(A/N): And we're back with our Tuesday update! This time, we're bringing back Jason Todd, written as always by the talented Savy160.

Thank you again to all of the writers who reviewed the last chapter. It's so much fun to see the excitement building as we get closer to the Games. :) And thanks to Slim Summers2002 for your review on the two most recent chapters... and for making us laugh out loud.

Chapter Twenty - The Monster You Made

Post-Chariots in the Capitol

Jason Todd of District Six

Written by Savy160

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." – Theodore Roosevelt

"Can you remember who you were before the world told you who to be?" - Unknown

Jason pulled at the tight black collar stretched around his neck like a hangman's noose. The teenager couldn't wait to free himself of the flashy costume. He was practically suffocating. The thing was nearly smothering him as he followed behind Darcy with Angela beside him. Having to wear the prissy, tight uniform while being forced to smile and wave at those in the crowd so disconnected with what was actually happening in the world around them was making the boy sick to his stomach. And the makeup was ridiculous. Honestly, he just felt ridiculous parading around in the skintight cat suit. Yet, his first evening would only get worse. He'd have to deal with Johann Shmidt next.

Jason glanced over at his fellow district tribute, who merely engaged Darcy in polite conversation. Jason resisted the urge to roll his eyes; like he couldn't see right through Angela's little innocent act. It had taken a little while for him to realize that they'd met before in a fight between his Outlaws and her street gang. What was one of the most elite of their district doing in a gang?

She was a great fighter, though. Jason would admit to that. Crossbones had trained her well. Angela also knew how to work people. Not that it mattered; Jason might have lacked people skills, but he made up for it with street smarts and brute strength.

Darcy continued, "And now we're going to catch up with Mr. Johann Schmidt so you can get ready for the Games," bringing Jason back to reality.

The Red Hood barely managed to swallow the bile that had suddenly come up at the back of his throat. Jason would give up anything if it meant never having to set eyes on the crispy monster ever again. Red Skull was the embodiment of evil, fear, and horror. Just the mere mention of Johann Schmidt brought back nothing but bad memories.

Jason couldn't breathe. Struggling soon followed as the hands of time ticked slowly by. He'd been under too long. Fingers clawed out at nothing as he struggled to find anything to grab. Jason was dying. He could feel it. He knew it. The water pulled and clawed at his open mouth, filling in all the cracks and forcing its way down the boy's throat as strong and muscular hands held him firmly in place. Everything began to fade to black.

All of a sudden, the water was gone, and Jason was left dry heaving on the grass beside the pond. As his vision cleared and the sputtering stopped, Jason slowly gazed up at the red hot face glaring at him in anger.

"It had only been three minutes. You should have lasted longer."

"Y-you tried to drown me," Jason accused.

Red Skull angrily replied, "You should have stopped me."

"Are you okay?"

Jason snapped back to reality as he found Darcy and Angela several feet ahead, both staring back at him. Jason just nodded before regrouping with them. Angela gazed at him curiously, while Darcy went on with her schedule.

Darcy continued babbling on, with Angela hanging onto her every word, or at least pretending to be, until they eventually reached their room. Jason exhaled slowly before following them inside the expensively-decorated room, with plush leather furniture, marble walls, and intricate architectural designs. Jason felt even more out of place as the three joined Red Skull over at the mahogany table.

The red-faced demon reclined in his plush chair with his back to the fireplace. Naturally, Schmidt had chosen to go with his signature black leather look. One hand held a glass of the most expensive alcohol money could buy, while the other held an even more expensive cigar.

Jason's gaze frantically flickered back and forth before the boy lifted the cigar to his mouth. A bright flame lit up the pitch-black prison as the match was held against the butt of the cigar. The fire was then extinguished as smoke wafted towards the ceiling.

It was satisfying. The scent that burned his nostrils, the thick smoke filling his lungs, the thought of actually stealing something from the old skeleton himself. Jason smiled to himself before dropping the cigar to the floor as the door to his tiny prison was thrown open.

Jason's blue eyes widened as Red Skull marched himself into the tiny room that only contained a single mattress. Jason instantly mumbled an apology as Schmidt knelt down in front of the boy and plucked the still smoking cigar from the floor.

"You know, smoking is bad for your health," Red Skull snarled before extinguishing the stolen cigar on Jason's arm. "No one steals from me."

The scent of burnt flesh replaced the scent of smoke.

"Sit down," Red Skull commanded.

Darcy immediately sat down next to the animal, suddenly a bit less obnoxiously bright, while Angela took the seat across from her, leaving Jason to face his mentor.

Darcy arranged her face pleasantly as best she could before she announced, "First, we'll order dinner — and then Mr. Schmidt will share his tips on how to win the Games." For a moment, she glared at Red Skull. "How does everyone take their steaks?"

Red Skull rolled his eyes before extinguishing his cigar. "Bloody."

"Burnt," Jason growled, earning a pair of narrowed eyes from his mentor.

