Flug and Demencia quickly got Melanie to the elevator and escorted her upstairs.
Meanwhile, Black Hat was glaring silently at Lord Reaper's reflection in his own office mirror and asked, "What did you call me for, Reaper?"
"We arranged to have lunch with Melanie," Lord Reaper reminded him. "Remember?"
"That's right," Black Hat said annoyedly. "Is there any way to postpone it for a while? I have been making some important calls to get that legal paperwork started. Or did you forget about what we discussed earlier?"
"I didn't forget, Lord Black Hat," said Lord Reaper with a shrug. "But those preparations can be made at any time before you leave on your little business trip. Our grandchild's power needs be tested, and our video needs to be made and sent out while the sun is still up. So, what do you say?"
"Alright," Black Hat said with a reluctant sigh. "So long as I get to have an evil lunch for myself."
"Already had the bear make us special plates," Lord Reaper replied.
"Very well," Black Hat replied, turning away to leave the room. "Let's get going then. We shouldn't keep the girl waiting."
Lord Reaper phased through the mirror, followed behind Black Hat, and said, "I'm glad we're in agreement for once. Melanie has needed more familial influences in her life. Wouldn't you say? Sure, she hates us currently, but that can't last forever."
"I wouldn't mind if she did," Black Hat said, turning around, looking directly at Lord Reaper, and grinning while waiting for him to catch up. "Hate is such a powerful force."
"How?" Lord Reaper asked incredulously. "Melanie is currently using it against us, her own family. How can you possibly use hate when it's against you?"
"Hate can be directed to other purposes, Lord Reaper," explained Black Hat. "Now, come along. We need to direct our grandchild."
After a quick bathroom break, Melanie was sulking in the dining room while she, Flug, and Demencia were waiting for the other two ancient entities.
Black Hat pushed the door open and stepped inside before taking his seat at the head of the table while Lord Reaper sat down next to Melanie. Black Hat wasn't exactly happy about attending this meeting either.
Melanie sighed and refused to make eye contact. She tried to smile a little as a thought entered her mind: How long could he possibly last before her connection to the Lord made him leave?
Lord Reaper was the first to break the silence and asked, "So, Melanie, how are you doing, my dear?"
"Miserable," Melanie said simply.
"How is Sadie?" asked Lord Reaper.
"Holding on," Melanie said resentfully. "No thanks to you guys."
"How was class?" asked Lord Reaper, trying to be positive.
"Miserable, like it was yesterday," Melanie replied.
"Hey!" Flug protested.
"Well, I thought it was fun!" Demencia interjected.
"All you did was destroy my stuff," Flug muttered annoyedly.
"So, it was a success!" exclaimed Demencia.
Before Flug could reply, Black Hat demanded, "Where's my food, worm?"
Flug gulped and called for 505.
505 came dashing into the room with everyone's food on a cart with pre-arranged plates.
505 gave Black Hat his meal first.
Black Hat's meal was of worm spaghetti. He wasted no time digging, not very interested in the conversation.
505 gave everyone else their meals and served Melanie last. It was normal spaghetti and meat sauce with a side salad and accompanying glass of water.
"505, did you save a plate for Sadie?" Melanie asked quietly.
505 nodded and Melanie whispered, "Thank you!"
"Be sure to make it less edible, 505."
Melanie looked around for the source of the voice. It was Black Hat, pointing his fork at 505 giving the order.
505 looked at Melanie apologetically and walked away.
"No, 505!" Melanie called after 505. "You don't have to do that! Stop!"
"Melanie, don't disrespect your grand-uncle," said Lord Reaper.
"Black Hat is not my grand-uncle," Melanie retorted as she twirled her spaghetti.
"You must remember-…" Lord Reaper tried to protest.
"And Sadie is technically our guest," Melanie interrupted. "Wouldn't it be disrespectful to our guest if we didn't give her something edible to eat?"
"She's our prisoner, not a guest," Black Hat interjected.
"And Black Hat is your grand-uncle whether you like it or not, Melanie," Lord Reaper added loudly to get Melanie's attention back to him. "Now, calm down and eat your food while your grand-uncle tells us what he has planned for the afternoon's activity."
"I can't imagine that I'd care to hear it," Melanie quipped with an eyeroll.
"Quiet, whelp," Black Hat ordered. "After lunch, you'll be sent on a mission to destroy."
Melanie paused for a moment before she swallowed her bite of spaghetti and asked, "Destroy? Destroy what?"
"I'll make this easier for you and make it part of Hatsville," Black Hat said taking a bite out of his worm spaghetti.
"But these are your citizens. Aren't you worried about hurting anybody?" Melanie argued. "What am I saying? Of course, you aren't."
Black Hat scoffed and said, "Glad we're in agreement about that, then. You needn't worry. They're just about used to it."
"Why does that not surprise me?" Melanie asked with a sigh. "Why would anyone choose to live here?"
"You'll have a chance to ask them yourself when you're tearing their homes apart," Black Hat said grinning with a slight growl.
