Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss.

Chapter 28

Lunaday, Gnome-Decan 46, ND2019 – 7:50pm local time (Yulia City)

"So, the passage rings are affecting the flow of fonons from the core," Teodoro mused. "And you wish to have me to consult the archives?" he asked, setting Tear's letter down in front of him on the conference room table. He was sitting at the head of the table as usual, with Tear standing to his right.

"Yes, Grandfather," Tear acknowledged. "For the moment, we have someone stabilizing the sentiences' power by forming pacts with them. We don't really understand how it works, but Ifrit said that a Summoner using the sentiences' power reduces the strain on the Sephiroth. It's only a temporary solution, but it should buy us enough time to alter or dismantle the passage rings while holding off the threat of further disasters."

Teodoro tapped his fingers on the table with a distant expression, the way he always did when he was deep in thought. "And just who is this Summoner of whom you speak?" he asked at last.

"Florian," Tear replied, watching her adoptive grandfather's face for his reaction.

Teodoro's eyebrows shot up. "Florian? The Ion replica who went missing from this city, shortly after the last refugees arrived? Was he with you all this time, then?"

Tear nodded. "He stowed away aboard the Albiore when Anise and I left. He wanted to tag along with Anise. She spent a week arguing with him in Sheridan while the Albiore was under maintenance. We were going to bring him back here, but Natalia, Guy, and the Colonel came to borrow the Albiore before we could."

"I think you had better explain some more. Oliver and Pamela have been frantic with worry for him. What was the exact sequence of events that led to Florian becoming a Summoner?"

Briefly, Tear wished she had brought Guy with her. She hadn't anticipated Teodoro asking for explanations beyond what she had written in her letter, but he had requested that she stay until he was finished reading it. She bid a silent goodbye to her plan of simply dropping off the letter and hurrying back to the Albiore.

"Well," she began, "Emperor Peony ordered Guy and Colonel Curtiss to investigate this year's strange events..."

"I see," Teodoro said, when Tear had finished her account. "You plan to depart immediately, then, rather than resting in Yulia City overnight?"

"Yes. I should hurry. Everyone must be wondering why I'm not back yet," Tear replied. "I need to retrieve something from my room before I return to the Albiore. Would you please excuse me?"

"Certainly. Travel safely, Tear. I'll see you again soon."

"Thank you, Grandfather."

Tear gave Teodoro a farewell salute and exited the conference room. It was only a short walk from there to her private quarters, where Oliver, Pamela, and Florian had been temporarily housed. Yulia City couldn't afford to have entire residences empty and unused while so many refugees were crowded into an ancient structure designed for only a small contingent of Watchers.

It's fortunate that Yulia City is no longer in the Qliphoth, Tear thought. There wouldn't have been enough oxygen for everyone. It's so wonderful to be able to breathe natural atmosphere now, instead of recycled air. The city smells like a fresh sea breeze, instead of faintly like miasma. But we still can't support such a large number of refugees indefinitely.

"Tear!" Pamela exclaimed, as Tear entered her front room. "Tear, Florian has gone missing!"

"We haven't seen him since the last day of the evacuation," Oliver added.

"I know," Tear replied. "He's with us. He stowed away on the Albiore so he could tag along with Anise."

Pamela shook her head in dismay. "Oh, that silly boy! Is he all right?"

"Yes, he's fine," said Tear. "I'm sorry I don't have time to explain. I can't stay. I came to get something out of my room."

"Is anything wrong, Tear?" Pamela asked anxiously.

"No," Tear fibbed as she hurried up the stairs.

"Are you sure? You look like you have something on your mind," Pamela called after her.

"I'm late getting back to the others," Tear replied. She opened her closet and searched the shelves for a small leather-bound book with some loose pages stuffed into the front of it. Here it is. She picked up the book carefully and shut the closet door.

"What's that?" Pamela asked.

"Something for Florian to read," Tear answered. It was a true statement, after all.

"But shouldn't he stay here with us? Why haven't you brought him back?" Pamela fretted.

"Now, Pamela," Oliver said gently. "I'm sure Florian will be safe as long as he's with Tear and Anise."

"...I suppose so," Pamela admitted reluctantly. "Tear, thank you for letting us know that Florian is all right. Please, don't let him get into trouble. He can be quite a handful."

Tear smiled and said, "He's been very helpful so far." Well, that was also true, albeit not quite as simple as she was implying. "I'll tell him you were worried about him. Farewell for now."

"What took you so long?" Anise demanded the instant the Albiore's hatch closed.

"Grandfather had a lot of questions for me," Tear replied. "And I had to let your parents know that Florian is okay. I'm sorry for keeping everyone waiting."

Anise gasped. "How much did you tell them about Florian?"

"As little as possible. I was in a hurry. Where is he?"

"He's asleep," Anise said, glancing over her shoulder toward the crew space. "Everyone else has gone to bed except the Colonel – and Noelle, of course. I'm going to bed now, too."

Tear heard the Albiore's twin engines starting up, and a few seconds later she felt the aircraft lift off. "I'll give this to Florian in the morning, then," she said, holding up the small book.

Anise's eyes widened. "Are you sure Luke would be okay with that?"

"If he isn't, I'll apologize," said Tear. "Florian should know about the things that happened during last year's journey. He'll have plenty of time to read while we're flying from place to place... and he loves reading stories."

"Well, that's true," Anise allowed. "But a storybook isn't the same as Luke's diary!"