The next miserable morning, Melanie and Sadie got ready for the day.
Considering their situation, this situation should have made them happy. The fairy girl got a chance to shower and get ready in a nicer bathroom while Melanie had her friend nearby. But that day, there was no lifting of their spirits.
Sadie got dressed in a black T-shirt and jean shorts. Melanie put on a black dress that was sheer around the collar, grey leggings that were ripped in a few places, and black laced-up boots.
While some grunge and KPOP music played on her phone, Melanie put on dark makeup in front of her bathroom mirror. After she helped Melanie get her hair in a braided half ponytail, Sadie sat on her desk and read from the Bible.
"The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name," Sadie finished reading from the Bible. "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah."
"Sadie, I'm always glad to hear the words of the Bible, but how does any of that help me?" Melanie asked.
"Melanie, think about it," Sadie reassured her. "John, Peter, and the other apostles faced persecution for standing up for Jesus and for what they believed in. You and I are only facing the same thing people who stand for good always have. We're not alone. God is standing with us."
"Then why do I feel like we're standing alone?" Melanie asked sadly. "I feel like God showed me hope just to abandon me here. It's unfair. I was so happy, Sadie. All of us were happy with what we had before. But then, Black Hat had to find me and end everything. Now, it was stupid of me to ever hope for anything in the first place. Why is this happening?"
Sadie looked away thoughtfully for a moment before she hid the Bible and flew over to Melanie.
"I don't think it's God doing these things to you," Sadie said. "It's Black Hat. He's hurting you because he is choosing to. All creatures in the universe do horrible things with their choices sometimes, like the Sanhedrin did in the Bible. But God can work through those choices to do good things too. Like my parents, they told me they fell into a bad crowd when they were young and hurt our family with their choices. But when their choices resulted in me, they reached out for help. My family, our church, and the Nunjas helped them get their lives together and they became the amazing parents they are today."
"Wow," Melanie said, turning towards Sadie. "I never knew that. I guess God can work through bad situations. I mean, like in the Bible, the apostles were persecuted for telling everybody Jesus raised from the dead, but the faith was spread and now billions of people have hope."
"That's the spirit," Sadie said, happily.
Unfortunately, that was when the girls heard a knock on the door.
Without waiting for a reply, Black Hat and Lord Reaper entered the room.
They saw Melanie in a black chiffon dress with a high collar wearing ripped gray leggings, black boots, black eye shadow, and black lipstick. Sadie was helping Melanie pick out some black jewelry to go with the dangling gold earrings she was wearing.
The two demon lords looked on in surprise while the girls continued their work, pretending not to notice them.
Lord Reaper spoke first, "Melanie, good morning! What are you wearing?"
"Clothes for the portrait," Melanie replied, refusing to look at him or Black Hat.
"You look like you're in mourning," Lord Reaper remarked.
"I am," Melanie replied bitterly.
Lord Reaper looked at Black Hat nervously.
"Fitting enough. You'll have a lot of yourself to mourn," Black Hat chuckled.
After a moment of laughing, the demon pointed to Sadie, "And by the way, what is she doing out of her cell?"
Sadie crossed her arms and said, "The grim reaper said I could be."
Black Hat sneered at Lord Reaper.
"Melanie was a sobbing mess last night," Lord Reaper said with a shrug. "I thought she could use a friend. Flug and I made sure they were both drugged to sleep before we left them, so I saw no harm in it."
"I'll be sure to strangle Flug later," Black Hat said before turning his attention to Melanie. "Come along, child. The photographer is here. The press will be here after breakfast. We have a lot to do, so let's get this over with."
"Do we have to?" Melanie asked, grabbing her bag. "You don't really like me, and I don't want to be seen with you either. So, why bother with a photo?"
"You're right," Black Hat said. "I don't like you. So, shut your damn mouth and hurry up!"
Black Hat grabbed Melanie's arm and pulled her behind him as he teleported out of the room and reappeared in his office.
The photographer was there waiting. Black Hat waved him over and the man in with his own bowler hat began talking with the demon.
"Hello there, my lord," the photographer in the bowler hat and the moustache said. "Are you and your new ward ready for the portrait?"
"Yes," Black Hat said, not letting go of his grand-niece's hand. "Now, I have some instructions I'd like to give you ahead of time, so you don't mess it up, worm…"
While Black Hat was still talking, Melanie tried to phase through his arm, but somehow, the demon stopped it from happening.
"What the…?" Melanie asked in surprise.
"Did you think that would work?" Black Hat snickered in his raspy voice as the photographer took Melanie's purse and set it aside.
Afterwards, Black Hat hooked his arm around hers and posed to get ready for their picture to be taken, "Smile if you want. I don't care too much as long as you don't try to embarrass me."
"Do you have to touch me?" Melanie asked as she attempted to phase out of his arms again.
In response, Black Hat locked his arm tighter with hers, "Will you stop struggling and get ready?"
Melanie sighed and imagined herself to be a Victorian photography model. She let her face relax to show as much of her misery as possible.
The photographer prepared the camera and timidly asked, "Black Hat, your grand-niece appears to be on the verge of tears. Are you okay with her looking like that?"
Black Hat rolled his eyes and almost yelled at Melaine.
But due to a lack of interest or even satisfaction from her misery, Black Hat waved it off, "It doesn't matter."
"Okay, then," the photographer said. "One, two, three..."
Before Melanie knew it, the photo session was over.
Black Hat finally let go of Melanie to go talk to the photographer. She stood there with her bag trying to make up her mind about whether to leave or not when a question came to her mind.
