Levi, And The Bantgee

by SpiritVegeta

Short Story. A Halloween Special.

Levi, And The Bantgee

October 31st... 2 hours till Halloween...

The Soul Reapers and all their friends were enjoying themselves over at Goku's house for a Halloween party, something Yamamoto and Roshi had insisted on. Because of...

Roshi: "Have you ever heard of... (In a scary tone) "The Bantgee"?"

Half of the group stopped dead. Most being the old Scout Regiment and the young.

Armin: (A little nervous) "The... Bantgee?"

Conny: "W... W-What's that?"

Roshi: "It's... A monster!"

Conny and Armin: "MONSTER!"

Eren: "Yeah, nice try, Roshi. It's Halloween, you think we're gonna fall for an obvious Halloween fright story?"

Ichigo: "Took the words right outta my mouth, Eren."

Roshi: "No, it's not a story. It's real."

Jean: "Yeah right."

Yamamoto: "He's telling the truth."

The fact that Yamamoto said it was true did not help the disbelievers.

Yamamoto: "The Bantgee is more than just a story... It's a legend."

But there were still some who did not believe them.

Ichigo: "I still don't buy it."

Mikasa: "It sounds made-up."

Trunks: "And the name itself sounds too much like "banshee"."

Goten: "Yeah!"

Roshi: "Ohh... The Banshee pales in comparison to The Bantgee."

Yamamoto: "In fact it's said to be even more dangerous than a banshee. A silent killer."

Roshi: "Yamamoto... didn't you once tell me that you've seen the Bantgee?"

Yamamoto: "I have."

Ichigo: "Say wha..."

Jean: "You've seen this thing?"

Yamamoto: "Indeed I have, Jean Kirstein. It is a horrid creature. One whose legend is even older than myself."

Now the older members of the Scout Regiment were listening in.

Yamamoto: "Nine feet tall... walks on two legs like a human but stands and moves like a dinosaur... Its skin is dark in color, and has the appearance of a dried mummified corpse covered only by a dirtied old cloth from shoulders to its ankles..."

All too soon, everyone was listening to the old Soul Reaper.

Yamamoto: "It has no eyes, just sown up slits where eyes used to be... Its hands are frail looking, but strong- with long shriveled fingers, perfect for grasping its victims... Long sickly white hair hangs down over its face, covering most of its head."

Roshi: "But do not be deceived by its frail and fragile appearance. It is very dangerous!..."

Yamamoto: "Stories tell that when a Bantgee finds its prey... it completely engulfs its victims whole... and alive."

Hange: "*Gulp*... Alive?..."

Yamamoto: "Yes, alive."

Roshi: "Stories claim that the swallowed victims are kept alive in its stomach, even while being digested."

The youngsters and more were now terrified. Did such a creature really exist?

Soifon: "Hold up. How come I've never heard of this thing?"

Yamamoto: "It's quite simple, Captain Soifon. You see... the Bantgee only comes out once every one hundred years... and always on this night."

Shunsui: "That... would explain why we've never heard of it either, ay Jushiro?"

Ukitake: "It definitely does... Do the legends say where this thing lives?"

Yamamoto and Roshi looked at each other, their faces full of fear.

Yamamoto: "It's said to live here... In these very mountains."

Much of the whole party were now shivering with fear. But...

Goku: "Wait a sec. I've lived in these mountains literally my whole life- I know every rock and tree like the back of my hand. But this is the first I've heard of this."

Krillin: "Explain that one, Roshi."

Roshi had a look of grieving fear all over him.

Roshi: "It's most likely because your Grandpa Gohan never told you before he died. The creature is so terrifying that the folks who live out here keep quiet... for it is said that just uttering its name without reason will make you its next victim."

Many gulped, even Goku. But there was some good news.

Armin: "W-Well... I-I'm sure it's... just a legend."

Farlan: "Y-Yeah... And even then, like they said... It only comes out once every hundred years. I mean... What are the chances?"

Yoruichi: "High."

Everyone suddenly noticed Yoruichi there on Goku's roof.

Soifon: "Lady Yoruichi!"

