Quick A/N:
This was written as a gift to Saigo no Hajime for all her wonderful comments that help me a lot on my stories,
and is an enjoyable author here. This one-shot follows after chapter 6 of her collection of stories, Introspections with Chad.
So, go read her stuff and then enjoy!
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Tatsuki panted, sucking air into her lungs to catch her breath. Her dark eyes shook, staring at the weapon that pointed at her from more than fifty yards away. The black shield covered his arm all the way up to the shoulder and an intricate magenta pattern of teeth and lines snaked across the armored form. She winced, clutching her arm as a searing burn suddenly scattered across her skin. Her opponent looked at her with wide, chocolate eyes as worry crossed the angular features of his face.
"Are you all right?" the deep baritone asked, his voice warm and riddled with concern. Chad lowered his Brazo Derecha de Gigante, the "Right Arm of the Giant," and rushed towards the fallen girl. Her head of short, spiky locks was lowered in disappointment but as he drew closer, he could see her eyes flash with fierce determination. Nevertheless, the large-framed teenager offered his tanned left hand in aid.
The girl trained after years of karate simply waved him away, settling herself back up until her posture was straight and true. "I'm fine," she spoke firmly. "Just didn't expect that to happen, that's all."
"Neither did I," Chad's thick brows furrowed with contemplation. "When did you learn how to use shunpo?"
"Shunpo?" Tatsuki repeated the word. She remembered darting from place to place to dodge the small bursts of blue fireballs that Chad fired off from his black armored fist, and suddenly her energy just shifted, altering her position from where she originally expected it to be. The instant change in direction miscalculated Chad's shots and one of the orbs clipped the trim girl's arm.
"Flash-steps," he explained. "It's what the Shinigami use to move so quickly."
Tatsuki tilted her round head up to his towering height, anger now visible in her onyx irises. A fist curled at her side and her tone turned surprisingly cold.
"Let's try that again."
Chad swallowed the lump of regret that suddenly formed in his throat and nodded. He placed distance between the two of them in the abandoned Vizard's underground compound and charged his fist up with reiatsu for another round. As the pair sparred, the only sounds of running footsteps echoing in the vast room, his thoughts drifted to what had prompted these training sessions only a few weeks ago.
Everyone had apologized to Tatsuki when they came back from the Winter War, acknowledging that they had all made a mistake by keeping this entire world a secret from her. She had immediately accepted the words of several of them, all except Ichigo. It was hypocritical of him to explain she had been left out to protect her and the others. Ichigo, of all people, should have known better than to think Tatsuki would automatically forget about the whole thing. It was harsh and insulting to her that he didn't think she was strong enough to know the truth, nor strong enough to help fight—especially when Orihime's life was on the line. After Chad had seen the fierce young woman cursing and taking out her frustrations on a helpless punching bag, her spiritual energy beginning to seep through her fists, he vowed then to help her learn how to harness her powers.
"Oi! Quit the shit, Sado!" Tatsuki's sharp voice tore Chad away from his thoughts.
Chad reeled back from her comment for a short moment, blinking as he processed what she had just said. "Excuse me?"
"You're holding back on me," she frowned.
"I have to."
"Why? You weren't earlier."
"I do not want to hurt you."
If Tatsuki could summon flames above her head to show her anger, Chad was sure he saw them at that moment. Suddenly she was gone from her spot in the distance and a foot was coming around from his left side, ready to connect with his ribcage. The movement was faster than he had expected, but he still managed to get an arm up to block on the oncoming kick.
"Don't do that to me!" Tastuki's voice was strangled with a mix of disappointment and anger. She positioned herself for another flying kick, but a large hand grasped around her ankle and lifted her up above the ground so she couldn't pull back for that second attack. Now looking at the world upside-down, she grunted and struggled to gain control of her limbs. Her face was growing redder by the second, both from her frustration and the toll of gravity on her body.
"What the hell? Sado, let me down!"
"No."
"Why, dammit?!"
A deep sigh came out from the large teenager but he didn't let his grip down. "Arisawa, have you ever killed someone before?"
"What kind of question is that?" Tatsuki grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Have you ever taken someone or something's life?"
The girl's fierce eyes narrowed and shifted to see Chad's upside-down face gazing at her with pure seriousness. His dark brown eyes seemed to pierce straight through to the smallest piece of her. Although his expression appeared intimidating on the outside, his warmth and sincerity shone through. Her mouth suddenly went dry, having never seen this side of him before. She tried to swallow and answered in a near whisper, "No."
"I have," he spoke somberly. "And there are a few things I learned about myself along the way—the same thing that you need to learn, too."
"And," Tatsuki cleared her throat, "what would that be?"
"Control," Chad said softly. He brought his right arm down—now transformed back to its normal human state—and encircled her waist, carefully flipping the girl's lithe body into an upright position. She instinctively grabbed on to his arm for support during the change and shocked herself to see that her palms had grown clammy.
"You have to learn how to control your outbursts, Arisawa. I don't mean you should become a machine and forego emotions, but when it comes to using your spiritual power, you must learn how to control it. If an enemy provokes you, take that anger, those feelings, and mold them. Shape it into something tangible that you can use, so when they come to strike, you will be the victor.
"I wasn't holding back because I don't think you're strong enough. You have the potential for your powers to grow, as all of ours has. But I don't want you going off and killing yourself over something as meaningless as trying to prove that you are.
"Trust me, Arisawa."
Tatsuki looked up into those dark brown orbs peeking behind his soft waves with wonder and newfound respect. He didn't baby her abilities or speak to her as if she was just a hotheaded teenage girl on a constant stream of PMS like the others did. He understood her struggles and frustrations with what she was going through, because he had been there himself.
Without thinking, Tatsuki rolled up on to the tips of her toes and planted her lips on Chad's cheek, dangerously close to the corner of his mouth. Her face lingered there for moment, her voice low and barely audible.
"Thank you, Yasutora." She stepped back with a small grin forming on her pink lips.
Thanks to you, I know I can win.
"You're welcome, Tatsuki." Chad felt his cheeks beginning to flush.
Because of you, I know I will never lose.