Notes:

This chapter actually pained me to write. I feel the need to state again that this is a work of fiction and that I do not condone any sort of the actions that take place in this chapter.

I'm positive I'm going to have a few more mistakes than normal in this chapter. It's kept me up way past the time I should be going to bed for class and work tomorrow, but I should be able to survive as a zombie and do some editing later.

And thank you much for the reviews from the last chapter!

BlueMoonLove1999: There has to be hope in order for there to be real tragedy. But there has to be tragedy in order for there to be greater triumph. Thanks a lot for coming back to the story and reviewing again! It's so cool to see someone from the original still interested.

The Wandering Cat: Your reviews are amazing! Thank you! You're definitely giving me awesome ideas to help tie in everything together and keep the detail to a level where it needs to be. I've definitely got plans to include several more characters that never made it to version 1 of this story. I've also got a fairly good idea how to handle the upcoming concerns soon.

Zarclonia: Again, it's so awesome to see people come back to read the story after reading the original. I hope this doesn't disappoint. I'm definitely trying to include some more foreshadowing of certain details from early on this time. Hopefully we'll have some awesome moments when they all tie in together.

Guest: Thanks for the comment as well! I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: Umber Foundations

Hours passed before Red finally stirred. His vision was blurred and his mind was still jumbled as he awoke. Finally he realized he wasn't lying down, but was hanging vertically on a cold metal surface. He tried to move but found he was strapped to whatever he was on tightly. The room was dark and it was hard to make out detail except a large screen in front of him, a metal door to one side, and a mirrored wall to the other. He noticed his jeans had been removed, his underwear now the only shield to his dignity.

Red pulled on his binds, despite the sensation that they were cold, steel, and unforgiving. They dug into his skin with no sign of any give at all.

After some time there was a loud beep and the door opened allowing Giovanni to enter, "I'm disappointed in you."

Red barked back "You think that's the most I could…"

"Once again you miss the point…" Giovanni sighed loudly as he appraised the boy strapped to the metal apparatus, "I know very well with enough time you could tear this whole place down and hardly anyone could stop you. I had hoped though that you were beginning to understand why…" Giovanni interrupted himself as he tried to piece together his words, "You see, in order to understand you would have to change… and you haven't changed at all in… how long has it been since we were looking for Pokémon fossils together?" Giovanni paused for a moment, his gaze downcast, "It has been a long time, and time is running out. So I'm sorry… but there is no time to do this the gentle way!" Giovanni's voice was raised loudly but it didn't seem he was yelling in anger, more though of frustration. "You need to understand, even if I have to MAKE you understand."

"We're ready boss," Surge's voice called from outside the room.

"Bring it in," Giovanni stepped aside as Surge floated a Magneton into the room. The two disappeared behind Red's field of vision for a moment and all he could hear were mechanical clickings.

"What… What are you doing?" Red tried not to stammer or show fear.

"You broke my trust Red," Giovanni placed his hand on the boy's head, "And for that you must be punished; this is the only way you will learn not to defy me again."

The young trainer's red tinted eyes widened as Surge came back around with a controller of some kind in his hand and almost a grin on his face, "It's ready boss."

Without the slightest affliction Giovanni gave the command, "Do it."

Surge pressed the button and immediately the electric current from Magneton was focused through the machine and into Red. Sparks flew from the metal tie downs as Red screamed from the painful shock. It lasted only a few seconds and then everything went silent.

"Each of my generals will deal with you in their own unique manner before you return to my care," Surge twisted a knob on the controller before pressing the button again. This time even greater current passed through the machine. The thunderous sound of electricity was deafening as red's body jumped and pulled at his binds on its own accord.

"I'll leave you to it then," Giovanni stepped out of the room leaving Red and Surge all alone.

Surge was quiet for a moment as he paced from side to side as if appraising the boy in bondage before him, "You really pissed the guy off brat; you know he not once told me I needed to take it easy on you?" Surge pressed the button and more shocks did come.

