Chapter 25: Stone Kole's Wedding

Stone and Karen get hitched.

The morning came fast for the excited little fox and after he pulled on a pair of shorts and his favorite striped cotton Baja hoodie, Stone slipped out of the apartment and strolled down towards the shoreline. The familiar feeling of the sand under his paws and the soothing sounds of the surf crashing against the beach were as welcomed as an old friend. Fighting the urge to run back to his mother's apartment to grab his surfboard, the fox actually felt jealous as he watched while a few fellow surfers made their way to the beach and prepared to enter the water.

At first, the small surfer wanted his nuptials to be a simple affair, but like any celebrity's wedding, it seemed to take on a life of its own. His friend, the action movie star Rip Rock, planned to attend with his latest girlfriend, and having such a famous celebrity attending spread like wildfire. This led to the news of the surfer's wedding becoming more than just a story in the local newspaper as it spilled out onto the internet and then onto television talk shows like Zootopia's Entertainment Today. Soon there wasn't a channel that the fox could turn on that didn't show the infamous clip of the small surfer punching a reporter after they filmed him and Karen stark naked at his former camp in Seaside.

Being a beach wedding, at least things were going to be somewhat casual. Karen had shopped around and found a simple white dress which she kept hidden from her fiancé by leaving it with her mother. Several of the couples surfer's friends had been out at the crack of dawn and were working under the supervision of a huge hippo named Mister Mvubu, the muscular former professional wrestler made sure that they had raked the beach clean and laid out several dozen folding chairs for guests. An arbor had been constructed by using driftwood to make the supports and a pair of surfboards over the top. He saw that a couple of his boards were leaning against the arbor too. White silk lace and blue flowers had been woven into the structure to give it the right rustic, but festive appearance. In addition to this structure, a good many surfboards of various sizes had been propped up nearby in the sand to make an impromptu looking fence.

The day was sunny, with a light breeze coming in from the sea. It was a perfect day for a beach wedding.

Hours later Stone Kole impatiently stood there as Billy tried to straighten his bowtie and picked off a few strands of stray fur from his white blazer. The small wallaby was fussing over the fox's appearance much to the amusement of Stone's best friend Cooper. "I don't understand why I even have to wear this damned thing?" the little fox grumbled. "I'm not even wearing a dress shirt, all I've got on is my tropical vest which Mrs. Wilde made me for that celebrity charity event!"

"Because Karen wants you to bloody well wear it, mate!" Cooper laughed. "That jacket, a white bowtie, the vest, and a pair of white boardies. Thank the gods she didn't want you to wear a pair of old fashioned budgy smugglers, you'd look like a stripper."

"Your appearance is very…ah, surfer looking," Billy tusked as he got the tie straight and took a brush to the fox's bare chest fur. "Yes, you have rather a cute surfer look."

"Well, I hope your Sheila is at least wearing a bloody shirt!" the other wallaby laughed. "That would be a sight!"

"Cooper, everyone has just about seen us both without a stitch of clothing on already, thanks to that damn reporter!" Stone growled.

"They showed Beach Spyjinks on cable again last night," Billy commented as he began to brush Stone's tail. At first, the fox jumped in surprise when the hopper grabbed his tail. "Stand still!" the small wallaby admonished Stone as he brushed the fur. "I know how you foxes are about whom can groom their tails, but it is such a knotted mess and I am not going to let Karen be embarrassed by you looking like you've just dragged yourself over a sand dune or two."

Cooper was laughing as he watched his husband bushing the fox's tail. "You might as well just let him have his way Stoney," the wallaby chuckled. "When he gets in one of these moods, he's a regular drongo.

"I know what that means, honey," Billy snapped. "I am not a fool."

"No worries, love!" the other wallaby quickly answered. "I meant that only in a romantic manner."

"Sure you did," Billy sighed when he gave a pull on the brush as he tried to undo a knot on Stone's tail, causing the fox to give a yip. "Don't you ever groom this thing? That was a sandbur."

"I do have fur on my tail, unlike you two," Stone replied in a defensive tone. "I just don't spend hours grooming, that's why I have my fur clipped somewhat short."

"There, now you are presentable!" Billy sighed as he leaned back on his large hindpaws and admired his work. "So, where is the wedding ring?"

"Mom has it and she is only going to give it to Cooper before the ceremony," the fox answered. "She was afraid he'd lose it."

"Sensible," the wallaby said with a nod. "My husband is a bit of a drongo sometimes," he added with a grin.

