Author's Note: Hi guys, sorry it's been a while! Life has been pretty hectic and I've been working on this chapter for months. I'm so disappointed in myself. However, I hope to continue to keep the spirit alive. Not only will there be an update today, but another one as well for this Sunday (11/25). The reason being because I feel I've been neglecting the Ichihime in this story. I promise you next chapter you will get it. I had to introduce a whole slew of characters this time. Thank you for everyone who commented previously. Like always...please read, review - and most importantly - enjoy!

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owner. Bleach is Tite Kubo's, I shall never own it no matter how badly I want to.

Chapter 5 - Eyes Open, Heart Closed

Over the course of the past two days, the Inoue palace had been transformed into a place Orihime never thought imaginable. It went from being a dull-colored prison to a vibrant bash in a matter of hours once the interior designers Rangiku arranged worked their own little magic. Streamers adorned every balcony and chandelier. The dining hall had been removed of its chairs, with only the grand mahoganey table occupied with all assortments of food. Matsumoto temporally gave it a new name for the time being - the mess hall.

The birthday cake for Sora was just as ravishing as the set-up for the party. It was four-tiered and had been filled with strawberry custard in its middle. In addition, vanilla frosting coated the exterior. On each little cake, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and cherries were all perfectly positioned on the surface. As for the music, the orchestra was to be directly seated on each side of the ballroom's centered staircase where Orihime would be making her entrance, cornered away from the dance floor.

All that remained was the Princess' garments for the special occasion. The night she had returned from the village, Rangiku didn't waste a breath rushing her niece into a dress fitting. Ishida was not fond of the idea per usual. He insisted throughout Orihime's wardrobe changes that for the sake of her health, she should get some food into her stomach before she over-exhausted herself. During the breaks, Sado would deliver the Majesty's favorite dishes and quietly exit the room before thanks were given. The seventeen-year-old was very grateful to him and Ishida for their caring gestures. Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same regarding her aunt, even though she knew should feel appreciative towards her. However, since her talk with Rangiku previously, her heart felt uncertain of where her only family belonged. She couldn't discuss her feelings with Tatsuki or Rukia. They'd only say something negative towards her aunt and reassure she was just being paranoid. Although, caught up in deep concentration, her uneasiness about the evening showed well on her face.

Her caretaker was the first to mention her expression, "Inoue-sama, relax a little. If you keep frowning, you're going to get wrinkles!"

Orihime shortly locked gazes with Rukia as she held onto her for balance. Tatsuki was working diligently behind her. They had just slipped the Princess' dress over her head, now leaving the tricky part to the maid. The corset needed to be tied accordingly. Without even a warning, Tatsuki grabbed the ribbons with sheer force and tugged Orihime backwards. Rukia grabbed her by the wrists before any damage could be done and within seconds, the breast support had been stitched into a pretty bow.

"What's next?" Princess Inoue inquired with beads of sweat.

The petite woman gently pushed Orihime in the direction of the vanity and gestured for her to take a seat. Obeying with slight apprehension, she assembled herself comfortably into the cushion. A mirror that was held up by a stand on the counter reflected the image of the Princess. Her make-up had not yet been put on and her gorgeous caramel hair sat dully at her chest. Much still remained and time was ticking away with great speed. Rukia and Tatsuki approached Orihime in the chair with utensils the Princess had never quite seen before.

However, before the full alteration could be completed, a light rap came from the door.

"Come in," the Highness called. In the mirror, Orihime watched as her aunt came rushing into her bedroom in full attire.

"Ooooohh, just look at you!" Rangiku cooed as she ran up to clutch her niece's shoulders, "No one is going to steal your spotlight tonight. Are you excited?"

The Princess simply nodded, although feeling the need to say something that was on her mind. The words were at the tip of her tongue and she choked on them.

Rangiku flashed a wide smile in the reflection and then released Orihime, "You better hurry girls, the guests are already starting to show up. We've got twenty minutes until my perfect niece has to make her entrée."

Tatsuki rolled her eyes while at the same time attempting to keep her mouth shut. The night belonged to her best friend and she wasn't going to ruin it all because some busty snob was edging her temper on. The curvy blonde-haired woman started to make her way back over to the door as she swayed her dress from side to side. "No doubt, people will be staring at her all evening long," Arisawa grumbled in her head.

"Auntie," Orihime called quickly before she could leave.

Matsumoto poked her head back inside, "What is it, dear?"

"Will I get to meet your husband?" the teenager curiously asked.

