Disclaimer: I don't own bleach. Wish I did but I don't. I forgot to put this at the start of the last chapter.

AN: Thank you to everyone that has read this story so far. It means a lot as a first time writer. Please remember this is an AU of sorts. I also realized I spelt Las Noches wrong in the last chapter. I've fixed it. At the time I was writing the chapter I was craving nachos. As always please R&R!

Previously...

"Please come with me back to Las Noches….Cero Espada Shiori."

"What did you just call me?"

"I'm sorry…Did I say something wrong?"

I have no idea what he just called me. What in the world? I look over to Ichigo and see he is shocked. I'm guessing he wasn't expecting that comment. Well, I suppose, neither was I but I'm more careful at showing my emotions. I really need to pick my next words carefully. I know he said something about this person called 'Lord Aizen'. Considering I'm wearing clothes and colors along the same lines as these two I'm guessing we are on the same side. The same side against what….that I still don't know.

"I'm quite certain Lord Aizen didn't want my rank to be revealed, Ulquiorra."

"Wait…Wait! Shiori is the Cero? I thought there was only 10 Espadas! 10! What the hell is Aizen playing at?"

"Quiet Trash. You are no concern to us at this point in time. As I have stated previously we are only here to escort Shiori back to Las Noches."

I look around to see Grimmjow backing up faster, bumping into my shoulder and pushing me closer to the rip. Stumbling, I hear Grimmjow start laughing his ass off. My hand reacts before my mind does and I strike him across the back of the head, making him bend over halfway. Hmmm it seems I have a lot of force behind my hits which will come in hand for a destructive jackasses like him. Why I know that still confuses me, as do a lot of things. I move towards the rip, Ulquiorra in front of me, already halfway in the rip and Grimmjow behind me. I know I'll find answers from whatever direction I go in and these two seem adamant I go with them. With a mental shrug of my shoulders I step into the rip but I give into the urge to look behind me. I finally see Grimmjow's face and he isn't happy to say the least. Guess he isn't too happy about getting smacked around by a girl that is a head smaller than him. But what stands out the most is Ichigo's face. Well, the look he has on his face. He looks crushed. Like he couldn't save me. Like I meant something to him. It is like I'm his friend or someone closer to him. It's not like I can help it. I don't know anything about him apart from his name which I only learned not that long ago. The last thing I see as the rip closes is his face and I know it is going to haunt me when I'm alone in this place called 'Los Noches'….My apparent home.

We finally made it through the rip and walked into a huge room. It looks like a throne room if the big ass pillar at the end of the room and a throne on top of that is anything to go off. The same brunette from my earlier visions is sitting on the throne flanked by a guy with silver hair and a freaky smile on his face on his right. I know I'm going to like this guy. He reminds me of a fox. Just plain sneaky. Sneaky comes in handy. On the brunette's left is a guy with purple dreadlocks and wearing a visor. I don't know why he is wearing that but he looks like he could put me to sleep with a lecture or something. Maybe I'll ask him to lecture me about something and see if it works. I look around the room, drawing my eyes away from the huge pillar.

'He reminds me of Ichigo in a way…I wonder if he is compensating for something as well…'

The room is white. White everywhere. Absolutely no color. Along the walls are columns that cast shadows to make it look like there is black in the room but no. Just white. I see others apart from myself, my two escorts and the three on the platform, in the room as well. I count eight others and a small group of three huddled in the corner like they are scared to be here. I don't know why they are scared. I seemed to have relaxed somewhat since arriving here. I now know this is where I'm supposed to be. I still get a feeling of unease though. Like I know I'm in trouble but have no idea what I've done. The feeling seems to come from the brunette, who has now stood up. He commands attention I will give him that, but something inside me just can't seem to follow him completely or trust him for that matter.

'Why would he command me? I don't know his name. Maybe he is this 'Lord Aizen'? Whatever…I can tell right now I have more power than him…but still…why do I get the feeling he is more dangerous than he looks…'

"My dear Espada. Today we welcome back our Cero…Shiori, who has been in the World of the Living for the past 6 weeks scouting the area and trying to see what Kisuke Urahara is up to."

6 weeks? I can't remember anything before a few hours ago. What is this guy trying play at? I look around and everyone seems to buy that story but the two on either side of him seem to remain the same. Like they aren't telling the whole story. I know now he is Lord Aizen. I'll have to watch my step and make sure no one knows about my memory loss. I can't have anyone finding out. I can't trust anyone here. If I know my numbers cero is up the top so it looks like everyone else has to follow/listen to me. Apart from the three on the pillar. This will come in handy. I will be able to move around and try to piece things together and I will only have to look out for three people instead of many. Lord Aizen is still going on about my so called mission but I stopped listening to tell the truth. It's not a real Espada meeting to begin with so the guy with the god complex can shut up for all I care. We are in the wrong room for the meetings and I don't have a cup of tea. I really feel like one so I can relax and get my head around things.

