Heavy

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Mia tries to pick up Isaac's sword, once, when no one is looking. It weighs far too much for her, and her arms begin to shake after mere moments of holding it. Her heart wrenches just a little (a lot) and the disappointment is overwhelming.

Even little fifteen-year-old Ivan can carry a sword, as long as it's a light one. Mia can barely hold onto Isaac's Shamshir for ten seconds. She doesn't dare even glance at Garet's ferocious-looking axe – she has a feeling she wouldn't be able to get it off the ground. The Frost Wand clipped to her belt suddenly feels like a child's toy, and Mia never touches her friends' weapons again. It would only serve to make her feel useless.

She's the designated healer, after all. Isaac and Garet are warriors who swing swords and axes, as well as strong adepts who destroy their foes with bursts of flame and earth-shaking tremors. Ivan is quick on his feet, faster than Isaac and Garet, and faster than Mia, too. He can wield a small sword just as well as Isaac and Garet can, and he is a sorcerer with psynergy so strong that it isn't uncommon to see his enemies crumble to the ground before they can so much as think of retaliating.

And what does Mia do?

Mia waves her pretty little wand and does not put a dent in her target. Mia casts psynergy that her opponents shrug off at best, or barely even notice at worst. She gets sympathetic looks and pats on the shoulder and 'you'll do better next time's. The only thing Mia is any good at is healing, and somehow, that just doesn't seem good enough. Not here. Not now. Not when they're trying to save the world. She should be as strong as her friends, shouldn't she? Being a girl is no excuse for weakness. Not with the way she's seen that Menardi move, not with the way Isaac, of all people, seems to fear her.

Girls can be strong. Mia knows that, she's seen it, so why can't she be strong, too? Why can't she fight? Why can't her arms support the weight of a sword, an axe, something besides her bright, colourful, childish wand? Why can't she cast psynergy that does damage, rather than heal? They have potions and herbs and djinn for that.

What does Mia do, that a djinni couldn't do just as well (better)?

Mia spends three days feeling like this. On the third day, a treasure chest creaks open to reveal a dusty, spiked mace. Mia lifts it, ignoring Isaac's words of caution and Ivan's concerned warning, and swings it experimentally. It fits perfectly in her hands, and it looks every bit as dangerous as Garet's axe. Mia smiles. Her pretty little Frost Wand is promptly snapped in two, and a weight is lifted off of her shoulders.

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A/N: Uhh. Yeah. So I was playing The Lost Age the other day and it occurred to me that Sheba and Mia are the only ones who can't use swords at all. I know the "Designated Healer" character is actually really important in strategy and battles, but I can't help but think that in-universe, watching her friends swing swords around would make Mia feel useless. Her psynergy isn't very strong or damaging, and her attack is not very high at all, so all she can really do is use djinn, summon, and heal. Like, "Go team! You guys are doing great! Here, let me get a bandaid for that." :( Poor Mia.

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