Ramza hefted the Javelin he had found at Nelveska Temple experimentally for the fifth time since picking it up, and finding it of perfect balance as had been found every time, slung it over his shoulder casually before glancing at Agrias and replying. "About what?"
"About them," the swordswoman said while jerking her head in the direction of the newly reunited lovers walking hand in hand behind them. "I mean, Beowulf's a good man and a strong ally, but I'm worried about her"
Ramza took a look behind him as well, watching Beowulf whisper something in Reis' ear that made her giggle and shove at him playfully. She certainly wasn't a delicate-looking woman, and the war had had everyone bearing arms, but that didn't mean... "I see what you mean," he said, "but it would be good to ask first. You never know." Agrias didn't look too convinced, but she didn't protest when he turned around and called out to the former dragon. "Reis!"
The woman blinked and dropped her fiance's hand to trot up to the party's leader. "Yes?"
"Can you handle a sword?"
Reis looked a bit taken back at the question, and shook her head no. "A knife then? Or any sort of blade?" Agrias asked, coming up on her other side. Reis shook her head again, staring at the ground.
"I don't...really understand any kind of weapon," she whispered, "Or any of that armour stuff...I was just a normal girl, so I never thought about it."
Ramza sighed, trying to think of the best way to say things. He hated this part of being a leader. Zalbag never seemed to have any trouble with it, but Ramza had never even been able to look into people's faces when he had to tell them. "Reis...we're heretics here, hunted by the church and fighting creatures of legend. It's dangerous work, and..."
"What are you saying, Ramza?" The young man stepped a bit to the side as Beowulf pushed in, just a bit of an edge on his voice. Ramza sighed inside, though it was probably for the best. It wasn't as if he wanted to separate them again now, so even if it meant losing Beowulf...well, they'd manage.
"What I'm saying, is, well...like I said, this is dangerous work we're doing. I don't want to see anyone get hurt, and I know you don't want to see Reis hurt either. There aren't very many of us, so, well, we just can't afford to have anyone that can't pull their weight coming along. I'm sorry, but..."
"We're being dismissed, is that it?" Ramza winced a little and looked away, not wanting to see how angry Beowulf was, or how miserable Reis looked. The Temple Knight continued, the edge in his voice getting sharper by the word. "What about your sister, Ramza? Are we going to have to protect her, or do they teach swordfighting in Aristocratic School now?"
"That's not the same thing!" The young man stopped in the middle of the road and faced the knight, angry now. Beowulf had no right to bring up Alma like that. "After I get Alma back, we won't be fighting anymore! Even if we have to leave Ivalice to do it! But for right now...for right now we're in the middle of a war. And we just can't afford to have Reis tagging along if she can't help out!" The rest of the group was gathering around now, somewhat to Ramza's consternation. Dismissals were supposed to be private, publicly arguing with one of your men was never a good idea. But he couldn't just back down now.
"Um..." The two men stopped fighting and turned to look at Reis, who was standing awkwardly to the side, still looking at the ground. "I had older brothers, and they taught me how to throw a punch, at least..." She glanced up though her hair at them nervously, waiting for approval.
"Well." Agrias adjusted the headscarf she had taken to wearing since she had started training as a ninja, the one Ramza had never had the heart or nerves to tell her didn't suit her at all, before continuing. "It never hurts to have another Monk around. If she can actually do it."
"St Ajora, not another female monk. Does anyone besides me remember when Friday was a monk? If I hadn't always been around-" Diaz, the group's other Lancer, spoke before quickly being silenced by his girlfriend Jenny bonking him upside the head with her gun.
"Shut yer trap! Remember when you were a squire longer than any of us because there wasn't anything you could do right? Humph!" Jenny stalked off, her Mediator's robes swirling around her, ignoring Diaz's frantic cries for forgiveness. The man never learned.
Ramza looked critically at Reis, still standing there looking nervous. "Well, it's worth a try." He handed off his spear to Agrias and faced the former dragon, holding his hands out defensively. Beowulf moved back next to Agrias to give them room, and everyone else gathered around. It felt a little like they were going to watch a street fight. Reis raised her head and her fists, bracing her feet on the ground and getting into a fighting position. She still looked a little nervous, but determination was winning out. The young man braced himself just as she punched his hands with a surprising amount of force, then following with a left hook to the face and suddenly Ramza was on the ground and not too sure of how he got there or what the horrible pain in his jaw was.
He could hear commotion above him, and Jenny yelling at everyone to give him some room already, and then the cool numbness of a Cure spell on his face. The young man pushed himself upward, holding onto his twinging jaw with one hand, and looked up at the worried-looking Dragoner in front of him. Off to the side, Beowulf had an expression somewhere between worry and relief, while Agrias and Friday were both smirking widely. Ninja. Ramza brushed off Jenny's fussing and stood up, rubbing his jaw slightly ruefully. "Well," he said, "I think we can let you both stay. Ow."
"Are you all right?" Ramza nodded, and the woman smiled in relief. "That's good. I was scared for a moment...I don't remember being that strong before! You know...", Reis tilted her head, considering, "I might be able to remember how to breathe fire again, and talk to dragons. That would be useful." There was a pause as people remembered their experience on Bariaus Hill, then everyone started nodding at once.
"We could give 'er the potion stock too. There's no one around that bothers with them anymore and I'm getting damn sick of having to chase you guys all over the battlefield when you get into trouble. I'm looking at YOU, Agrias!" Jenny said, directing a ferocious glare at the holy knight who stared back coolly. "You do know yer way around potions, right?"
Reis nodded, and put the large chemist's satchel Ramza gave her on. It took some adjustment, but fit in the end. The party started moving again, with Robbins the Monk walking beside Reis to teach her the finer points of punching enemies in the face. Ramza looked back and grinned before talking to Agrias again and taking his spear back. "Well, that worked out well, didn't it? I'm glad."
"Mm." The lady stared off into the distance for a moment before continuing. "But you should still be worrying about what waits at Limberry. Elmdor had many fine men working for him and to be frank...there's something going on here. It makes me nervous."
"I know. I'll...keep that in mind."