The electricity stopped again, "So you're supposed to be one of us, on our side now huh?" The retired lieutenant suddenly corrected his posture and adopted a very authoritative pose, probably left from his military days. His voice obviously deepened into a strict drill sergeant tone, "Do you know why you're here?" Surge leaned in close enough that he could feel the current flowing through Red's body, "Answer when a question is asked of you!" The button was pushed and shocks and screams resumed for another few vicious seconds, "You are now a member of Team Rocket!" More thunder and wails filled the room, "You will battle for our cause!" Every sentence was punctuated by another torturous press of the button by Surge, "You will carry out the mission of Team Rocket!" Tears stained Red's face as he tried to endure, barely even aware of the words being shouted into his face, "And you will not disobey your orders!"

The punishment, as it were, went on for over an hour. By the end of it, Red's wrists and ankles were worn raw from the involuntary pulls at the metal clasps which held him in place. His breath was ragged and quipped, as if his lungs were stuttering in their need for air.

The large man walked around the electrocution machine, as if admiring his handiwork, "I hope for your sake that you've learned your lesson now."

"I… th…" Red found himself unable to form words properly.

"Did I say we were done?" Surge warned him. He moved to the TV in front of Red, "The boss still wants you to watch, and now it's up to me to make sure you're watching." The TV turned on and was ready to play whatever propaganda had been lined up.

"And don't even think about sleeping through this!" Surge pulled a band out from over the electrocution hanger and placed it on Red's head. "Now you're in control of your own health. If you start looking off at other things or if your head droops forward because you're a little sleepy, then Magneton will shock you, like this!" He pushed Red's head forward causing the tie to pull and a shock was released through the machine. "You will look ahead and pay attention until the videos are over! Understood?"

Red didn't acknowledge Surge at all. He looked forward with his eyes unmoving, unblinking, focused just on breathing.

Surge grunted and left Red to his viewings.

It was only a few minutes in when Red's eyes began to wander the room and he moved his neck muscles just enough to trigger the band on his head and released the electric charge on himself. It stopped the moment he returned to a forward looking position. He managed only a few minor shocks for the first few hours. It seemed the longer his head was turned away from the screen the more severe of a shock he received.

Red was unsure what time it was, but it must have been late. The videos had been going for hours, and despite the shocks and their gruesome content his eyes were beginning to droop. His head began to nod forward but that caused another jolt from the machine he was attached to. He thought the videos couldn't go on for much longer, but they did. Hours turned in to all night, though it was hard to tell. The electrocutions became progressively worse as Red had a harder and harder time remaining alert and upright.

The adrenaline rush from the near constant electrocutions made it impossible to accurately tell time. The door eventually did open and Surge entered again. He wore a different set of clothes so Red was able to assume at least the night had passed.

"Magenton is running a little low on energy. We're going to have to find a way to fix this. In the mean time I suppose you should enjoy this little break. It won't last too long," Surge snickered as he disconnected the Magneton and floated it from the room.

Red waited for the man to leave and then his head fell forward. He was exhausted, frustrated, confused. In the midst of everything that had was going on, Red found himself wanting to cry. He shook it off and tried to remain positive, "It's okay… my friends will come soon, then everything will be alright."

Despite hanging in such an uncomfortable and awkward position, Red's head nodded forward and he dozed. Once a person has reached a certain stage of exhaustion it becomes impossible to retain any sense of time, or to have any recollection if one is dreaming or actually opening their eyes and seeing what really stands before them. For some unknown reason Red tilted his head skyward and made out the forms of two giants standing above him. One stood on four legs and the other on two, both gave off an aura of extraordinary power and they looked directly at him. After a moment the two looked to each other as each to confer amongst themselves.

A jolt to Red's senses jarred him back to reality as he found himself wet and cold. Surge stood before him holding an empty bucket of water pointed in his direction, "Good news, we found some better batteries that will save Magneton from wearing itself out now!" Surge spoke in his more traditional cocky swagger. He was wearing the same clothes Red remembered seeing on him the last time, which made it hard to tell if he had slept for several hours or just a few minutes.

Surge waved the remote in front of Red's face, "This time let's hear you say it."

Red looked up wearily at the man, "Say… what?"

