White light. Clean air. The quiet beep of a monitor that wouldn't mind being ignored.
Raizen woke up like a man climbing out of cold water. Pain arrived first - dull, everywhere, and then sharp. He tried to sit. He got a breath in and kept it.
"Whoops – nope… I can't..."
A nurse leaned into view, hair pulled back, sleeves rolled, the calm of a person who had seen worse and refused to be impressed. She put a hand on his shoulder and eased him down again.
"You've been asleep for three days" she said. "I'm amazed you didn't break more bones."
"Three?" His voice sounded like sandpaper pretending to be a voice.
"Three. Count them if you need to." She glanced at his chart, then at his bandages. "Stitches everywhere. A cracked rib. A spectacular collection of cuts… Seriously, you Vanguards are built differently…"
"Cadet" he corrected. "Not Vanguard – not yet."
"Somehow? That's worse." The answer came.
