Things you need to have read to understand this chapter: Crimson (general background), In the Shadows (again, general background) Twists of Fate (because I said so)

Really lazy disclaimer of Doom: (italics are still there...)
I don't own ToS. I don't think so...when I take over the world, I'll see you guys about that.

Ruby wandered the halls, sighing deeply. Alone. Well, she was used to that, and it surprised her how much it saddened her.

She stopped at a door, wondering. She'd never seen it before...

Then again, she never was at this place for very long.

Now that she thought about it, it was a rather large door, steel-plated and looking like it was meant not to open.

Of course, that meant she had to open it.

So she did.

Nyet.

Anyway, the door opened to a mountain ledge outside. The snow flew around in lazy circles, bored with having nothing alive to settle on. When Ruby stepped out and closed the heavy steel door, it seemed to dance with happiness, oh, something living, and it attacked her with a furious joy.

She shielded her eyes against the ecstatic assault, walking against it. The snow grew angry now, slapping her with its tiny hands, shrieking at her for daring to do anything other than sit and admire.

She pushed on, unfazed by the crazy snow. There had to be a reason there was a steel door. Something important.

Well, it might have been to keep that crazy snow out...darb it! She thought she was on to something. She walked on anyway.

The next thing she came across was an outcropping, decorated with icicles. Protected from said outcropping, and outlining the wall it created, was a mural.

It depicted two large, hulking beasts, one the color of the stone the mural was painted on, and one a rusty red. Both had an identical mass on their head, it was hard to tell just what, since they were facing the front. Whatever it was, it was outlined in gold foil, which had flaked and gave it a lame, fake look.

The beasts were reaching out to her, the grey one in a 'hey buddy, take my hand' way, the red one 'take my hand or I'll beat yo ass into a pulp, foo' fashion. In the space between their hands, there was a little knothole. From it, she saw the swirling, oily colors that meant there was mana flowing into it. It was a tiny trickle, but enough to be fishy.

Ruby, having nothing else to do, pushed the knothole.

Nothing happened.

Ruby pushed it again.

Still nothing. Ho hum.

"Look here, you stupid button!" she screamed at it. "I know you're doing something! So do something!"

She slammed the button.

This time, it vibrated, spun a bit, and then...nothing happened.

Now, Ruby was getting just a mite ticked off.

She kicked the wall.

The wall did nothing, and the snow around it shook boredly. Now, Ruby had a sore foot, a nasty temper, and a stubborn wall to deal with.

Ruby massaged her foot, planning her next move. Oh, she had an idea. Wasn't brilliant, but hey. Beggars can't be choosers.

She threw a snowball at it.

Finally, the mural shook, and it opened.

Took long enough, Ruby mused, poking in. The room was quiet, small, and very dusty. The air was still, not really realizing it was alive quite yet.

There was a stone dais in the middle of the room, with room for a hand on it. It seemed lonely without one, so Ruby put hers on it.

Two things happened.

First, a little grey-haired boy and a white puppy with various black spots, and a red crescent-moon spot on its head, existed in front of the dais.

Second...Urby forgot what she wanted to put down. Don't you just hate that?

Ruby blinked. Where did they come from, and who were they?

They were coughing, unused the dust in the room.

"Cheese! I was in the middle of a nap..."

"Where's our Summoner?" the boy got up and looked around, completely ignoring Ruby.

Ruby suddenly sneezed, dust in her nose.

The boy and the puppy turned.

"Oh, don't tell me you're our Summoner!" the boy wailed, pulling out his silver locks and tore himself up into paperlike shreds. Ruby was scared for a moment but he managed to pull himself together.

She said nothing. What was a Summoner, anyway?

"Well, since you're here, y'gotta battle us to gain our pacts. Let's go!" the boy yelled, charging.

The puppy charged along, but collapsed. The boy turned around, kneeling next to his companion.

"C'mon, Susa, get up! C'mon, you can do it!"

"I can't, bro...I've been mana-starved. Fight without me..."

The boy stood up, aura blazing with energy. It surrounded him, making Ruby afraid. Sure, all it was was a sort of light show, but if someone's got a giant aura then you don't really wanna mess with 'em.

He dashed, roaring. Ruby dodged swiftly, tripping him with her tail.

"Owww..." the boy croaked, trying to get up. He failed rather poorly.

