Chapter 25 Questions
Ven raises his hand to knock on the door, but holds back for a moment. He takes a deep breath. Staying calm and not losing his temper is going to be the only way to get Master Eraqus to tell him what he wants to know. Staying calm and not losing his temper is going to be hard. With another deep breath he raps his knuckles on the door and waits. A moment later he hears Master Eraqus call from within his office. "Come in."
Ven opens the door and Master Eraqus looks up from his seat behind his desk. With a sigh he lays down the pen he had been writing with and leans back. "I've been expecting you Ventus," he says with a small smile. "Close the door and take a seat."
Ven does so and sits across the desk from Master Eraqus. He pauses to collect his thoughts, and when he opens his mouth Master Eraqus stops him with a raised hand. "I know what you are going to ask Ventus," he says in a serious voice. "I am going to ask you not to. There are things I do not think you are prepared to know."
"That's not fair," Ven says angrily. "If Master Yen Sid told you something about me I have a right to know. Don't you trust me?"
"Of course I trust you," Master Eraqus replies. "That is exactly why I am not telling you certain things. I trust you to do the right thing without knowing the entire situation."
"So I'm just supposed to run around in the dark?" Ven says with a hard frown. "Why can't you just tell me? I swear I can handle whatever it is. I'm not a child you need to protect."
"Ventus, I trust you, but this trust must be mutual," Master Eraqus says. "Trust that what I'm doing is right. There is no reason for you to worry."
"I'm not a child!" Ven yells slamming his fist on the desk. "Master Yen Sid said I could bring about an evil change to the worlds. Is that true?"
"Ventus it isn't so easy to-"
"Is that true?" Ven repeats in a slow angry voice.
Master Eraqus hesitates and then admits. "Yes." Ven's face pales as he falls back into his chair running his fingers through his hair. "But he also said you can bring about a good change to the worlds and that is true as well," Master Eraqus adds quickly. "It is the same thing with every keyblade wielder throughout time. Some wielders bring chaos and ruin to worlds, and others bring peace." Ven looks down at the floor and Master Eraqus waits holding his breath.
"That is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard."
"Ventus!"
"I can't believe you would lie to me!" Ven shouts jumping out of his chair hurt and anger showing clearly on his face. "If that's what this was all about you wouldn't be keeping it a secret. Master Yen Sid wasn't saying I was just like every other keyblade wielder. He was talking about something that made me different. Something that made me dangerous. I'm going to ask you one more time. What aren't you telling me?"
Master Eraqus stares at him for a moment before lowering his head and shaking his head. "That's what I thought," Ven says in a quiet voice, disappointment in every syllable. He turns and goes to leave the room. With his hand on the doorknob, Master Eraqus stops him.
"I did not lie to you Ventus," he says quietly.
Ven yanks open the door and goes through slamming it shut behind him without a look back. His mind a mess of angry thoughts, he storms through the castle to his room, and flops down on his bed. Doesn't Master Eraqus get it? He thinks to himself. Yen Sid, Eraqus, they all think I'm gonna do something bad. Well, I'm scared they're right. How can I make sure I don't do the wrong thing if he won't tell me what the wrong thing is? I'm not a child. I just want answers, answers that I deserve. But I'm not even allowed to ask questions. He just keeps telling me to be quiet and let the adults make the decisions. I'm not a child and I hate being treated like one.
…
Ven doesn't realize he has fallen asleep until he is awakened by someone poking his forehead. Groaning he rolls over, but whoever it is just starts poking him in the back of the head instead. "Fuck off Terra," Ven mumbles burying his face in his pillow.
"I'm not Terra."
Ven rolls over and opens one eye to see Sora next to his bed. He smiles seeing that he succeeded in waking Ven. "What's up Sora?" Ven asks rubbing his eyes.
"Master Eraqus wants you to come downstairs," Sora replies.
"Tell him I'm sleeping," Ven says rolling back over and closing his eyes. A shadow falls on him and he frowns. He opens his eyes and jumps nearly a foot in surprise. Riku had gotten right in his face with his fingers stretching his mouth extra wide and pulling down the lower eyelids of his eyes. Sora and Riku both start laughing at Ven's reaction, but they stop as he climbs out of bed and glares at them. "Run."
