Black Hat and Melanie traveled through shadows for less than a minute, but Melanie did not like the experience.
"This is just great," Melanie thought, keeping her eyes shut against the darkness. "What great event does he have planned for me now?"
Suddenly, the two emerged back into the sunlight.
Black Hat let Melanie go and walked on ahead.
Melanie looked around. They were in a residential neighborhood further away from the manor. Villains and other miserable denizens sparsely surrounded them in standard-sized houses while traffic from local businesses could be heard not far away. They were on a road with trees lining either side.
The girl smiled at the trees as their branches blew in the wind. With all she had gone through, it had felt like forever since she had seen such a normal and beautiful sight.
"Melanie!"
Melanie looked up and saw Black Hat looking back at her from the sidewalk. He gestured with his head for her to join him on the sidewalk, so she sighed and quickly walked over to him where he was standing under the tree's shade.
The girl stared up at Black Hat expectantly, feeling deeply sorrowful that she had to spend time with him instead of enjoying her time in the sun.
The demon offered Melanie his arm and she reluctantly took it as they started walking.
Melanie realized they were promenading like a Victorian woman would with her male companion as she read about in books or watched on history documentaries. It felt so strange. Everything about Black Hat was uncomfortable, strange, and despicable. Not to mention super old-fashioned and not in a good way. She didn't like touching him or his clothes. But unfortunately, Melanie knew she didn't have a choice.
"Take in the noxious air," Black Hat finally told her, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
Melanie tensely looked at Black Hat and took a deep breath.
"I remember the first time I came to this trifling little island," Black Hat said.
"How long ago was that?" Melanie asked curiously.
"At least two centuries," answered Black Hat.
"Was there anything here when you got here?" asked Melanie.
"Just a pitiful town with even more pitiful people," replied Black Hat.
"If you didn't like them, why did you come here? Papi said you had plenty of connections in Europe," Melanie pressed curiously.
"Too much attention there," Black Hat looked down at her momentarily before returning his gaze to the path ahead. "This is my retirement, not an actual conquest of the planet. And besides, the town is much better now."
"If you say so," Melanie said with an eye roll.
"I brought my wonderful factory for villainy here," continued Black Hat. "I'll need to show it to you sometime. There, we replicate all sorts of Flug's inventions for sale."
"And the inventions of all the other scientists you exploited before him?" asked Melanie, raising an eyebrow.
"Exactly!" exclaimed Black Hat.
Melanie sighed and said, "Of course..."
Just then, Black Hat spotted a child with their pet dog.
"Watch this," the demon said, excitedly taking his arm from Melanie.
Before Melanie had time to react, Black Hat kicked the pet away into the sky.
The boy stood there in shock and started to weep.
"Hey! What was that for?!" Melanie protested.
Black Hat cackled out in the air, "Because it was fun! Besides, the child should know better than to have a source of wholesome happiness here."
The poor boy only started whimpering louder.
"What's wrong with having things that make you happy in your life?!" Melanie yelled, summoning her wings. "Don't worry, kid. I'll see if I can get the puppy…Hey!"
Black Hat had grabbed her by the wrist and was pulling her along. "There's no time for that! We are heading to see your new school."
"What?! Why?! It's not even August yet," Melanie complained.
"Aren't you curious about where you're spending your next four years of high school?" asked Black Hat.
"Maybe mildly…" Melanie said with a sigh.
"Thought so," Black Hat said with a large smirk. "Come along."
Melanie looked back at the sad boy until he eventually faded from view. She then looked forward, extremely nervous about their next destination.
About a minute later, they arrived.
Black Hat pointed at the buildings with his cane. "There it is, your new high school. Black Hat Island Academy!"
The school was made up of dozens of black and red buildings. Each building had a top hat on its peak.
"Of course, they would have top hats on them and be painted black and red," Melanie said with an eye roll as someone came out of the building to meet them. "Why should anything of yours look normal?"
Ignoring her statement, Black Hat gestured to the woman walking towards them. "Ah, there is your new principal."
She was a middle-aged woman dressed in a red collared shirt, black tie, a black pencil skirt, and a tight brown-haired bun. She was tall and muscular, the type of woman who could tear someone apart with her bare hands.
"Woah," Melanie muttered out loud.
Melanie instinctually backed away from the scary woman, but Black Hat grabbed her wrist and wouldn't let her move back any further.
