InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Frozen Armor ❯ Defenseless ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/n
So another story has inched it's way to life! While it's not my main story, which will be significantly longer then most of my other writings here, this piece will be under my care and attention as much as the other will.

As always, Lady cash deserves a shout out, for being both a wonderful friend and reviewer! Also for her patience as I continue with my other projects. As a side note - This year will be extremely busy, but I will update as my muse allows, but if I forget, feel to give me a kick in the right direction. I feel overly human at all the wrong times =)



The heat was uncommon in the dusty, mid-morning air, yet they continued to move. Sweat dripped off his arms and fell low on his brow, his grip low on the sword. His eyes swerved left then right, motions circling at each corner of his eyes and goading him to move Tetsusaiga. His arms slowed in protest, the sting of exhertion biting into him. His feet shirked under the weight, his back glistening with a sheet of new sweat. There were ghostly smiles as the circle took note of his slowed limbs, his rapid heartbeat. He was losing strength.

How many more of them could he take? He took a ragged breath, shifting his grip as the onlookers gestured quickly toward one another. He grimaced. He could feel Tetsusaigas' power begin to fail within the metal, and his swing would only go out to arms length with the energy he had. Dust picked up as he scurried his feet, scaring one who was about to get close, falling back into the cirlce. His shoulder was on fire, as the gash continued to bleed out onto his robe, dampening the upper half. His head felt faint, his mouth dry with anticipation. His tongue swept out to make them wet, a decidedly slow movement. He couldn't believe his amount of luck, or rather lack of at that moment, as he scanned the crowd for a familiar face.

The demon took his chance.

Suddenly from the half demon's left, a pair of claws raked down from the center of the crowd. He had enough time to throw up his sword, as the sharpened claws went against the metal with a grating sound. He pushed the oppresor back, making a wild swing from the waist, knowing it would miss. The demon smiled, ducking under it, and using the chance to spring forward. Dust sprung up, as Inuyasha struggled to see the origin of attack. He gasped as he felt a slash at his waist, marring the beautiful skin at the small of his back.

He screamed, kicking back with his heel, only to find no one there. "You truly are the little brother," the voice purred. "Aren't you?" It was impossible to tell in the cloud of dust, but he was certain his attacker was smiling. Inuyasha readied his sword, his sweat covering most of the handle.

Inuyasha couldn't help but grin. He had been verbally abused too much in his childhood to have it mean anything coming from a stranger. His tongue moved over his lips. "The little brother with the bigger weapon."

There was a laugh, somewhere outside his field of vision. "Compensating for something?" There was a swirl of dust that he could tell meant movement.

Out of instinct, he dug his sword hand in, under his shoulder, and shot out towards a sliver of movement on the right. There was gurgle of surprise, as the demon was caught on the blade, the sound of impalement sweet on his ears. The dust seemed to swirl all around him for a second, and he gave a chuckle. "Just a little blood my brother's got."

His ears flickered as the whole half circle behind moved to attack. His legs quivered as he took a step to the side, and swung Tetsusaiga, full force, to his flank. The demons screamed with fright, their eyes wide with terror, trying to stop short of the metal's radius. The single arc cut through them like sandpaper, and swept with enough momentum that the swing brought Inuyasha looking forward again, eyes scanning over the remaining attackers. They still had numbers, but they looked a smidge less confident with their leader still stuck on the half demons blade. Purple blood trickled onto the ground, like a silent warning to all of them.

Their lips curled upward, revealing fangs that glinted under the intense sunlight. They were deathly sharp. Inuyasha's face glowered, his muscles wildly beginning to pump more blood then they should. How had they let this happen? He glanced in both directions, unsure of their next move. He wasn't managing well on his own. "Kagome!"

His nose wriggled as a sharp, thin sound entered the air. A purified arrow, intensely focused, flew through the remaining semi-circle of demons around him. He looked over for a moment, where the arrow had left it's path, and saw Kagome standing amongst her own circle of demons on the opposite side of the dirt road. "Here!" She screamed, the demons quickly filling the gap of the circle. The half demon drew up his sword and sped toward the group, quickly regaining speed.

He heard a struggle on the other side of the circle where he knew she had shot through. There was a burst of light, and smell of purified demon grew stronger. "I could use some help though!"

Suddenly invigorated, he raked his bloody claws across the band of youkai, forcing them to disband the circle, and face them both. He quickly gained twelve demons attention, each with velvety, glowing eyes. Sweat dripped down his back, his chest ready to burst out of pain. His eyes were wild with the intense sun.

