Request by LightShadow1412, thank you for the idea buddy :3

Okay so, Professor Red, right?

What if he was evil?

Now there's two ways that this AU could go, one that the request explained and one I came up with, I'm gonna explain the request one first.

The first path is what could happen if the Professor was evil all along? Like, his friendly side was just an act?

The Professor would stop at pretty much nothing to experiment on Sabre, either just to understand what he is or he wants to do something to him. And when I say experiments, I mean Nightmare's Lair level experiments. The friendly facade would drop when it was just Sabre around, and over time the mask would slip around others. The creation of Hypno could actually be on purpose, perhaps the Red Leader saw something he shouldn't have and the Professor didn't want to risk it. Eventually, he'd just go psycho and be a straight up Bad Guy.

He could have labs outside of the Red Kingdom, just in case, or to make it harder to track him. Maybe M discovers what's really going on and tries to warn people before it's too late. Who knows? Maybe Sabre's already gone missing by that point and M joins the squad to help them find him.

Now in what I came up with, this twist could be the result of his insanity curse worsening after the ending of RQ. It was never really acknowledged during the TFC battle arc, even though the Assistant could detect that M was cursed, so who's to say the Professor didn't make sure to hide it?

Cue similar shenanigans to scenario 1 lol.

Either way, this AU also has interesting possibilities for the Assistant! Maybe he's not entirely a robot, and was actually the result of a previous experiment? Maybe he goes through a character arc and defies his programming to do what's right? Maybe he even stays with the Professor to the end?

And with the possibilities of what kind of messed up defenses the Professor has at his disposal, oh boy. I mean, it's proven he works with both biology and machinery. Horrifying amalgams of past experiments that went wrong? Giant death robots? Cyborg messed up experiments? High-tech traps? The possibilities are endless! My guy could be a sci-fi Bond villain.

Okay I can't think of anything else, here's some funnies:

—

(Whenever Sabre and the Professor are in the same room)

Sabre: Why do I hear boss music-?

Meanwhile, the Professor: (already scheming about what to do to him)

—

The Assistant: (Watching the Professor commit multiple atrocities) Professor, what does an identity crisis feel like?

Prof. Red: Impending sense of dread, lots of panic, questioning reality, reflection on life, thinking of hypotheticals, a lot of things really. Why?

Assistant: I believe I'm either having a software error or an identity crisis.

—

(Red Leader accidentally finds some of the Professors secret lab stuff, and the next thing he knows he's cornered by a not-so friendly Professor)

Red Leader: Well well well, if it isn't the consequences of my actions.

—

Hypno: Look, I know you've always took 'snitches get stitches' literally-

(Hypno motions to himself, as he's now a patched together mess of unidentifiable biology)

Hypno: BUT WAS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?!

Prof. Red: Lol you look like a walking bruise.

—

M, already having a bad time because of the normal plot: At least I still have the Professor...

(Professor Red turns out to be very much evil)

M: (trying not to have a breakdown) Oh. Okay then. Great. Mhm. Just perfect.

—

(Insert the grump it meme while Sabre's friends try to get through the Professor's wacky, out of pocket, experimental BS to get Sabre back)

—

Have fun :D