Chapter 53: Final Day

Laying back in the hot springs Ania allowed the warm water to relax her body as she could feel the slash across her back slowly closing up along with all the other injuries. Closing her eyes she emptied her mind and attempted to search through her inner self to find any trace of Grimmjow but couldn't sense him anywhere "I can't sense him and yet somehow he is connected to me and contains traces of my reiatsu, how is that even possible?" she thought out loud before hearing a response to the question coming from outside the spring.

"Perhaps he isn't actually inside you but something you created?" Mitch's voice was heard as she turned around to see him lying with his back against a rock and his eyes shut. "Trying to sneak a peek are we?" Ania said in a sly voice while Mitch smirked "No but I wouldn't mind if you are offering?" After not hearing a witty rebuttal he opened his eyes and looked over to find her staring down into the waters lost in thought as his tone of voice suddenly became serious "Don't think on the subject to much otherwise your judgement will be cloudy and you can't afford that on the final day".

Standing up he started to walk away "Well if you aren't planning on giving me a show then I'm off to train, don't stay up to late contemplating your training" he called back leaving Ania to rest her head up against a rock thinking on what Mitch had said and the mystery behind how to pass her training.

After spending a few more minutes soaking in the springs she finally decided to hit the hay and get what sleep she could before the final day. "Great another dream in this place again" Ania muttered to herself opening her eyes to find she was back inside the dark forest and yet this time it seemed more familiar like she had been here before and yet could not quiet recall when or why.

Hearing a footstep from behind Ania turned around to find Grimmjow walking out from behind a tree the usual battle grin replaced by a more serene like smile. "This place feels so familiar doesn't it Ania?" she nodded her head as he gently stroked the tree before turning to face her "That's because this place lives inside of you, it's divine beauty is such a dead giveaway".

Immediately Ania became aware of this place "This is where I first met Kanzen Bi and learnt my shikai" she thought to herself but then looked over towards Grimmjow "If this is my spirit world then who are you and what exactly are you doing in it?" Stepping forward he slowly ran his fingers down her cheek "I'm here because I'm a part of you, but to figure out just what I am all you need to do is look at the mist carefully and it'll all become clear". Kissing her on the head Grimmjow slowly dissolved away into a pink mist before Ania felt herself being dragged from her spirit world and thrown into darkness.

"Wake up sleepy head it's time to finish your training" Mitch yelled down at Ania as she groggily sat up in her bed and looked up to find him standing atop the cliffs waving down "Sheesh even I woke up earlier than you, now hurry up and get your lazy ass out of bed". Grabbing Kanzen Bi off the ground she strapped it to her back thinking about what Grimmjow told her last night "Look at the mist and it'll all become clear" his voice rang through her mind as she stood in front of the target dummy a determined look on her face as she stabbed her zanpakuto into the centre as Kanzen Bi appeared yawning lazily.

"I'll finish this today" Ania said as Kanzen Bi smirked "Well it is our last day so I hope for your sake that you do". Slowly the panther began to dissolve into the pink mist spreading out across the battlefield as Ania taking Grimmjow's advice stared deeply into it wondering if what he said would ring true.

Something triggered in the back of Ania's memory as she finally recalled where she had seen this pink mist before and why it felt so familiar "This mist is Gouka Shinkirou one of my abilities". Everything finally fell into place as Kanzen Bi being Ania's sword had access to all the abilities and had used this mist for her training, that was also why she could sense Kanzen Bi everywhere because she was the mist itself.

If her ability was currently working that would make Grimmjow nothing more than an object of all her lustful and desirable thoughts placed inside a single person. "In order for me to defeat Grimmjow I have to purge all the lustful and desirable thoughts from my mind otherwise he'll just keep reforming whenever I have them" she said to herself as a loud clapping sound came from inside the mist followed by Grimmjow walking out his usual cocky smile on his face.

"Congratulations you've finally figured everything out, the true question though is can you purge me from your thoughts because deep down you know they'll always be there" he said as Ania unsheathed Kanzen Bi from her back and sliced across Grimmjow's chest only for the pink mist to instantly close the wound back up. "I knew it you can't kill something that you love so much" Grimmjow howled with laughter placing a hand to his face as Ania closed her eyes and took a deep breath composing herself and steeling her mind for the task ahead.

