Y/N: I got to write Koushiro's part of this chapter, and I had fun doing it. What else can possibly go wrong during this wedding? Who knows—except, you know, Urazamay and myself—? This is the ceremony in any case. So enjoy! :)
U/N: I hate Izzy... And more than that, i hate Koumi. So... yep...
Title: Here Comes the Bride?
By: Yukira and Urazamay King
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or its characters.
Part 4: Hold Your Peace
Koushiro:
"Okay," Hikari said. "Someone should check that my guests are all still down there."
"I'm up here," Kurayami reasoned in a teasing voice. "There was no one down there to scare them away."
"Uh huh?" Hikari said, pursing her lips. "Where's Kiyoko?"
"Come on, he's not that scary." Koushiro reasoned, "I'm sure everyone's still there."
"Even Mr Kikuchi?" Hikari asked.
"He's alive and kicking," Jou reassured her.
"I keep waiting for something to go wrong," Hikari said. "Something else I mean, besides forgetting the blue. It doesn't seem fair for my wedding to go by without problems when Miyako's was nearly ruined so often."
"We were able to fix the problems though," Miyako told her. "You got my guests back, and I found a new officiate."
"Besides," Emiko said. "Maybe auntie took all the bad luck and left you all the good luck."
"What a nice thing to do," I teased Miyako.
"I'm not the one with the solution in his back pocket," she told me.
"What can I say," I said. "It's my job to fix problems."
"I don't get it," Emiko whined.
"That's because he's embarrassed by the story," Sora said. "So he doesn't want to share."
"That's not a good reason," Emiko decided. "You have'ta tell me now."
"It's almost time for the wedding to start," I protested. "I have to get these shoes to Mimi. She's going to start crying on random guests soon."
"She's not that hormonal," Sora told me with a smirk. "Now tell the flower girl the story."
I sighed, which Emiko took as a yes. She cheered and clambered into Jou's lap, ready for the next bit of her aunt's wedding tale.
Mimi and I were waiting in the pews for the wedding to begin. It was taking longer than expected, but the two of us figured that was because Kurayami sent all the guests packing.
"Why can't the stupid wedding just start?" Mimi complained with a pout.
"It isn't stupid," I told her. "You know it isn't stupid."
"But I'm not in it. Why didn't she want me to be in it?" she asked me, sounding terribly sad. I knew she was playing it up though. She'd been doing the same thing since Miyako and Ken announced their upcoming nuptials.
"They needed everything to be small," I reminded her. "You would've wanted something huge, and would've saved for ages to pay for it all, but Miyako and Ken wanted to do this now, and they don't have a lot of money. They need it to rent their small apartment."
"I know," she sighed. "It's going to be so romantic for them. I just wish I was a part of that."
"You helped Miyako come to terms with herself years ago," I suggested. "Without you they might not even be getting married."
"Yeah," Mimi huffed. "And she didn't even ask me to be a part of the wedding."
I sighed. I wasn't getting anywhere with this.
"Psst!"
"What was that?" Mimi asked. "It better not have been Miyako's annoying sister. I do not want to go to a baby shower instead of this wedding."
"Psst! Is Ken in here?"
It was Miyako. The only problem was that I couldn't find her.
"Where are you?" Mimi asked.
"Behind the pew," she whispered. "I need to talk to you. Can you come upstairs?"
"Sure," Mimi asked sounding as if Christmas had come early. I shook my head at her enthusiasm. She wasn't going to be asked to join the wedding. It just wasn't logical. She clearly just needed us to help solve some sort of problem. In any case, she grabbed my hand and started dragging me after the undercover bride.
"What seems to be the problem?" I asked Miyako when she pulled us into her dressing room.
"Kurayami killed Mr Watanabe," she cried out. "I can't get married today. We don't have anyone that can marry us. Why is everything going wrong? Do people really think getting married so young is that bad? They all left when Kurayami told them to keep their thoughts to themselves. They don't want to be here I know they don't. God, what am I going to do? How do I get married without someone that can do the actual marrying?"
"I can call some people," Mimi said, temporarily forgetting her desire to be a part of the wedding. If there was no wedding, there'd be nothing to stew over.
