Every Rose has a Thorn

Pink

"So how do we pick?" Carmen asks.

"Like this. Eenie meenie meini mo catch a tiger by it's toe if it hollers let it go! Eenie meenie meine mo!" His hand slams on the fifth button.

"Figures it would be that one," Carmen says as the doors close. She leans back as they descend clutching at her wound.

"Are you okay Carm?" Percy comes over to her and wraps his arms around her gently.

"Yeah I'll be fine." Carmen shoots him a grin to which he returns. There is a soft ding and the doors slid open.

"Sooo...hehehe...ladies first," he says bowing.

"How chivalrous," Carmen says rolling her eyes. She pushes off the wall and walks out the door. She sans the room only to be met with darkness. She feels along the wall a bit and finds a button. Percy in that time had gathered up the courage to join her.

"You looking for a light switch or something," Percy asks.

"Yeah but all I found it a button."

"Well whats pressing another button we don't know what will do? PUSH IT!" Carmen sighs and slams her palm on it. There is a humming sound from within the wall as the lights begin to flicker. Carmen looks around as the room lights up. Some red lights shine over cages with dark glass. Carmen walks up to one and tries to look inside. She put a hand on it and the cage lights up. A shadowy creature lunges at her scratching at the glass. Carmen stumbles back with a yelp. The creature was deformed and always changing a disgusting mix, with blazing red demonic eyes. It eyed it with a hunger that of a predator who had not eaten in weeks. Percy ran over to her and helped her stand.

"Now that is ugly," he says looking at the creature. The cage begins to darken and the creature seems to calm in the darkness and soon falls into an deep sleep.

Shadow creature....are there more? Is this what Prim had to watch all these years? What was that creature before it became what it is now? Carmen looked around the room to see several more cages in the rectangular room. Each cage was pushed against the wall and in the middle of the room there was a table. Carmen sees a small cage on the table and walks towards it. Percy fallows her unnerved at the fact that his father had created these things. Carmen touches the cage and the glass brightens. Inside there lies a puffy little creature, with small legs and big eyes. The legs are barely seen through all its fluff and Carmen melts.

"It's so cute!" She squeals. Percy gives her a weird look.

"What is with girls and cute things? Can you please explain it to me?" Carmen glares at him.

"Did you just stereotype women?" Percy shakes his head quickly. "That's what I thought." Carmen then looks back at the fluffy creature which had stood up and now stared back at her. It let out a small yip and Carmen smiled. Percy sighed and as Carmen played with it through the glass. Percy looked around the table to see several tools and a red leather bound book. The same runes as the ones on his sword etched into the cover. Percy grabs the book and opens it. Inside there are several entries, each with a time, date, and a name of some creature. Percy flips through and stop on a page that says 1789 3E, April 25th. Shifter. (3E. The people on this world believe that through out their history there have been mass civilization extinctions and then new creatures have surfaced and thrived. They believe they are the third generation of living creatures. So 3E stands for third Era.) Written bellow was:

Today I've decided to come back to one of my first experiments that I had initially deemed a failure. It's a creature of shadow, it's vicious and hates the light and it's appearance constantly changes. If I can tame it and figure out how to control that power it could be a power that could help with the gathering of Intel. Spies could change how they look in the blink of an eye. It's worth risking provoking the creature into releasing it's dangerous full potential at this point.

13:00 April 25th

I've run several tests and it seems that although regular white light such as the ones used on this level aggravate and confuse the creature different lights cause different reactions. Such as lights such as UV lights seem to temporarily raise its abilities strength. I must study this further. This creature will be used in every way possible to ensure that my legacy lives on. None of my other children have been worthy but recently a son has been born. Hopefully this one will be good enough. But I can already sense a great magic within him. That's all for today I will release the rest of the data in tomorrow's entry.

Percy stares at the pages rereading them. His father had done these experiments. Who knew what each of these creatures had been through. Percy flipped through skimming through the book. He stops at another entrance.

1796 3E, May 27. Pink.

I found a curious experiment seems to have worked recently. Although it is a bit unstable. Throughout the history of my Kingdom the wives of the heir to the throne have seems to gain a power that can not be described by mere words. Such as the Camellia's out in the gardens. I've decided to take some of the magic from my wife and try to materialize it.

May 27, 14:00.

I've succeeded. The magic has has been successfully harvested and materialized. It has taken the form of a small pink creature. With large eyes and pink fur. There is no better way to describe it than pink. But seeing as it is only a portion of my wife's magic it seems as though separating it has made it volatile. Whenever someone attempts to touch it it transforms into a deadly looking creature. I can't test how it will react to my wife without her knowing what I'm doing. I will keep it down on level five until I find a way to use it.

May 27th, 16:00.

I've discovered a horrible side effect to this experiment. My wife, with her magic being separated, is dying. She was weakened and by my calculations will die in three days time.Luckily I no longer need her. She has provided a suitable heir. Percy. He has a rare ability of flight and this will help him climb the ranks among the Kingdom's hierarchy. I will use him to his full potential and ensure that this Kingdom will forever live under our name.

Percy drops the book and turns to Carmen.

"Carm! Don't touch the crea-," he stops when he sees Carmen nuzzling the little creature as it sits in her palm.

"Isn't it cute Percy?" She asks with a large smile.

Well...it seems I've found a Queen. Percy thinks.

Key Flower meanings:

Primrose I Can't Live without You

Petunia Resentment, Anger, Your Presence Soothes Me

Camellia (Pink) Longing For You

Camellia (Red) You're a Flame in My Heart

Camellia (White) You're Adorable

Monkhood Beware, A Deadly Foe is Near

Marigold Cruelty, Grief, Jealousy

(Jeez Percy finally! Let me know what you think of my story down in the comments!)