A new commotion began in Radiant Garden only after things finally began to settle down a couple of years after a mysterious man was found. No other person was capable of bringing the young man back from the brink of death than Ansem the Wise and it was he who created a stir within the world. Not only had he given the man a home to live in but, now he was allowing the man to join his prestigious group of scientists.

"Gentlemen, I would like to welcome the newest addition of our group," Ansem the Wise said as he circled around and finally came to stand at the head of the table with his five apprentices already gathered and seated. With a smile, he sat down while ensuring he did not sit on his dark auburn scarf. He had suffered one too many times from nearly choking himself by sitting on the scarf and had finally learned from his mistakes.

"Don't tell me you actually are giving that guy a job here." Ansem sighed as he looked towards the youngest of the group.

"Ienzo, you should be more open towards him. He has the curiosity which all of you possess and he has learned much from my teachings, perhaps enough that with time he could become like myself. But I wish you would simply welcome him to our small. . . 'family'," Ansem replied only to hear a unanimous disgruntled sigh come from the group before him. It seemed things were not going to go as smoothly as he had hoped.

"The guy just gives me the heebie-jeebies." Giving a shake of his head, Ansem heaved another sigh. He had hoped the three eldest apprentices would have been much more understanding than the others. He looked at the others who nodded slowly, agreeing with the other who had spoken. Braig moved from his slumped over position in his char and placed his hands behind his head, hiding the short pony tail that he had started to grow out. "Just let him go off and do his own thing," Braig continued only to give a slight shrug.

"Well, I would have." The group of apprentices grew silent for a moment as they turned towards the door. "However, I feel that I have a better chance here than anywhere else. Master Ansem is the only one who does not avoid me like the plague in this place. But I feel that I belong here – at the very least to repay my debt to Master Ansem."

"Xehanort, I thought I told you to wait until I called for you?" Ansem asked raising a brow towards the young, nearly white haired man.

"My apologies, sir. But I figured it would be best if I came in to assist you. Besides, I was the one who asked you to allow me to work with you. It would not be fair to allow them to criticize you when you are merely doing me a favor out of the kindness of your heart." Ansem merely shook his head slowly as he leaned back in his chair.

"Like it or not, he's here to stay. That's all I have to say about that matter." A groan of sorts came from the group when Ansem declared his decision on the matter final. "You are dismissed for today. That was all I needed to tell you. Consider this day off - bonding time for you gentlemen, if you will. I'm sure you'll get over your 'heebie-jeebies' if you simply speak with the man." Silently the five apprentices rose from their seats and exited the meeting room, not uttering a single word to the new comer as they left. "Xehanort, why aren't you going?"

"I feel as though I'm not welcomed here-"

"They'll get over it eventually. You're a smart man and that's all that really matters."

"Something tells me not. Master Ansem, I was wondering about something," Xehanort said as he sat down at the foot of the table, putting down what papers he had carried with him on the table. "I know it may seem selfish but, is there a way for…me to remember everything? I want to know what happened. Working living here not knowing a thing makes me feel. . .Helpless."

"I don't know," Ansem answered as if he was giving someone a fatal diagnosis. "Xehanort – that's all you know about yourself besides your age and such. Even your name though you seem so unsure about. It seems to take you a while to respond to it, you understand?" Ansem rubbed his chin as he began to think. "I don't know. Maybe it will come back to you on its own," he mumbled. "Or maybe – it is something you shouldn't remember?"

"Why would –" Xehanort stopped himself. It was a well known fact that if there is some sort of trauma a person suffers through that the mind may completely black out and denies access to the memories haunted by the incident, whatever it may have been. "You may be right."

"Go out have some coffee or something. Don't hole yourself up in here, that's my job after all," Ansem said with his usual chuckle and a wave towards Xehanort. "Try to enjoy your days off: You won't be getting too many of them. Try to get to know some people out there too. Maybe then they won't 'avoid you like the 'plague' as you put it."

"I suppose you are correct, yet again, Master Ansem. Have a good day," Xehanort said quietly rising from his seat.

"Same to you! Don't let the others bring you down so much, Xehanort: else you won't last long here." Xehanort closed the door after Ansem's words and looked down at the papers he had in his hands. They were notes about memory loss and recovery attempts that they had tried and all had failed. What was left? There had to be something, right? As he walked solemnly down the hall, he let the papers fall from his hands and into one of the trash bins by which he passed.

He wrapped his hand around the large door handle only to hesitate on the matter of opening the door. There he stood in the ever silent halls, which made a full grown man feel like a mouse due to how tall they were, with the only twinge of comfort he got from this entire world. Yes, here he felt the most comfortable, relaxed, and calm. Finally, Xehanort pulled the door opened and walked outside, the afternoon sun greeting him with its blazing light only for a shadow to fall over him as an innocent white cloud passed in front of the sun. He moved out onto the paved pathway after the large door let out a creak and a thud as it closed, moving into territory that he felt so uncomfortable traveling through.

