AN: Sorry for the extended break, I hope 5+ pages can make up for the wait. In recent Bleach manga is mentioned Division Zero AKA Royal Guard. Earlier in series Rukia mentioned Royal Special Task Force that deals with the Menos Grande. The names of the groups are same, and are possibly the same, name depending on the translation. For now I'll let even Aurora to ponder if they're the same, and will reveal it to her (and you) as soon as I know more.

DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha and Bleach belong to their creators, not me. Sakura family, however, is mine. I have adapted a scene to suit the story, original scene doesn't come from my imagination, but from Rumiko Takahashi's.

Enjoy!

Chapter 11

The group is resting by a river bank. They truly need the rest now, after the battle with Toutousai's old apprentice Kaijinbo. Besides, Sango's Hiraikotsu needs to be fixed, and the old youkai is at it the moment.

At a small distance from him, just by the river, Inuyasha and Myouga are arguing. The flea insists that the hanyou should never again fight without Tessaiga, no matter how heavy it is.

Inuyasha complains. "It's too heavy, it'll just slow me down."

Then he proceeds to show exactly how heavy it is. He draws it and it transforms into its bigger form. Too bad Inuyasha is standing too close to the river, so as soon as the blade gets bigger, its heaviness gets the hanyou off balance, causing him to fall to the water.

Aurora glances at the hanyou who is climbing back to the dry land. From him her eyes go to Miroku and Kagome, and she hears their discussion of the fact that Inuyasha needs the Tessaiga, since it seals his youkai blood.

The shinigami looses her interest after a while and she lowers herself to the ground, her back against a trunk of a tree. Then she pulls Moonflower from its sheath and studies its blade in sealed form.

She runs her fingers across the side of the cold blade, finding no stains or imperfections. Then she raises the sharp edge to her face and checks if it's as perfect condition as the rest of the blade.

It is. It's as if she has never used it the blade against anything with more density than water. Or air.

She does remember using the sealed form against another sealed soul slayer, or actually more than one, when she has sparred with other shinigami. She also recalls using it against several Menos Grande, as well as hundreds of hollows.

After that kind of use, the blade shouldn't be in as good condition as it would've been if it had been just been made and finished a moment ago.

She grins inwardly. The sword maker definitely had known what he had been doing. As far as she knows, only the finest blades wouldn't suffer from damage after being used as much as she had used hers.

Next she releases the weapon, to shikai. Now she can check the condition of the naginata. The pole part, the blade, everything. She doesn't really get surprised as she finds out that the weapon is in perfect condition.

Satisfied, she seals the blade and sheathes it. Then she closes her eyes in an attempt to meditate a bit. After all, there are still gaps in her memory. Not many, though. She remembers her childhood, Academy time, her entering the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads, her promotions through the divisions…

Her last recollection is when she was called to the First Division Offices, as the Head Captain Yamamoto had invited her there. It had been about promotion.

That's where it all gets blurry. She had been captain of the Tenth Division, but she can't remember what the promotion Yamamoto had meant was. She wasn't even sure if there were any promotions possible for captains, other than Central Forty-Six.

She frowns. Wait. There was the Royal Guard. The Division Zero. She recalls that it works directly under the Monarch, the Soul King. But… Didn't her father work for Royal Special Task Force? She's not sure if the two are separate groups, or two names for one group.

Her train of thought is stopped as she suddenly senses something familiar. Something she hasn't sensed in this world, not since she woke up in Naraku's castle.

She gets to her feet and instinctively lowers her hand to the hilt of her sword. This something is familiar, all right, but she can't quite recognize it. She's not sure if it's a friend or foe she's sensing.

She nearly startles as the Moonflower begins to vibrate under her palm. She turns her gaze to the weapon. "So, you can sense it as well."

Kagome had noticed her reaction and walks to her. "What's wrong?"

Aurora glances at her before shifting her gaze at the direction she can feel that something coming from. "Someone is approaching us, fast."

The others become alert as soon as she has finished the sentence. Inuyasha turns to Kagome. "I can't smell anything odd. Can you sense Shikon shards?"

Kagome narrows her eyes a bit, before shrugging. "Nope."

