Chapter Two of Against All Odds - Reposted
Disclaimer: Need I remind you that I don't own Golden Sun? Yes. I have a short atten- Just checking. I hate beating around the bush, so let's just get to it.
*Chapter 2*
Mia stood at the bow of the great Lemurian ship as evening set in, waiting patiently for Isaac to finish with his shift at the helm. Jenna came up behind her. "So tell me, Mia, what are you doing on this quest with Isaac?"
"I met him in Imil, my hometown. I helped him through the Mercury Lighthouse and I decided to continue with him when I discovered that Alex was involved in all of this. He's my former apprentice, you see. I'm a healer by nature--a Mercury Adept, which makes me better than you inferior Mars Adepts, so I like to think I've been a help."
Jenna nodded. "That's generous of you to lend your “services”. But Isaac's got some sexual healing talents of his own, you know."
"Of course," said Mia. "But every little bit helps. And Isaac says he'd rather use his Psynergy for battle because I'm more experienced with that sort of healing."
"Does he?" Jenna lifted an eyebrow. She regarded Mia's ring again. "That's a nice ring. Where'd you get it?"
"A gumball machine at the supermarket. Uh…I…" Mia blushed. "Well, you see it's…"
"I gave it to her," said Isaac as he came up to them.
"You?" Jenna asked. "But why, Isaac?"
Isaac fidgeted nervously with the end of his yellow scarf. "Well, you're bound to find out one way or the other. I suppose I may as well tell you now."
"Tell me what?" Jenna pressed, knowing full well that he was hiding something important underneath that fidgeting.
"We're in love," he said, unable to find a better way to put it. He looked to Mia, who turned a deeper crimson and smiled.
"In love?" Jenna whispered in total shock. "W-when did this happen?"
"To be honest, it happened the moment we first met back in Imil, during a night of drunken passion," said Isaac. "But we didn't actually own up to our feelings until after we defeated Saturos and Menardi at the Venus Lighthouse. That was what--two months ago now?"
"One month, three weeks, five days and 17 hours ago," Mia said softly. … "I've been counting every moment." Isaac smiled broadly, but Jenna was still visibly astonished. How did she keep track of it? Jenna wondered.
"What is it, Jenna?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"
"N-no," she managed to stutter. "You just caught me off guard, is all. I wasn't expecting to find you involved with someone of another gender."
"Sorry to surprise you like this," Isaac said. "But better that you find out sooner than later, right?"
"Right." Jenna forced a smile. "I'll leave you two alone, then." She walked towards the stern but looked back just in time to see them kiss. She grimaced to herself. Who does that girl think she is? she thought. Isaac's way too good for someone like her!
"I see you found out about the lovebirds," said Garet.
"How did this happen, Garet?" Jenna asked.
"It's a long, sad story," Garet replied, thinking back to what had happened at the Lighthouse. Isaac had practically fallen apart when he thought Mia had died. His right pinkie and half of his nose had fallen off. "I'll fill you in on all the juicy details some other time."
Jenna still seemed a bit put out. "She doesn't seem like his type. She's so…sweet."
"Mia's a great girl," said Garet. "I honestly always pictured Isaac with someone like her--smart, kind, sincere, not to mention a complete knockout. Some guys have all the luck."
"Are you saying she's prettier than me?" Jenna accused.
"No, no!" Garet said nervously. When would he learn to think before he opened his big mouth? "I mean, she's nothing like you, Jenna--it's like comparing apples and oranges!"
"So now I'm an orange?"
He sighed, realizing he had backed himself into a very tight corner. No matter what he said, Jenna always made him feel like a complete idiot. "What I meant is that you're nice looking too--just in a different way, OK? Just ask the boys at GameFAQs if you don’t believe me."
"Well, I suppose," she said cautiously, tilting an eyebrow. She glanced back at Isaac and Mia, who were both looking out at the sea while wrapped in each other's arms. They weren't even talking to each other. "Do they do that a lot?"
"Every night. They stand out there like that each evening till dinner. Sometimes you can hear them talk, but not often." He snickered. "They make a fine decoration for the boat!"
"This is serious!" Jenna cried. "They don't even talk? That's just not normal!"
Garet shrugged. "Well, you know Isaac--he's not much of a talker anyway. They seem perfectly happy just in each other's company. It's like they're off in some other world." Back in Oz with the fighting trees, maybe?
"It still doesn't feel right to me. I sense a great disturbance in the Force."
