Chapter 9 Cooking with Fire
"Wow! Love what you've done with the place."
Xehanort glances over with a hard frown at his sarcastic companion. "It is only temporary," he says clasping his hands behind his back and pacing around the small cave. The low ceilings makes the rude man, Braig, have to slouch uncomfortably to avoid hitting his head. Xehanort has gotten used to his primitive surroundings and no longer notices the grime.
"This is where you want me to live? As if! I'm not staying in this hole just to watch over some keyblade brats," Braig says.
"Oh no, I have other instructions for you," Xehanort says smiling evilly. "The boy has his weaknesses. I need to know what they are. Go back to that disgusting world he is from and find me something we can use against him."
"And what if I say no," Braig replies narrowing his eyes at Xehanort. "I've already risked a lot to help you and have I gotten any of that dark power? As if!"
"Patience," Xehanort says. "All will fall into place. I promised you power over the worlds and you will get it. But first we must get rid of these keyblade wielders of light. Their radiance sickens me."
"But that boy," Braig says shrewdly. "You have some other plans for him?"
"Indeed I do," Xehanort replies but refuses to tell Braig anymore. "Go. Do as I instructed and one day I will fulfill your aspirations of power."
"Alright grandpa, I'll go along for now," Braig says in a distrusting voice. "But you better hold up your end of the bargain." He waits a moment for Xehanort to reply that he will but the older man just glares at Braig for the insinuation of deceit. The cold yellow eyes make Braig shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Maybe he had gone to far, Xehanort is not a man to argue with. "Alright, alright, I'm going," Braig says more eager than ever to get out of the small cave. Wordlessly, Xehanort summons a dark portal near the cave's exit and with a final smirk Braig disappears through it.
Xehanort steps past the portal as it vanishes and walks out of the dim shadows of the cave into the soft light of the sunset. From his perch on the rock ledge halfway up the mountain, Xehanort can just see the top spires of the towers of MEKA above the trees. A dark smile breaks the impassive mask and the gleam in his eye is full of malice. "For now I will wait," he says out loud to himself. "Grow strong Ventus. Your destiny is closer than you think."
...
"What the- Ah! Fuck!"
The surprised shout makes Terra and Aqua jump and they quickly hurry to the kitchen where Ven's voice is coming from. They burst in to find him shaking the water out of a water bottle at the open oven where whatever Ven had been attempting to cook is on fire. Sadly, Ven's efforts to put out the flames with the water are in vain. "How the fuck did that even happen?" He shouts angrily at the blaze not noticing that he is no longer alone. "Goddammit," he swears throwing the now empty bottle on the ground. "What am I going to do now? Huh?"
Aqua had quietly called out "Blizzard" and the ice quickly puts out the flames. Spinning on his heels, Ven catches sight of the two of them in the doorway and his face breaks into a smile. "Guys!" His grin fades as he takes in their disapproving expressions and he glances guiltily at the still smoking oven.
"Uh..." Ven says not able to meet their eyes. "Would you mind not telling Master Eraqus about this?" He folds his hands behind his head and leans back hoping to look relaxed.
Terra dumps the bag of food Tifa had given him on the counter and opens his mouth to reply, but any hope Ven had vanishes as Master Eraqus hurries into the kitchen taking in the smoking oven and Ven's nervous expression. "What happened here Ventus?" He asks in a shocked voice.
"Well you see," Ven says trying to sound calm, but his voice unfortunately cracks. "I noticed it was time to start making dinner, but you guys," pointing to Terra and Aqua, "weren't back yet. You were busy Master Eraqus and I just wanted to be helpful. But, I've never tried to cook anything before so..." Unable to think of what to say, Ven just gestures at the blackened mass in the oven of what may at one point have been chicken. His face pales as he waits for Master Eraqus to say something.
Master Eraqus regards him for a moment before shaking his head and walking around the counter in the center of the kitchen to Ven and the oven with a frown. He summons his keyblade and raises it to point at the oven. As he does so, Ven flinches violently and hastily takes a step back tripping over the corner of the still open door of the oven. He falls over backwards and lands hard on his back. Surprised, Master Eraqus quickly moves to his side in concern and is stunned when Ven scoots away from him as fast as he can.
"Ventus?" Master Eraqus asks confused as Terra and Aqua move across the kitchen to look at Ven just as confused as Master Eraqus.
Ven inhales sharply as Master Eraqus takes another step towards him. His eyes are wide with the sudden a fear that had taken over the blond boy the cause of which is a mystery to the others. Master Eraqus takes another step forward even more concerned now and Ven shouts, "I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry!"
Master Eraqus halts feeling the fear in Ven's voice. At a loss for words he just looks at the boy now sitting pressed up against the wall of the kitchen. Ven's eyes are trained not on Master Eraqus but on the keyblade in his hand. Noticing this, Master Eraqus asks slowly, "Ventus, are you scared of me?"
Ven tries to move farther away but he can't. With a look like a caged wild animal, his eyes dart around always coming back to rest on Master Eraqus' keyblade. Master Eraqus makes his keyblade disappear and Ven visibly relaxes. Ven gives no further reaction except to stare at Master Eraqus with his big blue eyes as the man takes a couple cautious steps forward and crouches to be on the same level as Ven. "Ventus," Master Eraqus says softly. "I'm not going to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you. There is no reason to be afraid. It was just an accident." Master Eraqus stands slowly holding out his hand to help Ven up. "Come on, it's ok."
