[Ven perks up slightly at the question, only to glance off to the side for a moment -- more a case of trying to decide how best to put it than because he's dodging the answer.]

Oh... I was... a student. I guess I still sort of am. [He was never named Master, but his teacher's gone now, so... he's not really sure where that leaves him officially.] My Master taught us how to use our Keyblades. Magic, too. A lot of the spells in this world are the same as the ones I knew already, actually -- but I still had to start over when I showed up here. It's like my real magic was sealed, so I have to use these Jobs like everyone else.

[He shrugs. It was annoying, starting at square one again -- and still is -- but there's nothing he can do about it at present.]

I'm a lot weaker than I was, but it's not so bad! Once this is all over, maybe I'll be able to take some of the stuff I've learned and apply it to my real abilities, somehow.

[Leave it to him to find that ray of sunshine in just about anything.]