Darcy cleared her throat at the two glaring at each other. "Anyway, Mr. Schmidt, please go ahead with your advice. I'm sure Angela and Jason are anxiously awaiting what you have to say." She sounded pleasant but was giving Red Skull a pointed look.

The charred man took a sip of his expensive drink before saying, "Try not to die."

Angela and Jason just stared at the insane man before Darcy burst into a fit of laughter. "Oh, Mr. Schmidt! You're hilarious!" The laughter ended abruptly. "Seriously, though. We're waiting."

Jason actually did roll his eyes. Darcy was probably the only person on the entire planet that would tell Schmidt he was funny. Honestly, was she blind during his entire time in the Games? Red Skull had been one of the most dangerous competitors ever. Ever. The man was insane!

"Play nice with the other children for now. When you actually enter the Games, earn their trust and then slaughter them all at their weakest moments. Show no mercy. Show no weakness. Only the strongest will fight for the best weapons in the Tesseract. Therefore, I should hope that you both make an impression in there. Only the weakest flee for their lives. I would hope that the two I chose are not weak," Red Skull snarled as the grip on his crystal glass increased. "Remember that all alliances come to an end. Be the one to turn on the others before they can turn on you. Above all, make them all suffer."

"Alrighty then." Darcy laughed nervously before looking at Angela and Jason. "Any questions?"

Angela asked, "What should we do for the training assessments and evaluations?"

"Do not show off. You will have plenty of time to murder your opponents without creating a target on your back," Red Skull replied before looking at Darcy. "Are we done?"

"Almost. We should talk about creating possible alliances. Angela, Jason, have you two maybe found anyone that you'd like to consider having an alliance with?"

The two tributes exchanged glances with each other before shrugging. It was only the first day. Who had the time to establish an alliance or an enemy yet based on the parade alone?

Then again, Jason had automatically despised the tributes from District Eight. Those annoying laughs and shit-eating grins had to go. Honestly, the kid from Ten seemed alright, but he was the youngest. No way in hell was the poor kid going to last long. The circus brat wasn't that bad either, but he was more of goody two-shoes, pain-in-the-ass older brother, based on what the commentators were saying in the parade and Reaping. The chicks from Four, Five, and Twelve were extremely hot, but Jason didn't need the distraction.

"Alliances are a waste of time. You are only going to end up murdering them all anyway," Red Skull mumbled.

Completely ignoring Red Skull's statement, Darcy cheerfully added, "No matter now. We'll worry about that later."

Red Skull snarled, "I believe we are finished now."

Darcy smiled at the two tributes before finally agreeing with Red Skull. She explained that the two would be getting much-needed rest before their training day tomorrow. Angela, Darcy, and Jason rose to leave before Schmidt called Jason back and instructed him to have a seat.

Jason could practically feel the bile creeping back up his throat again as he stared at his mentor, who sat there calmly drinking the night away. He swallowed hard before shooting his mentor his best glare. The teen's proud, sharp look never wavered.

"I thought I told you to work alone?" Red Skull asked after a tense moment.

Jason's thoughts immediately went back to Artemis, Bizarro, and Tim. He should have never brought them into this. If he would have just stayed on his own, Red Skull would have no interest in them whatsoever. They'd be safe. They wouldn't be caught in the crossfire like they were now.

The teen replied, "They were necessary. You got the shipments you wanted and more, after all. I needed Bizarro's brute strength, Artemis' charm and fighting skills, and Tim's brains. Besides, the Outlaws are tied to me. Everyone believes that the Red Hood and Red Skull have no relation. We took the heat off you."

The charred man drummed his fingers against the wood before reaching for a cigar. The flame of the lighter reflected off his skeletal face as Red Skull studied the boy before him. Exhaling thick, ashy smoke, Red Skull merely raised an eyebrow at Jason.

The older man drawled, "So it would appear. Are we still clear on the plan?"

"I'm pretty sure you beat it into me a thousand times, so yeah. I'd say I know what the hell to do."

"Excellent. Any questions?"

"What of my partner? Why'd you pick her?"

Red Skull narrowed his eyes at the teen before him and spat out, "I have my reasons."

"She expendable?"

"This is the Avenger Games, boy. Everyone is expendable, including you. You'd best remember that. You fail me, and your Outlaws die in a far gorier manner than any possible way you could die in that arena. Rest assured of that."

Jason clenched his teeth before grinding out, "They don't mean anything to me. I got what I needed out of them. They served their purpose."

"Have you now? Keep in mind that if you perish, Timothy will take your place."

Jason leaned over and explained, "He's not trained. He wouldn't last five minutes out there."

"I am a patient man. I shall wait until the boy is deemed just as worthy as you were. Tell me, should I start with the electronic shock therapy? Hold him under water until the last possible second? Perhaps I shall teach him how to properly return a limb to its socket once I have popped it out… No? Would you rather I slash his pretty face open before branding him? You tell me. I would hope you still remember all those fun times we had together."

"You're sick."

Red Skull merely settled back in his chair into a more comfortable position before reaching for his glass of cognac. He took a small sip before replying, "I have always had a thing for theatrics. We both know it."

