Everyone had gone to sleep in their assigned rooms a little while ago. Lea was told to sleep in another room from the one in the lab, to leave Isa peace to rest without the quizzes from Lea. His room was at the end of the corridor beside an empty room, which he assumed was where Isa would sleep, and across from Braig's room. He wanted to ask him more about what they were hiding but he knew he probably would ignore him.
It was around 3am and Xehanort woke in his chair because of Isa stirring. He looked like he was having a nightmare because he was tossing and turning. That couldn't be good for his stitches. Xehanort stood over the boy and held him still, but he kept struggling and shivering. Tears were running down his face and Xehanort could not take it anymore. He gently climbed halfway into the bed and held Isa close to him in a hug. He climbed fully into the bed, wrapped the covers around Isa and hugged him. Slowly the boy calmed down and returned to being peaceful. Xehanort was about to leave but when he moved, Isa began to shiver violently again. He held the boy close to keep him warm and still. He removed his lab-coat and covered himself with it and drifted off to sleep.
Lea wandered the hallways of Ansem's castle, wondering how to get to the lab again. He needed to see Isa to make sure he was okay. He had to hear it from him. He entered the lift and looked at the various buttons. He tried to remember what floor the lab was on. This was floor four, and it was definitely above that. He remembered waiting in the lift for quite a long time so he guessed the lab was above floor 7. 9! It was definitely 9! He slammed the button and shivered at the strange feeling of the lift raising. When the door opened he was greeted with a long corridor. He crept quickly down it and recognised the large door at the end. This was the lab. He carefully pushed the door open far enough for him to sneak in as he whispered his friend's name. There was no answer so he screwed his eyes up to see through the darkness that had captivated the room. He touched his way to the bed in the corner where he saw the outline of a figure. Wait, was that two figures? He leaned over the sleeping figures and realised his friend was there, but with Xehanort. Lea was completely confused. He was then startled by a figure at the door, who allowed the light from the corridor into the pitch black room.
"Lea, come here," demanded the voice in whispered tones. Lea obeyed and saw that the voice was in fact Ansem the Wise. He closed the door behind them and walked with Ansem through the corridor, back to the lift. "Now, young man, why may I ask are you wandering the halls at this hour?"
"I'm sorry, sir, I just wanted to see Isa," Lea sulked.
"Now Lea, Isa needs his rest right now. That's what Xehanort said anyway," Ansem told. "But I wonder what is taking the boy so long to recover. He looked fine when I saw him. Not a scrape on him."
"I know, I know that Xehanort wants him to rest, but he seems to be exempt from his own rules," Lea mumbled.
"Wait, what? What do you mean when you say that?" Ansem puzzled.
"Oh, uh nothing," Lea sighed. "Just stupid, is what it is."
"Thank goodness for that. I was beginning to think my apprentice was getting up to somthing… again," Ansem, taking a minute to look back.
"Again? What did he get up to last time?" Lea asked cautiously. "Please tell me."
Ansem chuckled, "You're a determined one, you are. Very well. At first when he turned up he acted fine. I'm saddened to say that I conducted experiments on him. He was eager to find his memories. A few days later I caught him using a corridor of darkness in the lab. I've warned him not to use them, but he won't listen to me when it comes to darkness. That seems to be his specialty." Lea nodded, worry building in his heart. "But he seems to have taken a shining to your young friend. Always talks about him. I wouldn't worry about isa. I would be more worried if Xehanort hated him. It's the first time I've seen Xehanort look content. You have nothing to worry about. Now, back to bed."
Isa was shocked to wake up with Xehanort hugging him but he decided not to fuss. That chair did look uncomfortable. He winced at the pain on his chest. He opened the top buttons of his shirt- that Even must have given him- to reveal the hideous scar on his chest. Could it have been those creatures.
"Nasty scratch they gave you," Xehanort spoke, frightening Isa.
"Yeah," Isa breathed, feeling a little awkward that Xehanort's arms were around him.
"I know you're wondering why I'm here," Xehanort smiled, sensing Isa's discomfort. "You were tossing and turning last night. It could've been so easy for you to open those stitches. And what's more, you were shivering profusely. Anyways, you've still got another few hours to sleep. If you want me to go back to my chair I'm fine with that."
