Disclaimer: No, I do not own Golden Sun!

A/N: Lord Destoyer, that's just how Granite is...

The sky was dark, and I guessed it to be at least midnight. Holding a finger to my lips, hoping the others could see me in the moonlight, I stealthily sneaked away from the fortress and over to the cave. I waited there.

Mia and Garet reached the cave first, and then Ivan and Hammet. I entered the cave.

On this side of the gate, we found a button. Hammet pressed it and the gate went up. I tiptoed toward the exit.

Just as the five of us were almost to the exit, I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my tired eyes. Garet paused, evidently seeing it, too.

"I think I saw someone just now," he muttered to Mia.

"Yes, I saw it, too," she replied, keeping her eyes on the place where the movement had been.

Ivan stopped. He slowly walked toward me, whispering, "Do you think Dodonpa's henchmen have found us?"
I very slightly shook my head. "They're not the type for this sneaking around..."

"Just a moment!" Hammet said suddenly. The merchant craned his neck. "Is that you, Bunza?"

Straining my ears, I caught a slight gasp and a murmur. "That voice..."

A man, a little shorter than Mia, appeared from behind the pillar of rock. He had wide brown eyes and dark brown hair. Bunza also wore a surprised expression on his face. "Lord Hammet!"

Hammet held a finger to his mouth. "We'll tell you all about it. Isaac?"

I nodded, and begun the tale, starting with us meeting Ivan in Vault and ending to this moment. Bunza didn't speak during this.

Finally, Mia spoke up. "You sure did a good job finding this cave, Mr. Bunza." There was a hint of suspicion in the Mercury Adept's voice.

Hammet looked surprised, but didn't seem to catch the distrust. "Yes! Impressive work you did, Bunza!" he congratulated warmly.

Bunza shuffled his feet. "It was...pure coincidence," the man admitted. "I really didn't want to come to Lunpa because we knew the thieves had Lord Hammet imprisoned. But I recalled what Lord Hammet told me about being a successful merchant."

Mia raised her eyebrows. "Really?" she remarked.

"He told you that you should start trading here?" scoffed Garet with a glance at Hammet.

Bunza shook his head hastily. "No, I meant his more general words of wisdom; 'Merchants'..."

"'Merchants must not judge customers on their appearances," finished Hammet approvingly.

Bunza nodded. "'Do not avoid a place just because something unpleasant may happen,'" he quoted.

"'As long as customers await your goods, you must do everything in your power to sell them!'" Hammet added.

Bunza smiled.

"So you came to serve the villagers even though you despised Dodonpa?" I asked.

"Yes," the man confirmed.

"Fate put this opportunity before you..." Ivan murmured, sounding like Master Hama.

"But why'd you think a Kalay merchant would be let into Lunpa?" Garet persisted.

"I didn't," confessed Bunza. "And they didn't let me in, in fact. But you know what? That huge commotion about rogues breaking in? It all came together for me that the commotion was related to Lord Hammet! I had to find out what was going on!"

"And so you're on your way to Lunpa now?" I asked.

Mia laughed. "I bet you can't find a way to get that gate open from this side..."

Bunza nodded. "But then all of a sudden it moved...you startled me...but I'm just glad Lord Hammet's in safety for now..."

"Why do you say it like that, Bunza?" Ivan demanded.

"Dodonpa's henchmen are combing the area." Bunza told us. "I saw a few back outside. Even if they aren't after Lord Hammet...if they find him..."

"They might capture Lord Hammet again!" Mia exclaimed. "Let's get out of here!"

"But we have to escape without being seen by Dodonpa's henchmen," I added.

Garet bit his lip. "Should we stay and fight? Isaac?"

I shook my head. "That would be foolhardy. There are so many of them...we're so tired..."

"Then what should we do?" wailed Hammet.

"I have a wagon nearby," spoke up Bunza.

"A wagon?" Mia repeated skeptically.

"That's right," agreed Bunza. "Let's all go back to Kalay in my wagon."

I raised an eyebrow. "Won't a wagon stand out?"

"Yes, if it were searched by Dodonpa's henchmen..." Ivan's voice trailed off.

"No need to worry," Bunza assured us. "I've been here awhile."

"Oh, I guess they've seen your wagon around, right?" Garet asked, piecing things together.

Bunza grinned. "That's right. They wouldn't suspect me in being involved!"

I shrugged. "Sounds fine to me. Garet? Ivan? Mia? Lord Hammet?"

Garet smiled. "Whatever you decide."

Mia nodded. "I agree with Garet."

"I believe it is safe," Ivan put in.

Hammet turned to Bunza. "Let us go, my friend."

"Lady Layana will be very pleased!" Ivan exclaimed happily.

A slow smile spread across the merchant's face. "I can't wait to see her..."

"Then let's set off!" Bunza decided.

So we all got into Bunza's wagon and we rode off. It was a rather small wagon, and I ended up squashed between Garet and Hammet. Mia was on Garet's other side, sitting on a barrel full of swords. Ivan was squished along the wall.

I gazed at the thick fabric and sighed. It had to be around two in the morning, and I definitely needed some rest. I leaned against the fabric and tried to sleep.

"Isaac..."

The soft voice startled me. I blinked, and amber eyes blinked back. Jenna's face swam into view. The Mars Adept wore a huge smile on her face. "Isaac," she murmured again.

I tried to sit up and she moved away. I noticed that I was back in Vale, in my own bed in my own house. I looked around, savoring every sensation. I felt Jenna smiling at me; I saw my trunk and my tunic and my sword. I felt the soft fabric of my bed and smelled Mother toasting fresh bread above the fire. I heard the roosters crowing and dogs scuffling. I felt home.

