Summary: We clashed swords, words, and fought beside one another, but never before did we ever truly touch before this moment.

Touch

To think a simple touch could mean so much, and yet so little, all at once. With a mere touch, a world can begin, or a world can end. Why have I never noticed this before?

I guess that chasing after the Black Monster, and trying to save the world kind of makes you oblivious to some things. Like certain looks from someone who's much better than what you've been looking at all along. Like Rose. After we fell from the ghost ship, I began to notice just how much better for me she would be than Shana. I know it's wrong to think of her like that, but some thoughts cannot be so easily avoided.

And to think it all started with just a simple touch.

"Dart, can I come in?"

"Yeah, it's open."

She walked in, wearing her usual midnight blue armor. She seemed more bored than anything, wearing her usual expressionless face, though I could only assume that she had something to say. She sat down on my bed, facing me before she started talking. As she did so, there seemed to be some weird sparkle in her eye. Maybe I was just imagining it?

"I assume you have a question for me that you wanted to ask earlier, before the ghost ship appeared."

"Yeah. I…I wanted to ask if you know anything about…The Black Monster."

The light in her eyes suddenly changed a little, as if I inadvertently broached a subject that somehow had meaning for her. Not that I understand how it would…unless…but no, she couldn't be…

After several minutes of suffocating silence, I got up from the chair at the desk I was sitting and sat next to her on the bed.

"If there's something wrong with telling me what you know, then you don't have to tell me anything."

"I understand that," she replied coolly. "But, you should know something about the Black Monster."

"What is it Rose?"

"I…" she hesitated for a moment. No, she just couldn't be…just couldn't…

"I…am the Black Monster."

I laughed. Hard. There was just no way she was the Black Monster. Or was there? After a couple more minutes of dying chuckles, she fixed me with a glare that would have made a dragon proud. Needless to say, I shut up quickly.

"Yes, I really am The Black Monster. I'm sorry for what happened to your home town, Neet, but I had little choice. I believed the Moon Child to be there."

"The Moon Child…isn't the moon child supposed to be a blessing for the Earth?"

"That is just a legend that humans came up with to ease their fear of what really happens when the Moon Child comes out."

And then…she explained everything to me. I was quite shocked when I learned the whole truth of things, and I couldn't quite look her in the eye. After she explained everything, she faced the door, as if to leave, and yet, she stayed for some reason.

"It's okay if you hate me. I'm used to it."

"But it's not right."

"Not right?" She questioned before chuckling for a good minute.

"You hate the Black Monster, and yet, when you find out that I am what you seek to destroy, you say it's "not right" to hate that which you sought to make vanish."

She again chuckled when I had no response, unsure of what to say. As if she could read my thoughts, she said next, "I know, conflicting emotions are always confusing. Come with me." I followed her, and she led me to the back of the ship, where no one else dared go.

"Fight with me Dart. Show me how much you have grown as a Dragoon."

We fought, and we fought hard. We both moved with all our muscle and skill, reacting on reflex to the other's attack.

She took the initiative, thrusting her Rapier forward. I blocked with my sword and immediately parried the attack, moving my own sword in a counter attack from the side. We fought on this way for several hours until we both stood in a draw.

"Very good Dart, you have grown much." She then lowered her arms, almost sticking her Rapier into the planks we were standing on. She then spread her arms wide.

"Now kill me." As much as I may have had the urge to, the memories of Neet burning in my head, I rushed towards her and pushed her instead, and she instinctively grabbed my arms so as not to fall, bringing us both down into the planks of the ship. We landed with me on top of her, our lips pressed together, and our eyes closed.

While we kissed, I then realized that that had been the first time we had ever really touched each other. We clashed swords, words, and fought beside one another, but never before did we ever truly touch before this moment.

Despite Shana, and the words left unspoken to her, there was never really much feeling for her in my heart, as much as I hate to admit it. A simple touch, no matter how small, can change a world; it can destroy it, or it can begin it anew.

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AN: Just a short little pointless drabble, but it marks the day I have finally returned to the Fanfiction universe. I have tried to manage a comeback before, but, well, with my lack of enthusiasm, it made it hard to return after losing so many of my stories when my last hard drive crashed, but now, with renewed enthusiasm, I shall return! And my stories are backed up now, so fear not readers.