Dastardly

by 8DRainbowManVan8D

The forest around my village has always been surrounded in legend.When they built the wall to protect us from evil, things we should never have forgotten were, but it didn't forget us. I must find and destroy this evil, or let it destroy us all. I am submerged back into a world long forgotten. Fairies, goblins, demons and sprites, so familiar.Even the man with the vacant blue eyes.

1. A Little Less Happy

This is a long story. It's huge and really connected. Not tried something so interwoven before... Wish me luck.

Beginning of this is flash back mostly.

The cover picture is done completely by myself.

This chapter brought to you by Psyko Punkz & Coone, Combichrist, and Suicide Commando. It's a –bleep-ing party.

WARNINGS! Language, character death (flash back only), violence, my shit attempt at "nursery rhymes" so please don't be too harsh

.:.~O3O~.:.

~.:. Dastardly.:.~

~.:. Chapter One: A Little Less Happy.:.~

He bends the bones,

And tears the flesh.

Bloodied fangs,

And broken chest.

Sinister grins,

Evil laughter.

Missing children,

Ne'er seen 'ere after.

"They are mine now,

Not even their bones can you keep."

And he laughs, "So go on dear parents,

Go on, go weep."

"They call me monster,

Devil, demon."

Crazed smile,

Hellish eyes fore'er gleamin'.

"They call me evil.

They call me dastardly."

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There have been stories, many of which and all horrific; none just the same, but all inherently vile. Beastly, grisly stories that curdle the blood and turn the stomach. Tales of such that are so old, turned to legend, to myth, then lesson to children. Much like the boogeyman, children hide under the covers and the parents giggle but the fear is passing and never remains.

And for this reason, we begin to forget; to not care; to break the rules we set forth to protect ourselves from those that wish harm. And for that, the beast of them all, monster of the dark, he punished us.

Bloody trails to remind us. Missing family to cripple us with woe, no trace of hope to recover them from the bowels of the forest. No one shall escape his wrathful grip.

So vile, so evil. So dastardly.

But we had not seen anything so frightening as the obsession that began when one got away…

Me.

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7 Summers after my birth

"Ichigo! RUN! Run, my boy!" My father pushed me down, then forward. "Don't stop! Never look back!"

My mother's screams.

"AAAAH! MY BABIES! YUZU! KARIN!"

"Not now, Masaki! My love, escape with Ichigo!"

"NO! NEVER! I WILL NOT LEAVE MY DAUGHTERS!"

"THEY ARE GONE, MASAKI! But your boy still needs you!"

Her lips trembled, but she nodded and grasped my hand, smiling gently, tears running from her eyes. "Come now, my boy. Let's get you safe."

And we ran. Even when we heard my father scream and my mother broke into sobs, we ran.

We stopped beside a grand tree, the Hollow Tree. She placed me within the empty cavern inside of it and tucked me into the corner. "Ichigo, my dear, stay in here. Stay hidden, stay safe. Do not leave no matter what you hear. Promise me this?"

I nod, choked tears running down my face. She bit her trembling bottom lip and sobbed again. She leaned forward and hugged me desperately. She reached to the chain hanging around her neck and placed it upon mine. "Know that I love you, Ichigo; that your father and your sisters love you. Never forget that."

She held my cheek in her hand as I held on tightly and sobbed. At the sound of crunching leaves, she choked back one last sob before her face hardened. She stood up and yelled as she ran off in a random direction. The last thing I saw before sinking back into the darkness was a fast moving black shadow chasing after my mother.

I curled up into a ball and held my knees, choking on air through my tears. Mother's screams filled my ears and I hid my face as well, body wracked with tremors. And then all became silent.

I sat there, crying for the longest time it felt like when footsteps approached. My breath caught in my throat and fear froze me to my spot, eyes wide and frantic. I wanted to run but couldn't.

From behind me, I felt something cold slither down from the wood and land gently on my arm. I jumped and stared at a dirty hand resting there, and slowly a man stepped from the shadows, naked as the day he was born, and out into the open air he went. A tall man, with a broad back and long legs was all I dared to observe. Was that… a hole in his stomach?

