Two hours later, Flug and 505 finally came home.
Demencia hopped into Black Hat's office to tell him before he even entered the door.
Black Hat was there as soon as Flug and 505 entered the house.
"Oh, hello, my lord!" Flug said, startled. "How did the rest of your time with Melanie go?"
"Terrible," Black Hat said simply. "Flug, you need to punish the girl. Strap her to the nightmare chair."
505 let out a yelp and hid behind Flug despite his slim frame.
Flug trembled only a little. "A-Are you sure about that, sir?"
"Yes!" Black Hat replied.
"Jefe, what did Melanie do?" Flug asked horrified.
"Now, doctor," pressed Black Hat.
"Y-yes, sir," Flug replied, running upstairs with a scared 505 following him.
Meanwhile, Melanie had made it to her room, had plugged in her phone, and was lying on her bed. She had called her parents and had a brief conversation where they congratulated her and tried to make her forget all her concerns. That conversation turned into an argument that had just ended.
So, Melanie rolled on her side and let herself feel miserable, blissfully unaware of what was coming. She looked around at the room that her Hat-Botler friends had set up for her. Her parents sent over the furniture and all her possessions from her old bedroom to help her feel more comfortable.
The king-sized bed from her old room was in the room with its floral print sheets. On either side were white bedside tables with small lamps. In front of the window was her white desk with all her knickknacks. On the wall by her bathroom was her white chest of drawers, large chestnut bookshelves stuffed with books and other things, and a wardrobe to hold all her clothes. On the other wall, her electronic piano was set up along with her white vanity. In front of the room was a long chestnut table holding her flat-screened TV, all her gaming consoles, and a Blu-ray player. Next to that was a miniature black refrigerator that had her favorite drinks. On the walls were various posters, pictures, and a calendar.
Melanie could have the entirety of her old home in this room, but it still wouldn't feel like home. It didn't matter what her parents said, and it didn't matter what she said in turn. They threw her away. If that was what they wanted, why didn't they just let her go with the Nunjas?
Melanie grabbed a pillow and hugged it.
Of course, her parents wouldn't just let her go. They were villains, too. They wanted her to suffer. She was dumb to think they would ever have good intentions for her. If her family wanted her happy and safe, they would've allowed her to go with the Nunjas.
But no. Instead, her parents gave her up to the evilest creature in all existence. They had abandoned her, but they wanted her to think she was given the best opportunity in the universe. The whole thing was stupid, unfair, and cruel.
Breaking the silence, there was a knock on the door.
With a heavy sigh, Melanie got to her feet and went to answer the door.
Flug was standing there, looking down at Melanie. "Hi, Melanie."
"Hey, Flug," Melanie replied sadly. "What's up?"
"Just checking on you now, I suppose," Flug answered. "Black Hat doesn't seem very happy. You don't either."
"He forced me to put on this outfit," Melanie said, summoning the outfit Black Hat designed for her. "Then he destroyed my Nunja outfit when I wouldn't wear it! It was so damn unfair! It's gone forever now! I hate him! I want to go home!"
Melanie started sniffing as tears came to her eyes again.
"I see," Flug said with a sigh as he tried to suppress his guilt. "Would you like to see a new invention of mine? It…uh…might distract you for a bit."
Melanie shrugged. "Sure, it's not like I was doing anything of note here anyway."
"Okay," Flug said.
"Wait, does this mean I'll see Lucy too?!" Melanie asked, perking up.
"Yeah., we might be in the same area," assured Flug.
Melanie smiled, changed her outfit to what she wore before, and cheered, "Yes! Hold on. I just gotta grab my phone. I'll be back in a second!"
Flug tried to hold back his guilt as he waited for Melanie. He was about to put her through so much hell. It might have been what was best for her, but it still hurt.
Before Flug could overthink more, Melanie came out with her phone in her pocket and said, "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," Flug hurried ahead, clutching the clipboard. "Right this way."
The pair headed downstairs and took the elevator down to the lab.
They walked together through the usual things that Melanie found sinful against humanity, but they didn't stop anywhere near the usual places. Instead, they walked over to a secret door in the back. A wall that didn't seem like it had cracks suddenly moved like a door and they stepped into a new place.
"Just how many secret rooms do you have?" asked Melanie.
"I, uh, think I had figured that out at one time, but I know we've added more since then," Flug stammered over his words. "I'll have to do my math again, but that can wait for another time. Just follow me."
Flug continued down a dimly lit hallway labeled "Interrogation". Melanie followed behind him.
"This place is creepy," she commented with a grimace.
