Challenge [261]: Disobey, "Can I Keep It?"
May. 9th, 2011 02:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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kh_drabbleTitle: Can I Keep It?
Challenge: [261] Disobey
Word Count: 600
Notes: Kitties and bitties. That's all I have, folks: kitties and bitties.
"Terra, the Master's not going to like this." Aqua's voice was hushed, worried, and still very much audible through the open door. There were set few phrases that could immediately grab Eraqus' attention; that was definitely one of them.
"I know," came Terra's hissed reply. "That's why it's a secret."
"If you say so..." Aqua uneasily made her way out of the door and headed down the hall, not bothering to look the other way and completely missing the Master's presence. A lesson in being aware of one's surroundings was in order, he decided, once he found out just what this secret of Terra's was.
He entered Terra's room, only to see the boy kneeling half-in his closet with his back to the door. Yes, that lesson was definitely needed. "Terra."
His apprentice stiffened like he'd been shocked, then turned and got to his feet, his nervousness obvious on his face. "Master!"
Eraqus wasted no time. "What's this secret you don't think I'll like?"
Terra's eyes widened. He'd been caught, and they both knew it. "Nothing."
"Terra." Disobedience was bad enough; dishonesty only made it worse.
"Nothing! Really!"
Any further protest Terra would have made fell flat when something in his closet squeaked. Eraqus raised an eyebrow, directing a very pointed look at his apprentice. Whatever it was squeaked again, and Terra's expression crumpled into defeat. He turned around, bending over to pick something up out of a box, and faced his Master again with his arms full of gray striped fur and white paws and blue eyes - a kitten, Eraqus realized. He'd taken in a kitten.
"His name is Fluffy," Terra said hopefully, the important question - Can I keep him? - implicit in his tone.
"You may not keep it, Terra."
"But-!"
"You cannot handle the responsibility of a pet on top of your training," Eraqus maintained, cutting Terra's protest short. "Put it back where you found it."
"But Master-"
"No, Terra." His hard look and sharp tone left no room for argument. He waited until Terra closed his eyes and gave a small, defeated nod before he turned to leave. Terra was usually an obedient child - where had this sudden bout of defiance come from?
"He doesn't have a home."
The words, quiet though they were, gave Eraqus pause. Terra took that as permission to continue. "He was alone and hungry when I found him," he explained, voice still low. "I thought I could take care of him."
Homeless, alone, and hungry was what Terra had been when Eraqus had first met him nearly a year ago - when Eraqus had taken the boy in and made him his apprentice. Suddenly, everything made much more sense. He did not approve of the disobedience or dishonesty, but he could never punish his apprentice for showing compassion. He sighed, collecting his thoughts, and turned to face the two pairs of soulful blue eyes looking up at him. "You may not keep him, Terra," he repeated, tone much softer this time around. "However, he may stay here until you find him a home. I expect you'll start on that right away."
There was a beat of silence as Eraqus watched hope and the barest hint of a smile creep back onto Terra's face. "Yes, Master. I will." He nodded once and left the room, pausing as Terra spoke again, more quietly this time: "See, Fluffy, I told you the Master was kind. Don't worry - I'll find you a good home."
The kitten squeaked again, Terra laughed, and Eraqus had to hurry away before he changed his mind.
Challenge: [261] Disobey
Word Count: 600
Notes: Kitties and bitties. That's all I have, folks: kitties and bitties.
"Terra, the Master's not going to like this." Aqua's voice was hushed, worried, and still very much audible through the open door. There were set few phrases that could immediately grab Eraqus' attention; that was definitely one of them.
"I know," came Terra's hissed reply. "That's why it's a secret."
"If you say so..." Aqua uneasily made her way out of the door and headed down the hall, not bothering to look the other way and completely missing the Master's presence. A lesson in being aware of one's surroundings was in order, he decided, once he found out just what this secret of Terra's was.
He entered Terra's room, only to see the boy kneeling half-in his closet with his back to the door. Yes, that lesson was definitely needed. "Terra."
His apprentice stiffened like he'd been shocked, then turned and got to his feet, his nervousness obvious on his face. "Master!"
