A/N There are so many times in the game that I just want to give Melia a hug.

"That Melia Antiqua. She just had too many hugs," said NO-ONE in the Xenoblade fandom.

Here is a fic set post-game where every member of the main cast gives her a hug. Just because writing it made me feel a bit less sad about her ending. I started and abandoned it a while ago but I thought I'd finish it for posting.

part 1

"Shulk, don't sow them so close together. They will not have enough space to spread their roots," Melia ordered.

"Right."

Shulk, needless to say, was utterly bewildered by the nuances of plant growing.

The seeds were supposed to grow up to be like the vivid blue flowers that had been dotted around Eryth Sea. They were Melia's favourite type of flower. They were also an experiment. Melia wasn't sure if the seeds would be able to adapt to the new Colony 9 climate. She hoped they would. It'd be nice to see a bit of home again…

"So like this?" asked Shulk, spreading the seeds further apart.

"Yes, that is much improved."

Shulk paused. Fiora had been keen for him to help Melia out today. He supposed they were meant to be having a heart-to-heart. Shulk was certain he was not good at bonding sessions. He was especially not good at bonding sessions with Melia-for the moment anyway. He was too happy and she was too sad.

"How are you, Melia?" he asked lamely.

"I am fine," she said tersely, scattering seeds.

"You…don't really seem fine. If you don't mind me saying so," he caught her eye and unable to read her expression blundered on. "I mean, Reyn was saying the same thing the other day and I know Fiora's worried too and-"

"I am grateful for your concern. But I am fine. Honestly. I just want to get the colony up and running and make my people as comfortable as possible. I must set a good example."

Shulk remained unconvinced. But he didn't know what else to say. Machines were more his division. He did not hug people much. Even when he wanted to hug people (like Fiora) at the last second he'd panic over where to put his arms and the whole situation quickly became awkward. Fiora was used to it- it made her giggle. And well, he couldn't remember when he'd last seen Melia laugh. So maybe a hug , however awkward, was worth a shot.

"Oh!" Melia yelped, unable to hide her surprise as suddenly put his arms round her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm hugging you," said Shulk. "You seemed so sad…and a hug always makes Fiora feel better when she's down…"

"I see. Well, thank you very much," said Melia, still a little baffled. But she smiled. It was a kind gesture that was much appreciated.

part 2

"Melia. Melia. Hey. Look!"

"Reyn, I do not have time for this right now," she said firmly, screwing yet another bulb into yet another torch.

"Aww, come on! I came all this way!"

"Later, Reyn. I am trying to fix these cursed things."

The thing in question was a basic High Entia torch/flashlight. There was a stack that had been recovered from the remains of Alcamoth- but the bulbs were mostly all broken. They ran on solar power but were no good with broken bulbs. So Melia was tasked with replacing the broken bulbs with working ones. It was a boring, fiddly task, but they were vitally useful pieces of equipment.

Reyn scooped up a delicate High Entia made bulb with his meaty paw.

"Put that down!" Melia ordered, a feeling of sheer exasperation rising within her. It was a feeling she strongly associated with Reyn and Reyn alone.

"Ain't it tiny? I bet Shulk would be ace at this kind of thing."

"Shulk is busy," Melia said, careful to keep her voice neutral. "And so am I."

"I only came to give you this," said Reyn. "Me and Sharla thought you needed cheering up so…"

He held out a beautifully wrapped parcel, no doubt Sharla's handiwork. Although…maybe it was bad of her to make such assumptions. Reyn might be exceptional at wrapping gifts. Melia took it from him warily. She knew from past experience Reyn's gifts could be…a little eccentric. She did not want any more pet lizards, frogs or other slimy things. Dunban had kindly adopted a great many of her unwanted gifts, but all the same she'd rather not have to bother him about such things.

"Oh, Reyn. You really shouldn't have," she said, trying to sound pleased. She couldn't help but remember one of her father's favourite phrases. It's the thought that counts.

"Open it!" ordered Reyn with childish glee.

