It had been a few minutes since Sora had met his mom for the first time in a decade, and the duo had decided to rest on the dark beach of the Dark Margin. Aqua was gently rubbing her hand through Sora's spiky hair, she giggled for a second knowing that this was something better for a child than a teen. But then again she hadn't seen her son in so long or any person beyond Ansem the wise that she didn't care. Just knowing that Sora was ok, knowing that he was real, and beside her made everything feel better.

"You know the first thing we're doing is making sure you sleep on a real bed, Mom! Also, getting you something warm to eat, I can't imagine what you must have gone through living in this place for so long!" Sora said, looking up at his mother's blue eyes, they were shining like sapphire's, yet so blue and beautiful that even the tired, and nervous gaze inside of them was enough for Sora to know that his mom needed to be free, they needed to get to Destiny Island and meet the others.

"Well, then how about this, when I'll take a nap, and have a warm meal with my son, but in exchange you have to get some hair dye so we can make you look like me again. I loved seeing my little blueberry running through the halls of the old castle, you looked so handsome back then." Aqua told Sora as the teen smiled and then laughed for a few seconds, causing Aqua to wonder what was so funny until she realized it. Both of their requests were so simple, that it was bound to happen the day they would have met after fighting with her husband. Sora loved and cared about her as much as Terra did, so of course he'd wanna look like her again to feel that connection and love even deeper.

"You know, it's almost funny! I remember seeing you last year, fighting the heartless version of your father, and for an instant, I was so close to being with you again. I could see you flying, using the keyblade like a master, I wanted to be next to you. See you win the fight and tell how proud I was seeing how much you had grown. But I had to stop the Devil's wave from attacking everyone." Aqua let out, as she stood up taking a deep breath, she couldn't take it anymore, spending even more time inside the realm of Darkness with her son. She had him beside her, and they were right next to Destiny Island, Aqua felt it inside of her heart, it was time to get out. She had to see the world of light, experience the feeling of freedom with her son, and see what had happened in the years of her disappearance. She had to get out before her emotions got the best of her again.

"Mom! Let's get out of here after all this is the closest we've been since Radiant Garden. Let's not waste any more time on this beach, everyone's waiting for us!" Sora said standing up, flashing his mother a big grin, as the two looked on to see the way to the light, it was risky as the barrier between worlds was only separated by the door on the actual Destiny Island but Sora didn't care. Any danger was worth the trouble to save his mom and defeat Xehanort once and for all.

Aqua agreed with her son, however, before they could venture to the Dark Destiny Island as Aqua dubbed them, the sounds of footsteps could be heard in the distance.

"I see! So you're here as well Sora, how long has it been since we last met? I wonder how much of this conversation will matter compared to your mother." A deep voice let out, as the duo noticed a man with silver hair

"Ansem! What are you doing here?" Sora shouted, summoning his keyblade, and putting a hand in front of Aqua. The seeker laughed, it was like a family reunion and a curse all rolled into one. How long he had waited for this moment, longer than his first meeting with his son, meeting his wife, and son at the same time, with no one to stop him. Xehanort wasn't around, nor Xenmas, he finally had a chance to speak for himself again and make his desires real.

"I am here for two things, boy! I'd advise you to listen to me before we fight. First, I am here to set you free of this place. All the pieces are needed for the war, and I am allowing the light's favor to blossom for a moment. You see, I grow tired of the ending that old man speaks, yet it is my destiny. I may not have a heart and only memories, but you both are still family to me. I won't allow you to suffer any longer. Secondly, I will give you, a darkness, but I will not tell you when or where I shall give them. The old man is still after a light, you will have to forfeit one to us." Ansem declared as Sora and Aqua's widened, Ansem was given them a chance at freedom, and a darkness to fight for the light, but why and who? Aqua didn't know who Xehanort and Ansem would want, but she wasn't gonna let him take her son again.

"I won't let you take Sora from me again, no matter the price!" Aqua yelled, holding her fists high, as she waited for the man to come at them. But Ansem stood motionlessly, simply smirking at the woman a past version of him called his wife. She didn't know what Xehanort had in store for them, and the irony was that he was taking the two most powerful members, sure they'd get the puppet and the family. But the two chosen were soon in the darkness's grasp.

"You don't have to worry, one hair on that pretty blue head of yours. Sora and you aren't on the list even though you are two of the light's heaviest hitters." A voice called out, Aqua quickly turned her head to see him, her eyes widened, and Sora felt his mouth dry out as if his breath was useless under the power of the figure, no his father, Terra!

Aqua looked at the man who was once her husband, his amber eyes still glowed the same. The look of anger, and cruelty that he showed her when she fought him in Radiant Garden. The No Name keyblade was still in his hand, the symbol of Xehanort, and the reminder that Terra was still deep down inside the man's heart.

"Terra! Why are you here?" Ansem asked, crossing his arms as the vessel of Xehanort grinned looking at the teen beside them.

"Why, I am here because I wanna see if the little light has grown stronger, I am not ready to let this little conversation end yet. So back off, and let me fight!" Terranort cried out, as his hands started to shake, in one instance, the keyblade was next to Sora as the teen's eyes looked at the long sword. Sora quickly summoned the Kingdom Key, blocking the heavy strike with all his might, Aqua quickly ran towards Terra, delivering a powerful kick to the man's knee. But Terra didn't falter, he grinned, things were getting more interesting, the son, and wife were fighting.

Suddenly a shadowy figure loomed over Terra, grabbing him, as his keyblade vanished. Terranort looked over to see Ansem flowing in the air, Sora, and Aqua quickly ran away from the Dark margin. They had to get to the door, they were strong enough to fight Terra, let alone survive his onslaught.

"Mom, keep running!" Sora yelled, holding his mom's hand, as the blue-haired woman nodded, they could see the tunnel that would take them to the other side of Destiny Island.

—--

"Why! Why won't you submit? Your body is bound by the guardian, and the keyblade can barely stay in your hands, so what is the purpose of this struggle? The lights are to go back, and we await the great war, so why are you still fighting me, boy?" Ansem commanded as he looked down at Terra. The silver-haired man kept trying to summon his keyblade, it glowed with darkness until he finally had enough power to send a dark ball of magic out of the keyblade. Terra laughed as he teleported out of Ansem's guardian, the next phase of his plan was in motion as the darkness flew in the direction of Sora, and Aqua.

"I won't let them have it that easy. They must fight one last time to see if they are worthy of saving this body! They must fight and see if family love is as strong as Xehanort made it out to be." Terranort shouted as darkness overtook him, taking him away back to the world of light, Ansem quickly headed for Destiny Island. This was bad, one of them would get hit with darkness, and in their current state, be unable to hold off the other.

"Sora, Aqua! Hold on, I am coming!" Ansem shouted as he sent his guardian out to go after the duo. The memories of Terra that he kept assaulted him, as he continued to see visions of the family in his mind. Glimpses of a life that he would never have, but wanted to see play out a little long. He may have been born of darkness, but deep down Ansem could feel the tiniest amount of light feel his body.

He wanted, no he needed to make sure his Blueberry and Cinnamon roll were ok! He would no longer be a pawn in Xehanort's game. Even if death claimed him during the war, no he had to sacrifice himself to bring Terra back, he would gladly do it to atone for the people he would have called his family. First, he would save them, then he would get the puppet, and then start making things right.