Renji: "Uh... W-What did you mean?"

Yoruichi jumped down from the roof before walking towards the party. Her face did not tell of good things.

Yoruichi: "The last time the Bantgee appeared... was exactly one hundred years ago... tonight."

Horror quickly spread across the whole group. Even some like Goku and Toushiro were scared, and with reason. The creature's name has been said numerous times already. Not to mention that something like this would not be easy to kill, judging by the description of the monster.

Assuming it can be killed.

Levi: "Oh bullshit! Like I'm gonna believe such an obvious ploy to scare the shit out of us."

The whole group turned to Levi.

Levi: "I'm having a hard time believing any of it. It's easy to make up stories and make them sound convincing."

Yoruichi: "It's no joke, Levi. Yamamoto is the only person to have ever seen the creature and live to tell the tale."

Levi: "No offense, but it's gonna take more than the word of a couple of old men to convince me that such a thing really exists. Especially on Halloween."

Roshi: "I know it's hard to believe us, Levi. Especially given the day. But what we're saying is the truth."

Levi: "Ok then. If Yamamoto is the only person to have ever seen this thing and live to tell about it, then how is it that the legend is older than Yamamoto?"

Many looked at one another.

Levi: "And for that matter, how do you know that its eaten victims are kept alive while being digested? Cuz that sounds like something no one should know."

Eren and a few of the others looked at each other again. Those were good points.

Armin: "Uhh... Just out of curiosity... What does the Bantgee like to eat?"

Levi: "Oh for the love of..."

Roshi: "Anything it wants, Armin. But there is one thing that stands out as its top favorite."

Yoruichi: "Strong black haired men in their 30s."

Levi: "You're just saying that because I'm a strong black haired man in his 30s! Y-You can't get anymore obvious than that!"

Yamamoto: "I'm sorry, Levi. But it's the truth."

Levi: "Ok then, fine. I'll prove to all of you that this is nothing but an attempt to scare us."

Hercule: "How are you gonna do that?"

Levi: "Simple. They say it lives out here? Then I'll go look for it."

Everyone gasped!

Erwin: "Levi!?"

Mike: "You're gonna do what?!"

Levi: "You heard me right. I'll go into those woods, by myself, with no weapons, and look for this 'Bantgee' until dawn, then I'll prove that it was all just a big fat made up story."

Eren: "Captain!"

Farlan: "Think this through, Levi!"

Hange: "At least carry a weapon!"

Levi: "Have all of you lost your minds? Listen to yourselves! There's nothing out there!"

Ichigo: "You don't know that!"

Trunks: "Yeah! What if you run into it?! Without a weapon you're basically helpless!"

Goten: "And there are other things out there besides the Bantgee!"

Levi: "Ok if it'll make you all happy, I'll take a small knife or something. Happy?"

Uryu: "Better than nothing."

Chad: "Really."

Toushiro gave Levi a short hand blade that he's had for years.

Toushiro: "You sure you wanna do this, Levi? I doubt anyone would blame you if you didn't."

Levi: "It's not just about proving someone right or wrong at this point, Toushiro. It's also standing up for yourself and keeping your word. I'll be fine."

Toushiro: "I sure hope so."

And with that, Levi started off to look for the "Bantgee" all on his own. While the others had worried and scared faces, Roshi and Yamamoto did not. In fact, they were almost smiling.

Goku: (Looking around) "Hey... Has anyone seen Vegeta?"

As night started consuming the world, Levi walked deeper and deeper into the mountains. He actually found it funny at the level he was going through to prove how ridiculous this 'Bantgee' story was.

Levi: (Muttering to himself) "Nine feet tall... mummified skin... eats its victims whole... Tch!... Sounds more like Kenpachi after a long day in the sun and Yachiru with sweets."

By the time darkness took over the land, Levi had traveled far from Goku's house. If something happened at this point, no one would reach him in time.

He was now completely on his own.

If that wasn't bad enough, he has come to a section of forest that was nothing but old dead trees.

Levi: "Oh of course. Nothing like a stroll through a forest of dead trees on Halloween. Oohh, how spooky."