Surge pressed the button and sent a horrible shock through Red's wet body, "You will address me as sir!" Red tried to remain defiant as Surge pressed the button again. The droplets were evaporating from Red's skin in small pockets of steam, "Now, what are you to address me as?" again Surge received no response and he pressed the button again.

Red's body gave several more painful spasms, "Sir!"

"Better," Surge grinned, "now who do you work for?" Again Red was quiet until Surge turned up the dial even further. Red screamed and dealt with the pain, unable to form the words in his mouth.

"We have a lot of work to do from the looks of it." Surge turned the dial up another notch, "Don't worry about me though, I could do this all day!"

Red refused to acknowledge the words Surge wanted from him. After several hours Surge affixed the band back to Red's head. "There are plenty of videos for you to watch still. You know how this goes. Have fun!"

Surge hit the play button and stepped out of the room again. Red's neck muscles could barely keep his face pointing straight anymore, but every time he let up his concentration just a bit he received the shock treatments. He wanted to collapse and sleep so bad, but it was impossible in this predicament. He knew he just had to endure the videos and then maybe things would level out. But hours went by and there was no sign of anything ending.

Everything began to blend together, and then it was an entire day that passed, and then two. The videos might have been repeating but Red could hardly tell. His mind couldn't focus and his memories were hazy. Three days. An additional three days of no food, no sleep, the inability to move, and near constant electrocutions, went by before the videos finally stopped.

Giovanni entered the room the moment after the screen turned black. He pulled the band from Red's head which cause the boy to jump as well as he could and look up at the man, but his eyes were empty. First the man pulled a handkerchief from his jack and wiped the tear stains from Red's face, then he pulled out the bottle of water and pressed it to the boy's lips. Some he drank, much of it was choked back out.

The shackles let go of Red's limbs and immediately the boy collapsed without their support. Giovanni caught Red and lifted him off the ground into his arms. He carried Red that way to another hospital like room where he was strapped down.

Though Red's body finally received some much needed sleep, rest did not come for him.

The next morning Red's senses awoke into overdrive as another pail of ice water was dumped over him. Red shouted and blinked the drowsiness from his eyes, "WHA…"

Giovanni stood at the foot of the bed, Koga beside him still holding the bucket. He finally noticed a numbing sensation spreading from his arm. He looked from his arm to the table nearby and noticed an empty syringe, "Wh…. Whaaa… wha…t… waaa…s… that…?" The effects from the previous several days had impaired his muscle control to speak properly.

Koga took the syringe, threw it in the bucket, and returned to Giovanni's side. "Don't worry about that," Giovanni assured him, "that was just something to keep you calm and open your mind a bit more."

Red's mouth hung agape as he breathed heavily, but he didn't have it in him to panic. Giovanni unstrapped the boy from the bed and sat him in a wheel chair. Red couldn't even ask where he was being taken.

The hallway was different from any he remembered the other day, not that his memory was functioning too well. Giovanni knocked on a door and Sabrina quickly opened it and stepped out. Red managed to look inside the room for a moment and saw at least five Hypnos and an Alakazam sitting in a circle and chanting something. In the center Red just made out Pika strapped to the floor, his eyes wide and dazed.

"Pi…k…" Red tried to call out. He pushed himself from the wheel chair though his body was a wreck of uncontrollable seizures. Koga was at Red's side in an instant and injected him with yet another syringe. A dizzy sensation immediately washed over Red's brain as he lost the will to do anything.

Giovanni continued his conversation with Sabrina, but Red couldn't comprehend anything that was being said. Sabrina bowed and returned to the room before Red felt he was being pushed further down the hall.

A large double door at the end of the hall led to a room padded with athletic mats, "I leave him in your hands," Giovanni told Koga before he turned and left the room. A beep and click signified the door locked behind him.

Koga said not a word as he pushed the chair into the room. He waited a moment in silence before he pushed the chair over and spilled Red harshly to the floor, "Oooafff!" Red groaned as he struggled to find the strength to push himself back up.

"Pathetic," Koga circled around the paralyzed boy, "Without your Pokémon you are incapable of nearly anything! You intend to serve Team Rocket like this?!"