The footsteps approaching stopped and echoing laughter, runny like water and hot like acid in the ears, filled the void. And like that, the naked man ran forward and was no longer seen. As I hid, all I could hear was scuffling and unreal laughter. Thuds and booms and shaking earth was all that surrounded me.

Then, an angered scream and the whoosh of giant wings. I sat there waiting for minutes, frightened to move. When silence reigned, I crawled forward, hesitantly. I poked my head around the corner of the tree. There crouching, was the naked man, his head tilted and ear perked to the sky, listening.

In the light beams streaking through the canopy leaves, I saw his dirty matted blue hair tilt right wise and he slowly stood. His chest wasn't heaving, nor were there marks upon him. He stiffened and slowly he twisted his neck to observe me from the mere corner of his eye. Blue of the most rich stared back at me, but cloudy were his pupils.

We stared for the longest time. My heart began thundering and my breath heaving when it began to click that something wasn't right about this man. He turned to face me completely.

Slowly he stalked forward, his cold lips parting, emotionless. "Are you alright, boy?"

The world began to spin and everything grew darker at the corners. With horror I realized I was breathing much too fast.

As I fell over, the last thing I saw before the world went dark was cloudy blue eyes lowering to watch me.

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3 Summers later

"Ichigo! Dammit kid! Get your butt back in here!"

I looked up and over at my caretaker, his angry face matching his bright red hair perfectly. Renji's young stern face had me running over. He put his hand upon my back and ushered me in.

"Ya know ya ain't supposed ta be outside after dark. Yer damn grandpa'd kill me if he found out."

I merely shrugged, face passive. I didn't really care if grandpa Yamamoto knew or not, let him worry his big beard off. I fingered the chain hanging still around my neck. I sighed through my nose, silently moving towards the main room. Renji looked up from the pot hanging over the fire and sighed. "Look, kid, ya hungry? Dinner's just about done."

I barely glanced at him as I shook my head no. He sighed again and shook his head. "Okay okay, jus' makin' sure. If ya get hungry let me know, I'll heat it up for ya. Sound like a plan?"

I hardly nodded in the affirmative before I headed up the stairs, past my room, and up into the attic. Once there, I sat down on the dusty floor and curled up into a ball. Tears threatened my eyes as I stared off at the dusty wall.

I hadn't spoken since that… that night my family was murdered and I don't plan to change it any time soon. Everyone still asked what happened that night, some begged me to talk about it, get it off my chest. To what point? No one else here would understand. It's my burden to carry, and mine alone.

No one knows for certain what happened but I do. Of course there was speculation and they believe it was 'the Shadow.' Whatever the hell that is. But apparently surviving that ordeal I was given a reputation or something. People would walk by me and stare with pity. Children would stare in awe and keep their distance. Ostracized and alone is what I was, not something to look up to.

Shit, they even had a name for me. "The Child that Got Away." Well, I wish I hadn't. This place was hell and I hated it.

I sat there, glaring at the wall, stewing in my anger, waiting for Renji to fall asleep. And like clockwork, same time as every day, I heard the tell tale sign of a door closing and covers rustling. Quietly, I climbed down from the attic, stepping on the stairs and floorboards in spots I knew would squeak the least.

As I crept past, I slipped on my boots and cloak; I opened the door only to slide out into the night. I stayed to the shadows, head peaking out once in a while to watch for guardsmen and sentries. I snuck to the village outskirts and one last time looked around to check if the coast was clear. Silent as the grave, I ran off into the night and in the forest.

I ran forever, trees blurring past, my cloak whipping in the wind. Finally, I hit the clearing and stopped, gasping for air. Faces popped up from the ground, others scurried from the trees. A smile split my face.

One face that I recognized right away smiled and laughed. "Itsugo!"

She ran towards me, her long ears shining with due, her flower petal skirt swishing as she moved, filling the air with beautiful fragrance. She crashed into me and our hug was tight just as her giggle was so high pitched. She bounced up and down and turned to the faces hiding in the dirt. "Pesche! Dondochakka! Come over here you silly, mud crunchers! It's Itsugo!"

A thin head popped up from the dirt, snake like eyes brightening. "Iiiichigo , eh? Ain't seen him in a while. C'mon Dondochakka!."

