Disclaimer: I love bleach, but I don't own it. : (

Chapter 1: The Beginning

by DemonicDragoness

"No, don't hurt her, you monster!" screamed a high, frightened voice. A pair of trembling arms clutched a tiny toddler closer to the voice.

"Shut up, woman! Yeh rich filth, orderin' us poor folk 'round! No more!" This voice was coarse and slurred. The toddler could smell sake in his breath, he was so close. Suddenly, two rough hands tore her away from her mother's arms, and with a squeal she fell to the floor. She heard a scream, soon cut off with a wet thud, and felt warm liquid on her cheeks. Wailing and scared, she opened her eyes, which had been clenched tight in fear. A figure loomed over her, but she saw only his bloodstained outline through her tear-filled eyes. The sake smell overwhelmed her.

"Stupid brat, shut yer whinin' trap!" The baby closed her eyes again and kept wailing. The man's arm came down on her head and she was floating away and away.

She woke up in a dark forest. The toddler was scared; she'd never been here before. There were rustling sounds that seemed to be getting closer. They stopped next to her.

"Hey, what's this!" A man reeking of unwashed crouched by her

"It's jus' a brat, leave it." A second man tugged on the first's sleeve.

"Don' tell meh what ta do, teme! Yeah, duh it's a brat, bu' she's a pretty 'un. Some fat rich lady'd wan' 'er. Bu' I en't sharin' with yew!"

"Yeah? 'Ow 'bout we fight for 'er?" The second man unsheathed a rusty sword.

"Bring it on, teme!"

Metal screams filled the air, and the toddler watched as blood splattered around her. It fell like red rain.