[Bleach/Detetive Conan|634 words|G|Tatsuki-centric]
Tatsuki's not quite like the other girls she knows. Not quite like Orihime is not like other girls - no one is quite like Orihime, after all - but definitely different.
She thinks it's probably because she's not afraid to speak her mind.
She's not quiet and demure and pretty, and people tell her she's never going to pick up a husband, if she keeps on like she is, but she likes her tomboyish self, and likes where she's headed, so she can't bring herself to care all too much.
Though she would, in all seriousness, like to get laid sometime.
But right now she's only fourteen, so she knows there's no rush, no rush at all, and she's happy like this, with Orihime shining brightly and Ichigo lurking in the background, and That Annoying Pervert Girl who transferred in last week to keep away from Orihime, who wouldn't know a lewd remark for what it was if it bit her. Though at the rate things are going, she might by the end of the month. But this is Orihime, so anything's possible, and Tatsuki's not really worried about that at the moment, because it's Saturday and she has more important things to worry about.
Like the regional Karate tournament. Well, perhaps not worry, per se, she's already won her division, and now all she has to do is watch the other finals. But right now it's the final of the 2nd Year High School Girls, and her breath's been taken away. It's not a fair match - she can tell from just a glance - because although everyone who makes it to the finals is good, very very good and even more dedicated... one of these girls has a Reason to win, something that won't ever let her lose, because there's something more than a championship riding on it, for this girl, and she has the power to back up her willpower. Tatsuki has no idea what it is - or even why she knows but no one else seems to - but she does, and she sees the fire in this girl - in this Mouri Ran - and she thinks this is what I want to be.
And she watches and she cheers and above all, she remembers, because she knows this is something special, something she may never see again.
And Mouri Ran wins, and while Orihime, who had come along to watch, chatters about how wonderful the match had been, and didn't she think that Mouri-san was very good at this, and wouldn't it be wonderful if Tatsuki was strong like her when they got to that age - and she didn't mean that Tatsuki wasn't strong now, because she really is, she's wonderfully strong, so strong she can't imagine her getting stronger, it's just that they're only 14 and they're going to grow and change as they get bigger, she thinks, or was that what happened to squirrels, Tatsuki takes the opportunity to watch Mouri Ran a little bit more.
And she sees her being embraced by a fair-haired girl, and thinks is that her Orihime? And she sees her arguing with a grinning boy, and thinks is that her Ichigo? And she looks at Mouri Ran a bit more, at her long hair and smiling face and her sweaty gi and thinks can I be like her? And she sits, for a little, and she wonders.
And then they announce the next fight, and she has to manage to convince Orihime that she's sure her fried octopus and strawberry jam sandwiches are lovely, but she's really not hungry right now, and isn't the match interesting?
But Tatsuki still can't help but hope that someday, she'll meet Mouri Ran, if only to tell her how much she's inspired her to never, ever stop being who she is.