'How do I know we are in the wrong room? I need to find someone that I can manipulate into telling me the answers that are plaguing my mind. Maybe the fox face can shed some light? I sense he is not behind Aizen 100% so I can use that. I need people. For what? Who knows but I do know that there is strength in numbers…'

Aizen continued talking and I caught something about my fraccion showing me to my room. So that must be the group huddle in the corner scared. I suppose if they are my fraccion they are only used to dealing with me and not the rest of the Espadas. They quickly rushed over and proceed to take me out of the room. Aizen stood there smiling at me and I resisted the shudder that was threating to go down my spine. That's it. I've decided I defiantly do not trust that delusional man and his god like ideas. Being in that room and hearing him speak has pushed some information forward. I remember that, apart from the three on the platform, we were all hollows at some point. The top five at least are Vasto Lorde, which includes me. We have been transformed by Lord Aizen and now have parts of our masks somewhere on our body. Putting those thoughts at the back of my mind to think about later I noticed my fraccion take me up a few flights of stairs and we arrive at a floor that looks like a huge circular living room. I gather this is the Espadas' living area and their fraccion resides with them in their designated room. It looks comfortable enough, cushions around the place; a huge circular black leather couch is in the middle with a gap so you can sit without climbing over it and wreaking the leather. There is a book case right near the entrance way that I will have to check out when I get time. I see not far from the entrance that there is a kitchen/dining area and it looks fully stocked and staffed by lower arrancar. Around the sides of the walls I see eleven doors numbered cero to diez. I automatically walk towards the door with my rank on it, open it and stop at the entrance way. The place is huge! Colors of black, white and blood red are around the place and I take that has to with the colors Lord Aizen makes us wear and the color of the guard of my katakana. There is a smaller living room here so I can have some privacy I suppose. Again there is cushions everywhere and a bookshelf against one of the walls but this one is bigger has a lot more books stocked on the shelf. I see two doors right across from the entrance so I assume one door is for me and the other is for my fraccion. Speaking of which they seem a lot more comfortable inside this room with me than before. I did notice, as we moved further away from the throne room, that they relaxed more somewhat. Currently two are wandering around making themselves at home. Two of my fraccion are girls and look to be twins. One of the girls has shoulder length dark purple hair and blue eyes. She is wearing a white skirt, but not as tight as mine, it looks like a school girl skirt, black tights like me but sandals instead of heels. There is a black obi around her waist like a belt. Her top is a simple white tank top the remains of her mask are around her neck like mine is but I can't tell what it looks like from here. Her twin has the same outfit as her and her mask remains are like a tiara on the top of her head. She has bright violet eyes and waist length dark blue hair. They are currently arguing with each other of a cushion they both want to sit on. There are plenty of cushions; I can't understand why they both want to sit on that same one. I hear a sigh and look to my left. It is the other member of my fraccion and he gives me a small smile.

"I'm sorry Master Shiori. It was very stressful for us waiting in the throne room for you to return. Mika and Yuri are venting in the only safe way for them at the moment."

"SHUT UP RIKU! STAY OUT OF THIS!"

I look at the male and give a small smile in return. He is wearing the traditional white hakama and black socks with white sandals. His top reminds me of Grimmjow's but there are no sleeves and the bottom of the jacket extends halfway down him. He has blond hair and red eyes. The red eyes throw me off for a second but I realize they hold kindness behind them. I see his hollow mask is just above his right eye. Looking at him, something clicked in my mind.

"Why did you feel you had to explain their behavior, Riku?"

I see his expression soften to the point of sadness and Mika and Yuri stop arguing in the back ground to look at me. I know something is wrong when all three move to bow down in front of me. It is like they are asking me for my forgiveness. I stare at them in shock, not knowing what I'm supposed to do. What Riku says next almost breaks my heart.

"We are so sorry we couldn't stop what happened to you Master Shiori. We are so sorry we couldn't stop your memory being erased and being thrown into the World of the Living like common garbage. We are sorry and ask for your forgiveness. We will always serve you, Master Shiori. No matter what happens or what orders you give us."

They know. They must have been there when it happened. All I can do is stand there in shock.

Please R&R!