As the summary said, this is an AU. That means that I basically just hi-jacked whatever things I wanted from Golden Sun, and placed them in a different reality. If it doesn't suit your tastes, click the backwards-button. This is also going to be yaoi, a man-man relationship, so...y'know... backwards-button if you don't like that either.

I'm almost sure that this plot is really similar to a movie I've seen... which name I have forgotten, but yeah. If you notice that the plot is similar to something else, it's probably because it is.

I made Piers French, and the translations for his French... will actually not be provided, since I figure that it's pretty clear what he says anyway. If there's any longer sentances, I will translate them for easier reading at the bottom of the page. If you think this is bad or weird, please say so and I'll translate everything. Babelfish is the one providing the French, so I cannot assure you just how accurate the language will be...

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun, or this plot (I think).

As per costume, since this is an AU, they might (read as probably will be) OOC to some degree, despite me trying to keep them somewhat in character.

"You do not dive in the shark tank! You could've gotten seriously hurt, not to mention that you could've died!" A strained, furious voice cried, and the sound came from somewhere around the stairs, leading up to the deep pool that contained one of the world's deadliest creatures. "What were you thinking?! Fou!" And after that came a string of French curses, some so inventive that they surely only now saw the light of day.

Alex frowned slightly, and tugged a few strands of pale blue hair behind his ear. It was far too early for this sort of commotion. The Marina Zoo wasn't even open yet. Still, the voices continued to argue.

"I'm sorry! I told you, I didn't know!" Another voice, by the sound a bit younger than the other and, by the sound of it, frightened beyond reasonable doubt, piped up.

"You didn't know?! You didn't know it was a bad idea to swim around with three sharks, three carnivores, before they had anything to eat?!" The first voice shrieked, and Alex was sure he heard the speaker sight in irritation. "Didn't you learn anything in school?! Do you have any idea how much you looked like seal, ready to get shredded and mauled into breakfast?! Merde!"

"I thought it was the dolphins' pool, I said I was sorry! You dive into the pools all the time!" The younger pitched his voice higher until it was a piercing whine, and Alex picked up his pace when he realized that the particular persons standing by the stairs were two of his employees.

A young man with a caramel toned tan rolled his eyes and let his hands fall to his sides in a motion so exhausted and annoyed that Alex had to smile. It wasn't very often he saw the Frenchman this mad. Although he would probably do best in ignoring that fact, and concentrate on the other male standing on the other side of the stair, clad in a wetsuit. He looked completely livid by now and, as the owner and as the employer of the two, Alex felt that now might be a good time to intervene.

"Ah, what is going on here, Piers? Shaun?" He walked over to them, making sure he didn't slip on the wet tiles leading up to the staircase and the gate where a sign saying 'No admittance! Personnel only.' hung. "Is there a problem?"

"Axel, I didn't think you'd be here this early." The tanned young male, the one addressed with the name Piers, turned to smile at his boss. He then turned his, surprisingly yellow, eyes to the other man, now fidgeting and fumbling with the zipper of the wetsuit. "Shaun dived into the shark tank. Luckily, I was in time to haul him up before they decided to take a test-bite. Mon dieu..." He sighed yet again, and all the anger evaporated, leaving only fatigue and exasperation. Only now did Alex realise that Piers was drenched in water that made his turquoise hair stick to his face and soak the ground he stood upon.

The younger man, a newly recruited youth straight from school, glared at Piers. "Sir, I explained it to him already! I thought it was alright, since he-" He jutted a thumb in Piers direction, who eyed Shaun carefully. "-dives in the tanks all the time! How should I've known he hadn't fed them already?" The youth huffed and glared at the Frenchman who had occupied himself with trying to wring out the water from his long hair.

Alex sighted and ran a hand through his own ice-blue hair, while checking his watch. "Hm, 08.45 already. This'll have to be taken care of quickly, if I want time to fix everything else for tomorrow..."

