In Teaching You Will Learn // birthunderabluelight & master-garland
'Just stay there. Master Garland will be here shortly to collect you.'
'C-Can you wait with me?'
'Just stay there.'
Knees pressed up against his chest, arms hooked around them to keep them in place, Zidane watched the Quiet One depart, their golden tail hanging limp behind them like a loose thread. The older genome had dropped him off in front of the gates of Pandemonium, and the young boy could feel each and every one of those red eyes on him. While Zidane had been given permission to roam the entirety of Bran Bal as much as his heart desired, he had also been given strict instruction to never come to this place alone.
And yet here he was. Alone.
His own tail tightened around his tiny frame and Zidane rested his chin atop of his knees, staring down at the comforting, blue glow of his home. But while his fear of Pandemonium was great, his fear of disappointing the Master was even greater, and that was what kept him sitting there obediently.
'Why does he wanna see me?'
'You are to be educated.'
'Edoo...?'
'You are going to learn.'
As always, those words had been spoken so matter-of-factly - as simply and to the point as possible. While Zidane had blinked up innocently, the Quiet One had offered no further explanation, simply taking his hand and leading him here. Barely five minutes had passed, but the little genome was starting to get twitchy. Kuja had told him all sorts of stories about all of the monsters here that would just love the opportunity to snatch up a "mouthful" like him. Zidane was expecting one to jump out at him at any moment, with ten rows of teeth and twice as many eyes...
... and then, footsteps. His little ears pricked and he scrambled to his feet, dusting his tunic down, hoping beyond hope that monsters didn't know how to imitate the footfall of human feet...
