Xehanort stopped in the doorway of Ansem's study, momentarily unnoticed by the others. Braig and Ienzo, as usual, were doing their best to rile up Even. The blond researcher was trying not to rise to the bait, but whatever had Ienzo gesturing like that with a bar of Sea-salt ice cream was wearing away at Even's patience, something Xehanort could see from across the room. The boy, now nearly seventeen, had a knack for pushing people's buttons, and Braig had often encouraged him. Dilan and Elaeus, completely ignoring their fellow apprentices, were busy scribbling on and discussing one of the large noteboards Ansem kept in the study. Ansem himself was...

"There you are, Xehanort. I was beginning to wonder if you'd gotten lost."

...sitting in his chair, with the standard blue bar of Sea-salt in his hand, smiling at him. Xehanort gave a short bow as everyone in the room turned to look at him.

"Forgive me, Master Ansem. I was momentarily held up while leaving my rooms."

He was about to close the door behind him when a crash echoed down the hallway, capturing everyone's attention.

"What was that?" Even asked, frowning and staring at the door as if it would show him.

"I don't know," Xehanort admitted. "I didn't touch anything on my way in, and there was nobody in the lab. We're all in here."

"I'll go check it out," Braig said, straightening and heading out the door. "I'll just be a minute," he called over his shoulder.

Xehanort did his best to shake off the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach and wandered over to the noteboard, nodding his thanks as Elaeus took a step back to allow him to look. For several long moments the only sound in the room was rustling of cloth when somebody shifted his weight, waiting for Braig to come back.

A shout, and then the unmistakable sound of an explosion. At once, the six waiting men were sprinting towards the open lab area. Elaeus was in the lead, followed closely by Dilan, though the others weren't far behind. There was thick smoke in the air, and the room was littered with rubble and spilled chemicals. "Braig!" Ansem shouted. "Braig, answer me!"

There was a low groan from under the remnants of a table. Elaeus was the first one over there, uncovering the scientist and checking him for injury. He looked up at Ansem. "We need to get him out of here, he's in bad shape."

Ansem nodded. "Even, with us," he ordered. "The rest of you, find out how this happened."

After they had left with Braig, the remaining three stood in the room, somewhat at a loss. At least for a little while, until Dilan lost his temper and kicked a large piece of a cabinet across the room with a shout. It hit the wall and disappeared behind another pile, and Ienzo put a hand on Dilan's arm. "Calm down. He'll be fine, I'm sure of it." Dilan didn't look convinced, but he also didn't look like he was about to add to the destruction either.

Xehanort wanted to add his own comforting words, but there had been a soft sound when the cabinet had landed, and he was hoping for it to repeat itself. There - almost inaudible over the hiss of chemicals reacting with each other and the furniture – a moan of pain. "I think we have company," Xehanort said, moving across the room to where the sound was coming from, Dilan and Ienzo on his heels. Hidden behind, and partly buried under one of the overturned tables and smashed equipment, was a familiar-looking young man. Narrowing his eyes, Xehanort took a closer look to make sure, then gave an unpleasant smile when the frightened teen looked up at him. "Bril, wasn't it? What an unexpected surprise. You wouldn't happen to know what caused this mess, would you?"


He had been fighting forever, it seemed, but now he could finally let his weapon vanish in a flash of light. The others could take care of the few left in the town; he needed to find his brother. Pulling off his helmet, he choked slightly on the thick, smoky air. "Ais!" he yelled. "Ais, where are you?" There was no answer, and his search became increasingly desperate.

Finally, finally he heard a familiar voice calling his name. "Izeh-"

"-hanort! Wake up!" Ienzo's concerned face swam into focus, and Xehanort quickly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"I fell asleep?" he asked, sitting up from where he'd slumped in the chair. Disoriented, until he realized that they had decided to stay in Ienzo's room, closest to the infirmary, to wait for word on Braig. "What time is it?"

"It's just after dawn," Even said from the doorway. "Master Ansem sent me to fetch everyone. Where are Dilan and Elaeus?"

"They went to lock Bril up after we finished talking to him," Ienzo said. "I'll go get them." He left, closing the door behind him.

Even gave Xehanort a level look. "You were having a nightmare when I came in."

Xehanort got to his feet and began trying to smooth the wrinkles out of his clothes. "Fumes from the mess must have gotten to me," he said.

"Memories sometimes surface in dreams. Did any of it feel familiar to you?"

"I don't think my memories would have waited five years only to start surfacing in my sleep. Besides, if my past is anything like what I saw, I'm probably better off not remembering." Dragging his hands through his pale hair, he turned the subject back to more important matters. "How is Braig doing?"

"He's awake now. I'm afraid we weren't able to save his right eye, but there shouldn't be any other permanent damage. Once the others come back, I'll take you in to see him."

They didn't have very long to wait before Ienzo returned with the other two in tow. At their immediate barrage of questions, Even simply held a hand up for silence, then beckoned for them to follow.

"You lot sure are looking cheerful," was how Braig greeted them. He was sitting up in bed, looking mostly unhurt except for the bandages that covered his right eye. "So, who died?"

"You almost did, you idiot," Dilan growled. Ansem, seated next to the bed, said his name quietly in admonishment. There was an awkward silence in the room, until Dilan broke it with, "Anyway, we got the brat that made the place blow. He told us everything."

"What happened?" Ansem asked.

"It's because of me," Ienzo said. "Bril hated that I was taken out of school to study under you, especially since I was younger than him. It drove him insane that you took me in and never even glanced his way." He shook his head. "He never could stand being second-rate."

"He came in to do some vandalism," Dilan continued, hands clasped behind his back. "He knocked over one of the setups – I think it was yours, Even – and was about to destroy another one, except he tripped and got tangled in a couple of the power cords. Then Braig came in and spooked him, so he tried to run."

"He ripped the cords," Even guessed. When the others nodded, he sighed. "The electricity reacted with the spilled materials and caused the explosion, correct?"

"It's a wonder you weren't both killed," Xehanort added.

Braig gave them a lopsided grin. "It'll take more than some kid to do me in," he said. "You all know I'm a survivor."

"Too stubborn to know when to die, you mean," Dilan corrected him.

"Stubbornness, or too many paintballs to the brain?" Elaeus wondered out loud.

"Hey, have pity on the injured guy!"

While the rest of the room dissolved into a bout of Braig-baiting, Xehanort moved over to Ansem's side and rested a hand on his shoulder. The sage looked tired, almost worn out. "You should get some sleep," Xehanort told him gently. "We can take care of things today." He pulled the older man to his feet and began leading him out of the room.

At the doorway, Ansem paused and looked back at the other five apprentices, chatting animatedly with each other. "What drives one person to harm another?" he asked quietly.

Xehanort frowned at him. "There's darkness in every heart, Master Ansem. You told me that yourself."

"I did, didn't I? A heart's darkness..." Ansem shook himself, then smiled reassuringly at Xehanort. "I believe I can make it to my quarters on my own. Please make sure Even gets his rest as well."

"I will," he said, giving a slight bow of his head. When he looked up, Ansem the Wise was already moving down the hallway, red sash trailing behind him.


Ansem allowed Bril to be released after he had a long, private conversation with the teen, much to his apprentices' displeasure. They had nearly lost one of their own due to the boy's foolishness, and, "You're just going to let him go?" Ienzo asked. "What if he comes back to finish the job?"

"That is my decision," the king replied. "I do not believe he will cause any more trouble."

"But-"

"It's not our place, Ienzo," Xehanort broke in. Spreading his hands, he added, "We must respect Master Ansem's ruling in this matter, whether we like it or not."