You Can't Have Too Many Red Mages

by: ahPai

Author's notes: Timeline here is very early, just after gaining the Wind Crystal (the first crystal). It's been awhile since I played this game so if I've made any mistakes feel free to correct me~ I took some liberties with their characteristics, exaggerated some, perhaps some OOCness, but mostly because I wanted some fun but canon doesn't provide adequately *swt* Nothing too terrible, I don't think ^^;

"We need a melee fighter," Luneth said decidedly, "Someone who can take the front row and really hit 'em hard. You know, like a warrior or a monk."

The boys were seated around a table in the inn in Canaan after dinner, discussing about the new job-change powers they were granted with by the Wind Crystal.

The incident had happened quite a few days ago, but they did not really have much time between that moment and now to actually sit down and think it through, what with events happening one steadily after the other since their return from Castle Sasune. There was also that short moment of trepidation with Refia's issue, during which they weren't even sure if she was able to join them for the rest of the journey or not.

Speaking of the blacksmith's daughter, Refia had left to visit Mrs. Cid and check on her condition again right after their meal and still had not returned. She had hinted the possibility of staying the night over as well, if it came down to that.

"Hmm, a well-balanced party certainly requires solid frontal assault," Ingus agreed thoughtfully. There was no doubt as to what the blond knight was going to take for a job himself. It was the general opinion in Sasune that the red mage job was the best for him, after all.

That is to say, the general opinion in Sasune was that the red mage job was the best ever, period.

"You should be a monk," Arc told his best friend, "I've done a bit of reading up on the various jobs the Wind Crystal granted us and made some comparisons."

"That is so you, Arc," Luneth laughed.

The brunet just smiled and continued, "You'll be able to deal just as much damage as any fighter job, but the best part is that we don't have to spend much on your equipment, and practically nothing at all for weaponry. It should be very economical for us at the moment."

Luneth sighed, stretching his arms lazily. "Well, I was personally thinking it'll be nice to be able to heal and cast magic too at the same time, so I thought I'd be a red mage instead. Full brawn doesn't really attract me much."

"Neither does it me," Arc admitted. "It's definitely an advantage to have more than one healer in the group, just in case, but at the same time it would feel awful to have to hang back on the actual battle itself."

"I rather thought mage types would suit you very well," Luneth remarked, tilting his head to the side to regard his childhood friend thoughtfully. "You know, black or white mages."

Arc's smile grew to a slight grin. "Thank you, Lu. I know that I'm not the best person to pit against an enemy on the front lines-"

"That's not what I meant, honest!" Luneth interrupted him quickly, shaking his head and hands sheepishly, "I-I just thought that you have this sort of... aura thing, about you. Intelligence of some sort. Like you'd make a terrific spell caster."

"...All the same, I don't think I'd like to be too dependant on spells alone," Arc said decidedly. He left it at that, frowning slightly in a manner that Luneth recognized to be his 'thinking expression.'

The silver-haired boy rounded up on the knight in their company instead. "So, Ingus, what do you plan to be?"

"Red mage," Ingus replied promptly, in a way that left no room for second thoughts or compromise.

Luneth blinked, "Okay." He frowned. Considering how he'd pretty much decided on the job himself, he tried to reason inwardly that having two red mages was still a pretty good deal. For some unfathomable reason, it irked him slightly that Ingus's choice had to be the exact same as his.

"I wonder what Refia plans to be," Arc said suddenly, breaking out of his reverie. "I never had the chance to ask her."

His best friend shrugged, "Whatever it is, I doubt we'd be able to change her mind if she's set on it."

"She certainly has quite the willpower," Ingus agreed, "I trust her to make the best choice for herself and the party."

There was a pause. Luneth exchanged glances with Arc. Ingus took a sip of water from his mug.

The silver-haired teenager of the group cleared his throat. "Is... is there any point to this conversation, really?"

"We're not making much headway, are we?" Arc laughed.

"Perhaps it is best that we put our minds at ease tonight and give this due consideration in the morning when we are all refreshed," Ingus suggested. "Alternatively, we could evaluate our individual strength and weakness and come up with the most appropriate decision. It could prove disastrous after all if we could not optimize our potentials."

While under different circumstances the knight would have taken such task into his own hands and thoroughly accessed the party to place them in their best positions, he was by no means the leader of their current excursion (the position tentatively belonged to the silver-haired boy across the table from him) and only deemed himself worthy enough to give his two cents and that was all.

Their unofficial leader looked from Arc, to Ingus, back at Arc again, and then sighed. "I suppose it's best to do what one does best," Luneth said finally.

At least he didn't have to give up his desire to try the red mage job out for the sake of party importance.

What Luneth didn't expect was that that was exactly what crossed the minds of every other party member.

---

"...I feel stupid. Arc, tell me we look stupid."

"...I think the shopkeeper is still staring at us, Lu."

"...Boys, please tell me this isn't the result of a whole night spent on careful consideration."

"The Princess would certainly be most proud of us all."

Luneth stared. "...God, Ingus, I don't even know if you're serious with that."

"Of course I am, why would I not be?" the knight responded the slightest indignantly, and adjusted the angle of his feathered cap.

Refia sighed. "...Look, can we just- just get a move on already?"

"I would appreciate a lesser number of eyes on us, yes," Arc agreed, glancing behind his back at the equipment shop owner again.

The quartet quickened their pace and hurriedly left town, away from the midst of terribly amused villagers chuckling after the four identical striking red capes that swished in their wakes.

-End-

EDIT:

Corrected some spelling errors. Thanks to ChocolateTeapot for pointing them out!

And thank you EdgarAndTerraFigaro, ChocolateTeapot, Teh Red Mage, PhinalPhantasy, and Reaper-Lawliet for your kind reviews! ^w^