A/N: This is the second (and last) act of Castanet! since the original play was split into two acts. Hope everyone is enjoying this story thus far. One thing I will point out is that I chose Marlin to be Jud because I like all the bachelors from Animal Parade and didn't have it in me to make any of them the creepy antigonist. That and Marlin gives me the creeps and he stole Celia from my character in HM DS. I'll never forgive him... Ok that's enough from me. Enjoy the end of Castanet!

ACT II

Dressed in a simple summer dress in a light violet, Hikari pulled on a headband and put on a little mascara and eyeliner. She never wore makeup, so Finn was surprised at her obvious attention to her appearance.

"Why the… frill?" Finn asked from a little coffee mug that Hikari had filled with hot water that he used as a hot tub.

Hikari pointedly ignored him and primped a little more. It was still morning, and the festival wasn't going to start soon, but it was better safe than sorry. She did her chores, feeding and watering and decided to put the finishing touches to her picnic basket, like adding two slices of coffee cake.

Finn smiled knowingly at the dessert, knowing who exactly it was made for. There was only one boy in town who basically lived off of coffee.

Around noon, Hikari began to feel nervous. She paced, drummed her fingers on the table, glanced out the window every five minutes. A part of her wanted Marlin to get sick, very very sick so she could not go with him. It had been planned perfectly; she would get notice of Marlin having an awful illness, and of course send her warmest regards and a basket of muffins. Then she would find the Wizard and tearfully confess her undying love, and he would confess his, and they would kiss passionately until it made everyone a bit uncomfortable, and then he would propose and of course she would say "YES"…

A sharp knock on the door broke Hikari's reverie. Marlin had arrived.

The fields looked beautiful in the already fading light of day, with the candles just starting to be lit. The flower boats were ready and the auction table was set up for the evening. Mayor Hamilton greeted everyone with a warm handshake, except Luna, whom he scowled at angrily.

Hikari arrived on Marlin's arm, looking simply beautiful in her dress and makeup. And Marlin beamed, looking happier than anyone had ever seen him. Hikari spotted Selena, dressed in a strapless orange sarong dress and looking, admittedly, hot. Any man would want her.

This beautiful girl was holding the arm of the Wizard. Dressed in a black button down shirt and khaki pants, along with his usual cloak and boots, the Wizard looked hot as the summer day. Hikari found herself blushing as he glanced at her from the corner of his yellow eye.

In the meantime, everyone crowded around the auction podium, eager for dinner with their dates. Mayor Hamilton waddled up the steps of the wooden platform and smiled.

"I'll now commence the auction! First up is Phoebe's basket! Any bidders?"

And so it went. Phoebe's basket was bought by Calvin, Owen bought Kathy's, and so on. When Luna's came up, Hikari suspected that it a fierce war would break out between the mayor's son and the brash carpenters apprentice.

Gill bid, but Luke did not. He bid on Selena of all people, who dropped the Wizard's arm and ran off to him without a second thought.

Then came my basket, one of the last ones up. Marlin raised his arm and bid before the mayor could even announce it.

"Twenty G!"

"Thirty G…!"

Heads turned to the source of the counter bid. Wizard, his face set with determination. Hikari's heart fluttered a little at the sight.

Marlin scowled, "Thirty-five G!"

"Forty…!"

"Forty-five!"

"Fifty…!"

"Sixty!" Marlin began to turn purple with anger. He shot a nasty look at the Wizard, like he was the very bane of his existence.

A flicker of panic crossed Wizard's face. Not that he hadn't prepared for this, he just hoped it wouldn't come to this.

"Seventy-five!" he bid. The crowd went silent.

"Seventy-five! Going once…twice…"

Marlin looked as if he wanted to say something. Wizard bit his lip.

"Sold!" Mayor Hamilton handed the basket to Wizard and began to start the next bid.

Out on one of the picnic blankets, Hikari sat on her knees under the cherry tree with Wizard right behind. He held the basket triumphantly, smiling at her.

"I…won."

