After checking out Melanie's library books and getting her a tote bag to put them in, the group made their way over to the science building. This building was red with black trim. A statue of Black Hat holding an atom in his hand was in front.

"Here, we are," said Principal Bulltrunch as she held the door open for Black Hat and Melanie. "This is the science building for more specialized classes."

"So, will I see the labs where you experiment on human test subjects?" Melanie asked sarcastically.

"Because of budget cuts, it's just been animals," Black Hat explained. "But for the gifted, a lowly hero is used."

"That's a program available for our students in the advanced placement program," Bulltrunch explained, walking ahead to lead the group. "If you'll follow me, we'll go to the labs."

Melanie's eyes flashed in shock, much to Black Hat's delight.

"What did you do before budget cuts?" Melanie asked.

"The homeless, sometimes orphans," Black Hat listed off. "Maybe even an activist trying to help the world or two."

"That...that's terrible..." Melanie stammered. "Like Nazi-level terrible..."

"It's all for the pursuit of science," Bulltrunch said dismissively as she opened the doors to the labs.

"That doesn't make it right!" Melanie protested as she and Black Hat entered the lab.

She looked around and saw the spirits groaning in agony. It made her feel sick.

Again, Black Hat found Melanie's pain amusing.

"Hardly anyone ever comes looking for them," the demon added, placing a claw on her shoulder.

"That doesn't mean they don't matter," Melanie argued.

"They don't," said Black Hat, gripping her shoulder more tightly.

"That's what you say, and your opinion ultimately doesn't matter," Melanie replied, refusing to look at him.

"You'll have to excuse her," Black Hat said to Principal Bulltrunch. "She still has one of those things…What is it called?"

"A conscience?" Bulltrunch suggested.

"Ah, that's it," Black Hat replied.

"Y'all don't have one," Melanie spat back. "That's why your opinions don't matter."

"It's what I know," Black Hat cackled, gently directing Melanie's face back to his with his hand. "I've existed longer than any insignificant human. They don't matter, especially not the ones forgotten by their own. They are meaningless beyond being toys!"

"That's not true!" Melanie snarled, causing her shoulder to catch on fire and hoping that would make Black Hat let go even though he didn't. "God made them. They're all his children, and they will always matter. Nothing you say or do will change that, you giant pretentious prick!"

"Yeah, he created them to fail and destroy themselves," rebutted Black Hat. "It's comical but pathetic. Just like your care for them."

"And that's something in me you'll never be able to change no matter how much you try," Melanie said determinedly. "In four years, I'll either be dead or I'll be many miles away from here and you. Either way, I'll be free but not changed and be one of your failed projects, so you might as well give up."

"Melanie dear, do you know how many of my projects I have failed?" asked Black Hat forebodingly as he grabbed her arm.

"From your track record, I'd assume hundreds," retorted Melanie as she tried to walk away only for Black Hat to tighten his grip on her arm.

Suddenly, Black Hat lifted Melanie up to him by her arm, staring straight into her eyes with fire in his and causing her to drop her bags.

"None!" the demon answered. "Because anything that fails me gets destroyed!"

Melanie shook fearfully as she tried to phase through his grip which only annoyed Black Hat enough to pin her against the wall.

"If you wish to be a failure so much, by all means, say the word. We can end it here and now," he said in a deepened voice, with a flexed-out claw that had crackling energy popping from its tips. "I'll be rid of all associated as well."

"Lucy..." Melanie muttered out loud.

"Not just her, your parents, your little friend, and anyone else I can find too," Black Hat threatened.

"YOU WOULDN'T!" cried Melanie.

"Wouldn't I?" Black Hat said, placing the blazing hot claw under her chin. "They may provide good sport, now that I think about it more."

"No..." Melanie said fearfully. "Please don't..."

Black Hat didn't respond clearly, only darkly chuckling as he drooled.

Just then, Melanie remembered what Lucy had said about Daniel in the Bible, someone who like her was forced to serve a kingdom he didn't want to be a part of. She knew she had to learn from his example and submit in some situations.

"Okay," Melanie conceded. "I'll...I'll behave...I'll try my best...I just can't violate my faith or my conscience..."

"You will in time." Black Hat dropped her wrist letting her fall to the floor.

Unfortunately, Melanie forgot to stop phasing, so she phased through the floor below them and landed on the next floor.

Black Hat and Prinicpal Bulltrunch looked at each other in surprise.

"We'd better go fetch her," Principal Bulltrunch said, looking around for the stairs.

Black Hat slightly scoffed before snapping his fingers, rematerializing Melanie in front of them.

Melanie instantly appeared before them and felt herself to make sure she was in one piece. She was.

"Get up and pick up your things!" Black Hat barked as an order.

Melanie got to her feet, picked up her purse and tote bag, and stood next to Black Hat.

"Shall we continue the tour?" Bulltrunch asked.

"Proceed," Black Hat said.

Black Hat put his arm around Melanie's shoulder and gently pushed her forward.

When Melanie tried to phase through his arm, Black Hat got annoyed and gripped her shoulder. She took the hint and settled down.

Melanie took the hint and settled down.

"Alright then, right this way," said Bulltrunch.

The three of them gathered into an elevator, leading down to a lab below. Melanie trembled at the sight of what she had only got to glance at before.

Upon arrival, it was obvious that terrible things happened there. There was surgical equipment, jars filled with unknown substances, tables with straps on them for mad science experiments, everything horrible that Melanie could have pictured. She couldn't help but whimper in fear.

Bulltrunch had led Black Hat and Melanie through most of the labs. Much to Black Hat's relief, the girl remained silent and horrified by what she was seeing the whole time, so the tour went by much more quickly.

