A/N: Well, it's been a while since I posted my last story. A little trouble with work and college last year and falling back into step this semester. I've been working on this for a couple of months and I've got the final draft woo~ (hopefully) I was planning on posting the first and second chapters together so you can meet more people but...the second chapter seems to be taken rather longer and I wanted to see what people thought of the first is, of course, AU.

I need to watch Fullmetal Alchemist so I can get to work on some of those one-shots again.

Remember, I use the Japanese names for the characters. If you're confused at all, I'll post a list of names in a following chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or it's characters, they're owned by Camelot. Everyone knows about the third game now right?

Warning: Shounen-ai later on in the story...alas, maybe a lot later on. I'm going heavy on the story and light on the relationships. (Isaac: *cursing my name somewhere from a mountain top* Ivan: *patsu* Daijoubu, daijoubu...)

Please read and review *bows* *pokes fingers together* I'm really iffy about this story so...go easy on me.

Chapter 1:

A few years ago, Mother had taken ill. There seemed to be nothing we could do to help her, even the best healers were beginning to give up hope that she would recover. The village seemed to have lost all color and emotion. Mother was tired of the village going about as if she'd already died, so instead of lying around, Father carried her out to the small plot of land in the backyard that we could never decide what to do with.

Sitting on a small pillow, she began to dig; planting seeds she had collected from traveling merchants and friends from different continents. She tended to the garden everyday and by the time the first seed sprouted, she was strong enough to leave the house on her own. The healers couldn't explain it; all they could say was the goddesses must have been smiling on us.

Now the garden stretches out in all directions, a myriad of flowers in every shade and color gently swaying in the wind, their fragrance attracting bees from all over the countryside, helping the farmers with their crops. It flourishes in the summer months.

I sit in the middle of the garden and lean back on my hands, relaxing as a cool, salty breeze rolls in from the gulf. I catch a hint of a musical note drifting on the wind from somewhere deep in the village but it floats away before I can make heads or tails of it. I'll hear a similar note later; music fills the village all year round.

Opening my eyes, I glance around, spotting something glinting in the sunlight, hiding within the lush bushes. Rolling over onto my hands and knees, I crawl forward, disappearing into the bushes, grasping for the glittering bit of light. Stretching my fingers out, I finally catch it, frowning in mild disappointment—it's just a bit of morning dew.

"It seems a bush monster has begun eating you, big brother." A timid voice calls softly from behind me and I smile, slipping back through the bushes, branches catching at my shirt and hair.

Sheba is there; the youngest child of a merchant living in our village. Our fathers grew up together and because her father is often away selling the village's wares to towns around Mui, Sheba spends a great deal of time at our house. She even added me to the ranks of her many siblings even though she already has two older brothers.

She smiles softly, the action not quite reaching her emerald green eyes, the thing that's always bothered me about her, her smile never seems sincere, there is always a hint of sorrow and a knowledge that seems to be just beyond her reach.

I sigh, shaking the thoughts away and stand, brushing the dirt from my pants. If something was troubling her, she would tell me. We've grown up together, she tells me everything on her mind, even about the crush she has on the son of one of the traveling merchants, though she rarely gets to see him.

I rest my hands on my hips, watching her, "You're up early. Did your father leave for the Capital already?"

She twirls a strand of hair around her finger absently, "Before the sun rose this morning. Estes and Yves went with him; they want to start an apprenticeship with a blacksmith that Father met last year. We'll have two blacksmiths in a few winters time if their studies go well." She smiles and giggles, "If they don't get lost on their way back, of course."

I start to laugh softly, pausing as something moves just within the corner of my vision. It's Mother, coming around the side of the house; her dark brown hair pulled back into a loose bun, strands escaping the bun and hanging in her face. It isn't like her to go out with her hair so unkempt. The color has drained from her face and panic pulls it tight.

I dash forward, meeting her at the garden's gate, a knot twisting my stomach. I catch her arm as she stumbles, leaning against me and trying to catch her breath as I hold mine, my heart pounding loudly in my ears. Maybe it's nothing, maybe she was worried because I wasn't in the house when she woke up or maybe Sheba's older sister had everyone in the village searching for her since she was out here so early. She's already done it twice; it wouldn't be much of a surprise if everyone fell for it again.

I give her arm a gentle squeeze, "Mom, what happened?" She finally catches her breath, straightening slowly and holding my gaze for a long moment; thousands of emotions swirling in her hazel eyes—fear and sorrow the most prominent. There were dark circles under her eyes and suddenly, it wasn't my mother standing there, it was a stranger, an aging woman that hadn't the strength to keep living. She looked feeble, her body consumed by a terrible secret that she didn't know how to share.

