Hey, so I've gotten a lot of reviews so far, thank you so much. I'm really glad that people agree with me. Tatsuki really doesn't get enough attention from Tite. Such a damn shame. I really hope I do her justice here. Keep letting me know what you think. And keep those reviews coming. They help me stay motivated. Later guys!

Chapter 3

Power

Tatsuki's body stiffens for a split second. She makes a desperate gasp for air, but the attempt withers in her throat. Her eyes roll back in her head as her muscles loosen and she slowly crumples to the ground. Her knees hit first and then she topples sideways and lands with a thud, her head knocking against the tatami floor mats. Saliva pools at the edge of her mouth and then dribbles out slowly. She is not breathing, not moving, simply lying there, limp and useless.

"Wah!" Tatsuki stumbles backwards away from her lifeless body, clutching her forehead. She begins to fall backwards but catches her footing at the last moment, only to lose it again and fall onto her backside with a thump. She looks up at Yoruichi and opens her mouth to speak, only to find herself short on breath. She gasps for air and struggles to stand up, only to find it impossible, and instead lies down. With each, shuddering bid for fresh air, she struggles to sit up, but her muscles are weak and unresponsive.

Her head rolls to the side, turning to look at Yoruichi. The woman is standing with a smile on her face. In her hand, she is playing with a chain. It slides through her fingers like a snake as she twists it around and around, never letting it knot. Tatsuki eyes the chain and follows it down to the ground. She gasps deeper when she sees her own body lying on the floor.

"What…?" She tries to ask a question but coughs instead, desperately gasping for air. Yoruichi smiles slyly.

"What's going on?" Her eyes flash. "Why is your body over here? Why do you feel so weak? Where did this chain come from?" She laughs. "Good questions!"

Tatsuki hears a voice from out of her view. She recognizes it as Tessai. "Yoruichi…is this really the best way to go about it?"

Yoruichi pouts slightly and drops the chain, placing her hands on her hips. "C'mon Tessai. Look at her." She points down at Tatsuki, who is struggling to prop herself up on her elbows. "The girl can barely breathe. If we don't do it like this, she'll never get any stronger."

Tessai's mustache twitches and he makes a low grumbling sound, but then nods. "I suppose he would do the same thing, wouldn't he?"

Yoruichi smiles again, flashing her bright white teeth. "Kisuke and I think alike. Go and get Ururu for me, ok?"

Tessai stands up and walks out of the room, no longer grumbling to himself. Tatsuki tries to watch him go, but can't turn her head quickly enough. Yoruichi sighs and sits down by Tatsuki's limp and drooling body. She prods it with her foot and smirks.

"You're dead right now," the woman says with a sly grin. Tatsuki agonizingly turns her head to look at Yoruichi. "This right here?" Yoruichi prods Tatsuki with her foot again. "It's your body." She points at the gasping Tatsuki across the room. "And that's your soul." She reaches down and picks up the chain. "This is the only thing binding you right now. So you aren't permanently dead or anything. Don't worry too much." She laughs to herself.

Tatsuki struggles and manages to push her quaking body up onto her elbows, looking at Yoruichi as she sits over her body, playing with the chain, smiling. Tatsuki wants to wipe that grin right off her face.

"Here's the deal, girl." Yoruichi drops the chain and leans back in her chair. "You're super weak right now, can barely stand…and that's fine and all, if you're a normal dead person. But you don't want to be normal, do you? You want to bring out that buried power Ichigo accidently filled you up with, right?"

Tatsuki nods and nearly falls onto her back again.

"Well then you're gonna need to come to grips with your own soul first." She holds up three fingers and grins. It makes Tatsuki think of the Cheshire cat. "Thirty seconds. If you can't get back over to your body in that time, I'm gonna cut this chain and kill ya for real. Understand?"

Tatsuki's brow furrows.

"Don't believe me?" Yoruichi's grin widens. She stands up and holds out her hand. Tatsuki looks at it, and without warning, there is a crack of thunder and suddenly a pale, flickering aura appears over the woman's hand. Yoruichi darts downwards and plunges her hand into the floor, right next to the chain. It easily breaks through the tatami mats. She looks up, blowing a strand of dark purple hair out of her face.

"You've wasted five seconds already, kiddo."

Tatsuki's eyes widen and she struggles to push herself up. Her muscles are burning and shaking just from that effort as she gets to her hands. Sitting up straight now, she is panting, her chest on fire with exhaustion. She feels as though she's run a marathon. She coughs and gags, nearly throwing up. Straining against some impossible to imagine pressure, she rolls over onto her knees, her arms giving out and letting her face hit the floor.

Shit, she thinks. What the hell is this? I'm dead? This cat-woman is gonna kill me?

"Twenty seconds left."

She forces her face off the ground, locking her arms and breathing heavily. She is sweating profusely. All her muscles are quivering with pain and fatigue.

And what the hell is wrong with me? Am I this weak? Shit!

She pulls a foot up and places it on the tatami mat. She feels dizzy, the room is spinning fast, colors merging into a grey-brown blur. With immense effort, she begins to stand.

"Fifteen."