Black Hat and Melanie were being shown to another lab when they saw Flug in the hallway.

"Greetings, doctor," said Black Hat, directing Melanie's attention to the scientist.

"Flug?!" Melanie said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, this place is part of my realm of science," Flug gestured around him enthusiastically. "So, I come out here sometimes to oversee how everything is doing and offer my teachings sometimes."

"Oh. Well, what are you doing here now?" asked Melanie.

Flug held up the bag he was carrying and gestured to it. "First, I was looking for you. The other teachers and students on campus directed me this way. I wanted to give you your lunch."

"Hey, Flug," Melanie said tiredly.

"Hello, Lord Black Hat, Melanie,"Flug said, handing her a bag. "The other people on campus said I might find you here. I'm here with your lunch."

"Thanks," Melanie said, feeling genuinely touched as she took the bag from him. "I didn't think you'd come all this way just to feed me."

"Oh, don't mention it," said Flug. "Besides, I have to give a demonstration for some AP students anyway. So, uh, how's the tour going, Jefecito?"

"He took my scythe again," lamented Melanie before Flug turned back to hear Black Hat's answer.

"She saw some activities she liked, and I had to set a new term with her," clarified Black Hat.

Melanie shrugged and looked away.

"So, when's the demonstration?" asked Bulltrunch.

"In a few minutes. We're dissecting some animals for an experiment," explained Flug.

"Ewww," Melanie muttered under her breath.

That was when Black Hat had a nasty idea.

"Doctor Flug, why don't you let my grand-niece join you?" asked Black Hat, pushing Melanie in Flug's direction. She's hungry and emotional and needs a break. I need to go with Principal Bulltrunch to put my signature on some new student enrollment paperwork anyway."

"But Black Hat, sir, this experiment is for advanced placement students," Flug feebly attempted to protest. "Melanie wouldn't be able to participate."

"I don't want to participate anyway," Melanie said, crossing her arms. "I want to eat."

"Just do it!" ordered Black Hat. "I'll be back shortly."

"Yes, jefecito," Flug said, cowardly shrinking away.

"See you in a bit, Melanie," Bulltrunch said.

Black Hat and Bulltrunch teleported in a flash, leaving Flug and Melanie alone.

Flug cleared his throat. "So, was there anything you did like on the tour?"

"The whole experience has been heartbreakingly disappointing so far," Melanie lamented. "Black Hat brought a dummy to life just for me to kill it and took my scythe when I set the soul free in the gym. I thought the library would be cool, but it mostly just had books about villainy. Then we came here and Black Hat pinned me against the wall for crying over the souls of the dead here and saying I wouldn't hurt anyone. So, this trip has sucked so far. The only thing I liked was the study rooms with pianos in the library. I got to read, play music, and nap in one while Black Hat and the principal were off doing whatever and were allowed to keep the books I found. So, that wasn't that bad. I guess."

"Well, most everything here is evil on the island. Per his design," Flug explained.

"Don't remind me," Melanie snarked. "Everyone on this island worships Black Hat. It's insanity. And now, because of the newsletter, they'll try to worship me too. The principal said that since I'm officially 'his' kid the other students will want to be around me and I'll be popular. I won't be able to escape him no matter where I go. I can't even completely rely on reading since he's even making me read a book about him for summer reading. God have mercy. At least when school starts, I'll know where to go to be by myself."

"You don't want friends?" Flug asked.

"Not from here," Melanie said. "They won't be like my friends at my other school. No one will be."

"How would you know if you never even met them?" Flug asked, trying to ease her into reconsidering.

"I went to a villain's school before," Melanie explained. "None of them liked me for who I was, just for who I was connected to or how evil they thought I could be. These kids will be all the same. They're going to be fake."

"I can understand that sentiment," Flug sympathized.

"Exactly, so I'd rather be left alone," Melanie said sadly.

"I still think it would be worth a shot," remarked Flug. "Consider that not all of them will want you for your blood relations. They may have their own evil ambitions. You should hear them out. At least you can like or hate each other for genuine reasons then."

"I don't know," Melanie hesitated. "I don't want to be evil. They'll all just want me to be evil."

"Most likely," Flug admitted. "Regardless, it'd be better if they'd be upfront with what you would be to them rather than be deceitful about it."

"Yeah, I wish more people would be, but I doubt any of these people will be," Melanie agreed sadly.

"There'll be some like them...Speaking from experience," Flug said, shrugging off some unfortunate memories. "But you never know."

"I know better than to expect anything good from anything Black Hat runs, Flug," Melanie said with depressed tears poking from her eyes. "No one will genuinely like me here. I will never make any more friends like I had at my other school. You'll see."

Flug sighed, placing a hand on Melanie. "I don't believe that, Melanie, because there are reasons to actually like you for you."

Melanie looked up at Flug with sad eyes and asked, "Even if I am not evil?"

"Yeah," Flug said.

Melanie smiled through her tears and hugged him.

Flug stood there and let himself hug Melanie back.

"How about we go somewhere so you can eat in peace?" Flug suggested. "The vivisection can be put off for a bit. It's almost their summer vacation anyway."

"But the students are here, aren't they?" Melanie asked. "What will they do?"

"They're kids. They'll find something to distract themselves with," Flug shrugged off. "I'll just send a hat-botler to tutor."

"Oh, okay," Melanie said with a smile. "Thanks."

Flug nodded. "Sure thing."

"So, where do we go?" Melanie asked. "I hope it's somewhere that's not on campus."

"It will be, but it'll be the teacher's lounge," Flug explained. "I can call 505 to join us too."

"Better than where we are right now," Melanie said, leering at her directions. "Let's go!"