Melanie felt a shiver go through her spine as she looked at her food.
"Can't we give them an evacuation warning or anything?" Melanie pleaded.
"No," Black Hat answered simply.
"But the people need to get away!" Melanie protested.
Black Hat raised a brow and replied, "Oh, but where's the fun in that?"
"Can't I destroy a condemned house instead?" Melanie pleaded. "I don't want to hurt anyone else!"
"Boring!" Demencia yelled.
"What are you talking about, Demencia?" Flug chimed in. "You'll destroy anything, even if it's condemned, especially if it's not."
"Bunch of sadists," Melanie quipped.
"Anyways, why don't you describe the area that Melanie needs to destroy, Black Hat?" Lord Reaper asked, redirecting the conversation.
"Something condemned, I hope," Melanie muttered.
"I don't care where it is, as long as I hear their pitiful screams," Black Hat said with a wicked grin.
Melanie shook and started tearing up over her food.
"Oh, don't worry, Melanie, dear," Lord Reaper reassured. "Black Hat's going to give you something generous in exchange for your cooperation."
"Do you not want to see the shapeshifter?" asked Black Hat.
"And you do want her to be treated well, right?" Flug added.
Melanie looked up with tears in her eyes and nodded.
A dark air filled the room as Black Hat leaned all the way across the table with a glare, his eye black with a red pupil as he replied, "Then you will do as I say!"
Melanie shook violently and tried to back away only to fall back into her chair. She knocked her chair over and fell on the floor, prompting loud laughter from Demencia.
"Melanie, are you alright?" Lord Reaper asked, getting up from his seat to help her.
Melanie scrambled to her feet, picked up her chair, sat herself down, and wordlessly went back to eating her food.
Lord Reaper summoned a map and said, "Okay, everyone. Where is the best spot for wanton destruction?"
"Perhaps since she wants to try and sneak off with her trifling friends at the beach she can do the neighborhood there," Black Hat suggested.
"What?!" Melanie protested. "But that's not fair! They haven't done anything! Why are you punishing them?!"
"I won't be. It'll be all you," Black Hat said cruelly.
Melanie began hyperventilating.
"I can't do it!" Melanie cried. "I can't do it! You already didn't let me save that hero! I can't hurt anyone else! I can't do it!"
"Stop your whimpering," Black Hat demanded annoyedly.
"Yeah, it's really annoying," added Demencia.
"Oh, shut up, you psycho!" Melanie snapped back.
"At least, I'm not a nerd!" Demencia argued back.
Flug simply sighed and rolled his eyes.
Lord Reaper moved from his spot at the table over to his granddaughter's side.
"Don't fret, Melanie," Lord Reaper reassured her. "We'll be right by your side the whole time."
"That doesn't make me feel better," Melanie protested. "What else am I supposed to do?"
"Do as you are told," Black Hat said. "Be the villain you're meant to be. Represent me and my organization well as my grand-niece. Do what I say, or I will pulverize your little friend."
Melanie felt the bile rise in her throat and she retorted, "Why am I so important to you? Why are you so keen on grooming me to be your so-called grand-niece anyways?"
"I have a reputation to upkeep," Black Hat said, twirling more worm spaghetti on his fork. "And, more importantly, you're wasting your talents playing hero."
"So?" Melanie argued back. "Why do you care about how I use my talents?"
"Isn't that what family is supposed to do?" Black Hat asked.
"You are not my family!" Melanie retorted.
"I don't care what you're saying," Black Hat said calmly. "Unlike Flug, I won't be swayed by words."
Flug looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Ha ha!" Demencia laughed while pointing at Flug. "You're soft!"
"I am not," Flug retorted quietly.
"Melanie, your grand-uncle and I were created by your God at the same time," Lord Reaper chided. "You need to show some respect. I don't want Black Hat to hurt your little friend, but I will ask him to if I must."
"You wouldn't!" Melanie cried.
Black Hat grinned, his fingers interlacing on the table as he said, "Ah, finally! Eso es el villano yo requerdo (That's the villain I remember)."
Lord Reaper smiled, held an arm across his chest, bowed reverently, and replied, "Merci, mon seigneur (Thank you, my lord)."
"You know I can understand both Spanish and French, right?" asked Melanie.
"Yes, and I don't care," replied Black Hat.
"I'll do whatever I have to, Melanie," Lord Reaper said. "Now, be a bad girl and listen to your grand-uncle."
"Me odio (I hate you)," Melanie muttered out loud.
Lord Reaper looked away sadly. Sure, what he was doing was what was best for Melanie, but to have her hate him so much and feel so unhappy still hurt.
Melanie wordlessly glared at all of them and went back to eating her food and drinking her drink without looking at anyone else.
"So?" Lord Reaper asked Black Hat. "Shall we set out after lunch then?"
"I don't see why not," Black Hat said, getting back to his food.
"As if I had a choice," muttered Melanie without looking up.
"Now, you're getting it," Black Hat responded with a chuckle.
The conversation died down after that with everyone silently eating their lunches until it was time to go.