Darkness...and cold... That was all he could feel. He couldn't see anything, and the eeriness of this room made his heart heavy. His movements were restricted, and there was something over his mouth. He tried to move his arms. He couldn't move them fully, but it was possible. He tried his legs next. His left leg was the same as his arms, but his right leg was bound by something. He could only move it so much before it was jerked against whatever cold substance was holding it.

Lucien opened his eyes, but that didn't do much for him. He was in a dark room, and his right leg had a chain around it, a chain was attached to the bed he was lying on. It was unbelievably cold in the room, and the only thing he could see were stairs that led upwards to somewhere unknown.

He looked around in a mild panic, then tried to remember what got him here. He'd talked with Lyman about Monty and Alex. Things got heated, but they worked it out. He got a text from Monty saying to meet him at the cafe. He went to the cafe, and then had a coffee...

His ears folded when realization hit him. Lyman was right to tell him off for being naive and oblivious. He even warned him to be careful, but he was too carefree to notice, and even ignored the signs his body was sending him, only to end up in the exact place he was warned about. Chained to a bed in Arceus knows where.

He curled up slightly and rest his head against his knees. He sat in silence, filled with regret and betrayal, and mild anger, most of it aimed at himself. His ears perked up when he heard a door open, and looked up to see a light shining down from upstairs. Footsteps were heard descending the stairs before the light turned on, and three familiars figures, along with a stranger to him, appeared. His eyes widened when he saw them. Monty, sporting his signature cocky grin, his "friend" Alex, who avoided eye contact and held a solemn look, the Houndoom barista from the cafe, and a Staraptor. Monty's smile grew when he noticed he was awake.

"Ah you're awake! I was worried, you'd never wake up after someone gave you too much of our sleeping agent. It's been a few days, but patience has always been my strong suit."

Lucien only met the group with a glare, and looked away. Monty merely smirked and walked over, and leaned down in front of him. He mercilessly tore off the duct tape covering Lucien's mouth, earning him a gasp. Lucien couldn't bare to look up at him, he felt his rage and betrayal growing.

"Ah don't do that. The last thing I want from you is the cold shoulder. Besides, you should perk up, we're gonna start your initiation soon!"

Lucien said nothing, and Monty walked back over to his group.

"Well, at least let me introduce my friends. You'll be well acquainted with them while you're here, one of them you already are."

He pat the shoulders of the Houndoom and the Staraptor. He shook the Houndoom a little.

"This is the second in command in our frat group. Everyone calls him Cover. He's the one that made that special coffee for ya, and is the one who handles all our connections in the city."

He shook the Staraptor next.

"This is Scout. Let's just say he's the reason I know so much about you and that oversized mutt you've gotten so close to. You're smart, you can figure out why we call him that."

He walked over to Alex, who only grimaced and looked away.

"And this? This is Facade. He's the one that gains the trust of everyone, using his natural charm and star student status mind you, that we have on "borrowed time" and then, we handle the rest."

Lucien looked over at Alex with a pained look, and Alex returned it. Monty grinned at them both.

"Aw why so sad? Oh, it's because I broke our promise? Yeah sorry about that. After what you did you can't really complain can you? Be glad it wasn't your sister."

Lucien looked at Monty, utterly clueless. Monty walked over and leaned on Lucien's shoulder.

"Oh, let me give you a little exposition. See, Facade here was brought into our group without fully understanding how we operate. So we made him the same offer we make everyone else. Work with us, or be "disposed of". I was fully prepared to do so until Cover here brought to my attention that Prince Charming was a star student, and really well known around the school. We'd be stupid not to use someone of his status to the fullest. So we altered our deal. He'd help us carry out our "plans", and in return, we don't put an end to that sister of his. And he agreed, but said we couldn't do anything to his precious group of friends. Namely you, Scowl Mutt, and Serial Kitty."

Lucien gave Alex a sympathetic look, but the orange Lycan still refused to make eye contact.

"But then, he wasn't happy about someone we wanted to add to our member's list. He tried to "rescue" her, but the moron got caught. But we still had use for him, so instead of killing him and his sister, he agreed I could have someone I wanted."

He held Lucien's face to force him to look at him, and licked his lips, making Lucien shudder.

"I'm sure I don't have to say who it was, but you know...it could've been easy. I tried to get you on my own the normal and moral way, but the mutt you hold so dear got in the way. I was tempted to end him myself when he gave you that stupid necklace."

Lucien's eyes widened when he realized he didn't have the necklace on. He looked up at Monty with a glare.

"Where is it? It'll go somewhere fitting. So you needn't worry."

Monty stepped away from Lucien, and shooed the trio of Pokemon away.

"Anyways. You three go ahead upstairs. I've got some work to do."

Before he left, Alex gave Lucien an apologetic look. As they left, Monty began to remove his shirt.

"Remember what I said about that initiation Lucien?"

Lucien's heart started racing as he got closer, and crawled into bed.

"Well...I think it's about time we got down to business..."

...

Lucy walked up to the orange house with trepidation in her heart. She hadn't seen or heard from Lucien or Lyman in 4 days. Neither of them had answered her calls, and she'd grown more worried as the time passed. Lucien usually responded right away, and Lyman responded late, if he responded at all.