"Chill out, Jenna. You should be glad for him. I haven't seen him this happy since before his father died."
"He gave her a ring, Garet! And it’s a decoder ring to boot!"
"I know. It's a magic ring that he found on our travels. What's so wrong with that?" He paused a moment. "Are you jealous or something?"
"No!" Jenna declared vehemently. "Isaac and I will never be anything more than really close friends with lots of benefits--you know that."
"Do I?" He sounded a little jealous himself. “How come Isaac gets benefits?”
Jenna crossed her arms. "Nothing ever gets through that thick head of yours. I swear that I'm only looking out for him because I don't want him getting hurt. We both know he's been through enough as it is, and there's something about this that just doesn't feel right. Mia doesn't seem like the right kind of girl for him. I'm sure she's nice and all, but… I have a secret hunch that she’s actually a fembot."
Garet shook his head but was inwardly relieved to hear her declare her feelings with such certainty. "You just need time to adjust to it. I'm telling you, Jenna; he loves her and she makes him happy. That's all that matters."
**********
Later, Mia was brushing out her long blue hair as she got ready for bed. She now had to share her cabin, but it was quite spacious and had more than enough room for all three of the girls. Sheba watched her intently, smiling. "You look like you're floating, Mia. Why are you so happy?"
Mia blushed again. "Isaac gave me some of his stash. Forgive me. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I feel giddy nearly all the time now."
Sheba giggled. "I saw you with Isaac earlier. Are you two an item or what?"
"Yes!" Mia exclaimed. "And it makes me so happy I could shout it to the whole world! In fact, I think I feel a song coming on!"
Jenna shifted uncomfortably in her bunk. Karaoke always made her wince.
"I'm happy for you, Mia," Sheba said. "I can tell you really love him." Really? Could you? I don’t know; I don’t think we’ve been beaten over the head with that fact enough yet.
"Thank you, Sheba. I do love him--I have since the moment I first looked into his eyes. I feel so alive when I'm with him, as if his very presence gives me wings. Or maybe that’s just the drugs talking. It's simply wonderful!"
"And are you sure Isaac feels the same way?" Jenna implored, not looking up from her book. “I’ve heard that drugs affect people in different ways.”
Mia was confused. "I'm not sure what you mean, Jenna."
"It's a simple question," said Jenna. "Does Isaac love you too?"
"Well, of course he does. You heard him say so yourself earlier. Why would you think otherwise?" Because she’s a scheming h0r.
"Because I know Isaac," Jenna said. "What he says and what he means are two entirely different things." I suppose that would be the case now and then, what with only being able to say Yes and No.
"I don't understand," said Mia. A regular Einstein, this one.
Jenna set her book aside and looked over at her. "Isaac's a truly wonderful guy, and he deserves to be happy, right? Do you really think you can make him happy, Mia? Do you think you can handle his gelatin fetish? He may say he's happy with you, but he doesn't necessarily mean it. He may only be saying it to keep from hurting your feelings." She sighed. "It's his one fault--he has a hard time voicing what he truly feels, especially when another person's emotions are involved."
This was true--Mia couldn't deny that. But wouldn't Isaac say something if he truly didn't want to be with her? And why would he have made that vow and given her this ring if he hadn't been sincere? She set down her brush and felt something sink deep within her. Jenna probably knew him better than anyone. If she said he would hide the truth to protect her feelings, there was definitely a possibility that he might.
"Do you really think that I can't make him happy?" Mia asked softly. “I’ve cater to many strange kinks in the past. Alex had this thing for tentacles…”
Jenna knew that instilling a bit of doubt in Mia could be enough to break them up, but it wasn't meant to be malicious. "You seem like a perfectly nice girl, Mia, but Isaac needs far more than a nice girl. He needs a girl with that little extra…something, you know?" I think this one speaks for itself.
Mia swallowed hard. "Please excuse me," she said, and she swiftly left the room.
"Why'd you do that, Jenna?" Sheba asked. "She was so happy a moment ago!"
"I'm looking out for Isaac," Jenna replied plainly, going back to her reading.
Seems to me that you're meddling, Sheba thought.
Even though it was getting quite late, the three boys were up on deck training as usual. Ivan was keeping score as Garet and Isaac dueled with their swords. Mia watched them from afar, admiring Isaac's skill. He seemed to easily block all of Garet's swipes, and then swiftly thrust his blade forward, stopping just as the point of his sword touched Garet's chest.
"Another point for Isaac," Ivan said. "You're pathetic tonight, Garet. He's already twelve points ahead of you!"