The older woman's voice is lost in a haze as Tatsuki stumbles, trying to keep her footing on the mats. Her whole body is shaking, barely conscious. She takes a few lurching steps in what she hopes is the right direction. Her body is hot, she feels like there's a fire growing inside her. She tries to scream, but her throat is raw.

What the fuck? What the fuck is this?

"Ten. Oh, nine now."

Shut the hell up, catwoman.

She stumbles again, falling to her knees. She retches, and braces herself with her shuddering arms. Her bones creak with the effort of holding herself up.

"Seven…huh, looks like you really can't do it, girl."

Shut up. Ahhh…fuck why does it hurt this much?

She curls into a ball, clutching her chest, breathing heavily.

God…dammit. I feel like I'm on fire here…

"Five. Should I even keep counting?"

Fuck you…

She feels the fire inside her growing hotter, more intense as the room spins faster. Her fingers clutch at her chest, trying to apply pressure or do something to stop the burning. She want so scream in pain. Oddly though, her mind is still quite clear.

What is wrong with you? Just cuz you're dead, you get to turn into a weak little shit? Is that how it's gonna be? What the hell? You gonna let it end like this?

She looks up at Yoruichi, standing over her. Her smile is gone. Her eyes are no longer shining. Instead, they are glazed over, disinterested. She has the same eyes as Ichigo did that day.

She doubles up as the fire inside her flares even hotter. It feels alive, raging inside her chest. She opens her mouth and lets out a croaking screech. Her fingers dig into her skin, cutting into her own flesh. She screams her dry throat raw.

"Three," Yoruichi's apathetic voice echoes in her head.

This is how it goes? This is as far as you can take yourself? Are you saying Ichigo was right? That this gap really can't be crossed? Shit, Tatsuki…are you honestly just going to let it go like this?

She clenches her fists and uncurls slightly. The fire burns fiercer, reaching the tips over her fingers, her toes, filling her vision.

"Two."

Hell no.

Her fist connects with the tatami mat. The fire grows fiercer inside, burning her raw inside. Her muscles tear and she can't even breathe anymore.

"One."

Shut up.

Her eyes open, her vision clear as day. The room is no longer spinning. She can't feel her body anymore. Only the fire.

"Zero." Yoruichi frowns. "Aw man…I gotta say I expected a little more. Oh well."

Shut up!

There is a clap of thunder. Yoruichi raises her hand and sighs. "Well, I don't make idle threats, sorry kiddo."

"Shut the fuck up!!"

Yoruichi begins to bring her hand down, the lightning around her hand crackling as it descends. Tatsuki watches it as it travels toward her chain as though it is in slow motion. She reaches out a hand…no, a fist. Her arm extends, reaching out further, further. Faster, she thinks to herself. Faster!

Another clap of thunder explodes in the room and Tatsuki flashes forward. Yoruichi tries to turn, but is interrupted as Tatsuki's fist connects hard with her face. Yoruichi tries to brace herself, but feels her feet lift off the floor. The aura of lightning around her own hand disappears as she flies across the room and crashes through the sliding paper door.

Tatsuki follows through and brings her fist back to her hip. She feels it burning with power and when she looks down, her eyes widen. Flames dance over her hardened knuckles, up over the back of her hand, all the way up to her elbow. The continue to rise over her shoulder and then come to rest on beside her head. Tatsuki stiffens with the fire so close to her head, but at the same time, knows there isn't anything to worry about. This was her fire, she realized. She raises her left hand and touches the fire. It conforms to her touch and wraps playfully around her hand, dancing over her skin. A smile crosses her face as it slides up her arm and rests on her left shoulder this time.

"So you're that power Ichigo unlocked in me, huh?"

The flickering flame nuzzles against her cheek, crackling in a friendly way.

"Hm," Tatsuki frowns. "Cuter than I would have thought."

"Yeah," Yoruichi's annoyed voice echoes from the other side of the broken sliding door. "Real cute, kiddo." The woman steps gracefully through the hole in the door and rubs her jaw. She doesn't make eye contact. Tatsuki thinks to herself how much she reminds her of a cat whose pride has been wounded. The woman shakes her head. "Well, it's not how I expected it to go, but I guess you pass, congratulations."

Tatsuki smiles widely and the flame sparks happily. "You bet I did. What'd you expect?"

Yoruichi frowns for a second and then grins. "Haha! Haven't had a pupil like you in a long time! I like you Tatsuki!" She takes a step forward, making sure not to step on Tatsuki's still motionless body. "You're makin' me revise your training schedule." She cocks her head to one side and shakes her whole body, taking a deep breath. "Second verse, same as the first. You get to your body, you pass."

Tatsuki blinks and begins to walk across the room, her chain rattling behind her. "Alright… but I feel fine now. Not gonna accomplish much like…"

Yoruichi's elbow connects with Tatsuki's gut, driving the wind out of her. She stumbles back, reeling and coughing. The flame on her shoulder sputters angrily.

Yoruichi stands up and grins again, her eyes flashing. "That's pay back for your cheap shot earlier." She begins to bounce up and down on her toes. "We're even now. So let the second test begin." She stops bouncing and raises her hand, motioning with her fingers. "Come on now. Get past me and to your body, and you pass. Think you're up for it?"