Disclaimer: I don't own bleach. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! So, can you give me a Christmas present ? *cough* review *cough*
Chapter 35: Every Story Ends With A Wedding (Or A Funeral, But That's Not Really Important Here, Is It?) Part 1
Rukia scratched her cheek in annoyance. "Fumiaki."
"Yes, Rukia-sama?" Fumiaki Daima, Rukia's kaizoe, asked.
"Why do just Ihave to arrive to the beauty shop 2 hours before the ceremony?" Rukia complained.
"Because it takes an extra hour to get you ready." Fumiaki explained. "Ichigo-sama shall arrive in an hour."
Ichigo-sama? Rukia had to resist the urge to snicker.
Rukia sighed, and sat down on the chair. She looked up at the beautician. "So, what are you going to do?"
"Kyaa!" cried the beautician. "I can't believe I'm getting to get Kuchiki Rukia ready for her wedding!"
Rukia sweat-dropped.
"I'm Takahashi Haruka!" grinned Haruka. "So, I'm going to dress you in a kimono, put on make-up, and a wig."
"I forgot that weddings were so troublesome." Rukia groaned. I wish Ichigo was here already...
"This is the kimono that you're going to wear." Haruka smiled. She held up a light green kimono covered in vines and purple flowers. The kimono underneath was a simple dark green.
"It's less extravagant than I thought." Rukia noted.
"Your older brother decided that it was unnecessary to have something so thick during the heat of summer." Haruka explained.
"Heat- this is Soul Society, you know. It doesn't get that hot." Rukia said.
"Well, that's what I heard." Haruka shrugged. "Anyhow, let's get you into your kimono. Which is why... Fumiaki, was it? Get out of here."
Fumiaki nodded slightly nervously, and left the room.
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Ichigo scratched his head. "So, Daima. Why do the guests have to get dressed, too?"
"Not all the guests. The nobles know perfectly well what to wear to the ceremony, so it's unnecessary." Fumiaki said. "And can you call me Fumiaki?"
Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"So, the guests you invited need to be told about how this ceremony works." Fumiaki explained.
"Still, this is a giant beauty parlor." Ichigo commented. "50 or so guests could fit with room to spare."
"That's the point." Fumiaki said. "Now, let's go in, Ichigo-sama."
Ichigo twitched. "I-ichigo-sama?"
"Yes."
"Please don't." Ichigo groaned and put his face in his hands. "Just... don't."
"Why?" Fumiaki looked at Ichigo in confusion."You're the soon-to-be husband of Rukia-sama, and related to the Soul Society King."
"Just don't... please." Ichigo groaned.
"If you say so, Ichigo-dono." Fumiaki shrugged.
"You're worse than the shinigami who call me Vice-Captain Kurosaki." retorted Ichigo.
"Now," Fumiaki said, ignoring Ichigo. "You're just going to be dressed in a kimono. No make-up or anything."
"Well, that's a relief." Ichigo scratched his head.
"Let's go." Fumiaki beckoned for Ichigo to follow him into a room.
A beautician looked at Ichigo quietly, and pointed to a kimono.
"Thanks!" Ichigo said picking it up and moved into a changeroom to change.
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Rukia sighed as she adjusted the headcovering she was wearing. "This is annoying." she sighed.
"Who are you?" Ichigo asked humorously.
"Shut up, you fool." Rukia glared at Ichigo.
"Sorry, I can't see your face through the head co-co-co-..." Ichigo broke down laughing.
"You're so... so..." Rukia scowled.
"Rukia-sama, Ichigo-dono..." Fumiaki started.
Ichigo-dono? I guess Ichigo tried to stop him saying Ichigo-sama. Rukia smiled a little.
"You'll be now separated for the family photo." Fumiaki explained. "Ichigo-dono, please go into the room on the right. Rukia-sama, please go into the room on the left."
Ichigo twitched. "Family... photo..."
"Well, good luck with Isshin-san!" Rukia grinned and patted Ichigo on his shoulder before going into the room on the left.
Ichigo scowled.
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The room on the left:
Rukia opened the door to the left and blinked. It appeared to be a normal japanese-style room.
"Nii-sama!" Rukia smiled. "Good morning!"
"Good morning, Rukia." Byakuya took a sip of tea. "Let us have this 'family photo'."
The photographer set up his camera and nodded. "I'm ready when you are!"
Rukia walked up to Byakuya and sat down next to him.
She smiled, although no one could see it through the head-covering.
"FLASH!"
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The room on the right:
Ichigo went into the room with a scowl on his face.
"I-chi-go!" Isshin jumped onto Ichigo.
Ichigo pushed Isshin and got up. "Stupid dad..."
"You're finally getting married!" cried Isshin. "Very late, but.."
"Should you say that?" Ichigo scowled. "When did you marry Mom?"
"That is..." Isshin laughed nervously. "Anyhow, Rukia-chan's really becoming my third daughter!"
Ichigo froze and glared at Isshin. "Don't tell me... all those jokes about Rukia being your third daughter... was to..."
Isshin backed away and laughed nervously again. "Still, let's take the photo already."
Ichigo scowled.
"You shouldn't scowl so much, Ichigo!" Isshin smiled. "It's your wedding day!"
"Shut up." Ichigo scowled, then turned to the photographer. "Let's take the photo already."
Isshin put his arm around Ichigo's and grinned. "Cheese!"
"FLASH!"
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Ichigo scratched his head and looked at the ground tiredly.
"So, how was the 'family photo'?" Rukia asked,
"Shut up." Ichigo scowled.
"Kurosaki-san!" Urahara walked up to Ichigo and Rukia. "So, you're finally getting married."