Hikari giggled, "You sure did. How did you manage to outbid him so well?"

Wizard shrugged, "I… acquired extra money…"

"How?" Hikari shifted her legs to the side so they wouldn't go numb.

Again he hesitated, scratching the back of his head, "I sold…something…"

Hikari gasped, "You didn't! Wizard! You didn't have to…"

"I wanted to…had to…"

"What was it? Don't tell me it was your telescope!"

Wizard looked away. Hikari knew she was correct. "You're a wizard! Couldn't you have just magicked more money?"

He looked shocked now, "I'm not a…bad wizard… That sort of magic… black magic… is for warlocks and ghouls…"

Hikari flushed, embarrassed. She hadn't meant to offend him.

"I'm sorry…" He looked up at the sound of her apology.

"It's…ok…"

They ate dinner, sandwiches and egg salad, and ate the coffee cake. Hikari even packed a thermos of coffee for him, much to his delight. He was sitting with his legs crossed, eating coffee cake and drinking coffee, the very sight of a caffeine addict.

"I like…the taste of coffee…"

Hikari smiled at him. By now the sun was already under the horizon. In the gentle light of the lanterns, the Wizard's face was illuminated in a warm glow. He was staring at the sky, where the first of the stars were just becoming visible against the darkening sky.

"Wizard?" Hikari asked, leaning toward him. He looked away from the sky. Completely motivated by his attention, Hikari went on, "Would you ever tell me your real name?"

Wizard looked back to the sky, "Orion is clear tonight…"

Hikari leaned in more, "Is it something to do with space? Like Star or Nova?"

Again he tore his glance from the heavens. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he looked into her eyes intently, "A wizard… cannot reveal his name… Those who know… can control us…"

Hikari pursed her lips in annoyance, but the Wizard continued, "But… I'd like you to know my name… If you have feelings for me… I'd like to share it…"

He leaned in, hands still on her shoulders, still intent. Hikari opened her mouth to reply, to tell him how much that meant…

Marlin stood before the couple, blue eyes blazing with crazed anger. He held a familiar knife in his fist. Hikari's eyes widened. "Wizard, you have to leave! He's going to…"

"Dance time!" the mayor called to the couples on their blankets. Everyone started to gather in pairs to the clearing in front of the auction podium, ready. Hikari grabbed Wizard's hand and ran amidst the crowd, placing a hand on his shoulder, and holding the other hand. He put his arm awkwardly at her waist. The other couples were ready to dance, even Ruth and her useless husband, who always fought.

The mayor dropped the needle on the record player, and a slow dance began. Everyone began to dance slowly, their steps just right, in perfect time to the music like they had been born to dance. Hikari tried to keep up with the Wizard, who led her slowly through the exposition of the piece.

"How do you know how to dance?" she asked, incredulous.

Wizard cracked a smile, "I know this song… Waltz of the Flowers…"

Hikari followed the slow dance, keeping her feet in time to the music. Marlin was trying to fight through the crowds, but to no avail.

Meanwhile, Gill lead Luna in the dance, he was an expert, as was she. With all of the other couples preoccupied with their own dancing and love, he decided it was a good time. As the harp solo came to a close, he whispered, "Luna, will you marry me?"

Luna gasped, surprised, "Gill! I- I… Yes!"

The last few notes of the harp sounded, perfectly in time and beautiful, the rest of the instruments joined in, beginning the waltz.

"I love you, Luna"

The music picked up, faster with a more definite waltz meter, which the Wizard led Hikari in perfectly. One, two three, one two three…

"This dance is old…" he said, "One of the first ones I learned…"

Hikari tried to keep up as the Wizard twirled her around, her purple dress flaring in the breeze. The Wizard's cloak whirled with him, the two spinning together in the breeze. He helped her do a sort of jump and they switched directions.

Hikari began to get the rhythm down as the music hit a high point, with more sound building on. Their dancing synchronized beautifully, stepping to and fro, back and forth.

"You're a really great dancer." She said. Wizard smiled at her.