"Black Hat?" Melanie asked.
Black Hat turned back to her and asked, "What is it?"
"How soon will everyone see these pictures?" Melanie asked a bit nervously.
"Very soon," Black Hat replied. "Every villain in our organization will have seen your face on the newsletter within the day."
"But why did you want to be seen with me?" asked Melanie. "You said you didn't like me. So, why did you want to take pictures with me?"
"I don't like anyone," Black Hat said with a shrug. "That doesn't change the fact that I have a business and now a child to take care of. I take photos with all my clients and those associated to catalogue them for my organization. Besides, it'll be good for you to get used to being seen as and with a villain. This is who you are now."
Melanie looked away from Black Hat to hide the defiant tears in her eyes. She hoped he wouldn't see them, but he did.
"You don't get to say who I am," Melanie said tearfully.
The girl turned and tried to walk away but Black Hat grabbed her arm. He faced her, drawing his claw against her cheek and scooping up a tear on its tip.
Melanie looked back at Black Hat in confusion long enough to stop crying. She had no clue what he was doing and could only watch to find out.
Bringing the tear to his face, a snake-like tongue came out and licked it up, "Not quite salty enough."
"What?" Melanie asked in dumbfounded disbelief.
Black Hat let go of her arm, "Your tears. They make good enough seasoning. Your pain is still delicious, almost like a puppy."
Melanie's face contorted in disgust. She saw how this was just some sick, twisted game that only Black Hat was enjoying. He loved her misery. It made Melanie sick to her stomach.
"You're disgust—" Black Hat cut her off.
"Referring to your earlier statement, you're wrong," he interrupted. "I can say who you are, and I will until you see what you can't right now in our world of villainy!"
"And what can't I see?!" Melanie fired back.
Black Hat smiled and condescendingly patted her head, "You'll see in time."
"Whatever," Melanie said, slapping away his hand. "You're still disgusting. I want to go home."
"FLUUUUG! DEMENCIA!" Black Hat cried out.
Flug appeared in the office doorway instantly. Demencia bounced in behind him.
"Take the girl and get out," Black Hat ordered before either of them had the chance to say anything. "I have work to do before the press conference."
"Yes, Jefecito," Flug said, picking up Melanie's purse and taking her hand. "Come along, Melanie. It's time for breakfast."
"I just want to go home," Melanie cried.
"Quit crying," Black Hat snarled. "You'll ruin your makeup. I'll see you after breakfast for the press conference. After that, you won't see me till after lunch."
"Why? What will we do then?" asked Melanie.
"You'll see in time," said Black Hat. "For now, focus on the press conference."
"Come on, Melanie," Flug said, trying desperately to hustle her out of Black Hat's office before something else happened. "Your food is getting cold."
"Flug, wait!" Black Hat said. "Be sure to give her the new medicine. And after breakfast, make her watch another video while she waits for the press conference to start. If you don't finish it, she can finish it after the meeting's over."
"What? Why?!" Melanie cried.
"Expect this going forward," explained Black Hat. "You mess up, I make things harder for you. For example, for every insult towards me, you watch another re-education video. Even if that means rewatching the same one."
"I'll make sure she stays in line, hot stuff!" Demencia said with a wink. "Or, well, I guess as out of line as a villain should be."
"I don't expect any less," said Black Hat.
"You're all a bunch of dicks," Melanie muttered under her breath.
"There's an extra ten for you!" Black Hat laughed before dissipating away in a mesh of tentacles, teeth, and eyes.
Melanie stood there with her eyes filling with more tears.
Demencia laughed at her pain until Black Hat called her and she went skipping away, leaving Melanie alone with Flug.
Tears fell out of Melanie's eyes, causing her dark makeup to run down her face. She couldn't hide her feelings or her devastation anymore.
Not knowing what else to do, Flug put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Melanie, I..."
Before Flug could say another word, Melanie turned around, wrapped her arms around Flug's torso, and started crying into his shirt.
Flug was lost for words and was half tempted to remove her. Both out of his personal space and professional business. But instead, he wrapped his arms around her very slowly.
Melanie felt Flug hold her and cried even harder, drenching his shirt with her tears.
Unsure of what to say, Flug uttered, "There…there…" while patting her back.
Flug sighed. He had only ever shared this kind of affection with 505. But like the bear, Melanie was still only a child.
"Melanie, I can't say this will be easy, but I'll…" Flug lowered his voice to a whisper. "I'll try and make it easier."
Melanie nodded her head and held Flug in a hug.
Flug sighed. He couldn't deny it. Flug hadn't thought he could warm up to any kid other than 505, but it was happening. He was feeling sympathy for the hero, for Melanie.
Gradually, Melanie stopped crying and seemed to be calming down.
"Melanie, are you okay now?" Flug asked.
"No," Melanie said, not letting go of Flug. "I want to go home. I want to be with my parents, my sisters, and my friends. I want my life to go back to what it was before. But that'll never happen again, will it? I probably won't even get to see my house again."
"I'm sorry…" Flug's voice, genuine and with those few words, confirmed everything she feared and couldn't have.
Melanie felt her heart sink and began sobbing on Flug's shirt again more uncontrollably than before.
Not knowing what else to do, the scientist put an arm around the crying girl's shoulder and said, "Let's go to breakfast, Melanie. You'll feel a bit better with some food in your stomach. What do you say?"
Melanie stopped crying and nodded. Then Flug began to gently guide her downstairs to the kitchen.