Out loud he said: "Piers, would you come with me for a moment?" At the sight of his employee casting a nervous glance at the sharks, he rolled his eyes. "The fishes will be fine, Piers. They'll survive without food for another fifteen minutes, so come with me to my office please."

He begun to walk, not bothering to look back and check if Piers followed him or not. He knew the foreigner wouldn't disobey him, and at that thought, he let a smirk tug at his lips. Everything was going to work out just as long as he played his cards right. Only one more thing... "Shaun, why don't you join us?"

He let his thin lips form the already initiated grin as he heard the surprised and terrified squeak from behind him, and he let it stay in place even as Piers walked up alongside him. He sensed the other male had something to say, judging by the way he unconsciously chewed on his lower lip. It was a habit of his that Alex had picked up on years ago, and something Piers only did when he was unsure of what he was going to say. Instead of waiting for the Frenchman to instigate a conversation, Alex tilted his head slightly to look at the other man. "What is it?"

Piers met his eyes briefly and then looked away again. "Don't be mad at him, Alex. I... I overreacted I suppose, but don't..." He smiled apologetically at his superior. "Just please don't yell at him. He's a good kid."

Said 'good kid' swore loudly behind him as the zipper of the wetsuit caught in the fabric. Alex merely shrugged and turned his eyes forward again. "Don't worry, my friend. I won't."

They walked into the main building and took the elevator to the second floor, entering the office of the Marina Zoo where a secretary, with her dirty blonde hair collected in a messy bun high up on her head and a pen absently tucked behind her ear, sat and ticked off various papers and occasionally signed her name with a quick, well-practiced flick with her hand. She looked up as the trio walked out of the elevator and greeted her superior with a nod. "Good morning, sir. The new food-orders are ready to be signed after I've checked them. I'll be done in a minute."

Alex glanced at her and nodded courtly, and walked into his own, private room. Piers however paused and smiled at the woman by the desk. "Morning Menardi. Everything in order?" He stepped aside so that Shaun could walk into Alex office as well, the boy still trying to jerk the zipper from the fabric.

"You know me. It has to be in order; otherwise I'd get a heart attack. You're dripping all over the floor by the way. What happened?" The secretary answered while carefully pulling her papers away from Piers vicinity. She looked questioningly at him with rust coloured eyes, and motioned at Alex door which still stood ajar and at his clothes that, due to being soaked through and through, were clinging to his body.

Piers shuffled on his feet. "It's ah-"

"Piers, please. Sometime today would be nice." Alex voice drifted through the door.

The Frenchman shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Long story. Maybe later."

She smiled at him calmly, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary (which in all honesty, wouldn't be far from the truth. The Marina Zoo was the strangest place she'd ever worked in), and Piers jogged into the office and closed the door respectfully behind him.

Alex sat by his desk, looking at something he just had pulled from the pocket of his suit, but looked up when he heard the click of the door. He waved a hand to a chair on the opposite side of the desk, motioning for Piers to sit down beside Shaun, who'd already taken his place in another chair.

"Alex, it wasn't that bad... I'm sure he just wasn't aware-" Piers begun, but trailed of as Alex raised a hand.

Alex smiled pleasantly, lowering his hand again. "I'm sure you're right, and I won't ask what he possibly could've been thinking when taking a dip at-" He made a point at looking a little too closely on his wristwatch. "-well, sometime around 08.30. And I won't ask why he did that by that time, when the animals perhaps hadn't been fed, since I, to be honest, have no idea what you do at this time in the morning. I am merely the owner of the Marina Zoo; I do not take care of the daily routines. That is what I hire you to do, isn't that correct?" He kept his voice polite and calm, loving the way the young man squirmed in his seat.

"This was, after all, a good way to start off the morning..." He thought wickedly, while letting his fingers play with the pencil on his desk, spinning it lazily back and forth.

