Yay! I'm actually writing a story that's not centered around Isaac or Felix! I know "The New Kid" isn't finished…and I haven't updated "Star of Venus" in over 2 years…and I know I said I probably wouldn't post any other fanfics until I was at least close to finishing TNK…

Jenna: -.- In other words, she's going against all of that.

Yuja: Um…yeah…well, I…you see…I kinda…I thought...

Isaac: To speed things up, Yuja is basically saying that she should maybe go ahead and start posting her other stories to show that she isn't being completely lazy when she's not updating TNK.

Yuja: n-n;; Um, yeah, I guess that sums it up.

Longer summary: AU. Garet is the grandson of Vale's mayor and, being older than his brother, will one day take his place as the head of the town's leading family. But when Garet has a chance encounter with an Adept, a race of people that are seen as evil beings and bad omens, everything Garet has ever learned will be thrown into question, and he will have to choose between doing what is right and doing what is expected of him.

Disclaimer: Me no own Golden Sun. 'Nuff said.

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Chapter 1

It was a beautiful, calm morning in the town of Vale. Fall was finally arriving, and a fine mist had fallen down from the slope of Mount Aleph to settle among the many houses and other structures. The only creatures stirring at such an early hour were a few cats returning home after a night's hunt and the occasional dog that raised its head to watch the felines pass, unable to give chase due to the rope that held it back.

All seemed quiet at the Jerra house as well, the home to Vale's leading family. Mayor Jerra had ruled the town since his father had resigned, and would one day pass his authority down to his own son. His son, Mr. Jerra, was married with three children. The daughter, Kay, was the oldest of the three at 19 years of age. Garet, Mr. Jerra's first-born son, followed Kay by two years. The youngest of the siblings, Aaron, was 12. Garet, being the first-born son in his generation, would one day inherit the position from his father as the leader of Vale. That was, of course, assuming he lived to see the day…

"GARET, YOU -- ARE -- DEAD!"

Garet rolled over so he wasn't facing his door anymore and pulled his bed covers a little closer to him. He barely had time to finish getting still and start his fake snore before Kay was barging into his room, absolutely furious.

"Don't think you can fool me. I know you're awake!"

Garet pretended to still be sleeping, which didn't seem to work, considering how there was no earthly way anyone could ever sleep through all of Kay's shouting.

Kay growled in her throat. "Get up!" She smacked the back of his head with the back of her hand.

Garet jumped and sat up, rubbing his now sore head. "OW! Hey, what's the deal!"

"Oh, like you don't know." Garet put on the blankest expression he could manage at the moment, which also seemed like another bad choice as his sister went into another rage.

"Did you think I wouldn't find out? I wake up this morning and look out the window and the first thing - FIRST THING! - that I see is my flower garden. And do you know what I saw?"

"Um, you saw flowers?" he answered hopefully. Again, this only made Kay madder. He was making a bad habit of this.

"NO! All I saw was a bunch of crushed plants that now I'm going to have to wait half a year before I can replant them! And don't play dumb with me. I know you did it!"

"Why's it always gotta be me that does it? Why couldn't it be Aaron who gets yelled at for once?"

"Because if Aaron had done it, he would've told me and apologized!" If a look could peel paint off walls, then the look Garet was getting would've cleared every wall in Weyward. And the poisonous tone of voice the future would-be-mayor was getting would make any grown man quake, which explained why Garet was almost cowering under his covers again.

"Then maybe a dog did it."

"THERE'S A FENCE AROUND IT! And they weren't dug up, THEY WERE TRAMPLED!"

"Okay! I'm sorry about the plants! But just for the record, it wasn't my fault."

"I DON'T CARE WHOSE FAULT IT WAS! YOU STILL KILLED MY FLOWERS!"

"Kay! Just what is with all the yelling? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Sorry Mom, but Garet destroyed my flower garden again!" She pointed accusingly at her younger brother with one finger, the other hand on her hip.

"Garet! How many times do we have to tell you-"

"It wasn't my fault!"

"Then whose was it?"

"Um, well, er-"

Mrs. Jerra sighed and shook her head. "Garet, you are only a few months away from your eighteenth birthday. You can't keep doing these things. You have to start showing some responsibility."

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"You? Show responsibility?" Jenna tried to stay serious as Garet told her what all had transpired that morning, but she was finding it harder to do by the second. "She actually expects you to be responsible?" The corners of her mouth began to twitch slightly.

