The sun had not yet risen when Elena found herself outside as the rest of her company slept. With everything that was going on, she found it increasingly difficult to sleep. She was also not fond of strange beds, even as her own felt less and less like home with each passing day. The entire foundation of her life and faith had been shaken, and what she felt was her true calling was foreign to her now. Everything was different.
"Hello."
Elena jumped, and turned to find Tio standing behind her.
"Tio!" she squeaked. "What are you doing here?"
Tio blinked, unphased by how rattled she had made the songstress.
"I have been thinking."
Elena straightened herself out, and nodded.
"So have I," she said. "Perhaps we should keep each other company in our thinking, then."
The two sat side by side in the pre-dawn half-darkness in half-silence, occasionally making a polite comment to pass the time, before Tio turned her body towards Elena. Elena turned her head, anticipating Tio's thoughts to be vocalised.
"I am trying to understand what 'free' means," Tio said.
Elena smiled warmly at her.
"I'm sure it won't be an easy journey," she said. "I know that won't sway you, though. You will find yourself in the end."
"I think," Tio said, hesitating ever-so-slightly. "I am learning how to feel. Do you think this is possible?"
"Yes, I do," Elena said. "I've noticed it in you. You seem... happier, somehow."
"I don't fully understand what it means to be happy," Tio said. "But I'm closer to understanding. Mareg has taught me much. You, Ryudo and Millenia, too."
Elena wondered what it must be like to struggle to find happiness. Though, of course, it was becoming difficult for her to keep her spirits up in their current mess, but that was hardly the same.
"I am not human," Tio said. "But, I am not a weapon either."
She regarded Elena with a certain twinkle in her eyes, which used to stay a cold, emotionless gold.
"I am me."
Elena was slightly taken aback by the intensity in her stare, not experiencing it from the Automata before.
"Perhaps knowing that is what it means to be free," Elena mused quietly.
She had learned many things about herself on this quest, too. The concept of freedom had never puzzled her before, but now, away from her sheltered life in Carbo, away from her blind faith in Pope Zera, away from the trappings of her previous way of life, she felt like she knew much more about what it meant. Both Tio and Elena had trouble discovering who they are; Tio was made by the enemy and was supposed to be loyal to her 'master' rather than herself, while Elena was the host of the Wings of Valmar and no longer had full control of her body or her faith. Elena took solace in the fact that each of them was as clueless as the other.
Elena shook herself internally, realising she had zoned out while Tio looked on silently. She had a pensive look on her face, probably just as lost in thought as Elena was. She gave a bashful smile. Elena didn't expect her heart to flutter as it did.
"Well," she said. "You're free to do whatever you like from now on."
"There is something I would like to do," Tio said. "I have seen humans do this, and I would like to try."
"Oh," Elena said. She felt unreasonably content that she was already of use to her. "I'd be happy to help, whatever it is."
"I am glad," Tio said. "I had hoped it was you I would get to try this with."
Tio leaned in and kissed Elena. It was short and sweet, but Elena could barely feel it over the sound of her heart beating in her head.
"O-Oh!" she gasped. "You wanted- Oh!"
She began to giggle nervously, losing control of herself momentarily. Tio kept still, trying to assess the situation.
"Was that wrong?" she asked. "I will try again."
Before Elena could do anything, Tio took hold of her shoulders and kissed her again. She lingered this time, moving her lips hesitantly before moving away.
"Did I do it right that time?" Tio asked, a look of pure innocence on her face.
Elena felt her face burn. She silently asked Granas for the strength to get through this.
"Y-Yes," she said. "Very good, uh, I mean... yes."
Tio's smile was radiant, and Elena felt infinitely less awkward.
"Humans put their lips together as a sign of affection," she stated. "I am... happy to have expressed my affection for you."
Elena was hyper-aware of the delicate yet strong hands still resting on her shoulders, and the way the early morning light seemed to make the unnaturally pale skin of her face look almost ethereal. She was also aware of the smile adorning her face, and forgot for a moment that she wasn't actually human. She wondered when she had learned how to capture people in her stare so well.
"I'm happy, too."
Elena knew it would be difficult to find herself in her new freedom, but, somehow, she felt it would all be okay.