Aqua called the police, and they came and arrested Quincy. Paramedics tended to Ven's wound while the police chief shook Aqua's hand. He said, "Thank you so much young lady. We've been looking for this criminal for months now. He's known as Quincy the Candy Guy. He lures in kids by buying stuff for them and then…" The chief paused. Taking off his hat, he looked away and said, "Well, he's gotten seven other victims, five of which didn't survive."
Aqua placed a hand on her chest. With the other hand, she pulled Ven closer to her.
When the two arrived home, Ven went straight to his room to sleep. Aqua explained the situation to Master Eraqus and Terra. Both of them were absolutely horrified.
"I should have just given him the phone!" Terra exclaimed as he pounded his fist against the wall. "Or went with him! What was I thinking?"
"Don't blame yourself Terra," Aqua told him. "Of course you didn't think something like this would happen to him."
But Terra ran his hands through his hair and shouted, "This is all my fault! I should have been there to protect him! What would have happened if you didn't go look for him, Aqua? Ven could have been…"
Master Eraqus stepped in, "Calm down Terra. You're panicking over something that didn't happen."
Terra paced back and forth. "He told me that he was scared to go by himself. Yet I didn't go with him. What kind of person am I?" Terra felt a hand grip his shoulder. It was Master Eraqus. "Terra," said the old man, "you are not at fault. Awful situations happen as a result of all the worst case scenarios coinciding together. The way forward is not to dwell on why it happened, but to be thankful that Ven and Aqua are safe, and that the perpetrator was captured."
Terra nodded his head, but he still felt guilty.
When Ven awoke the next day, he went straight to the training field. Sitting Mizz Piggy down where he could see her, he started by practicing his confirmed combos one-hundred times each.
"Ven?" Aqua called out as she, Terra and Master Eraqus arrived on the summit. She exhaled with relief. "Oh goodness, I was worried when you didn't show up for breakfast and weren't in your room."
"Sorry Aqua," he apologized. "I wanted to do some training before breakfast and I guess I lost track of time." He didn't meet her eyes when he spoke. She stooped down in front of him and touched his hurt cheek. She ventured to ask, "Does it hurt?"
Ven nodded.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"It'll heal soon enough. It's just a scratch."
"No, I mean, do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?"
Ven shrugged. "There's nothing to talk about." Stepping away from her, he took a fighting stance with his keyblade again. "I think I'll skip breakfast today." And he continued to practice his combos.
For the rest of the week, Ven did the same thing. He woke up before the sunrise and, along with Mizz Piggy, trained until well after sunset. He barely ate, slept or took a break.
"He's going to get sick if he keeps doing this," fretted Aqua.
Master Eraqus assured her, "He's processing his emotions, Aqua. Allow him some time to heal."
Terra, still brooding over his actions, tightened his hand into a fist. "Poor kid…"
Very late that night, Terra found Ven laying on the grass at the summit, holding Mizz Piggy and staring upwards at the stars.
"Ven?" Terra said, approaching him.
Ven did not respond.
Terra sat down beside Ven. "I'm sorry."
Ven did not respond.
"I don't know if this will make you feel better, but I'll give my old phone to you. If you still want a cell phone, that is."
Ven did not respond.
Terra laid back in the grass, to look at the stars. He stole a glance at Ven, and noticed that the boy looked vacant, empty. His eyes had dulled. It was as if Ven had reverted to the state that he was in right after he awoke from the coma several months ago.
"What are you thinking about right now, Ven?" Terra asked.
No response.
"Please, Ven, don't suffer alone. I'm here to listen."
No response.
Terra begged, "It's okay to cry. It's okay to scream. It's okay to be mad or angry or furious. Just let it out Ven. Please don't keep it to yourself. Please, tell me what you're thinking."
No response.
Terra kept quiet.
The stars twinkled.
Ven squeezed Mizz Piggy. Several minutes passed by, before Ven softly answered, "Number six."
Terra placed his hand on Ven's hand. "I don't understand."
Ven, his expression bleak, allowed tears to roll down his cheeks. "Number six." Suddenly Ven wept a waterfall of tears. "Terra! There were seven others!" Ven shouted. "And five of them didn't survive! Five other kids! Five kids, just like me! I was lucky! I could have been number six!" He didn't even try to wipe the tears. "He said that I would be number six! And when he said that, my mind went blank, Terra! And if Aqua hadn't come, I would have been number six!"
Ven pounded the grass with his fists and sobbed. "Why? Why did he do that? It doesn't make sense! It doesn't make sense that five other kids aren't alive today, because of that guy! It's not fair! Life isn't fair!" He kept crying. And crying. And crying.
Terra embraced him, and Ven cried until he ran out of tears. At that point, all he could do was rest his head against Terra's chest and sniffle.
Silence.
The grass on the field danced to the silent music of the late summer breeze. The sun was beginning to rise.
"Terra?" Ven said.
"Hmm?"
"I want to be someone who can protect those who can't protect themselves." Ven stood up. "I know what it feels like to be helpless. I don't want anyone to ever feel that way." He held out his hand to summon his keyblade. "So that's what I'm gonna do. I'll become a keyblade master and protect everyone." One last tear escaped from his eyes.
Terra nodded. "I'm sure you will Ven. I'm sure you will."