"Girl. Type faster! Hurry it along, now!"
"Yes, sir! Sorry, sir! I'll try to type faster!"

"Change the radio station! They call this music? This sounds like...! Like someone's killing a cat while a man screams at the top of his lungs! Switch the channel to the boogie woogie this instant!"
"I don't know what station that is, sir!"

"Stop staring at that screen and get me coffee."
"Got it, sir! Do you want some cookies, too?"
"No. I want something that'll keep me awake."
"You... you don't want any food to go with your coffee?"
"No. You don't understand, do you? Then I'll make this simple! Stop shaking like an abused dog and bring me a black coffee, now! NOW!"
"Please forgive me, sir! I'll go right away!"

"Any word on Psydeath?"
"Psydeath, sir?"
"Yes, Psydeath. The little fellow with the switchblade. I want to know what he did last night. What sort of mischief did he get into?"
"Is there someone I should ask, or a website I can check or something? I don't know Psydeath, sir..."
"Hmph. Half-wit. You're as useless as that little blonde piglet."

"Hmm..."
"Is there anything you need, sir?"
"I want you to fetch me Elder Omen. Go get him from whatever rock he's hiding under."
"Yes, sir! I'll go right now, sir!"
"Hurry up! And make sure you hold his hand when you bring him back here. He can't see! I don't want him tripping and falling down the stairs!"
"Yes, sir! I'll be extra care-... I mean, I'll bring him right back, sir!"
"No dawdling! Get out of here!"
"I'll be as quick as a bunny, sir!"
"Oh! And get me some more cookies while you're at it! Don't even think about forgetting that!"
"Yes, sir! I won't forget the yummy cookies, sir!"

"I need you to check out a website. I heard there's a very funny cartoon about a mouse. It's called... uh..."
"You don't remember the name of the cartoon?"
"I was occupied with something else at the time. I'm quite certain the name of the mouse started with an S."
"I'll find it for you right now..."

Elder Crown's demands were getting more and more ridiculous as the day went on. Milly began to suspect he was just having fun torturing her. There was no other rational way of explaining the sheer amount of nonsense she had to listen to and carry out.

At one point, he had a screaming match with Elder Incarnate over the phone and Milly had to leave the room because the old man got so loud she thought her head was going to explode. Then he tried to explain to her why Incarnate made him so mad, but she had a feeling that he was much angrier with her for leaving the room than he was with Incarnate.

He was seemingly too old and weak to lift a cup of liquid to his mouth without spilling it, but he refused to use a straw, so Milly had to hold the cup for him as he noisily slurped it up. It was a messy process. He drank so much tea that Milly looked up how to make it so she didn't have to run down to the cafeteria every twenty minutes. But she messed making it the first time and Elder Crown spat it out all over her face, ruining her best set of work clothes. She had to clean up the mess while he cackled at her and called her hurtful names like 'dirty drenched dog' and 'good-for-nothing girl.’

The stress of the situation was causing Milly to worry that she was about to have a nervous breakdown. She didn't think she could take it if every moment of work with Elder Crown was like this. She didn't understand how Harper could possibly put up with this every day.

Milly felt a little sorry for Elder Crown. He obviously wasn't happy with the way his life ended up, but he was too prideful to try to make things better. Why couldn't he see that she was just trying to help, that she was a good person who didn't deserve to be yelled at all the time? She wasn't a slave! She was his temporary assistant and she was trying to make his life easier! Maybe she couldn't do everything he wanted like Harper could, but she was doing her best!

"You clumsy hippo! Stop throwing your weight around and listen for once!"
"I'm sorry... I'm trying to be a good assistant, but it's really hard..."
"You don't have the temperament for this kind of work. Look at you, you're pouting like a lost child that doesn't know what to do with herself."

It was too much. He just wouldn't stop. Milly broke down into tears. She wasn't perfect like Miss Planner, but she tried her best and she wanted to help him. She just wanted to help. He didn't have anyone else that would! Why was he so mean?

The brown-haired girl ran out of the office and into the bathroom. She slammed the door out of sheer frustration, locking it behind her. Her tears fell onto her stained white blouse as she sobbed hopelessly. She never wanted to see Crown's face ever again and she most certainly didn't want to hear his horrid voice. Her body shivered as she thought about the cruel names Crown had called her.

"Sssnfff! Sssnfff! I hate him! I hate him! Sssnfff!"

Milly continued sobbing into the sink. Her makeup was smearing all over her face. Her eyes and nose were red from crying so much. And her cheeks were starting to ache from all the tension and stress.

"Sssnfff! Sssnfff! Sssnfff! It's not fair... It just isn't fair... sssnfff... ooohhh... ooohh."

The tears finally subsided and were replaced by quiet moans. Milly cleaned herself up, fixing her tangled hair as best she could and wiping the black smudges off her cheeks. She patted her eyes with a wadded up tissue, blowing her nose as quietly as possible. She looked at herself in the mirror one last time and straightened out her dirty white blouse. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly and trying to calm herself down.

"It's time to be strong, Milly."

No more crying. She was at work, and she had a job to do. She was going to apologize to Elder Crown and do her best to take care of him until Harper got back. No matter how many times he told her she was a clumsy bumbling idiot, she would prove him wrong. Milly let out a big sigh, stood up straight, and opened the bathroom door.

There stood Elder Crown, waiting for her with his arms crossed. His cold stare pierced right through her as she walked towards him. Her heart started beating like crazy and her palms got all sweaty. Now she was afraid. Was he going to yell at her some more?

"I'm sorry for my behavior, Elder Crown," she said quietly.
"Hmph. You should be. I will be notifying Miss Planner about this lapse in professionalism. I will not see you treat me in such a manner ever again. Now... let's get on with the work at hand."

"Y-yes sir."
"I need you to move all the furniture in my office. Should be easy enough for a big girl such as you. I think I heard a little animal crawling around in there, perhaps a field mouse or some such."

"I'll take care of it."
"Go fetch me some cookies before you get started. Bring enough for two people, because I'll be going to Elder Presence's room to share with him while I wait for you to catch that rat. Off you go."