"Sir, I didn't know-" Shaun begun but quickly snapped his mouth shut, so fast that Alex could hear the youths teeth click together, when Alex cleared his throat.

"I'm certain you have a perfectly valid excuse for this, and I want you to know that you're forgiven." He smiled at the fidgeting boy, who relaxed visibly. Alex let his eyes flick over too meet with a pair of yellow ones for a second, and he let his smile widen when he saw the disbelieving, but also grateful look in Piers eyes. Ah, the Frenchman was just too kind-hearted for his own good, even if he'd know Alex for a long time.

Shaun's face split up in a grin of relief and gratitude. "Thank you, sir! You won't regret-"

"Although, it saddens me to say that you're fired." Alex continued with a voice clear of any kind of remorse, choosing to ignore the young man's rambling of praise entirely. "If you would be so kind to clean out your locker, you could pick up all the papers needed at Miss Snow's desk and be on your way before we open." He had to restrain his tone voice from being laden with almost childish glee, as he saw Shaun's face crumble into a mess of confusion and horror. He kept his smile as he heard Piers chocked gasp, and he waved a hand gracefully at the door. "The door is right over there."

"But, sir! I need this job, I swear I won't do anything like that again! Just don't-" Here, much to Alex amusement, the youth actually whimpered and clumsily tried to straighten in the chair. "Don't fire me, sir!"

Alex made a show of thinking about it seriously for a moment, still playing idly with the pencil. He still smiled as he looked into Shaun's eyes (which had started to water up, and Alex had to stifle a laugh). "Mr. Fletcher, I'm sure you need this job. But you see, I have no need for you. There must be other marine-biologists out there who, in contrast to you, can tell the difference between a shark and a dolphin and would be willing to work here." He motioned for the door again, stealing a quick glance at Piers who sat frozen in his seat, jaw slack and eyes wide. Poor, kind-hearted and caring Piers. He fixed the stuttering male with his hard gaze again. "Off you go then Mr. Fletcher." His tone held a cold and final ring to it and, if he remembered correctly, no-one hadever dared to oppose him for very long after he'd decided that enough was enough and that the show had to carry on. And right now, he'd decided that this was as much fun he'd get from this situation and that the show in question, without a doubt, had to go on.

And indeed, to Alex immense delight, Shaun fumbled his way out of the chair and stood up, with his jaw slack and mouth hanging open slightly as if he was about to say something but couldn't figure out how to work his tongue around the words, and slowly begun to toddle over to the door. It looked almost like he moved in slow-motion and Alex found it incredibly funny to notice that Shaun still hadn't figured out how to worm his way out of the wetsuit. Well at the door, the man turned his head and looked expectantly at both Piers and him, but the hope Shaun's face held collapsed into desperation and grief as the man realised that there was no second chances and no consolation to be had. Silently, he opened the door and walked out with his brown eyes fixed at the floor, flinging drops of water all around him as he raised a hand to furiously rub at his reddening face. The door closed in his momentum, and Alex sighted contently. Easy come, easy go.

"Alex… you said you wouldn't be too harsh on him. Wasn't that…far beyond too harsh?" Piers said slowly, as if he still tried to come to terms with what just had transpired.

"I only said I wouldn't yell at him, and true to my word, I never raised my voice." Alex said and gave the pencil a flick with his fingers so that it swivelled frantically across his desk. He raised his eyes to calmly look at the Frenchman and to judge whether this situation needed to affect his coming, eh… business-proposal. He deemed it so, and worked a small, comforting smile onto his thin lips. "Don't look so crestfallen, my friend. You've got nothing to be sorry about."

Piers eyes met his briefly before he averted them to his hands that lay clutched in his lap. "You could've been nicer…" He sighted and ran a hand through the mess or wet turquoise hair. "Sometimes I wonder how we ended up being friends. You're an ass Alex Mercury, just for your information."

"What fun would it be to be nice?" At Piers disapproving look, Alex just smirked. "You know you wouldn't be able to live without me Piers, and that's just for your information."