"Who though?" Miyako called. "Mr Watanbe worked here, at this church. I know of a few others, but they've got different weddings to work at now, since we chose Watanabe over them."
"You should have chosen someone with a stronger heart," Mimi mused, wondering if Watanabe suffered a heart attack at the sight of Kurayami. Her dress was rather frightening that day.
"I should have chosen someone younger," Miyako sobbed. "Kurayami scared him out of a window! He's probably still out there. Oh God. Someone has to make sure he's still alive!"
"I'll go get him. I'll ask Kurayami where he fell, and he'll be fine. A fall out of a window builds character," Mimi said with false cheer.
"And I can help you with the officiate problem," I suggested. Mimi's head whipped around immediately. "You see, I happen to be trained for just this thing. While attempting to, er…further my knowledge, I happened upon a course one could take, and I'm now a certified officiate. Of course I've never been to a wedding as an officiate before, so it'll be new to me…"
"It's new to me too," Miyako said quickly. "I've never been married before, so we'll just play it by ear, okay?"
"Sounds good to me," I said with a grin.
"You're a saviour, did you know that," Miyako told me. She grabbed a thick book from the table beside the door. "Here's Watanabe's book. We're saying our own vows, so you won't have to worry about that. Just stand up there and show confidence, because I'm going to need to see someone being brave."
"Right," I said looking to Mimi who's glaring at me, absolutely furious. I chuckled as I left the room, leaving her to hunt down Kurayami. I actually won. I beat Mimi to the punch.
"Okay," Sora interrupted. "That's enough of that. You need to explain just what you won; otherwise none of your victory speech is going to make sense to anybody."
"I was kind of hoping for that to be the case," I admitted. "It wasn't anything to be proud of. It started because she felt neglected."
"Just explain it," Miyako said.
"No one is going to judge you," Hikari said kindly.
"I will," Kurayami said wryly.
I thought for a moment. The rest of the story would actually make more sense to them if I did explain it. I sighed. "Fine."
As it happens, I was thinking back to the moment that our challenge was issued as I found my way to the front of the church. A bunch of the guests were looking at me strangely—I was wearing a ridiculous suit that Mimi's picked out, that did not give off the aura of an officiate—but I was hearing Mimi's voice replay through my mind, all while wearing a victorious smile.
"I bet I could get into the wedding," she told me.
"Mimi, Miyako didn't ask you to be a part of it," I reminded her.
"But things happen," she insisted. "And I'm sure I'd be able to subtly hint to her about forgetting me."
"Did she really forget you?" I asked.
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "The only other people not involved at all are Yamato and you. They've even got Taichi driving their car away at the end so they can be like Cinderella and Prince Charming and kiss super romantically as they ride away with the words 'Just Married' on the back of the car. Painted, I might add, by Daisuke and Iori after Miyako begged them to help out."
"And we're not nearly as upset as you," I pointed out.
"Ha, so you are upset," Mimi shouted.
"I'm merely stating that I noticed our distinct lack of involvement," I told her.
"I could get into this wedding before you do," she said slyly.
"I'm not so sure about that," I said. "She could ask me to put together a slide-show or something and get Yamato to put music to it. But she's already got a caterer."
"Oh, so you aren't worried about me winning this little bet?"
"Is that what this is?" I asked.
"Yes it is," she said.
"And the winner, what do they get?"
"I'm sure we could work something out," she said, kissing me. "I'm so glad you could see things my way."
And through no meddling of my own, I managed to pull one over on her. Things were going swimmingly.
"You bet on my wedding!" Miyako interrupted.
"Yes, we did," I said, blushing severely. "You didn't think I'd just happened to be trained to officiate, did you? It was the only thing I did to make it seem like I was trying to win."
"I did, actually," Miyako said, following my lead and blushing herself.
"I didn't notice," Sora said. "That everyone except your three were a part of it."
"Everyone except Mimi," I corrected. "Since Yamato performed and I officiated."
"I excluded Mimi?" Miyako asked. "Is that why she didn't want me to be a part of yours at first?"
