2. Wake-up Call
Orihime was in her room, lying soundly asleep in her bed. Her dreams were filled with thoughts of her home, while she lay there blissfully unaware of Gin's footsteps growing louder as he headed towards her room. His footsteps were uneven as he came down the corridor, which could only mean that he was skipping happily and humming quietly to himself like a rather happy child. She did not hear him coming of course, because she was in the stage where her sleep was just beginning to deepen, and her mind was so distracted with the thoughts of the friends she'd been forced to leave behind.
She was thinking mostly about Ichigo, who she figured was probably stupid enough to come all this way and rescue her, only to die at the hands of her captor. She had hoped and prayed that he wouldn't do something so foolish, but she knew he had a stubborn nature, so all she could do was to keep her fingers crossed that the circumstances in both the living world and the Soul Society kept him as far away as possible from Las Noches. She loved him, and couldn't bear the thought of having him die because of her. After all, she wasn't worth such a thing, regardless of how much she desperately wanted her Prince Charming – Ichigo Kurosaki – to come and rescue her from the clutches of evil like in all of the fairy tales she'd heard from her brother when she was a child. She knew real life wasn't like that, but still, some small part of her did secretly hope that one day she would find her true love and her Prince Charming would come and sweep her off her feet and smite the Evil One holding her prisoner.
She sighed as she lay in her bed. "Stupid Orihime," she whispered, quietly scolding herself. "There's no such things as fairy tales. And Ichigo isn't coming to save you. And if he does come then he's just going to get himself killed by Aizen. Stop thinking such silly nonsense."
She sighed again and crawled further underneath the bedcovers. She knew that being here was to keep her friends and Ichigo out of danger, but still, she was a little disheartened at being all alone in this big empty place. She just wanted someone to at least talk to so the days weren't so monotonous. And she didn't have to spend days on end with only her own thoughts for company.
She tried to close her eyes again, but she had barely done so when a rather loud knock sounded on her door, making her almost jump out of her own skin.
She gasped and his herself further under her duvet, hoping her ears were deceiving her and that it was just her imagination. But the knock sounded again and Orihime thought she had better answer it, because if it were Ulquiorra then she would be in trouble.
"Come- come in…" she called out to the visitor, as she poked her head out from her hiding place underneath her duvet, clutching it with her hands as the door flung open to reveal a rather happy looking Gin.
"Orihime-chan!" he cooed, grinning from ear to ear as she swallowed hard and tried to hide back under the duvet again. While Gin just continued as nonchalant as possible.
"Aizen-sama wants to see you" Gin sang, too happily for such a late hour, "come on, ya better get goin', ya don' wanna be late now."
Gin quickly turned the light on and Orihime was forced to stir, because of the blinding light shining right in her eyes.
"Come on Orihime, get up!" he called out happily, while Orihime tried to shield herself from the intrusive light.
"Owie, my eyes…" she groaned, sitting up and covering her eyes from the light with her hands. "Do I have to see Aizen-sama so late?"
"Yes." Gin replied, "Now hurry up and get yerself dressed, ya can't go see Aizen in yer nightdress. Although somehow I don't think he would object to that…"
Orihime squeaked nervously, but nonetheless, she did as commanded and got up, pulling on one of her more flattering dresses from her wardrobe to put on. Unlike the outfit which she was forced to wear during the daytime, an outfit which didn't do much for her figure in the slightest. And in her opinion just looked hideous.
"Okay then. Umm, Ichimaru-sama, do you mind waiting outside while I get dressed?"
Gin looked up, suddenly realising where he was.
"Oh, yeah… I'll just wait outside fer ya to come out." He said, his smile creeping back across his face again as he opened the door to leave the room again, only to find that he had let in the little white fox that had been waiting outside for him. Gin wasn't very pleased though when it ran inside and jumped up at Orihime. Although Orihime just thought it was quite cute that a little fox had followed him here.
But Gin just folded his arms and looked down at the disobedient little creature.
"Cherry-chan," he said, scolding her. "I thought I told you to stay asleep."
Orihime just laughed, and picked up the little fox in her arms. It was a little vixen, with the softest white fur all over, and the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen. The animal had quite long legs too, and a long bushy tail that wagged from side to side in her excitement. And she had a big pink tongue which she promptly licked Orihime's face with, making her giggle.
"Aww, I think she's cute!" Orihime laughed, hugging the little fox to her, while the little Cherry squeaked happily in her arms.
"Yeh, well she may be cute bu' she's a real handful," Gin continued, stepping over towards her and scratching the vixen's chin, smiling warmly at her. "aint ya missy? Yer a handful, ne, aren't ya Cherry-chan?"
The fox squeaked happily again at the touch of her master and wagged her tail in excitement as Gin lifted her up and into his arms instead.
"Cherry-chan?" Orihime asked, looking at the adorable little thing Gin was holding. "that's a really cute name. Did she have that name when you found her?"
"Well, no." Gin answered her. "I found her as a baby and I named her Cherry. I really thought she were gonna die she were so weak… but I got her the medicine and I raised her from when she were tiny. I tell ya, she woulda fit in the palm of yer hand, she was so teensy."
"Wow… so you found her as a baby?"
"Yep." Gin grinned, his fingertips playing with the little tuft of white fur on top of the little vixen's head.
"Lil' troublemaker she is." Gin smiled again, looking up at Orihime. "Always getting' herself into some troubles… Anyway, I better let ya get dressed. I'll wait fer ya outside. Don' take too long now, Aizen-sama's waiting for you."
"Ye-yes Ichimaru-sama." She said meekly, bowing her head slightly out of respect.
And with that he left the room, closing the door behind him so that she could put on her dress in peace. And also make herself look presentable for her little visit with Aizen-sama. Still with the little white fox in his arms as he shut the door, exited, and leaned against the wall as he stood waiting for her.
Orihime just sighed. Wondering which one of her bland and boring dresses she had been provided with would be best suitable.
