Kankri's scream is like a siren to Venus. She gets up immediately from where she's been resting and comes running, ignoring the way her leg feels like it catches fire as she does, ignoring the stumble as she turns a corner and her feet feel numb.

It's only because of the light of one of the jellyfish that Venus sees Signless' blank eyes even before she sees Kankri. For a sickening moment, her heart lurches into her lungs as she mistakes which Vantas is it, until her visions snaps into adjustment enough to make out the wail that's started again. The source of the voice.

Venus finishes the sprint over and grabs Kankri in her arms, pressing his face to her bosom to achieve the twin goals of hiding the scene of carnage and to dampen the shrieking. She holds him tight and close, rocking slightly, eyes wide as she watches to see if the murderer comes for either of them.

"Shh, shh, it's me, I got you, I have you, shh..."