"If you think I can't purge someone like you from my thoughts then you clearly don't know me very well" opening her eyes Ania slashed across Grimmjow's chest again but this time the wound didn't heal up as blood trickled down. "Incredible! Now I can finally go all out as well" he grinned placing his nails down on the blade as they scraped across the metal loudly "Grind Pantera!"

Blue light engulfed Grimmjow's body as it could be seen twisting and morphing "That's the ability he used on the first day, is that like his bankai?" she thought to herself watching as the blue light vanished as the white furred shaggy looking humanoid panther creature appeared smiling at her. Letting out a bestial roar he surged towards Ania at a speed she did not expect slamming straight into her body and sending them both tumbling across the rocky ground.

Ania was the first to stand back up extending her hand and firing off a red fire cannon into Grimmjow's chest as smoke exploded around him. A clawed hand took a swipe through the haze towards her head as she avoided it at the last second ducking underneath it and slashing across the arm as it passed by spraying blood all over Ania's face. Out of the smoke came a foot the barbed talons across Grimmjow's feet sliced across her face leaving a nasty gash as she staggered back blood trickling onto the dirt below while the smoke finally cleared leaving Grimmjow in a cat like crouch watching her like prey.

Grimmjow suddenly lifted his arm up firing a weird green like dart out from the elbow as Ania rolled to the side avoiding it only to hear a giant explosion shake the ground from behind her. The force from the explosion threw Ania onto the ground as Grimmjow leapt high above his clawed hand raking downwards ready to slash Ania's throat as she managed to roll to the left sending his hand slamming into the dirt.

Shunpoing to her feet behind Grimmjow she cut across his exposed back as he roared in pain swiping behind him out of rage and aggression missing as Ania ducked underneath it. "Grrr I can't lose I'm the King!" he growled breathing heavily visibly annoyed by the fact he was now mortal from Ania's resolve while she simply smiled "Well it looks like the King is about to be dethroned by little old me".

"Don't you mock me!" he roared flying towards Ania rapidly slashing at her attempting to land a blow but with her composure regained she nimbly danced around them with grace and ease. "I suppose it's time to end our little contest Grimmjow" she said jumping back while he smirked "I think so as well" a bright blue light erupted from the claws on his right hand as five razor sharp beams of light extend from them up into the sky "Let us see if you survive through my ultimate technique Desgarron".

Slashing his hand down the bright blue energy claws flew down towards Ania as she charged forward darting left and right managing to avoid them as the distance between the two of them gradually began to close. Before she could reach him though one landed home slicing deep into her shoulder as she grit her teeth shunpoing away and reappearing while blood spewed forth onto the ground leaving a red trail.

"YOU CAN'T DODGE THEM ALL ANIA IT'S OVER!" Grimmjow howled with laughter as five more blue lights appeared on his left hand "With this I win" raising his hand up he went to slash down only to watch pink reiatsu surround Ania before she vanished completely from view. "I think you'll find it's my win" her voice came from behind as Grimmjow felt a blade pierce through his back causing blood to splatter onto the dirt below mixing in with Ania's as he looked behind to stare into her cold piercing blue eyes.

"….how that isn't possible" he said before coughing up blood as Ania pulled her blade free "I told you because I'm the King around here". Sheathing Kanzen Bi across her back she started to walk away as Grimmjow slowly began to dissolve away into a pink mist "Ha such a cold heartless woman, how I love it" his smirk was the last thing seen before he vanished into nothing along with the mist surrounding the battlefield.

"YOU DID IT!" Kanzen Bi's voice came from nowhere as the giant panther leapt onto Ania knocking the exhausted and injured girl onto the ground while she sat on her stomach. "Perhaps you should let Ania rest she did go through a lot" Mitch appeared patting the panther on her head as Kanzen Bi leapt off Ania who slowly got to her feet with a groan.

"Now that you've achieved your bankai you can call upon its power whenever you want during battle, you did an amazing job I'm proud of you" Kanzen Bi said nudging her head affectionately against Ania's leg before dissolving away. "She's right you know you did great back there but for now rest up and tomorrow we'll test your bankai out" Mitch said before Shunpoing off no doubt to do training of his own leaving Ania to drag her body off to the springs for a long and well-deserved soak.