"I need some assistance!" Miroku's voice shot out through the crowds, stopping Inuyasha mid-swing. Two pairs of sharp claws met him on both sides, tearing away the cloth near his chest. He coughed, suddenly unable to breath. His shoulder bled too fast at the open wound, and he was truly beginning to feel the effects. He took in a surprising breath, and parried a demon that lunged from his left. He twisted full circle and felt his arms go weak from the pressure of the sword. There was a sting in his right bicep, the muscle throbbing uncontrollably against his blood soaked robe, which he knew meant he was reaching his limits. More of them seemed to appear, and his eyes were quickly coming up with the realization he already knew to be true.

They were getting swarmed.

The caravan was somewhere down the road, yet he felt the panic in his throat that the children would peek out from their hiding spots. His head was swimming with the loss of blood, and his eyes watered. He wiped his hands quickly on his lower hakama to rid himself of sweat, and was sharply attacked from the front. He sidestepped the female, and took Tetsusaiga's hilt, still dripping with purple blood, and held it close to his chest, the way he had seen Sesshoumaru do with a katana when they were younger. He could feel the heat of his hand through the shirt, and watched as two demons disappear into the dust on the right, while two replacements emerged on the left.

Kagome let out a yelp of surprise, and Inuyasha took the distraction. With a single hand, he made a clean cut across the predators to the front slicing them in half. His eyes caught something to his lower right, and leapt backwards as something pounced. He caught himself on both feet, shifted the weight to his right foot, and swept the blade upwards. The demon crashed down away from him, one arm dismembered, and bleeding. He gave a smug grin to the thing on the ground.

He was brought to the ground by a claw suddenly at his throat. A small, but a forceful hand pulled down from the back of his neck, slamming his head into the unforgiving ground. His vision was swimming, as he heard screams around him. "Inuyasha, no!" He tried to move his arm, but his shoulder wouldn't give way. The muscles refused to move and his head couldn't process the situation fast enough. There was a sly smile as the demon slowly moved above him.

It shifted it's head. "Not very big, are you?" Inuyasha gritted his teeth, as the smiling face bent down to him, nodding it's head to the left. A second figure appeared on the left, but only appeared to be watching. The smiling figure drew something from it's side and teetered on a decision. Inuyasha winced. The figured leaned over, gently. "I'll make sure to grant you a good death."

It moved too quickly to see. Inuyasha cried out. He didn't even watch as the demon drew her knife from his chest, and proceeded to tuck it away, as a burning agony exploded somewhere in his ribcage. It was such a rapid pain it had already spread to his neck. He didn't think he was breathing. The two figures tilted their heads, full of doubt. "Does it happen fast?"

Hiraikotsu sailed through the air, and whipped into them from behind, stunning them long enough for Sango to attack their backs. She moved quickly and effortlessly through her motions, and performed each action as if she knew what the opponent was thinking. The demons fell out of his vision, and only Sango remained. She dropped everything and cradled the half demon, looking at his wounds. His sight was half red, and couldn't feel Sango's delicate touches. She wasn't making a happy face.

"Kagome!" The demon slayer fumbled with her mask, undoubtedly nervous. Not good. "Kagome!" she repeated, suddenly going out of focus. His vision completely failed him, and for a moment he could feel the sweat all over him. And then shortly after, he couldn't feel anything at all.

He smelled water as he woke up. His head throbbed unpleasantly, pounding hard enough to make all his other senses unusable. Aside from his head, he didn't feel anything too bad - no broken bones of any kind, no missing limbs. He growled, fighting for conciousness, trying to move his head side to side. He could feel the dried sweat on every inch of his body, the strained muscle in his right leg tensed as he used it, flexing. His arm was still devoid of any strength, and his thoughts wandered to Tetsusaiga for a moment. Maybe they left it on the road, he thought. He frowned at this idea, pushing it away from his mind. He opened his eyes, experimentally.

The room spinned, and his vision was blurry, but it stopped after only a few moments. He scanned the area, supporting the weight on his badly bruised elbows - he had injured them days before the ambush - and scoffed as he realized his upper robing was gone. The white shirt was still stained with an ungodly amount of blood, and his shoulder was stitched up and healing. He put the material between his fingers and squeezed. Dry. He had been asleep for more then just a few hours.

Where were his teammates? Was he in captivity, or in recuperation? And where was the caravan? He twisted his head to one side, unsure of the appropriate action to take.

His surroundings were the most curious, and he felt suspicion hurling in. He saw the outline of a dank and dark cave, aside from a make-shift fire that blazed near his knees.A shadow sat near the mouth of the tunnel, looking out at what appeared to be stars.

Inuyasha kept his frown, but made an effort to collect his voice. He paused, preparing himself for any possibility. "Kagome?"