"No," Isa croaked. After all, he had waited by his side the full night. It would be rude to send him back to that chair if he was insistent on staying with him. "I couldn't let you do that." Isa took the covers that were wrapped around him and shared them with Xehanort. Xehanort thanked him and Isa drifted back off to sleep.
"Okay, Lea, today you and Braig will be working together," Ansem declared. At this moment, Isa and Xehanort walked in the door. Lea felt like hugging his friend, but that would probably look a bit babyish, and he wanted to be mature when Ansem was around. "And Isa, you will be working with Even and Xehanort."
"But… can't me and Isa work together?" Lea begged.
"Well I don't see the harm in it…" started Ansem.
"No. Sorry sir but I only need the help of one of them," Xehanort spoke. "The other would just get in the way." Lea looked at him, offended. "Oh, you must be young Lea. I'm sorry I have not introduced myself yet. I am Xehanort." The tanned man reached out to shake his hand, which was hesitantly taken by Lea.
"It's a pleasure," Lea sneered. Something about that guy just didn't seem right. Why was he so happy about them staying? And why did he seem to not allow Lea to see Isa?
"So, flames, you've got the best man here to work with today!" Braig smirked.
"Who? Ansem really?" Lea joked. Braig patted his head.
"As if! Very funny, but no. It's your old buddy Braig," he announced with pride, taking his arrow guns and playfully pointing them at Lea, but Lea seemed a little off. "Look if you wanna go talk to Isa for a sec, I don't mind." Lea's face lit up as he ran to his best friend who was finally alone because Xehanort was talking to Even.
"Nice to see you're awake," Lea smiled. "Real worried bout you back there man, but I knew you would pull through."
"Sorry I left you on your own on the first day," Isa replied. "Apparently I needed rest. Shame we aren't working together today."
"Yeah, I know I'm annoyed at that. Dunno why Xehanort should have his way all the time. It sucks."
"Do you not like Xehanort, or something?" Isa asked.
"What gave it away? I just don't trust him," Lea told. "Isa? Why was he in your bed?"
"Oh, it was nothing really. Apparently I was shivering and putting myself in danger. He had to make sure I didn't move so I didn't pull out the stitches."
"Oh, okay," Lea began. "Just, look out for anything suspicious."
"Lea, really, I'll be fine," reassured Isa, who then began to walk over to Even and that dreaded man. Lea was then approached by Braig who placed a steady hand on Lea's shoulder, giving him a fright.
"Let's get going, flamesy," he laughed. "You'll see Luna later."
"Luna?" Lea asked. Braig shook his head.
"It doesn't matter. Don't trouble that brain of yours," Braig joked. "What we have to do today is stand at the castle gates and look out."
"But, I thought I would get to be working as a scientist," Lea moaned. "You know, doing experiments, blowing stuff up, turning people's hair green…"
"Uh, never say that to Ansem or he'll never let you be one," Braig instructed, as they walked to the outside of the castle and stood at the giant castle door. "You will be one tomorrow, you'll do one day out here then you go inside and do the other jobs then you come back out here. Unless there's somewhere we really need you."
"Oh, thanks, nice to know I'm wanted," Lea smiled. "So, I guess Isa will be doing the same as me just at opposite times? So I won't ever get to work with my friend?"
"Isa's staying inside for the time being," Braig told. "Xehanort said he needs him in the lab, and it's still too dangerous for him to be out here right now."
"He's very protective of him, isn't he?" Lea said. "What is Xehanort like?"
"Oh, the old guy? I dunno… he's great but I'd never get on his bad side, flamesy."
"Ansem mentioned something about him using dark corridors," Lea muttered, causing Braig to burst into a fit of laughter. "What? What did I say?"
"Oh, that Ansem," Braig chuckled. "Don't listen to anything that old bastard says, he's clueless! You just pay attention to what you have to do 'n' don't listen to ANYTHING that guy says. You can trust me with that one."
"Now Isa, I don't want you to be telling Ansem about this, okay?" Xehanort said, flicking his wrist that opened a large dark portal. Isa looked shocked at the sight. Xehanort handed him a black coat that he was wearing himself. Isa put it on and followed Xehanort reluctantly into the portal.
They appeared at a dark and dreary place. It oozed of darkness, from its black oceans to its ebony sky, the only light being a distant moon.