"And that's literally and figuratively speaking, and he knows it damned well. But as naïve as he is, he wouldn't ever think I'd try to fool him, after all; we're friends." And with that sardonic thought in mind, he might've felt his smirk widen, and he might've seen how the Frenchman (probably unintentionally) squirmed a little in his seat.

Piers looked up at him, seemingly more relaxed and a small smile played in the corners of his mouth. "You're impossible, but what you say is true. Now, before I catch a pneumonia that I wouldn't be able to afford curing, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

Alex leaned back into his chair, the soft leather that clad the back pillow groaning a bit when he put a little more weight on it. He'd been reciting this speech last night and, if he knew Piers as well as he though he did, his friend would swallow the story hook, line and sinker. It wasn't for nothing that Alex had gotten an A in drama class.

Mentally, he already had begun his victory dance. "Ah, yes… I'm sure you know that, with the economic depression and the decline, minimal as it might be, of visitors and all, the Zoo's finances are, well…a bit shaky you could say." He waited until he saw Piers nod reluctantly, and then started again. "Mind you, it's not like we're going into bankruptcy, but it's hard to keep our nose above the water so to speak. And I wouldn't dream of lowering the standards for the animals. That would only be cruel." The animals were a soft spot for the young Frenchman, and Alex knew how to exploit it.

"And… what can I do to help? I can't see how I could be of any assistance Alex, even though I'd do anything to help out." Piers said solemnly, looking as distressed as Alex had expected him to.

The pencil that danced between Alex fingers did a little pirouette as the owner of the Marina Zoo faked a concerned look. "I know you would, and I can't tell you how grateful I am for you working here with your… erhm, not very high pay-check. But… " He eyed the tanned male carefully, weighting his options. Should he tell him now or should he wait? Judging by the attentive and worried look the Frenchman's face donned, now would be an excellent time. He replicated an embarrassed sigh and pretended to focus his attention on the pencil in his hand. "It's… it's hard for me to ask this of you Piers…"

Said man leaned forward ever so slightly in his chair. "Alex, I mean it. I owe you a lot, if not more than a lot, so if there's anything I could do…"

That was a good response, and Alex could swear he heard a triumphant laugh from somewhere inside his head. To make the effect of what he was going to propose to Piers even more dramatic, he decided to go off-topic for a little while. "An old… well, friend wouldn't exactly be the right word for him, but it'll do for now, is coming to visit the Zoo tomorrow. He's not really one of my favourite persons to spend time with, but…" He paused theatrically paused and exhaled heavily. "He's got a rather large sum of money, this man. And he's about to gain even more."

Piers raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you knew… what do you call them in English? Hotshots? What's wrong with him?"

At the chosen word, Alex laughed in earnest. "I guess you could call him that, just not to his face please." He turned serious again and rested his chin on his entwined fingers, the pencils spinning slowly coming to a halt. "He lied to me once, before I'd met you Piers. He actually tricked me and got away with quite the amount of money too." He shook his head slightly when Piers opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something. "I know it sounds strange, but we actually settled our quarrel and we… we act civil around each other at least."

Piers frowned. "Why would he visit you now then? And, if you don't mind the question, what does he have to do with the Zoo?" There was no trace of disbelief in his voice, only worry and confusion.

"Piers…you make this too easy. You've made it easy for years…"

"That's the thing, the core to it all, my friend. He's looking for a marine-biologist to aid him and his team with their research, and when he approached me with the question if I by any chance knew of anyone that fit his description, I told him that I did. I told him that I knew a young man named Piers Lemúrìan that would be delighted to work with him." He took the widening yellow eyes as a sure sign to continue. This was, after all, the most crucial part of his plan. "Piers… I'm almost ashamed for asking this of you, but if you accept the offer he's going to give you tomorrow, you'll be able to help me more than you could ever imagine." He looked up at Piers, his face the pure epitome of hopefulness and desperation.

