Symptoms

They rinsed off first then scrubbed their skin until it was pink. Even though they would have preferred to stay and soak, they knew the guys were waiting. Donning robes they left the bath.

"We'll have to wash our clothes; they still carry the scent of the stuff the locusts spit." Sango said as she piled the clothes in a corner to be retrieved later. "Do you suppose the whole purpose of the attack was just to make us uncomfortable?"

"Possibly. I hated the feeling of that stuff on my skin. Plus it has weird sweet smell." They reached the main room and found the guys waiting on them. "Go ahead and leave out your clothes, we'll have to wash'em. Where's Sesshomaru?" Kagome helped Rin back to her bedroll.

"You're kidding right? Sesshomaru wouldn't be caught dead bathing with us, plus he only got just a bit of this stuff on his wrist. He washed it off outside in the stream. Jaken's going bathe out there too."

"Whatever, I'm heading on back." Shippo took off down the hall stripping.

"I'm with him." Miroku said following him.

"Here, you'll need some clothes." Kagome handed Inuyasha her pack and Sango gave him robes for Miroku and Shippo." Where's Myoga?"

"Huh? I haven't seen him since before the attack. Knowing him, he's long gone."

"I am not!" The flea popped up indignant from under the floor.

Kagome and Inuyasha shared a look. "So you're still here. Must have found a good hiding place, huh, old man?" Inuyasha wanted to know.

"Those things were almost bigger than Shippo! Of course I hid! Many cracks in the floor – I just waited until it was safe to come out." The flea didn't mention that he'd tagged along to the baths and watched the ladies bathing. Myoga giggled.

"Always a hindrance and rarely a help. Whatever, I'm going to bathe." Shaking his head Inuyasha walked quickly away.

"I have no idea why Lady Shoga would chase after you so." Kagome shook her head and sat down to brush Rin's hair.

It wasn't until later in the evening that the symptoms began. Itching and it just started all of a sudden. Kirara and Shippo started scratching first. "Kagome you got anything for itching?" No sooner had he spoke, they were all scratching.

Ah-Un stood and started rubbing his body against the wall. The only one not affected was Myoga. He looked on in horror as they scratched so hard whelps were forming. Inuyasha was drawing blood. Myoga was just about to go check on Sesshomaru when he forcefully opened the door.

"Rin." Sesshomaru watched as the little girl, eyes opened wide scratched her face then down over her chest. Her clothes were in the way so she opened the robe and scratched at the still red claw marks on her chest.

Sesshomaru felt something akin to horror as the girl cried out but continued to scratch. He saw Jaken gnawing on his arm while he rolled around on the floor trying to relieve the itching.

"Inuyasha! Help me!" Kagome cried.

Inuyasha broke out of his haze long enough stretch out blood stained claws towards Kagome's fragile flesh. Just as he was about to slash open her arm, Sesshomaru caught his hand.

"Inuyasha! Snap out of it!" He threw the arm away and backhanded Inuyasha in the face. Unknowingly he would have killed Kagome and never would have forgiven himself.

A new pain cut across the intense sensation of itching. Inuyasha picked himself up from the floor and looked up at his brother. Sesshomaru had hit him but not in anger. It looked, if Inuyasha could believe his eyes, that his brother was appalled at the scene before him. "What…?" Inuyasha began his voice rough.

Sesshomaru moved purposefully to Rin and caught her small hands, holding them above her head. He prevented her from scratching but she bucked and moaned, the itching was so intense. It was then he noticed a tingling on his arm where he'd been briefly touched by that stuff. Staring at his arm, Sesshomaru waited to see if he too would feel the urge to scratch but no, just a slight tingle.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Myoga finally spoke. "They've been infected!"

"Yes." Sesshomaru looked down at the old flea. "It seems your hiding has saved you from torment."

"We…we were…that stuff…did this…to us?" Inuyasha was fighting the inclination to tear the skin off his body. In order to stop himself, he put one hand in his mouth hoping the pain would override the itching. Blood flowed down his chin and neck as his fingers clenched and unclenched – still wanting to scratch.

Sesshomaru stared at Inuyasha. He could tell his brother wanted to give in but was doing his damnedest to resist. That stubbornness was a family trait. He was just about to speak when the next stage of Danzaemon's plan went into effect.

Suddenly they all stopped scratching. It was over and they all lay gasping and moaning. Sesshomaru let go of Rin and she lay still. He frowned, that couldn't be all. Danzaemon wouldn't just made them all itch uncontrollably then have it stop.

Inuyasha went to Kagome, her face, arms and legs all showed whelps from her scratching. He held her to his chest and looked to his friends. They too were in bad shape, clothes half off from trying to scratch. Suddenly she jerked in his embrace.

"Kagome?" Even as he watched her face, Inuyasha felt the need sink his fangs into her throat and taste her warm blood on his tongue.

Eyes glazed Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and slapped his face. "Kill! Ugly dog! Hate you! Must remove…from earth!" With each word she struck him.

"Bastard! Womanizer! Hate you! Kill you!" Sango was on her feet punching and kicking at Miroku.

Miroku was fighting back. He slapped Sango so hard that she fell to the floor. "Cold Bitch! Hate you! Selfish! Kill!"

Shippo was shooting Fox Fire at Kirara and the Two-Tail increased her size and batted Shippo across the room. Jaken was beating Ah-Un with the Staff of Two Heads and Ah-Un knocked him back, opened his mouth and shot lightning at Jaken.