As she watches me, most likely wondering what was the best way to tell me, my heart pounds harder in my chest, the extra blood rushing to my head making me dizzy and I tighten my grip around her to keep my hands from shaking. Just when I think I can't take the silence anymore and start to open my mouth to shout, she speaks.

Her voice cracks with emotion but the familiarity calms me slightly. She lowers her voice, so soft that I can barely hear, "Something has happened with your father…come back to the house." She turns away without another word and looks to Sheba, "Lily is looking for you, hurry on home before she starts to worry."

Sheba looks hurt at first as she glances between us, hating to be left out. She hesitates for a moment before sighing, starting for the gate, brushing her hand along the back of mine, "I'll be back later, big brother." She whispers for only me to hear before looking to my mother, "Bye, Mrs. Mayor."

I turn, starting to watch her make sure she actually goes home but Mother grasps my hand, quickly pulling me into the house, not saying a word as we head up the stairs.

The floorboards creak underfoot as we move up to the second floor, an all too familiar sound. Doors line the hallways, our bedrooms found here—my parents room at the end of the corridor. My heart skips a tentative beat at the sight of the mahogany door separating my parents' room from the rest of the house, a strange pungent air hanging thick in the hall, seeming to cling to the walls.

Ever since I can remember, their door has always been open. Seeing it closed, something about it seems so final…

Mother stops somewhere behind me but curiosity pushes me forward and she doesn't call out to me until I reach the door, moving to grasp the knob. I can hear heavy, unfamiliar boots scraping across the floor behind the door and I pull back instinctively.

"Ivan, you shouldn't go in without being ready for what you'll see…" I swallow, pressing my forehead against the door and close my eyes, not wanting to turn around and see that strange woman again. "Your father returned from his caravan last night while you were sleeping. He looked so tired…much more so than after the previous caravans. So I sent him straight to bed. I didn't think much of it at the time but early this morning…he looked so sickly and his breathing was shallow. I sent for Allen and he's been in with him since the sun rose."

Allen is the best doctor in the western coast of Mui. He isn't sent for unless there is an illness that no one else can cure. I bite down on my bottom lip and turn around slowly to look at her, the hallway starting to spin.

"I'm…not sure he's going to make it, Ivan…"

It's as if someone ripped the floor out from under me. I'm falling deeper and deeper into complete darkness. I can still see Mother's face, hear her calling out to me, trying to comfort me but the pain in that familiar voice, the voice that comforted me for so long, sang lullabies to me every night while growing up, always spoke encouraging words when I didn't have enough confidence to do something on my own…the heartbroken timber made the fall so much worse.

News of my father's condition spread through the village like wildfire and by noon, all music had ceased, even the songbirds seemed to stop chirping. A dismal air blankets the village as if everyone had given up hope that my father would manage to pull through.

Allen also grew up with my father, they traveled around Mui, even sailed the seas together. He wanted to do everything he could to help him. A little before noon, he reported to Mother about Father's condition. He said he's taken ill, victim of an unknown virus that even he has yet to come across in his travels. None of the herbs he's tried thus far have done anything to import Father's health.

Sheba hasn't come by the house since I saw her this morning. I can't blame her though, I haven't been in to see him since my mother told me what happened. Some of the villagers have come by to give their best wishes to my mother and left flowers around the house to try and brighten the gloom.

The sickness's effects are rapid, quickly eating away at Father's body, devouring him from inside out, engorging itself for pure pleasure alone—gluttony, not hunger, fueling its mad desire, breaking down a once proud man. It's even tearing up Mother just to see him.

He's a strong man, even in his twilight years, he's always among the villagers, helping with repairs to roofs after heavy storms, traveling with trade wagons to distant towns and returning with amazing tools and toys that most of the villagers have never seen before in their lives. He's always smiling, laughing and singing with everyone. He's always teaching us about the world around us—he wanted everyone to be curious about the world, he never wanted us to fear it.

He's been so many places, there's no telling where he could have gotten this disease or just how long it would have taken to catch up with him. Allen has exhausted all resources available to him here. He might be forced to give up before the day is over.

A mourning dove sings a somber tune outside and something in my chest begins to break, the contents leaking sorrow throughout my body, turning my blood cold. The longer this drags on, the less chance there is he's going to pull through. I should be in there with him, not hiding out in the hall like a coward.

I push away from the wall and start down the narrow corridor towards the closed door, reaching for the doorknob but as I draw near my legs stop, the door barely within arm's reach. I shift, trying to get my legs to move, straining my fingers towards the cool metal doorknob but no combination of movement works.

