School, why must you exist?! I have Thursdays and Fridays off, so I'm going to say that the bulk of my writing will get done on those days. Hopefully that means you can expect a new chapter every Sunday or Monday, but that's just what I'm hoping will happen assuming I don't spend all of my four-day weekends doing schoolwork (I pray that I'll never be that swamped, since I'm only taking three courses).

On a much more positive note, I recently got back into Kingdom Hearts, and I honestly can't even give a good reason as to why I ever unacquainted myself with the brilliantly beautiful series. I'm hoping that I can write a fic for that in the future, but I guess I've gotta re-immerse myself in the KH universe before then. If any of you are into KH, then know that I'm a complete SoraxKairi nerd. It's also implied (pretty heavily, if I may add) that they'll be a canon relationship, anyway, so all the better for me :). Again, life, why have you turned me into this hopeless romantic? Ah, well, at least it makes gaming even more enjoyable!

Thanks to Mr0cheese and AnriMia24 for reviewing!

Without further ado, I present to you chapter fifteen.

Disclaimer: I am lying when I don't make the false claim that I do not have the rights to not own that which is possibly or probably not not the game Golden Sun.

Elation

Hey, man,

It's been a while, hasn't it? I can't believe it's already been five years since the whole crew got together back in Imil. I guess my goal of asking Jenna to marry me within a few years got… postponed, y'know? Every time I was about to do it, I'd panic and drop the thought. I guess I don't really deserve to marry her until I'm brave enough to propose… Anyway, how's your luck with Mia? I haven't heard anything about it from you, so I'm assuming you haven't done it yet either. Funny how the bravest knights in all of Weyard are too afraid to ask their girlfriends to marry them. Ah, well, I suppose I'll grow the balls for it eventually. I don't really know what else to say now, so write back when you get the chance.

Garet

The wintry sun was setting over Imil, causing a light orange glow to flow in through the window of Isaac's office. Having finished his single morning shift much earlier, the Venus adept had taken the rest of the day to train Justin, who was now a junior tactician for the militia, much to Mia's dismay. With the end of the day creeping up on him, Isaac smirked as he read the final sentence of Garet's letter. Ever the blunt one, even after all these years.

It was strange to think it had been five whole years since everyone had gotten together. He certainly didn't feel like he was twenty-seven, and he honestly didn't much look it either. Every morning, Isaac would wake up and see his reflection in a mirror, only to stop and wonder why he looked only twenty years old. At first, he thought that perhaps Father Time had taken an interest in him, but it also seemed as though Mia was experiencing the exact same phenomenon, not that she'd said much about it. While he initially believed that he was only imagining that he wasn't aging very quickly, it became apparent that Justin and Megan, now twenty and nineteen respectively, had legitimately 'caught up' to them in the maturation of their appearances.

In fact, even when he and Mia had gone to visit New Vale and Kalay last year, the familiar townspeople seemed to have aged normally, yet their friends from the Golden Sun adventure, Kraden included, seemed only to have aged roughly three of the ten years that had gone by since they first set out. While no one had talked about it much, Isaac decided that he would write letters to Kraden and Piers to see if either of them had some way of explaining the strange things occurring with their aging process.

Shaking the thought of aging from his mind, Isaac smiled as he reread the section in Garet's letter regarding his fear of proposal. Eyeing the small, fabric-lined box sitting on his desk, Isaac reached for it and lifted the lid. Inside rested a beautiful ring topped with three small diamonds. It was a double banded ring of mythril silver that simply yet elegantly presented the diamonds. The two bands were made to look as though they continuously intertwined as they looped around the finger.

Isaac had literally spent a fortune having the raw materials shipped from Loho to Yallam to be forged into a ring by Sunshine, and then have the custom ring shipped from there to Imil. While the mere mention of the overall price had made him wince, Isaac couldn't have asked for a more special and beautiful piece of jewelry, and the thought of spending his life with the equally beautiful Mercury adept was worth more than anything he could ever purchase for her.

"Sorry, Garet," he grinned as he said aloud, "but it looks like it's only you who's too afraid to propose."

