Touch
Warning: Spoilers for Tales of Arise. If you have not play and beaten the game. Do not read this, come back when you have.
You have been warned, so enjoy.
Touch: Verb. to come into or be in contact with.
Noun. 1. the special sense by which pressure or traction is exerted on the skin
2. an act of touching someone or something.
She had come across an old dictionary while walking through the library of Autelina Palace. Idle curiosity drove her to pick up the large book and search out the word. As far she could tell, the definition was accurate, if on the barebones side. But it was concise and to the point so that anyone could understand it. But to Shionne, it meant so much more.
For longer than she could remember, the Maidan had been deprived of one thing that everyone else took for granted. The touch of another Human being. All because of her thorns. Perhaps there was one time when others could touch her without the thorns lashing out. But the memories of those times were long gone now.
Before coming to Dahna, all she had were the memories of the fearful and repulsed looks on the faces of all who looked at her. In her earliest memories, people would shy away from her when she got close, and the few brave enough recoiled away when they touched her. It was all she ever knew. Even her own parents, in the brief time she lived with them, looked at her with fear in their eyes.
Maybe at one time, they did love her, as any parent should. But those moments were a distant memory. They did not hate her, but they did fear her. She envied the children who had loving parents, who would hug them and hold them tight when they cried. She was alone.
She envied the people who could reach out to each other without fear of hurting others. Every hand holding, every hug, every bit of physical contact she saw, she wanted that. She wanted to know what a warm touch felt like, she wanted to know what a cold touch felt like. She wanted someone anyone to hold her in an embrace and to tell her she was not alone.
But it never happened. The one friend she did have in her solitary life was an old doll. She didn't remember who it was that gave it to her. Looking back, Shionne could conjure up the image of a woman. Perhaps it was her mother, the only act of kindness she could remember from her family.
That doll, old, almost falling apart the seams, was the only solace she had in her life on Lenegis. The only bit of evidence that she was not alone. She had hoped that would have been enough. It wasn't.
One day all her jealously, anger, and sorrow turned into a single desire. If life would not embrace her, then perhaps death would be more welcoming to her. A small wet spot formed on the pages of the dictionary.
She remembered that day vividly. She was in her room, bare and empty except for a bed and a dresser. No pictures of family and friends, no childish drawings. A perfect representation of her life.
Her doll was propped up on the foot of the bed, watching her. It had a strangely pleading look in its lifeless eyes, like it was begging her to put down the blade she held to her chest. She remembered how at peace she was at that moment. After all, who would miss her?
She also remembered the despair that overcame her when the realization dawned on her. That even death's embrace had been denied to her.
That was what drove her to leave Lenegis and to come to Dahna. To fight and defeat the Renan Lords that ruled its five realms. Nothing so noble, like wanting to free the Dahnan slaves. She came to Dahna seeking death.
What she found was something else entirely. She found a reason to live. Alphen, Rinwell, Law, Kisara, Dohalim, hootle, and so many other wonderful people. They all touched her in ways that she never imagined possible. But out of all of them, one stood out the most.
Alphen had been the first one to reach out to her, to truly touch her. He had been the one that broke through her thorns, figuratively and literally. He had been the one that saved her.
She remembers the day she met him clearly. She had thought nothing of the man wearing the iron mask, just another Dahnan slave. But twice in that same day, he saved her. First on the train, and a second time when he pulled her away from the Armored Renan soldiers.
In a twist of irony, she had almost been the one to recoil from him. Almost shouting, "Don't touch me!" But the shock of the moment stayed her tongue. Her thorns lashed out, but the man did not cry out in pain and pulled away from her. Instead, he pulled her behind him and stood against the attacking Renans.
It wasn't until later that she learned why he was able to do that. How fitting for a woman who caused others pain to meet a man who could not feel pain. It was almost like the world was finally answering her prayer. But she dared not to hope.
Alphen and others were nothing more than a means to an end. That was what she kept telling herself. "You came here seeking death. Don't get attached to them, or worse, let them get attached to you. It'll only make things harder in the end."
