Radiant Garden
First Appearance: KINGDOM HEARTS (2002)
Terra arrives in the city of light in the hopes of locating the masked boy, Vanitas. He manages to catch a fleeting glimpse of Master Xehanort and begins pursuit. What he would find was not Xehanort, but in fact, a giant Unversed. A decision met without confliction, his quest would have to take a backseat, and he set off to prevent the creature from doing any damage.
Unbeknownst to him, Ven and Aqua had also arrived in the city, with their own giant Unversed in pursuit. The three converge in momentary shock, overcoming it and flinging into battle. With the Unversed defeated, they came to rejoice with the hands of victory.
The blessings of a joyful reunion would not be granted during these desperate times. Ven ran away from home and fought Vanitas himself. Aqua accused him of wrongdoings, being so quick to judge him without hearing his side of the story. That's right, she's a Master now. And her mission, granted to her by Eraqus himself; keeping watch over him like a dog. If his friend and Master couldn't trust him, he had no one left but Master Xehanort, and he had to find him. Amidst his search, he encountered a man named Braig, claiming that he had taken Xehanort hostage. An outrageous statement, but it still left an uneasy feeling. Terra needed to find the truth, regardless of consequences.
How could it be that Braig wasn't lying? Terra can't fight for Xehanort's freedom if his life was in jeopardy. Only at the Master's assurance and insistence was he able to defeat Braig, but it was victory infused with despair. He let his anger and rage take control and used darkness, like he denounced everything he had stood for. However, this time he wasn't alone. Xehanort was there when his friends couldn't be, and not only claimed Terra as his own pupil, but graduated him to Master status himself! Still, Terra could not shake his feeling of discomfort, and left the world as the calm of the storm within his heart struggled to remain constant.
In a peculiar turn of events, Ven finds himself in Radiant Garden, transported by Mickey's Star Shard. Completely lost, he spots Mickey heading towards the castle gates, and sets off behind him. He realized that he had lost track of his friend, and was unable to search within the castle due to the castle guards. Admitting temporary defeat, Ven turns away only to be greeted by the sight of an enormous Unversed. Despite the reluctance of the guards, Ven goes after the creature himself.
He finds the Unversed nearing an elderly man and wastes not a moment hesitating to defend him. Grateful for the effort, the man, actually a visitor from another world named Scrooge McDuck, repays him with lifetime passes to Disney Town. Although appreciative, Ven became agitated by the threat of the Unversed, and raced off to stop it. He was surprised to find Terra and Aqua, chasing their own Unversed to the same destination. They watched as the three monsters merged together, and with their own teamwork, quickly brought it to defeat.
Ven took the chance to distribute the Disney Town passes, bringing happiness to their journeys. Their joy was short-lived once the reality of the situation set in. It was suffocating, the way Aqua could only tell him to return home while she and Terra had their own missions to accomplish, and how she did not hesitate in pointing the finger at the older apprentice, making accusations. In that instant, Ven's happy family began to crumble to pieces.
He couldn't leave Terra, not after everything Aqua had done. Ven chased after him, hoping that he'd would take him along. He found him in the Castle Gardens, and although he was unable to come along, felt comforted in knowing that their friendship remains strong. Aqua however, could only tell Ven once more to return to the Land of Departure.
With both his friends gone, he was alone again, pitifully reminiscing of happier times. The wooden Keyblade given to him by Terra offered little consolation to his plight, but what should happen as two boys passed by. Lea and Isa their names were, the former pushing him into a sparring match immediately after introductions. A short and sweet battle that forged lasting friendships, and Ven was able to find strength to continue onwards.
Aqua arrives in Radiant Garden after chasing Terra through the Lanes Between. Her coming was delayed, as it seems he already vanished from view. She learns from Scrooge that he had seen someone heading towards the castle, and believing it to be Terra leave for it immediately. Instead of finding her friend, she is greeted by an unwelcome sight; a little girl being attacked by Unversed. Joined by Mickey, they manage to protect her and defeat the creatures.
Aqua suggests that the Unversed were after the girl for her pure light, and forges a pact with Mickey to keep evil at bay, though he was quickly whisked away by the Star Shard afterwards. She leaves a parting gift for the young girl, named Kairi, enchanting her necklace with magic to keep her safe. Aqua watches as Kairi disappears into the distance, returning home with her grandmother, but found her peace interrupted by a massive Unversed. She couldn't allow anyone to get hurt, and quickly followed its trail of destruction. The last thing she expected was for it to lead her to both Terra and Ven! Why didn't Ven return home when she told him? No matter, what's important is that they dispatch of this creature before it can do anything worse.
Unversed defeated, the trio reconvenes, managing to grasp appreciated laughter. The crisis may be averted, but there was still a bigger problem. Terra and Ven. Terra, who she had been told, committed a terrible crime. Ven let her advice go unheeded and refused to go home. It was unacceptable. She had a mission to see through, and as Keyblade Master, needed to make it a reality no matter what. However, in doing so, all she did was push them away. Letting her Master status go to her head wasn't true at all. What could she do if they refused to listen to reason? She'll just have to let them continue walking forward without her, as she struggles to keep them safe.
She was just on her way out of the Garden when she happened upon the masked boy Ven had spoken of. Aqua had no time to walk away as he immediately confronted her in battle. She refused to be the one who failed to walk out alive! He was strong, that was no lie, but still no match for a Master. Her only regret was that he managed to get away. Aqua could not let that monster get a hold of Ven, and after ordering him to return home for what she prayed would be the final time, she departed the world in search of Terra.
