The Windy Wedding
Cast:
Cure Egret / Cure Windy, Mishou Mai - age 22
Cobraja, Kuchinawa Masaru - age 26
Cure Bloom / Cure Bright, Hyuuga Saki - age 22
Dark PreCure, Tsukikage Sumire - age 20
Joker, Karasawa Jou - age 21
Misumi Ryouta - Cure Black's brother - age 16
Hyuuga Minori - Saki's sister - age 17
Hyuuga Kana - Saki's daughter - age 4 months
Kurusu Shuuhei - Masaru's friend - age 26
Shirogane Hisako - Mai's friend - age 21
August, 2013
Mishou Mai is not the first Pretty Cure to make her wedding into a major event, but that does not matter. Those events were for other women; this one is for her. It is a bright, hot August day, with a brisk wind. The venue doors are blocked open so that the wind can cool the interior. It is not as if they planned this - the date and venue were booked months ago. However, for the wedding of Cure Windy, it is a serendipitous atmosphere.
The first bridesmaid enters with her escorts. Hyuuga Minori is the youngest of Mai's long-time acquaintances. Her older sister would be the maid of honor, but Saki, being already married, sits in the family section with Mai's baby niece in her lap. Minori is wearing a sky blue gown and witch's hat. Dandelion flowers are embroidered around the bottom hem of the dress, and there is further embroidery of dandelion seeds scattered upward from there.
Ryouta wears a white tuxedo with white shoes and white gloves. He is also wearing custom contact lenses, that make his eyes appear glassy and vacant. This is once again at Minori's suggestion; all that has changed is who is wearing them. When they reach the front of the hall, Minori pauses to reveal an aquamarine disc on a string, which she swings before his face. He is not so good an actor as to make it seem like there is a particular effect. Their bit of the show accomplished, they take their places to either side.
The next bridesmaid is Tsukikage Sumire, Dark PreCure. Her dress is so dark blue that it is nearly black and embroidered with white outlines of feathers. She also wears a single elbow-length glove, but that is not particular to this outfit: Sumire does that nearly every day.
Jou, Sumire's escort, is a friend of the groom, and also one of his regular clients. His tuxedo is black with bat-winged shapes outlined in white. Although otherwise bareheaded, he wears a white domino mask, along with a cravat that is striped garishly in pink, orange, yellow, green, and blue. An ornament at the top of his walking stick is shaped like a harlequin cap.
The maid of honor is a friend Mai has known since high school, Shirogane Hisako. Like the other bridesmaids, her gown is also blue, a dark shade that contrasts with her snow-white hair. However, the embroidery on her dress is only on her back. Rather than flying creatures or things blown by the wind, this embroidery depicts a specific scene: herself behind the wheel of a car, gleefully driving off a cliff over open waves. She cannot be unaware, but one would not know that from her smile.
The best man is not the groom's best and closest friend, but the one he most trusted to organize a bachelor party. Kurusu Shuuhei understands this, and accepted the position in the spirit in which it was offered. As for that party, all of the participants were sworn to eternal secrecy. He is wearing black pants and a black jacket over a burgundy shirt with gold trim and a lavender cravat. An orange opera mask covers only the left side of his face, and the part of his dark-green hair seems sculpted to match.
After the rest of the wedding party have taken up their positions, the groom appears and walks forward. As is only natural for him, Masaru's outfit is more flamboyant than formal. His long hair cascades down his back in a dark blue wave. He wears a dark-colored suit with a high-collared white jacket and ostentatiously detailed black boots. A brass chain hangs at approximately the level where a belt might usually be. The chain's purpose is mysterious, since it obviously isn't holding up his pants. Atop his head, he wears a hat decorated like the tail of a peacock.
The stage is now set for Mai's entrance. She wears a pure white dress decorated with black and light blue ribbons. Her dress's theme is wind, with feathers and flying leaves embroidered across her skirt, sleeves, and back. Artificial feathers hang from the edges of her white veil and are woven into her long, blue hair. She walks forward and joins the groom.
The ceremony goes off without a hitch. When Mai throws the bouquet, she seems to be aiming for Minori. Just possibly, since she looked behind her before letting it fly. Her aim is not so good, and Minori is not so interested. Sumire makes the catch.
There is dancing after the ceremony proper. Most of the wedding party and guests are ready and enthusiastic, but the best man and the maid of honor choose to sit it out in favor of punch and cake.
Hisako hesitates before speaking. "Do you mind if I ask you a question? Your friend Masaru took me aside and gave me special instructions."
"Now that sounds ominous," Shuuhei says, setting down his punch. "What are you to ask me?"
"He said that I should ask you about Orange."
"Of course." He briefly clenches his fist, then unclenches it with a forced smile. "As I am a gentleman, I will not punch my friend in the face until after the festivities."
"Oh my! I'm sorry I asked!"
Shuuhei smiles. "You had no way of knowing. I'm sure you know what it's like to have people ask you things you would rather not talk about."
"I shall assume you're talking about the embroidery on my back. It was Mai's request. What's a little blackmail between friends?"
Ryouta and Minori also abstain from the dance. Instead, they choose to enjoy the outdoor breeze from a veranda attached to the venue.
Ryouta leans against a railing as he speaks. "Thanks for inviting me. I know I shouldn't press you for an answer, so- um... do I already fail just for saying that?"
Minori shakes her head. She has taken off her hat, and her hair is blowing in the breeze.
"I haven't been fair to you. I'm told that- I mean, I've left you hanging long enough. I still don't feel confident, but- but-" She pauses, then leans over the rail and shouts. "What is wrong with me? Why am I relying on a girl ten years younger than me for relationship advice?"
"Ten- did Tomoe put you up to this?"
Minori blushes. "Maybe a little? I mean, she's definitely trying to push us together, but I think I'm okay with that."
"Me too. Maybe we just both needed some encouragement?"
"Your little sister might be an alien."
Ryouta just laughs.