Garet crossed his arms and frowned at his friend indignantly. "Yes. Is it that so hard to believe?"

Jenna couldn't hold back anymore and finally broke out in fits of laughter. "Yes!" She barely got out the one word before she started again, almost falling over from laughing so hard and having to grab Garet's arm for support.

Jenna was Garet's childhood friend and younger than him by only a few months. The river that ran through Vale and past the Jerra house went over a sharp drop, and Jenna's family lived near the base of the resulting waterfall. Her older brother, Felix, worked as the gardener for the Jerra family and various other families in Vale, and Jenna usually tagged along with him and spent the day with Garet.

Garet looked away, trying to seem mad with her. "Har har. It's not that funny!"

"Yes it is!" More laughter. Now she really was starting to annoy him. He waited for her to finish. "Phew! That was a good one." She wiped away a tear from her eye. "I swear Garet, if laughter really is the best medicine, then I don't think I'll ever have to worry about getting sick as long as you're around."

Garet acted like she had just taken a machete to his feelings. "At least I'm good at one thing."

"Oh, give yourself some credit. When you take over for your dad, I'm sure you'll do just fine as Vale's leader. And if the people are ever down, all you have to do is be yourself."

Garet rolled his eyes. "Go ahead. Laugh. I know you want to."

Jenna stood still for a moment, fighting to keep her mouth straight but failing miserably as she started laughing uncontrollably yet again.

"Jenna, just what is so funny?"

Jenna finally got a hold of herself and looked up at her brother, still grinning broadly. "Are you done for today?" Felix nodded. "Then I can tell you on the way home." She locked one arm with Felix's and waved back at her friend. "See you later, Garet. Good luck with your sister." Garet could still hear her giggling as they disappeared between the other houses.

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"Remind me again why I had to come with you."

"Because it's your fault I had to come in the first place."

"But if they're your plants, then why do I have to pay for them?

"Because Mom said so. Look at it this way, little brother: You break it, you buy it."

"Just get your plants so we can go back."

"Gladly. But don't forget Garet. You're the son of a Jerra, so try to act smart while we're here."

"Just what are you trying to say? First Jenna gives me a hard time, now you. When do I get a break?"

"Jenna came today?" Garet nodded. "I thought I spotted Felix outside earlier. So, just how good of friends are you and Jenna, anyway?" Kay grinned slightly.

Garet looked over at his sister. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, is she going to be the next 'Mrs. Jerra'?"

"What? That's crazy."

"But you two spend an awful lot of time together."

"That's crazy talk, Kay. Jenna and I are just friends, nothing more."

Kay sighed. "If you say so."

"It's not like I couldn't say a few things about you and Felix," Garet teased with a mischievous grin.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Garet most likely would've argued more if they hadn't arrive at the market right then. Kay led the way to the stand that sold packets of seed for all kinds of plants from simple flowers to fresh vegetables.

Kay made her selection, asked for the price, then turned to her brother who had been sulking behind her with his hands in his pockets. "You heard the price, Garet. Now pay the nice man." She had an amused grin, and Garet wondered if it hurt her mouth to keep from turning into a grin like a cat's.

Garet grumbled as he took his money pouch from his belt and started counting the coins. "How much again?"

"200 Coins, please."

Garet almost fell over. "200! Kay, just how much are you buying!"

Kay couldn't help but laugh. "You're the one who ruined my garden. Now take it like a man and make up for it, starting with paying for my new garden."

"Do the words 'cruel and unusual' mean anything to you?" He started pulling out coins with higher values. "How much do you need to buy for one garden?"

"Just do it, Garet. Besides, I need extra for when you do this again." Garet grumbled some more, but finally counted out enough coins and passed them to the merchant.

"Thank you. Have a nice day."

"Garet, help me carry these."

Garet reached around to retie his money pouch to his belt, staring down at the purchase and trying to think of how he was going to do this. He wasn't watching as he tied the bag, not needing to after so many years, and suddenly felt a tug and the bag was gone.

"What the-?" He looked down. No bag. Spinning around, he saw a man running off through the crowds, Garet's money pouch clutched tightly in one hand. "Hey! He stole my money!" Several people stopped what they were doing to see what was happening. "Kay, wait here," he ordered before taking off after the thief.

"What? Garet? Garet!" But her brother couldn't hear her anymore.