But try as she might, she couldn't follow her own advice. Alphen, that sweet, wonderful man, had given to her the one thing she had been deprived of for her whole life. The touch of another human being. She reminded herself not to get used to it that it all would end sooner or later. But with every touch, every caress, every hand on the shoulder, she grew to crave them more. Every time Alphen would let her go, she wished he had held on a little longer. A few times, she found herself wanting to reach out to him, just knowing what it felt like for another human being to touch her. It was selfish, she knew that.
But could anyone blame her? She had been deprived of human touch, loving or otherwise, for her whole life. Alphen gave that to her and much more. He showed her kindness while others were indifferent or feared her. Whenever danger came for her, he was the first to protect her. He became a pillar of support for her, one she never realized how much she needed.
And so had the others. Rinwell the little sister she always wanted. Law the little brother she never knew she wanted. Kisara, with her endless dotting and worrying, became the mother she never got. Dohalim, the strange uncle. And, of course, who could forget little Hootle?
They all had become her friends, her family. Each of them became a pillar of support that held her up. She kept them at arm's length, but slowly they, like Alphen, broke through the thorns around her heart. For the first time in her life, she felt hope.
Then that day came on Almeidrea's ship. The day when Alphen's mask broke. Vohlran had taken her. Alphen was once again the first to jump to save her. He had reached out to her. She had reached out to him, knowing he would save her. Their hands touched, and Alphen recoiled in pain. Her entire world came crashing down.
She doesn't remember what happened next, only that her mind had gone to a dark place.
Everyone, they're gone, and I'm all alone. It's dark, please help me! No! It's so, Dark. Everyone they're all gone, and I'm all alone. It's dark, please help me! No. Lies! Alone… I'm all alone… I can't die… But I also can't live… I... I…
She almost fell to her knees as more tears fell on the pages of the dictionary. That world she found herself in had been so dark, so cold, and she had been so alone. She couldn't see, couldn't breathe, couldn't…
"Shionne!"
Then a light shined through the darkness. A strong pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her in into a tight embrace. She looked into Alphen's face. "Alphen?"
"Shionne? Are you alright?" He asked, the worry laced in his voice. "Are you hurt? Did something happen?"
Tears were still streaming down her cheeks, but this time for a different reason. She wrapped her arms around the man that had been her saving grace. "Alphen." She said. "Its… Its." She tried and failed to think of something to say. Then she smiled as she leaned her head on the man's chest. "It's nothing. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" He asked, sounding unconvinced.
She laid a hand on his cheek. "I'm fine, Alphen." Then she bit her lip, wondering how she would get her next words across. "I was just thinking how lucky I was to have met you."
Lucky indeed. This embrace that he held her in. It was the same one that saved her from a dark world. Twice, first in the Cathedral leading into Vohlran's Palace. The second time outside the ship that ferried them to Lenegis than to Rena. It was in those embraces that it finally clicked in her mind. She wasn't alone anymore.
She had Alphen. She had Rinwell and Hootle. She had Law. She Kirisara. She had Dohalim. She had all of them. But most of all, she had Alphen.
She had left Lenegis alone but returned with friends.
Shionne stood up, breaking away from Alpen's embrace. "Come on. We shouldn't keep the others waiting." She said.
She felt Alphen walking beside her. "Oh? Okay." He said. He shot her a fugitive look. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Shionne smiled. "Yes, Alphen, I'm fine."
They left the library leaving behind an old dusty dictionary on the floor.
Touch: Verb. to come into or be in contact with.
Noun. 1. the special sense by which pressure or traction is exerted on the skin
2. an act of touching someone or something.
It was a simple and accurate definition. But to Shionne, it was much more. It was a connection she had been robbed of for much of her life. It was the warmth that had been denied to her. It was a promise to her that she would never be alone again.
I hope you liked this one-shot. I beat the game a couple of weeks ago and wanted to get this out while it was still relatively fresh on my mind. I guess you could consider this a character study for Shionne. The girl honestly got a bad lot in her life because of those thorns. So, when I got the ending and saw her and Alphen getting married it honestly warmed my heart. From what I hear Tales games don't usually end on such a happy note. At best they have a bitter sweat ending. I've played Berseria, Zestiria, and Xillia, and I kind of see their point. Though I think Xillia ended on a happier note, I'll have to check back on that.
Anyway I hope you like this little piece, and hope I did Shionne justice here and didn't to cheesy with it.