"You aren't too bad yourself…"

Around ten the Festival was over. The blankets were packed up and everyone went back home. Tonight had been so beautiful, with the stars and the fireflies lighting up the dark summer night.

"How was it?" Finn asked as Hikari entered her house. He had decided to visit the Goddess for some reason on this night, rather than bother Hikari.

"It was… amazing…" Hikari was in a trance. She hummed some of the music and twirled across the kitchen floor. Finn found himself pressed against Hikari's chest and twirled as she danced with him.

"Wow… Um… You must have had fun with Marlin then."

Hikari stopped, releasing Finn. He would have been dropped had he not been able to fly. The girl rushed over to the window, she could see a dark figure heading toward the door.

"Marlin!" she said, "No, not Marlin! Oh no, no, no!"

A crisp knock sounded. Hikari didn't want to open the door. She would never open…

The door swung open, revealing Marlin in all of his crazed glory. He shook his head in anger, approaching her with determination.

"Hello, Marlin." Hikari greeted him nervously. He looked unamused.

"Hikari." He grabbed her wrists, "I need you to tell me something."

She nodded, scared. His eyes seemed to pierce her, burn her.

"Do you love me?" he asked desperately, "Do you?"

She didn't answer right away. She knew the wrong answer was both yes and no. But there wasn't a choice to be made.

"No. I'm sorry, Marlin."

His eyes widened in hurt, then anger took over, "I see…" He held her wrists above her head and shoved her into the wall behind them. Her head crashed into the wood, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Listen here," he leaned against her struggling form, "I didn't think it would become this much of a problem…"

"Marlin! Let me go!" Hikari writhed against him, but he only smiled.

"I like when you do that."

Hikari stopped. She tried to think of a way to escape, but he spoke again, this time his tone had changed.

"I know we have our differences," he said, "but if I can't have you, nobody can."

Hikari narrowed her toffee brown eyes, "You wouldn't dare…"

"Oh I would." He replied dangerously, "I wouldn't mind killing you if I couldn't have you to myself."

Fear coursed through Hikari's body. The reality hit her over the head like she had been punched. She could die. Now.

"Now what was that about you promising to love me forever?" Marlin said with malice. Hikari looked up through her bangs.

"I was just saying how I'll never promise!" she kicked him in the shin, hard enough to make him let go. As soon as he did she ran.

"Get back here!" he called, "I'll get you!"

Hikari ran to Harmonica Town, to one person she knew would help.

Wizard was sitting at his desk, as per usual, reading a book. His intent was maybe that reading a book would help him with his confusing emotions. Feelings he never remembered feeling before rose within him, making his head spin. He loved his solitude, it was so easy to be alone, just to read and learn as he did with no other sort of distraction. But there was something…

For the first time in his life, he didn't like the solitude as much. It closed him in, and he felt lonely. For the first time, the solitary Wizard was lonely.

He decided to call the Witch on the crystal ball again, just for some guidance. She was so much better at this emotion stuff.

"Vi…" Wizard used her real name to call her, startling the Witch Princess. This also tipped her off that this was important business.

"What now?" she huffed, running a hand through her hair, "I'm busy."

"No… you aren't…" he pointed out, knowing because when he "called" her she was sitting at her table eating bon-bons. That pissed her off.

"What happened between you and Missy Mortal Pants? She rejected you already?"

Wizard felt a little offended that Witch would automatically think that he ruined a relationship. He wasn't that stupid when it came to people…

"No…" he scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "She hasn't been…able to yet…"

Witch cackled a very witchy cackle (appropriately) and smirked, "Still too shy? Oh, you are a scream!"

Wizard blushed a deep red against his tanned skin so that even that strange tattoo under his eye had a tinge of pink. He turned away and cancelled the calling spell and the laugher of the Witch dissipated.

Hikari approached the house at the edge of town quickly. She knocked frantically, surprised to see it opened by a very flushed Wizard, who was equally as surprised that Hikari had come to his home.