"Hey!" Cooper objected. His attempt at any further objection was silenced by his husband's kiss.

"Now love, go get dressed," Billy laughed as he slapped the other wallaby on the tail.

Across town, Karen sat on the edge of her bed and stared at her wedding dress. "Why am I so nervous?" she asked her older sister Sheba and her mother. "I've been haunted by the dashing ghost of a pirate named Jack Sparrow, kitnapped by zombies, and fought a Voodoo Queen, so why does marrying Stone Kole make me nervous?"

"Bride's jitters," her mother chuckled. "This is a major change in your life, honey. You and Stone will be wife and husband, then you're adopting Anton and so soon you are going to be a family."

Karen gave a long sigh as she looked out of the window towards the sea beyond. "My life seemed so simpler not that long ago. Work and then the beach…"

"And then you saw a handsome surfer and fell in love," Sheba interrupted with a giggle. "Just how many seasons did you chase each other, teasing the other? I never thought that you two would ever get serious. Well, then again you were serious about getting Stone to chase after you. I knew that he had caught you for good that day when he jumped off the winner's stage during a television interview just to find and kiss you. I was with my friends at a bar and when he did that, everyone there just gave a long aww! It was so romantic, although I think he broke many of his female fan's hearts that day."

"He had won the surfing contest," Karen replied with a smile. "He was happy and wanted to share the excitement with me."

"He was using that silly surfer slang that he sometimes uses when he was talking to that reporter too," the cat's mother quickly added. "Thank the gods he doesn't really talk that way all the time, it would drive me crazy!"

"It was part of his mystique!" her sister giggled. "He was the ideal beach-bumming surfer. Then my dear sister came along and everyone thought you had tamed him, you had captured the golden-furred surf god."

"That's a bit dramatic!" Karen laughed. "Stone is no god. No, he's very much a fox! Believe me when I say every inch a fox…" The cat's ears dropped in embarrassment and she blushed at what she had said. "Sorry mom," she quickly added.

Her mother just smiled as she held up with the white bridal veil. "My little kitten, surely you don't think that I hadn't seen that video of you two over in Seaside? For such a skinny fox, he does have a mean right hook."

"Not to mention another thing," Sheba softy muttered as she gave a big grin towards her sister.

"Sheba!" Karen yelled as she tossed a pillow at her sister.

"Now kitten, are you still nervous about marrying Stone?" her mother softly asked.

"NO!" Karen protested as she fell back on the bed with a laugh. "I'm looking forward to marrying Stone so he can get me away from you two!"

Finnick stood near the entrance of the beach and looked out toward the sea. Unlike his son Stone, the older fennec fox was not a fan of the water and like his other son Storm, he was more of an urban fox. "A penny for your thoughts lover," Susan said as she grabbed his paw. He looked over at the vixen and in his eyes she was even more beautiful now than when they first met all those many, many years ago.

"I'm just thinking how lucky I am now that I've got you and both my sons back in my life," he replied as he lovingly squeezed her paw. "Together finally, thanks to Stone finding me."

"It's too bad Storm can't be here, but at least we know he is safe over in Seaside. Do you think he will every marry Jasmine?"

"She loves him and you can see it in her eyes. But you vixens are fickle and who knows if she will ever ask him?"

"Oh, is that a hint?" the vixen softly laughed. "Are you still expecting me to ask you to marry me?"

"Well…"

"Hey Finn!" a voice called out and the small fox turned to see a police cruiser pulling into a parking spot.

"Wilde, I thought you couldn't get the day off?" Finn yelled back as the fox in the blue police uniform opened the car door and hopped down. There was a slamming sound of the other car door and a gray bunny, also in uniform, walked around the large SUV.

"It seems that one of the guests has asked the mayor for extra protection from his fans and specifically requested us," Judy called back.

"Was it Rip Rock who called the mayor?" Finn laughed. Nick nodded as he gave his best friend a grin.

"Why is he worried about fanatical fans?" Susan asked. "He has his own bodyguards."

"Actually, it's one of his ex-wives that he is worried about," Judy replied.

"He told the mayor that his second wife has a bit of a temper and is mad with him about his current girlfriend," Nick added. "He's dating his first wife again."

"See, now you know why I don't ever want to get married," Susan scoffed as she squeezed Finn's paw. "It makes life so difficult."

"Sure honey," Finn snickered. "But I don't mind either way, just as long as I wake up every morning with you beside me."

"Oh, I don't think you mind too much about what we do the night before," the vixen giggled.

"Foxes!" Judy laughed as she rolled her eyes.