"Oh, be quiet," Garet scowled. "It's been a long day and I can't concentrate. What do you say we call it a night?"
"Sure," said Isaac. "Better luck tomorrow, right?" He placed his sword back in his scabbard and spotted Mia lurking around the corner. "What are you doing up? I thought you went to bed."
Ivan and Garet chuckled under their breath and quickly hustled below deck. "Good night, lovebirds!" they teased.
"I didn't interrupt you, did I?" Mia asked as she approached Isaac.
"Not at all," he replied. "We were just stopping for the night." She was such a gorgeous sight as she stood there in her bare feet with her long hair wafting in the breeze, but her face looked troubled. "Is there something on your mind?"
Mia twisted her ring around her finger, unsure if she should say what she was thinking. It seemed so silly and paranoid. He took her shoulders and smiled.
"Come on," he coaxed gently. "We promised that we wouldn't have any secrets between us, remember?"
"Yes." She took a deep breath to gather courage. "Isaac, I used to be a man…I was wondering--are you happy with me? I mean, really happy?"
He looked surprised. "Where's this coming from?" Canada, where else? She gazed at him with shiny, serious eyes, and he hugged her. "Of course I am, Mia. Whenever I see you, my heart skips a beat. You make me feel like I could hold up all of Angara."
"Really?" she asked. "You're not just saying that?"
"No, I really mean it. I love you, Mia, and I love being with you. You're amazing. But what makes you ask, anyway? You seem a little down."
"It's just that you make me feel so wonderful, and I want to make sure I do the same for you, Isaac. You deserve to be happy too."
"I am happy," Isaac said. "Don't ever doubt that. You make me a better person." He brushed some of her wafting hairs away from her face and smiled again. "Please don't be sad, Mia. I'd never lie to you--you mean far too much to me."
Mia smiled. She could see in his eyes that he truly meant every word. Also, that he really had to pee. "Thank you. I guess I just needed to hear it. Sorry to bother you so late."
He walked her to her cabin. "You're hardly a bother. Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night, Isaac." They kissed and she then shut the door and flopped into bed. Jenna wrinkled her nose in frustration as she eyed her. This was going to be harder than she thought.
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Hmm…the plot thickens! Dun dun dun! Hope you like it so far. More to come as soon as I get it typed! I can hardly wait.
*Chapter 2*
Mia stood at the bow of the great Lemurian ship as evening set in, waiting patiently for Isaac to finish with his shift at the helm. Jenna came up behind her. "So tell me, Mia, what are you doing on this quest with Isaac?"
"I met him in Imil, my hometown. I helped him through the Mercury Lighthouse and I decided to continue with him when I discovered that Alex was involved in all of this. He's my former apprentice, you see. I'm a healer by nature--a Mercury Adept, which makes me better than you inferior Mars Adepts, so I like to think I've been a help."
Jenna nodded. "That's generous of you to lend your “services”. But Isaac's got some sexual healing talents of his own, you know."
"Of course," said Mia. "But every little bit helps. And Isaac says he'd rather use his Psynergy for battle because I'm more experienced with that sort of healing."
"Does he?" Jenna lifted an eyebrow. She regarded Mia's ring again. "That's a nice ring. Where'd you get it?"
"A gumball machine at the supermarket. Uh…I…" Mia blushed. "Well, you see it's…"
"I gave it to her," said Isaac as he came up to them.
"You?" Jenna asked. "But why, Isaac?"
Isaac fidgeted nervously with the end of his yellow scarf. "Well, you're bound to find out one way or the other. I suppose I may as well tell you now."
"Tell me what?" Jenna pressed, knowing full well that he was hiding something important underneath that fidgeting.
"We're in love," he said, unable to find a better way to put it. He looked to Mia, who turned a deeper crimson and smiled.
"In love?" Jenna whispered in total shock. "W-when did this happen?"
"To be honest, it happened the moment we first met back in Imil, during a night of drunken passion," said Isaac. "But we didn't actually own up to our feelings until after we defeated Saturos and Menardi at the Venus Lighthouse. That was what--two months ago now?"
"One month, three weeks, five days and 17 hours ago," Mia said softly. … "I've been counting every moment." Isaac smiled broadly, but Jenna was still visibly astonished. How did she keep track of it? Jenna wondered.
"What is it, Jenna?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"
"N-no," she managed to stutter. "You just caught me off guard, is all. I wasn't expecting to find you involved with someone of another gender."