Miroku speaks next. "I can't feel youki." He glances at the fire cat, who's in her small form. "Kirara doesn't seem to sense anything odd either."

Aurora frowns as she tries to recall when she felt this presence last time. Not successful, she glances at Moonflower, wondering if the blade could help her.

The soul slayer apparently read her mind, since suddenly a familiar face emerges in her mind. Someone she knows is a friend.

With this remembered, she moves her hand away from the blade and seemingly relaxes, causing Shippou to jump to her shoulder curiously. "You know who's coming?"

She nods. "You will see for yourself in a short moment."

After that short moment, approximately five seconds, a man emerges right in front of them. He's wearing similar outfit as Aurora's own. He's grey eyes study the group seemingly uninterested, and his black hair has five white half tubes, two on the side, three on top, on it. These tubes form Kenseikan, a decoration for hair that only noble are allowed to use.

An the man is definitely a noble, Aurora can even remember the time he only used the tubes on top of the hair. "Byakuya, what brings you here?"

The man closes his eyes. "I am here to bring you home."

Aurora frowns. "How did you find me?"

Byakuya opens his eyes, and fixes them at her. "You disappeared during a mission to the living world. The people investigating the disappearance were able to find out that you were brought half a millennium back in time. Your father opened a time portal that brought me near to the location the portal you created brought you. Finding you after that was easy."

Aurora blinks. "Time portal? I recall father talking about them, but I can't remember if I was taught to open one on purpose. He did tell me about Sakura blood creating them on its own when need would come, but I can not recall such need."

Then something he had said reaches her brains. "Did you say I disappeared during a mission?" He nods. "Can you tell me more about it?"

He raises one eyebrow. "You do not recall the mission?"

She shakes her head. "I remember when my lieutenant, Toshiro Hitsugaya, came to inform me that the First Captain wished to see me, and that it was about a promotion. That is it. I do not recall what the promotion was, or if it was even given. I can not even recall how long ago this was."

Byakuya sighs. "You were promoted to Division Zero, and your lieutenant was promoted captain of the Tenth Division. This happened ten months ago. Then, four months ago you were sent to a mission to the Living World. When you failed to return after an hour, a team was sent to investigate. They found traces of a battle, but you were not there.

"Only recently the investigators found traces of a time portal and were able to locate you to this time. As soon as you were located your father requested me to follow you to bring you home."

Aurora's eyes widen. "I can not recall the battle, just as apparently six months of my life has vanished. Still, the battle must have been hard, since if a time portal was created, I must have been close to losing control of my reiatsu."

He tilts his head a bit to one side. "You will likely recall what has happened in time. Yet, now we must go. Your father is waiting for you."

She shakes her head. "I can not leave at this moment. There are many things I must finish before returning home."

He glances at her curiously, so she sighs and lowers herself to the ground, being followed by all others. Then she proceeds to tell about the time when she woke up at Kagewaki's castle. She tells him everything from that moment, to the moment when she sensed Byakuya's presence.

After she has finished her story a silence falls on the group. The silence that lasts only for a few minutes before Byakuya breaks it. "If you have nothing against it, I would like to assist you in your task of protecting the souls in that Jewel. As a shinigami, it is our duty."

She glances at the others. "Is it all right with you?"

All agree, so she turns her attention back at her old friend. "I have nothing against your assistance. Still, there is something you must promise."

He frowns. "What is it?"

She lets out a breath she wasn't aware that she was holding. "If I seem to be rejoining Naraku's group, prevent me. If he gets me under his control, you must bring me to my senses. If that fails, you must do what you have to in order to stop me."

Their eyes lock for a moment. She knows that they both know what the last one means. He would have to fight her, to death if necessary. That fight, she would prefer not to see. In serious fight, the two were not equal. In kido she would win, in swordsmanship he would win. But in all out battle, both using bankai, and if she would have all of her reiatsu in use…

She barely prevents a shudder from going through her body. That battle would be devastating in any case.

She's brought back to moment by Byakuya's voice. "I promise, Aurora. If this is to happen, I will do what I must."