They don't need to be told twice as they sprint out of the room shrieking with laughter. He gives chase and corners them at the end of the hallway. After a quick tussle, Ven emerges as the victor with Riku thrown over his shoulder and Sora under his arm. Both struggle and complain, but he ignores them and heads downstairs. Master Eraqus, Terra, and Aqua are standing in the sitting room and look up in surprise as they enter. Ven refuses to look at them, walking right past them to drop Riku and Sora on the couch.
"What?" Ven asks without turning to face Master Eraqus.
"One of the best ways to learn is through experience so I want you to join Terra and Aqua in exploring a world of your choosing," Master Eraqus replies in a light voice.
Ven shrugs. "Whatever." He turns and walks past Master Eraqus without looking at him again. "Let's go," he calls over his shoulder as he opens the front doors of the castle. Without waiting for the others to catch up he walks down the steps outside and summons his armor and keyblade glider. Terra and Aqua join him outside and do the same. Together they shoot off into space.
"What's wrong Ven? What did you and Master Eraqus talk about?" Aqua asks almost right away pulling her glider close to Ven's so they can talk.
"Nothing," Ven replies. "Where are we going?"
"I have a world in mind," Terra says and the other two let him take the lead. "I think it is time I collect on an old bet." Both Ven and Aqua look at him confused. "Just wait you'll see," Terra says.
…
A short time later, Terra begins to descend to a world shining with light. Ven and Aqua follow him down, and as they descend Ven just barely hears Aqua whisper to herself, "So this is what he was talking about."
The trio land on a hill overlooking a very small town shimmering with lights hanging on every building and tree. They dismiss their armor and Ven's eyes widen in shock. "What the?" He says catching sight of Terra and Aqua.
They are dressed in horribly clashing clothes of bright red and green. Terra's pants normally tan in color have changed to striped red and white like a candy cane. His normal shoes have been turned into bulky black snow boots. His t-shirt has turned green, but the straps that cross his chest remain red. He also has on a fairly warm looking coat hanging open which reaches nearly down to his knees. It is dark red and has white fur on the cuffs and the collar.
Aqua's clothes have changed drastically. She is now wearing a coat similar to Terra's in color with the same white fur, but her's is buttoned tight and only goes down to her midriff. Underneath she has on a green tight fitting shirt that is long enough to cover the top of her skirt which is checkered red and green. A loose, bulky black belt with a large gold belt buckle rests on her hips. Under her skirt, she had bright red leggings that cover her legs all the way down to her white furry snow boots.
"You never struck me as a skirt girl Aqua," Ven says trying and failing to not laugh at their horrible outfits.
"I'm not," Aqua says in a cold voice. "You can't laugh at us. Have you even looked at yourself yet?
Ven's smile fades as he looks down at himself. He has a jacket like the others; his hangs open like Terra's, but only reaches his waist. His shirt is diagonally striped red and green, and his pants are solid green. He has a black belt similar to Aqua's and his snow boots are black with red laces.
The trio stands for a moment taking in these new clothes and then start to laugh. When they are done laughing at their horrendous outfits, Ven asks, "So why are we wearing different clothes?"
"Some worlds' magic is powerful enough to change our clothes or even our form," Aqua explains.
"Yeah, it usually helps us blend in better," Terra adds.
"Blend in?" Ven says in disbelief. "We look like drunk christmas elves threw up all over us!"
"Trust me Ven," Terra says. "We look just like everyone else. This is Christmas Town after all."
Ven frowns and looks again at the town below them a big building dominated the view. Ven could just barely make out the sign above the door. "Oh no," he says with realization.
"Oh yes," Terra says smugly. He grabs Ven's arm and begins to pull him down the path towards the town. "By the way you owe me 50 munny."
…
When they reach the large building that Ven can now tell is a factory, he reads the large sign once more. Santa's Workshop. "C'mon," Terra says dragging Ven through the front door.
Inside the crackle of a fire and the smell of smoke greets them, and they walk down a hallway to a cozy sitting room with a merry fire crackling in the fireplace. Sitting in a high back chair that dwarfed him more than he already was is a plump man decked out all in red with a white beard long enough to reach his toes. In his hand is an immense list so long it curls up in a large pile next to his chair. Hearing them enter he looks up and a wide smile spreads across his cheerful face.