In all honesty, Isaac would have proposed to Mia right away if he had thought it appropriate. He'd sent out his order and payments for the ring about two years ago. He didn't realize that it would take two years for the completed product to arrive in Imil for him, but after seeing the beauty and complexity of the ring he understood exactly why it had taken so long. During that time, Isaac was able to come up with the perfect way to propose to Mia, so now it was just a matter of putting his plan into action.

"Mia," he whispered, closing his eyes and holding the ring close to his heart, "you once said that I've made you the happiest girl in the world. I promise that I will continue to do so for all eternity." Closing the box, he placed it in a hidden compartment in his desk and left his house for the sanctum, only wanting to speak to his beloved as soon as possible.

As he approached the sanctum doors, Isaac felt his heartbeat quicken and a few sweat beads formed on his forehead. Taking a deep breath he mentally gave himself a pep talk. He wasn't proposing just yet, so there was no reason to feel so nervous. Pushing open the large doors, Isaac walked in to see Mia and Megan at the altar. It seemed they hadn't quite realized that he was there.

"Mia, you need to stop worrying about Justin! He's not even a soldier, Isaac said that he wouldn't let him actually do battle until he's sure that Justin can handle a ghoul on his own."

"I know, I know; it's just that you two are so dear to me. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you or Justin. I still tear up thinking about the incident with the lizard men. You're both too young to be putting yourself in danger like that!"

"But, Mia, we're older than you were when you left Imil to travel with Isaac and the others! And, let's face it, we're practically the same age as you now. I know we aren't technically as old as you are, but everyone in town agrees that you and Isaac still look like you're our age."

"Still, just because we look the same, doesn't mean we are. I don't want anything to happen to you guys."

Megan shrugged, apparently not knowing what else to say to stop Mia from worrying. Turning away from her, Megan noticed Isaac approaching.

"Oh, hi, Isaac! You didn't hear all that, did you?" she asked in her usual chipper manner.

"More or less, it's nothing I haven't heard before," he replied.

"M'kay, well, I assume you came to speak with Mia, so I'll leave you two alone. Maybe I can go bug Justin about that girl he's been seeing." With that, she quickly went to the back, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. She may be nineteen, thought Isaac, but she's still just as much a troublemaker as she's always been.

Smiling, he walked over to Mia and put his arm around her, hoping to melt the slight frown off of her face. "Don't worry, Mia. I promise I won't let anything happen to him while he's training with me. He's only a tactician, so the battlefield is off-limits until I think he's ready, and even then his first few battles will only be against small monsters."

"I wish it were as easy as simply calming down," she sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "They're like my family. I raised them as if they were my younger siblings, as if they were my kids, even. It's just hard to see them grow up like this. I know Justin's more than capable, I just can't stop worrying."

Isaac chuckled lightly, "You sound like a motherly old widow, Mia. You know what, I think that everything around here has just been stressful for you lately. We should take a trip somewhere. It doesn't have to be expensive or anything, just far enough from here to help you relax a little."

She looked up at him, her frown turning into a slight smile. The sight of her cheering up a bit warmed his heart. "Maybe you're right. It has been over a year since we last travelled somewhere. Did you have anywhere in mind?"

Isaac knew exactly where he wanted to go. The first stages of his plan were coming together, but he had to play it off like he wasn't planning anything. As naturally as he could, he shrugged, "Maybe somewhere south? I'm not really sure where, but we wouldn't really have to decide until we reach Bilibin, since that's where the possibilities split into going east or west. Sound okay?"

She closed her eyes and smiled, letting out a breath, "As long as I can be with you, anything sounds good, Isaac."

He cheered mentally and gave her forehead a kiss. It seemed that she was tired after her long day of work, so Isaac playfully lifted her onto his back and carried her out of the sanctum. She squealed slightly at his unexpected action, but soon found herself giggling and lovingly wrapping her arms around him while he carried her to his house.

"So," she started, sitting by the fireplace once they reached his house, "when do you think we should take this vacation?"

"Well, being the captain, I have the privilege of taking leave when I feel like it, as long as I leave someone in charge in my stead; so I'd say that as soon as you can take time off."