Eraqus wasted no time. "What's this secret you don't think I'll like?"
Terra's eyes widened. He'd been caught, and they both knew it. "Nothing."
"Terra." Disobedience was bad enough; dishonesty only made it worse.
"Nothing! Really!"
Any further protest Terra would have made fell flat when something in his closet squeaked. Eraqus raised an eyebrow, directing a very pointed look at his apprentice. Whatever it was squeaked again, and Terra's expression crumpled into defeat. He turned around, bending over to pick something up out of a box, and faced his Master again with his arms full of gray striped fur and white paws and blue eyes - a kitten, Eraqus realized. He'd taken in a kitten.
"His name is Fluffy," Terra said hopefully, the important question - Can I keep him? - implicit in his tone.
"You may not keep it, Terra."
"But-!"
"You cannot handle the responsibility of a pet on top of your training," Eraqus maintained, cutting Terra's protest short. "Put it back where you found it."
"But Master-"
"No, Terra." His hard look and sharp tone left no room for argument. He waited until Terra closed his eyes and gave a small, defeated nod before he turned to leave. Terra was usually an obedient child - where had this sudden bout of defiance come from?
"He doesn't have a home."
The words, quiet though they were, gave Eraqus pause. Terra took that as permission to continue. "He was alone and hungry when I found him," he explained, voice still low. "I thought I could take care of him."
Homeless, alone, and hungry was what Terra had been when Eraqus had first met him nearly a year ago - when Eraqus had taken the boy in and made him his apprentice. Suddenly, everything made much more sense. He did not approve of the disobedience or dishonesty, but he could never punish his apprentice for showing compassion. He sighed, collecting his thoughts, and turned to face the two pairs of soulful blue eyes looking up at him. "You may not keep him, Terra," he repeated, tone much softer this time around. "However, he may stay here until you find him a home. I expect you'll start on that right away."
There was a beat of silence as Eraqus watched hope and the barest hint of a smile creep back onto Terra's face. "Yes, Master. I will." He nodded once and left the room, pausing as Terra spoke again, more quietly this time: "See, Fluffy, I told you the Master was kind. Don't worry - I'll find you a good home."
The kitten squeaked again, Terra laughed, and Eraqus had to hurry away before he changed his mind.
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no subject
Date: 2011-05-11 01:24 am (UTC)... ... ... *cuddles tiny!Terra fiercely and without mercy* SO! CUTE! EEE!
no subject
Date: 2011-05-11 01:41 am (UTC)...I can only ever manage soul-killing angst or squee, huh. XD
YES HE IS COMPLETELY ADORABLE *A*
no subject
Date: 2011-05-11 09:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-11 04:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-11 06:27 pm (UTC)(For some reason, I always had them down as bugging Eraqus for a puppy, but Fluffy the kitten wins!)
Also, I love that Eraqus can see right through them. Terra and Aqua = worst ninjas ever?
no subject
Date: 2011-05-11 08:47 pm (UTC)(Honestly, I see them as cat people, except for maybe Ven, though I think Terra would've picked up any stray regardless of what it was.)
Do you really expect nine and eight year olds to be good ninjas? XD
Naruto notwithstanding - they cheat.no subject
Date: 2011-05-12 08:26 pm (UTC)I think the same probably goes for Aqua. I mean, look at Ven. XD
Maybe the Master will give in one day and let them get goldfish. Or stick insects.
Well, I guess not. Maybe bitty!Yuffie manipulating Zack into completing her missions all the time gave me too high expectations.
That orange jumpsuit's a pretty big handicap though, so that's gotta make up for the cheating, right?XDno subject
Date: 2011-05-12 09:33 pm (UTC)Or an ant farm. You know, the most boring pets ever.
Well, yes, but she's got the bitty factor on her side. That's always an advantage, especially over the unwitting derp.
Yeah, but the excess amount of WHAT THE EVERLOVING DAYLIGHTS ARE YOU DOING far outweighs the disadvantage of wearing nothing but what one might usually wear to hunt deer.|Db