No, this isn't mud shipping. It's just a scene in the game that seemed lack all logic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or any of the things that make it up.

'Italics' = thoughts; emphasis

'...' = no thoughts

Mud

Garett kicked the mud pile before him, "Doesn't look like this thing's moving anytime soon, does it?"

"Well of course not, Garett," Ivan explained, "It's a pile of mud."

"Well I guess if it doesn't have any legs it would find it hard to move," Mia agreed, rather naively.

Isaac simply nodded.

"I guess we'll have to find another way then," Ivan stated, turning to go, "Maybe this ship can ferry us across."

Garett nodded for a moment before he caught himself, "Wait, what?"

Ivan and the others turned, "I said we'll have to find another way around."

Garett scowled heavily at Ivan. He glanced back to the mud clot that was blocking the Silk Road.

"Can we get-" Ivan began.

"Why can't we just… move it?" Garett asked.

Mia took the chance to impress Ivan with her knowledge, "Well we don't have any shovels. And without shovels we'd get dirty."

"Well put, Mia," Ivan agreed.

Mia beamed.

Garett's mouth flexed for no less than a minute. He took a deep breath, "Fine, then can't we go over the blasted thing?"

Isaac nodded his head.

"No, Garett," Ivan sighed, ignoring his leaders movements, "We don't have the necessary equipment, and as such we have to find an alternate rout."

"Right," Mia popped in, as obedient as ever, "We don't have boots."

Isaac nodded, conceding to Ivan's superior knowledge.

Garett's scowl deepened greatly.

"Bu- But- But, why ca- I mean how- why- boots?" he sputtered angrily.

"Mia, I think you should check on Garett," Ivan suggested, "He usually doesn't sputter. He may have some kind of ailment."

"Maybe you're right," Mia said, taking a step towards Garet.

Garett took yet another deep breath, this one even greater than the previous. With his newfound calmness he was able to realize the gravity of the situation. This was his chance to prove that he was just as smart as Ivan, if not smarter.

He pictured the scenario in his head, Mia's radiant smile and soft complements, and Isaac's approving nod. And maybe best of all, Ivan's deep scowl, one that would show his obvious displeasure at someone proving that he wasn't a total genius. He sighed contently after running through the dream for the third time. It was time to put his plan into action. And how easy it would be.

"I have a better idea," Garett said, fists on his hips, looking as a hero should.

Ivan raised a cynical eyebrow, "Really? And that would be…?"

"Use psyenergy."

The silence was deafening.

Isaac responded first, his head wavering in a slight vertical movement.

Mia just seemed at a loss, gazing pleadingly at Ivan for the truth.

"What? But how- For what- Where on earth-," Ivan continued to sputter.

Garett grinned devilishly. It's only a matter of time until…

Ivan finally shook his head in defeat. Garett beamed.

"I- I'm so sorry, Garett," Ivan began, sadness evident on his wrinkled brow and tin mouth, "I- I just didn't… know."

It's about time they figured it out.

"I just didn't know that you were so far gone."

…

"I know now that I shouldn't have treated you this way. You just didn't understand. But now that I know what the problem is things will be all right. I promise."

Ivan took a step forward and stood on his toes to pag Garett reassuringly on the shoulder. Garet was in such a state of shock that no expression was able to surface on his face. He couldn't even bat away Ivan's hand.

Soon Isaac, Mia, and Garet were enraptured in Ivan's lecture on psyenergy and its uses. About how, though the adepts had the great power to call stone spires from the clear blue sky and create volcanic explosions in the middle of a forest without setting anything on fire in battle, such things could not be done at other times. All the adepts could do outside of battle was to move medium sized boulders with an invisible hand, call small cyclones, freeze puddles, see objects that weren't really there, and read minds. They had not been told by any of their elders how to move mud piles, so it was quite obvious that such a feat was impossible.

So Garet learned his lesson.

Tis an unfortunate thing, really. That such an ingeniously practical young man might be born into a world of fools. For though adepts wield great might, they possess little originality. So let us weep for Garet, for but a moment. Let us weep for the man born into a world unbefitting of his greatness.

Author's Note:

I realize now that Ivan's role would be better served by Kraden but I couldn't find anything in the sequel that vexed me quite as much as this.

And to all those Mia fans out there: I'm sorry for making her a lapdog in this. It was just a role that no one else could play well enough.