Having come this far, he decided to just keep going. The full moon lit up the forest with a ghostly light. The dead trees gave off eerie shadows that moved with the slight breeze. Levi just kept muttering to himself. It was quiet. So quiet that it was unnatural. But Levi tried to stay focused.

Levi: "It's all just a story. Just a story to scare people. That's all. There's no such thing. No such thing as a-"

Snap!... A stick snapped. What's more...

Levi wasn't responsible.

Levi: "Who's there?"

No answer.

Levi: "Show yourself!"

Again... no answer. Levi eased up. For all he knew it was just the creepiness of this place that may be playing tricks on him. The soldier just continued on.

Snap!... Again the sound of a twig breaking! And right after that... the tell tale crunch of leaves underfoot. Levi wasn't moving, so that only meant...

Levi: "I know you're out there! Show yourself at once!"

As the sound of something slowly approaching got louder and louder, Levi stood his ground. He was confident at first...

But soon his nerves began to frail on him.

What if it was true? It's not like there wasn't the possibility. Four years ago, if you had told him that there were beings who could fly without special gear, unleash attacks of every type of matter from their hands or swords, lift houses over their heads with one finger, transform into animals, sculpt the land with just brute strength alone... why he would've laughed out loud right in your face! But all of that was obviously true and then some! So what's to say that this Bantgee wasn't made up either? Levi slowly started to back up as the sounds were getting closer. Yamamoto's description of the Bantgee kept replying over and over in his mind. If it all was true, then this small blade wasn't going to be affective! Levi, Humanity's Strongest Soldier, may have finally bitten off way more than he can chew. Just then- trip! Levi fell backwards and hit the ground hard! When he looked up, there it was.

A shadowy figure slowly working its way towards him.

Levi: "Screw this!"

And Levi got up and took off! He ran through the forest as fast as he could! The snapping and crunching of leaves and twigs underfoot filled his ears. For a mile straight he ran, the whole time the unknown figure chasing him down from a distance. Suddenly Levi tripped again and fell down a steep ravine. When he came to a stop, he found thorny vines entangled around his legs! There were so many vines with so so many thorns sticking into his legs! It might as well have been barbed wire!

Levi: "Argh! Come on!"

The soldier was trying to untangled himself as fast as he could! But it seemed he was too late! The mysterious shadow has caught up!

Levi: "Stay back! Don't come any closer!"

He expected to be eaten whole! But instead...

?: "Levi?"

Levi gasped softly. He looked up just as the light from the full moon revealed the shadow's true form. Turns out...

Vegeta: "What're you doing out here at this hour?"

It was only Vegeta.

Levi: (Relieved) "Ohh-ho... Vegeta... It's just you."

Vegeta: "What's that about? (Notices the vines) Hang on, I'll get you out of there."

After he slid down the hill, Vegeta went to work untangling Levi from the thorny vines, having better luck with his gloved hands. All the while, Levi told him what had happened.

Levi: "And that's why I'm out here. By the way, why are you out here?"

Vegeta: (Finished removing the thorns) "Hunting. My hunting and tracking skills were getting a little dull, and a good warrior never neglects the basics."

Levi: "Wow..."

Vegeta: "Don't tell me you believe that nonsense about the Bantgee?"

Levi: "Well... No. At least... not originally..."

Vegeta: "Levi... It's all a sham, a fake. There's no such thing as a Bantgee."

Levi: "... You sure?"

Vegeta: "Yamamoto and Roshi already tried that trick on me many years ago. Their plan is to trick someone into looking for it. To them... the one who tries to disprove them the most, is the one who believes it the most. Although I'll admit that I am a little surprised that Yoruichi is in on it. At the same time, don't know why either."

Now Levi realized his error. And felt so pathetic.

Levi: "*Sigh*... I feel so stupid..."

Vegeta felt sympathy for the soldier. Suddenly, he had an evil grin.

Vegeta: "Hey, Levi. I've been wanting to do something for a while now, but I need help, and you're the perfect person to give me a hand. Whaddya say?"

Levi: "What is it?"