Yoruichi, in her black cat form walked out from in between Urahara's legs. "Yes. Although it was cute watching the two of you in denial."
Ichigo and Rukia turned red.
"Everyone, please listen!" Fumiaki cried.
The people who were in the waiting room looked up and quieted down.
"I'm going to explain what's going to happen in the ceremony." Fumiaki said.
Fumiaki had everyone's attention now.
"First, we are going to have a photo session, done by a professional photographer from the 12th division this time." Fumiaki explained. "That will take quite a while, so get yourselves ready."
There was some grumbling at that.
"Next, Ichigo-dono-"
Everyone laughed.
Fumiaki frowned. "Was something funny?"
"Anyhow, next, Ichigo-dono and Rukia-sama shall be officially married. I'll explain to Ichigo-dono and Rukia-sama what to do later in private, but all you guests have to do is to be quiet and watch." Fumiaki said.
"Finally, we shall have the reception, which will include many predetermined events that I don't feel like getting into now. Just stay quiet and take pictures when needed."
Everyone sweat-dropped.
"Now, we shall proceed to the photo studio." Fumiaki continued. "Everyone, please follow me."
Rukia nudged Ichigo. "Do I have to go out in these embarrassing clothes?"
"Yes." grinned Ichigo.
Rukia groaned.
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Fumiaki sighed as he looked at the crowd of guests which had doubled with the nobles who had come.
"Rukia-sama. Ichigo-dono." Fumiaki gestured to them. "Come over here. We're going to start the photo sessions."
Rukia sat next to Ichigo.
The photographer looked at the two of them. "Kuchiki-san, please move a little to the right... Yes, there! And Kurosaki-san, can you smile? Even if a scowl is more or less your trademark..."
That just made Ichigo scowl more.
Katsura and Shuu came up to the two of them.
"Hey, Ichigo!" Shuu grinned. "Who's that?"
"It's obviously Rukia-dono." Katsura rolled his eyes.
"Please stand behind them..." ordered the photographer. "Now, cheese!"
"FLASH"
"Next!" the photographer cried.
Shinji Hirako and the other Vizards came up. Shinji glared at Ichigo.
"Hey, why is it just us that got our invitations last week?" Shiniji complained. "And why do we have to come along with shinigami?"
"It was an invitation." Ichigo retorted. "You didn't have to come."
"Whatever. Although your inner hollow has more or less gone back into your zanpakutou," Shinji stated in a Osaka accent. "Technically, you could still use your mask if you really want to, so technically you're still a Vizard. So, technically, you're still a comrade."
"Do you think saying 'technically' makes you sound smarter, ya idiot?" Hiyori slapped Shinji with a sandal.
"Berry-tan, what's that?" Mashiro pointed at the camera.
"Haven't you seen one before?" Kensei said irritably before Ichigo could answer. "It's a camera. It takes photos."
"That's cool!" Mashiro grinned.
"Can you hurry up and get into position for the photo?" the photographer asked. "We're on a tight schedule."
The Vizards stood behind Ichigo and Rukia for the photo.
Ichigo looked at Rukia. "Do we have to go through another 50 or so photos like that?"
"Yes." Rukia grinned.
"Great." Ichigo sighed. "Just great."
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A few hours later:
Fumiaki clapped his hands. "Everyone! We have finished the photo session. We are now going to continue on to the Shinto shrine for the ceremony."
Everyone quieted down and followed Fumiaki.
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Rukia sat down in the waiting room next to Ichigo and adjusted her head covering. "It's been at least 6 hours already."
"Yeah." Ichigo scowled. "Well, after the ceremony, we have the reception. So, the wedding's probably going to continue for another 3 hours, at least."
Rukia sighed and looked at Ichigo. "Well, at least we're over halfway through."
Fumiaki looked at Rukia and Ichigo. "Listen, Ichigo-dono, Rukia-sama. In this ceremony, first of all, the Shinto priest will-"
"Wait a second." Ichigo frowned. "This is Soul Society. Why are there Shinto priests?"
"Weddings originally came from the Living World." Fumiaki explained. "Therefore, there's Shinto priests."
"Don't worry about the little things, Ichigo." Rukia suggested.
Ichigo scowled.
"The Shinto priest shall 'purify' you two." Fumiaki explained. "Then, you shall exchange cups of sake-"
Ichigo paled. "Sake?"
"Don't worry.. it's weak, unlike Matsumoto-san's." Rukia assured.
"Then, you shall exchange vows and rings." Fumiaki continued.
"I thought that this was supposed to be 'japanese' style?" Ichigo wondered.
"Yes, but there's a number of Western traditions which have found their way into the ceremony." Rukia said.
"Correct." Fumiaki said. "Although not everyone will be able to fit in the room, those who cannot go in will be able to see the ceremony on screens which will be set up outside."
Rukia and Ichigo nodded.
"Then, there will be a reception." Fumiaki continued. "During the reception, Rukia-sama , you will change clothes a number of times to make dramatic entrances."
"Very well." Rukia nodded.
"The nakado couple is sometimes difficult to find in Soul Society because there isn't that many couples." Fumiaki said. "But luckily, Captain Hitsugaya and Hinamori Momo were married last year, and you happen to be friends with them."
"Not that good of friends." Ichigo muttered.
"The nakado couple will appear with you in a couple of dramatic entrances." Fumiaki said.
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "What's the point of dramatic entrances, anyhow?"
"It's a big part of the ceremony, Ichigo." Rukia said.
"If you say so." Ichigo scowled. "So, when's the ceremony going to start?"
"15 minutes." Fumiaki answered. "So, get ready!"
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I didn't have much time to write today, because of Christmas and all that. So, the wedding's going to be a two-parter.