And with the most recent kidnapping, a Quagsire, the school decided that classes would be suspended until the case was solved. A mandatory curfew was established, and going out alone at night was deemed suspicious behavior, and anyone caught doing so would be arrested and questioned. No one questioned why these things happened, since at least 25 Pokemon had gone missing since this string started. Lucy only hoped that her friends stayed safe during all this.

She reached the door and knocked twice, before calling out their names.

"Helloooooo? Lucien? Lyman? Are you guys home?"

Nothing. She walked over to the window, attempting to look inside, but sighed when she noticed the curtains were closed. She couldn't see inside, and that only made her worry increase. She knelt down and picked up the spare key without a second thought, and opened the door.

Her first observation was that the house was a mess. There were empty takeout boxes all over the living room floor, and various trash items placed all over the kitchen and dining room table. The sink was full of dishes, and the counter was a disaster in itself.

She ignored the pigsty that was her friends' house and made her way upstairs. She noticed Lucien's door was wide open, but that the Lucario was nowhere to be seen. She opened the door to Lyman's room. And rubbed her temples at what she saw.

Lyman looked absolutely hopeless. His hair was a completely disheveled, he had bags under his eyes, and his fur was a mess. There were clothes everywhere, and the room was almost pitch black. The Lycan was laying on his side, staring straight ahead. He didn't react to her at all, and only laid still as she walked over. She knelt down and gave him a sad look. She put two and two together, and didn't have to guess what happened.

"sigh I don't know what happened between you two but lying here like a dying animal isn't going to fix it. Come on, let's go downstairs and you can tell me all about it."

She grabbed one of his paws and dragged him out of bed.

...

About an hour and a half later, Lyman and Lucy were sitting at the dining table. Lucy had managed to get him downstairs, albeit in just a t shirt and boxers, clean up the mess that was his house, and open all the blinds. It was then that she noticed the hopeless look in his eyes. She didn't like seeing her friend like this, and decided to make him some lunch. She made something simple, some soup. She put the dish in front of him.

"Alright. Now you can tell me what happened while you eat. Maybe we can still fix this."

Lyman only looked down in disappointment.

"There's no point... I already ruined it. I haven't heard from him in days."

Lucy sighed and walked behind him, and started to fix his hair.

"Look Lyman. I know things like this are hard to deal with. But I'm here to help okay? You aren't alone, and things can go back to normal if you'd let me help. Now start over from the beginning."

He sighed, and started to eat the soup she made. He let the warmth engulf him, and started. He began at Winter Break, with how he told Lucien how he felt, how they decided to indulge each other's feelings, why they didn't tell anyone about their relationship, what he said the day they argued, what happened between them, and the last message he sent. Lucy listened intently, but gave him a look of confusion when he mentioned her texting Lucien the night he left.

"Wait what? I don't remember asking him to hang out with me... Also if he were angry at you, he wouldn't have sent that smile, right? And why would he say talk to you later if he had no intention of doing so?"

Lyman had finished the soup, and regained his composure. He hadn't thought about any of that. He was so distraught over the thought of losing Lucien that he let his feelings overcome his sense of logic and reason.

"You're right... I think something bad may have happened to him."

After putting it all together, Lyman's ears folded further.

"I think I drove him right into Monty's claws."

He slammed his fists on the table with a growl. Lucy only tilted her head in confusion.

"What? How?"

Lyman looked up at her.

"Think about it. That gang of Pokemon I saw were wearing his frat emblem, and Monty has been interested in Lucien since day one. Someone texted Lucien to meet him somewhere, and then he texts me saying he'll stay with Monty. I think whoever sent that message wanted me to think that nothing was wrong so I wouldn't think much of it. They didn't count on us getting into an argument, so he wouldn't have been happy sending me that message."

Lucy only put her paws up, telling him to slow down.

"So you think Monty and his frat might be keeping him against his will?"

Lyman nodded.

"If not Monty, then one of those bastards are. They probably sent that smiley face to taunt me too."

Lucy looked down, reading the text again.

"Well what are you gonna do?"

Lyman only gave her a determined look.

"Whatever I have to."

...

Lucien wanted to vomit. He'd never felt so used and violated. Monty had fulfilled all but one of his sick pleasures. He couldn't get the idea of his claws sliding up his sides and his legs out of his head. The Torracat had pushed their lips together forcefully so many times, and pleasured himself seeing him squirm. He'd groped his tail, and huffed in his ear, and it did nothing but fill the Lucario with disgust. The memory alone made him shudder. He hadn't done anything inherently traumatizing, but he couldn't feel anymore helpless.

It turns out that whatever they spiked his coffee with made him significantly weaker. That's why he could barely move, and he couldn't use any of his moves. He'd tried using Meteor Mash on Monty when he got closer, but it did absolutely nothing. Not only because it had little effect, but there was a lot less force behind it.

That was when Monty explained that they had mixed a bunch of stat reducing berries, and Sleep Powder, to make a powder that weakens a Pokemon for several weeks after ingestion. Since those same berries weaken a Pokemon's resolve, they effectively erase their inhibitions over time. They were kidnapping Pokemon to test it, and used the finished product on Lucien.