"I...I…" Red tried to crawl away but Koga shoved him over onto his back and he was unable to move.

Koga turned and lit several incense candles in the room. The scents of the candles immediately filled the room. Red wasn't sure why, but after breathing in the strange smell he was overcome by strange emotions, a sense of hopelessness and fear. Red hadn't moved at all by the time Koga returned. Not at all gently, Koga grabbed one of Red's ankles and dragged him to the other side of the room. He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt and released a Tentacruel to a platform near the ceiling of the room. The Tentacruel reached a tentacle down as Koga offered it Red's ankle and the Pokémon hoisted the boy from the floor, upside down by his left leg.

"I spoke with Surge to find out how much of the video series you've seen," Koga turned the videos on and began to play them again. Red squeezed his eyes shut as hanging upside down was making his head ache, he hardly noticed as Koga moved another bucket of water directly underneath him. "Like Surge I expect you to pay close attention. This Tentacruel is very observant. And as its name implies, if it detects you not paying attention it will remedy the situation. Demonstration," As if commanded, the Tentacruel dropped Red's head into the bucket of water. The boy's arms waved and his body squirmed for several long seconds until Koga had him pulled him back from the bucket. Red's lungs forced him to cough and hack out the water he'd taken in.

"Now that you understand how this is going to proceed…" Koga pressed play and the propaganda began again. Koga pulled out another strange stick of incense and lit it at the front of the room, "Finish watching these clips, and think things over. You'll start to see things differently, I'm sure of it." Once it was lit Koga seemed to hurry from the room. He locked the door behind him as the scent in the room became overpowering. Despite not being able to move Red began to feel light and his vision multiplied. It was as if he were watching five TV screens that kept circling around each other.

While Red was still mesmerized by the strange sensations coursing through his body, he was abruptly dunked into the water and pulled back out, "I… I was…n't…" The Tentacruel seemed to hardly pay attention to Red and merely dunked him every few minutes at random. There was no telling when Red would find himself submerged. Sometimes Red found himself in the water even though he was paying attention to the videos. At least he thought he was paying attention to the videos. In any case, the situation made it impossible pass out much less sleep. Once again the fatigue that wracked Red's body left him unable to truly notice the passage of time, but it felt as though days had come and gone again.

The door to the room opened as Koga returned and stopped the videos, "The day is come. Do you know what today is?" Koga asked emotionlessly as he turned on the Television.

Red's condition left him hardly able to concentrate enough to pose intelligible responses to questions, "Mmm…m..ore… Vid…d…deos."

"No videos today. Today is quite the grand day in Kanto, so we're going to watch a live event," Koga changed the channel and on the TV was the opening ceremony for the Indigo League Championship.

The trainers who were participating in the tournament were all approaching the arena for their introductions. Most of the trainers Red had never heard of before, but then the cameras reached a face that halted Red's breathing, "If this next young man seems a little familiar well he should. This trainer from Pallet Town is a member of the famous Oak family. Blue Oak has been training hard for this day, effort that shows as he is the youngest participant of the event today. Might this young prodigy be ready to take the same crown once held by his father and grandfather?"

"Bl…Blue…" Red watched as the camera panned over the audience and he caught sight of many other familiar faces all there at the tournament. He was so focused on the events on the screen that he hardly felt Koga prick him with another syringe until it was already being put away.

Koga tried not to show his interest in Red recognizing a participant, "Do you know why you're in the predicament you're in?"

Red stared forward blankly for a moment before he turned and stared at Koga.

"No, this has very little to do with us," Koga grabbed Red's face tightly and directed his vision back to the screen, "Right there, those associates of yours who did nothing but lie to you and lead you astray, they are the true villains in this tale."

"T…th…that's not tr… true!" Red's voice cracked.

"But they are the ones who filled your head with lies with their version of what the world needs." Koga kneeled down to speak in lower, deeper tone, "It's not your fault you were caught up in this either. They are the ones who lied to you and told you the world was a good and safe place all the while they have allowed horrible things to happen to innocents everywhere!"

