IOE: So, I decided to add another chapter. Wow, look how the timeline jumps around. I figured I would add this before feelings really develop between the two as a reminder of what is to come. This chapter didn't take that long, but it was really hard to figure out how I was going to do it. This is most of the legit GS2 dialogue.
Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun.
The morning was cool and it was drizzling.
"Thank you, Mr. Mayor," said Kraden as the mayor of Madra re-entered the house.
"...Felix?"
The group looked. There she was, completely transformed. She now exuded an aggressive aura. She was no longer the self-possessed, young girl from Prox. She was tough and cold. She wore leather and metal now. A large, iron choker around her neck was held by chains. A shredded, red cape was held up by these chains. She wore a metal breastplate with the symbol of Mars emblazoned on it over a leather, sleeveless top which displayed her scaled shoulders. Her leather skirt was decorated with patterns from her tribe, and studded at the bottom. The most threatening part of her appearance was the gleaming steel scythe she held.
"You...he just called you Felix, didn't he?" she asked Felix. Her voice was of a lower quality than before, and much more throaty. She looked him up and down.
"Why didn't I see it before? You are Felix," she said softly. The rest of the group looked to Felix, completely at a loss as to what was going on.
"Then Menardi should be somewhere around here, too...And yet..."
Her eyes carefully traveled from one face to the next.
"You won't see Menardi or Saturos again. Isaac killed them. They're probably at the bottom of the sea by now..." said Sheba coldly.
"Sheba! Quiet!" exclaimed Jenna, alarmed. Karst glared at Sheba.
"Hmph! I heard that, you wretched little thing!" she snarled, then she looked at Felix, her face suddenly paler. She was gripping her scythe so hard her knuckles turned white.
"Can it be true? Is my sister dead?" she asked him slowly.
Everyone looked to Felix, who gravely nodded. Karst's eyes widened. She stared at him for a moment, completely shocked.
"I can't believe it," she said after a moment, "No one has the power to defeat Saturos and my sister..."
She looked at them all, questioning, but they shifted uncomfortably and stared at their feet, uncertain as to what they should tell her.
"Yet you all avoid my gaze...And that look on your faces...It...is true..." she concluded.
Felix's group looked at each other, wondering what they should do. Suddenly, Karst thrust her scythe into the ground in her fury.
"Who is this Isaac?" she demanded.
They would not answer. They could only stare at the ferocious woman with scaly shoulders and the scythe shoved deeply into the mud.
"What? You feign ignorance? Why? Would you protect him from my fury!" she roared.
Jenna swallowed, clearly frightened for Isaac. Sheba could only stare defiantly at Karst. Felix was impassive. Karst seemed to recompose herself.
"Never mind. I believe I've heard some rumors of a traveler named Isaac lately," she said. Karst turned towards the entrance to Madra.
"If that is the case," she said slowly, "Then this Isaac should show up here sooner or later."
"How do you know it wasn't Felix who defeated your sister?" Kraden piped up. Felix looked at Kraden warily, then slowly turned back to Karst, who scoffed.
"What do you take me for? I'm a warrior, like my sister...I can gauge a man's strength at a single glance. Even if you doubled Felix's power, he would still be no match for my sister," she said casually, watching Felix for a reaction. He would not give one. The others, however, glared at Karst. She shook her head.
"And besides," she smirked, "I doubt Felix could bring it in himself to betray my sister. He knows the lives of those he holds dear hang in the balance."
Felix swallowed. Karst was looking at him, but he would not meet her eye.
"But I must congratulate you on your successes at the Mercury and Venus lighthouses," she complimented.
Their eyes met. There was silence, and then Karst shook her head and looked to the rest of his group.
"Although," she said, "Your success there now prevents us from returning to the Western Sea. You would have failed, of course, had we not researched how to climb those lighthouses..."
Felix's group looked surprised.
"Oh? Didn't Menardi tell you?" asked Karst, smirking.
"Regardless," she said, flicking a bang out of her face, "Isaac won't be getting in my way."
Karst looked to the entrance to town again, as if thinking she would see Isaac this time. She turned back to them. Jenna clenched her fists, but Felix put a hand on her shoulder.
"You will have to find your own way to the Western Sea. And," she added, "if you make the journey, you'll have to light Jupiter on your own as well! We have our own work to do, and number one on the list is taking care of Isaac. Are we clear on this, Felix?"
Jenna looked at Felix anxiously. Felix hesitated, then slowly nodded. Jenna gaped at him. At this, Karst's lip curled.
"Aren't you an obedient boy..."
Sheba gave Karst a filthy look.
"I'm going to find this Isaac... And I swear that the last thing he sees will be Karst avenging the death of her dear sister!" Karst declared fiercely, and, with one last malicious look at all of them, she stormed out of the town.
IOE: Dun dun dun! It was really hard trying not to get into people's heads too much. I gotta say, though, it's really nice having the dialogue and some of the actions already done for you. Please review!