A playful smile warmed onto the lips of Rangiku as she chirped, "Of course, as well as many other spectacular men."

He really couldn't believe they were going through with his father's ridiculous idea from days ago. Yes, Ichigo had agreed to attend the Masquerade Ball. Not only, he had also gone to retrieve the items necessary to make the night complete without prejudice. He had truly thought Isshin Kurosaki was making fun at his child's expense.

However, when the night of the event-in-question rolled around, someone had knocked on the door of the cottage. Thinking it was Renji, Ichigo was the first to answer the door. Much to his dismay, an unknown man dressed in fancy cloth from head to toe stood outside with a nearby carriage.

Without taking his eyes of the stranger, Ichigo called his father from the other room.

"What's wrong, Ichigo?" the doctor asked as he approached behind his teenage son.

"Who's this?" he pointed with aggravation.

Isshin glanced at his pocket watch, which was hidden underneath his jacket. Ichigo's eyes never wavered from his father's face. Once Mr. Kurosaki noticed the time, he immediately pushed Ichigo away from the door.

"D-dad, what are you doing?" Ichigo questioned. His father's brute force left him slightly flustered.

Isshin huskily laughed as he slapped a hand on Ichigo's back, "Son, don't tell me you forgot?"

Before the teenager could retaliate, his young sister Yuzu walked into the room, holding what appeared to be a sleek outfit.

A smile broadened onto her small face when she saw him, "Ichi-nii! Come quickly, you have to get ready."

It was at that point when he had decided to give up on his questions - he'd only make himself look stupid. Now, the missing puzzle pieces had fallen into place. The carriage...the clothes...how could he have not forgotten? The dreaded day had approached quicker than he had expected. He'd rather just fake an illness instead of attending the Masquerade Ball with Renji and his father. Even with such a thought, the solution to his problem wouldn't quite work to his advantage. Yuzu - who always concerned about health - would probably force him to lie down in bed for the rest of the night and feed him disgusting herbs for the sickness he had claimed to have catch. Ichigo was much better off tagging along for the birthday celebration than he was staying at home.

After being shoved into the washroom by his sister, Ichigo slowly but surely slipped into his midnight blue tuxedo Yuzu had personally handcrafted. During the meantime, Renji had arrived in his outfit. His clothes were a little beaten up from age (most likely belonging to his abusive father), yet it still looked useable for one night of festivities. Amongst the sudden madness, Isshin walked into the kitchen - joining Ichigo and Renji - in his own tuxedo. It didn't vary much from Ichigo's, besides for the collar, but at least they weren't looking out of place.

Once all was settled, the three men progressed out of the Kurosaki cottage with the carriage rider on their heels. He opened the door for them in silence, then waited for the last of them to step into the coach. When they were left alone, Ichigo's eyes adverted over to his father who was sitting across from him.

"Don't you think this whole thing is a little suspicious? Who's crazy enough to literally invite everyone in the entire kingdom?" Ichigo remarked. The young man still couldn't wrap his mind around the inkling. He stressed the word 'everyone' because of who had accepted the invite for attending the ball. It wouldn't be just the hierarchies present, peasants of every nature would be in tow.

Isshin leaned forward to hand his son his mask and flower for the evening before replying to his concern. The eldest child of the Kurosaki clan may try to play his worry on the down low, but there was no mistaking that he wanted to hear his father's input.

"If you're asking me if I think the entire idea sounds ludicrous, I'd by lying if I didn't say yes," Isshin mused, "Yet regardless of what I think, who cares? I'm positive there's nothing to worry about, son. Let's enjoy ourselves. It's not every night we get to live like this."

Renji chimed in with his two cents, knocking shoulders with his best friend, "You tell him Mr. K!"

Ichigo could have punched the both of them.

The doors to the grand ballroom swung open as the guests down below mingled with a mixture of delight and bewilderment. The three men who had come from the village weren't participating in much of the socializing. They were standing off by the side, not wanting to attract attention to themselves.

All of a sudden, a strikingly strawberry blond woman made an entrance at the top of the staircase. When she appeared, the room fell deathly silent. Ichigo didn't recognize her, yet again, he probably shouldn't have because of the gold and feathered mask she was carrying on her face.

"Ladies and gentlemen of all kinds and ages, welcome to the celebration of Prince Sora's life - past and present!" the woman transmitted loudly, "It is with my great pleasure to introduce my niece officially to the entire kingdom. If you would please wait a few more minutes, we can finally get this party started!"

