8BTFreek: Well, it's that time of year!
Red Mage: What? Time to take out the IGNORE Cannon and play with the little Flamers?
8BTF: That too. But most importantly, it's time for my new fic!
RM: And...
8BTF: It's a one-shot.
RM: But you hate one-shots. You think they're cheap.
8BTF: So call me a hypocrite.
Rand: You do and you die.
8BTF: Thanks, Rand. Anyway, this is a one-shot songfic. The song is Separate Ways by Journey. I just have one other thing to say. Thanks to Rain Child for the idea of mixing fic and song. I'm doing it a little differently than you did in Finding Garet, but the basic idea of mixing the two is yours. I bow to you for creating it.
Rand: Whatever. Here's Mario with the Disclaimer.
Mario: 8BTFreek doesn't own Golden Sun, Journey, "Separate Ways", or his muses. He just thinks he does.
**Separation**
Isaac had that crush on Jenna, but he'd never admit it, even if you tried to trick it out of him. He'd had it for eight long years, now. It was getting on his nerves. Unfortunately, he also knew that his best friend Garet had a crush on the same girl. It would never work. He knew Jenna too well. She'd choose Garet, even if her brother tried to force her to pick Isaac. Then came that fateful night. Isaac was dreaming about Jenna like he did every night, when his mother shook him. "Isaac, we have to go, now!" Isaac grumbled as he got up. "It's pouring outside! Don't forget your tunic!"
"Thanks, mom. But why did you wake me up?" Isaac picked up his machete. It was the only weapon he had ever had, and his father usually told him never to go outside unarmed.
"The Mount Aleph Boulder is falling! Get out of the house and head to the plaza!"
Isaac rushed out of the house. All those who have played Golden Sun know what happened in those next few minutes. The crash of the boulder, the attack on the two young men... All that happened just a few minutes after Isaac left the house.
The next day, Jenna walked through the streets of Vale. She was showing very little emotion, despite the fact that her brother had apparently died just that last day. Isaac saw her, and knew what she was going through. Quickly, he grabbed a pen and some parchment and hurried to his room.
***
That night, Jenna stayed in her room. The door was closed, and she hoped nobody would come in and see her crying. A small knock echoed through the room. Quickly drying her tears, Jenna opened the door. There, standing in the shadowy hallway, was Isaac. "Can I come in?"
{Why is he here? And what's that he's got behind his back?} "Come in, I guess. You might as well." {I will not show him my grief. I will not.} She walked over to the window.
Isaac walked up behind her, then whispered, "Jenna, I know you're feeling horrible. Let it come out. Crying is better than letting it stay in. I know, I didn't want to cry, but the tears came anyway..." He looked down, surveying the floor.
Jenna looked at him. "Cry? You expect me to cry? Why? Tears can't bring them back! Nothing can! They're... they're..." Suddenly and quite unexpectedly, Jenna burst into tears. Isaac turned and looked at her, then embraced her.
"I know how you feel. At least, I can guess how you're feeling. You're feeling what I felt, three times over. You're feeling lonely. But you aren't alone. You've got me, and Garet, and Kay, and Aaron, and your Aunt and Uncle. You've got a lot of others, too. I just can't think of them." He was whispering in her ear. She cried harder, resting her head on his shoulder. He just stood there, whispering words of comfort.
The next morning, Jenna woke up in her bed. There was a note from Isaac on the mirror. She ripped it off, then read it.
Jenna, I know I cannot stay with you. However, I have written you this poem. Remember it. Remember me.
Jenna read on. The poem had a lyrical quality, almost begging to be sung.
Here we stand Worlds apart Hearts broken in two Sleepless nights Losing ground I'm reaching for you Feelin' that it's gone can change your mind If we can't go on to survive the tide love divides Someday, love will find you Break those chains that bind you One night will remind you How we touched and went our separate ways If he ever hurts you True love won't desert you You know I still love you Though we touched and went our separate ways
She dropped the letter, and a second page fell out. She read it.
Even though it pains me, please find someone else to love. Garet loves you. Return that love. Yours in friendship, Isaac
***
Two years passed since Isaac gave Jenna the letter. Jenna and Garet had been dating off and on for those years, but things were growing more distant between the two. They were arguing almost constantly. Finally, it happened. Jenna had screamed herself hoarse in a shouting match with Garet. She had called him an emotionless pig after he said that her parents and Felix didn't matter. Isaac had to agree with Jenna. His father had died in the crash, and it wasn't exactly kind of him. Suddenly, a realization struck him. It was the same realization that he'd had two years ago. Quickly, he ran back home. Nighttime was the only time he could see Jenna without everyone looking. And he didn't want to sing to anyone but her.
***
Jenna looked out her window. She was crying again. This time, she heard her door creak open and spun around. "Who's there?" she sobbed.
The person didn't answer. Instead, he began singing. "Troubled times, caught between confusion and pain. Distant eyes, promises we made were in vain." Jenna turned around. She recognized the voice. Isaac kept on singing. "If you must go, I wish you love. You'll never walk alone. Take care my love, miss you love." He picked up the letter he had given her those two long years ago.
Some day, love will find you Break those chains that bind you One night will remind you How we touched and went our separate ways If he ever hurts you True love won't desert you You know I still love you Though we touched and went our separate ways
Jenna walked over to him. She pulled him into the room. Then, she grabbed him in an embrace. "Why did you wait for tonight?" she whispered.
"I sensed it. You needed someone, and Garet was a bastard to you today. And..." He looked her in the eyes. "I love you." Then, he finally did what he'd wanted to do his whole life. He kissed her.
Jenna had tears streaming down her face again. Then, in just a moment, she grabbed him and pulled him closer. They stayed in her room the whole night.