"She held a grudge," I said. "I convinced her otherwise though."
"As interesting as this is," Hikari said. "I'm not seeing anything here that's supposed to make me feel better. You've got me worried that I forgot to involve someone. Did I? I've got everyone right?"
"You've got everyone," Jou said. "And I mean everyone, even the children. You've got nothing to worry about."
"I'll be moving on then," I announced.
I'm not going to lie. I was horribly nervous. About a hundred strangers were staring at me, and I could see the looks of confusion on all of my friends' faces. Mimi glared at me some more when she'd come back inside, having called an ambulance for a very much alive, but broken, Mr Watanabe. He was very thankful for her help. But she was not thankful in the least for mine.
Ken was fidgeting beside me. He'd been pacing in his dressing room, and had decided to come in early, before he freaked out and shaved his hair off or something. I was glad of it, because I didn't know if we could handle any more issues. We'd already had an almost death, a few 'missing' guests and that debacle with the music. Daisuke and Iori were standing by his side, with Stingmon behind them.
As it was, Yamato and The Teenage Wolves were setting up their equipment in the corner.
The front door opened, and Hikari stuck her head in. She looked to Yamato who gave her the thumbs up sign, and she nodded at him. I picked up Mr Watanabe's book. It was time to start.
Yamato started to play a predominately rock version of Mendelssohn's Wedding March, as Hikari started walking through the door. Her soft magenta dress suited her a bit better than it did Momoe, who walked in next. The colour was drowning out her complexion. I shook my head. I spent too much time with Mimi and Sora if I understood all of that. It would have been a beautiful moment, when Miyako started walking out the door, her hair done up in some fancy curled thing, and her dress flowing down, and the look of pure happiness on her face. But the music was a bit loud and overpowering.
"What about my music?" Hikari asked. "I never thought of that. What if they're too loud? They're going to play a song while we say our vows, what if you can't hear our vows? If you can't hear them, does it mean we're not married?"
"Hikari, you don't have a rock band playing at your wedding," Sora insisted. "You'll be fine."
"Even if we can't hear them doesn't mean they weren't said," Miyako added.
"So long as you sign on the dotted line afterwards, you're still married," Jou concluded.
"Okay," Hikari said. "I'm sorry. I'm freaking out so much…"
"It happens to the best of us," Kurayami promised.
I made it through the first half of the ceremony without any problems. I took that as a good sign. Maybe I was actually able to do this after all. I'd thought it was stupid of Miyako, trusting me to do this in front of loads of people I didn't know, but it wasn't so hard. It wasn't the same as giving a lecture, but it was something. I got to be the one that joined two of my friends in holy matrimony. It was a really good feeling.
"And now Ken and Miyako would like to share their vows, which they have written themselves," I announced to the guests—who weren't muttering about the wrongness of the wedding anymore, thankfully.
"Ken," Miyako started softly. "A lot of people don't understand why we're doing what we are. But I love you with all my heart and we've reached the point where we know we're going to be together forever. I'd like to start on that forever, with you, today, in front of all my family and friends. Because I'd like them to see how much you mean to me. How much we mean to each other. You make me smile without saying a word, you know exactly what to do to bring me out of a bad mood, and how to calm me down when I start panicking. A lot went wrong this morning, but being here, right here, with you made the stress and panicking worth it. You are my everything, and I'm glad I'm going to marry you today."
There was a polite scattering of applause, spurred by Kurayami, who the guests were too scared to defy at this point.
"And Ken?" I prompted.
"I was afraid of being myself, afraid of what I'd been, and too scared that I'd disappoint my parents because I wasn't enough like my brother. You made me realize that I couldn't be proud of anything I'd done if I couldn't like who I was inside. You did. And because you liked me, I was able to grow as a person, to be the man before you today, and I know, I justknow that I'm going to continue to grow by your side, as a person, and old. I know, a year ago, we hit a little snag, and I'm so glad that we've made it to this point, when I was so sure everything was going to crumble around us. You make me a better person, you make me love you and love myself. I don't know what I'd do without you. And I'm thrilled to be able to say that you chose me, to be with forever, and I plan of keeping that forever with you."