"I don't think I've ever heard you complain about our nocturnal activities," Nick replied with a grin. "Or even the early morning ones."

The insides of uniformed rabbit's ears turned pink as she blushed

Storm Kole pulled himself up onto the barstool as he looked over at the television. The inside of the Mermaid Bar and Grill was decorated with cheap white streamers and flowers, trying to make it look festive for a wedding party. "You should know that I bought that brand new large screen television just so the village can watch your brother's wedding. It was nice of Karen's father to have the ceremony broadcast online for us to watch," the bar's owner Big Al said as the walrus in the white apron took a seat. "We all understand why Stone is getting married over on the other side of the strait because of Karen's family, but we still wish that he had his ceremony over here in Seaside just like Cooper and Billy did."

"Who would believe that little Sam would cross back over to the city again?" Mabel sighed as sashayed her way over to his seat with a beer. Storm gave the waitress a smile before the seal reached over and hugged Jasmine.

"Ah reckon that high and mighty church ain't gonna like him doing this wedding," Fishbait drawled out in his unique Southern accent before the old possum in the worn denim overalls took a sip of his beer. "They defrocked the good Reverend Sam Scatterwell all those years ago for up and being gay. Now the lil feller is gonna be seen locally on the tube doing a wedding. Those old preachy hypocrites are probably gonna be pissing in their clerical robes in anger when they see him wearing that rainbow stole over his white vestments. Of course, there ain't a damn thing they can do about it since I help him with all the legal forms to get his own religious denomination recognized, at least on this side of the strait. We dun named it the Church of Rainbow Love."

"Maybe Sam can do your wedding?" Betty called over to the foxes before the raccoon in the red plaid shirt tossed back a shot of whiskey.

"How do you know that they are gett'n married?" Bubba asked as he put his foot paws up on the chair in front of him. The male raccoon scratched at his right ear.

"I sure hope so, since little Jasmine is pregnant," the female raccoon scoffed.

"Pregnant?" Fishbait said in surprise. "Ah ain't heard."

"I haven't told anyone but Stormy," the vixen softly said as she looked over at the larger raccoon. "How did you know?"

"I'm the village midwife and you have that maternal glow about you," Betty laughed. "So congratulations you two and I hope that I didn't screw up any of your plans?"

"No, I just wasn't going to tell everyone until after Stone's wedding," Jasmine said with a smile as she took Storm's paw.

"Well, a reckon the cat's out of the bag now!" Fishbait drawled out.

"Hey!" an elderly tiger snarled as she flicked a drinking straw at the possum. "Enough with the cat jokes!"

"Everyone simmer down!" Mabel cut in as the seal took a seat. "The wedding is starting!"

The young snow-white colored furred arctic fox pulled at the neck of his dress shirt once again. Anton had gotten used to either going bare-chested or wearing a loose-fitting sleeveless tank top as he hung around on the beach with Stone and the other surfers.

"Stop that!" a portly tomcat sighed as he reached over and straightened the fox's tie.

"But it's choking me!" Anton whined.

"You only have to wear it for a few hours," Chuck added as he brushed off a few stray hairs from the young fox's dark blue sports jacket. "Then my daughter Karen will be properly hitched to Stone. You have to keep that jacket clean too because you will need it for the adoption hearing."

"Will that make you my grandfather?" Anton suddenly asked as he looked over at the sand cat with hopeful eyes. "I never knew my other grandparents because they all died before I was old enough to remember them."

Chuck stopped and looked over at the fox and Anton's tail was tucked near his foot paws, a sign he was concerned. "Of course you will be my grandson!" the tomcat quickly answered before he took the kit into his embrace. "Of course I will be your grandfather." His words were answered by the happy wagging of the young fox's tail.

"Thank the gods for those humongous foot paws of yours, brah," Stone nervously said when he felt Cooper's paw grab his arm to keep him from stumbling in the sand.

"No worries, mate!" Cooper replied with a grin. Then he looked closer at the fox and asked, "Stoney, why are you so nervous? You've been in front of crowds which were way bigger than this before."

"This is the first time I've ever gotten married."

"This will be the first and should bloody well be the last time if you are as smart of a fox as I remember."

"Just make sure I don't do something, like faint."

"Or do something stupid like start yabbering in that surf slang of yours," Cooper snickered.

"For sure, dude!" Stone teased back in a whisper. "Totally, brah!"

"You're such a bloody galah, mate," the wallaby sighed.