She giggled at his enthusiasm, "Oh, I'm sure I can ask Megan and Justin to look after the sanctum while I'm away; it's not like they haven't done so in the past. If they're okay with it, I'd say we could probably leave by later this week."

"Perfect!" he cheered, grinning at how perfectly everything was falling into place. Happily scooping her up into his arms, Isaac gave Mia a strong and passionate kiss, unable to suppress his joy.

"Wow," said a slightly dazed but happy Mia, "someone's in a good mood! Are you really so excited to go on this trip?"

Isaac laughed, still cradling Mia in his arms, "You could say that; I think it's mostly just because I'm so in love with you, Mia."

Mia's face was aglow, and she pulled him into a softer but equally passionate kiss. The two lovers spent the rest of their evening talking about places they could go, and all the things they could do on their trip. Isaac was glad to know that Mia remained oblivious to his true intentions for their getaway. Eventually the two of them fell asleep on his couch; the bond between them had never been stronger, and Isaac slept happily knowing that he would soon reach his final destination with the woman he so dearly loved.

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The two adepts arrived in Bilibin surprisingly quickly. Leaving only four days after they had begun planning their trip, they somehow managed to arrive in the enormous city only two weeks later; a trip that would usually take them about a month. They soon realized that the reason was because Bilibin had expanded its territory yet again, and they had heard from one of the gatekeepers that Lord McCoy would soon declare Bilibin as its own kingdom.

Isaac, knowing exactly where he was going, led the two of them towards a familiar region in the soon-to-be kingdom. Upon reaching the rental home district, the chubby, moustached landlord came running up to the two of them.

"Wow, it's Lord Isaac and Lady Mia! The Saviours of Imil and Warriors of Vale coming to stay in one of my homes! P-please, no charge is necessary from such famous icons! Imagine, the heroic lovers needing my business!"

"Oh my," Mia said to Isaac, "I had no idea we were so well-known!"

"Neither did I," said Isaac, winking to the landlord when Mia wasn't looking. In truth, Isaac had sent a letter and generous payment to the landlord ahead of time explaining his plan and requesting that he pretend to allow them to stay for free.

"Please, allow me to lead you to our finest estate!" exclaimed the stocky man, waddling ahead of them towards the largest of all the homes. "Enjoy your stay!" he said happily while he held open the door to a beautiful atrium.

Thanking him, Isaac took the key, and the two adepts stepped inside before dropping their bags. Most homes were not even large enough to have a main hall, so the fact that this one was large enough to have its own entrance atrium was stunning even to Isaac, who had paid for this home in specific.

"It's so… so lavish! I feel like a princess!" said a wide-eyed Mia. She was in complete awe of her surroundings, and Isaac loved how cute she was in such a state.

"You're my princess, Mia, and I'm going to make sure that this vacation is well worth your while."

She laughed and gave him a quick kiss before running off like a child to explore the house. Smiling, Isaac brought their bags up the large staircase towards the impressively sized bedroom at the end of the hall. Just as he'd finished unpacking their bags, an out-of-breath Mia stepped into the room with a silly smile on her face.

"This house… is amazing… Come and see!" she panted. Apparently the house was big enough that she'd run out of breath as she sped around.

Chuckling, Isaac took her hand and allowed her to lead him. He'd have done this much sooner if he had known that Mia would be so giddy about a mansion-like house. What made him glad more than that, though, was that she already seemed to have forgotten her troubles; he didn't want her to feel stressed in any way when he finally popped the question to her.

The stage was set, now all that he needed to do was find the perfect moment.

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Tonight's the night. Oh, Sol, tonight's the night I finally do it. All my planning, setting everything up, it'll all be for tonight.

The two of them had spent only two nights in Bilibin, but Isaac was too anxious to wait any longer. He'd made sure that all of his plans for this night would go perfectly. He double-checked to make sure that he'd received consent from everyone who would be involved, for he had to be certain that nothing went wrong. Assuming she said yes, he would finally become Mia's fiancée. That thought alone made his heart leap with joy. He could feel a tornado of butterflies fluttering around in his chest, but nothing would prevent him from making tonight perfect.