"Yeah, I suppose so," Flug said, opening a door. "Here, we are."
Melanie looked inside the room to see a scary-looking chair with straps and a strange helmet device attached hanging from the ceiling above it.
Flug uttered two words, "I'm sorry."
Quickly after, two long metal limbs extended out from the chair, grabbed Melanie, pulled her into the room, and strapped her into the chair before she had time to even blink.
"What are you doing? What's going on here?!" Melanie cried.
"You're being punished," Flug said sadly as he entered the room and shut the door behind him.
"Why?!" demanded Melanie as she fruitlessly tried to phase out of the chair's straps. "What did I do?!"
There was a whirring noise. Melanie looked up to see a helmet slowly descending on her.
Melanie tried short-circuiting it with her mind powers and it slowed to a stop.
"Dr. Flug! What is that thing?!" Melanie asked in a panic. "What is going on?!"
Flug sighed as he approached, removing a syringe from his coat. "Please…just don't make this difficult."
"It's made of magic and science," Melanie noted. "That's why I can't completely control this or phase through these straps. What is this place? Why am I here?! Is this because I cried over Black Hat destroying my Nunja uniform?! Am I just not allowed to show emotions now?! All of this is bull crap, and you know it! Why is that reason enough to brainwash me?!"
"It isn't brainwashing," Flug assured her.
"Then what is it?!" Melanie demanded.
"This is your punishment!"
Black Hat's voice echoed through the dark room. Then like the monster he was, he phased into existence from the shadows, his narrowed eyes and creepy smile visible the whole time.
Melanie shook fearfully but demanded, "Black Hat, why am I being punished?! What did I even do?! What kind of punishment is this?!"
Black Hat didn't answer but gestured to Flug who finally approached her chair.
"You'll have to see, I'm afraid." Gripping onto her restrained arm, Flug leaned in with the syringe and injected it into her arm.
"W-why...?" Melanie asked, leaning back in her chair with increasingly heavy eyelids.
Flug remained silent, attempting to keep his composure as he removed the syringe, went to the panel, and continued the procedure.
Melanie fell limp in her chair as it was leaned back.
She fought the oncoming unconsciousness and asked again, "W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-why?!"
Before Melanie knew it, the helmet placed itself on her head, latching around her chin and covering her eyes. The machine then began to grow eerily silent.
As she blacked out, Melanie muttered one final, "Why?"
"Excellent, doctor," Black Hat complimented as he walked out of the darkness.
Flug turned around stunned at one of Black Hat's rare compliments.
"Y-yes, Jefe!" Flug replied. "Melanie is having nightmares as we speak. Her emotional outburst as she put it must have been severe to warrant this, Jefe."
"Shut up," Black Hat said, grabbing Flug's face and pushing him aside as he approached the chair.
Melanie slept unaware and stirred a little bit, already reacting to the nightmare.
"Jefe, what are you doing?" asked Flug.
"I find the visions generated by the machines to be lackluster. I will make them more...horrifying," Black Hat chuckled with his monocle glowing.
Flug nervously turned on his computer to see what was playing in Melanie's head.
Melanie was running and hiding from monsters on the top of a castle. Specifically, it looked like the Chateau de Chambord in France. The moon shone brightly on the roof and the building's complex structure gave her plenty of places to hide, but the various creatures still appeared. However, the scene quickly started to change.
The monsters vanished into thin air. As Melanie looked around, she noticed her friends Sadie and Lucy on another part of the roof running towards her. Melanie ran towards them in relief, but suddenly, she lost control of her body.
The monsters reappeared, gathered in a line on the side, and watched. Melanie continued moving without her control and noticed that her outfit had changed to the one given to her by Black Hat. Even worse, as she approached Sadie, she realized that her scythe was in her hand, the blade dragging behind her in her grip.
Melanie tried to make herself stop and regain control of her movements, but it was hopeless. She couldn't even yell at her friends to run.
Melanie felt a small smile creep up on her face, despite what she felt. Her body was in control of her and raised the scythe with both hands before bringing it down on Sadie as the monsters howled and laughed violently.
Melanie felt tears falling down her face in the dream and real worlds as she tried to cry out but found she couldn't scream.
Melanie then felt her attention being turned to Lucy.
Lifting the scythe again, Melanie slashed at Lucy and killed her on the spot.
What made things worse was that when she swung, she did so without hesitation and in her usual style of fighting.
Her scythe tore the bodies, and only then did her friends vanish into nothing, like ashes drifting away in the wind.
And just like that, the deeds were done. The monsters laughed in the background as the bodies bled on the ground.
