, giving Eyes an ecstatic send off. Right as he was about to make his way to the back stage area he was tapped on the shoulder and felt cold metal pressed against his back. He kept still, waiting to see what his assailant would do. He was merely urged forward with the crowd until they were well away from the concert hall. The unknown person stopped, chuckled lightly, and turned him around, flashing him a wild smile.

Finding the green eyes in the distant light of the street lamps he froze in recognition. The man only smiled more at the surprise written on his face. His breathing almost stopped as millions of thoughts hurtled through his mind. The rush paused momentarily as a cab pulled up beside them. Placing a large hand on his shoulder, the older man led him into the cab, grip tightening when he tensed; ready to break away. Kanone spoke quickly to the driver in German, then made a call on his cell phone to make some sort of arrangements.

Arriving at the airport soon afterward he was guided in the same fashion by his captor to a small private jet. Once they were seated across from each other Kanone regarded him with a smiling face, which revealed nothing of what had sparked this sudden appearance and kidnapping.

"I thought that you might want to see him, you'll be glad you did, it may be the last time," he said finally. "I hoped you enjoyed my little game earlier. It was difficult to work around Interpol, but I believe my little ruse left more than just you awake at night during these past few weeks." His expression still betrayed nothing as he slid his gun into its holster and produced a small wrapped bundle containing several throwing knives. "You don't look happy to see me," he said, the light playing off the sharp blades. He sighed, a slight frown appearing. "Not talking? There will be plenty of time for that I suppose…"

An attendant brought two glasses of water, handing one to each of them before handing Kanone a small package and returning to the back of the plane. Extracting a vial from the package he un-capped it and poured its full contents into Ayumu's glass. "It won't kill you, there is no need to speak of death threats quite yet," he commented casually, preoccupied with the knives for the moment. "Drink it, things will go much easier later on if you do."

Ayumu appraised the glass in his hand; he had been unable to see the vial before it had been carefully stashed away. Still clear and odorless, his mind raced with lists of what the unknown substance could have been. Looking up, the green eyes were watching, face blank, hands poised over the knives in his lap. Putting the glass to his lips and closing his eyes, he downed the liquid, hoping he retained some of the luck that had saved him from a similar test. A moment later his throat was on fire, his senses barely kissing the surface of consciousness as his vision blurred and he fell forward in pain as the dark world rushed up to him.

Now he tried only to think of how to make his next move. Hands tied behind his back in a small, dark, undoubtedly locked room made his prospects look grim. The light coming from under the door was disturbed as his numb senses picked up the sound of footsteps. A key scraped the lock and the handle turned, light pouring into the room, blinding him and worsening his headache. His captor stood there a moment, then closed the door and sat down in the chair in front of Ayumu, pulling an object from his pocket and sliding it on the floor over to where Ayumu sat. His cell phone caught the light that was coming in from under the door.

"You have a message Ayumu-kun. It seems that you've been missed."

It was difficult to see in the dark but he guessed Kanone wasn't sporting his usual concealing smile. Good…let him stay that way…he thought. "He'll expect something soon enough, and go to the authorities. If they haven't already come to him," he managed to say, fighting the pounding in his head.

"I know, and it will only make the game more interesting, don't you think? Inspector Narumi…" With this he smiled down at him knowingly. But he still wasn't going to reveal his plan or his reasons; that would take time for him to learn. He hoped he had enough time to form a plan before it was too late.

Smiles conceal knives…conceal Kanone's knives…intentions…Ayumu thought vaguely as the pain in his head finally brought the darkness crashing back down on him.

The sounds of waves can be calming, a salvation, a warning. They break the shore, sending thunder on the wind to mix with sour salt and sand. Dreams can have the same effect, pleasure and fear wrapped together in an endless dance as they are taken by the flow. When they awaken they are far from their start, yet closer to the beginning than they think.