"Master! Stop! Don't do it!" Myoga was hanging onto Inuyasha's hair, screaming at him.

Inuyasha had straddled a struggling Kagome. Her hands were held by his next to her head and his mouth was descending towards her neck. "Shut up! Damned loud-mouthed woman! Kill! Warm blood!"

He didn't know why he stopped Inuyasha – again but Sesshomaru rose to stop his brother from killing the woman he loved. As he moved, little hands grabbed his kimono. Rin was also trying to kill him.

"Demon dog! Rabid monster! Hate you! Die!" Rin's small fists beat against Sesshomaru's leg and then she tried to bite him.

He took a deep breath and kept moving pulling her along behind him. None of them knew what they were doing. This was Danzaemon's fault. He meant for them all to suffer and try to kill each other and then he would show up to kill whoever was left.

Sesshomaru took a hold of Inuyasha's shoulder and pulled him off Kagome. Inuyasha went sailing into the wall. Inuyasha shook it off and came running and missed. As usual Sesshomaru was too fast for him. Leaving Inuyasha growling, Sesshomaru sped around him then appeared on Inuyasha's other side and slapped him once again knocking him to the floor. Bending over him, Sesshomaru shook him.

"Dammit Inuyasha! Snap out of it before your friends kill each other!"

Golden eyes went in and out of focus as his head flopped back and forth but finally Sesshomaru saw his brother come to himself.

"Ugh! What the…hell is…happening to …me?" Inuyasha grasped his head between his hands.

"Master, hurry! Stop them!" Myoga had been hopping from one person to another trying to talk sense to them but he kept getting smacked to the ground and dodging stomping feet.

Both brothers looked up to see the three humans attacking one another. Spit, curse words and fists flew. It didn't matter who was in front of whom, as long as flesh crashed into flesh.

"Stop!" Jumping up Inuyasha pushed them apart and as Miroku came flying at him, Inuyasha's fist knocked him out. Turning he did the same to Sango when she picked herself up off the floor and came after him.

"Kagome!"

She managed to slap his face and grab a fist full of his hair, pulling it painfully. Inuyasha stared at her not recognizing the crazed woman before him. Hating even thinking about it, Inuyasha raised his fist and connected it to her jaw. Kagome fell limply into his arms.

Sesshomaru could see it pained Inuyasha but they had to be stopped. He'd been avoiding looking at Rin. Her small fists and teeth could never hurt him but she too needed to be stopped. Squatting before her, he took a few punches to the face before sending his own fist lightly into her stomach. Sesshomaru caught her before she fell and held her close a moment before moving to stop Jaken and Ah-Un.

Gently Inuyasha lay Kagome down and got up to stop Shippo and Kirara. Shippo was easy but Kirara was a challenge. She went up out of Inuyasha's reach then dove towards him with claws extended.

Another friend was attacking him and Inuyasha was trying his best to control the feelings in him that told him to tear Kirara apart. She stayed out of his reach and was too quick for him when he tried to jump up after her. It wasn't until she managed to rake his shoulder that he used his anger against Kirara.

Scattered about the large room were pieces of wood and rock. Seeing a large rock, Inuyasha picked it up and the next time she got close – he let it go speeding at the Twin-Tail's head. Growling in pain Kirara fell to the floor and passed out.

Jaken had been taken care of with a swift kick of Sesshomaru's foot. Ah-Un was rearing back on two legs, front legs kicking the air in front of Sesshomaru. He'd used his whip to bring Ah-Un back to the floor. Jumping up above him, Sesshomaru swiftly moved in close and punched both dragon heads and with a loud crash, Ah-Un collapsed to the floor.

Silence. Inuyasha slid down a wall and hung his head. He was tired, upset and still fighting the effects of the poison. Sesshomaru stared at his own fist. He'd used it to hit his companions. It had been the only way to stop them.

Myoga looked from one to the other and knew they were hurting. Harsh words had been said as well as the fists that had thrown. Danzaemon had grown devious on the continent. A demon such as he knew not of honor and simply battling to prove one's strength – no he'd needed tricks and deception to get what he wanted. But it was not the time for speculation.

"Lord Inuyasha! We must cure them before they wake and begin again!" Myoga hopped onto Inuyasha's beaded necklace. "Look at them. Even unconscious they are being tormented!"

Sesshomaru's head jerked up as did Inuyasha's, eyes wide watching as the humans writhed on the floor. Hands were rubbing against skin and words were being mumbled.

"What can we do?" Sesshomaru asked moving to stand over Rin.

A tremor went through Inuyasha as he to started rubbing his arm. "Myoga can you do anything? Maybe suck out the poison?" He was so tired.

The small head went from side to side. "No, it's too late for that but I may know of an antidote. It should cure the itching at least." Myoga was nodding to himself thinking of the ingredients that he'd need.

"What – what about Kagome's medicine? Would it work?"

"Possibly. Her medicines are wondrous. Why don't you give each of them some and then tie up their hands." At the angry looks he got Myoga quickly explained. "To keep them from hurting each other – you don't want to hit them again do you?" He asked sternly.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome; a bruise was appearing on her jaw. "No. You'll get the antidote?"

Myoga saw that Inuyasha was in bad shape and knew he was the only one available to help him. Straightening his little flea shoulders, Myoga stood tall. "I'll leave now but I'll return quickly. Don't worry my lord, we'll help them." Myoga nodded then left the two brothers standing in the wrecked temple hall.