"This," Xehanort began, arms thrown dramatically, "Is the realm of darkness!" Isa squinted his eyes at the distant light. He felt queasy. Xehanort saw that the boy looked different again in the moonlight. Could his theory be true?
"Why are we here?" Isa spoke, frightened of his surroundings.
"It can give us great answers, Isa," Xehanort told. He walked down to the ocean and as that man looked out at the ocean, Isa swore he saw his look change into a slightly different young man with silver hair, but that quickly changed back as the man turned to look at Isa. "Come here," He instructed, instructing him to stand with him. Isa obeyed and made his way to him, his legs like jelly. Xehanort took Isa's hand and pulled him in to look at the moon in the distance. "I want you to stand here and feel the moon's power."
"What?" Isa puzzled, questioning the man's sanity. "FEEL the moon's power?"
"Yes. Close your eyes and let it affect you," Xehanort instructed. Isa did as he was told and shut his eyes tightly. "Relax." Isa relaxed and breathed slowly. He felt something overtake him. "That's it!" Xehanort rejoiced. "Now, open your eyes!"
Isa opened his eyes and felt hyper, like he'd just eaten a mountain of Lea's homemade jelly beans, but he hoped this wouldn't end in the same way, vomiting for days. He turned to Xehanort and was surprised when the man summoned a blade into his hand from nowhere and handed Isa a stick he seemed to have in his pocket- he must have planned this and took a stick from Radiant Garden as there was no plant life here.
"Let us duel!" he called, jumping forward at the boy and tried to slash at him, but without thinking, Isa blocked with the stick. Isa looked completely astonished as Xehanort smirked down at him. "Hello, Luna Diviner."
"So, what do you guys do out here all day?" Lea yawned. Aeleus had joined them.
"We stand guard," he replied. "We make sure nothing enters the castle or leaves it except for us. What else would we do?"
"But it's rather boring," Lea commented. "Tell you what, we'll play a game!"
"No we will not," Aeleus droned.
"Oh, c'mon!" Lea said, dragging the towering giant by the arms along with the skinny eye-patched man. "It'll be fun! Tag, you're it!" Lea laughed running from the tall man he just nudged. Aeleus stood disapprovingly as Braig chuckled.
"That's when you run, big guy," Braig mocked. Aeleus looked at him. What Braig didn't see was that he was reaching his hand over to tag him, then ran over to where Lea was killing himself laughing at the clumsy giant coming his way. Lea sped off. Braig, still coming to terms with what just happened, shook it off and ran toward the sniggering pair. The two separated, Braig deciding to stalk the tall one who had recently betrayed him so he could get his revenge. Lea became lost in his thoughts.
What was this Xehanort up to? Why was he so persistent on working with Isa? At this moment, when Lea was puzzling, Braig and Aeleus had conspired together to gang up on the unaware boy. As Braig found the best position, Aeleus grabbed Lea from behind and Braig quickly tagged the squirming boy.
"Okay, that's enough. I quit," Lea sighed. Braig laughed heartily.
"Ha-ha, I don't think that's allowed, flamesy. Do you, Aeleus?" Aeleus shook his head.
"Look, I just wanna know one thing," Lea spoke. Braig looked interested so Lea spoke again. "Why is Xehanort so obsessed with working with Isa?" Braig smiled. He turned to Aeleus and signalled him to leave. Aeleus did as he was told. He began to laugh.
"Look, kid, you don't wanna know," Braig dismissed.
"Then why would I ask if I didn't wanna know?"
"Fair enough. Look flamesy, Isa is a special… interest for him," Braig hinted.
"But why is he special to him?" Lea queried. Braig squinted. He couldn't tell Lea the truth. He had to think of a lie that would answer his question for now and possibly even work into the plan too. Man why did this kid have to ask so many smart questions?
"Uh… it's really something to be kept secret," Braig teased. "Something that will be kept from you forever and ever and ever and..."
"Just tell me!" Lea demanded.
"Fine," Braig gave in. "Uh… Isa is his protégé… if you get me."
"I don't think I get you," Lea said, wanting complete truth before he blurted out any dirty-minded guesses. "I hope I don't know what you mean."