Seeing Father slowly withering away in there would be like admitting defeat. This could be the last time I see him alive…I want to remember him as he was…not like this.

I back away from the door quickly, punching the wall and sinking to the floor. No, I can't think like that. What kind of son would I be if I resigned him to this fate and wash my hands clean of the situation?

With a deep breath, I push myself to my feet, steeling my nerves and reaching for the knob again. It turns before I can touch it and the door opens slowly. I step back as Allen appears, framed in the doorway.

His lightly wrinkled face parts into a gentle smile, his pale, watery eyes showing their usual kindness but I can see the exhaustion there. He's doing everything in his power to help Father. "Ivan…I was just about to call for you."

I breathe deeply, shuffling my feet, "Has something happened? Is there anything I can do to help?"

His smile falters and my blood runs cold again. It's all I can do to keep from turning and running out of the house. "You're a smart boy and you're old enough now that I don't have to protect you with petty lies." He sighs, running a hand back through his snowy white hair, "Your father has a very rare disease that can't be treated by herbs found in the west coast. However, I know an apothecary in Lunette…it's a large market town to the north. He's a friend of mine and he keeps an assortment of dried herbs in his shop and more fresh herbs in his garden. If he doesn't have the herbs I need…"

I bite down on my bottom lip, knowing what would happen if this apothecary didn't have what he needed and I don't want to think about that right now. I know what Allen wants me to do but he would never ask out right. Few of us have ever left the village, just the merchants and children who've grown up and moved to bigger towns like Lunette or the Capital. This will be the first time I leave home or thought about leaving.

"Toviel would have me if he found out what I'm asking of you…but right now it's the only way. If you go to Lunette and get the herbs I need, I'll be able to make a potion for him and there's a good chance he'll be able to recover. He's a strong man; he doesn't want to be killed by a disease. Even now his body is trying to fight the disease…he just needs the right weapon to win." He catches me on the shoulder, squeezing gently, "I'm reluctant to ask…because Lunette is different from this village, very different from what you've come to expect from the world by living here. There are dangerous people walking the streets; bandits, cutthroats, thieves, and murderers—that's just the tip of the iceberg. I would go myself, I know how to handle people there but I need to stay and make sure Toviel's condition remains stable. I'll understand if you say no, Ivan, no one would blame you if you did and I'm sure your mother would be happier you don't go."

I smile bitterly, closing my eyes for a moment and pushing his hand from my shoulder, "I know she would worry but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if there was something I could do to help and I didn't just because of the dangers." I shake my head, "I never thought I would leave home…but there's so much I don't know about the world…this could be a chance for me to see more of it and try to understand a little. I'll leave in the morning.

"I think I should get some fresh air…please, excuse me." He nods as I bow and turn away, heading down the stairs and out the front door.

The sun is setting, sinking into the Fateh Gulf, the sky bursting into a vivid orange, seeming to change the whole mood of the little village. I slip my hands into my pockets, tilting my head back and taking a deep breath, leaning back against the side of the house.

Sheba is sitting on a large rock nearby, holding a bundle of picked flowers collected from one of the nearby fields. She looks tired, her eyes red and puffy and she keeps sighing, staring out at the horizon, watching the sun set.

With a sigh, I lean away from the wall, walking over to her, my boots barely making a sound on the grass. I pause when I reach her, sinking to the ground and looking forward, not sure what to say to her at first so I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, "Why don't you go inside?"

She jumps, dropping the flowers and pressing her hands to her chest, as if that will still her panicked heart, "You startled me, big brother." She frowns, glancing down at the flowers as she pulls her legs to her chest, "I don't know…Toviel isn't my father but as mayor, it's like he's father to the whole village…but he really is your father. I can only imagine what it would be like if Daddy got sick…I can't imagine what you're going through right now. It seems like a personal matter…and though I'm sad, I don't want to get in the way."

"Sheba…" I reach over, resting one hand on her head, ruffling her hair, "You're like a member of our family, you're always over…I doubt Father would object to you staying with Mom…she's going to need all the comfort she can get." I frown slightly, pausing for a moment and glancing away, not wanting to look at her, "Especially since I'm going to Lunette."

She pulls away suddenly, blinking at me in shock and surprise, her eyes almost accusing me of something, "You're leaving? Why?"

"Allen said there's an herbalist in Lunette that might be able to help make a potion to cure Father. I'm his son; I can't ask anyone else to go…it wouldn't be fair." I know she's making that face, the one where she puffs her cheeks and furrows her brows, thinking she'll get her way just by looking cute. She often forgets I'm the one who taught her how to use that.