Jason resisted the urge to murder the smug monster in front of him. Red Skull merely smiled darkly at the teenager in front of him before he took the last sip from his glass. Dark eyes flickered over to the full bottle of cognac before gazing back at the boy.

Jason uncorked the bottle before pouring his mentor a full glass. Jason's knuckles had begun to turn white from the way he had clenched his fists in anger. Setting the bottle down with more force than necessary, Red Skull frowned at the chestnut-colored liquid that appeared blood red, due to the light, soaking into the silk linen.

After a single tense and silent moment, the charred man spoke. "Tell me something; do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?"

The boy leaned onto the table and gazed into his mentor's beady eyes. The silence was so intense, he could have heard the noise of the factories back in District Six from their position. The two glared at each other before Jason finally spoke up.

"I'm not the monster you think I am. I'm worse. I'm the monster you always wanted me to be."

"I would hope so. I have no use for disappointments. Now get out. I'm done with you for the moment."

Jason turned away from his smug torturer and immediately stalked into his temporary room. After slamming the door shut, Jason slid down against the door and released the breath he'd been holding. What in the hell was he supposed to do?

The teenager tore the elaborate costume from his body before flinging it off to the side. He'd had enough of the Capitol. He'd had more than enough of dealing with Red Skull. More than anything, Jason just wanted to go home.

With shaking hands, the teen reached for the package of cigarettes in his pocket. He had to get out. He desperately needed a smoke more than anything. The walls were starting to cave in as Jason silently shook at the nightmares plaguing his head.

"I am nothing like you!"

Red Skull smirked at the comment. A second later, he snatched the boy up by his shirt collar before slamming him against the wall. Jason's eyes widened momentarily before he glared at his mentor.

"I'm not afraid of you," Jason said with a little less force than his previous statement.

Leering into the boy's face, Red Skull sneered, "You should be."

"Why don't you just go ahead and kill me?"

"You are far too valuable to me at the moment. You and I are the same, boy. We were both unwanted by our parents. We both watched our mothers die. You and I share the same sadistic sense of humor. We both share the same destiny. One day, you shall understand. One day, you will avenge what was mine."

Jason was then tossed to the floor, with Red Skull's knee pressing into the boy's back to keep him still. Jason's arms were pinned by the skeleton as his shirt was rolled up. The boy continued to struggle as a small symbol of a skeleton face was branded into the boy's flesh on his lower back.

"Um hello?"

Jason looked up as Angela stood in his doorway. The teen was just sitting in the middle of the floor, half-naked, with a smoking cigarette in between his fingers. His elaborate costume lay strewn off to the side, leaving him in a pair of boxers. Jason took a long drag from the so-called cancer stick before looking at his fellow tribute.

"What do you want?" he growled.

Angela asked, "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You've seemed off all day."

"I've seemed off? You don't even know me…but I know you."

Angela kept her cool as she pleasantly asked, "And just what do you mean by that?"

"Not too many little rich girls like you are in gangs. Crossbones has trained you well, I'll give you that."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise before saying, "Uh-huh, and just what are you getting at?"

"Sweetheart, I'm the Red Hood," Jason replied before reclining against the rich carpet.

"Why would you tell me that?"

"Why not? We're probably both going to die in the end. All I'm saying is that you're just as shitty as I am. We might as well help each other out before stabbing each other in the heart. We're all going to die anyway."

"You might, but dying isn't exactly an option for me."

Jason snorted before taking a long drag from his cheap cigarette. Blue eyes swept over the skinny figure before him as a smirk crept across his face. Jason smirked. "I don't plan on dying either."

Angela moved closer to Jason until she was glaring down at his smirking face. She couldn't figure the older boy out, and he knew it. He could practically see her mind working: What exactly was he up to? What was his plan? More importantly, what was he afraid of? Everyone had to have a fear. Everyone had to have a weakness, but what was Jason's?

She asked, "You don't fear death, do you?"

"Nope."

"What exactly are you afraid of?" Angela inquired.

Jason took a long drag from his cigarette before humoring his district partner. He raised an eyebrow and said, "You tell me."

"Johann Schmidt, for one, but I'm not exactly sure why yet."

Jason shrugged. "Have you seen the man? He's practically the Grim Reaper."

Angela studied the older teen for a moment before adding, "You know, I think you're not as dark as you want people to believe."

"And just what makes you say that?"

She shrugged. "Probably that kid you seemed so fond of when you were waiting in line for the Reaping. You seemed very focused on making sure he was okay. The piggyback ride was adorable, by the way. I hope you said your goodbyes. It'd be a real shame to leave the kid all alone once you've died."

Jason's smirk vanished as he took the cigarette away from his lips. Angela smiled at his discomfort.

She added, "I struck a nerve, didn't I? So, who's the kid? How much does he mean to you?"

"I think you'd better go. I'm tired of playing mind games."

"Fine. Just one more question."

Jason growled, "What?"

"Why did Red Skull choose you?"

"Because we're the same."