The music had suddenly stopped and all heads had turned to face the doors of the nearby hotel which had just opened as the wedding march started to play. From inside, Karen walked out onto the sand and Stone could not believe how beautiful she was. The pretty cat wore a white flowing gown with silver embroidered seashells on her bodice and in her paws, she held a bouquet of white lilies. Her arm was tucked under her father's arm and Chuck gave Stone a grin as he escorted his daughter down the red carpet which had been laid upon the sand.

"Holy crap!" Stone muttered softly. "She is beautiful!"

"That's an understatement," Cooper chuckled.

"Shhh!" the pika standing behind them on a platform whispered. Sam stood there in his white cassock with his rainbow-colored stole, he was holding a well-worn copy of the Book of Lamb in his paws. The music faded as the one-time priest picked up a microphone. He smiled at all those assembled in the crowd. There was the famous action movie actor Rip Rock and his date, next to them was Mister Mvubu and his family. Sandfly and several of the local surfers who had befriended Stone and Karen were in attendance too. Sitting nearby was Reggie and the meerkat winked at Stone as he sat between his two dates, both of whom leaned against his shoulders. Even the fennec fox's rival Bonaparte was there, the thin mongoose was wearing a red fez upon his head. Stone's father Finnick and his mother Susan were in the front row along with Anton, the little arctic fox kit was trying not to fidget, and next to him sat Billy. Stone was somewhat disappointed that Honey didn't come to the wedding, but he understood that after her long life of being alone, she just wasn't ready to be a crowd this large. Across the row was Karen's family. Standing between the guests and a large number of fans were Nick and Judy, towering over them both was Officer Larry Vifaru. The large uniformed rhino was frowning as he watched his work partner Ricky because the savvy lion in his blue police uniform was busy flirting with a bystander instead of doing his job.

"My dear cherished friends, family members, and honored guests, I would like to thank each of you for coming out this afternoon," Sam said. His voice boomed out from the small speakers mounted on either side of the trellis. "Let us begin by offering our heartfelt thanks to the gods on this wonderful day."

After the prayer was over, the small priest guided Storm and Karen through their vows. Then it was time for the exchanging of the rings. Cooper dug around in his pocket for a moment before the wallaby found the ring and handed it to Stone, who slipped it onto Karen's left paw digit, and then she did the same for him. Sam grinned as he lifted his paws into the air and proclaimed, "By the power vested unto me by the Church of Rainbow Love, I now proclaim you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride." Stone did so, placing his hands upon her shoulders and pulling her into his embrace, there was giggling and laughing from the crowd. Finally, Sam leaned forward and asked, "Are you two finished making out?" Karen gave the small rodent a playful hiss before he held up his hands again and brought the crowd to their feet. "I am pleased to present to you, Mister and Mrs. Kole!"

There was applauding and cheering as Stone took Karen's paw and began walking down the carpet, but suddenly she leaned forward and gave her new husband a peck on his tan-furred cheek before she stepped back and stripped off her dress to reveal a sexy white one-piece swimsuit. "Surfs up!" she called out as she grabbed one of the surfboards which had been stuck in the sand.

Stone looked surprised at first before, with a joyful yowl, he yanked off his jacket and vest as he ran after her. He had forgotten that his bowtie was still around his neck as he too snatched up a board.

"What about the pictures?" Karen's mother asked in confusion as the remainder of the surfers picked up their boards too and followed.

"Oh, mother!" Sheba laughed. "Have you ever known Karen to do the normal traditional cat thing? After all, she just married a fox! Let them have fun while you and I join the non-surfing guests and have a drink while we watch the hotel staff set up the luau for the reception."

There was a small grunt and Chuck looked over to find that Anton had pulled off his jacket and dress shirt, he was still yanking down his pants to reveal a pair of swim shorts. "You too?" the tomcat laughed as the young fox kicked his hindpaws out of the pant legs. The arctic fox hesitated for a moment while he looked over at the older cat in anticipation. "Go on son, you're soon going to be a Kole anyways." Anton gave an excited bark as he raced to grab a surfboard.

Out in the water, Stone watched as Karen caught a wave and he followed her, the wave seemed to push him close enough to momentarily touch her outstretched paw before he swung back. He had an overwhelming feeling that the ocean herself wanted them to be together. Yeah, he thought to himself. This has been the best day ever.

Then he saw Karen walking out of the waves and her tail gave a sexy little twitch as she leaned over to pick up a towel. "This may be the best day ever, but this is going to be by far the best night ever!" he muttered softly to himself.

The little fox was right!