Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Wish they were though, cuz then I'd be rich and famous. Ah well.

Once again, sorry for the lack of chapters. Life's been crazy. I know this one is short, but we get the second spirit, so hopefully that'll make up for it.

Kairi: Thankya kindly!

Ryo-Truesdale: Wow...that's one of the better compliments I've recieved. Thanks!

Cold Kikyo: Once again, thanks for your continued support!

YuniX-2: Guess I didn't make him obvious enough, or maybe most people haven't played Xenogears. Anyway, that was Id.

Chapter Twenty – The Second Spirit

The bell chimed eleven, signaling that there was only an hour left before midnight, Christmas, and the end of the ball. The music had stopped just in time, and the dancing couples all paused and turned in unison in the direction of the sound, every face upturned as if drawn by an invisible force. No one moved until the last tone died out, and even then, the mood was a good deal tenser.

Once the music began again, Inuyasha took the opportunity to scan the ballroom. The distinct lack of Kikyo was beginning to grate his nerves, especially since the feeling that he had forgotten something important had wormed its way into his mind and was simply not letting go.

With a grunt and a shake of his head, Inu turned from the throng of people and made his way back over to Kagome, still poking around in his mind to try and figure out what was missing. She gave him a wan smile as he flopped into the chair next to her and rested a hand on her leg. She leaned forward and tilted her head sideways to look up at him, concern evident in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Inu?" She asked, only loud enough to be heard over the music and chatter.

"Can't shake this feeling." he growled back, his eyes glancing over the assembly again. "We're forgetting something, I know it. But what the hell is it?"

His bare foot began tapping a restless beat on the wooden floor, his scowl becoming deeper and deeper with every passing moment. Kagome sighed and leaned back again, her eyes falling shut. "Go ask the others then. Maybe they can help you."

His head snapped to look at her, his agitation momentarily fading into worry. She seemed distant and tired…

With a murmur of apology and a reassuring squeeze of her leg, he got up and stalked off to find Kouga, leaving Kagome with her thoughts once more. She opened her eyes again to watch him leave, for a moment before glancing back down to her hands. The redness had faded, but her palms still throbbed. With a grimace, she squeezed her hands into fists and looked up at the gathering again.

They look happy, she mused silently, watching the smiling faces. All the couples that had been set up at the beginning of the year had finally worked out. Even Sango was happily dancing with Miroku, who finally seemed to have figured out that some times weren't appropriate for groping. Her gaze turned to Inuyasha, and her own smile resurfaced, but it was short lived.

Wait…couples…roommates…that's it! That's what we forgot! It's Ban-

The change wasn't so abrupt this time, but it was still obvious when the world slowed down. Everyone still danced. The music still played, though it was considerably more eerie. The colors slowly muted themselves, fading out the vibrant colors and sheens until only one thing seemed to shine in the room.

It was a cat.

It walked slowly towards her, its white and purple head cocked slightly to the side. It sidestepped the dancers with no trouble, and no one else seemed to notice the little creature. Despite her panicked state, her heart went out to the creature, and she slipped out of her chair and knelt on the floor, reaching her hand out to the cat.

"You're wasting your time. Alfador only likes me."

Her head snapped to the right at the soft child's voice. A young boy stood a few feet away, bathed in the same light that seemed to surround the cat. He was dressed in a simply purple robe that reached his feet. His hair was blue, and his eyes were a vibrant green. At his voice, Alfador also turned, and with a happy mew, he bounded over to the boy and rubbed on his legs. The boy's eyes remained locked on Kagome's, his head tilting in much the same way his cat's had.

"The black wind howls…" A slight smile worked its way onto his face as Kagome began to stand. He opened his mouth to speak again, but something behind her caught his gaze, and his words were lost as he and the cat suddenly faded away.

Fearing what she would find, Kagome straightened and turned slowly, her head tilting back as she looked up at the face of the man before her. He was clad in leather armor and a heavy blue cape which seemed to flutter in an unseen wind. As with the boy and the cat, he seemed to glow against the muted colors of the ballroom.

It suddenly came to her mind that this man was the boy's older form.

He studied the spot where the boy had stood, his eyes calm and cold, but with a deep pain that he fought to hide. "I said that to another, once." He commented in an almost offhand manner before turning his gaze to hers, a wicked smile revealing his pointed teeth. "He died shortly after."

Kagome's heart stopped, and she stepped back, clawing feebly at her chest and throat. The man followed her like a cat stalking its prey. He reached up and traced a cool finger over her jaw line, his smile growing more and more sinister. "He died…he was ripped apart. It must have hurt very badly." He chuckled as her eyes widened, shaking his head slightly. "Luckily for you, little girl, I wasn't the one who killed him."

The pain flashed through his eyes again, but he hid it by gripping her chin and tilting her head to the side. He leaned in close, sending a shiver through her body as his breath brushed over her exposed ear and neck. "If he gets his way…you'll die in the same manner tonight."

A roaring began in her head, ushering in the voices that she had hoped never to hear again. Her eyes squeezed shut as a pair of tears coursed down her cheeks. She was vaguely aware of the pressure leaving her chin. Dimly, she heard someone calling out to her, and she opened her eyes to find the source.

Her gaze fell once more on the little boy, now holding his cat and watching her carefully. Once they locked eyes, he spoke a single word.

"Mitternacht."

In a flash, they disappeared, finally allowing the colors and movement to return to the room. Her name rang out again, and she turned her head to the sound, her mouth opening and closing in the effort to call back to Inuyasha. But her body still wasn't responding, and the other voices were getting louder. The edges of her vision darkened as she crumpled to the floor, a soft moan escaping before her world went completely dark, and the pain of the blight returned.