The applause this time started before Kurayami could glare at them. It seemed they learned their lesson. Either that, or Ken's family wasn't as against this marriage as Miyako's was.
"Do you, Ken Ken'ichi Ichijouji," I stumbled over the tongue twister his mother bestowed upon him. Yes that is his name. "Take Miyako Anzu Inoue to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold as long as you both shall live?" I asked Ken solemnly.
"I do," he said firmly.
"And do you, Miyako Anzu Inoue take Ken Ken'ichi Ichijouji to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold as long as you both shall live?" I asked after turning to Miyako.
"I do," she said softly. She cleared her throat and spoke in a loud clear voice, "I do."
"Now tradition states I must ask you now if any know of a reason that they could not wed. You must speak now, or forever hold your peace," I said, thinking how overrated this part of the wedding truly was. It wasn't like anyone ever did stop them these days.
But I'd thought too soon. Because someone did stand up.
"Okay," Miyako groaned. "You're just being mean now, drawing it out."
"I don't know why he is," Sora said rolling her eyes.
"We were all there," Jou added.
"You're ruining the suspense," I complained.
"The suspense was ruined when we all witnessed this nine years ago," Kurayami corrected.
"You're not any fun," I said.
"You're being silly," Emiko giggled.
"I know I am," I teased her.
"Get on with it," Hikari said softly. "I just know something like this will happen at mine."
"No it won't," Kurayami sighed. "Get it over with quick, before she can dwell on it."
It was Mimi.
"I object," she said looking me square in the eye.
Oh no, I thought. She can't really be doing this. Not for this reason.
"What do you object to, Mimi?" I asked, noting that both Miyako and Ken looked betrayed.
"I want to marry Miyako," she announced.
I'm fairly certain my jaw dropped for that one. Just like a cartoon. Ken shared the same fate. I could hear Miyako's sister—the annoying one, not Momoe—cackling with laughter out in the crowd.
"What do you say?" Mimi asked Miyako in a flirty voice.
"Really Mimi?" I asked. As her boyfriend, I had a lot of questions and concerns about her current behaviour. Did she really want to risk their union just because she wasn't a part of the wedding?
"Yes, really," she declared. Ken and I turned to the bride.
She was thinking about it. She paused to think about it.
"I was in shock," Miyako shouted, denying what I knew I saw. "I wasn't thinking about marrying Mimi."
"Uh, yeah, you were," Sora told her.
"It's true," Hikari said guiltily. "Sorry."
There she was, in a long, white gown, all dolled up, and she was thinking about running off with my girlfriend. I'd thought her idolization of Mimi was frightening, but I didn't think it ran that deep.
"We've established that I didn't think about it," Miyako said impatiently. "So you can skip this inner monologue."
She totally thought about it.
"Sorry Mimi," Miyako said after a few moments of hesitation. "I can't run off with you. I love Ken, and I'm going to marry him."
"That's cool," Mimi said with a dramatic sigh. "Just wanted to know what you'd say."
"Sure you did," I muttered. She'd tried to take the groom's spot in this wedding, just so that her place would be more important than my own.
"Koushiro," Ken whispered.
"Right," I said. "Does anyone with a legitimate reason have an issue with this union?"
This time I was met with silence.
"Okay, by the power vested in me," I declared. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Ken pulled Miyako into his arms with a large smile, and kissed her soundly in front of their guests. Our friends cheered wildly, making up for the nearly uncomfortable silence coming from those who didn't approve.
"If you could sign the registration," I urged them. They nodded, blissfully happy. They signed quickly, and with a flourish, Momoe and Daisuke signed much slower than they did, and I signed as well. I led them back to the centre.
"I present to you, Mr and Mrs Ichijouji," I announced.
Some guests clapped and Yamato and his band started up the music again. It drowned out all of the comments and cheering from their guests, but Miyako didn't seem to notice. She was too enamoured by her new husband, who was staring into her eyes, and escorting her down the aisle.
Next on Here Comes the Bride: Can Jou handle the reception? Or can something come and ruin even the simplest of dinners?
