Jimbo leaves the core room and arrives at the laboratory. The two soldiers continue guarding the door, oblivious to his ethereal presence. Jim floats between the shelves, the long wooden tables, and the measuring flasks. The few scrolls left out in the open contain symbols Jim is unable to decipher. In a far corner lies a cage, and when Jim peeks inside, he finds the imp huddled within.
«Hey.»
The imp opens her eyes and startles, nearly smashing her head against the ceiling of her tiny prison. Her gaze shoots straight to where Jim is, making out only air, but their connection allows her to feel the energy of the dungeon master.
Now that they are close, Jim observes the imp in greater detail. Reddish skin, short pink hair, a flattened bat-like nose, broken horns, arms and legs covered in scars, a scrawny child-like body, and two amputated wings. It's a pitiful sight that inspires mercy; Jim regrets not having worried about her sooner, but he tends to be guilty of getting distracted by his own issues. He isn't the best person in the world, but he comforts himself knowing he isn't the worst either.
"Y-Yes...?" The imp stammers. "Did I do something wrong...?"
«Just taking a walk, that's all. Tell me, is this place usually this empty?»
The imp looks around, past the bars.
"This is where the mages do their things. But the mages still haven't come back... Very tired, I think," she says, tilting her face under her armpit to nibble on the stump of a wing. The marks of punishments and experiments do not go unnoticed by Jim.
«Those mages are real bastards to you, aren't they?»
The imp turns her face back to Jim and shrugs.
"They give me a home and food."
«I hope by home you don't mean this cage...»
"Is there a problem with my home?" The imp narrows her eyes, looking offended for a split second. But then, as if remembering she is speaking to an entity far superior to her, her expression softens, and her severed wings droop. "Sorry... I was taught manners. I shouldn't speak like that."
«Don't worry about it. Want me to talk to the mages? Maybe I can get them to free you, or at least treat you better. I saved their asses; that king owes me at least a hearing.»
The imp looks around, not knowing what to say, as if the way Jimbo treats her is new and bewildering.
«I'll take your silence as a yes. Good job, by the way. I couldn't have communicated with those idiots without you.»
The imp startles again, and this time the crown of her head actually hits the roof of the cage. She rubs her head with one hand, her eyes wide open. Jim has mixed feelings; he finds it amusing but also sad that the imp is so unaccustomed to receiving compliments.
«What's your name?»
"Imp. Maggot. Nuisance. Test Subject No. 254. Waste. Infernal trash. Poopface—"
«Enough.»
He cuts her off. The imp backs up as much as she can inside the cage, intimidated by the loud voice of the Dungeon Core. Jimbo didn't mean to sound angry; his irritation over the abuse of a defenseless creature just slipped out. It's like seeing a younger version of himself in a distorted mirror, beaten down by the older kids at the orphanage and the school bullies.
Jimbo takes a deep breath to calm down. He assures the imp he isn't mad at her.
«What did your parents call you?»
"I don't know. I never met them."
Jimbo cringes. He rolls his eyes and looks up.
«Tell me, God, this is a setup, right? Is this one of your inscrutable jokes? Your mysterious ways of doing things?»
Obviously, no one answers. He turns his attention back to the little devil.
«Is there anything you want as a reward? In a fair world, when a person does a good job, they get rewarded for it.»
The imp's gaze lights up and her pupils dilate, achieving a look that Jimbo, for once, considers cute. She clasps her hands together near her head.
"I want a baby."
«...»
Jimbo, in total silence, turns around and floats back toward the core. Halfway there, he reconsiders and returns to the imp, wanting to give her the benefit of the doubt.
«A baby...?»
The imp nods repeatedly without dropping her excitement.
«Why the hell do you want a baby...?»
"To eat it. Fresh, new meat; better than the tough, old meat they give me that makes my teeth hurt." To prove her point, the imp opens her mouth wide and shows off her sharp teeth. Jimbo looks inside and discovers many cracks, cavities, and a very foul smell.
Jim still finds the request completely insane.
«Look, I can't summon babies. And even if I could, I wouldn't feed you one!»
"Oh..." The imp lowers her head, looking like the avatar of absolute disappointment.
Seeing her like this, Jimbo sighs.
«Look, I'm supposed to be influential now. A VIP, I'd say. It's the least I expect after the victory I pulled off. I'll pull some strings and see if I can get you some real, top-quality meat. Not that garbage they've probably been feeding you up until now. With me here, a lot of things are going to change in this place, believe me.»
The imp smiles, less thrilled than when she thought she'd get a baby, but still quite happy.
«And since you don't have a name, it's best if I give you one. Let's see, let me think of a perfect one...»