Wednesday.
School was finally able to be canceled.
Er- Postponed. Yeah, that seems right!
Good thing though, cause Luz couldn't handle it anymore. Steve had come over when Eda messaged him asking if it was okay that Luz come pick out dinner with her. He had come over, muzzle in claws.
The issue was, Luz actually wanted to go outside today! Til she saw the silver muzzle, and scrambled away, hiding somewhere in the house. Eda let Steve come in, closing the door and going to look for Luz. It did take awhile, but Eda came down alone.
Luz desperately wanted to go outside, take in the boiling Isles smell-- But she couldn't handle another second of that danged muzzle! So she stayed home with Hooty and King, Steve deciding to accompany Eda.
"I don't want to test it.." Luz mumbled.
"Please Luz..? I haven't been able to play catch in so long! Just one round! Then we can go back inside!" King held up his rubber ball.
"King, I don't..Want to risk anything.." Luz's ears drooped.
King saddened, "Okay.." He walked back inside.
Sulking, King went back to the couch, curling up around his ball. Luz closed the back door, going over to King, gently stroking his back. "Eda will come over to play catch with you soon I promise.."
"I want to play now..!" King turned. "Please Luz?"
"King-"
He took her paw, forcing her to go to the backdoor. "It's just one game, I promise!" He opened it, stepping out. "Catch! Catch! Come on Luz, I know it's one of your favorite words!!"
"King, I'm not allowed outside without a muzzle!"
"You never want to play with me!" King sat, pouting. "You always hang out with your girlfriend-- What happened to Luz and King? King! Not Luz and Amity!" He whimpered. "It's not fair.."
Luz's tail tucked in between her legs. She needed to go comfort King, but she didn't want to risk wearing a muzzle for a longer period of time..
She stepped out, King perking, wiping his tears. He yipped, tossing her the ball, running a ways. Luz threw the ball, looking around nervously. She scratched her mouth, then around her head, over her ears, circling back to her mouth.
King tossed the ball, Luz catching it, throwing it a little farther than last time. Hooty chirped frantically, King and Luz flinching. "OFF THE LAND BUSTER!! EH- HEYYY THAT'S MY GRASSSS!!"
Luz and King ran back inside, the pup closing the backdoor and running to the front door. Hooty opened up, glaring at the guard. "Luz Noceda."
She gulped, "Yes..?"
He rose his paw, gently shaking the muzzle, "You've been outside..Without a muzzle.."
She cowered, "For just a second--"
He clicked his tounge, "Luz Noceda, for breaking a rule, we will be punishing you further. From now on, you will only be allowed to remove the muzzle when you sleep, eat, and drink."
Luz's ears fell back, "What-"
He stepped forward, uncliping the muzzle. King jumped away, Hooty gasping, "You will do no such thing!" Hooty extended, raising his head, slamming it down.
The guard darted him, Hooty falling limp against the wood floors. The guard grabbed Luz by her collar, forcing her down, "No-! What did I do wrong-- Please tell me what I d-did wrong!-" Luz shook, letting out a sob.
"You bit someone. Rules were to not step outside without muzzle til probation was over..You disobeyed, and now you're paying the price." He clipped on the muzzle.
Luz wailed, backing up and hitting her muzzle against the couch. She barked, ramming into the wall, whimpering when nothing changed. "I'll be back near night, and stop barking. I might just tape your mouth shut too.." He stepped over Hooty, walking off.
King rushed over to Luz, patting her head, "Are you okay?- Luz don't do that again! Y-You can make it worse hitting yourself-"
"I told you-- I told you--" Luz sobbed. "But you had to push it King-- You just had to make me feel guilty for having a safe space--" Luz covered herself. "Don't look at me..I'm a bad dog.."
King swallowed, lying down by her, "..I'm sorry.."
^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^
Eda came home an hour later, panicking when she saw Hooty still knocked out on the floor. She dropped the grocery bags, running upstairs. "Luz- King?-" Eda opened the room doors. "Luz-!" She ran to the pup. "Good to see yo-..Kid..?"