"Oh, yeah that's great, if ya know what I'm sayin'." The short fat little beast pulled itself from the suction of the mud and waddled over with its taller counterpart. The two goblins ran up and hugged me fiercely, spreading mud all over my clothes. "Aw yeah, Ichigo iz so good ta see ya 'gain, if ya know what I'm sayin'."

"Yeeeeah, Ichi, we never see ya no more. What's up with that? Too good for us forest folk? Ain't that right, Nel?"

"Be nice you three." Nel and her two goblin friends jerked to look behind them. Nel's older brother and fellow sprite smiled pleasantly. "Hello my dear boy. How are you?"

I nodded in return, excitement flooding me to see so many of my friends already here. Nel pouted. "Oh, Szayel, yer no fun."

"Ha, no FUN she says. There's a difference between having fun and being rude, dear sister." He brushed leaves off his petal pants. "I should hope you learn that some day."

Nel stuck her tongue out at him and then giggled at me, holding my arm tighter. "Itsugo doesn't mind it, do ya Itsy?"

I shook my head no and Szayel rolled his eyes. "Children." He muttered and wondered off, pulling stray leaves from his hair and wiping due from his bare chest. Nel giggled and looked to me.

"Don't mind my brother, he and his mate, Moira have been fighting again. She is so wander struck and he just wants to settle down. Aaah, young love." She laughed.

"Nel, yer brother is like, a hundred-sunthin' years older than you."

She snubbed up her nose. "Just cuz he's 162 years old doesn't make him any more mature than he was when he was 15 years old, Pesche."

"But Nel, yer only 23 years old yerself, if ya know what I'm sayin'."

"Yes yes, Dondochakka. I'm just saying."

"But how can you say if you don't honestly kno-"

"Pesche! I said I'm just SAYING."

"Yeah I know that, Nel, but how can you do that without actually being the-"

"PESCHE!"

"NEL!"

I chuckled as I watched those three start bickering. I had missed my friends. They were my only friends. Everyone else in the village was too scared to go into the forest. They miss all this beauty, all these glowing flowers, all these silly characters. But that suits me just fine. I'd rather not have to deal with them.

"But Nel, I agree with Pesche. There's no way you can honestly tell if that's how Szayel used to be when he was 15, if ya know what I'm sayin'."

"UGH! ENOUGH! I GET IT, OKAY? I DON'T KNOW HOW MY BROTHER WAS WHEN HE WAS 15. I WAS BEING STUPID, HAPPY?"

"Yeah."

"Of course, Nel."

She slapped her forehead as the other two giggled, having achieved their mission of irritating her. I was just waiting for her to get back at them. With abrupt giddiness, she turned to me, a toothy grin thrown my way. "So, Itsugo! Ya wanna play endless tag with me?"

Pesche and Dondochakka perked up instantly at that. "Oo oo! Can we play too Nel?"

"Yeah, if ya know what I'm sayin'!"

She just continued to smile at me, "Well, do you?"

An evil smirk tilted up my lips. Ah, there it was. She was giving them the cold shoulder while playing –with someone else –one of their favorite games. I nodded vigorously, playing along. Their eyes turned teary as we ran off to decide who would be it and who would run.

"Ah, Nel! Please?" Pesche crawled forwards on his knees, fingers steepled as if in prayer. Dondochakka cried rivers of tears, sobbing loudly. "C'mon Nel, ya know we was jus' kiddin' earlier, right?"

"Yeah! If ya know what I'm saaaaaaayiiiiiinnn'!" His words pulled out in sobs. She smirked at them and winked at me.

"Oh very well, since you groveled so nicely, I'll let you make it up to me. Just. This. Once. Mess up again and we aren't friends any more. Got it?" The two nodded viciously and wiped the tears from their eyes as they bowed down to her in worship. I rolled my eyes but chuckled.

Nel hopped up. "Well! You're it!" And her tiny little body was off as the two lumbering buffoons took off after her, laughing and screaming. I sat down on the ground watching merrily as she cried and screamed for help. The first streaks of dawn were hitting the horizon when there was loud thundering through the forest. Everyone's heads shot up and stared, frightened at the trees. Nel stopped running, wiping at her red puffy eyes as Pesche and Dondochakka collapsed on top of one another.