"Well by the sounds of it, you do," Braig smiled. He wanted Lea's mind to wander. He told him nothing wrong, Isa is Xehanort's protégé, just not how Lea was now picturing it. "Xehanort's different to normal guys, if that answers a doubt in your mind. Now let's get back to our game. We need to get Aeleus back." Still no lies, Xehanort was not a normal guy. Lea was left lost.
He didn't mean it that way, did he? I told him not to trust Xehanort. He didn't ignore me, did he? No, it can't be true, Isa is straight after all. But, if it was just my imagination, why did Braig mention Xehanort being "not a normal guy"? My doubts at that time were that Isa was straight. Stop this. Isa would never ignore my warnings, straight or not.
"Lea!" Aeleus yelled, who was suddenly beside him.
"What?" Lea breathed, completely shocked. Aeleus smiled.
"You're it, remember?"
"Yeah, but now you are," Lea chuckled, having tagged the man. "Ha-ha!"
"You've done very well, Isa," Xehanort smiled, eyes glistening in the subtle light from the distant moon. "You've earned yourself a huge dinner. Come here."
Isa walked exhausted over to Xehanort who flicked his wrist and the dark portal re-appeared. He held his hand for Isa to hold while going through the dark portal. They crossed the line from darkness to complete light inside the lab they'd been in earlier. Isa felt completely strange. He had been so used to the darkness in there that he felt totally light-headed in the lab. He held onto a surface and tried his hardest to listen to what Xehanort was yammering on about.
"Yes, these results are very hopeful Isa. You'll fit in great here," Xehanort praised, turning to face the boy, who seemed to had disappeared from his sight. "Isa?" Xehanort searched the room until he found Isa lying in a heap on the floor. He knelt down and shook him but failed to wake him. He lifted him onto the bed in the corner of the lab and left the room to find Even, or Ienzo, or even Braig to help him before Ansem found out that he had been to the dark realm again, but this time, with Isa. He would be in trouble.
"Okay, I've got three tens," Braig announced, placing a pile of cards on the ground in front of where they were now sitting in a circle.
"For the last time we're playing snap!" Lea yelled.
"Y'know kid, although you are annoying, this is the most fun we've had at work in years."
"Thanks," Lea smiled, "And I didn't even know we were even working."
They didn't realise that Xehanort had snuck up behind them, glaring down at them. He cleared his throat to get their attention, startling the three gamers. "Aren't you all meant to be assuring the safety of this castle?"
"Calm down, Norty," Braig laughed, standing and putting his arm around the taller, silver-haired man. "We're just having a little fun. Just showing young Lea that we aren't all old cranky men." This earned a disapproving look from Xehanort but he shook it off.
"Very well," he droned. "Where is Dilan?"
"Uh, he was working with Ansem," Braig informed.
"Could you get him to work with Lea and Aeleus, I need you for a moment, it's something very serious," Xehanort said seriously. Braig smiled.
"Good to know you still need your old pal," Braig chortled. "I was beginning to think you were replacing me with Isa."
"It is actually concerning him," Xehanort said, trying to hide it from Lea, but this failed.
"What?" Lea yelled. "What have you done to Isa?" Xehanort glared at the boy.
"I did nothing to him," he spoke. "He's just ill again, that's all."
"Oh, yeah right!" Lea shouted, before Aeleus clasped a hand over the boy's mouth, preventing him from lashing out against the superior man. Lea mumbled under the hand.
"Thank you Aeleus, now come Braig," Xehanort instructed, "And find Dilan to help Aeleus and that ill-mannered boy."
"Yes sir, but the kid's really okay," Braig reasoned. "He's quite funny and very bright. He could be huge help around here. I've worked something into our plan that will surely get him worked up, which will help towards the end of our plan."
"Really?" Xehanort smiled. Braig nodded devilishly. "Well, let me hear it then."
"Well, think the kid now thinks that you and Isa are an item 'n' he aint too happy bout that idea," Braig said, "So this will add to our plan. You said you wanted rage, right?"
"But, Isa's just a kid," Xehanort snorted. "Why would he believe that?"
"Hey, the kid's paranoid. He sure doesn't trust you the way that Isa does, that's for sure. You aint gonna get Lea to follow your plan. This is probably the best way to go about it."