Red shook his head and stuttered, "B…but… my… f…friends…"

Koga tapped on the tentacle holding Red up and the boy's head was dropped into the bucket of water.

"Look!" Koga grabbed onto Red's face and held his eyes open towards the screen. Blue's first match was on, he was using his Golduck to trample over another trainer's Rapidash, "They aren't your friends, they don't care about you! They're not off looking for you, or about to come rescue you! You could be locked away in a dungeon for all eternity and they will continue on their merry happy lives just fine because they could care less!"

Red's eyes didn't move from the television set as Koga moved around him, "They told you the things they did so you wouldn't get in their way, so they could leave you behind." Tears welled up in Red's eyes. His emotions and thoughts were running rampant and no matter what he tried to tell himself he just couldn't reel them back under his control.

"Those… people… they are the true cause of all your pain!" Koga injected another drug into Red's back. Red's eyes shot open wide and then he screamed as it felt as though a fire was beginning to consume him.

"Those… people… they stole something from you. They stole the truth from you which was your right to know," The nerve agent Koga injected Red with made him think he was in terrible burning pain, but the tranquilizers kept him from moving his arms in any more than weak flops.

"Those… people… pushed you down a path of ruin!" Every sentence Koga spoke kept repeating over and over in Red's mind, "They intend to laugh as you burn!"

Red let out another cry, "N…no! They w…wouldn't!"

Koga had Red dunked in the bucket of water once again. Red continued to scream through the water. Koga pulled him back out and his body couldn't quite decide whether to breathe, cough, of scream even more.

"Those… people… were leading you to nothing but destruction and pain!" The tournament continued on over the air. Koga's words always became the harshest during one of Blue's battles. Red would be dunked every time he mentioned anything that sounded favorable about his friends. At least twice more Red was injected with some other chemical or drug; one moment he'd feel heavy and tired and unable to move, and the next a sudden blistering pain would wash over his entire body. The tournament was entering the semifinals, and blue was still in the running. "Those… people… have been laughing behind your back from the beginning!"

"W…wh…" Red's voice was horse from the last few hours of screams, and he still hadn't gotten over the stuttering caused by the electrical shocks, "…why… would th…they?"

A grin finally formed on Koga's form which he had to wipe from his features before he turned and lowered Red back to the ground, "Because, those people wouldn't be there enjoying themselves if it was a true friend who was missing. A true friend would have been tearing down the walls to recover their missing man. It's what Giovanni would do for any of us and certainly what I would do for him."

Red weakly looked up from the ground, "He… would…?"

"And he wants you as part of this family, yet you're the one who keeps denouncing his offers," Red's head sank to the floor and his body quivered as if he were crying.

Red watched until the end when Blue claimed the victory over his last opponent in the finals. Blue still didn't look at all impressed; he just turned and walked away from the arena. The announcers began their commentary, "It seems there was no one else in the tournament even capable of challenging Blue Oak today. He was definitely in top form, and has proven the Oak name is one that will continue to be taken seriously in the world of Pokémon battling."

Hurt and empty red tinged eyes did not blink as they attempted to focus at all of the Blues in through the hazy vision, "Why… Blue… why…?"

Another restless sleep fell over Red. He would leave and enter sleep in quick intervals as his mind tried to cope with everything that was happening. So many thoughts were jumbled together. Everything he had always thought was true was before was now questioned. Everything he thought was good and right with the world before started to look tainted and soiled. Still a part of him wanted to hold on.

Something startled Red into consciousness. He was unsure how long he'd been asleep, it could have an hour, or days even. But he was being carried. He realized it was Giovanni who had him in his arms and was carrying him down another hall. He said nothing as they approached a door which Sabrina opened for them.

Red wasn't even fully aware as Giovanni and Sabrina spoke to each other, "I'm counting on your particular brand of therapy. I need our ideals ingrained in his mind like second nature."

"Normal hypnosis will not provide the permanence you seek in this endeavor," Sabrina's voice as always was cold and near monotone.

"You have other methods," Giovanni insinuated strongly.