"Sorry to surprise you like this," Isaac said. "But better that you find out sooner than later, right?"
"Right." Jenna forced a smile. "I'll leave you two alone, then." She walked towards the stern but looked back just in time to see them kiss. She grimaced to herself. Who does that girl think she is? she thought. Isaac's way too good for someone like her!
"I see you found out about the lovebirds," said Garet.
"How did this happen, Garet?" Jenna asked.
"It's a long, sad story," Garet replied, thinking back to what had happened at the Lighthouse. Isaac had practically fallen apart when he thought Mia had died. His right pinkie and half of his nose had fallen off. "I'll fill you in on all the juicy details some other time."
Jenna still seemed a bit put out. "She doesn't seem like his type. She's so…sweet."
"Mia's a great girl," said Garet. "I honestly always pictured Isaac with someone like her--smart, kind, sincere, not to mention a complete knockout. Some guys have all the luck."
"Are you saying she's prettier than me?" Jenna accused.
"No, no!" Garet said nervously. When would he learn to think before he opened his big mouth? "I mean, she's nothing like you, Jenna--it's like comparing apples and oranges!"
"So now I'm an orange?"
He sighed, realizing he had backed himself into a very tight corner. No matter what he said, Jenna always made him feel like a complete idiot. "What I meant is that you're nice looking too--just in a different way, OK? Just ask the boys at GameFAQs if you don’t believe me."
"Well, I suppose," she said cautiously, tilting an eyebrow. She glanced back at Isaac and Mia, who were both looking out at the sea while wrapped in each other's arms. They weren't even talking to each other. "Do they do that a lot?"
"Every night. They stand out there like that each evening till dinner. Sometimes you can hear them talk, but not often." He snickered. "They make a fine decoration for the boat!"
"This is serious!" Jenna cried. "They don't even talk? That's just not normal!"
Garet shrugged. "Well, you know Isaac--he's not much of a talker anyway. They seem perfectly happy just in each other's company. It's like they're off in some other world." Back in Oz with the fighting trees, maybe?
"It still doesn't feel right to me. I sense a great disturbance in the Force."
"Chill out, Jenna. You should be glad for him. I haven't seen him this happy since before his father died."
"He gave her a ring, Garet! And it’s a decoder ring to boot!"
"I know. It's a magic ring that he found on our travels. What's so wrong with that?" He paused a moment. "Are you jealous or something?"
"No!" Jenna declared vehemently. "Isaac and I will never be anything more than really close friends with lots of benefits--you know that."
"Do I?" He sounded a little jealous himself. “How come Isaac gets benefits?”
Jenna crossed her arms. "Nothing ever gets through that thick head of yours. I swear that I'm only looking out for him because I don't want him getting hurt. We both know he's been through enough as it is, and there's something about this that just doesn't feel right. Mia doesn't seem like the right kind of girl for him. I'm sure she's nice and all, but… I have a secret hunch that she’s actually a fembot."
Garet shook his head but was inwardly relieved to hear her declare her feelings with such certainty. "You just need time to adjust to it. I'm telling you, Jenna; he loves her and she makes him happy. That's all that matters."
**********
Later, Mia was brushing out her long blue hair as she got ready for bed. She now had to share her cabin, but it was quite spacious and had more than enough room for all three of the girls. Sheba watched her intently, smiling. "You look like you're floating, Mia. Why are you so happy?"
Mia blushed again. "Isaac gave me some of his stash. Forgive me. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I feel giddy nearly all the time now."
Sheba giggled. "I saw you with Isaac earlier. Are you two an item or what?"
"Yes!" Mia exclaimed. "And it makes me so happy I could shout it to the whole world! In fact, I think I feel a song coming on!"
Jenna shifted uncomfortably in her bunk. Karaoke always made her wince.
"I'm happy for you, Mia," Sheba said. "I can tell you really love him." Really? Could you? I don’t know; I don’t think we’ve been beaten over the head with that fact enough yet.
"Thank you, Sheba. I do love him--I have since the moment I first looked into his eyes. I feel so alive when I'm with him, as if his very presence gives me wings. Or maybe that’s just the drugs talking. It's simply wonderful!"
"And are you sure Isaac feels the same way?" Jenna implored, not looking up from her book. “I’ve heard that drugs affect people in different ways.”
Mia was confused. "I'm not sure what you mean, Jenna."
"It's a simple question," said Jenna. "Does Isaac love you too?"