She smiles at him. "Thank you." Then a thought hits her. Maybe she should introduce Inuyasha's group and her friend to each other. "Byakuya, meet my travelling companions. Shippou is the kitsune cub on my shoulder, the two tailed fire cat is Kirara, the girl with green skirt is miko Kagome from Tokyo of our time, the other woman is a taijiya named Sango, houshi is called Miroku, Toutousai is the youkai fixing the boomerang, he is in the group occasionally, the dog eared hanyou is Inuyasha, and the flea youkai is Myouga.

"Group, this is my old friend Byakuya Kuchiki. We have known each other since we were little children. As you can see, he is a shinigami like me."

When the introductions were done Byakuya turned to Aurora. "I know you wish to stay here, but we must return back to Soul Society, even for a moment."

Aurora is about to say something against this, when Kagome's voice gains her attention. "Go on, Aurora. We'll be fine for a moment. I think you really should go. Just find us when you return, okay?"

What can Aurora say? Nothing much, so she agrees and turns to Byakuya. "Alright, let us go."

Aurora recognises her home mansion as soon as she sees it. It looks just the same as she remembers it. Though, she recalls that it had always looked the same. Just the people changed. And the garden.

She's brought out from her reverie by a familiar voice. "Your father told you had been found, Aurora."

She turns around to see her mother Thea. "Mother?"

Thea smiles and embraces her daughter. "I knew you were fine, just lost."

As Aurora retreats from the embrace she returns to her mother's smile with one of her own. "I wish I could recall what happened to cause me to get lost."

Thea shrugs gracefully. "You will remember, in time." Then she turns to Byakuya. Thank you for bringing her back, Byakuya. My husband will be here soon, I am sure he would like to have a word with both of you."

She glances at her daughter who seems to be tense, her head bent, her hands fisted and she appears to be trembling a bit. "Aurora, what is wrong?"

Aurora takes in a deep breath to stop trembling, and then she opens her fists, raising her face to meet her mother's gaze. "Haha-ue, I can not stay for long."

Thea frowns, glancing at Byakuya hoping to see his reaction, so that she could understand what her daughter means, but his eyes are closed and face unreadable.

She opens her mouth to ask her daughter for an explanation when a male voice beats her to it. "Why not?"

All three turn their attention at the direction of the voice, only to come face to face with the head of the Sakura house, and Aurora's father, Gabriel Sakura.

Aurora responds to his question quite quickly. "I will explain, yet we should get comfortable, Chichi-ue. The story is long."

So, the four go to Gabriel's study room and as soon as all are comfortably, either sitting or kneeling on the cushions, or in Gabriel's case on a legless chair, Aurora begins her story. She tells her parents the same she told to Byakuya just a few moments earlier.

She finishes her story an hour later, and as soon as she has fell silent Gabriel speaks. "Byakuya, Aurora. Rest for tonight, and return to the past tomorrow if you really wish to return. Before that, you both must make arrangements with your divisions so that you can stay in the past for as long as needed."

Aurora gulps. "What is my division?"

Gabriel sighs. "You were promoted to Division Zero, the Royal Guard."

She frowns. "Is that your division?"

Gabriel tilts his head to one side, seemingly amused. "You really do not remember, do you?"

She shakes her head, and he lets out a short laughter. "In that case, it is better I handle this with your Division. So, do not worry about it. Now, I believe your mother wishes to introduce two new family members to you."

As soon as Aurora and Thea have left the study Gabriel turns to Byakuya. "Do you think this Naraku could control her by using the shard in her throat?"

Byakuya inclines his head. "This Shikon appears to be a powerful artefact. If Naraku will gain all the shards, save for hers, he could use it to control her by tainting the shard with the rest of the Jewel."

Gabriel shakes his head in indecision. "If this is to happen, do you think you could bring her to her senses without having to duel her?"

The younger shinigami shakes his head. "I wish it could be possible, but seeing that she has feelings for Naraku, I do not think a fight could be avoided."

Gabriel closes his eyes. "I see."

A silence falls between two heads of the noble houses, leaving both in their ponderings. Both know that the duel can only end in disaster.

The silence is broken by Gabriel. "In case of the duel, it must be secured that the disaster is not inevitable." He reaches for a inside pocket of his kimono, pulling a pure white pearl from there.

