"Ah?" Tatsuki answered in a fairly manly yelp of confusion. The cat was talking! It was a fricking cat! I must me losing my mind, first the ghosts, then the monsters, then Ichigo, now talking cats...

"Stop glaring idiotically and answer my question." the cat continued in monotone. The blonde man just smiled.

"Didn't you see me come in?" Tatsuki asked after a short moment of thought. If cats could smile, this one did. The man continued, ignoring the cat.

"To make him tell you about himself, you need to give him a reason to." he said resolutely as if that vague answer explained everything.

"Like what kind of reason?" Tatsuki asked impatiently.

"Like beating him in a fight!" Urahara-san replied, raising a fan to cover his broad grin. Tatsuki went over the possibilities in her head. She wanted to fight Ichigo, no doubt he would be able to counter her this time. However, she didn't know the specifications of his black-clad form, other than the fact that he had a giant cleaver for a wepaon. I can't go against him as long as he has that sword. I have no idea wether or not I would fight him when he's wearing that hakama. The ghoats aren't physical beings, maybe he isn't either. Not in that sense, at least.

"When can I fight him?" she asks, making up her mind. He was her friend. She was not going to let him alone until he told her about his life. It's not even like I'm butting into private affairs, the damned ghosts are after me too.

"Hw about right now?" replied Urahara-san, lowering his fan as a loud gruff voice called out.

"Oi, Hat-and-Clogs! Get your ass down here, already! You're supposed to be training me!" Tatsuki knew that was Ichigo's voice. Leave it to him to ignore rules of protocol and speak like that to someone much older than himself.

"What's he training for?" Tatsuki asked shortly as she, the cat, and the man walked towards the floor hatch.

"You'll see." said the man, again raising his fan. (A/N: That rhymes!), "Or maybe you won't" he added as he pocketed his fan and set his foot on the ladder.

"There you are, you slacker! Finally you've come to train!" Ichigo's voice rang out.

"I have a special training surprise for you." Urahara said, hiding partially behind his fan as he reached the floor. Tatsuki didn't know there had been a cue, but she waited for it regardless. She didn't see it, but Ichigo frowned.

"What's that old man?" Ichigo asked.

"A friend has come to challenge you." Urahara responded, purposefully mysterious. Ichigo ran through the bad possibilities in his mind. It could be any of the Gotei 13 who had discovered his plan. They had specifically told him to stay out of the situation. It was probably that lunatic Kenpachi though. It would be, with his luck. He didn't respond, but waited for the offender to appear. Urahara turned and waved up the hatch, which Tatsuki guessed was her not-so-subtle cue. She descended the ladder. Ichigo gaped.

"Tatsuki?" he asked loudly and incredulously. She didn't know wether to smile or wince. This fight would not be easy. At least he didn't call me Tatsuki-chan, like he did the other day, she thought. "What the hell are you doing here? You're challenging me? Didn't I tell you to stay out of it?" he continued yelling. Now she did wince. So this training has something to do with Orihime. She had to win.

"Ichigo, I challenge you to a karate match."

"What?"

"If I win, you have to tell me all about what's happening. If you win, I'll drop the subject and pretend this never happened."

"What the hell? Tatsuki, this has nothing to do with you! Do you really want to challenge me? You know it's not a fair match!"

"You're stronger now." she said briefly, addressing the second part of the question, ignoring the first. Ichigo turned to the kimono-clothed man who was watching the spectacle in amusement.

"Hat-and-Clogs, you dumb bastard why the hell did you let her challenge me!" he yelled. He was confused is all. He didn't want to lose a friend, but if he didn't practice he would, and if he took his time fighting Tatsuki and lost, he would have lost two.

"Haven't you gone to save friends these past two times? Save this one too, then." Urahara responded in a rare moment of serenity. Ichigo turned and looked at Tatsuki again, who was standing as determinedly as ever.

"Fine, I accept you challenge. But I can't fight in this body. You'll have to wait until my real one arives." he said, sitting on a rock. Tatsuki would have asked what kind of a body he was in now, but she decided against it, hoping with all her heart she would win. She too sat on a rock and waited.

A few minuted later, maybe fifteen or so, Ichigo's body, which was just like Ichigo came partially falling and partially climbing down the long ladder.

"What the hell Kon! It's not your fucking body, so be more fricking careful!" Ichigo yelled at the orange-haired lump on the floor, standing up and running towards it.

"You're always treating me so badly! One day, I will take over your body, when you die! And all the women will swoon over me." 'Kon' replied, standing. Ichigo looked like he would have punched Kon to high heavens if the latter was using his own body. Grumpily, Ichigo stepped into his body and coughed up a small green sphere. Tatsuki was staring with wide eyes. She shouldn't have been so surprised, after all the ghosts she'd talked to, but she was. This explains those times when Ichigo makes no sense, she thought as she stood up composing herself. An unspoken sentence passed between them and the two charged.