"Yes, but this one is strong of character," Sabrina placed a hand on Red's scalp. He flinched on contact but did not give any other reaction. "It could take much longer than a few days to instill the qualities you ask of me."

"Do what you can and keep me abreast of any progress," Giovanni sat Red down onto a chair inside the room.

"As you desire sir," Sabrina bowed and entered the room as well. The psychic girl opened a case which held six purple colored Poké Balls. From within them she called out several Abras and another Alakazam.

"I'm sure you're familiar with Giovani's videos," Sabrina stated as she pressed play on them yet again. "This time you're going to have some company watch them with you. These Abras are especially trained. They will monitor your thoughts and when you encounter a painful thought they will help you. Eventually the painful notions that exist in your mind about your past will become dimmer and dimmer until the belief is erased from your mind completely."

Red's eyes looked up at Sabrina but he said nothing.

Sabrina nodded, "You needn't fear, though this process is time consuming, your mind will feel much more at ease by the time we are completed."

All of the Abras sitting around Red opened their eyes, eerily in sync with each other, and stared into the boy's thoughts as the video played on. The first time his thoughts were attacked caused his eyes to open wide. It was painful in a way he'd never experienced before like a grating against his memories and his very self slowly filing it all away to a fine dust, ready to be blown away with the wind.

The mental tampering made the passage of time almost impossible to perceive. Days passed but the therapy continued. Red's body entered bouts of micro sleep from being kept awake for so long.

Red pushed himself into a dark corner. Tears no longer fell from his eyes, but he buried his face into his knees. Sabrina approached him through the dark, "You sit here alone?"

"I am alone." Red responded instantly.

"What of your friends?" The question caused Red to cringe.

Crimson eyes looked up over Red's knees at Sabrina, "I have no friends."

A strange power behind Red's words cause Sabrina to take a step back, "…Do you have enemies?" Sabrina asked next.

"…No." The reply was simple, stoic, but somehow aggressive.

Tempting another question, Sabrina pushed on, "Red… What is your mission?"

"I…" Red stared at Sabrina for a long moment, "I…" No other answer came. Red continued to stare at Sabrina unnervingly.

The connection between them was suddenly closed. Sabrina looked down to Red's sleeping face somewhat mystified as she separated her hand from the boy's forehead. He had somehow shut her out of his mind.

Giovanni heard Sabrina's clattering steps as she approached his office, "And how goes the process?" he asked without looking up.

"He is very extremely strong willed," Sabrina replied with only a hint of incredulity to her voice. "He somehow has enough control over his own mind to push the thoughts that cause pain aside and retain a thought pattern of neutrality which is impairing our ability to overwrite those thoughts."

"I see," Giovanni grinned for a moment, but it quickly faded away.

"Doubt has been firmly cemented in his mind regarding his past but there is still much uncertainty over his current perceptions," Sabrina looked down for a moment and contemplated her next words, "Further damage to his psyche could prove detrimental to his stability. Should this happen I cannot guarantee he would fully recover."

Giovanni sighed, "Thank you for your efforts."

Sabrina appeared to be considering whether or not to come forward and say more, "There's one other thing…"

"Oh?" Giovanni knew it rare for Sabrina to act nervous, even mildly so.

"There are areas within his mind…" Sabrina tried to find the right words to explain, "They are extremely well guarded, I've never seen this type of resistance in an adult with telepathic training much less in a child."

"What do you believe this means?" Giovanni asked curiously.

"I'm unsure," Sabrina tried to think, "Under other conditions I would have thought he possesses a psychic potential, but never has he exhibited any such tendencies… I believe there may be something greater at play within his mind."

Giovanni grinned, "He is exceptional, in every aspect of the word."

"Sir," Sabrina could somehow tell this news was not at all shocking to her leader, "how will you proceed with him now?"

"I will handle the next phase of his adaptation, there is no need to further concern yourself with the matter," Giovanni stated very matter of fact."

"I understand," Sabrina turned and left the room. Giovanni was not far behind her to collect the boy in question for the final adjustment.