"Well, of course he does. You heard him say so yourself earlier. Why would you think otherwise?" Because she’s a scheming h0r.
"Because I know Isaac," Jenna said. "What he says and what he means are two entirely different things." I suppose that would be the case now and then, what with only being able to say Yes and No.
"I don't understand," said Mia. A regular Einstein, this one.
Jenna set her book aside and looked over at her. "Isaac's a truly wonderful guy, and he deserves to be happy, right? Do you really think you can make him happy, Mia? Do you think you can handle his gelatin fetish? He may say he's happy with you, but he doesn't necessarily mean it. He may only be saying it to keep from hurting your feelings." She sighed. "It's his one fault--he has a hard time voicing what he truly feels, especially when another person's emotions are involved."
This was true--Mia couldn't deny that. But wouldn't Isaac say something if he truly didn't want to be with her? And why would he have made that vow and given her this ring if he hadn't been sincere? She set down her brush and felt something sink deep within her. Jenna probably knew him better than anyone. If she said he would hide the truth to protect her feelings, there was definitely a possibility that he might.
"Do you really think that I can't make him happy?" Mia asked softly. “I’ve cater to many strange kinks in the past. Alex had this thing for tentacles…”
Jenna knew that instilling a bit of doubt in Mia could be enough to break them up, but it wasn't meant to be malicious. "You seem like a perfectly nice girl, Mia, but Isaac needs far more than a nice girl. He needs a girl with that little extra…something, you know?" I think this one speaks for itself.
Mia swallowed hard. "Please excuse me," she said, and she swiftly left the room.
"Why'd you do that, Jenna?" Sheba asked. "She was so happy a moment ago!"
"I'm looking out for Isaac," Jenna replied plainly, going back to her reading.
Seems to me that you're meddling, Sheba thought.
Even though it was getting quite late, the three boys were up on deck training as usual. Ivan was keeping score as Garet and Isaac dueled with their swords. Mia watched them from afar, admiring Isaac's skill. He seemed to easily block all of Garet's swipes, and then swiftly thrust his blade forward, stopping just as the point of his sword touched Garet's chest.
"Another point for Isaac," Ivan said. "You're pathetic tonight, Garet. He's already twelve points ahead of you!"
"Oh, be quiet," Garet scowled. "It's been a long day and I can't concentrate. What do you say we call it a night?"
"Sure," said Isaac. "Better luck tomorrow, right?" He placed his sword back in his scabbard and spotted Mia lurking around the corner. "What are you doing up? I thought you went to bed."
Ivan and Garet chuckled under their breath and quickly hustled below deck. "Good night, lovebirds!" they teased.
"I didn't interrupt you, did I?" Mia asked as she approached Isaac.
"Not at all," he replied. "We were just stopping for the night." She was such a gorgeous sight as she stood there in her bare feet with her long hair wafting in the breeze, but her face looked troubled. "Is there something on your mind?"
Mia twisted her ring around her finger, unsure if she should say what she was thinking. It seemed so silly and paranoid. He took her shoulders and smiled.
"Come on," he coaxed gently. "We promised that we wouldn't have any secrets between us, remember?"
"Yes." She took a deep breath to gather courage. "Isaac, I used to be a man…I was wondering--are you happy with me? I mean, really happy?"
He looked surprised. "Where's this coming from?" Canada, where else? She gazed at him with shiny, serious eyes, and he hugged her. "Of course I am, Mia. Whenever I see you, my heart skips a beat. You make me feel like I could hold up all of Angara."
"Really?" she asked. "You're not just saying that?"
"No, I really mean it. I love you, Mia, and I love being with you. You're amazing. But what makes you ask, anyway? You seem a little down."
"It's just that you make me feel so wonderful, and I want to make sure I do the same for you, Isaac. You deserve to be happy too."
"I am happy," Isaac said. "Don't ever doubt that. You make me a better person." He brushed some of her wafting hairs away from her face and smiled again. "Please don't be sad, Mia. I'd never lie to you--you mean far too much to me."
Mia smiled. She could see in his eyes that he truly meant every word. Also, that he really had to pee. "Thank you. I guess I just needed to hear it. Sorry to bother you so late."
He walked her to her cabin. "You're hardly a bother. Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night, Isaac." They kissed and she then shut the door and flopped into bed. Jenna wrinkled her nose in frustration as she eyed her. This was going to be harder than she thought.
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Hmm…the plot thickens! Dun dun dun! Hope you like it so far. More to come as soon as I get it typed! I can hardly wait.