He hands it over to Byakuya, who takes it with a questioning look on his face. Gabriel then explains. "If the battle between you and my daughter is imminent, use this pearl. Merely feed some of your reiatsu to it to activate it. As long as the pearl is whole it will act as an additional seal to make sure that her Sakura blood will stay sealed, even though her own seal might be removed. This will make it less likely for the battle to destroy everything around you."

Byakuya pockets the pearl. "If she goes to bankai, I will not be able to defeat her."

Gabriel sighs. "I know. Her bankai… Only my bankai can beat that." He holds a pause to think of options, figuring a few soon. "Byakuya, if she begins to go to bankai, you must destroy the pearl. It will take both of you to another time and place, in a room that is made of stone that dulls reiatsu. In the room there is an inscription. It will tell you how to defeat her as soon as both of you can no longer use reiatsu. When the battle is over, find a small stone under the inscription, this stone is different coloured than the others. Push it, it will activate the mechanism that will bring you back to the place you left."

Aurora blinks as she sees the two babies in the cradle. The new members of the family. She hadn't known her mother had been pregnant.

Thea smiles at the babies. "Meet your siblings. The girl was born first and was given name of Yukihime. The boy was given name Yorukôtaishi."

Aurora glances at her young sister, and can understand her name, 'Snow princess'. The baby has a bit of hair already, and it is snow white. From her Aurora's eyes goes to the black haired boy, named 'Night prince'. That name suits too.

From the twins she turns to look at her mother. "I thought you were not able to conceive anymore, not after me."

Thea smiles. "I was not supposed to, thus you can imagine how happy I was when I heard I was expecting once more. Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division said we might never find out why this happened."

Aurora glances at the babies again. They look so innocent, so adorable lying in there. Carefully she reaches out with her hand, and gently strokes the babies' faces. She makes a decision then and there. She will go back to the past, destroy the Shikon, and return here to be an older sister to these children.

Next morning finds Aurora at the Sakura garden, sitting by the pond. Her knees are bent in front of her, and her arms are wrapped around them. Her gaze is at the still surface of the pond.

She tries to remember the six months before her waking up in the past. Yet, she remembers nothing of the days. Instead, a face keeps popping into surface of her mind constantly. Naraku. She keeps pushing the face out of her mind, but to no avail. It keeps coming back, again and again.

She wonders why she can't stop thinking about the man. After all, he only wanted to use her, in order to make the Shikon whole again.

Suddenly Naraku's face is replaced by another, very similar. Kagewaki. His face from the time the soldiers had been harassing her and he had come to drive them away. And what followed after that.

Their first kiss.

Her first kiss.

She can feel heat rising to her cheeks and nearly curses. Why was she thinking of this now? Now that she was supposed to stay away from him, leave him behind so that they could one day defeat him.

Her thoughts are interrupted by her mother's voice. "Aurora, Byakuya is waiting for you. You were supposed to leave soon."

Aurora gets to her feet. "Mother, why is it, that even though Naraku only wished to use me, I still have feelings for him? I can not stop thinking about him. Why is this so?"

Thea smiles at her daughter. "You have fallen in love with him. You told yesterday that you chose to be with him even after you found out he only wanted to use you. Why that choice?"

Aurora sighs softly. "Because it was so comfortable to be with him. I felt nice, safe."

Thea lowers her hand to her daughter's shoulder. "You want to return to him, again."

Aurora only nods.

Thea pulls Aurora to her and embraces her. "Listen, we can't control who we fall in love with. So don't fight it. I know you want to be with him, but the circumstances are against you."

Young shinigami sighs against her mother. "What can I do?"

Thea kisses at the top of her daughter's head before responding. "Go to him, and find out what he truly feels for you. Then tell him your feelings. Tell him also that you can't choose between him and your friends. Tell him, next time you meet, it will be as enemies."

Aurora swallows hard. "I do not want him to be my enemy."

The older woman smiles. "Then tell him that. I am sure you know what to do what ever his response is. Follow your intuition. It will guide you."

Aurora thanks her mother with a smile, and leaves the embrace. Then they walk together to the front yard in where Byakuya is waiting for her so that they could return to the past.