"Okay, you win," he sighed. He sat up, gaining more strength. "Discuss your wishes, oh great Summoner."

Ruby thought for a bit. What did she want?

"Could you...play with me?"

The boy and the puppy stared at her.

"Well, I mean, everyone's away, and I'm all alone, and-"

"No, no, that's cool," the puppy said. "Just let us step outside, recharge our mana?"

Ruby walked out, tailed by the two.

"Man, that feels so good, after being shut in that place," the puppy wagged his tail.

"Yeah..." the boy had his hands up. "But...kinda weird."

"What are you talking about?" the puppy tipped his head. "What's wrong with you?"

As soon as he said that, the boy burst into flames.

"Sanguine!"

"Eeek!" (that was Ruby, mind)

After a rather short pyrotechnic display, there was nothing but a slight ash mark to ever give away the boy was ever there.

Sanguine landed with a plump...plump noise. The room was white, almost sickeningly so. An all-too-smug-to-be-good Katz was grinning at him, swishing his tail.

"Welcome...Crimson..."

"I ain't Crimson," Sanguine got up, buckling.

"How...disappointing, meow," the Katz sighed. "Here I thought you were worth something."

Sanguine cast a look around, taking in his surroundings. Hmmm...

"Kill him," the Katz gestured to some waiting guards. In an instant, Sanguine was surrounded.

Eeep.

He wasn't immortal in this form. All he was was a pitiful little boy, anyway.

Think straight! You're a Spirit, transform!

Yeah, but into what? I can only turn back fifteen minutes afterwards!

Something small! Maybe that flies! SOMETHING!

He transformed into a little red mouse and ducked all the bullets that flew over his head. Then he ran away. I mean, duh.

"Where did he go?"

"Don't!" the Katz roared.

The Desians froze.

"I got a kitty who's dying of hunger, anyway..." he cackled.

Sanguine dashed. Where the hell was he, anyway?

At least no one interfered with him. The few people in school uniform he met all panicked like girls, and he could dodge any shots shot at him. It was fun!

But he wanted out.

Suddenly, he stopped. He bicycled his paws worriedly, but he didn't cover any ground.

Then he saw something he dreaded.

The jaw of a cat.

"Good kitty," the Katz wagged his tail, picking up the Chimaeracore.

The kitten simply blinked in an empty way and meowed placidly, dropping the mouse.

The mouse squeaked and skittered about, only to be caught by the Katz.

"Aren't you jumpy, meow..."

The mouse squeaked irritably, sticking out its tongue.

"So you are Crimson. At least, the part I need." The Katz slinked to a very ominous looking machine, admiring it.

"You see this, meow? This is MAYA. It's something that'll turn you and a few other ingredients into something you won't even imagine!"

The mouse squeaked boredly.

"Finally, you'll be able to accomplish what you were created for. Crimson, emotions? Yeah, right. Even your name says it all-you are a killing machine!" the Katz growled at the mouse, bringing it up close to his face.

The mouse shrugged and squeaked.

"Never mind. You'll understand..." he tossed the mouse into a small capsule within the machine. It squeaked frantically, trying to get out.

The Katz ignored the mouse's shrill pleas and grabbed the Chimaeracore, placing her in her own capsule. Lastly, he put the angel in the final capsule.

"Ya know, sire?" a brown Katz wondered aloud. "The more I think about it, the more I think MAYA looks like an altar."

The Chimaeracore flapped her wings lazily, almost but not really trying to get out.

"Oh well. Who cares, meow," the first Katz pressed a few buttons, locking each capsule into the machine, which glowed eerily. "It's just a matter of time now."

"Oh no!" the puppy ran around in tight circles. "Sanguine! Speak to me! Where'd you go? SANGUINE!"

"What happened?" Ruby blinked.

"I...I don't know! But you gotta let me look for him!" the puppy shook he Katzinist.

"Okay," Ruby said, if only to make the puppy stop.

'Thank you sooo much!" the puppy bowed and vanished in a puff of smoke.

And here I'm all alone again...

"Dragon, sire?"

"WHAT?"

"Are you going to keep staring at that machine all day?"

"So what, meow?"

"...

Nothing, sire."

"Damn straight it's nothing."

"Won't it take a day or two...?"

"...

Shut up!"