Ichigo's eyes followed the big-breasted individual as she made her exit through the same doors she entered from the start. He also wanted to keep his focus directly off the dance floor. He could feel the public staring at him through their eye slits as they conversed about his unnatural hair color. He really wished he could tell them off. Who were they to judge him? Ichigo was already in a grumpy mood, and compared to before, he was definitely feeling out of his comfort zone. "I just want to get this over with", he said in the back of his mind. He looked over at Renji standing next to him, tapping his foot away to the classical music that had begun to play after the woman's departure. There was a slight thought that maybe his redheaded friend had taken a shot of whiskey before he arrived at his house late afternoon.

At that point in time, from the corner of his vision, Ichigo noticed his father's expression suddenly turn tense. His son quickly glanced around, hoping to catch sight of the same thing that had the doctor in a frozen state. However, the source of Isshin's discomfort could not be seen.

"Kurosaki-san!" a voice from far away called cheerfully, "I didn't think I'd run into you here of all places!"

The party didn't stop for the people on the dance floor. They could care less as to who had shouted at Ichigo's father, acting as if he knew him. The teenager narrowed his vision. He still was unable to see the person who had called across the ballroom. Although, at last, a man in a flashy green suit and glitzy mask poked his head up through the crowd of guests. His hand made a small wave and he continued to suspend it in the air as he maneuvered the dancing bodies that constantly stepped in his path. Ichigo kept his eye on him until the unknown man arrived at his desired destination in front of his father.

Unbeknownst to Isshin's eldest offspring, a woman had been standing next to the senseless stranger. Her arm was linked within his own and she didn't seem to dislike it. Ichigo couldn't see her eyes from the mask she was wearing, but her beautiful caramel-toned skin was on full display in the tight dress she was adorning. He had never seen such a color on a human being before. "Maybe she's not Japanese", Ichigo remarked quietly.

The monarch of the Kurosaki clan stepped away from his son and politely greeted the man who claimed to know him. The only problem was that Isshin did personally know the odd character, having had worked together on a special medical case nine years ago. Isshin could have recognized Urahara Kisuke from a mile a way. His unique fashion sense always seemed to catch the attention of others and the gala was no exception.

"Hello, Kisuke-san," Isshin maintained a calm expression. The dirty blonde stuck out his free hand and offered it to his fellow physician. The man took it and gave it a firm shake before releasing his hold on Urahara.

"Long time, no see, huh?" the flamboyant gentleman teased loudly. Ichigo studied him cautiously as he and his father chatted up as if the past had never left them. However, while the two grown men exchanged pleasantries, the adolescent couldn't shake the feeling in his stomach that he might possibly be acquainted with the individual. A low cough escaped his lips, wanting his father to introduce him to the doctor.

Mr. Kurosaki had heard his son chime in, but he wasn't prepared to invite him into the conversation. He wanted to delay Ichigo's confrontation with the man at all costs. He didn't realize how much of an impact Urahara Kisuke had made in his life and largely, changed it.

"Well, well...Kurosaki-san," green eyes flickered over to the two still men standing away from the small reunion, "Who might these two be?"

Ichigo, having been equipped to introduce himself, moved in first with swift speed, "I'm Isshin Kurosaki's oldest child, Ichigo Kurosaki. It's nice to make your acquaintance, sir."

Urahara lips exposed pearly white teeth as they manifested into a grin, "Ah, are you sure this is the first time we've met? I'm quite positive-."

The bearded-man who had temporarily stayed quite, intervened and grabbed Renji by the arm from behind Ichigo's vision.

"Kisuke-san, this is Renji Abarai. I don't believe you've ever talked to him. He lives in our village," Isshin notably nudged the red-head's leg with his foot to stimulate dialect from him, "Quit being mute, you numskull," he inclined.

Renji bowed respectively and introduced himself to the couple standing in front of him. He didn't say much more due to his own fear of saying something that he'd regret to the noble man and woman.

Isshin's attention switched over to the soundless female still loyally attached to Urahara's side. Her height was equally matched with the man she had come with, and her abundant mauve shade hair spilled lazily over her shoulders.

"So, uh, Kisuke-san. Are you going to tell us who this lovely lady is or not?" the father of three happily pointed out, secretly hoping the man's suspicions would subside now.

Urahara threw back his head in laughter, "Oh, indeed! I'm so embarrassed. Gentlemen, this is my fiancée, Miss Yoruichi Shihoin."

The royal woman greeted the three men with a comfortable smile, "Don't ask me how we got together. This baka isn't worth all the trouble he creates!"

