Editing Ansem the Wise

[[Gummi Ship]] travel was now possible, thanks to Xehanort opening the door in Ansem's basement, and a ruler of another world, King [[Mickey Mouse]], soon arrived. The two rulers became great friends, conversing over many subjects, and their companionship began to heal Ansem's heart.{{storylink|Secret Ansem Report 2}} Around this time, Xehanort had continued the experiments in secret, accidentally creating [[Heartless]]{{storylink|Ansem's Report 3}} and presented his work in the hopes of praise. However, Ansem forbade any further experimentation with the Heartless as they threatened the stability of the worlds.<ref>''''' Kingdom Hearts II'', Ansem the Wise:''' "I forbid it! Forget this talk of doors and the hearts of worlds. That place must not be defiled."</ref> Ansem even accepted the boys [[Isa]] and [[Lea]] on as new apprentices.{{storylink|Secret Report 6}} King Mickey eventually advised Ansem the Wise to review the research data; Ansem discovered the [[Ansem Reports]], penned under his name, but written by Xehanort. Ansem began to see that the damage he had done had become irreversible.

Once Riku is reunited with King Mickey, DiZ uses the memory-version of [[Twilight Town]] to briefly separate them. Riku then reveals that he's learned to tell the odor of darkness emanating from its users apart; DiZ does not smell like the real Heartless, which has a foul odor of darkness. His ruse revealed, DiZ introduces himself and instructs Riku to meet Naminé to help decide his fate. Meanwhile, DiZ reunites with Mickey, but keeps his identity concealed, not wanting his old friend to dissuade him from revenge.

DiZ soon returns to Naminé to aid her in the task to restore Sora's memories, after they were broken apart in Castle Oblivion. Since the castle is still under control of Organization XIII, DiZ convinces Naminé to move Sora, [[Donald]], and [[Goofy]] to his lab in Twilight Town, in order to keep them safe. Thankfully, the task is easy to do; [[Axel]] having been busy looking for the hidden [[Chamber of Repose|Chamber]] under orders from [[Saix]].

DiZ convinces Riku to retrieve [[Roxas]]; fusing Roxas back into Sora will fully restore his memory. Riku has no choice but to take on the form of [[Riku-Ansem|Ansem, Seeker of Darkness]] in order to defeat Roxas. Seeing the evidence of Riku's devotion to Sora, DiZ slowly begins to lose his lust for revenge, hiding his shame behind laughter. Still, DiZ continues with the plan, placing Roxas into [[The Other Twilight Town]] where he can live out his days under observation, until it is time for him to reunite with Sora.

As DiZ, Ansem dons a much more complex outfit. His face is covered in red bandages, save for his right eye and mouth, and he tied two intersecting belts around his head, one passing over where his left eye should be. The beard he usually has as Ansem is made invisible under those bandages. He wears a long, red cape with a quadrate cross cut taken out at the chest, the edges of which are yellow. This cut exposes a similarly oblong white symbol on a pitch-black shirt. Over-top this shirt, DiZ wears what seems to be grey, segmented armor over his sides and abdomen. His legs are covered by a long, black cloth lined with yellow, which itself has several brown straps pinned onto the front, seemingly for no purpose other than to create yet another angular pattern. On a yellow sash that hangs around DiZ's waist are three brown pouches, descending downward diagonally on his left hip. These pouches are all identical, all sporting the same design on the top flap, and all closed by a darker brown strap that attaches to a silver button on the right ride, a grey tassel hanging from each button. Like Ansem and his coat, DiZ wears a dark colored scarf around his neck. He also has light colored sleeves.