A torch sliced through the tree limbs and an angry face poked through. It was Renji. "Ichigo! There you are!"

Everyone screamed and took off running. Renji stomped forward as four more people stepped forth, all wearing swords. Slayers. I stood up and began running too, but Renji grabbed on and did not let go. "What the HELL were you thinking! Coming out here where all these monsters are!"

Everyone was quickly disappearing as arrows started flying through the air. Sprites returned into their trees. The goblins back into their mud, gnomes running for their burrows, the fairies hiding in the canopies. Swords swung and sliced through the air.

I couldn't help but watch in horror as I fought to get free and try to save my friends. Renji continued. "Yer so lucky I realized you were gone when I did. What if something had gotten ya, Ichigo? Aw gods, how could I have explained that to your grandfather?"

Helplessness burned through me as I watched Szayel grab onto Nel, a sword slashing his arm. He screamed as they backed into the tree, disappearing inside, his glare vicious. Her eyes met mine and we watched each other with horror, not understanding how everything could suddenly become so bad.

I stopped struggling as soon as I lost sight of her, my body numb. Renji set my feet back on the ground. He looked around as the tall men and tiny woman stepped over.

"Thank you for helping me hunt him down Aizen, Gin. Momo, Tousen." He nodded to each of them in turn.

Aizen smiled kindly. "Of course, Renji. Anything to protect our village's children."

Gin stepped up, smiling as he always was, and ruffled my hair. "Lucky, lil' tike, we found ya when we did. Wha' would ya have done if you were spirited 'way? Been lost f'rever tha's wha'."

I stared at his closed eyes, my own wide and horrified. Momo gently petted my head. "It seems he's in shock from whatever those pagan beasts put him through. Don't worry honey, we won't let them hurt you ever again, okay?"

I just watched in shock as Renji hefted me up into his arms, Tousen turned to watch the forest walls, and they carried me away and back to the village. The trees' naked limbs appearing to reach out at me trying to pull me back. I desperately wanted to reach out to them but found that I couldn't move at all.

The world blurred by me.

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"Ukitake, I'm worried about our children! Many have started disappearing. All young boys around Ichigo's age. We MUST do something to STOP this!" Yamamoto yelled. Other villagers standing behind him angrily cheered.

Ukitake looked to his two councilmen worriedly. Rukia nodded once and Uryu thinned his lips. He spoke first.

"I believe we should do something as well. These families are suffering terribly. We keep sending our guardsmen out there but every time, Byakuya comes back with the same news; there ARE no traces left of the boys EXCEPT for bloody trails."

Rukia nodded. "I agree with Uryu. My brother is best at what he does and if he cannot fathom where they have gone, we must prevent it from happening at all. We mustn't wait until there are no young boys left."

Ukitake nodded sadly. He turned back to Yamamoto. "Yamamoto. You have been a dear friend of mine over the years and I trust your judgement."

The older man stepped forward hesitantly. "My lord?"

Ukitake stared back grimly then nodded once. "Rukia, alert the lawman. Urahara must be made known of the new laws coming into act."

She nodded once, waiting for her lord to continue. He did so quietly. "Let him know that there is to be a wall built around the village with a single guarded gate as the only way in and out. Tell him to alert the judge Yoruichi and executioner Kenpachi that any trespassing without justifiable cause is to be put to death. And go with many gods' speed."

She bowed once and took off at once to do his bidding. Ukitake watched her and felt as the tension left the room, the villagers relaxing knowing that something was being done.

But he himself couldn't help but feel this was a bad idea and wouldn't solve much in the long run. But, he kept his lips tightly shut. 'So long as they're happy I suppose. Whatever is happening must be fixed on its own. Nothing we can do can stop it and I BET that whatever is causing all of this finds it funny that we are even trying.'

He shook his head worriedly, staring off past the throne room, mouth hidden in his palm. His robe sleeves bunched at the elbow and billowing out in his lap. "Gods help us all." He whispered and all was lost to the cheering laughter of the crowd before him.

