"What were you thinking?!" Xander folded his arms, staring at her intently as they sat in his office a while later, the familiar wood panelling making her sigh in contentment. "You're going to make a complete fool out of yourself in front of him of all people!"

"Huh?"

One hand ran through his brown hair, irritation evident on his face as he paced around the room. "One of the so-called Princes of Alchemy is here, idiot." He said, watching as she stared at him in confusion. She couldn't really remember much about that name from her past, so she was curious. "One of the only three students under the fourth ranked Alchemist in the world."

"I'll be fine, dad." She grinned, watching as his eyebrow twitched. "I know you're only saying this because you care."

"Gah. Go back home, brat." He muttered, spinning around in his chair so she wouldn't be able to see the small smile pulling at his lips.

"Sure thing, smiley."

A book was thrown in her direction, her laughter echoing around the corridor as she ducked under the projectile, running back to her house. The Alchemy Exam was scheduled for tomorrow, and her stomach was a bundle of nerves. Not because she was worried about not knowing enough, though, no. It was because she didn't want to attract too much attention. After all, if they found out just how in-depth her knowledge was, she'd probably be labelled a prodigy. Which meant she'd end up as more of a target... and that'd make it harder to kill him.

Those thoughts were still ringing around her mind when she arrived at the Alchemist's Lobby, pushing open the doors, signing in with the receptionist who stared at her sceptically. She was the youngest applicant by far, the others seeming to be men or the occasional woman in their thirties, so it was no surprise she'd received strange looks.

"Are you sure you're in the right place?" The blonde smiled down at her, well aware of her reputation. "This isn't any place to be pulling pranks."

"I know." Leia smiled. "Besides I'm here to take the Exam."

"Huh?"

"Right, everyone." Two hands clapped, earning the room's attention. "Please follow me. Your test will begin in the next few minutes." The brunette man grinned, opening a set of doors, not bothering to watch as all of the room's occupants followed him into a brewing room. Familiar furnaces dotted the room, a number having been placed by each of them.

"Number forty-five..." She mumbled, staring at the number she'd been given when she'd registered, quickly finding her way over to the small black furnace in the corner. Instructions had been written on the small piece of paper next to the number, her eyes narrowing when she read what the test would be entailing.

A healing elixir.

"So, I just have to make a simple healing elixir?" She tilted her head, staring at the boxes of ingredients lining the room. A small smile curled at her lips. Even though she'd been a failed alchemist in the past, there'd been one thing she'd excelled at: elixir and pill creation. She'd never been able to use her flames properly and that was a key requirement to graduate as a Master Alchemist. After all, they were pretty much the only offensive type of magic they were taught. Not only could they be used for refining and heating ingredients, they could also be used for defence. That was why she'd turned to the assassins, hoping they'd be able to help her fill the gap, and they had. Just not enough.

A scowl overcame her face, having heard the snickers around her, her eyes narrowing as she realised everyone else had already begun. "What a foolish brat..."

One eye twitched, her feet moving in a flash, hands grabbing all the ingredients she'd need from the side. "Watch and learn brats..." She muttered, adding in at the end, "because technically I'm older than all of you." Her fingers moved faster than ever, temporarily forgetting the fact that she was supposed to be a teenager with only a basic knowledge of alchemy. "Let's do this..." She sighed, careful to adhere to the recipe seared into her brain. Her limbs moved on autopilot, swiftly igniting the fire inside the furnace with a handy set of matches someone had left out for her.

Dimly she could hear the sounds of other people's fires exploding, the occasional sound of some sort of acrid liquid sizzling as it made contact with the floor. The most predominant sound, though, was the sound of a very exasperated man saying, "come back again next year."

She knew she wouldn't be joining them, though...

Well, that was what she'd thought, so it came as a rather large surprise to her when the man wearing the white alchemist robes upended her flask of silverish-green liquid, spilling the contents onto the floor. Cold brown eyes locked on hers. "What was that supposed to be?"

"Huh?"

"Healing elixir are red in colour."

"Not necessarily." She folded her arms, freezing in the next second as she swiftly shut her mouth.

"Are you questioning me, kiddo?" He folded his arms. "If you didn't know how to create a healing elixir then you should've borrowed a recipe from the books on the shelf over there like the rest of the sensible, mature examinees did."

Her hands twitched, her expression dark. "Kid..." She stared up at him, momentarily forgetting about her situation, irritation written across her face. "Shut it, you underqualified brat."

"Did you just call me a brat?" The man blinked at her, glancing helplessly towards the only other woman in the room. She'd been the last applicant, and everyone else had either gone onto get their robes or had been shown out the front doors.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did." Leia scowled. "It's not my fault you're an idiot."

It was official. Her temper had finally snapped. She'd never had the longest fuse when it came to bumbling idiots who clearly couldn't do their job. It couldn't be helped though. She had once had a well-known reputation, so not many people could call her out on her mistakes because there simply were none.

She'd been a failed alchemist.

A failed alchemist who'd continued to work on her elixir and pill craft despite her inability to use the flames.

And now she finally had a chance to change that fact... but a blithering imbecile was standing between her and the future she wanted.

"Show that to an actual alchemist... they'll know exactly what that is unlike the brat playing dress-up in front of me." Her words were venomous, her eyes cutting into him like daggers as she struggled to reign in her murderous aura. "You're standing in the way of my future... you'll stop me from saving him at this rate..."

"Calm down." The woman finally sighed. "Just revise some more and come back next year."

"I can't waste that much time!"

"It can't be helped." The blonde scowled, grabbing her by the arm, hauling her out of the door as the woman picked up the pot filled with her silverish-green liquid. "Take that to the disposal room, Kylie."

"Can't I at least take it home with me?"

"You've got no idea what that does."

"Want to volunteer so we can see?"

"Stop making a scene, brat." Arms folded across a familiar chest, grey eyes narrowing on her blue ones. "You failed. Of course, you did. The only applicants who passed are at least twice your age!"

"They wanted me to create a healing elixir, so I did." She muttered, glaring at the two alchemists. "They didn't specify the colour."

"Enough." Fingers closed over her ear, pulling her away. "I'll take her from here."

"Not the ear!"

"Hush, brat."

"Insufferable git."

"Come on." He sighed, tugging sharply on her ear. "Let's get you out of here before you blow something up." He turned, sighing deeply. "And wipe that smile off your face. You're creeping me out."