There was spark of surprise as the figure turned around, and immediately moved towards him. He held a claw in the air as precaution, but the figure didn't slow in speed. He twitched his nose, suddenly anxious, but stopped moving as she came into the light.

"Inuyasha!" She held a smile in place, standing rigid as she walked into view. He noted the way her fingers wound around one another, customary for when she was feeling nervous, and the stray strands of hair that fell at her cheeks. He had been traveling with the girl for a few weeks since her last trip home, but she seemed dramatically different as she shifted her eyes to the ground.

Her face was paler, and had a uneven flush running over her cheeks. Her eyes twinkled with lack of sleep, and the dark patches under her eyes seemed to add to this. Her school uniform was tattered, and had two noticeable rips at each shoulder, that fluttered unnoticed beside her. She carried herself as a tired, but confident girl, but there was a fragility in her smile, ready to crack at any time.

"You're awake," she breathed quietly, bunching her sleeves at her elbows. There was a relief in her posture. "We were worried you weren't going to come out of it."

She kneeled down, spreading his blanket out further, over his feet, and below his heels. "I can't let you catch a cold," she murmered, her petite hands sliding over the soft fabric, and finally settling at her side. Inuyasha sat up, tossing most of it near his lap.

He narrowed his eyes, his hands meeting with the cold stone floor, while trying to think. The right words escaped him, but he moved his mouth to talk anyways. "Kagome," his voice was squeaky and unused. "What happened?"

She bit her lip, the air thick with all the things she could say. She made a move forward, catching him an unexpected hug and burying her nose into the crook of his neck. "I'm so sorry," she said, stroking his back gently. She took a hitched breath, shaking her head of any tears. "We almost didn't get to you in time."

Inuyasha sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing. She was shaking in his arms, and the guilt spilled over him. "It's fine, it could have happened to either us." He shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Better it was me then someone who couldn't survive the blow."

There was pause in the air, as if she was tempted to disagree, but she pushed back softly putting a hand over her chest. "It was terrible."

He waved a hand. "Hey, I'm fine now, really." He reached down, knocking some pebbles away with his fingers, while studying the face of his teammate for what seemed like the first time in a week. She hadn't been eating as much as she should have been, most likely out of worry. He put a hand to his face, knowing his curiousity needed to be satisfied. "Tell me what happened."

She glanced away quickly, moving her hands to her skirt, and pulling it down slightly. "I'm not sure where the proper point is to start, really." She moved her hand in circles, her eyes suddenly dreamy and unattentive. She stared into the flames. "I guess it may have been-"

"Tell me about the attack."

She quivered under her uniform, as the storm outside started to brew. "They knew we were coming. They came in large numbers just to overpower us." Her gaze swept across the stone walls, seemingly with purpose. "From what we've gathered they'd been planning this for months." Her lips looked cold in the dim lighting, and she pronounced each word as if she had already been thinking over the event for some time.

"Do we know their reason for attack?"

"There's nothing that says for sure. They could be with Naraku, or more likely they could have been after the jewel shards." She scratched at a nail, leaning on the hand after she was finished inspecting it. "They might have even been after the caravan."

He took this into consideration with brooding eyes. "Do you think Trivolio isn't telling us something?"

She shook her head, unconviced. There was hesitation in her answer though. "No... everyone in the caravan didn't even get touched by the attack," she said aloud. "Shippou included."

Inuyasha sank back. The group had met a man named Trivolio, a man from the west, fourteen days ago while passing through Mayun. The man was a barterer, traveling across the country to bear his goods, and had two young daughters - Aran and Erufn - that traveled with him in his caravan. They had lost their guard coming to the city in a raid, and had no one to escort them to their next destination. Kagome couldn't leave the man in good conscience, and had done her best to persuade Inuyasha to reason. The man had information on a jewel shard that he'd seen in another city, and agreed to share it if they would provide an escort.

Inuyasha had groaned, slapping his hands to his face. He hated inconvenience.

Kagome shrugged non-commitedly, adding to fill the silence in the air. "They were terrified, but other wise, ignored by the demons." She moved a hand to her chin, thinking. "More proof that the ambush was staged for us, not them." She looked back up at him, and sighed. Further complications outside of Naraku these days were nerve racking. "I think we should be worried about this."

"Naraku's got his fingers all over this," he replied curtly.

There was a mystified look in her eyes as she mumbled to herself. "It doesn't sound like him," she whispered, leaning towards the fire to revel in the warmth. She looked at him with fervor. "But if there's someone else, we could be in serious danger."