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2 Summers later

I sat there, watching the walls being slowly finished, blocking out the beautiful forest. My heart was aching. They were cutting me off from all my friends. But I stayed still, trying not to cry, clutching desperately at the chain on my neck for comfort.

The shadows in the forest seemed to dance, moving unnaturally. I looked to it, confused and despondent. I swore I saw unnatural eyes staring back at me from them.

If shadows could smile, this one's face would be splitting in two. Slowly, icy cold terror dripped down my spine, spilling out to chill and freeze my entire body. As finally the last piece of the wall was set in place, I swore I heard acid-like laughter burning all around in the air.

I shuddered and ran.

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Time slid by and the forest forever remained out of sight. Things I swore I'd never forget, were slowly forgotten. What were sprites, goblins, fairies, gnomes? I'd scoff and walk away from you if you'd ask me that.

I didn't need to speak to tell you that they were only myths, legends and that you needed to grow up. I mean, c'mon! Who's idiotic enough to believe that shit anyway?

Boy was I foolish and if I had known then… Man would I have done things differently.

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10 Years later

"How do you do today, Ichigo?" I barely glanced up at Momo, going back to weaving the metal band. She huffed a laugh and smiled. "That bad, huh?"

I shrugged and watched her from the corner of my eye as she perused the jewelry I had laying on the stand. Her hand reached towards one, eyes shining. She looked to me in surprise. "Oh Ichigo, did you make this one? It looks like something you would craft. It's so gorgeous."

She smiled at me, her eyes gleaming. I looked her over once and then went back to work. She obviously wanted that necklace; so painfully obvious that it made me sick. I studiously ignored her by seemingly being engrossed with the ring in my hand. But, if she had actually paid attention to what I was doing, she would have realized I was taking it apart and putting it back together.

Whatever.

She looked around some more, but her eyes kept flashing back to that necklace. I rolled my eyes. Damn it; just get the damn thing already. Finally, she walked back over to it and stared. She looked back up at me and smiled. "Uhm, how much is it, my dear?"

I glared at her, and reached over with my sooty finger, and tapped the price underneath the necklace, leaving a little smudge. She exclaimed in surprise and leaned forwards. Her eyes popped wide open and she stood back up, a crestfallen expression filling her face. "Oh well shoot. That's a bit too expensive for me right now. Thank you though, Ichigo."

Yeah, sure. Whatever. Just stop bothering me already. As she stared at the necklace longingly for a few more seconds, arms wrapped around her waist and a face leaned down and kissed her cheek. She yelped in surprise but that quickly turned into giggling as she turned to face her husband.

While they were both distracted, I stuck a finger down my throat and gagged.

"Hello, my lovely. Find something you liked?"

Momo giggled but then sighed. "Oh Aizen, I did. But sadly it's a bit too expensive. I'll just save up my spare coins and buy it later."

Aizen rose an eyebrow. "Nonsense. No price is too high for my beloved." Her face turned bright red as she smiled happily and I in turn totally just threw up everywhere inside my mind.

Thank gods people can't see imaginary throw up.

I snapped my attention to them as Aizen turned to me. He pointed to the necklace she had been ogling with such relish. "Is this the necklace she was wishing to purchase?"

I glared as I nodded, like seriously? Why ask me? Your freaking wife is standing two centimeters from the left of you. Ask her! She's the one swooning over some hunks of molded hardened dirt. He looked to it and nodded approvingly. He looked back up to me and smiled kindly. "I'll take it."

Momo's eyes shot wide open. "Oh, Aizen! We can't afford this right now! Please, it's just a necklace, I can wait."

He shook his head no and kissed her forehead. "It will be fine. Besides I can already tell you won't rest peacefully until you have this around your neck."

I rolled my eyes. Were they trying to kill me with this –this disgusting display? I held up the necklace waiting for them to notice and take it while they were lost in their very own world. That vein that I tried to hide all the time decided to pop up and start throbbing.

I jerked the necklace out further into their faces as my eyebrow started twitching. Thank the gods they noticed and Aizen took hold of it, lifting his wife's hair off her neck and placing the necklace around it. She giggled the whole damn time.