She turned her head, eyes watery, "Hey Eda.."
"Kid, what happened..?"
She grimaced, then sighed, "King wanted to play catch..I said no..He pushed it, and we played for a bit..Then I was muzzled.." Luz whispered. "I'm not allowed to take it off unless I go to sleep, eat, or drink something.."
Eda softened, lying down on the sleeping bag with Luz. "I'm pretty good at magic y'know. Mind if I try to take it off? I promise I'll put it back on before they come."
Luz nodded slowly, sitting up. Eda brought Luz's head down, examining the lock, whispering a curse. She drew a circle, the muzzle glowing blue. Luz began barking, scrambling back as the lights flickered. She hit the muzzle against the wall, falling limp against it when she was shocked.
Eda, panicked as ever, screeched. "Oh my Titan Luz! Luz are you okay?? Kid-- I killed my kid-"
"Mm.." Luz growled softly, ears drooping. "Ouch..Ouch-- O-Ouch--" Luz whimpered, feeling her muzzle through the bars. "Ouch- Eda- Eda it hurts--"
"Kid it's okay-" Eda drew a quick circle. "Hush, it's okay..Go to sleep.."
The pup wailed, turning her head and crying into Eda's feathers. Slowly, she fell limp, closing her eyes and going to sleep. Steve came up the stairs, peering in, "I put the groceries awa- Oh my Titan!" He slithered over, pulling his keys out. "Take it off take it off take it off!!"
He handed Eda the key. She slid it in to the muzzle, quickly pulling it off, gasping softly. On Luz's muzzle, was the imprint of it, one of the scars having reopened. Eda held Luz close, gently preening her fur. Softly, Edalyn chirped, wings warming the pup as Steve summoned a medical kit.
Luz's muzzle had to be taped shut so the gauze could stay on better..
And when the pup awoke, she went to the corner of her room, curled up, and went back to sleep. Eda felt horrible. Trying to take it off made it worse, and she hurt Luz. "That thing needs to be kept off.." Eda uttered. "Steve..Are you sure I can't pay for it to stay off..?"
He nodded, "Ms.Clawthorne, you are aware punishments can be handed off, yes? Say you killed someone and another person took the blame, leaving you free?"
Eda stood, "How did you know I killed someone-- I mean!" She clapped. "Let's go get this sorted then! Heh-"
^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^
Getting the papers, Steve, and Hooty, Eda went to the small station. She got fitted, Luz's muzzle was handed back and burned, then off she went back home. "So itchy." Eda shook her head, scratching her beak.
"Yes, it'll be like that for the first few hours." Steve blew on his tea, taking a small sip. "Guess I'm staying here for the next few days. You, sleep alot."
Eda cooed, "I sure do! Speaking of which, I need to bring Luz her dinner."
She stood, stomping to the kitchen and prepping a bowl and drink for Luz. Amity, Titan bless her, spent the previous day making food for Luz that were similar to the meal Luz liked. Eda brought up the food, Luz listening to a story by her mom.
"Knock knock." Eda chirped.
Luz lifted her head, turning slightly, "Eda--" She scrambled up. "You're--"
"Yup! Turns out, it's easy to take the blame." Eda offered the meal. "Kid, I'm real sorry for hurting you trying to take it off. And I know I said I'd help you through tough things, and I thought I'd take the muzzle. You need it off more than I do."
Luz lowered her head, "Eda.."
"Luz, you might not be my kid, but I'll treat you as such. Okay? I need to take care of you, so you're going go eat, grab your toy, and we can go outside to play catch. Sound good?"
Luz sniffled, wiping her tears, "M-Mhm!"
"I'd preen you but," Eda booped the muzzle. "I love ya Kid, come down when you're ready okay?"
Luz nodded, Eda stepping back and leaving the room. It felt weirdly nice, taking the blame for something for once. 'Maybe I have gone soft..' Eda shrugged. 'Who cares. I'm happy, and I've got my kids. As long as nothing happens to them, I'll be okay.'
To be continued.