A/N: And Tear finally gets Yulia's Hymns!
During lunch a couple of weeks later, Tear idly noted that their group was really starting to grow.
Guy had come over one lunch time with a girl in tow. Ignoring the playful jabs from the rest of them, he explained that she was his cousin, Jozette Cecille. Jozette settled in well, and hit it off with the only other girls in their small group. Luke noted a couple of days afterwards that they were getting cut off from the girls more and more each day, then ducked as several books went flying at him.
Jozette had come up one day with another boy, explaining that he was her boyfriend and she wanted him to meet her new friends. His name was Aslan Frings, another person from Malkuth, and after Guy had introduced him, he easily settled in with the others.
And now their group had become nine.
They were starting to attract attention around school as well. People from the Long Ranged Class recognised Tear, Guy and Sync as the ones who had offered to go against Largo - and been complimented for it. Luke and Asch were already well known, Ion was recognised as an extremely strong Seventh Fonist, and Natalia had a reputation of bitchiness, despite having practically turned it around. It turned out Jozette and Aslan also both had reputations for being brilliant tacticians, a thing that Peony took great pride in. Tear found it was becoming more and more often that someone would call out a greeting to them, even if they didn't know who they were.
That didn't mean the teachers went any easier on them though. If anything, they were a little tougher, and Tear found herself wishing she could go back to that unknown status as 'the new girl'. She'd only been there for two months, after all, it wasn't like she really understood much.
As Tear lay on her bed, going over the homework Nephry had set for them, she heard a knock on the door. Natalia went up to the door, opening it, and Tear craned her neck to see who it was.
"Hello dear. Is Tear with you?" a gentle voice asked, and Tear blinked before jumping off her bed.
"Mum!" she said happily, running to the door. Natalia stepped aside and Tear threw herself into Yulia's arms.
Yulia gave a laugh, hugging her back. "Hello sweetie. I'm not disturbing you, am I?" she asked. Tear shook her head.
"Not really. Did you need something?" she asked.
"I just wondered if you wanted to come out for a bit today. I know we haven't been able to be together much, but I have some free time right now."
"Sure!" Tear replied, grabbing her coat. She hurried out after Yulia, closing the door behind her after a quick wave to Natalia.
Yulia led her outside. The sun was still in the sky, but the sky was darkening as it set. Yulia walked over to a fountain and sat on the side, patting the stone beside her so that Tear could sit down. Tear joined her, looking at her in confusion.
Yulia looked at her and smiled. "I assume you're being taught Fonic Hymns?" she asked.
Tear nodded. "They're a bit difficult and it's hard to remember them all, but I'm doing okay."
Yulia gave a slow nod. "Yes, I imagine you would. I want to talk to you about that, Tear." Tear looked confused, and Yulia's expression grew troubled. "I believe it would be better if you stopped going. Not because I don't think you can do it," Yulia added, cutting Tear off, "But because I have a different project for you."
Tear looked confused. "What is it?" she asked.
Yulia took a deep breath, then suddenly began to sing.
"Tue rei ze croa riou tue ze.."
She trailed off, and Tear was struck by how silent everything suddenly was. After a moment the sound started again, and Tear looked at her in shock.
"What was that?" she asked.
Yulia smiled. "It was a Fonic Hymn I created. There are six verses, but when all six are sung together with understanding of each, it creates a seventh, the Grand Fonic Hymn. You'll have to work out what each verse means, and that is the project I want to give you. To work out the verses of my Fonic Hymns."
Tear considered, then nodded. "I'd be honoured," she agreed, and Yulia smiled before taking a few pages out of her bag. She handed them to Tear, who looked through them.
"Those are the words of the hymns, a few translations of the words. I'll leave working it out up to you," she said, then stood.
Tear copied her, smiling. "Thanks Mum. I'll do my best," she said.
Yulia smiled gently. "I know you will. And I'm certain you'll succeed," she murmured, kissing Tear's forehead before heading off. Tear watched her go, then looked back at the sheets of paper, reading through the hymns.
"Hmm...So, if each of the six hymns represents the six fonons.." she mumbled to herself, walking off as she considered the problem.
Yulia watched her, a smile gracing her lips. "I know you'll succeed, my dear child," she murmured.
Tear walked along the hallway, humming the tune under her breath. One of the sheets had the music notes for each verse, and she'd spent the evening working them out. Then she'd begun trying to translate the first verse.