Melanie finally had control of her actions again, so she kneeled on the ground and started screaming.
Back in the room, the electricity flickered. Not enough to be noticeable but enough for Flug to quickly note it before turning back to the computer.
On the screen, Melanie stared at the ground crying out her pain when suddenly she heard a cold, familiar voice.
"It won't be long before you do it for real," Black Hat's voice said.
"You're wrong!" Melanie snarled as she got to her feet. "I won't be a murderer for you! You can't make me!"
Black Hat appeared in front of her with a top hat. "I don't have to, grandniece."
Without another word, Black Hat placed the pure black top hat on her head.
The black hat latched onto her head. Tried as she might, Melanie couldn't get it off.
Black Hat cackled out into the air with fire rising all around them.
Melanie fought and fought and fought but the hat wouldn't come off.
In the real world, that translated to pulses of electricity flowing through the circuits, threatening to break apart at any second.
"Look at her Flug!" Black Hat cackled wildly. "She's in complete terror!"
Flug noticed the electrical currents and watched them fearfully.
Melanie continued thrashing around in panic and terror. Then she heard a soft voice say, "Be still."
"Huh?" Melanie asked.
"Be still. I'm here. You can still fight back."
Melanie then focused her mental energy on breaking the machinery. On the outside, the machine started to break.
"Jefe…" Flug said anxiously.
"Give it another second, Flug," Black Hat ordered bemusedly. "This may get very interesting."
The machine continued to break. Piece by piece, it flew off and broke apart. Melanie was succeeding.
"Unbelievable!" screeched the demon.
Black Hat's form grew more monstrous, trying to intensify his power.
"I have to shut the machine off!" cried Flug.
"NO." Black Hat growled.
"Lord Black Hat?" asked Flug incredulously.
"Don't question me!" the demon ordered.
Black Hat continued displaying more power and dominance trying to bring more hellish darkness into her mindscape.
The darkness increased around Melanie. She was terrified but she felt peaceful.
The lights in the room started to flicker more violently. Black Hat glared at the machine holding Melanie.
In her dream, Melanie lit a fire in her hand to light her way, summoned her wings, and started flying through the darkness.
"And where do you think you're going child?" the cold voice asked.
"I don't know!" Melanie yelled. "Away from you!"
"You believe there's escape?" Black Hat chuckled.
"Why wouldn't there be?!" Melanie retorted. "This is only a dream! Besides, God's here too!"
"Don't remind me." The disembodied voice grumbled annoyed
"Why can't you just let me go?!" Melanie yelled. "Get out of my head! I will escape from you! Somehow! Some way! Some day! I'm getting away!"
Black Hat cackled as a response. His laughter echoed all around her until the sound of it was all she heard. It was deafening.
Melanie extinguished her flame, covered her ears, and flew in place in the dark.
The next time she saw any light, Black Hat was hovering right in front of Melanie and grabbed her arm.
Pulling Melanie towards him, Black Hat grabbed the side of her face. "Never."
On the other side, in the real world, Black Hat ordered, "Pull her out, Flug."
"Yes, my lord," Flug said, typing the commands into the computer.
The machine shut down and lifted off Melanie's head.
Melanie's eyes opened and Black Hat was there, holding her face like he had been in the dream.
"Sleep well?" he asked.
Melanie tried jerking her head away, but Black Hat still held it.
Still under the effects of the drugs, Melanie's eyes felt heavy.
"Are you still tired, dear?" asked Black Hat.
"No," Melanie lied, trying to phase through the straps and Black Hat's hand
Black Hat chuckled at her attempt. "Send her to her room, Doctor, and repair the machine."
Black Hat then let go of Melanie and started walking out of the room.
"I meant what I said you know," Melanie muttered tiredly.
"As did I," the monster retorted.
"You won't keep me here forever," Melanie asserted. "I'm going to be free!"
"Not even in your dreams." Black Hat grinned widely and stepped out.
Melanie rolled her eyes as Flug unstrapped her hands.
"Oh, yes, one more thing," Black Hat said, teleporting back in the room. "Whenever you're done resting, I want you to start reading that book you got when we went to the library."
Melanie perked up and asked, "The one about the island?"
"Yes, you may read that one, but I want you to focus on my new Manual for Villains," Black Hat explained. "I expect it to be finished when I meet you again."
"Does that mean I won't be seeing you for a while?" asked Melanie hopefully.
"I could only give you two hours to finish it," threatened Black Hat.
Melanie gulped and said, "Noted."
With that, Black Hat teleported away, leaving Melanie alone with Flug.