"Alex… how could I…why would that help the Zoo? Not that I'm not grateful, I really really am but how…" The young Frenchman trailed off, his voice bewildered and his eyes sought for answers in Alex own.

"This is going to sound preposterous to you, and believe me I'm not keen on going through with this either, but from where I stand, this might be our only hope to save the Zoo. If you accept the offer, you'd be let into a tight-knitted group of researchers and their organisation. And if you do that and get close to this… hotshot as you called him, you might…" He deliberately trailed of into a sigh.

"I…I might what, Alex?" The question was timid.

"You might get into their finances Piers." Alex said calmly, already expecting the gasp that came from the marine-biologists mouth. "If you could do that, I might be able to take back what that man stole from me, after all this time."

"That would be stealing Alex! I couldn't... we couldn't do that, it's illegal! It would-" Piers upset and shocked rant was interrupted when Alex reached over and put his hand lightly over his mouth.

"Technically, it would be taking back what's rightfully mine." He withdrew his hand again and picked up the pencil again. "But I would never ask you to do this if I wasn't desperate, and I would never make you do this if you're uncomfortable with it, so I'm asking you… as the owner of the Zoo…" He paused again, and let his eyes lock with Piers golden ones. "As your friend…"

Piers was obviously distressed and very taken aback by the suggestion. "Alex…I don't… I just don't think it's a good idea-"

A knock on the door cut him off and a female voice drifted through the wood. "Can I enter, sir? The papers are all in order, you just need to sign them."

Alex glanced at Piers, who looked troubled and deep in thought, and then answered his secretary. "Yes, come in Miss Snow."

The door opened and Menardi walked in, her high heels making a clicking noise as she walked across the floor, and she stopped by the desk with a curious but subtle glance at Piers. She put the neat stack of papers on the desk and stood back as Alex swiftly looked through them.

"Thank you Miss Snow." Alex nodded at her and she smiled back. "Would you kindly notify me if Mia calls? I'm expecting to hear from her sometime today."

"Of course, sir." She bowed her head and left the room, with a last quick peek at the frowning young man in the chair in front of her employer's desk.

Alex stayed quiet and pretended to look through the papers he'd been given, and made sure to furrow his brow once in a while and sigh once or twice. When he finally put the papers down, he sagged his shoulders and signed at the bottom of the document that displayed the cost of the new order for animal-food. And, ever so sneakily, did he make sure that Piers undoubtedly could see the hefty price from where he sat. Alex put, what looked like an understanding and sorry, smile on his lips and reached over to squeeze Piers shoulder in a comforting manner. "I'm sorry I asked that Piers, please don't think about it anymore. I'll… I'll work something out somehow, so go back to work and forget I ever said anything." He pulled away and saw the look in Piers eyes.

"Gotcha' my little friend."

Alex pretended not to notice the look he got from the marine-biologist, but started to collect the papers he'd signed instead. "I'll tell my friend tomorrow that you weren't able to make it, and that you send your apologies." He laughed, and faked a tone of underlying sorrow in his voice. "Weren't you worried about the sharks? They must be hungry by now."

The glance that Piers cast on the documents were proof enough that he'd seen the bill for the food, and that he, at least subconsciously, had made up his mind. Alex had to force himself not to smirk as the blue-haired male started to bite his lip. This time though, Alex decided to wait until Piers said what he'd known Piers would say all along.

"…Is there really no other way?" The question was resigned, a tone rarely heard in the man's voice.

Alex put on a mask of surprise. "I told you not to think about it anymore. I'll figure something out… it might not look good right now, but surely things will work out-"

"Will it…affect the animals? Tell me the truth Alex."

Alex grimaced. "I can't promise you anything… we might have to cut the budget a bit… we might even have to sell some of them, but I won't allow them to come to harm."