"That was such fun, Isaac," said Mia as they exited Lord McCoy's palace. The first item on Isaac's agenda was that they would attend the Sol and Luna Ball, hosted every year by Lord and Lady McCoy. It was an extremely exclusive event, but Isaac had pulled a few strings to receive two invitations.

"Well, Mia, the night's still young. Why don't we take a walk in the park for old time's sake?" he asked, holding out his arm in a gentlemanly manner.

Giggling, Mia took his arm and nuzzled close to him. "Feeling nostalgic, are you? Well, I don't mind. I think it'll be romantic to revisit the place where we first held hands."

Slowly walking towards the park, the two gazed at their beautiful snow-covered surroundings. The skies were clear, and the bright moon shone its pale glow onto the scene, causing the snow to sparkle.

Isaac's gaze slowly turned to Mia while she gazed in awe at the remarkable view. She was wearing a slim, silky, pale blue dress with matching elbow-length gloves. Her hair was done up in a very pretty way that Isaac had never seen before; though he did notice her usual ribbon holding everything in place. On top of it all, she wore the Glittering Tiara he'd won for her in Tolbi a long time ago during their adventure. As always, despite it's rather plain look, Mia insisted on wearing the locket he'd given her; it had become her precious keepsake. She looked radiant, and he knew that he'd never known anyone quite so lovely as the Mercury adept with him right then. Even in his spiffy tuxedo, Isaac could never hope to look even half as good as her, but he knew that Mia was not superficial like that. Besides, he'd been told by a great number of noblewomen at the ball that he looked quite handsome, to whom Mia would thank before kissing him. The thought brought a smile to Isaac's face as the two made their way into the park's entrance arch.

The soft powder danced around Mia's dress, and it almost seemed as if she were hovering slightly: like an angel. Sticking to his plan, Isaac lightly pulled her on the path that led right, the opposite direction from where their bench was.

Slightly confused, Mia asked him, "Huh? Are we not going to our old spot?"

Keeping his cool, Isaac responded to her, "We are, I just wanted to show you something. Besides, the path is just a big loop, anyway, so we're taking the long way to the bench."

"Oh, okay, I suppose that's true anyway. What did you want to show me?" she asked more curiously than confusedly.

"You'll see soon enough," he said, grinning as they continued down the longer path.

As they walked down the path, a peculiar sight met their eyes. Many arches lined the walkway that they were heading down, and each was decorated with white and gold candles and flowers. Mia gasped in surprise when she noticed the beautiful decoration, but Isaac simply smiled. Part one, check.

"I didn't know there was anything like this in the park!" cooed Mia, eyes sparkling as she took in the beauty of the sight.

"I'm sure you're in for quite a few surprises then, Mia," said Isaac. "I want everything to be perfect for you."

Giving him a warm smile, Mia gave his hand a light squeeze as they passed under the numerous arches. Isaac couldn't quite explain how he was suppressing his urge to simply ask Mia to marry him right then and there. She looked so beautiful, yet she was still adorable in the way she gazed all around her surroundings with such wonder. Perhaps he held back because he knew that this was only the first of a few things he had planned for her; if he proposed now, everything else would be for naught.

Exiting the tunnel of light and flowers, the two could hear the romantic melody of violins from somewhere around them. Mia giggled; she had apparently picked up on the fact that he had planned all of this, but still remained oblivious to his exact intentions.

As they continued on their romantic stroll, a sight Isaac was not expecting met their eyes. Nevertheless, he chuckled as they approached the two snowmen on the side of the path. It seemed as though some of the citizens still remembered him from many years ago, as the snowmen seemed to be modeled after he and Mia. One had many flowing blue strings plopped on top of its head, while the other was slightly hunched and holding a stick for support.

"Heehee, looks like those kids left us a little memory," laughed Mia.

"Heh, it's funny that they still remember. That was seven years ago!" chuckled Isaac.

Making their way away from the snowmen, the adepts came upon another familiar sight: an angel statue. Mia quickly turned to him and flashed him a smile, knowing that there was something slightly off about it. Isaac grinned back at her. As they neared said statue, the sound of an angelic choir began to accompany the violins, though all remained unseen.

"Isaac… This is… these are… I can't… how?" Mia stammered, clearly shocked by what she was seeing. Isaac gave her a light kiss on the cheek, but didn't answer her question.

