Chapter 31: Time to learn Bankai
Mitch awoke from his deep slumber a day later as he found Urahara sitting next to his bed almost like he knew the very second Mitch was going to awake. "So how do you feel now?" he asked as Mitch sat up and gazed down at his hands like he was seeing them in a completely different light "Better now that I know he is chained back up in my soul" leaping up he grabbed Ashura strapping it to his back "I reckon it's time I went back to Seireitei they're going to need me there…. Plus I kind of abandoned Tom and Ania without saying anything" he most certainly knew he'd cop an earful from Ania for that one.
"Alright I'll open up the Senkai gate for you but there will be an extra person travelling along with you" Mitch looked confused "Oh? Who would that be exactly" he questioned as someone jumped on his back from behind as he felt an all too soft familiar feeling pressing against his neck. "Meee I'll be joining you stupid" Yoruichi's voice was heard as Mitch just shook his head "And why exactly are you following me back" "Well I'm going to help your two students learn their bankai's like you did".
Mitch just stood there speechless "In such a short time of learning their shikai they'll already be attempting to learn their bankai" he thought to himself but knew the two of them would find a way to cope with the extreme task ahead of them.
As the three of them went down to the underground training centre Mitch found Auron, Ichigo and Shinji standing around waiting to send him off. "Well I guess this is goodbye for now Shinji" Mitch said as they embraced in a friendly hug "Yeah but try to keep that blasted hollow away for good this time alright" "Ichigo was great seeing you again, once this war is over I'll have to bring Ania and Tom over to your hometown for a tour" as they clasped hands together Ichigo smiled "If you need any help in this war though don't hesitate to call I'll come right away.
Mitch then turned around to face his old man who smiled at his son "I'm also going to head back with you suppose that old man might be needing my help" he said as Mitch embraced his Dad "That'd be great it's been awhile since I've fought side by side you Dad". "Alright, alright now that the goodbyes and reunions are finished can we please move this along I have customers waiting you know" Urahara jokingly said as he shook Mitch's hand and bid the three of them farewell as they stepped into the black hole that closed behind them engulfing them in darkness.
After a quick dash through the Senkai the three travelers burst out of the gate inside Seireitei and outside the 1st squad barracks. "Alright let's go find us our little trainee's" Mitch said as they ran off towards the 9th squad barracks to pick up Tom.
Enjoying his afternoon nap Tom was awoken by a force pushing him straight off his bed as he rolled along the floor. Leaping up he grabbed Tamashii Seigei ready to attack the intruder only to find Mitch standing at the door with his finger pointed towards him laughing "Man nothing beats waking someone up using the thrust kido spell". Strapping his zanpakuto to his back Tom walked over to find Yoruichi standing outside and another man Tom had never seen before "Ah right Tom this is my Dad Auron the ex-captain of the 3rd squad way back remember I told you about him". Tom thought back to their discussion outside the school as it came back to him "Oh yeah I remember now, well it's a pleasure to meet you I'm Tom 3rd seat in the 9th squad" he shook Auron's hand then bowed like a warrior does to an old ranked general.
"Likewise it's always interesting to meet a shinigami my son helps out especially a substitute shinigami" Auron said as Mitch jumped about anxiously like an impatient pup "Come on enough with the talking we need to grab Ania so I can explain what I'm going to do with your training". Shunpoing away immediately Yoruichi quickly raced off after yelling "Bet I get there before you" the two of them left Tom and Auron behind as they both sighed and quickly dashed off after the hyperactive Mitch and ever playful Yoruichi.
Ania was snoozing away tired from her training as she heard a loud crash through the window. Groggily she arose from her bed rubbing her eyes to find Mitch hanging upside down from the roof centimeters away from her face grinning "Wakey, wakey" he said as she leapt back stunned to see him. "What you're acting like you've a ghost?" Ania started walking towards him as her hand came around faster than Mitch could see slamming into the back of his head. The sudden hard hit made Mitch lose his grip as he fell from the roof crashing onto the floor "Well that's a nice way of greeting someone" he said from the floor all sprawled out.
"Well that's what you get for gallivanting off elsewhere without telling us a shred of information, we thought you had died or something" she glared at him as Tom and Auron raced through the hole Mitch made in the roof of her room. "Well I can see you're clearly not a morning person and don't like being woken up" Tom said seeing Mitch on the floor as he slowly stood up "With the whole disappearing act if I'd known you would care so much I still wouldn't have mentioned anything as it was a dangerous thing I was doing and I didn't want to drag you guys into it especially since you just started training".
Ania grabbed Kanzen Bi from the floor and strode out to find Yoruichi standing there smiling "Well I trust that went well Mitch" she said grinning while he was busy rubbing the back of his head "Yeah went just dandy". "Alright so you called Ania and myself out here to discuss our training so what exactly are we doing?" Tom asked as Mitch took a seat on the ground "I've decided that to help in the upcoming battle Yoruichi and I are going to train you two into learning your bankai in just three days".
Hearing that news both Ania and Tom raced forward and began shaking Mitch "Really, really you'll teach us to master it like you did in just that short amount of time how awesome!" Tom was ecstatic as Mitch pushed them both off and growled "Take it seriously this stuff is dangerous, if you don't complete it in three days it's life threatening so don't go thinking it's some game because it's not". The sudden air of playfulness was gone as quickly as it came as they both sat back down to listen to Mitch speak "Alright now one at a time you'll follow Yoruichi and I to the training area not too far from here and then we'll instruct you on what to do from there. Tom you're up first so in the meantime Ania go about your daily errands here until I come to fetch you".
Disappointed she didn't get to go first Ania went to play the old innocent act and bat her eyelashes at Mitch but the glare she received from him for once made her forget about it. "Well good luck Tom and I'll see you when you're done" she said walking off back towards her barracks to see what jobs she could amuse herself with for the week. "Alright Tom follow Yoruichi to the training spot, I'll catch up in a bit" Mitch said as Yoruichi darted off with Tom trailing behind.
Turning around Mitch faced his father "I'm off to have a chat to Yamamoto about what I can do to help in the war" Auron said as Mitch looked nervously at him "You sure the Captain Commander has realized you didn't betray us?" Auron just burst into laughter as he rubbed his son's hair "Of course he has Mitch so try and relax". As Auron shunpoed away Mitch turned back around and ran off to catch up with Yoruichi and Tom.