The half demon scoffed, setting the notion aside. He was firmly conviced that her and the kit worried more then was necessary. "Did anyone actually get hurt?"

"Sango has a few cuts and scrapes, and Kirara has a large cut on her thigh, but it didn't affect her flight with you here." She jabbed her finger towards the exit. "Miroku sprained an ankle, and Sango volunteered to help with the wound, though she's going to want to hear about your waking up when I get to her. The caravan's parked out side."

She hugged her knees, for a moment, trying to warm herself as well. She appeared quiet. "They knew about Sesshoumaru..." she picked out, trying to helpful. She paused, glancing up at Inuyasha. He didn't appear amused. "But who doesn't in Japan, I guess."

Inuyasha picked up a stone and carelessly tossed it forward. Kagome's eyes followed as it tumbled out helplessly to the rain. He turned away, sullen. "Atleast we survived."

"Barely," she whispered, moving a lock of hair behind her ear. The ebony wisps seemed sleek in the dark, her face framed with a concerned look, while looking at the half demons clothes. He muttered something while looking down at the blood stained shirt.

"I'm surprised the rain didn't rinse this out," he murmered, throwing his arm over his opposite shoulder, and stretching.

Kagome didn't miss a beat. "It wasn't raining when we brought you here."

The conversation was finally coming to a head, as Inuyasha's ears wriggled with curiosity. He stretched his other arm. "And where exactly is here?"

Kagome let out a breath, before suddenly turning around. Near the entranced, a shadow had appeared unnoticed, filled with the sent of demon. It took a stubborn step forward, looking for a reaction. There was a half a second of panic before the half demon sprung up in his blankets, claws drawn out like a pair of knives. "Kagome, get behind me."

She scurried back in confusion, before gasping and putting a hand on his arm. "Wait Inuyasha," she pleaded, lowering his claws. He choked out a hot breath, sending a murderous glance towards the figure. Kagome shook her head feverishly. "That's not a demon, it's-"

Inuyasha gave a blank stare, his feet shuffling along the blankets to steady himself, as he met with surprise. The tail gave the game away far too quickly. The half demon glared quickly at the intruder. Then at Kagome. "Why is Kouga here?" His voice was incredulously harsh.

The wolf demon sighed and walked further into the room, like a cautious predator. Inuyasha stared.

It may been the arrogance, or the cocky looks. It may have been the way he was a show off, or how he would run away with his tail between his legs whenever they encountered Naraku. It might have been how he continually attempted to sway Kagome's with his looks, smile, and pledges of devotion; but there were many reason why he probably felt towards Kouga the Wolf demon, the way he did. All of them not pleasent. He hardened his jaw with a growl.

It had only been a month since the wolf demons' last visit, but he had the sense he had gotten even stronger since then. Kouga had warm furs strapped at his waist and shoulder, metal armor covering his chest. His stride was even, his chest stuck out with confidence. His legs were sleek with rain, and dripped slowly along the crevasses of the stone floor. Every inch of his heated skin was tanned, and gave off a rich glow from the fire. His black hair was set in down in a laguid ponytail that reminded Inuyasha of his own hair. But his eyes were unnaturally deep and blue. They looked trusting.

His smile said the opposite.

Kagome reached out with a hand, slightly hurt. She looked between the males with nervousness. "The wolf dens were nearby when we were attacked. We had to find dry shelter before the storm struck." Thunder rocked the outside sky as the tempest began to swing at it's wildest.

She glanced thankfully to Kouga, who strode confidently into the light, but showed no smile. His intense blue eyes crossed the half demon with partial interest for a moment. As Inuyasha returned the look, the wolf broke the contact silently. He had an annoyingly strong presence that would usually threaten him, but not today. The devilish smile was absent as he leaned against the wall. His face remained stoic as he took in his rival, surveying the wounds from afar. The half demon yanked the blanket even higher.

He wasn't unreasonable, but he didn't feel like giving Kouga any appreciations. The night was already dragging on too long, and he was feeling ready to leave. "Let's get going then, Kagome." He made a move to get up, but he didn't get halfway before he was pushed back down by both of them. He glared suspiciously, face turned both ways. "What the hell?"

The wolf sank leisurely against the wall, while Kagome spoke up to catch his attention. The rain fell hard on the outside. "Don't you remember? One of the leaders of the ambush, a female, poisoned you personally before we drove them off." She gestured at the large gap in the front of his shirt, still red and sticky from the crust of dried blood. She continued. "Sango bashed her up a bit, but she and another were able to get away alive. Sango has been trying to identify the nature of the poison for days now, but we've only come up with a few results."

Days? He had been here for days? The wounds in his body could not have been so deep.