"Ho ho ho," he says putting down the list he had been inspecting. "If it isn't Terra and Aqua, my two favorite keyblade wielders. And Ventus or Ven as he likes to be called. It is nice to meet you son."
"Uh..." Ven just stares. He can't believe he is seeing what he is seeing. "You-you're Santa Claus. Like, the Santa Claus."
Santa laughs slightly holding his large belly. "Surprised I'm real?" He asks in a kind voice. "I have here that you told your friends here that Santa Claus doesn't exist."
Ven's face, which had been slowly splitting into a grin, collapses slightly and he looks guiltily from Terra to Aqua and then back to Santa. "I...er..." He puts his hands behind his head and leans back.
"Don't worry Ven," Santa says kindly. "You are still on my nice list." A shrill whistle sounds from the other side of a door marked factory and Santa gets to his feet. "If you would excuse me for a moment, one of the machines must be jammed again. Feel free to take a cookie and there is milk in the refrigerator if you want some," he says as he hurries out the door and into the factory.
Ven takes a cookie and munches on it while he examines the bright room. "I'm glad to see you in a better mood than before," Terra says and Ven stops frowning as he remembers the events of the morning.
"What happened Ven?" Aqua asks. "What did you and Master Eraqus talk about?"
"Nothing," Ven says. "Do you think you guys are on the naughty or the nice list?" He bends down to look at Santa's list.
"Don't change the subject Ven," Aqua says. "Obviously it's not 'nothing'. Something's bothering you. What is it?"
Ven doesn't reply for a moment. He straightens up and asks quietly, "Are you guys lying to me too?"
"Wh-what!" Both Terra and Aqua shout in surprise.
"What would we be lying to you about?" Terra asks confused.
Again Ven doesn't reply for a moment, but then he speaks quietly to them. "Did Master Eraqus tell you guys something about me and ask you to keep it a secret? Is there something everyone gets to know, but me?"
Terra and Aqua exchange a look with each other. They don't reply right away, but the motion is all Ven needs to know the answer. "I can't believe this," he says angrily. He looks down for a moment his hands balling into fists. When he looks up, his eyes are burning with betrayal. "How could you? I thought you were my friends."
"We are your friends," Aqua says a little hurt.
"Friends don't keep secrets from each other," Ven shoots back.
"Ven," Terra tries. "You gotta understand, this isn't a big deal."
"It isn't a big deal?" Ven shouts taking a step closer. "This is my life we're talking about and I have a right to know what is going on."
"We're just trying to protect you Ven," Aqua says and Ven loses it.
"I am not a child!" He yells at her. "I don't need you all to protect me! Just tell me the fucking truth!"
Both Terra and Aqua are speechless and stand with open mouths staring at Ven. "Screw this shit," Ven says turning away from them. "I'm outta here." With that he storms back out of the workshop ignoring Aqua's calls for him to come back.
As Aqua takes a step to follow him, Terra grabs her arm. "Let him simmer down," Terra says to her. "He'll come back."
"But Master Eraqus said we have to keep an eye on him at all times," Aqua says sadly.
"It's Christmas Town," Terra says with a small smile. "There isn't any darkness here for him to get affected by."
…
Back on the hill the trio had landed on, Ven is pacing in anger. Terra and Aqua too.He thinks to himself. Am I really the only one in the dark here? What could be so bad that they don't think I can handle it? ...Maybe I can't handle it. Maybe they're right to try and protect me. But what are they protecting me from? Myself? 'A power that should be extinct.' That is what Master Yen Sid said about me, but what did he mean? What power do I have? 'You will bring a change to the worlds, but whether that change is good or evil is still a mystery even to me.' Ugh, what does it all mean?
Ven sighs and stops pacing. He leans against a tree and looks up at the stars above. All those worlds...am I really going to bring a change to all of them? Do I really have the power to do that?Lost in his thoughts, Ven hears a slight creak like a door being opened and the support of the tree on his back vanishes. With a gasp, he falls backwards into a dark hole, and the stars disappear from sight.
…
In the Hinterlands, Jack Skellington sits alone in the quiet woods. A beetle like bug crawls out of the ground in front of him and scuttles past him. Seeing his chance, Jack jumps to his feet and moves in front of the insect, crouching down to be at its level. When it pauses to peer up at him, he stretches his skeletal face into a ghoulish smile. The bug regards him for a moment, before continuing to plod on unaffected by Jack's attempts to scare it. Sighing Jack gets to his feet and crosses his long arms. "Can't even scare a beetle," he says with a sigh. "Maybe I really am just a joke."