"But…Daddy said Lunette is a bad place…and it's depressing, no one ever sings there…I can't even think about what Aolani would be like if no one sang here…I bet everyone there walks around with a frown on their face." She makes a frown, puffing her cheeks slightly and putting her hands on her hips.

I smile and laugh softly, shaking my head, "Well, we can sing for my father when he's better…once I get back. Sheba, this is really the only option left…I need your support now more than ever." I slip a hand back through my hair, tangling my fingers in the loose strands, "I know that he's old…and that he might not even live for another five years, disease or not…but I don't want him to suffer before…you know…"

"Ivan…"

I bow my head, pressing the heel of my hands against my eyes, "I just want to do everything I can to keep him alive for as long as possible. I know he wouldn't want to die this way…I still have a lot to learn from him." I lower my hands slowly and glance at her, "Do you think I'm handling this well?"

She blinks, tilting her head, staring at the village, watching some of the younger children playing in the town square before she answers, "You handle things pretty well, Ivan…I've known you for a long time and you've always been level-headed, but nothing serious happens here…this is the first tragedy we've met with…in our lifetime, anyway." She stands, smoothing her skirt, "If you're determined, no one is going to stop you from going to Lunette. Everyone would be really sad if Toviel died."

"But…?" I glance at her, raising an eyebrow.

She turns, frowning at me, "You're important too, Ivan. You may not have noticed it, because you're dense but you're a big part of our lives. If something bad happened to you or if you decide you like traveling, we'd miss you a lot. So you have to be careful while you're out there, okay?"

She steps over to me, leaning down and slipping her arms around my shoulders, "Just don't get too comfortable traveling…at least wait a couple of years before you decide to leave home."

I sigh, smiling softly and pressing my forehead against her shoulder, wrapping my arms around her back for a moment before grasping her arms gently and pushing her away, "You don't have anything to worry about. I like being here more than anywhere else."

"That's just because you've never left home before." She puffs her cheeks, folding her arms across her chest for a moment before she smiles, sitting down again, "I'll stay with your mother while you're gone so you don't have to worry about her too." She leans against me, hugging her legs to her chest.

"Thank you, Sheba…" I wait with her until the sky begins to shirt to a pale purple, the sun beginning to disappear along the horizon, "You should head home, it's getting dark."

She's too tired to protest like she usually would. She stands and stretches, mumbling a goodnight as she heads down the hill, pausing at the bottom and turning around, waving her arms in the air in a sudden burst of energy, "Remember to come back."

I shake my head, smiling softly and waving back to her, going inside when she finally started for home. With a sigh, I move past the flowers and head upstairs to my room.

Mother's been keeping a watchful vigil over Father, refusing to leave his side for anything and barely touching the food brought to her. We have to beg her before she'll eat even a little bit. If this continues, she might really wither away with him.

Outside the sky fades from a pale purple to a deeper one, early starts slowly pinpricking the velvety sky and warm light from fireplaces are flickering inside the many cottages, families gathering around them for dinner. Normally we would be doing the same, especially with Father back from the caravan.

I sigh, sitting on the cushioned windowsill, pushing the window open and lean back against a pillow, letting the cool night air flow into the room. I close my eyes, tilting my head back, resting it against the wall and humming softly. A lullaby I hadn't heard since I was little. Mother would sing it to me whenever I had a nightmare.

A peaceful quiet blankets the little house, the notes from the song almost a physical force, like a mother rocking her child to sleep. My body relaxes, the song soothing me better than any words of comfort ever could. I slip down the wall until my head hits the pillow, letting the wind carry the last note of the lullaby away.

Drums stir me from slumber and I sit up slowly, my head swimming. There's a bonfire in the square, large shadows dancing around the square, shooting across cottages. I can hear familiar voices singing loudly, it isn't the usually cheerful singing, but not completely sad at the same time.

Is it a festival? No one said anything about one. Why would they have one now?

A light tap comes at my door and it opens slowly creaks open, my mother appearing there with her hair down, dressed for an outing. She smiles at me gently and I sigh, smiling back at her. "I heard you singing, little nightingale."

She crosses the room, pushing my bangs away from my face, studying me for a long moment. Her eyes glitter in the firelight and she looks like she wants to say a million things but can't voice them. She finally sighs, glancing away, "Allen told me what you've planned to do…going to Lunette for your father." She sits down across from me, leaning against the opposite wall and glancing out the window, watching the villagers dancing, a faint smile teasing at the corners of her lips.