I got up eagerly. "Jenna!" I cried. "How did you get here? How did I get here?"
The auburn-haired girl simply smiled. "I don't know...Isaac..."

I grabbed her arm and rushed downstairs, ready to see Mother ready with toast and ready to run outside and see all of Vale and ready to knock on Garet's door and hear the scuffling and have Garet's little brother Aaron answer..ready to know I was home.

"Isaac!" Jenna called again. "Isaac!"

"Isaac, wake up!" Garet shouted again. I blinked, but instead of Jenna's amber eyes, it was Garet's dark brown ones that met mine. He shook me.

"I'm awake..." I murmured. "Why are you awake?"

Garet rolled his eyes. "Mia put Hail on standby."

"Ouch." I sat up and rubbed my bleary eyes. I saw Mia still sitting on the barrel, with Hail nestled in her hair, and Ivan ducking his head to leave the wagon. Hammet and Bunza were already gone. Dawn light flooded through the cloth. It was morning.

I almost cried when I realized I had been dreaming, that my joyful visions of Jenna and home were not real...I rubbed my eyes again, trying to keep from sobbing. I grunted instead, and, ducking my head, exited the wagon.

I squinted in the sunlight. Bunza and Hammet were speaking to each other. Ivan spoke up. "Where is here?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you about this entrance, Ivan?" Hammet asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

The young Jupiter Adept shook his head. "No, Master Hammet."

"This underground passage leads to Hammet Palace," Hammet explained.

Garet and Mia left the wagon, shielding their eyes with their hands.

"An underground passage?" Mia repeated. "What for?"

Hammet winked. "Just to be safe."

"I don't understand," muttered Garet, sounding half-asleep again. "Why bring the wagon in this way?"

"Because Dodonpa's henchmen may even be here in Kalay," intoned Bunza.

"Okay..." I muttered.

Hammet smiled brightly. "Well then, Bunza, would you please take them to the town's entrance?"

"What?" Ivan asked, clearly startled. "Why? We'll just go this way with you."

Hammet shook his head. "You have no reason to hide now, do you? But it would raise suspicions if three strangers and one of my servants mysteriously appeared inside the palace, wouldn't it?"

I nodded. "That makes sense."

Hammet walked over to the gate and we reentered the wagon. It was a short, uneventful ride to Kalay. We exited the wagon, thanked Bunza, and entered Kalay.

We tried to act casual and not like we'd just snuck into Lunpa, penetrated their fortress, rescued a wealthy merchant, left, found an old friend of the merchant, and rode back to Kalay through the night in a covered wagon. Ivan waved and shouted hellos to the people he'd grown up with and all the while we kept walking towards the palace. We made our way in and to the throne room, hoping that Hammet had already entered.

Sure enough, Hammet and Lady Layana were standing next to each other, murmuring quiet things, when Hammet noticed us and cleared his throat, sounding embarrassed.

"So! It's Ivan and his companions, perfect timing!" he exclaimed.

Lady Layana smiled. "So, it's you four." Then she frowned. "I told you time and time again not to go to Lunpa but you went anyway." She spoke sharply, but I could tell she was grateful.

"Please, Layana, don't be so harsh on them," Hammet requested.

"Naturally, I'm happy they rescued you, but this was something Kalay should have handled alone," Lady Layana told him. "You had a more pressing quest at hand, no?"

I managed a weak smile; Lady Layana was reminding me of my dream. "Yes."

"Yes. You must recover the Elemental Stars," she lectured.

"Layana, you shouldn't..." Hammet protested.

Lady Layana gave him a death-glare almost as bad as Jenna's. I admit I took a couple of steps backward, almost falling into Garet.

"I-I had to rescue Lord Hammet..." Ivan faltered.

"What's done is done," the lady said tartly. "There is nothing more to be said."
"We all wanted to save Hammet," Garet pointed out.

Mia whispered angrily at him and Ivan protested, "It doesn't matter, Garet. I'm the one at fault! I made a mistake. We will leave immediiately on Saturos's trail!"

I glared at the Jupiter Adept. "If anyone is at fault, I am! I'm supposed to be the leader, remember? I made the decision!"

Lady Layana spoke sharply. "It does not matter who is at fault. You must leave immediately."

Ivan bit his lip. Then he turned to me. "We better be leaving."

"Ivan, is that really what you want?" Mia asked gently.

Ivan cringed but nodded.

I smiled. "Then, I guess it's time to be, um, going...Goodbye..."

"Wait," Hammet ordered. "Take your Shaman's Rod and go to Hesperia in the Western Sea."

I nodded. "Um...goodbye."
"Goodbye," Ivan called.

Garet and Mia said goodbyes, too, and we left. Once we were a safe distance from the palace, I brought up our quest. "Should we leave now?"

Garet shrugged. "Sounds good to me...but Isaac, I see those bags under your eyes. You need some rest, and, to tell the truth, I could use some, too. Mia agrees with me, and...Ivan?"

Ivan started, the faraway look in his eye disappearing. "Oh...um...okay..."

Garet shrugged again and turned back to me. "Okay, so it's basically unanimous! Please?"

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, fine, whatever. We'll go."

Garet sent me an odd look. "You are in an agreeable mood today, aren't you? Let's go!"

A/N: My brain is powered by reviews. Say it's good, I'll put out the next chapter that much faster. Ask me a question, I'll answer it. Give me some criticism, I'll try to improve. Flame me...

Well, I won't like it if you flame me, but at least you're saying something.