Melia peeled off the paper. She had her fake smile at the ready but…she blinked at the gift. And smiled a real smile instead. It was a slab of edible sweet stuff made by the High Entia- a sort of fudge. She could already tell it was slightly different from the kind she had had back home- a few High Entia ingredients had been substituted with their Homs equivalents. But that didn't matter. It was the thought that had gone into purchasing the gift and the care that had gone into wrapping it. She was ashamed to feel tears pricking her eyelids. She blinked a few times- and then threw her arms round Reyn, much to his surprise.

"Thank you, Reyn," she said into his shoulder. She knew they must have been a comical sight- a tiny High Entia hugging a huge Homs- but for a few short minutes she stopped caring about what she looked like and focused on what she felt like and she felt like hugging Reyn. She felt that other feeling-other than exasperation- that she felt when she was with Reyn. Affection.

"Steady on! That hurts!" protested Reyn, but he was laughing.

She let him go and broke off a bit of the fudge for Reyn.

"If I'd have known it'd have made you this happy, I'd have done this ages ago," said Reyn, accepting the fudge.

"I am so lucky to have such thoughtful friends. Thank you," said Melia.

"S'all right," said Reyn and he grinned that huge grin and Melia felt her grief subside for a little while at least.

part 3

Dunban and Melia stood, shoulders squared.

"Right," said Dunban.

"Are you ready, Dunban?" Melia asked.

"I believe so, Melia."

They were on a recovery mission for the colony. They were tasked with dragging the remains of High Entia airships through dense forest to a clearing, where the parts would be broken down and then assessed in terms of usefulness. There was a whole hoard of helpers from the colony along to help them consisting of High Entia, Homs, Nopon and Machina.

The wreck that lay before them had once been part of a basic transporter pod, similar to the one that had taken them to Valak Mountain.

"You grab that end and I'll pull from this end," said Dunban. "Maybe we should call someone else over to help?"

"That won't be necessary. I am stronger than I look," said Melia determinedly. She privately wondered how Dunban was going to manage such a task with just one arm, but it didn't seem to faze him much. She supposed if he could pull himself up a sheer cliff face one handed, with nothing but vines to hang onto, a task like this was nothing. She admired him for overcoming the burden with barely a complaint.

They tugged and hauled companiably. However, the thick forest appeared to be conspiring against them. There were too many branches and ferns and not enough beaten down path for her liking. Dunban tripped over a tree root. It was a rather comical sight but Melia didn't have the energy to so much as snicker.

"Not my finest moment," he said, accepting Melia's hand up.

"Maybe we should take a break," suggested Melia. "We must be over half way back by now."

"If we take an unauthorised break, we'll have to face the wrath of Vangarre," Dunban warned.

"I shall tell him that you were under my authority. He wouldn't dare to tell the High Entia Empress what she can and cannot do," said Melia, although actually Vangarre had never acknowledged her as anything more than a regular High Entia. He also continued to refer to any and all High Entia as 'sissies' which Melia hadn't been too impressed with. Dunban had said he was simply stuck in his ways and he meant no harm by it. Melia knew a slur when she heard one. However, as Vangarre seemed to use the term with some degree of affection, so she'd let it go for the time being.

"You'd be surprised," said Dunban. "Although to be honest, after all we went through Vangarre doesn't really worry me at all. I'd rather do a million press ups than fight some of those battles again."

"I agree," said Melia, because some of those battles hadn't simply been battles. They'd all too often involved losing cherished homes and loved ones.

"I still think of Dickson and Mumkhar sometimes," said Dunban. "Although they both ultimately betrayed me, I can't help but miss them all the same. Or…maybe not actually them but who I thought they were."

"I think I understand," said Melia. "It's probably related to that phrase absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"Oh? I haven't heard that one. Is that from Alcamoth?"

"I suppose it must be."

"I can't imagine how it must be for you. Losing so many of your people like that."