Isaac walked out of the room the next morning. {She loves me,} he thought, {and I love her.}
Red Mage: What? Time to take out the IGNORE Cannon and play with the little Flamers?
8BTF: That too. But most importantly, it's time for my new fic!
RM: And...
8BTF: It's a one-shot.
RM: But you hate one-shots. You think they're cheap.
8BTF: So call me a hypocrite.
Rand: You do and you die.
8BTF: Thanks, Rand. Anyway, this is a one-shot songfic. The song is Separate Ways by Journey. I just have one other thing to say. Thanks to Rain Child for the idea of mixing fic and song. I'm doing it a little differently than you did in Finding Garet, but the basic idea of mixing the two is yours. I bow to you for creating it.
Rand: Whatever. Here's Mario with the Disclaimer.
Mario: 8BTFreek doesn't own Golden Sun, Journey, "Separate Ways", or his muses. He just thinks he does.
**Separation**
Isaac had that crush on Jenna, but he'd never admit it, even if you tried to trick it out of him. He'd had it for eight long years, now. It was getting on his nerves. Unfortunately, he also knew that his best friend Garet had a crush on the same girl. It would never work. He knew Jenna too well. She'd choose Garet, even if her brother tried to force her to pick Isaac. Then came that fateful night. Isaac was dreaming about Jenna like he did every night, when his mother shook him. "Isaac, we have to go, now!" Isaac grumbled as he got up. "It's pouring outside! Don't forget your tunic!"
"Thanks, mom. But why did you wake me up?" Isaac picked up his machete. It was the only weapon he had ever had, and his father usually told him never to go outside unarmed.
"The Mount Aleph Boulder is falling! Get out of the house and head to the plaza!"
Isaac rushed out of the house. All those who have played Golden Sun know what happened in those next few minutes. The crash of the boulder, the attack on the two young men... All that happened just a few minutes after Isaac left the house.
The next day, Jenna walked through the streets of Vale. She was showing very little emotion, despite the fact that her brother had apparently died just that last day. Isaac saw her, and knew what she was going through. Quickly, he grabbed a pen and some parchment and hurried to his room.
***
That night, Jenna stayed in her room. The door was closed, and she hoped nobody would come in and see her crying. A small knock echoed through the room. Quickly drying her tears, Jenna opened the door. There, standing in the shadowy hallway, was Isaac. "Can I come in?"
{Why is he here? And what's that he's got behind his back?} "Come in, I guess. You might as well." {I will not show him my grief. I will not.} She walked over to the window.
Isaac walked up behind her, then whispered, "Jenna, I know you're feeling horrible. Let it come out. Crying is better than letting it stay in. I know, I didn't want to cry, but the tears came anyway..." He looked down, surveying the floor.
Jenna looked at him. "Cry? You expect me to cry? Why? Tears can't bring them back! Nothing can! They're... they're..." Suddenly and quite unexpectedly, Jenna burst into tears. Isaac turned and looked at her, then embraced her.
"I know how you feel. At least, I can guess how you're feeling. You're feeling what I felt, three times over. You're feeling lonely. But you aren't alone. You've got me, and Garet, and Kay, and Aaron, and your Aunt and Uncle. You've got a lot of others, too. I just can't think of them." He was whispering in her ear. She cried harder, resting her head on his shoulder. He just stood there, whispering words of comfort.
The next morning, Jenna woke up in her bed. There was a note from Isaac on the mirror. She ripped it off, then read it.
Jenna, I know I cannot stay with you. However, I have written you this poem. Remember it. Remember me.
Jenna read on. The poem had a lyrical quality, almost begging to be sung.
Here we stand Worlds apart Hearts broken in two Sleepless nights Losing ground I'm reaching for you Feelin' that it's gone can change your mind If we can't go on to survive the tide love divides Someday, love will find you Break those chains that bind you One night will remind you How we touched and went our separate ways If he ever hurts you True love won't desert you You know I still love you Though we touched and went our separate ways
She dropped the letter, and a second page fell out. She read it.
Even though it pains me, please find someone else to love. Garet loves you. Return that love. Yours in friendship, Isaac
***
Two years passed since Isaac gave Jenna the letter. Jenna and Garet had been dating off and on for those years, but things were growing more distant between the two. They were arguing almost constantly. Finally, it happened. Jenna had screamed herself hoarse in a shouting match with Garet. She had called him an emotionless pig after he said that her parents and Felix didn't matter. Isaac had to agree with Jenna. His father had died in the crash, and it wasn't exactly kind of him. Suddenly, a realization struck him. It was the same realization that he'd had two years ago. Quickly, he ran back home. Nighttime was the only time he could see Jenna without everyone looking. And he didn't want to sing to anyone but her.
***
Jenna looked out her window. She was crying again. This time, she heard her door creak open and spun around. "Who's there?" she sobbed.
The person didn't answer. Instead, he began singing. "Troubled times, caught between confusion and pain. Distant eyes, promises we made were in vain." Jenna turned around. She recognized the voice. Isaac kept on singing. "If you must go, I wish you love. You'll never walk alone. Take care my love, miss you love." He picked up the letter he had given her those two long years ago.
Some day, love will find you Break those chains that bind you One night will remind you How we touched and went our separate ways If he ever hurts you True love won't desert you You know I still love you Though we touched and went our separate ways
Jenna walked over to him. She pulled him into the room. Then, she grabbed him in an embrace. "Why did you wait for tonight?" she whispered.
"I sensed it. You needed someone, and Garet was a bastard to you today. And..." He looked her in the eyes. "I love you." Then, he finally did what he'd wanted to do his whole life. He kissed her.
Jenna had tears streaming down her face again. Then, in just a moment, she grabbed him and pulled him closer. They stayed in her room the whole night.
Isaac walked out of the room the next morning. {She loves me,} he thought, {and I love her.}