Segato awoke in the Fourth Division's infirmary. Before Newark, his rigorous training and duties as Fourth Seat landed him here often, so this was a very pleasant surprise. He sensed someone standing to the right of his cot, and he looked up: Captain Unohana herself was looking down on him like a mother wacthing her baby sleep. "Ah! You're awake now, Sanjiro-san. You were asleep for two days."
"Two. Whole. Days? That last battle must have taken more out of me than I thought..."
"Battle?" Captain Unohana asked with a sly smile. "I heard Newark was a pleasant place." More seriously, she added, "I saw the burn on your shoulder, Sanjiro-san. You should have called for a Limiter Release."
"There wasn't time! He was just a moment away from blasting me with another Cero and there was only one thing I could think of left on such short notice."
"Common sense, Sanjiro-san; but don't feel too badly, I do not mind tending to an old friend. By the way, congratulations! With the way you trained, I knew it could not be long before you achieved it. How long has it been?"
"Four years..." It was a long and cruel winter Segato wanted to forget, but couldn't. At the time, learning it was do-or-die.
Captain Unohana nodded. "Well, I have many matters to attend to now, I cannot stay any longer. Rest well, Sanjiro-san." She glanced at the cot to his left, then turned and walked off.
Segato also looked at the cot to his left. A tall, tough-looking orange haired boy he'd never seen before was talking to his beloved Captain. "Two or even more...? How is that even possible?"
"It must be some new perversion of Aizen's," Captain Sui Feng replied, "as not even Captain Kurotsuchi has encountered anything like this. Even all the seated officers stationed in the mortal world were summoned here, that is how dangerous they are. Speaking of seated officers," she continued, absent-mindedly staring right past Segato, "I was told my Fourth Seat was being treated in this same wing-" Segato chose to cough loudly at this moment.
There was an awkward pause, and Segato coughed again. "Good afternoon, Captain." He nodded to the orange haired boy, who he guessed was a recent graduate of the Shinigami Academy.
"Sanjiro, this-" Sui Feng motioned to the young man on the cot- "is Ichigo Kurosaki, who has also been called here to deal with the threat. He is a Subtitute Shinigami."
A Substitue Shinigami? There hasn't been one of those in... well wait, has there actually been one before him? "Segato Sanjiro, Second Company's Fourth Seat." He leaned over to shake Ichigo's hand. Ichigo had a very firm grip. Segato smiled; there was something he liked about this kid, though he didn't know what.
"Segato Sanjiro? That sounds familiar for some reason..."
Segato sighed as he remembered the Arrancar's mispronunciation of his name. "Well, about thirteen years ago I was assigned to-"
Sui Feng interrupted Segato with a wave of her hand. "He can hear about that later. But, before I go, give me a brief overview of your assignment to Newark, Sanjiro."
Segato shook his head, remembering the disarming and dishonest smile. "Newark is Newark Captain, and five years is a long time to spend there." Segato put two and two together. This had been bothering him since he heard it. "May I ask, has Captain Aizen...?"
"Worse," Ichigo spat out, balling up the sheet in his fist.
"Far worse than you could imagine." Finished Sui Feng. "Now, I must be on my way." Without another word Sui Feng walked off, more businesslike than usual.
Soon after, the infirmary's simple and nutritious evening meal was served. As they ate, Ichigo told Segato of Aizen's betrayal and other recent happenings in Soul Society, and of becoming a Substitute Shinigami. So, filled with worried thoughts for the coming days, Segato closed his eyes and fell into a deep dreamless sleep like a rock falling into the ocean.