Melia paused. Most people skirted round the topic of the lost High Entia. If they sensed a conversation was heading there, they quickly took it off in a different direction. Sometimes it was because it was too painful to talk about. Sometimes it was because they felt it was too awkward to talk about it. The topic of Telethia had become taboo. She was grateful that Dunban did not dodge the topic but faced it head on.

"We are recovering. When I talk to other High Entia, it seems that they have mostly moved on. We have to look to the future."

"People underestimate how tough you are," said Dunban. He put his arm round her shoulders and pulled her in for hug. "It's an admirable quality, but remember that I and the others are always here if you ever should need us. You're far from alone."

"I know. And I will be forever grateful," said Melia, hugging him back.

part 4

"Riki come here on special operation," Riki told Melia.

They were seated in Melia's kitchen. Each had a mug of tea in front of them. Melia lived alone in a very small house on the edge of the newly expanded residential district.

"And what operation is that, Riki?" she asked, puzzled.

"Operation Cheer Up Melly!"

"And did you get the others involved in this operation?" asked Melia, thinking of her recent encounters with Shulk, Reyn and Dunban.

"No! Riki not need help to complete operation."

Melia smiled. "Ah. So are you going to tell me some knock knock jokes? Dress up as a clown? Bring me some kind of special Nopon cuisine?"

"Even Riki not tell knock knock jokes," the Nopon said, his face deadly serious.

"Riki, I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me," said Melia, stirring her tea.

"Melly very sad but Melly never cry," said Riki. "Friends worried."

"Crying is messy and doesn't achieve a thing," she stated firmly. "I'm not going to lead the High Entia anywhere by crying."

"Riki cry all the time if Riki lost Oka and littlepon."

"I thought you were here to cheer me up, not ask me to cry."

"Crying part of operation. Once crying all done we move on to happy feels."

"I am not going to cry, Riki," she tried again.

"Riki thought Melly would say that. So Riki brought book that always make Melly cry."

He had indeed brought her a tattered book. It was a children's book from Alcamoth. She must have told Riki about it at some point. It wasn't her book, but all the same…

"Where did you find this?" she asked, absolutely stunned.

"Colony market. Half off!" he replied, a touch of smugness evident in his features.

She knew that at even half off the book must have been incredibly expensive. She was also experiencing an is this really happening kind of feeling. Who'd have thought that Riki would be the one to truly cheer her up- by trying to make her cry?

"Thank you, Riki. I will treasure this always."

She scooped Riki up into a hug- his soft fur comforted her like nothing else ever could.

"Melly read book so Melly can cry!" he repeated, patting her gently.

Melia decided in this case it was probably easiest to do as she was told. After all, curling up and reading one of her favourite books was hardly a chore!

part 5

The Colony 9 market was busy today. Melia stood still for a moment and made a mental list of all the stalls she wanted to visit, as well as what she would say to each stallholder.

"Melia! Melia!"

Melia staggered a bit as Fiora threw her arms around her. It was still a little strange, hugging this new non-metal Fiora. It was a lot less cold, for a start. Since regaining her Hom body, Fiora collected hugs. She hugged everyone she knew on a regular basis. She told Melia that hugs were a thing that shouldn't be taken for granted- the humble hug had been awkward for her in her Mechon body. She wanted to make sure she fully appreciated the Homs body that everyone had worked so hard for her to get back.

Today she was obviously very excited about something. Melia guessed that it either involved a) Shulk b) Shulk c) Dunban d) cooking or e) all of the above.

Melia was wrong.

"I'm going to be a teacher!" said Fiora her eyes sparkling.

Melia blinked. "A teacher?"

"You know that the colony is setting up a new school? Well, I went and talked to the people organising it and they gave me a job! They said that I had just the right personality for working with children. Must be cos I grew up with Reyn, he was just like a big kid most of the time!"

Melia could hear the exclamation points on the end of every sentence.

"Well, I am very pleased for you Fiora," she said.