Red's eyes slowly opened. He was still tired but something unusual was registering in his senses that was keeping him from simply falling back to sleep. It was then that he realized that he was comfortable. He finally noticed that he was on a very plush bed. The mattress was thick and foamy, a body could sink into it like a cloud, while the comforter above it was soft like feathery downs. The bed smelled good, like a musky cologne.

"You're finally awake," a deep voice spoke from the darkness. Red tried to push himself up and look around the room. He was still weak, but the sleep had done him good. Though dark the room he was in looked like a very modern home. Sitting at a large "C" desk not far from the bed was Giovanni himself.

"Was I…" Red's head was still groggy and he was having issues piecing together a question.

"You've been asleep here for almost two days. But you needed it, you're looking much better," Giovanni spoke as though nothing was wrong or unusual.

Red gripped onto the comforter he was on, "Where… am I?"

"You're in my quarters," Giovanni stood from his desk and approached the bed.

"Why?" Red was still weak but managed to push himself into a seating position.

"I needed to know for sure, if you've started to understand why we do the things we do," The room was very dim as Giovanni stood over Red and looked down at the boy. Once again it was a room with no windows, light was emanating from several computer monitors and dim lights built into the wall near the floor.

Red remained quiet, his facial expression yielded no change either.

"Sometimes…" Giovanni sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed beside Red, "Sometimes a decision must be made. Sometimes horrible decisions. Sometimes a few must die so that many may live. It's a terrible weight to be burdened with, but sometimes if someone doesn't make that choice then many will all perish."

"That…" Red was quiet for a moment as his mind worked through the words, "That makes sense."

Giovanni nodded, "Good, because it now falls to you to make that decision."

Red's eyes widened slightly and his mouth fell agape as he shook his head, "No, I can't decide something like that."

"I'm sorry," Giovanni's hand reached for Red's face and caressed his cheek, "but you have to."

"I won't," Red tried to show a brave face and remain defiant.

Giovanni stared into the boy's red eyes, "So this is where you've been hiding."

"What?" the words confused Red more than anything.

"You lack the proper motivation, but I promise you will have that," Giovanni put his hand against Red's bare chest and pushed him down onto his back.

"What are you doing?" Red asked as a sudden alarm sounded in his head.

Giovanni continued to stare down at Red. Part of him debated whether he could go through with it. His resolve solidified and his hand travelled down Red's body.

Red shivered from the touch and grabbed at Giovanni's hand, "No, don't touch me."

Giovanni shook his head, "This is how it must go." His hand reached the band of Red's underwear. Red's jaw quivered as he was unable to stop the stronger man from pulling his last bit of garb down and off his legs. He was exposed completely to the man's eyes.

"P…please…" Red whimpered weakly, "…don't..."

Red's pleas fell upon deaf ears. The room darkened to an almost pitch black. In the darkness Red's world alit in a terrible pain. The night failed to end quickly, and before it was over Red was forced to confront a betrayal by his own body.

By the time the act concluded, Red was left with nothing but confusion. His mental walls finally collapsed and he began to bawl like a small child. Red huddled helpless in the corner of his mind as his world shattered. It was so dark and suddenly nothing made sense anymore. Who he was, what he had been, what had been going on, what he wanted out of life, his goals and dreams were smashed to bits leaving him very alone.

Giovanni pulled the covers over them both and Red continued to cry as loud as his lungs allowed for a long time. There were no more struggles from the boy, and so Giovanni cradled him in his arms through the entire emotional bout. Once Red began to calm and only a minor bout of hyperventilation remained, Giovanni leaned in closer to kiss Red on the cheek.

"I know you feel destroyed right now Red, but I promise you I will be here for you… I promise you that I will fix you…" He turned the boy around to stare deep into the dark red empty eyes, "because I love you." His lips ghosted over the boys in a slow feathered kiss. He pulled the boy's head to his shoulder and held him close until Red fell asleep.

End Chapter

I put Red through so much hell. I really feel bad for it. I researched some actual torture methods to make it seem a little more realistic with some universe twists involved. That may have also made this chapter a little intense. Hope you enjoyed it and please leave some feedback.

Thanks!