Hikari tried to catch her breath, "I need… to come in…"

Wizard led her inside without a word. She sat on his messily made bed, panting from her run. She glanced at the door as if it were about to come and eat her.

"What happened?" Wizard asked, sitting back at his desk. Hikari shivered.

"He… threatened me." She began to sob, "He s-said he would k-kill me if I d-don't promise to love him."

Wizard's eyes widened, he was not used to emotion like this. The only crying he had ever even dealt with was with Witch when a mortal man rejected her many years ago. And comforting her was not really something he had to do, he just sat and let her bawl until she fell asleep on his bed. However, Hikari was different. He wanted her to be happy, and he knew that comfort would just have to be something he worked on, for her sake.

"I don't like that…"

Hikari continued to cry. In an attempt to help, Wizard got up and sat on the bed next to her. He looked at her with a sad smile, in hopes that he could help.

She inched closer and leaned on him, burying her face in his shoulder, staining the Wizard's blue cloak with tears.

Wizard pulled her closer by wrapping his arm around her shoulders boldly. Immediately he wondered if he was going too far, but she reacted positively, clutching his arm as sobs racked her body.

A great thought came to the Wizard, he realized that Hikari had gone to him for guidance. She chose him as her first person to seek when she needed comfort, and she was willing to let her emotions out around him. And somehow, he was not afraid of emotion from her. He loved her for it, in fact.

"Hikari…" Wizard put his other arm around her and turned her to face him. She tried to hide her face, but the Wizard placed a hand on her reddened cheek, wiping away a tear with his thumb.

"I love you." He said, finally. The feeling of saying it to her felt so good, until he realized that she had not responded. A sinking feeling began to fill the Wizard with despair. Had he gone to fast? Had he intruded on a strict friend zone?

Hikari smiled from behind her tears, "I-I love you too, Wizard."

And Wizard leaned in to kiss her. Hikari's eyes widened a little at the uncharacteristic boldness on the Wizard's part, but she leaned into it, loving every second.

The normally full mind of the Wizard went utterly blank as the two kissed. Hikari had wrapped her arms around his neck, playing a little with his silver hair. When they broke the kiss after Goddess knows how long, both were beaming.

"I've realized something…" Wizard said, twisting the long braid he wore around his finger, "I never thought I would have love… I never had it at all… until I met you…"

Hikari blushed deeper than she ever had at his words. She never saw this side of Wizard, not until now.

Finn whizzed into the room, "Hikari I was looking everywhere… woah!"

The new couple was kissing quite happily when the little sprite decided it was a good time to intrude. Finn began spazzing out, eyes wide.

"Wha-? Ah-? Tha-? Eez-! No-? Urk-!"

"I don't speak that language…" Wizard remarked, breaking the kiss reluctantly and staring at a now completely crazed Finn.

"You can see me? How? I thought-!"

"I'm magical… remember?" Wizard said. Hikari giggled.

Finn stopped freaking out a little, "Oh… right…"

Wizard wrapped his arms around Hikari, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Summer and autumn slipped by since then. Prosperity had bloomed in Castanet, as well as love. Gill and Luna had married and moved in together. Selena found out she was pregnant with Luke's child, and the two were living peacefully in the Garmon Mine District. Everyone was so happy, but something was off. Still, nobody paid that any mind, the good times were too good to miss.

Wizard and Hikari were to be married soon, on Winter twenty-first, the longest night of the year, when the stars are at their most beautiful. Hikari found her little ranch home cluttered with girls as she got ready for her wedding, all of them helping her as she got ready. Selena was doing Hikari's makeup, as Kathy and Phoebe snooped.

"What's this?" Kathy held up a book with an eye on it, "It's written in gibberish."

"Magic book."

Phoebe looked at some of the gadgets that the Wizard had moved into Hikari's cozy little ranch home.

"He sure has a lot of notes on the stars." She remarked, "Where's his telescope? Did he not move it in?"

Hikari explained how the Wizard had sold it so he could beat Marlin in the auction. This of course made the entire room of girls sigh.

"That's so romantic!"