Vegeta: (With an evil grin) "We're gonna teach a couple of old men and a sly woman a new lesson..."

At the darkest hour of the night, everyone at Goku's house was nervous as hell. There's been no sight or sound of Levi since he left.

Conny: "Captain Levi's been gone a long time..."

Armin: "You think the Bantgee got him?!"

Eren: "N-No way! Captain Levi's no pushover! I'm sure he can handle himself! Right, Farlan?"

Farlan: "Yeah! Levi's never lost a fight when he has a knife."

An eerie silence suddenly echoed all around them. No animals could be heard for miles.

Gohan: "Dad... Why can't we hear any animals?"

Goku: "I... I-I don't know, Gohan... This has never happened before..."

Ulquiorra: "This is creepy... Even for me."

Grimmjow: "You said it. *Shivers*"

Trunks: (Looks to Yoruichi, Yamamoto and Roshi) "Is it the Bantgee?!"

Yoruichi, Yamamoto and Roshi all looked at each other, their faces secretly hiding their own surprise and growing fear.

Toushiro: "Please tell us that this isn't a sign of the creature?!"

Roshi: "Uh..."

Izuru: "Is it the Bantgee?!"

Yoruichi: "Well..."

Krillin: "It is, isn't it?!"

Hange: "What do we do?!"

Ichigo: "Run-Fight-Hide- What?!"

Just then... a horrible sound... the sound of something approaching. All eyes turned to the forest. The moonlight illuminated the area with an eerie silvery glow. The sounds grew closer and closer. It sounded like a large frame walking staggeringly. Everyone held their breathe as a shadow appeared amongst the trees. Then, with one step... the creature appeared before them.

Everyone: "*GASP!*"

Ukitake: "What is that?!"

It easily stood over nine feet tall, maybe even more. It walked on two legs and hunched over slightly like a dinosaur. Its body was concealed under a raggedy dirty old cloth that hung loosely from the shoulders down to the ground almost completely. What skin was exposed was dark in color, but the faint moonlight could not expose the texture of the skin in detail. Its arms were long, covered by cloth all the way to its wrists. It appeared to have no eyes, long sickly white hair concealed its head and face well. It did not look at them straight and walked like a corpse brought back from the dead. Many were sure as it started to approach!

Uryu: "I-It's the Bantgee!"

Farlan: "W-What did you do with Levi?!"

The creature said nothing. Slowly it reached into its robes. A moment later and it dropped something to the ground. Every face seemed to drain of blood when they all saw it. It was the blade that Toushiro had given Levi... and its grip... was covered in blood. And Mike confirmed its scent.

It was Levi's blood.

Ichigo: "RUN FOR IT!"

Scared to death the whole group started to run in every direction! Screams could be heard going in every direction! Goku, Toushiro, Renji, Conny, Sasha, Bertolt and Soifon hid behind Goku's old childhood house that he grew up in. They tried to be as quiet as possible.

Renji: (Whispering) "D-Did it follow us?"

Goku bravely went to check. Slowly he inched towards the edge. Quietly, he peeked out to see nothing was there. The earth saiyan sighed as he turned back to his friends.

Goku: "I don't think it followed us."

Grab! A hand suddenly grabbed Goku's shoulder! They all looked up to see the creature standing there! All seven of them screamed and made a run for it, the creature loosing its hold on Goku! To the east side of the woods, Erwin, Hange, Rangiku, Izuru, Krillin and Gohan all hid as they heard more screaming. Erwin decided to peek over the bushes to see if he could spot anything. He silently signaled the others to remain quiet before he slowly stood up. The moment he peeked over the bushes, he came face to face with the monster.

Izuru: "It found us!"

Gohan: "Run for it!"

And the six of them dashed out of the woods too! Eren, Armin, Trunks, Goten and Ichigo all hide behind a bunch of fallen dead trees. A moment later and the creature's hand burst through the wood! They all went screaming in the other direction!

One by one each group was found and scared out of their hiding spots. It seemed that nowhere was safe from the Bantgee! It found them each time! Finally, everyone regathered where it all started, out of breathe and frightened.

Ichigo: "This is nuts!"

