Despite the welling in his eyes, an attempt at appealing to her empathy was made. With a few whimpers and deep exhales, it almost appeared to get through to her.
Queen Haven shifted her eyes away from him, as she prepared herself the fancy vape. It was amethyst shaded in colour, and quite sparkly. Underneath her vape, a circular charger lit up red just as the vape was lifted and removed.
In a castle filled with guards, nopony spoke a word. At least from up here there had been zero interruptions to her plans. They could've been gossiping about her or the girls but that didn't matter right now. He needed to be taken care of. Even if the hooves were lightly treading the white flooring, there was still an echo which ticked and tocked, it was a short walk but he wished... Ohh did he wish... He wish it were longer. Anything, really, to keep her busy.
Cloudpuff, in his tiny frail frame of a body, gulped. Saliva bubbled inside of his mouth and throat, the liquid contained words that were going to be used to beg. ’Please, oh please! Let me go, master. I— I'll do anything. I'll do a trick! Yes, I'll do a trick!’ His mind conjured up. The saliva and heavy water flushed away once he gulped again.
Somehow, Haven’s bright blue pupils were deader than his empty black eyes. He could only do what he had been doing. Beg.
“M-master? I will be a good boy! Best boy! Please, oh please, don't do thi—”
Like a dragon with their fiery breath, a gust of smoke blinded him. It smelled of vanilla and cherries.
She coughed. Well, she made a cough. Made, because it was as if she deliberately chosen to cut him off. Cloudpuff squeaked as if he weren't a dog. A drip of something else cracked behind that fearful noise.
“No.” Another cough from her, and a few more, almost mockingly without a hint of amusement. “What are you? My cute ball of joy is now a... A talking... I can't explain this. So, explain to me how... How this is possible?”
The stretched golden walls, as far as he can see, lead to nowhere. There was no escape for him. He had to answer unless... He could think of something.
“Thirsty. Water, water! May I have some water, master? Yes? Yes, I can? A good boy! I'll be a very good boy!” Tail wagging was something he remembered to do. He thought it made him appear cute but sometimes when he was happy, he'd do it, uncontrolled and erratic.
“No water!” Once she raised her voice, he whimpered again but stopped after Queen Haven gave him a stern look, “What have you done to him?” She asked, as calmly as she could as to not make Cloudpuff freak out and cause a “scene” again.
“M-master! I— I am him! I am a good boy! Me is, very good boy! I will do anything for you, master!” He tapped on the thick glass with tiny paws.
In response, the queen only lifted a brow, then hurriedly changed her expression to something else.
“Here, I suppose you can chew on this toy... The one my Cloudpuff used to fancy.” Queen Haven saw his desperation to do anything other than sit and whimper.
It was almost a normal sight to see at this point. She knew once her daughters returned, the process would start all over again.
Hesitantly, she opened a circular golden latch, pushing the toy through. Of course she had to examine what Cloudpuff does with his chew toy. He crept above it and titled his head as if communicating to another creature. It froze him for a brief moment, captivation had overtook Cloudpuff.
A wasp interested in a marigold, this related to the look of wonderment Cloudpuff gave. Slowed and cautious, he pressed a paw down on the stuffed carrot. It caved in, it folded orange fabric down, which caused the carrot to release a high pitched sound. He yelped.
Queen Haven quizzically peered down upon Cloudpuff. After seconds had passed, she took another hit from her vape. Away from him this time, the white little cloud grew and grew until it became a thin line of nothingness across the hallway.
The black eyes blinked, stopped, blinked some more, until a muzzle curled up. He had his mouth slightly opened with an exposed tongue.
No more cute appeals to Queen Haven. He clearly ran out of options. Cloudpuff stared up at her with a saddened face, shaking his now distraughtly heavy head.
“Master, please. I... I— I can't be a good boy in here. Please, oh please don't do this again. Oh, oh, oh give me a chance to be your baby again, my m-master,” he gulped down another batch of saliva, “can we play fetch or... Or go to the waterfall? Oh, how I love going there! Please... L-Let me out!” His voice cracked, leaving a raised tone of disturbance in the air. Like a plucked guitar string, out in the midst of a quiet room, finally shrinking.
The queen sighed. It was a frustrated sigh mixed in with exhaustion. On top of having this to deal with, she had other matters to attend.
More important than this is right now.
“We'll speak tomorrow, whoever you are. You're not my darling. Away with you.”
She clicked a button.
Purple gas filled the box, rendering Cloudpuff invisible.
He banged against the glass ferociously. He gnashed teeth, leaving glimpses of white fangs gnawing and attempting to chew through his enclosure.
Screaming followed once all hope was lost. His screams became barks. They stopped for a moment. Then they sounded different.
Happy barks. These happy barks caused her to smile. As the purple gas cleared, the dog smiled at her, excited to see his master.
She let him out and watched as he chewed on his favourite toy. Time to wait for it again.