It wasn't very easy. She didn't understand the language it was written in, and the few words Yulia had given her didn't shed much light. Dreams was one of the things in it, so she just needed to work from there...She was certain that Yulia singing it for her last night was a clue though. She needed to understand what the songs intended to do...but all that had happened was everything had gone quiet. How did that relate to dreams?
"Whatcha singing?" asked someone behind her, and she jumped, giving a squeal. The person laughed and she turned, seeing Luke standing there.
"Luke! Don't scare me like that!" she cried, hand over her heart as it pounded in her chest.
"Sorry, sorry. I honestly thought you'd heard me though!"
"Well I didn't. So make sure I definitely know you're there."
Luke nodded, walking alongside her. "So, what were you singing?" he asked again, curious.
Tear hesitated, then shrugged. "A song my mum gave me. She told me to work out its meaning," she explained.
"Your mum? Who's that?" asked Luke, confused.
Tear looked surprised. "You don't know?"
Luke shook his head, frowning. "Should I?" he asked.
"I just...thought you would. Well, um, she's Yulia."
Luke blinked, took this in, then nodded. "Yeah, I can see the resemblance," he agreed.
"Well that was anti-climatic," Tear said.
"What did you want? Oh my gosh Tear! Your mum is Yulia?! OMG gurl! High five! No, not happening."
Tear laughed. "Trust you to over exaggerate," she giggled, and Luke grinned before continuing to walk, hands behind his head.
"So, how does it go?"
Tear frowned. "I don't know the meaning, and I'm not very good.." she said hesitantly.
"Doesn't matter. It sounds pretty good from what I've heard. Just sing the first couple of lines or something," he suggested.
Tear nodded, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She stopped walking, and Luke also stopped, watching her.
"Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Riou Toue Zue
Kuroa Riou Zue Toue Riou Rei Neu Riou Zue
Va Rei Zue Toue Neu Toue Ryuo Toue Kuroa..."
Tear trailed off, blushing. "That's the first three verses. They're the only ones I've memorised," she explained.
"They sound pretty nice. What language is it?"
"I don't know. I have a few translations, but not much..."
"Well, like what?"
"Well...one bit of the word structure makes Dreams, but I don't understand why. When Mum sang it, everything went really quiet, so that must have something to do with it, and I don't get what everything being silent and dreams have to do with each other."
Luke considered. "Well...You dream when you sleep, right? And you're pretty quiet when you sleep too," he pointed out.
Tear blinked, then suddenly understood. "That's it!" she exclaimed, making Luke jump.
"What's it?" he asked hesitantly.
"The meaning of the first verse! Here, let me try it," she said.
"Um..Okay.."
Tear calmed herself, then began to sing.
"Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Riou Toue Zue.."
Not hearing anything different, she sighed. "Okay, maybe it didn't work," she said, opening her eyes to look at Luke then surprised at the sudden absence. "Luke?" she asked, looking around, then caught a flash of red and looked down. "Ah! Luke!" she cried, kneeling beside him. She checked him over, then realised he was only sleeping and sighed in relief. Glancing around, she sighed as she realised no one else was around and there was no way to get him to a better place to sleep.
"Okay. Bad time to practice," she muttered, then reached for his pocket where his phone was kept.
Pulling it out, she flipped it open and looked for the one she needed again. Finding it faster this time, she pressed it and waited.
Eventually it picked up.
"Luke, I'm busy, I told you that if you has some problems, just ring Dad or something-"
"Hi Asch."
"-and I'll assume you must have problems if you turned into Tear. What happened?"
"Well, it was kinda my fault..."
"If something happens to him, it's always his fault. Shoot."
"Well, um, I learnt a few new Fonic Hymns and I worked out the meaning to one, so I sang it to Luke and..kinda..made him fall asleep."
There was silence for a moment, and Tear grew worried. "Asch? Are you still there?"
"Yeah...Just wondering how idiotic he can get. Alright, where are you?"
"Um..a hallway."
"Super specific, thanks. Ugh, I'll be there in a minute. Don't move, and if he wakes up, call me."
The phone clicked off and Tear replaced it, gazing down at Luke for a moment. Then she sighed. "Why is it every time I borrow your phone, you're always completely out of it?" she muttered.
A/N: Awww, silly Tear. You made Lukey fall asleep! (At least now Luke isn't the only one perving over a sleeping Tear :3 )
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