My upper lip curled up in disgust. Aizen laid down the right amount of coins and they turned to leave, lost in their own world again. I watched angrily, standing there stiffly. All I caught of the exiting conversation was, "What a nice boy."

And then I exploded. I swung my arms as I growled and grabbed at the stand to keep from losing my cool completely. I panted and sneered as I pushed past and into the back, slamming the door shut behind me. I stormed down the stairs and swiped at the sweat running down my forehead, streaking soot across it.

It was so freaking hot down here with the smelter and forge. But it was the place I loved the most. Here I could escape all the other people out there in the village.

Gods I couldn't stand them. What's worse, I can't remember why. Just for some reason, every time I see Aizen, Tousen, Momo, Gin, and even Renji, I get so irritated and mad. Everyone else is almost as bad though. It feels like I shouldn't be here, like there's a big giant piece of me missing and it's been gone so long that the raw wounded edges have festered and are full of puss. It hurts and throbs and makes me irritable and mean. I want nothing to do with anyone here.

I blow out an annoyed huff of air as I throw myself onto my cot. I cross my ankles as I fiddle with the chain around my neck.

People tell me my mother gave me this the night she died. Not like I'd remember that. And it's not like anyone else remembers it too. It's like that whole part of my history has been wiped from everyone's memory. All they seem to know is that she was killed. My dad too, and apparently I had two little sisters too, but they're dead as well. If everyone else doesn't know how they died, then how could they possibly know it was my mother's? Perhaps she wore it a lot before she died?

Whatever, I'll just take their word for it. But, I suppose that's why I started this job. Er, making jewelry I mean. I guess, in some way, this is me trying to remember my mother. Ya know? She gave me this chain so I make some for other people. I guess it's to make sure I never forget that this was once my mother's and that I –once upon a time –was not alone. Even if nobody else seems to really be able to remember anything about her or the rest of my family.

They told me that my grandfather Yamamoto left for the forest back before the wall was finished to go looking for whatever happened to my family one last time and he never returned. Isn't that just peachy? He left me completely all alone. I was no friend to anyone here and I never intend to be so.

I glanced at the smelter and then at the little star like burns on my forearms and hands. I rubbed at them and sighed. Falling over backwards, I laid down on the cot and glared at the ceiling.

I wanted to leave this village desperately. No one comes in and no one goes out. Well, unless you have clearance or an actual pardon from our lord. But ya know how hard those are to come by? You'd be better off trying to turn coal to gold.

I sneered. Fucking cowards. I rolled onto my side and curled up in a ball, clutching at my mother's only memory.

I needed to get out of here. I was suffocating and I couldn't even understand why.

My eyes slid closed as the heat slowly brought me to lethargic day dreaming and slowly I drifted off into sleep.

If only I had been awake to see the eyes watching me from the shadows, a shark's grin twisting, and hear the laughter that ran over my skin like an eel before stinging. If I had only seen, maybe I could have stopped what happened next. If only.

If only.

.:.~ End of Chapter One: A Little Less Happy~.:.

Alright. That was chapter one. It only gets more epic and big and AMAZINGGGGG-sing song voice- from here on out, not to toot my own horn or nothin'. –cough cough-

Hope y'all like it and that I didn't just waste my time because this story has totally struck me and pushed STEIN HOUSE to the back burner…. Sadly that happens more often than not. BUT WORRY NOT! I AMWORKING ON DAWN! I HOPE to have that out soon but I ain't gonna hold my breath. College is super busy this semester. And I hope y'all also recognized the village's transition from being based heavily in folklore and myths to more industry and the like. That's why it says years now instead of summers. FYI.

Anyway, I am already working on the NEXT chapter of this right now as we speak. I'll probably post it next week, maybe in two. Depends on how desperately I wanna share it and how malicious I'm feeling –insert stereotypical evil laugh and the tapping of evil fingers against each other-

By the way, everyone in the village –despite some misunderstandings –are good people, no one evil. That means Aizen, Tousen, Gin –ALL good guys. Szayel and the other forest folk are also good. Just lettin' y'all know.

LOVE YA GUYS! UNTIL NEXT TIME! OH AND LET ME KNOW WHAT CHYA THOUGHT!

~8DRainbowManVan8D