Author's note: Just my idea of how things could have played out if Alvin had reacted to Balan's story a little worse, with an extra character added in.

I covered my mouth to hide my laughter as best I could as Balan continued his story about Alvin as a kid. It wasn't too hard for me to imagine the mercenary with gold paint all over his face, though I wasn't about to admit that. I didn't fancy how he would react. He scowled and left the room, evidently not able to handle his friends knowing about him as a kid, or actually managing to dig up some dirt on him for a change. I sighed, shaking my head before following him outside, my pale ginger hair being played with by the wind. I wasn't even meant to be with these people, I was supposed to have disposed of them long ago. But, what can I say. Exodus wasn't my favourite group of people, so why was I going to obey orders? I walked up beside Alvin and slouched against a wall.

"You leave the room just because you can't handle a bit of a laugh? Or because of your mum?" He looked at me and I looked at him.

"You wouldn't understand." He said as he looked away. I shook my head.

"Sure sure. Just because you don't know my past means that everything was all fine and dandy for me. I get it," I shook my head, "You seriously need to stop assuming things. My mum was killed in a spirit accident when I was fifteen and my dad and I had a disagreement. I came off better by far. Last time I saw him he was lying in a pool of his own blood." Alvin frowned at me.

"Why is it that I always seem to muck up with people?" He asked, running his hand through his hair. I snorted.

"Listen up, Svent, and listen well, coz I ain't gonna repeat this. There are some things you do not want to remember. For example, I doubt you want to remember what you did to your older brother's cat when you were five years old, and I doubt you would want to remember what your brother then did to you after finding out what you did to his cat. And yet, despite not wanting to remember, you always will. Every night before you go to sleep, these thoughts will haunt you. Like it or not. And they won't stop. Five hours after you go to bed, you will still be thinking 'I shouldn't have dressed Kitty up in a frilly pink dress and danced around the room with him'. There are things that you will regret, things you said, things you did. But worrying about them isn't going to change the fact they happened. It's what you do afterwards that really matters. Will you learn from your mistakes, or will you repeat them? It's all up to you."

"Now I just want to know what your brother did to you after you danced with his cat."

"You see, I'm not going to tell you that. Coz that is even worse than the clover incident, Svent." I said, smiling. He seemed to be slightly more cheered up, and that was enough for me. I was a softy.

"But how do you just forget about it all?"

"I don't. I still lose sleep over killing my dad, despite the fact that everyone told me that the old coot deserved it. I don't believe that for one second. Everyone deserves a second chance. My dad did far worse things than you did, and I still believed he could change."

"Really?"

"Yeah, right up until the moment that he insulted my mum, saying it served her right, getting killed. 'She shouldn't have been down there, it was a restricted area. If she was dumb enough to go in there, then she deserved to die'. I think that was about when I drew my sword and kicked his ass."

"Has anyone told you how violent you are?" Alvin asked, looking at me in concern. I laughed.

"My brother has on many occasions. But I don't see how many people are any better. I mean, everyone else in our group has killed people before. I'm not about to lose any sleep over bring so violent. You shouldn't either," I pushed myself away from the wall and started heading back inside, "And by the way, Svent, you shouldn't find that story embarrassing. You should cherish it, along with every memory you have with your mum. You aren't exactly going to make any more with her. Don't be ashamed of your past. Embrace it."

"I don't see you taking your own advice."

"That is because I'm still having arguments with myself about it. Someday one of me might win, I might follow my own advice. Who knows?" I grinned and skipped off, leaving Alvin to his thoughts. I knew he'd be back to enjoy more 'embarrassing' stories with us. It was up to him when though, and my job was done.