On that small note, the entire group let out roars of amusements. Urahara flushed a bright pink on his pale cheeks. Yoruichi always knew the right words to say.

However, the surrounding room grew quiet in the midst of the laughter. Ichigo found himself staring up at the balcony, identical like everyone else at the gala. The same woman from before had made her appearance once again.

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! I am proud to present to you, Orihime Inoue - the Princess of Karakura !"

Now, she was sincerely having deep regrets. How in the world did she believe that by agreeing to her aunt's proposal, she would hope to resolve the tension between royals and peasants? Despite having the birthday bash started without any complications, the mere thought of fights breaking out only intensified Orihime's nerves.

Once her family member announced her entrance, Orihime refused to move her feet. She couldn't go through with it. She couldn't put a brave face on for complete strangers who would probably say awful things about her once she turned her back. A tap was made on her exposed shoulder by a warm hand. The Princess glanced over, meeting gazes with Uryu. His plain, white mask covered his entire face, but even behind it, Orihime sensed that he smiled to reassure her.

Cautiously, the beautiful gem stepped up to the double doors as her butler followed behind her. She straightened out the garments one last time before finally feeling comfortable in her own skin.

"Are you ready, Your Highness?" Ishida's words were muffled behind his mask.

With slight uneasiness, Orihime nodded her head. It was her time to prove to people that she wasn't her parents, and while their past actions could never be erased from the minds of older generations, she would not be a replica of their cruelty. She was going to hold her head high and be strong for Sora. The celebration was for her brother who had sacrificed so much for her during his time on earth. She owed everything to him for raising her with unlimited affection and he deserved to be remembered in a good light.

Having tied her mask around the back of her head tightly, she gave the thin man beside her the signal to open the door. His hand reached out to the knob and rested it there for a brief second. Once he turned the handle, there no longer existed a boundary of protection for her. People would become fascinated with her the second they laid eyes on the beautiful girl. Two years Orihime had been advised never to encounter outsiders to ensure her safety. No one wanted a repetition of Sora's death to be brought upon the princess.

Now, she was at the mercy of her kingdom. She would ether be accepted or be made a mockery. Unfortunately, Princess Inoue was subjecting herself to the scrutinizing of both the royals and peasants - much gratitude towards Rangiku Matsumoto.

Slowly, Uryu twisted the knob of one of the doors, while another staff member opened the other. Together, the doors were pushed out towards the balcony, leaving Orihime standing in the hallway by herself. The golden light from the ballroom radiated onto the face of the hostess. Through the mask, the noble observed her aunt standing at the foot of the veranda. Her back was turned from the party. She offered a consoling hand to her niece and within the same action, a motherly smile widened onto her face.

"Take a deep breath, honey!" Rangiku whispered in her ear, "Everything's going to be just fine as long as you don't mess up!"

The control Orihime had over her heart rate was suddenly disregarded when she heard Matsumoto's not encouraging words. She wanted to turn around and look at Uryu, but it was too late. Everyone's eyes - even though they couldn't be seen from the balcony - were observing her with a fine toothcomb. Her aunt was correct, as long as she didn't make a fool of herself, the evening would start without any problems.

With heavy feet, the princess stepped up to the porcelain railing, overlooking the dance floor occupied with ogling guests. Her eyes surveyed the people who were dressed to the fullest - the nobles. There were many of them, spread throughout the other guests who were not as lavishly clothed as they were. The entire room seemed to be civilized, and this particular notion made Orihime troubled. Fights were bound to break out at any given moment.

For a few moments, the room was stony mute. For the princess, the silence was even more intimidating than the people staring at her were. "Are they hoping for me to say something? I've never made a public speech before! I don't know what to do," she nervously asserted inside her mind.

Having felt the pressure on her shoulders more than anything else has in the world at that moment, Orihime's lips began to move on their own. She would conduct a speech under the criticizing microscope, and it could ether sound elegant or completely ungraceful.

"H-hello everyone, welcome to the Inoue Palace! I'm so happy to have everyone attend Prince Sora's birthday extravaganza tonight. I hope we can all enjoy each other's company without any difficulty. It is a night of remembrance for my brother and I would appreciate it if we could all put our differences aside just for one evening. Thank you, very much."

For a short second, a collective pause swirled in the air. Orihime was breaking out into a cold sweat at the thought of them not accepting her. She wanted to make the best impression to them despite their previous opinion. She needed to change their minds about her.