It was hard to be with Fiora sometimes. The jealousy wasn't as great as it once was, but it still lingered like an unpleasant smell. Melia had thought about it and come to the conclusion that she saw Fiora as the girl she herself could have been, if it weren't for the fact she had been born into the High Entia Imperial family. She had also realised how silly such a notion was. Yet still, the feelings remained. Fiora was perfect in Melia's eyes. So perfect that she felt even standing next to her highlighted each and every one of her own flaws for the entire world to see.

At one point, she had tried her very best to hate Fiora but the effort had been futile. She was just one of those people who you couldn't help but love. Her genuine kindness and affection was impossible to hate.

"We should celebrate," Fiora said firmly. "I feel like a party. I'll make everyone's favourite food. What would you like, Melia?"

Melia tried hard to think of something easy so Fiora wouldn't swamp herself in work.

"The cheese straws," she said.

"But I thought the fudge was your real favourite," said Fiora, looking confused. "I can whip some of that up, no problem."

"Well, I like that too," said Melia, stunned that Fiora had remembered such a thing.

And this time, it was her who hugged Fiora and not the other way round.

part 6

The party at Fiora's had gone on for far longer than Melia had anticipated. She had invited most of the colony. And had also bought a lot of alcoholic drinks.

"To make the party go with a schwing," Fiora had said, skipping a little in her pretty pink party shoes.

Shulk had been a little reluctant- he was not really a party person. He had disappeared at some point, and was yet to reappear.

The highlight so far had been Riki drinking Dunban under the table.

"I'm getting old," Dunban had said, the very picture of misery. Melia had done her best to cheer him up, which involved repeatedly patting him on the shoulder and pointing out that he had a long life ahead of him yet.

"Oh, and could you tell Fiora and Sharla to stop setting me up with random women. I am an independent man who don't need no woman," he added.

Melia found herself concerned about Sharla. Sharla was very, very drunk and Melia wasn't quite sure what she should do. As far as she was concerned, booze was a scary thing that turned perfectly rational thinkers into stark raving lunatics. She had no wish to be one of them. Although she couldn't deny that drunkenness did indeed have a certain comedic value to it that was hard to replicate sober.

"I love you, Melia," said Sharla. "You're sho shweet…"

"I love you too, Sharla," said Melia. "However, I think perhaps it's time you called it a night. Maybe I should get Reyn to take you home?"

Sharla snorted.

"Reyn a… pillock."

Melia found it amusing that some things didn't change no matter how drunk a person was.

"Still, he could probably carry you home better than me."

"I don't wanna go home," protested Sharla. "Haven't even done the Colony 6 Shake yet!"

Melia did not know what on Bionis (she supposed that phrase was a bit out of date but had no idea what to replace it with) Sharla was talking about and decided not to ask.

"Home, I think," decided Melia. "If you won't let Reyn take you, then I suppose it's down to me."

She hauled Sharla out of the door, despite her loud, repeated protests. The fresh air seemed to have a sobering effect- soon enough Sharla was walking independently. Not exactly in a straight line, but you couldn't have everything. They walked in silence for a little while.

"Sorry, Melia," Sharla said eventually. "I didn't realise that I'd drunk so much!"

"It's OK. You were having fun, I think," said Melia.

"You don't like drinking?"

"Not really. I don't like the taste much. Or the idea of being drunk."

"Mmm. I thought it was a High Entia thing but there were certainly plenty of your lot getting drunk tonight."

"It's not a High Entia thing. It's a Melia Antiqua thing. And aren't you always telling me to be myself?"

"Touché," Sharla laughed. "I really do love you, Melia. You're so…you. C'mere."

Sharla hugged her. They had arrived at her front door. A worried looking Juju had appeared at the window.

"Why don't you sleep over tonight?" she suggested. "Juju told me he was making pancakes for breakfast tomorrow."

"Pancakes?" Melia asked. Although she had experienced a great number of Homs dishes, a 'pancake' was something she had not yet come across.

"Well, if you haven't had pancakes then you're definitely staying over!" Sharla declared, and before Melia could utter a word she had been dragged into Sharla's front porch.

fin