On the angel's outstretched hands were two candles: one of gold and one of blue. It was as if the candles they'd placed there all those years ago had never left. The memory of his embarrassment and nervousness came back to him. It was only through hindsight that he was able to fully understand why he'd been so nervous in that moment: he'd already fallen for Mia. Though he obviously had no idea at the time, she'd managed to find a way into his heart without him knowing.

The candles were not the only things that were different about the statue, however. Surrounding the base, near the plaque, were artistically placed ice roses. Mia had to know that these were not native to the area, but the fact that they were there gave it a stunning effect, and overall it was a fantastic sight to behold.

"I-Isaac," she stuttered, her eyes shining as they reflected the coloured lights, "did you do all of this for me?"

He smiled warmly and quietly said, "Yes, Mia, but we're not quite finished. There's just a few more things I have in store for you." As they began walking away from the statue, the violins and choir began to pick up as if they were building up for Isaac's grand finale.

After another few moments of walking, Isaac and Mia were within sight of the bench. Mia gave a slightly puzzled look, a bit confused by the fact that Isaac had done nothing more than clear the snow off the bench so they could take a seat on it. He, on the other hand, knew that he had saved the best part for last. Sitting down at their final destination for the evening, Isaac finally spoke.

"Mia, what do you see when you look at the stars?"

Somewhat taken aback by his random question, Mia cast her gaze up to the sky to get a look. Isaac used this quick second to remove the small box from his pocket. He could feel his heart start pumping so hard that he was surprised Mia couldn't hear it. The music continued to build, only further pushing him to complete his task.

"Hmm, well, to me they're just pretty lights. Stars are so mysterious, yet they make me feel at ease. The twinkling makes my heart melt, and I can't help but feel a twinge of romantic feelings come over me when I look at them. Perhaps it's because when I look at the stars, I think of you, Isaac."

Smiling, he turned his gaze to her, rather than the stars. "Stars are like that, Mia. They bring out emotions that you wouldn't expect when you look at them. Have you ever wished on a shooting star before?"

"No, I've never been lucky enough to see one."

"Really? Then I'd like you to wish on one now. Now, when our hearts are connected and we can share this special moment forever. Make a wish, Mia."

As if on cue to his words, a burst of light erupted in the sky. A loud boom followed, and Isaac grinned as Mia gasped at the firework. The music picked up even more as subsequent fireworks followed after the first one. Mia, her mouth hanging open due to a loss of words, turned to Isaac. After a few moments she was able to curiously but joyfully ask him a question.

"Isaac, what's going on?!"

Taking a deep breath, Isaac moved a bit closer to her so that he could speak gently. Despite all his planning, he had purposely not prepared what he would say right now, for he felt that the best way for this to happen would be to say whatever his heart told him to in the moment.

"Mia, you once told me that I had made you the happiest girl in the world just by being with you. I wish that I knew the words to say how you make me feel, but words just aren't enough to express my feelings. You saved me, Mia. You've literally saved my life countless times, and you were the one to destroy the darkness that haunted me. When I was hurt, you were always there to heal me, and when I was alone, you were here to stay by my side. You complete me, Mia. I was lost until I found you; always searching for the one I could call my soulmate."

"And now," he continued, "we're here in the place where our innate feelings were first realized. These countless memories of love and happiness began here. I love you, Mia, more than I've ever loved anyone before. I think I've been in love with you ever since our adventure, but I didn't know it. Looking back, I can see that I always had feelings for you, but I was too stubborn to realize them. I wish I had, because you've made my life so much better than I could have ever hoped it could become. No shooting star could ever grant me as much happiness as you have, Mia. Everything tonight was planned for you; the ball, the arches, the music, the fireworks, everything! You mean everything to me, Mia."

Taking her left hand in both his hands, Isaac slowly slid off the bench so that he could kneel in front of her. The colourful fireworks exploded and lit up Mia's face every few seconds. Her eyes were brimming with joyous tears, and her expression was making his heart leap and melt all at the same time.

"I-Isaac…" she managed to stammer out, but it was all she could say.

