She'd never seen the main face of the enemy, the man they called Aizen. She didn't have to see it either to know that she hated him, hated him with every ounce of passion she could muster and lately that was growing to be larger and larger almost daily. Tatsuki wanted him to pay and wanted him to pay dearly for all he'd done. She wasn't ready to face him, she knew she didn't have the capability to face any of his Espada at her current level, but this didn't keep her from trying.
It was easy really, keeping track of their energy to find where they were. Finding them was always child's play, lately it was like they wanted her to find them even. She always lost and badly, struggling against strength and numbers that were far superior to her own. Why they hadn't killed her yet was a mystery, part of her wondered if maybe they found her an amusement to occupy an otherwise boring life. Eventually they'd probably tire of the game and kill her but she'd continue to come back for more until then.
It was during this time that she got to know Urahara better. Somehow he always seemed to know exactly where to find her battered body and always came to pick her up and patch her back together again once the fights were over. Eventually he started to teach her, though he never once tried to get her to stop her stubborn, futile attempts to strike back at the Espada. Slowly over time she noticed that there was a difference in the fights now. He was really making a difference in her ability and then came the day she managed to stop one of the lower ranked members in their steps.
After that she stopped seeking them out, spending all the time she could learning from the older man. It was hard sometimes, since Ichigo seemed to have long ago learned the lesson she was now being taught but she shouldered on past this, doing her best to ignore him and focus on the more pressing matters at hand. She'd make Aizen pay for all he'd done and then she'd get Ichigo back to the way he used to be. It was her mantra one she repeated often as Urahara's training was brutal beyond words can properly describe. When Urahara told her he nothing more to teach her she’d been devastated. That couldn’t be the rest of it there was still so much she needed to learn! There was so much about her powers that she still didn’t understand. How was this the end of it all? When he told her to show up for one last test she’d agreed, grimly worried about the future if this was all she’d ever be able to reach.
Down in the training room, everything seemed normal at first though it was clearly empty. Then a familiar figure had stepped out of the shadow and everything changed. Ichigo? No, she’d seen him like this before and there was nothing of the guy she’d grown up with in that person. It was him who’d almost killed her the time she’d seriously pressed Ichigo for a fight. When it became clear that this was the test Urahara had been talking about she had to fight back a wave of panic. Things were different this time, she was different this time, and nothing would go like it had back then.
When the first attack came she was ready and every attack after that she was prepared for just what she’d have to face. Urahara had taught her well after all. Still it was a losing battle, not that Tatsuki let that stop her from fighting her hardest. Ultimately though it ended rather abruptly with her disarmed on the ground as an all too familiar zanpakuto heads straight toward her chest. When it stops she can only stare as the appearance of her opponent abruptly changes and Ichigo collapses to his knees.
What exactly this lesson was supposed to teach and to whom, Tatsuki can’t say. Everything’s still rather unclear and it’d take some time to process exactly what had happened.
2/2
She'd never seen the main face of the enemy, the man they called Aizen. She didn't have to see it either to know that she hated him, hated him with every ounce of passion she could muster and lately that was growing to be larger and larger almost daily. Tatsuki wanted him to pay and wanted him to pay dearly for all he'd done. She wasn't ready to face him, she knew she didn't have the capability to face any of his Espada at her current level, but this didn't keep her from trying.
It was easy really, keeping track of their energy to find where they were. Finding them was always child's play, lately it was like they wanted her to find them even. She always lost and badly, struggling against strength and numbers that were far superior to her own. Why they hadn't killed her yet was a mystery, part of her wondered if maybe they found her an amusement to occupy an otherwise boring life. Eventually they'd probably tire of the game and kill her but she'd continue to come back for more until then.
It was during this time that she got to know Urahara better. Somehow he always seemed to know exactly where to find her battered body and always came to pick her up and patch her back together again once the fights were over. Eventually he started to teach her, though he never once tried to get her to stop her stubborn, futile attempts to strike back at the Espada. Slowly over time she noticed that there was a difference in the fights now. He was really making a difference in her ability and then came the day she managed to stop one of the lower ranked members in their steps.
After that she stopped seeking them out, spending all the time she could learning from the older man. It was hard sometimes, since Ichigo seemed to have long ago learned the lesson she was now being taught but she shouldered on past this, doing her best to ignore him and focus on the more pressing matters at hand. She'd make Aizen pay for all he'd done and then she'd get Ichigo back to the way he used to be. It was her mantra one she repeated often as Urahara's training was brutal beyond words can properly describe.
When Urahara told her he nothing more to teach her she’d been devastated. That couldn’t be the rest of it there was still so much she needed to learn! There was so much about her powers that she still didn’t understand. How was this the end of it all? When he told her to show up for one last test she’d agreed, grimly worried about the future if this was all she’d ever be able to reach.
Down in the training room, everything seemed normal at first though it was clearly empty. Then a familiar figure had stepped out of the shadow and everything changed. Ichigo? No, she’d seen him like this before and there was nothing of the guy she’d grown up with in that person. It was him who’d almost killed her the time she’d seriously pressed Ichigo for a fight. When it became clear that this was the test Urahara had been talking about she had to fight back a wave of panic. Things were different this time, she was different this time, and nothing would go like it had back then.
When the first attack came she was ready and every attack after that she was prepared for just what she’d have to face. Urahara had taught her well after all. Still it was a losing battle, not that Tatsuki let that stop her from fighting her hardest. Ultimately though it ended rather abruptly with her disarmed on the ground as an all too familiar zanpakuto heads straight toward her chest. When it stops she can only stare as the appearance of her opponent abruptly changes and Ichigo collapses to his knees.
What exactly this lesson was supposed to teach and to whom, Tatsuki can’t say. Everything’s still rather unclear and it’d take some time to process exactly what had happened.