Author's Note: Wow. Three updates in one day! I'm shocked at myself, honestly. One of those updates was for a completely different story, too.

Anyway, sorry that last chapter was short. The original chapter would have been longer, but with the way I had written it, it needed to be broken up into two. So here's the rest of it. Enjoy!

Chapter Two: Bustin' Up on the Beach

"Personally," Zephyr began. "I think it's just some way of telling us that it's real, that our parents actually did those things." He swung his wooden sword at his sister, trying to make contact.

"Everything that happened in the story you mean?" Apolla asked, trying to clarify her brother's point. She swung her wooden sword as well, but unlike Zephyr, she hit him squarely in the arm. He winced, but made no sound.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I mean, it sounds too good to be true, but then the way they were telling it to us—"

"It was almost as if it actually happened to them," Ren added, knowing exactly where Zephyr was going."

"So, then if it's all real," Apolla started, dodging one of Zephyr's attacks. "Then we really need to practice if we ever end up facing the darkness and fighting it." This time she blocked one of his attacks, and then counter-attacked. It smacked Zephyr right on top of the head.

"OW!"

"Sorry!"

Zephyr, Apolla, and Ren had gotten up early to come out to the island. It was there they had spent each day playing when they were little. It was their favorite place to be.

They were currently taking turns sparring against each other, showing each other what they were made of. It was Zephyr's turn to face Apolla, and it wasn't turning out very well…for him.

"I don't know, Apolla," Ren said. "You seem to be a natural at this. I think she's got you beat, Zeph."

She only shrugged.

"Aw, man!" Zephyr exclaimed. "Alright then. It's me versus you now, Ren!"

Apolla stood back and watched as the two battled it out. By the time Zephyr finally got a hit on Ren (both were equal in strength), their friends Aqua, Ven, Marlene, and Denzel had arrived on the scene.

"Oh, hi guys!" Apolla called out.

"Hiya!" Ven called back. He looked like he could have been Roxas's twin. He was wearing a white shirt over a silver long-sleeved shirt with khaki pants. He wore a belt that had a silver, boxy heart pendant on it. He ran to join them, so he could watch with hope that Zephyr might win this match. He had seen Apolla give him a brutal beating right as they were arriving.

To the trio, Aqua and Ven were more like friends of the family. But with the way they treated them, you could have mistaken them for much older siblings. They were just closer to their parents' age.

"Where's Terra?" Ren asked. Zephyr had gotten him on the side of his leg. He winced, and swung to get him back.

"He's at your house. Your dad had to talk to him about something," Aqua replied. She wore a dark blue tank top with black shorts. The belt she wore over her tank top and around her waist had a blue-silver pendant that also looked like a boxy heart.

"Oh. I wonder what it's about."

Ven and Aqua shrugged. They knew it had to be important.

"Well," Marlene jumped in. She wore a white dress and had a pink bow in her hair. "We shouldn't worry about it. Let's have fun while we can!"

"Huh?" Zephyr asked. He dodged Ren's attack.

"We can't stay too long," Denzel added in. He wore a brown t-shirt with a black short-sleeved jacket over it with dark khaki pants. "Our parents want us home early. We've got company coming in today and they want us to be there."

"Oh."

Fortunately for Zephyr, he beat Ren in their match. It just took him longer to do so than he thought. Ren and Apolla went head to head this time, and it ended in a draw.

"Okay," Ren said. "Redo."

"I don't know, Ren. How about I take you guys on?"

Everyone turned to see who had joined them. Zephyr smiled.

"Hey, Uncle Roxas! Aunt Xion!" Zephyr called out.

"Morning!" Ren and Apolla said together.

"So, you guys are sparring, huh?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah," Zephyr said. "We want to get strong enough to fight the darkness. You know, if it's real."

"Really?" Xion asked. She looked at Roxas, but he only shrugged.

"Absolutely," Apolla said. "And even if it isn't we still want to know whether or not we can defend ourselves and whatnot."

Roxas looked at Xion and smiled. She knew what that particular smile meant. "Really, Roxas?"

"Why not? I think they could handle it."

Apolla, Zephyr, and Ren looked at each other, and then looked at Aqua and Ven. They looked just as confused as they were.

Roxas turned to his niece and nephews and asked, "Who wants to spar against me first?"

Three hand shot straight up in the air.

xxx

When the four were finally done sparring, the day had turned into the afternoon. Denzel and Marlene headed for home just as Apolla went up against Roxas.

As they finished up the standings were this: Apolla beat Roxas hands down, and Ren and Zephyr had just barely made it.

"Alright, I think that's good for today," Roxas said. All three of the kids were sitting up against the wall, trying to catch their breath."

"Man, Uncle Roxas," Zephyr exhaled. He was panting the worst of the bunch. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Oh, when you've been around," he said.

"Alright," Xion said, changing the subject. "Who wants ice cream?" She was holding a cooler that nobody seemed to notice.