"Very well, let him believe what he wants for now," Xehanort sighed, "So the other issue is Isa. I took him to the realm of darkness and I tested his fighting over there."
"So, were the results, shall we say, as expected?" Braig asked.
"Yes, the results were actually better than previously planned," Xehanort told, the two walking closer to the lab. "He became powerful in the moonlight; it wasn't just his appearance this time. This indicates that his power will definitely come from the moon when he becomes a nobody, especially how his powers have already began."
"Great, so why did you want me here?" Braig yawned.
"Ah, well, when we came back from the dark realms Isa fainted," Xehanort talked with a hint of guilt. "I would have gotten Even but he's with Ansem and as will I be soon. I need you to look after Isa while I'm gone and make sure Ansem and Lea don't come in here."
"Yes sir!" Braig joked with an over-exaggerated hand signal.
"Good, because Ansem would kill us if he found out…"
"Found out what?" said a familiar deep voice. Ansem. He spotted Isa lying on the bed and began to panic a little. "What happened here? Is the boy hurt?"
"Uhh…" Braig muttered. He patted the back of his head.
""Don't worry, sir," Xehanort piped up. "I tried to get Isa to help me with something but he wasn't strong enough yet," Xehanort bowed on an apologetic yet sarcastic way. "I am very sorry, sir. I would look after the boy but you summoned me to work."
"Ah, yes well, that was actually why I came looking for you, because you were late," Ansem declared, looking over at the "injured" boy. "But I suppose the boy may need your help at the moment. Braig will take your place for the time being, yes?"
"Yes sir," Braig smiled, repeating the same actions he had done for Xehanort. He followed the blonde-haired man out the door, while winking back at Xehanort. Xehanort shook his head and looked at Isa who was lying on the bed passed out. "Everything will go according to plan. Just you wait and see."
"So where did you meet that Xehanort guy?" Lea yawned, bored of standing aimlessly outside the castle. Aeleus looked at Dilan who had now joined them.
"We didn't meet him, we found him," Dilan grunted.
"Yeah, but where did he come from?" Lea asked.
"You like your questions don't cha kid?" Dilan sighed. "Well, none of us know. He doesn't even know. He and Braig seemed to hit it off when he came here."
"Is nothing suspicious going on or anything?" Lea asked. "I mean, a guy seems to fall out the sky yet you all act as if it is normal. How can you trust him?"
"Well, we don't particularly get to work with him much…" Aeleus began but Dilan but in.
"He's an intelligent guy who has helped us make a huge step in our research," Dilan stated. "Xehanort is a genius yet Ansem is the one who's known throughout Radiant Garden. He'll get what's coming to him. Just don't question Xehanort or you'll share the same fate, understand boy?"
"What do you mean 'get what's coming to him', what are you gonna do?"
"I've said too much," Dilan whispered. "Just shut up and stand up straight!"
This wasn't right. Just what were they keeping from him? Why did he feel so useless? And, of course, what was happening with Isa?
"I said stand up straight, don't day dream boy!" Dilan yelled and turned to Aeleus. "Told him the boy would be a pain to work with out here."
"Hmm… I think he was getting used to the darkness and simply wasn't ready to step back into light," Even guessed, looking at his clipboard and walking aroung the bed where Isa slept. "Nothing to worry about, really."
"Good, very good," Xehanort praised. "Do not tell Ansem of how I took the boy to the dark realms. He would have us all punished."
"Of course I won't, sir," Even promised. "I wouldn't dare."
"When do you estimate that he shall awaken?" Xehanort asked.
"Any time now, it's just taken a lot of energy from him," Even informed.
"He should get accustomed to the contrast between light and dark," Xehanort smiled. "But what we now know is that he is able to stand the darkness even though he has lived in the light for so long. That indicates that the boy has an extremely strong heart."
"What about Lea?" Even queried. "How does he fit into your plan?"
"Lea has shown how strong his heart is by the constant worry he has of his friend. He seems to be putting his best friend's safety first," Xehanort told. "THAT is how we will incorporate him into our plan."
"Very well, but I don't think Lea is falling for the whole 'Isa is still ill' story," Even spoke, preparing to leave the room. "He's an intelligent child. He probably won't follow you he is one of the most cunning children I have ever met."
"Maybe," Xehanort considered, "But he is also one of the most caring."