"Hello, Black Hat," the principal said warmly. "Is that your grandniece?"
"Only on paper," quipped Melanie.
"The very one," said Black Hat. "She is quite excited to meet you."
"I am?" asked Melanie sassily. "Did the definitions of excitement and dread change overnight?"
"You don't want to be here, Melanie?" asked the principal.
"Not really," Melanie replied.
"I trust you'll take good care of her when the time comes," expressed Black Hat. "No special treatment, unless it's more mind-numbing."
"Besides her required accommodations for her ADHD and autism, you mean?" asked the principal.
"Yes, yes, of course," Black Hat waved off.
"I'm surprised you'd do that much," remarked Melanie.
"Of course, Melanie," the principal asserted. "Here at Black Hat Island High School, we take care of the needs of all our young villains. My name is Principal Bulltrunch and I will guide you on our tour today."
"Oh, okay," Melanie said with a sigh.
"I know this is all a big change for you, Melanie," Principal Bulltrunch assured. "But I think eventually you'll come to like it here. This school is much bigger than your previous one and we've got more to offer. Besides, all our villains know by now who you're connected to. As Black Hat's grandniece, you won't be given special treatment, but I know you'll be popular in no time. Now, right this way…"
Principal Bulltrunch opened the door leading inside.
"Thanks for the reassurance, but I don't want to like it here. I don't care about being popular either," Melanie asserted, entering the building. "Woo hoo! Air conditioning!"
Principal Bulltrunch turned to Black Hat and said, "You have quite a strange child, Black Hat. Even heroic children care about being popular."
"It is just another reason she was special enough for me to take her on as my ward," Black Hat commented. "She's horribly different. I suppose it has to do with her previous upbringing. She is unbearably selfless. But I don't mind. She poses a challenge and it's been forever since I've had anything of a challenge. Besides, I can see it as a good thing. Melanie will be focused on her studies and wickedness, undistracted by your vermin."
"That could be a good thing, but she strikes me as a troubled girl," Principal Bulltrunch expressed in concern. "You know? The kind who has trouble making friends, has multiple psychological issues, might end up becoming a school shooter…"
Black Hat scoffed, "We raise killers and monsters."
"You're right," agreed Principal Bulltrunch. "I just hope she doesn't destroy the school in the process."
"You know I can hear you, right?" asked Melanie, announcing her presence from where she stood holding the door open.
Black Hat glanced at Melanie before looking back at Bulltrunch. "Rest assured. Any damage dealt by her will be compensated through me. She herself will have a just fate if she misbehaves. I just hope you won't go soft on your students."
"Oh, Black Hat, don't worry," Bulltrunch said. "We take our work and recreation very seriously! Melanie will get a rigorous education here. Now, shall we begin the tour?"
The bell rang, causing Melanie to jolt. She looked back into the hallway to see students of human and various races dressed in gray, red, black, and other colors taking trips to their lockers and scrambling in multiple directions to get to their classes. So, this is her high school, she thought.
"Yes, let's proceed," Black Hat answered, eyeing the students walking past and whispering to their classmates in surprise at his presence. "I would also like to view how my investment is holding up."
"Of course," Principal Bulltrunch said. "Right this way…"
The group entered the building as students filed into their classes. The halls were empty, leaving the trio alone to wander undisturbed.
"I think you'll find this school very suitable for your grand-niece, Black Hat," Principal Bulltrunch explained. "It's this island's most prestigious school. In these buildings, we have taught many students from all over. Every class suits each student's abilities and needs to become proper villains. After all, the teachers are villains themselves. This building is mostly for core academic classes. Our other separate buildings are for extracurricular activities and more advanced classes: sports, art, music, science, foreign language, drama, costume-making, weapons manufacturing, and anything else you can imagine."
"Sounds terrible," Melanie remarked.
Black Hat turned to Melanie and asked, "Tell me, dear. Back at your old school, what was your favorite subject?"
"History, English, art, foreign languages, drama, music, and science," Melanie replied cautiously. "I also liked PE."
Black Hat looked back at Principal Bulltrunch and smiled, "Then perhaps we should show you the obstacle course."
Melanie blinked, "Say what now?"
"Oh, it's wonderful!" gushed Principal Bulltrunch. "We cater to every student's needs when it comes to physical fitness as much as we do the other subjects. I'm sure you'll enjoy what we have here. Allow me to show you…"