Kagome pressed a small hand to Kouga, as if in sign to back off a bit. The touch made Inuyasha growl in turn. Had he been asleep long enough that they had been talking without him? Maybe Kouga had already tried to court her again without him there to push the wolf away. His fingers twitched like a calculating, vicious animal.

The pair turned towards him. Kouga kicked the ground, and rubbed his arms from the cold, still too scrawny to probably keep warm for more then an hour outside. Inuyasha felt his right leg tense up again, but resisted the urge to stretch it. Kagome gazed at both of them, and kept twirling a dark strand of hair around her finger while she spoke. "This is the part I don't think you'll like very much."

Inuyasha spat on the cave wall, arms outstretched as if to get up. Kagome sent him a look, as if to warn him, 'don't even think about it,' before sighing deeply into her lap. "The poison can only pass through your system if your body doesn't move around much. It'll take a few days to pass fully, and you'll need the rest to recover from it." She put a shaky hand on his knee as comfort. "We don't know enough about the poison for you to try and brush it off on your own. While we take the caravan to the city, we're going to need you stay here."

Rain trickled on the rim of the entrance, while the smell of wet spring sifted through the cave. His earls pulled back in shock. "What?" An utter, piercing silence erupted between them, as he looked at them both sporadically, but there wasn't any smiles or jokes.There were the mirthless, sympathetic faces that shown in the glitter of the fire. He aimed towards Kagome, as Kouga was an unwelcome presence. "Tell me you're kidding."

She shook her head, her hair bouncing. The waves seemed more curly in the dark, as she sniffled. "Trivolio has to make to it to the market in three days, or his stock will go bad. You can't come along with us if it will only make things worse for you." She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry."

Inuyasha shook his head, rejecting. "No, I'll heal up on my own! Hell if I need rest like the rest of you."

"Stop!" She replied, wagging a finger in jest. The rips in her uniform moved in the wind, as if motioning to go outside. "The constant travel will only stimulate the poison, and send you back into paralysis. I'm sorry Inuyasha, but I'm going to have to leave you here."

She stood up silently, her legs wobbled underneath her. She frowned, knowing she probably needed to eat something for the night, while Inuyasha turned his head. He spoke at Kouga for the first time today, his eyes heated from weeks of practice. "And you're ok with me just staying here?"

The wolf didn't respond for a second, until he snapped his fingers, and smiled. Their eyes locked genuinely for the first time in a month, as their attention fell soley on each other. Inuyasha felt a chill. "Any favors of Kagome's is always worth my time." He winked at her in kind, but his response had seemed automatic. His narrowed eyes showed his mind was in another place entirely. He barely shifted his place on the wall.

The two spoke in soft tones and prepared to leave, the warmth of the cave suddenly dimming down in degrees.

The half demon yelled out, pleading. "Hold on! Isn't this a bit rash? You can't leave me here with a guy that's tried to kill me every time I see him!"

The pale girl turned back slightly, her sleeves pushed out towards the storm. She smiled gently once, and gave him a solitary wave. "He'll take care of you, promise. We'll only be gone three days," she started, with a glance to the roaring night. She moved to leave and angled over her shoulder. "Don't try to come after us, or something worse then just a sit will be here for you." The playful threat hung in the air, belying the seriousness she had meant. She whispered, "Good bye."

She meandered out of sight, into the cold, twisting storm. The cave was quiet with the sound of a fire, and rain, and echoed all the thunder claps outside. Kouga stood near to the entrance too, arms crossed, and frozen in a questioning face. Inuyasha lifted his head silently, his arms laid around him in disappointment.

Kouga spared a look. "Hey, cheer up mutt face." He lowered an eyebrow as the dog suddenly leaned back to go to sleep, marking his cue to leave.

He let out a breath as tension rose, looking at the docile, relaxed form of his rival, strewn over his blankets. The wolf took a step forward, but whispered and turned around. He retreated almost immediately with heavy footsteps, throwing a, "I'll see you in the morning!" over his shoulders.

Inuyasha huddled further into his blankets, pinching the fabric with a pointed claw. Disbelief spread all over him. He had gone through abandonment as a child and recognized the feeling as it crept in, wetting his fingertips. It was like a betrayal, a sadness that wouldn't easily let go. He knew they would come back. He knew it was for good reason that they were leaving. But the ache in his stomach refused to let him alone.

He cluctched his purple beads, wrapping his fist around the small rosary. His lips moved gently. "Kagome?"

He could feel the tears form as his tiny, golden eyes shut to sleep.









A/n
Well, what did you think of it? All future chapters will have similiar lengths, but Kouga will be much for a star character lol. Anyways, please review!