"Now, girls, what's going on?" Both had fallen silent the moment Mist entered their midst, announcing her presence with a light cough.
"Treasure's project was completely sick and disgusting!"
Treasure yawned widely.
"So you shut it down?"
"Yes, I shut it down!"
"All right, then. Let's see yours."
Grace began to protest--after all, she wasn't finished yet and if Mist was displeased with the current phase she would be very
disappointed in Grace. So, she walked out to where the toddlers were kept and brought them over, one by one.
"Babysitting?" Treasure snorted. "That's your big, amazing plan?"
"Shut it, Goldilocks," Grace retorted. "At least mine makes
sense."
"Girls!" Mist uttered sharply, silencing them both instantly. "I appreciate competition, especially dirty competition, but this is quickly becoming childish. And childishness interferes with the work. Now, Grace, explain."
"These toddlers are the children of the prisoners Morrigan Hemlock and Deidre Littler--I mean, they aren't the children of Morrigan and Deidre together, but one is the child of Morrigan and the other is the child of Deidre. Erm, moving on--the one I'm holding is Minion 1, Hemlock. She will be an enforcer and thug. The other, Minion 2 (Littler) is . . . ah . . . the punching bag. He will be a slave to our every whim: cleaning, cooking, serving."
"All right," Mist mused thoughtfully, "I like it. Now, age them up."
"What?" Grace stuttered in surprise. "B-b-but they're not ready to be aged up! They've only been toddlers for a few days--"
"
Age. Them. Up."
Minion 1 was aged up first, of course. Mist was impressed by her immediate aptitude for evil.
"Excellent, daughter. What is the outfit?"
"It was an idea I had for your logo. A black heart."
Minion 2 was next. Grace explained that he was a servant, yes, but an
upscale servant. He was required to be well-dressed and proper at all times, or be punished.
Before she was even finished speaking, Minion 1 crept forward and shouted "Boo!" behind Minion 2, making him jump in terror. Both Minion 1 laughed in delight. "Oh, I like this," Mist laughed. "Wonderful job, Grace. Wonderful."
Mist entered the house to confer with Obsidian, and Treasure cornered Grace by the pool. "Don't think for a second that this is over, you pile of garbage. Watch your back,
sister, so that you won't miss the knife sticking out of it."