"When did you become so brave? It feels as if you were just a baby yesterday…crying at the top of your lungs, wanting someone…anyone to hear you…pay attention to you and love you. Now…you're already a strong young man…ready to leave home for your family without a moment's hesitation…"

I look away, frowning, my heart thumping hard against my chest, "I'm not brave…I'm scared out of my mind…I'm not ready for Dad to die…not yet, not like this. I'm just being selfish…maybe I'm just doing this so I won't be here when he—."

"Hush, Ivan. You're letting your emotions sweep you away." She rests a hand on my knee, "You've made your decision and you should stick to it. I don't want you to leave…I want you to stay here where it's safe…there's so much bad in the world and you're not ready to see it. Your father wanted to keep you here…but we both knew that you would want more from life than our little village could ever offer you…

"There's something we've been keeping from you…for so many, many years…but I'm not ready for you to know yet. Your father should be the one to tell you…" She sighs softly, shaking her head and looking at me, "Forget I said that for now…it's not important. Ivan, you would do this even if you weren't forcing yourself…and I don't believe that you are. I know you'd leave no matter what anyone tells you now."

"Mom…"

She smiles, taking my hand and standing, "Everyone has gotten together to throw you a farewell party, you can't let their hard work go to waste. But only for an hour, you need your rest for tomorrow." I smile softly; shaking my head and holding onto her hand, letting her lead me away like I'm still a small child. She's forcing herself for me; I have to keep my head held high for her at least.

The sun starts to rise over the hill, pale light creeping across the field until it reaches the little town, waking villagers one by one. A songbird lands in the nearby peach tree, singing loudly, rudely tearing me away from my dreams and I blink, slipping off my bed, reaching for the sheets, my fingertips brushing against them briefly before I hit the floor with a thud.

I groan, letting my arms slump to the floor. I don't even remember going to bed. The party lasted more than an hour. A lot of the villagers wanted to wish me luck, even Sheba was there, her sister following her around the square, insisting she go to sleep.

I sigh, staying on the floor with my feet hanging in the air. I blink, tilting my head back. The door is open, Mother standing there and smiling gently, holding her hand to her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter. There are bags under her eyes, she must not have gone to sleep after the party last night but at least something can still make her laugh.

I turn over, sitting up and running a hand back through my hair. There's a bag sitting at her feet and her smile softens, "I have your things packed…and here's a map, just follow the path marked and it will lead your straight to Lunette—it's your father's personal map he made while exploring Mui when he was young…"

I stare at the bit of rolled parchment in her hands as if it's the most important thing in the world. A map that Father made…I'd seen it before, hanging framed in his study. She walks over to me, leaning down and pushing it into my hands, "He wanted you to have it, and even if he wanted you to stay here with us…he knew how curious you were…you were always pretending to go on adventures, exploring every nook and cranny of the village, always getting underfoot."

She laughs softly, "Who knows…you might even add things to the map…Mui is alive, it's always growing…and it will always continue to grow by the grace of the goddesses." She sighs, straightening and closing her eyes. When she speaks again, her voice is grave, "Ivan…there's something you need to remember while you're out there, whatever you do, do not sing."

"Why not…?"

She shakes her head, "It's too complicated to tell you now…I don't want you worrying about that as well…just get to Lunette and come home safe…" She smiles, "Get ready…you have to leave soon if you're going to cover a lot of ground before nightfall."

I stand, setting the map on the bed gently and crossing the room to the sink, washing my face. I can feel her eyes on me as I lean against the edge of the sink, droplets of water dripping from my hair. "Mom, is it really so dangerous out there?"

She sighs, hugging her arms and glancing out the window, "There are a lot of bad people out there…people who want what others have, people who just thrive on the pain and suffering of others…but there is still good out there too…I hope you meet kind people while you're out there." She turns, lifting the small pack from the ground, "There's everything that you're going to need in here. Allen also has a list of the herbs that he needs for your father, just give it to the apothecary when you arrive, he won't ask any questions after that."

I pull a clean shirt over my head, shrugging on an old jacket with patches on the elbows; Mother had to sow them on after I tore the jacket falling out a tree. I walk over and force a smile, rummaging through the pack to distract myself, trying to ignore my shaking hands.

I'm nervous and excited and nauseous, maybe more nervous than anything else. Thieves and murderers roaming the streets freely in Lunette and I have to go there alone with no idea just where this apothecary was.

A hand wraps around my wrist and Mother pulls me down, kissing my forehead, "You're going to be just fine. Just look like you know what you're doing and be careful who you talk to."

I smile, tilting my head and sighing, "Yes, Mom…"

-Continued in the Second Chapter of the Book of Mui-

Alex: That sucked. I totally wasn't in it.

*back-hands* Want to not be in it at all? *huffs* No, we all know I love Alex. Anyway, I have some useful links for the readers!

*bows*