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Garet chased after the thief, trying to be careful as he moved people aside. "Sorry. Excuse me. Excuse me. Sorry." It wasn't too hard. The thief had already shoved most of the people out of his way.

"Stop! Thief!" It seemed as though everyone in the market was watching now as he passed. After all, who in their right mind would try to rob the mayor's grandson? "Stop that man!" A few bystanders farther along the rows of booths heard him and tried to see what was coming, but none could respond quick enough to stop the bandit as he sprinted by. Any person that did get in his way ended up in a nearby pile of fruits or hay.

Garet was growing weary and began to slow. Finally, the bandit slipped down an alleyway between two buildings, Garet following as quickly as his legs would allow. He chased the thief to the end of the alley, where the criminal turned right, then bolted out of sight to the left. Garet turned down the last alleyway as well, but skidded to a halt at the end. Right or left? Either way, the new path branched off in many places, so there was no way of telling which way the thief had gone.

Garet pounded a fist against the wall before him. "Darn it!" How was he going to explain this one to his parents? At least he had already paid for Kay's purchases. Now that he had stopped running, his adrenaline level was dropping, and he was starting to feel all the aches and pains of running for so long and hard. He really needed to get back in shape.

He finally pulled back from the wall to return to his sister when he saw a flash of golden light come from an alley to the right and heard a strangled cry. Garet hurried in that direction and, rounding the corner, was almost run over by the bandit who now looked absolutely terrified.

"Fine! Take it! Just don't hurt me!" the bandit called over his shoulder as he ran. Confused, Garet watched the fleeing criminal, then looked along the alleyway he had just entered.

The sight of a person Garet hadn't noticed before made him jump back in surprise. It was a young man that looked about the same age as Garet, only slightly shorter like Jenna. He had messy golden hair that stood up at odd angles, and his deep blue eyes seemed almost to see straight into Garet's soul. He was dressed simply enough in a blue tunic and matching blue pants. His boots, gloves, and belt were light brown, and around his neck he wore a yellow scarf.

Garet studied the newcomer, not sure what to do. Was this person good, or was he simply another robber that had just robbed the first robber? If it was the second scenario, there certainly was a lot of robbing today. But the question was answered when the stranger held out the moneybag to Garet and motioned for him to take it.

Garet slowly walked up to the person and accepted the purse. "Um, thanks." The stranger simply nodded wordlessly. "I don't think I've ever seen you around Vale before. I'm Garet Jerra. What's your name?"

The stranger bit his bottom lip slightly and stepped back. There was the sound of footsteps approaching from the direction of the market.

"Garet? Garet, where are you?" called his sister's voice.

Garet turned to the sound. "Hey Kay! I'm over here!" He turned back around. "Thanks a-," he stopped short, "…again?" The person was gone, leaving no sign of him ever being in the area.

Kay almost ran past the alley Garet was in, but slid to a stop and came back, closely followed by two men Garet recognized as the owners of the weapons and armor shop. "Garet! Garet, are you all right?" She ran to her brother and put her hands on his shoulders, looking him over for any sign of injury before nearly strangling him with a hug.

"Take it easy, Sis! I'm fine!"

"Garet, where'd the thief go?" asked Mr. Pullman, the weapons smith.

"He's long gone, sir. But I did get my money back." Garet held up the small bag as proof.

"Garet, don't you ever scare me like that again," ordered Kay, still somewhat frantic. "Mom and Dad would have my head if anything happened to you."

"Don't worry, Sis. I don't plan on it."

"Your sister says you two have a lot to carry home. We have a cart back at the shop you can use," offered Mr. Carlson, the armor craftsman. "You can return it tomorrow if you want."

"Thank you sir," said Kay with a polite bow of the head. "Come on Garet."

As they made their way back through the labyrinth of back streets, Kay dragging Garet by the sleeve and complaining about how he shouldn't scare her or run after thieves on his own like that, Garet looked back to where the strange person had been. Who was he? Garet didn't recognize him at all. They finally left the maze, no one noticing the pair of blue eyes on a nearby rooftop that watched them go.

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Yuja: (running) AHH! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

Jenna: (in hot pursuit) WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA OF STARTING ANOTHER STORY WHEN YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE ONES YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED YET?

Garet: -.- Do you think we should help her out?

Isaac: -.- And get in Jenna's way? You've got to be joking.