That gave the kids enough energy to bolt right up and race for their usual spot. Aqua, Ven, Roxas, and Xion laughed at the sudden burst of energy.

Everyone headed in the same direction as the trio—the paopu tree on the small island that was connected to the much larger one by a bridge.

They all grabbed a spot by the tree and got an ice cream. Apolla, Zephyr, and Ren grabbed a spot on the tree where there was room. Aqua, Ven, Roxas, and Xion sat on the sand in front of them, their feet dangling of the edge.

"There's nothing like a good ice cream to refresh you," Roxas said.

The trio nodded. It was their favorite flavor—sea-salt ice cream.

They looked out toward the ocean. Everyone was quite, enjoying their ice cream and watching the sun set. Zephyr was the first to break the silence.

"Do you think that there are other worlds out there?" he asked.

"There are," Ren said. "I just know it."

Aqua, Ven, Roxas, and Xion looked at each other. Roxas and Ven looked down at their feet, almost mimicking each other. Aqua and Xion bit their lips.

"Then we could go on adventures, too!" Apolla exclaimed. "Just like in the story."

"Yeah!" the boys exclaimed. Zephyr looked down at the group in front of them. They looked at him just in time for him to see the worried expressions on their faces. They turned back towards the sunset. He became worried as well.

"Are you guys okay?"

Aqua was the first to speak. "Yeah, we're fine." She looked at Ven, and then the others. They shook their heads. "I'm gonna go ahead and head home. Terra's probably wondering where I am."

"Yeah," Ven agreed. "Me too!"

They waved and said good-bye. The trio did the same. They turned around and continued to watch the sunset.

Apolla looked down at Roxas and Xion, and asked, "Is there some truth to the story you guys told us last night?"

They hesitated in answering Apolla straight away. Zephyr saved them.

"There's gotta be, right?" he wondered. "I mean, every story does."

"Yeah," Ren said. "It's definitely true."

"How do you know?"

Ren shrugged. "I just do. I've just got this feeling." He put his free hand over his heart.

"Should we tell them?" Xion whispered to Roxas.

"I want to tell them," he replied. "But that's for Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Naminé to decide, not us."

"Yeah," Xion agreed. "But still, I want to tell them, too."

Roxas nodded. He looked back towards the sunset, remembering when he used to sit up at a certain clock tower, eating ice cream with Xion and their friend, Axel. He grabbed Xion's free hand and put it in his, and smiled.

"Alright, guys," he finally said. "I think it's about time that we all headed for home."

Apolla, Zephyr, and Ren all groaned. They loved moment like this when they were on the island, and hated it when they ended. But they didn't argue, and started to make their way towards their boats. Apolla and Zephyr were the first to get to their boats, and decided to race each other back to their house.

"Hey, Ren!" Zephyr called out. "You wanna race with us?" Roxas and Xion laughed as they climbed into their boats and headed for home.

"Nah," Ren called back. "I've got something I want to do before I leave. I'll meet up with you later."

Zephyr shrugged, and started to paddle. He wanted to beat Apolla home.

Ren, instead of making his way towards his boat, headed towards the secret place. He walked through to the small room, and walked to a part of the rock wall that was closest to a door that had no doorknob. On that piece of wall, there was a picture that Apolla and he had drawn were they were younger. It just about mimicked the drawing right above theirs. The only difference was that in the drawing above, the boy and girl were handing each other paopu fruits. His Uncle Sora had told him that this was of Aunt Kairi and himself. It was really special to him.

Ren picked up the nearest small rock he could find. He began to add to the picture of Apolla and himself. When he was done, the drawing of himself was handing the drawing of Apolla a paopu fruit.

xxx

That night, Sora received a message in a bottle—literally. Kairi had found the bottle during her usual late night walk. She ran into the house, and handed it to Sora.

"It's from the King," she managed to say.

Sora took the bottle from her and grabbed the letter out of it. He unrolled it, and read the letter. He frowned.

"What's wrong?" Kairi asked.

"It's just as we feared," Sora said. "The worlds are falling to the darkness after all."

"Oh no! That's horrible."

"it's not just that," Sora added. "It's worse. It seems that some of the Princesses of Heart are missing, too!"

Kairi gasped. She had met some of them in person. "But who could be behind it all? Xehanort's gone."

"That's what's got the King confused, too," Sora said. "He said that he went to see Yen Sid about it."

Kairi nodded. She would never doubt the King, especially after everything he had done for them. But something was bothering her, and Sora could see it from her expression.

"What's wrong?"

"We got rid of Xehanort. And now the Heartless are at it again. But they can't be doing it on their own, not completely. What if someone's telling them to do it? Someone we know who wants control over all worlds?"

Sora looked confused for a moment. Then he understood what she was trying to say. His eyes widened. He knew exactly who she was talking about.

"Maleficient," they said together.