"I wish Gilly was that sweet!"

They chatted for a while until dusk, when the wedding was to begin.

Luna and Candace had made a beautiful dress for Hikari, made from white silk from Hikari's silk worms. Over the white was a dark midnight blue sheer fabric, so when Hikari moved her dress looked like the night sky. On her head was a white veil and she held a bouquet of purple irises.

Outside the church, the entire land of Castanet had gathered to see their marriage. The wedding was simple, just outside the church. Nothing too fancy. Hamilton was in the front of the crowd of people who shaped the aisle, sobbing into Gills shoulder loudly. Perry stood at the end with a nervous looking Wizard, who was wearing a dark blue tail-coat tuxedo with a black shirt and bow tie.

Even the Witch had come out of her home in the forest, she waved at the Wizard and gave him a thumbs up.

Hikari appeared at the end of the aisle, framed by the setting sun, her dress mimicking the darkening sky above. Wizard smiled at her as she made her way down the aisle of eager onlookers, holding out his hand to her. The music, Handel's Hornpipe, played triumphantly.

She took it in a white-gloved hand and stood beside him in front of Perry, who smiled at the couple.

"We are here today, to honor the eternal love of Wizard and Hikari. May we all wish them happiness for as long as they both shall live, and honor this important milestone in their relationship." He turned to the Wizard, "Do you promise to love Hikari always, in sickness and in health?"

The Wizard turned his head to smile at Hikari, "I do."

"Hikari?" Perry continued, closing his little book.

"I do." Hikari replied.

"You may now kiss the bride."

The Wizard leaned in to kiss her, hands holding hers. Their lips barely touched before someone broke through the crowd, stumbling their way onto the aisle.

"Now wait just a moment! That is my wife!"

The crowd gasped as he advanced forward, readying a knife. Hikari froze.

Before her was Marlin, whom everyone thought had left Castanet. He looked disheveled and messy, his work shirt stained, and his hair a big mess. The knife glinted in the fading light of dusk.

Hikari moved in front of Wizard protectively, knowing he was who Marlin wanted first, to get him out of the way.

"Stop it, dear." Marlin sneered, "And come to me. You know I am truly your husband."

Hikari shook her head defiantly, "Leave Marlin, you have no business here."

Marlin dropped his head, but began to laugh, low at first then growing louder and louder. He looked up at her from behind his hair.

"You know I can't do that. I've got business to take care of." he lunged forward at Hikari and the wizard, "I don't care if you get in my way or not."

Hikari kicked Marlin back with a heeled foot, causing the man to stumble back, his knife tearing a bit of Hikari's dress.

The mayor stepped up in front of Marlin, but was knocked aside. The blazing in Marlin's eyes terrified the townsfolk to speechlessness.

Again he lunged, but with more force. Wizard raised a hand, making a mirror, like barrier appear between them. Marlin saw this, but his momentum was too much; he couldn't stop.

The shield deflected him like rain on a tin roof, sending him reeling back. The impact made him fall, forward as the wind was knocked out of him. Arms held out in front of him to break his fall, he collapsed.

Right onto his knife.

The crowd shrieked in horror. On the beautiful Celesta Church grounds, blood had been shed. Marlin was pronounced dead by Jin and Anissa.

Wizard had watched this entire display in a mix of horror and relief, in spite of himself. He had seen many people die, but this was different.

Hikari turned to the Wizard, the initial trauma over after Marlin's body was taken away, "I guess we will never forget this wedding…"

Wizard smiled at her, "I never will forget this…"

He took her hands in his and kissed her.

After the wedding, the newlyweds returned to Hikari's home on Bassoon Ranch, ready for their first night as a couple. Wizard carried Hikari to the bed, setting her down with a soft kiss to the cheek.

Hikari looked up at him, "Now will you tell me your name?"

Wizard smiled, "You will be the only mortal to know… Use it well…"

Hikari nodded eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down on top of her.

"Call me Gale…"

And that's all everyone. Just something I put together. Don't forget to review if you want.