Mikasa: "No matter where we hide, it finds us!"

Eren: "We've tried running and we've tried hiding!"

Toushiro: "The only thing left to do is fight!"

Goku: "Toushiro's right! It's time we stop running and hiding and face this thing!"

Goten: "There it is!"

The creature appeared again. Many got into stance to fight! Goku started first with an energy blast!

Goku: "Take this!"

The blast went flying towards the creature! They thought for sure this'll do it! What could stop one of Goku's attacks?!

Flick... The creature deflected the energy attack as if it were a fly. The whole group had a collected expression. Petrified horror.

Goku: "This is bad..."

Toushiro tried next.

Toushiro: "Let's see how you handle ice!"

With a swing of his sword the young captain sent a wave of ice towards the monster! But in the blink of an eye, the creature simply moved out of the way!

Mikasa: "It's that fast?!"

The creature kept coming towards them slowly. And then, it suddenly revealed something. It had four arms!

Jean: "Wait a sec! Four?!"

Gin: (Looking at Roshi, Yamamoto and Yoruichi) "Why didn't you tell us it had four arms?!"

The three of them were horrified. The creature crept closer.

Hange: "There has to be a way to stop it!"

Yamcha: "Tell us!"

Roshi: "We..."

Closer.

Shunsui: "How'd you escape it, Old Man?!"

Yamamoto: "I..."

Ichigo: "How?!"

Yamamoto: "I-I didn't!"

Everyone: "WHAT?!"

Closer...

Toushiro: "But you said-"

Yamamoto: "I lied! We all did!" Rangiku: "Why?!"

Roshi: "It was a prank! A Halloween prank!"

Yoruichi: "We made it all up years ago!"

And closer...

Gohan: "It was all just to scare us?!"

Eren: "So Captain Levi was right!"

Krillin: "Right about them but not this!"

The creature's shadow loomed over them all as it stood up even higher. Everyone was trapped between Goku's house and the monster! Goku stood in front of everyone and tried to do his best to cover them all behind him. One of the creature's set of arms started to move up towards its stomach area.

Hercule: "What's it doing?!"

Armin: "It's gonna eat us!"

And then!... What popped out from behind the cloth at its stomach area, was!...

Vegeta: "Happy Halloween!"

Everyone: "Vegeta?!..."

Turns out that it had been Vegeta all along... At least the one doing all the walking and the first set of arms.

Ichigo: "Wait a sec! It's been you this entire time?!"

Vegeta: "Gotcha."

Tien: "But then... (Pointing above the saiyan) what?..."

The second set of hands above Vegeta removed the hair. Underneath was...

Levi: "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"

Levi, alive and well!

Eren: "Captain Levi?... W-What happened to you?"

Rukia: "Your skin, i-it's all..."

Levi undid the pin that held the raggedy old cloth together and let it drop. What was revealed was Levi sitting on Vegeta's shoulders to give the illusion that they were a nine foot plus tall being. Since Levi obviously couldn't carry Vegeta and his hair didn't stand up, he wore the makeshift wig which was nothing more than a bunch of that grayish moss that hangs from trees and dried light colored vegetation, both things giving off a sickly whitish glow in the moonlight. The long raggedy cloth was nothing more than a bunch of old beat up clothing sown together (with dirt smudges strategically used to cover the stitches) which was perfect for hiding the two and give off the appearance that they were just one very tall monster. What skin was exposed to sight was coated with a thin layer of mud and dried to give the appearance of dark corpse like skin, and to conceal their scents for Mike. It was all so obvious now that they knew! But...

What about the bloody blade?

Levi showed them a small cut on his palm. In order to make it really believable that he was "eaten by the Bantgee", Levi, by his idea, had Vegeta cut him enough to coat the grip of the blade in a believable amount of blood before tending it with a long clean cloth. And just to go the extra mile, until the bleeding fully stopped, Levi placed smudges of his blood around the sown clothes to give the costume an even more frighteningly realistic look.