"I'll… I'll do it. Or… I'll try to." Piers kept his eyes glued on his hands and the uncertainty was clear in his voice, but Alex knew better.

"What? No, my friend, no. I couldn't-" Alex kept his voice sounding as if he was surprised, but in the back of his mind he'd already uncorked the champagne and was on his way to toast to celebrate his victory.

Piers met his eyes, determination shining through the uncertainty in the yellow irises. "I'll do it for the Zoo and the animals, Alex. I meant it when I told you I'd do anything. I'll do it for you, because I owe you that much. And for what you did back then…" His lips quirked upwards in a wavering smile. "I have to pay you back sometime; otherwise I'd be one lousy friend. Besides, as you said, it's technically just taking back what's yours anyway." He laughed shakily and stood up in front of the desk.

Alex too rose from his chair and didn't have to fake his grateful smile this time, since his juvenile glee of getting things his way was far too powerful to keep from his appearance. "Piers… you have no idea how much this means to me. To the Zoo. To everyone who works here."

The young man in front of him shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. "Alex, please understand that I won't… I can't promise any results or that I'll succeed, but I'll try. That, I can promise." Piers looked up with badly hidden curiosity. "Who is this person anyway?"

"Oh, I think you've heard of him. He's been highlighted by media for some time now. Do you know of the Atlantis research, financed by the Anemos fund?" Alex asked lightly, as if only talking about the weather.

Piers eyes however, widened considerably. "The Atlantis research?! They're professional investigators and scientists! Alex, there's no way I could ever fit into that kind of team! They're the top of the field"

Alex snorted. "Don't sell yourself so short. Felix seemed satisfied with your education and your grades."

"You're not talking about… the head-archaeologist of the team are you? Felix-" The Frenchman started to look a little unsteady on his feet as he stared unbelievingly at his boss.

"Yes, I think I am. His name is Felix Newvale, archaeologist and leader of the Atlantis team. The 'hotshot' I made an acquaintance of a long time ago, and the man who got away with fraud." Alex said fluently, and studied Piers with mild concern. It wouldn't do any good if the young man fainted in his office…

"Alex… he's famous and rich, while I'm nothing! He won't hire me!"

Alex smiled reassuringly. "I might've spiced your references up a bit. And don't worry about the rich and famous bit. I've… taken care of a few things, so it won't be a problem." He nodded at Piers. "Let me do all the important talking tomorrow, and you'll see that everything will work out. Now, off to work with you. We're opening in forty minutes."

That seemed to wake Piers up, and he pivoted around to look at the clock that hung on the wall. "Merde! I didn't realise she was this much!" He started to walk towards the exit and Alex sat down again, but before opening the door, Piers turned around with confusion written all over his face. "What do you mean by 'taken care of a few things' Alex?"

Alex just shrugged, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the trusting Frenchman. "You'll see tomorrow, my friend. I promise you that everything will be fine. You'll save the Marina Zoo, Piers. But you'll have to hurry if you want to have any animals left to save. They're probably starving right now."

Piers snorted, but rushed out with a last glance at the clock and disappeared from Alex sight as he closed the door behind him.

At the desk, made by dark mahogany, Alex sunk further down in his seat and revelled in the smell of old leather that the chair smelled faintly of.

"Not a bad morning at all…"

And he did nothing to stop the chuckle that rose from the back of his throat, that eventually evolved into a low victorious laughter, but simply picked up the pencil again and started to choreograph its rickety and twirling dance across the papers he'd signed a few minutes ago. He was a master of minds, that he was sure of. A puppeteer who took the utmost care of his living puppets, who trusted him inexplicably.

"Oh, Piers… and Felix too for that matter. You won't even know what hit you, and when you figure it all out, I'll be long gone."

So... uh... yeah. How strange was it? The chapters will sometimes change their perspectives somewhat, so not everything will be read from Alex side. Next will actually be Piers, and he will be the main one through this story. Please review, it's always so very appreciated. Thank you for reading.