Parma's Will

Parma wiggles in her sphinx form, her claws tearing the monster's skin open as she tries to get out from underneath it. She almost thinks it can't feel a thing, with the way it remains immovable above her, it doesn't flinch or howl in pain. It only grunts and growls and huffs in her face.

The spikes on the monster's back sinks back into its body and then pushes out of its torso, piercing Parma's under belly.

She wails, her body pinned down to the stone floor. Her insides begin to burn, and she leans up, mouth open to bite at the beast. Desperation eats at her insides, she doesn't want to die.

Parma doesn't want her life to end at the hands of a monster she's never seen, in a place that won't remember her.

She doesn't want to die alone. Doesn't want to die in the dark room. Parma doesn't want to die at all.

Tears well up in her eyes, the shadowy figure of the monster blurring. She didn't even get to say goodbye to Kora, who thinks Parma is still mad at her.

"Can I have your pie?" Kora's sweet voice is inside her head, probably the worst time to reminisce about her secret crush, but when can one do that when their moments away from death? It's not like she can do it after.

Even though Parma said no, because apple pie was her weak spot, Kora took it anyway. Parma didn't know why Kora was acting selfish, but after giving her a firm scolding, she went to go get another one.

But then the new girl showed up and ate it, creating the rolling hill of misfortune.

Is Kora in her room blaming herself for Parma being sent to the dark room? Will she be sad when Parma doesn't return? Will she miss her? Most importantly, how will Kora survive Baymour without her?

Parma screams, her muscles working to get herself up. The spikes tear up her insides, pulling her skin open as she finally manages to rip herself away.

Her lion's body screams, blood pours out of the holes in her underbelly. Parma grits her teeth and plants her feet firmly on the ground. If she's going to die now, then she's going to die going all out.

She doesn't care anymore if transforming into her demon body will give Alrik exactly what he wants. She's held it from him since the moment she gained the ability. She promised she would never let him lay his eyes on it.

But she can't die without trying to make it out alive. What would that make her? Too prideful. A fool. A coward.

She thinks of Kora's bright smile, the way she can see her tongue through the gap in her teeth. Parma can't give up so easily. She would be too ashamed to ever face Kora again.

Something inside of her switches. Every dark thought, curiosity, urge comes rushing to the surface. She wonders if it'll hurt if she snaps his spikes off one by one. Parma wonders what the monster's blood looks like, tastes like.

She wonders what Kora would sound like if she screams loud enough.

The yellow fur on her body darkens to a sickly grey, her tail hardening into a pointed tip. The nails on her paws grow longer and thicker, the sharp canines in her mouth protrude from her lips, which are pulled back into a sneer. Her body grows in mass and height, her muscles bulking. Her aura thickens, darkens, fights against the monsters.

Are you watching? Parma thinks, her thoughts clouding with the desire to kill. She growls, the sound verberating through her entire being. She blinks up at the stone ceiling, where Alriks walks among the upper floors of the facility. Watch me break your pet once and for all.

Parma jumps forward, intent to make it out alive, to make it to her true target.

Three floors above the dark room, Alrik is in his office, watching a series of large monitor screens that display images from inside the dark room. He leans forward in his rolling chair, elbows resting on the surface of his desk as he scans the night vision feed. His fingers clasp together as he stares at Parma's demon sphinx form.

"Absolutely magnificent," He murmurs in awe, completely oblivious to the stiff and tense Rome who stands a few feet away from him. He pauses to watch the demon sphinx unleash a flurry of attacks on the monster, "To think you've been hiding from me for so long, Parma." Then Alrik sighs, "It's a shame really, that she's going to die. It seems I can't have them all." A demon sphinx would have been a great addition.

Alrik's grey gaze shifts to Rome, who stares intently at the monitor. The black long sleeved shirt he wears fits tight against his form, it almost feels suffocating.

"Are you worried?" Alrik asks, a lilt to his tone that tells Rome he's fishing. He wants Rome to be worried. He wants Rome to suffer as he watches the fight.

Rome clenches his jaw and it takes him a moment to answer, "No. He's already beaten her Sphinx form. Her demon will be no different."

"Why do you say that?" Alrik smiles, he knows Rome is right, but he wants to know why Rome thinks he is.

"She's not been training. Training can make a world of a difference." Rome murmurs.

Alrik smiles, "Yes, very good." He taps his finger on the table, "It's been a while since you've seen him. Once I've confirmed that Emory is indeed the one I need, then I'll arrange for a visit."

Rome knows the real reason Alrik will let him visit, he'll be injured and Rome will be helpless to do anything about it. It isn't a reward. It's a punishment.

Rome doesn't give anything away, but Alrik sees the way his hands tighten into fists. The director of Baymour Research Facilities smirks.

Everything is going smoothly.