However, slowly but surely, the sound of clapping from beneath the balcony grew rampant around the room. Elation filled Orihime's body from her head to her toes. The kingdom accepted her as their princess! Why had she'd been ready to faint the second everyone broke out into a fight? Orihime didn't give her people much hope and she was uneasy as to their reactions regarding her as their future queen.

Unexpectedly, a warm arm was wrapped around her shoulders which pulled the princess into a tight embrace. Rangiku was flying high on excitement that the party guests were ready to begin the Masquerade Ball. The outcome could not have been any better!

"Let's start this thing shall we?" Matsumoto shouted at the top of her lungs. A round of rejoice rung in Orihime's ears.

In the midst of a smile breaking out, Orihime silently called to her brother, "Are you watching Sora? This is all for you."

A huge weight had been lifted off Tatsuki, Rukia, and Uryu's shoulders. The party was in full motion and nothing was getting in the way of a good time. Tatsuki was uncomfortably dressed in a maid outfit, serving as tray of appetizers to the guests. As much as she hated serving the wealthy crowd, she knew Orihime would have been saddened in her if she had caused a scene. So far, no one had crossed the boundary between upper class and lower class. It would need to stay that way unless someone wanted to see Tatsuki's fist in their face.

Uryu had traveled down to the dance floor and stood next to Rukia as her lavender eyes scanned the area around Orihime. Her attention could never leave the Princess, not for one second. Rukia couldn't take the risk of trusting Rangiku to care for her dearly cherished friend.

The mischievous woman appeared to be keeping her distance from her niece. Even with her gleamed mask, Rukia could tell Matsumoto was the one wearing it. She had seen her earlier in the evening, and besides, her over-sized chest seemed ready to pop out of her garnet sooner than later. However, Kuchiki wasn't complaining all too much about the newly wed. She was mingling with the other guests and kept the atmosphere lifted.

About a half-hour into the festivities, Tatsuki took a break and joined Rukia and Uryu by the buffet. She re-filled her plates for the guests and then started to converse with Orihime's caretaker. As she faced the dance floor, Arisawa's attention passed onto Rangiku. She had grabbed Orihime and dragged her over to two men who were idly chatting in chairs. When the princess arrived, the strangers stood up and greeted the seventeen-year-old with a ninety-degree bow.

"Who are those guys?" Tatsuki hissed loudly.

Ishida followed Tatsuki's direction and audibly sighed. He was aware of the identity of who one of the men were, but the other...he seemed unfamiliar to the butler.

The Princess' trustworthy companion lifted his hand and wiggled a finger at Tatsuki to come closer. She did as told and leaned into Ishida with slight nervousness. Was he going to tell her something horrible about the strangers? If that were the case, she'd have to immediately forget her duties as a maid and switch into friend mode for Orihime's sake.

Ishida's hot breath filled Arisawa's ear as he cupped a hand around to speak, "The gentleman with the silver hair is Matsumoto-sama's husband, Gin Ichimaru - son of Hisao Ichimaru. In the past, Hisao-sama was the head of Japan's military force. The other man with the glasses is not someone I know, however. He's a new face."

After revealing the information to her, Tatsuki began to derive a conclusion. She had seen Rangiku get rather affectionate with the charming character twice during the night and had found it rather suspicious.

Once she pulled away from the butler, Tatsuki turned her back on him. For the time being, she was interested in speaking with Rukia for a little while longer before heading back onto the dance floor. When the spunky teenager started to comment of the mysterious man that stood alongside Gin Ichimaru, she was surprised to find the caretaker in a state of pure shock. The petite woman was no longer gazing in her previous direction, but instead had taken a certain fascination by the entryway of the ballroom. It also seemed the rest of the party became intrigued for the same reason.

Tatsuki began to sway her body on her feet to get a better view from where she was standing opposed to the front entrance that was in the distance.

"Kuchiki, what is it? Who do you see?" she inquired for she still couldn't see the reason for all the excitement.

However, her question wouldn't have to be answered. Without any signal, the guests had parted and cleared a pathway for the significant individual. Who exactly was this man and why did he have Rukia so startled?

At last, though, Tatsuki saw him. He was a tall man with a pale complexion, the same to Rukia and even Uryu. He had long, raven hair that hung below his shoulders. The bangs he had were pushed to the side and he had three brackets clipped to the side of his head.

As Tatsuki started to open her mouth to question once again Orihime's caretaker, she was silenced by the single word Rukia had slipped out underneath her breath.

"Nii-sama...!"

Part 2 of the Masquerade Ball coming Sunday! Hang in there!