Lucien grimaced when Monty stated that he'd become a victim of Stockholm Syndrome after a while, because he'd literally be unable to resist it, and he'd just have to continue his repulsive acts for another few weeks before the mixture took full effect and he'd love him completely.

He had just finished his third "act of initiation", when there was a thud, and a familiar orange body came tumbling down the stairs. Monty quickly put his pants back on, leaving off the shirt, and stared at the Pokemon that followed.

Cover and Scout held up a beaten and bruised Alex, and Monty raised a brow at the trio. Cover glared at Alex.

"We caught him trying to steal another set of keys. The ones to the Lucario's chain."

Monty glared at him, and walked over. Lucien barely managed to look away as a punch was delivered to the Lycan's abdomen, and another to his face. He grunted in pain, and barely managed to stand.

"I know you're smarter than this. You barely managed to do much last time, so why would you try it again when we were already watching you closely?"

Alex looked up at him, showing off his black eye.

"This is wrong Monty! These people haven't done anything to us! Not to mention molesting Lucie-"

He was silenced by another punch, and Monty laughed and pinched his cheek.

"It's a bit late for your conscience to start speaking out isn't it? You already broke our agreement once, and this is the second time. You know I'm always one for three strike leniency. So, you get to choose. Either I go and bury your sister, or another friend of ours gets it. I'm sure you know who my next target would be."

Monty looked back at Lucien, giving him a knowing glance. Lucien's heart jumped, not having to guess who it would be. He went into full panic mode, tears streaming down his face in an instant.

"NO! Please, do what you want to me but leave him out of this!"

Lucien began sobbing, picturing Lyman's loving look, and remembering his warm embrace. He'd give anything not to have that torn away more than it already was. Alex could only remain speechless, and looked away from the Lucario, who was already grief stricken. Monty smirked and looked down at Alex.

"Well it seems Lucien's made the choice for you."

He looked up at the two holding Alex upright.

"Scowl Mutt is next. Wait til he's alone. He's tough enough on his own, but it'd be worse if he had help."

Lucien and Alex both went wide eyed, and Cover and Scout both gave each other glances. Scout nodded in affirmation.

"Are we using the new mixture?"

Monty chuckled.

"Good one. No. End him on the spot, then take a picture of wherever you buried him. Make sure you bury that necklace with him. I need a keepsake from all this. Oh and, take your time. This will be your last one for a while. And as for him..."

He pointed at Alex.

"Have Cole watch over him, every moment. He's no longer allowed to leave the building. Tell Cole that any instance of him stepping out of line is the last straw."

They nodded, and began to leave.

Lucien couldn't muster any words. He only sat in silence and watched as Alex was dragged away. Monty walked over and sat next to Lucien. He began to put his shirt back on.

"This could've been so simple for us. But now that it's come to this, I know for sure I can't be happy with you, knowing you still love him. I want to tear away any hope you have about being happy with him. It'll be better for you once he's gone, and things can go back to normal."

Monty put on his jacket, and walked upstairs, leaving Lucien alone. It was the first time in a long time he'd felt alone, and that hurt him most of all.

...

Lyman couldn't take this anymore. After his talk with Lucy, they'd gone to the police to report Lucien missing, and gave them their reason to suspect Monty as the culprit. They were told that their hunches weren't enough to make him a suspect, but that they would look into it. The frat house not being located on school grounds made getting a warrant difficult, and that it would take about a week to get one.

It'd already been four days since they made the report, and the thought itself still left Lyman absolutely seething. His heart would get racing thinking about what Monty could possibly be doing to Lucien in that house, wherever it was. He was hating being stuck in this, and felt like staring at anything inside it was driving him insane. He was sweating, he couldn't stomach anything, and he felt the painful feeling of helplessness grow with each passing second, and he felt like his head was gonna explode if he didn't do something.

It was already eleven at night. Three hours passed curfew and going out alone was basically like begging to end up missing.

Fuck it.

Lyman put on a jacket, threw some shoes on, and decided to take a walk. He secretly hoped whoever was kidnapping people would try to take him, just so he had an excuse to kick someone's ass.

He took a midnight train to the city, since the curfew only applied on school grounds, and the last group he felt like dealing with was the police. He'd made it to the city without a problem, and started walking down a less populated area. He didn't wanna deal with anyone really, but he knew he'd go crazy if he had to stay cooped up in that house any longer.

He absentmindedly brought himself back to the rage filled headspace.

No wonder those fucking cops are taking so long to end all this, they move so fucking slow with everything, it'll take them eons to find a lead.

He was so deep in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed two figures approaching him. They kept walking toward him, and stopped as he walked by. One shadow spread their wings and lunged at him, and the other tried to rush from with a fist imbued in darkness.

In an instant he caught both of their first, and held them in place. He opened his eyes and revealed his rage in full, emphasized by his glowing red eyes.

"Seems my prayers have been answered."

He smirked, and his eyes shone even more red, shocking his assailants.

"Maybe Arceus is real after all."

Sorry for all the cliffhangers lol. Gotta love em.