He didn't remember how he'd gotten there. He didn't remember much of anything really. Not even his name. All he knew is that he'd been found and taken in. That's all they knew as well. Then he'd gotten hungry in a world where you're not supposed to, and then they'd handed him over to people called Shinigami without so much as a word.
He walked through the streets of the Seireitei. Tall buildings, white walls, and stone streets that all looked the same. He tried to keep his panic from showing. These people in black made him uncomfortable. Something in him told him to run. It was screaming, actually, but he just kept walking. These people were dangerous, but they wanted him. After an endless number of turns, they arrived at a place with a big four over the door. There he was handed over to a shy boy named Hanataru. After that, he was taken to a room in the back and laid down on a bed.
"I feel fine." He said, wondering if they were about to cut him open or something. Despite Hanataru's quiet and kind demeanor, he still distrusted the boy.
"It's not your body we're worried about, it's your mind. Do you remember anything before you were found?" He said no, of course. The boy continued his questions. When he finished, he disappeared for a few minutes before returning with a woman who had long black hair braided around her neck.
"It's good to see you again."
"Have we met?" He asked. He didn't remember seeing this woman before.
"Yes, a long time ago. That was before..." She paused. He assumed she was debating what to say next.
"If you know something about me, I would appreciate it if you told me." This seemed to reassure the woman.
"We met before you were devoured by a Hollow and turned into one yourself." He paused. Yes, that seemed right. Her words struck a cord within him. He knew she was speaking the truth.
"Then why am I here? I am definitely not a Hollow."
"We do not know. You've been missing for over one hundred years. You were rising through the ranks quickly in Squad 7. Then you were sent on a mission to cleanse a particularly difficult Hollow. You never returned. When we lost contact with you, we picked up the signal of a second Hollow, but then the first signal, the one you were sent to destroy, disappeared. After that, there was a drop in Hollows, so we believed you had survived, but like I said, you never returned from that mission. After a while, we simply assumed you had been killed and that the lull was a mere coincidence. But then you reappeared. We were hoping you could tell us what you've been doing for the past century, but now I see you have no more knowledge than we do." He didn't respond for a long time. All these words, they were true. He had become a Hollow. At least, he had the sense he had been.
"Can Shinigami turn into Hollows?"
"In rare cases, yes. Normally, however, they are killed." He didn't know what to say or what to ask. He felt empty inside, like a piece of him was missing. Cold. Was it his missing memories, or the news that he could have spent the past century as a monster? So many questions. So little information.
"What was my name? I mean, what is my name?"
"Tatsuhiko Shinobu."
"Interesting name."
"Let's hope you live up to it."