The shadows crossed the land, the ground was dotted with spots of light where clouds did not blot out the sun, and left Xehanort walking through the darkness. He jerked his head up and looked down every alleyway he passed on his rather long walk. He could never shake the feeling that there was someone out there, possibly watching him and maybe even plotting against him. Everything covered in shadows only made things so much worse for him. He could just tell something was waiting for him to make the wrong move.

Finally though, the smell of freshly brewed coffee reached his nose and distracted him from the alley had looked down last. He raised his head to look forward only to be blinded by the light of the seemingly badly placed hole in the cloth of clouds and after a moment his eyes adjusted to the change of light and spotted the sign before him reading: 'Radiant Café: Home of the Garden's Best Coffee'. The smell was soothing enough that it reminded him of what Ansem the Wise had instructed him to do: get some coffee. Xehanort gave a quiet sigh and a slight shrug and forced himself into the café.

"I've got those heebie jeebies again."

"Oh be quiet over there. You sound so – so – Unintelligent!"

"Both of you hush! I can't concentrate on reading with you guys being so loud."

"Wrong place to be reading then, Dill Pickle."

"What did you just call me?" Dilan lowered his newspaper, raising a brow towards Braig while Even, with his scowl, returned to stirring his coffee.

"Dill. Pickle," Braig said, drawing out both words with his sly grin worn. "As I was saying," he continued giving a fake sniffle. "Heebie. Jeebies." Again, he drew out the words earning himself a roll of the eyes from the dirty blond next to him.

"Stop torturing people, Braig."

"Stop ruining my fun," he pouted, leaning his head backwards and staring at the ceiling of the café, being careful to avoid looking towards the youth that spoke to him. Ienzo kept the lone eye which was not hidden behind his hair fixed on Braig only for a deep and heavy sigh to come from the large man sitting next to the scrawny boy.

"All of you play nice." All eyes shifted over towards large man who simply lowered his head and put it on the table only for mumblings to be heard coming from him.

"Can't hear ya', Aeleus," Braig called finally letting his head drop down to look towards the other apprentice. After lifting his head up, he spoke again:

"He got black coffee. He's a strange man."

"You do realize that if we don't work with him, Ansem will force us to have group projects or something silly like that," Even said quietly.

"I'm not talking to him. The guy's strange."

"See! I'm not the only one picking up on it," Braig grumbled while he folded his arms. "Even the kid picked up on it," he said nodding his head towards Ienzo who had spoken up only to hear the mumblings of Aeleus begin once more. "What?" Braig asked, rolling his eyes though not turning towards the orange-red haired man.

"Hello." The voice made Braig jump.

"He's coming over here," Aeleus said raising his head up even though he knew he was already too late for giving the group a warning as Xehanort now stood near them.

"Hi," Braig said slowly as he looked at the white haired boy standing near him with a styrofoam cup held in hand. "Actually. Pull up a chair and sit." All four other apprentices raised a brow towards Braig.

"Uh. . . Sure, just give me a minute," Xehanort said slowly, caught off guard by Braig. He placed his cup on the table and wandered off to find a chair.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Be quiet, dill pick-"

"Don't call me that. What are you doing?"

"Might as well lay down ground rules and stuff before tomorrow," Braig replied quietly only to have Xehanort return with the chair and place it to his right. "Nice of you to join us. . . Uh. Wait." Braig put a hand to his head, looking as if he were suffering from a migraine as he attempted to think. "Xehort?"

"Xehanort?" The newcomer offered with a confused expression worn. "My name?"

"That's right! Xehanort! See, I knew it," Braig said only to earn a sigh of disapproval from all at the crowded table. "Anyway, let me be the first to welcome you to our group."

"Thank you," Xehanort replied quickly, though his eyes widened somewhat in confusion. "Nice to finally be able to meet you all and actually talk with you for a change."

"Nothing brings people closer together than looking over their medical records."

"You make no sense, Braig," Dilan grumbled from behind his newspaper.

"Who needs sense?" Braig stopped once there was a harsh clearing of someone's throat, drawing his attention towards the youth of the group once more. "What's up?" He asked looking towards Ienzo figuring what he was about to say was going to bring everyone down a notch or so.

"I feel it's rather important that we let him know something instead of fooling him like you are." Ienzo paused for a moment only to sip his tea. "We don't really like you." There was another pause only for mumbling to come from Aeleus who, once again, had his head back down on the table.

"For crying out loud! Pick your head up!" Even yelled, tired of having to listen to Braig and everyone, including himself, tell him to sit up to speak.

"Way to be heartless."