Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss.

Chapter 18

Sylphday, Gnome-Decan 42, ND2019 – 1:10pm local time (Tataroo Valley)

Anise felt a mix of relief and fury: relief that Florian was alive, fury that he had run off without telling her. "Are you okay?" she asked him anxiously.

"Yes... I'm fine, Anise," Florian replied, still on his knees in front of the passage ring. "I'm sorry for making you worry."

He sounded so much like Ion that it hurt Anise's heart. It brought back memories of Ion opening the Daathic Seals, Ion using Daathic fonic artes to help Luke in battle...and Ion reading the Score for the last time. My most...cherished...

"Why didn't you tell us where you were going?!" Anise exploded. "You could have been hurt! You could have been killed! What were you thinking?!"

"I thought you wouldn't believe me, if I told you I could hear voices calling me. I thought no one else could hear them. No one said anything about them. I thought that maybe you'd think I was crazy, or sick, or something, and you'd send me back to the Albiore."

"And that's why you just left us behind? Florian!"

"Anise, I think that's enough," Tear said firmly. "Florian, don't run off on your own like that again. Next time you hear the voice of a sentience, tell us so that we can come with you and protect you."

"Indeed. Had I not noticed you leaving, and had I not followed you, you would certainly have died," Jade added. "You should have told us where you were going and why."

Florian glared at Jade. "Well, you heard the voices too, and you didn't say anything about them either!"

Huh? thought Anise. The Colonel could hear Sylph, and he didn't tell us? Well, once they were all inside the Sephiroth, she had heard Sylph explaining things to Florian, and she was sure that Tear, Guy, and Natalia had heard them too, but still...

"I don't deny it," said Jade. "That was a grave mistake on my part. Nevertheless, you need to learn more caution."

"And you should trust your friends more," Guy put in.

"I'm sorry," Florian said as he stood up. "I'm sorry, everyone. I... I was so scared. I didn't want Engeve to be destroyed. I didn't want it to be my fault, for not answering Sylph's call for help. I..." he trailed off, swaying. "...I'm really dizzy. Whoa!" he exclaimed, falling to his knees again.

"Florian!" cried Anise, rushing to his side. It's just like with Ion, she thought. He's not strong enough. He'll collapse every time he bonds to a sentience... if that's what he's planning to do. I can't let him do this to himself!

"Well, that's no surprise," said Jade. "You took in a large quantity of Third Fonons. That sort of thing is hazardous to one's health."

Anise turned to Jade, terrified. "Colonel! Can you do anything to help him?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Then what will happen to him?" Anise fretted.

Jade shrugged. "Well, either he'll recover, or he'll die – most likely from fonon separation."

"No," Anise said in a choked whisper. Not again, she thought in despair. Not again. I don't want to watch Ion disappear again! Florian is Florian, but... oh, Ion, I'm so sorry! Her eyes stung with unshed tears.

"There's still hope, Anise," said Guy, patting her on the shoulder. "Sync was a replica, too, and he could use strike artes and fonic artes, including wind-elemental artes. We don't actually have any proof that Florian will die from this. Maybe using Sylph's power will help him fight against monsters with the rest of us."

But I don't want Florian to have to fight! Anise screamed inwardly.

"Yes. Perhaps Florian is more like Sync than Ion," said Natalia.

"I'm not sure that's something to hope for, considering Sync's personality," Jade said with a sigh. "I suppose only time will tell. Let's get back to the Albiore so Florian can rest. If he doesn't overexert himself, the balance of fonons in his body may return to normal... or at least, achieve some sort of stability."

"Good idea," said Guy. "Florian, can you walk?"

"I can try," Florian replied. He clambered to his feet awkwardly. "Anise, can you—Aaah!" He toppled sideways. Anise caught him just barely in time to keep him from landing hard on his elbow.

"Nope, I guess not," Guy concluded. "All right, Florian, I'll carry you. Tear, could you take the item bag?"

"Yes," Tear replied, accepting the knapsack.

Anise and Natalia helped Florian crawl onto Guy's back. Guy looked nervous, but to Anise's surprise, he wasn't panicking at having two women so close to him. Wait... Guy patted me on the shoulder, she realized. He touched me? On purpose? He can do that now?

"Hang on tight," Guy told Florian. "Annnnd, up we go!"

"Thank you, Guy," Florian mumbled. He sounded exhausted.

"No problem," Guy replied with a devil-may-care smile. "Wow, Florian, you're pretty light. Have you been eating enough?"