His self pitying is interrupted by a loud scream, and Jack jumps in fright spinning around to see Ven come tumbling out of the tree in the center of the clearing. Ven lands on the pine needles and as he gets to his feet Jack lays a hand over his fast beating heart. "That scream," Jack says in wonder and Ven looks up at him in surprise. "That entrance. That face. It's perfect!" Jack jumps forward grabbing Ven's hand and shaking it hard. "Teach me! Please teach me your ways oh scary one!"
Ven stares at him in complete confusion. "What the fuck?" He says trying to take his hand back from Jack, but the skeleton grip is too strong.
"Oh I forgot," Jack says. "I'm Jack Skellington. The running joke of Halloween Town. Who are you?"
"Ven. Just Ven," he replies still nonplussed.
"Well my little vampire Ven what do you say? Will you teach me your scary ways?" Jack asks
"Vampire?" Ven says looking down at himself in surprise. His clothes have changed again and he likes these better. He has on ripped black jeans with a piece of red cloth tied around his waist as a belt. Short black boots with silver accents are on his feet and fingerless black and white gloves are on his hands. He is also wearing a blood red sleeveless shirt and a faded and ripped black cape with a high collar hangs from his neck. As Jack lets go of his hand, Ven reaches up and feels with wonder the two fangs that have replaced his teeth.
"So what exactly do you want my help with," Ven asks Jack.
Jack gets a far off look in his empty black eye sockets. "It's always been my dream to scare," he says. "To cause fear and fright. To be the bump in the night. I want to be hailed as the king of monsters and freaks, but alas my dear friend I can't even get a shriek. I am the laugh of the town, no more than a clown, and it makes me ashamed deep down. But if you were to teach me, to scare and be creepy, I could be someone to envy."
Ven is silent for a moment before saying, "I don't know much about scaring people, but if it means that much to you I'll try and help."
"This is great!" Jack says enthusiastically. "I'll be a hot shot in no time, then Sally will have to notice me!"
"Well let's get started," Ven says grinning and showing off his fangs. "Show me your best scary face."
Jack takes a moment to compose himself before leaning down with an evil grin and his hands held up like claws. Ven jumps slightly, but more out of surprise than fear. Jack straightens back up. "How was that?" He asks anxiously.
"Not bad," Ven says trying to be supportive, but Jack lowers his head sadly.
"You weren't scared," he says in a depressed voice.
"Your face was very scary," Ven says quickly. "It was just...too fast. Yeah thats it! I was too surprised to be scared. You need to build up the suspense and get people's hearts pounding before you try and really scare them. Maybe if you use a little of your theatrics to set the mood people will find you scarier."
Jack thinks for a moment, then shouts, "'That's brilliant! Put on a horror show. That will scare them out of their graves! An unforgettable, heart pounding build up to a terrifying show stopper. It's perfect! Come now, we have to go make plans." Jack links arms with Ven and leads him out of the Hinterlands chatting incessantly about his plans for his opening act.
MLSoT: Hope I made your day again by updating :)
Zephyr26: Suspense is my middle name. Well actually it's not, but this is the internet so I can say anything I want. So anyways, I love making stories suspenseful and I love that you like the suspense.
Mexi: Keric used hemlock to poison his parents last chapter, he doesn't have any kind of dark powers yet.
So in case you forgot, in chapter 6 Ven refused to believe Terra and Aqua when they told him Santa was real and he ended up betting Terra 50 munny.
Oh Ven I'm so sorry I'm keeping you in the dark, but it makes a better story so you just gotta deal. Anybody notice that Ven swore in front of Sora and Riku back towards the beginning of this chapter? Just felt like pointing it out in case it comes back to bite him in the butt.
OKAY! I have a challenge for you guys that I think you will all like! Ven and Zack are going to have their first official date in a couple chapters and I need an idea for what they are going to do. If you have an idea write it in a review or PM me and I'll give you credit if I use your idea. It can be super sappy or really out of the box. The only rule is they have to stay in Traverse Town the whole time. Oh and remember this story is rated T so don't go too...y'know.
Ready? Set. GO!