Tentatively, Ven lifts his own hand to take Master Eraqus' and rises to his feet his eyes still containing a shadow of fear. He pulls his hand back and wraps his arms around himself looking down at the ground. "Ven why did you just-" Terra begins to say, but Master Eraqus' raised hand stops him. Master Eraqus gently rests his hand on Ven's shoulder and the boy flinches again pulling away from his touch slightly.
Master Eraqus sighs sadly and asks Ven, "Has someone hurt you before when you made a mistake?" After a pause, Ven nods still keeping his eyes on the ground. "Who?"
Ven briefly meets his eye before shaking his head and turning his back on them. "It doesn't matter," he mumbles quietly.
With another sigh Master Eraqus says in a saddened voice, "Alright Ventus, if you don't want to talk about it that is your decision. But we are going to talk about this."
Confused Ven turns back around. "Mistakes are how we learn Ventus," Master Eraqus says. "You will make plenty while you are living here. Some may be small and some may be major, and they will all have consequences and punishments. But I will never hurt you. Did you hear me Ventus? No matter what I will never raise my keyblade against you, nor will Terra, nor will Aqua. That may have been what you have grown to expect in Carinol but here there won't be any of that. Do you believe me?"
Ven looks deep into Master Eraqus' eyes and after a moment he nods solemnly. "I'm sorry for...that," Ven says now a little embarrassed. "I don't know what came over me. It's just...I guess old fears die hard."
"Ven..." Aqua walks over and pulls him into a smothering hug. He returns her hug gladly until, "You have to tell us what's going on."
Ven pulls away quickly and asks slowly, "What do you mean?"
"You know just what I mean," Aqua says in a gentle voice. "What aren't you telling us? Who hurt you? Why are you hiding from-"
"Aqua stop it!" Ven shouts angrily cutting her off. "I don't want to talk about it alright. Its just..." He trails off but the others continue to stare at him. "Its just too painful to think about," he whispers.
"I'm sorry Ven," Aqua says after a pause. "I didn't realize it was painful for you. I just thought if you told us it would be better."
"Maybe...maybe..." Ven mumbles to himself running his fingers through his hair. Silence descends on the kitchen as Master Eraqus, Terra, and Aqua hold their breath waiting to see what Ven will decide and then,
"I'm sorry for ruining dinner," Ven says changing the topic. "What are we going to do now?"
Terra looks over at the other two seeing the disappointment flash in their eyes for a moment. "Well, we have grilled cheese," Terra says to Ven. Ven and Master Eraqus look at him surprised and Aqua picks up the bag from the counter where Terra had left it.
"Tifa, she is someone we met in Traverse Town, gave us grilled cheese sandwiches as thanks for fighting off some heartless," Aqua says opening the boxes as Terra pulls out plates and glasses. Leaving his apprentices to set the table, Eraqus turns back to the oven and summons his keyblade once more. Pointing it at the blackened interior of the oven, Master Eraqus says, "Magnega."
All the soot and burnt pieces of meat peel themselves off the sides of the oven and come together in a hovering ball near the tip of Master Eraqus' keyblade. Turning away from the now sparkling clean oven, Eraqus directs the ball into the trashcan and releases the magic. He walks back over to the dining table to join the subdued dinner his apprentices had laid out.
…
After hearing Terra and Aqua's story of their adventures in Traverse Town, minus a few select details about what transpired in a certain hidden cave, Master Eraqus inquires in more detail about the boss heartless they had fought. Ven yawns hugely to catch their attention and stands. "I'm going to bed, see you all tomorrow," he says turning towards the kitchen door.
"Goodnight Ven," Aqua calls. "Sleep well."
"Goodnight." Master Eraqus and Terra echo.
Ven slowly climbs the stairs trying to keep his mind blank. He could feel the flashbacks coming. The dark red room with the curtains closed. Stormy gray eyes boring into his own. A glint of light reflecting for a moment off a ring before the hand it's on comes crashing down in a fist.
Ven leans against the railing taking in shaky breaths. With an enormous effort he conjures up the one image that always sends his nightmares away. Tay. His best friend's bright green eyes so full of life and caring. His black hair as wild as ever fitting his personality so well, unable to be tamed. With a smile, Ven continues walking up the stairs and enters his bedroom . He crawls into bed and closes his eyes keeping the image of Tay in mind until he succumbs to sleep.
Yeah so sorry 'bout the long delay. Gah! My life such a mess. Between my AP exam and making plans for cotillion and softball and homework and senior night plans and tanning and college crap and just plain exhaustion I have been having trouble finding time to write. Hence the super short chapter. But hey, I introduced Xehanort (who is currently playing the role of creepy stalker in their backyard) so this story finally has a villain and therefore a conflict and therefore a freaking purpose so it wasn't all bad.
And then there is Ven...I went back and forth so many times about scraping that scene since I'm not going to touch that whole abuse topic for awhile. But in the end I decided to keep it as it shows how Ven is still trying to adjust to living a MEKA and how his past is always haunting him. Which is also what the next chapter is about.
The next chapter is...intense. A different part of Ven's past is revealed and...well... its not good. I hope you like the back story I'm giving Ven its really dark and depressing but I'm proud of it.
Sadly these last few chapters have had no reviews :( so maybe no one likes this story. I don't care (well maybe a little) I'm gonna keep writing like someone is actually reading this and I'm not just talking to myself.