Vegeta just stood there with Levi (having removed much of the mud by now) conformably sitting on his shoulders, the saiyan with the most cocky toothy smirk and the soldier resting his elbows on said saiyan's head while holding his chin with a very pleased and smug smile, while the others all just gawked at them with utter speechlessness. It took a good while for someone to finally get their voice back.

Erwin: "Uhh..."

Even if it was just that.

Vegeta: "Let this be a lesson, Yamamoto, Roshi and Yoruichi... and even to all of you... It's ok to tell scary stories from time to time. But you must be careful of taking it too far, cuz like with everything, it's all fun and games... until someone gets hurt."

Yoruichi: "Someone... got hurt?..."

Vegeta: "Dende. Can you heal a broken ankle? Levi broke his after tripping and falling down a hill with thorny vines covering the ground below... fearing the 'Bantgee' was after him." Dende: "It'll take a minute or two, but I can definitely do it."

Dende went to see to Levi's injuries while the saiyan prince carefully set him down with many of their friends gathering around for support. All the while, Yamamoto, Roshi and Yoruichi all felt guilty. Hearing that Levi had actually hurt himself because of their Halloween prank made them realize that they did take it too far. They didn't mean for it to go that far, but they can't deny that it did go overboard. Levi just sat there while Dende worked to heal his foot. The young Namekian could heal broken and sprained bones and such, but that required a little more time and effort since bone was more solid than flesh, not to mention he couldn't exactly see the damage. But he was confident he could do it and the others were too. After a few minutes, Levi's foot was healed.

Levi: "Mind healing the holes in my legs from the thorns?"

Dende: "Sure. While I'm at it, want me to heal the cut on your palm?"

Levi: (Holding out his hand) "Please."

And Dende kindly saw to those wounds as well. While that went on, a few of the others were looking at the costume Vegeta and Levi made. Goku and them were impressed at how good it was despite that they made it so quickly and with nothing but things out in the woods.

Uryu: (After looking at the whole costume) "You just might be the most frightening being to ever exist, Vegeta. Not just your powers and abilities, but your intelligence and intellect are unprecedented. To be able to construct such an elaborate illusion and craft such a realistic and believable costume with only vegetation and other items in the middle of the forest is truly awe-inspiring."

Vegeta: "Explains how I can understand you, Uryu."

Goku couldn't help but laugh at that comment.

Armin: "But he's got a point. To pull all that off with such simple materials is truly amazing."

Piccolo: "Not to mention in battle you are particularly crafty. Coming up with multiple strategies to defeat an enemy with nearly every possible scenario outcome within the short amount of time it takes you is almost frightening in its own right."

Vegeta: "Oh honestly, you guys are making a big deal out of it. I just simply do what I do within my best attempt. Nothing more to it."

Krillin: "You're acting, aren't you?"

Vegeta: "Can you prove it?"

While that was going on in the background...

Eren: "Guess you were right all along, sir. The Bantgee doesn't exist."

Levi: "It's ok to be afraid of things we aren't aware of, Eren. But it's not ok to be that afraid of the unknown either."

Dende: "He's right. Until you know whether something exists and whether it's friend or foe, you shouldn't just blatantly assume it's dangerous. And even stories have a grain of truth within them."

Eren: "Man I've still got a lot to learn."

Just then, Yamamoto, Roshi and Yoruichi approached Levi with apology written all over their faces.

Yamamoto: "Levi... We want to apologize."

Yoruichi: "We are so sorry..."

Roshi: "We were just playing a harmless Halloween prank on everyone. It's our fault, we allowed it to get out of hand. But I promise you that we never wanted anyone to get hurt from it. I hope you can forgive us for our foolishness..."

And the three of them bowed their heads to express how sorry they were. As for Levi...

Levi: "... Hmm... What do you think, Vegeta? Are they sorry?"

Vegeta just looked at the three with a soft smile. He could tell.

Vegeta: "Yeah they are."

Levi: "Then I forgive you."

Yamamoto, Yoruichi and Roshi all looked up with happy smiles.

Vegeta: "At least they better be. Or I'm gonna be pissed."

Goku: "Now that is a terrifying creature."

And Halloween ended with nothing but laughter from them all.

Happy Halloween!