It was time; it all came down to this. The butterflies had already burst from his chest, and now there was only one thing left to do.

"It's because you mean everything to me, that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't want to imagine a single day without you in my life." Cupping Mia's hand in his, he placed the ring box in her gloved palm with his other hand, and opened the lid. "Mia, will you marry me?"

For a moment there was silence. The music had stopped in preparation for this moment, and it seemed that even the fireworks had ceased at the appropriate time. It wasn't too long before everything seemed to catch up to Mia, though, and before he knew it, she had flung her arms around his neck in her bliss.

"Yes! Yes! Oh, Mercury, Luna, Venus, and Sol, yes, Isaac!" she cried out, joyous tears streaming from her eyes.

Hearing her positive response, Isaac returned her embrace, feeling his own eyes begin to water. Again, on cue, the music started to play, reaching its climactic point, and the fireworks began blasting away like there was no tomorrow. This was a moment that would stay with him forever. Mia pulled him into a kiss, but couldn't keep it going for long due to her unending stream of tears. Instead, the newly engaged couple shared in a great number of little kisses that were equally as fulfilling as a long passionate one.

There was truly nothing that Isaac could compare this to. None of his experiences could possibly amount to his beloved Mia saying that she would marry him. Standing at the lookout bench with his fiancée, and sharing the most romantic moment he could even think of was his utopia. If he could stay in this moment forever, he would. Asking Mia to be his girlfriend had nothing on this. Bigger risks lead to bigger outcomes, and Isaac had just taken the biggest risk of all.

When they finally stopped kissing, Isaac wiped the tears from Mia's face. Slowly, they unwrapped their arms so that he could put the ring onto her finger. Gently removing the glove from her left hand, he slid it on over her ring finger before kissing her fingertips. She marveled at its beauty for a moment before pulling Isaac in for a long kiss. She had stopped crying, so they stayed kissing in the moonlight for quite some time.

Pulling away again, the two looked at the locket hanging around Mia's neck. She clicked it open to reveal the gift from Venus. It glowed with a warm light of blue and gold, illuminating their faces. They looked back up at each other simultaneously, soft smiles appearing on both of their faces. Isaac pulled her close so they could kiss again, feeling the warmth of the heart-shaped jewel pressed against him.

Everything in his life had led up to this point. He was to become a married man with the most beautiful woman in all of Weyard, and no one would stand in his way. He couldn't wait to tell everyone of the spectacular news.

Isaac had never experienced true ecstasy, but he was overjoyed that his first time could be at such an important moment in his life, kissing his new fiancée under the starlight.

I have wanted to write this chapter for SO FREAKING LONG, it's ridiculous. I didn't really know exactly how I was gonna have it all play out, but my mind was set on the idea of Isaac proposing to Mia. Sadly, as you all know, this won't last, even though Mia said yes, so let's just make the best of what we have right now :).

There are two things that I'd like to mention about this chapter.

Regarding the sudden five-year jump, I apologize, but I really had nothing else to write about during those five years that would have been of much relevance. I know it might seem lazy to skip that much time without saying much about what happened, but you have to realize that Matthew and the others are born when Isaac is about thirty-one years old, so I needed a quick way of getting him closer to that age.

Going off of the ending of last chapter, just assume that Isaac started feeling okay before he started telling the story again. I didn't want to write an extra paragraph that would go something like 'Isaac composed himself before calling everyone back in. Tyrell and Karis held hands again, and Isaac continued from where he left off'. Pointless information is pointless.

Anyway, let me know what you guys thought of this lovey-dovey, mushy, fluffy, extremely cheesy chapter. I know that some people (*cough *cough Anri *cough *cough) are going to be devastated knowing that their relationship was going all the way before something happened. I know you have some animosity towards Jenna (honestly, I like Jenna as a character, just not as a partner with Isaac :P), so I'm going to say right now that she has nothing to do with the downfall of Isaac and Mia's relationship. Whenever you call her a witch, I like to pretend that you're just referring to the class that she becomes when she has only two or three Mars djinn lol.

Well, this isn't a cliffhanger, but it should leave people wondering what happens now that they're engaged.

R&R and check out my soundcloud!

-GengaJupite