Wolf and Shark made their way to the alter, which was held in the resort's large auditorium. They took notice how many people were attending, Shark wasn't kidding when he said that practically the entire city was there. Wolf even noticed both Tiffany Fluffins, who was in a beautiful lavender gown, and Chief Luggins were in the crowd, wearing her usual police uniform with the shorts, he was convinced that she not only slept in that outfit, but probably showered in it as well.
As they were making their way, Piranha quickly met up with them.
"Hey guys!" Piranha greeted his hermanos. "Snake's not back yet?"
"No, he's been gone for awhile and we can't wait any longer." Shark said.
"I hope he didn't bail." Piranha said.
"Come on guys, it's Snake. Remember what he did to Marmalade? I'm pretty sure he'll come back." Wolf assured the guys.
"Yeah, you're right." Piranha said.
"What about you? Are YOU alright, hermano?" Asked Piranha to Wolf.
"Um, yeah. Just…still kinda nervous, I guess."
"Ah, I guess I don't blame you if you're still nervous. It's a pretty nerve-wracking day." Piranha replied. "But I wouldn't worry about it, dude. I've known you for a really long time to know you you wouldn't give up on this and if Diane is anything like us, she won't either."
Wolf looked around, in contemplation, before responding.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." He chuckled.
"That's great but now, we need to get to that alter ASAP! After all, I'm the one that's marrying you to Diane." Shark said.
"What?" Asked Wolf.
Shark then ripped off his suit to reveal a black cassock with a blue stole around his shoulders and he even had a clerical collar around his neck.
"Didn't you know? I'm the priest officiating your marriage!"
"Just like in Amsterdam?" Wolf asked.
"Only I'm actually certified this time!" Shark answered.
A few minutes after they arrived at the alter and took their positions, everyone looked towards the end of the aisle.
"Quick! Here she comes! Look presentable!" The large Selachimorpha minister told the Lupine, fixing his tie for him.
Everyone then rose from their seats to see Governor Diane Foxington walk down the aisle in her beautiful dress with a bouquet of roses in both her hands and Tarantula on her right shoulder.
She began slowly making her way down, with her head tilted down, but he could still see her smile coming from a mile away, with such a warmth to it.
With his amazing wolf ears, he could hear the speakers playing a dubstep remix of "Here Comes the Bride." (Webs was in charge of the playlist.) But in his own mind, he was hearing a playlist of some of the cheesiest love songs he could think of all at once, just from the mere sight of her; "Together Forever," "Feisty," "A Demon Like Me," "A Lovely Night," "This is What Falling in Love Feels Like," and "The Wonder of You." With Diane it was the same thing, only her playlist was different; "I Do Adore," "Crazy for You," "Kiss Me More," "Me & Mr. Wolf," "Killshot," and "Dreaming of You."
They were both in a state of shock. They were both in a state of euphoria. They were both in love.
Wolf could even feel his tail wagging up a storm as Shark looked at said tail with a cheeky grin on his face. Once she was close enough, Wolf took Diane's hand as she stood in front of him, with a wonderful combination of glowing eyes, and an even brighter smile.
"Hey..." Said Diane, in the sweetest voice he ever heard her say, though it still had a smidge of that playfully snarky tone he was oh so familiar with to it.
"Hey, Darling… Don't you look wonderful?" He said as his words were only responded to by an amused laugh, and a light blush on her precious face.
"Oh, stop it, this is only half-wonderful. If I went full wonderful, you're heart would give out!" She told him.
"That so?" He asked.
"Yeah and besides, I'm not half as good looking as you are right now…" She said, causing Wolf's face to turn similarly red.
"AHEM! Can we please get started?" Asked Shark, casually looking at the engaged couple.
Diane could only look in surprise at her friend as he was the one to wed them, but both her and Wolf nodded. Diane noticed that someone was missing however.
"Wait… Where's Snake?" Diane asked.
"He said he'd step out for a moment but he told us he'll come back… Don't know where he went though." Wolf answered.
Where was Snake? He was at a grocery store and he has just purchased a something that was placed in a plastic bag, his friend needed a reminder and there was only one thing he could get that would work.
"Thanks." He said to the clerk. "You know, today's a special day… my best friend is getting married."
"Oh well, congratulations to them!" The clerk said.
"Thanks." Snake said.
"Though, what are doing here of all places?" The clerk asked.
"It's a long story but I gotta go." Snake answered.
As Snake left the grocery store and was on his way back to the resort, a tall hunched-over man in a worn-down green jacket swipes a nearby lady's purse.
"STOP! THEIF!" The woman shouted.
Snake slithered off to pursue the man without a second thought. Funny, if this was the old him, he would've done the same thing but here he is now, stopping a criminal. Him, the worst of the group that literally called themselves "The Bad Guys." Going good really has changed them. Is what he thought to himself.
Back with everyone else, there was a moment of silence until Shark finally spoke.
"Dearly beloved, we all gather here to witness the marriage between my best friend, Mr. Wolf and his lovely girl, Governor Diane Foxington!" Shark announced.
"Now before we can begin, I am inclined to ask that if there's anyone out here who objects to this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace!" Shark said, only to be met with silence.
"I don't think there is but thanks for asking." Faintly shouted a man from the far back.
"Okay, I guess we'll move on… now the couple has written their own vows they'd like to recite, I don't care who goes first, just give me a minute to prepare myself for when I cry."
Diane went first as she took out a sheet of paper, unfolded and read it.
"Wolf, when I first heard about you, I thought of you as just a sad basket-case…"
Wolf chuckled a little.
"But once I got to know you, it really changed how I saw you. I was a little surprised that you first said that you wanted to go good, I was pretty sure it was just a con but somewhere deep in my heart, I knew you were serious somewhere in there. I once told you that if you look closely, even trash can be recycled into something beautiful. After meeting you, that phrase has a whole new meaning to me. I promise that even though I'm busy governing the city, I will always make time for you and I will ways cherish you as your wife and your lover because I deeply, truly love you."
Wolf smiled.
"Your turn, man!" Shark said gently nudging his companion.
Wolf did as Diane did and took a paper from his pocket and read it out loud.
"Diane, you are one the best things that ever happened to me. I didn't think I'd ever stand here and get married… let alone to the governor!" He said.
Diane smilied.
"When I first met you, I wanted to steal the Golden Dolphin out of spite towards you and rub it in your smug face. Then you showed me a side I don't think you've shown anyone else because then when I found out you were the cri-"
Diane cut him off by pantomiming her hand sideways sliding in front of her neck and shaking her head sideways simultaneously before she nudged her head towards Luggins. Since as far as Luggins and the rest of the general public knows, Professor Marmalade was the Crimson Paw and is currently rotting away in S.U.C.M. maximum security prison and rightfully so.
"The Cri… like the Christmas present I never knew I wanted and have never known until I received it! To be honest, it made you even more attractive, which I didn't think was possible…"
"Nice save!" Shark whispered to him. Diane gave Wolf a thumbs up.
"All I can say is, that it's true that a wolf and a fox aren't so different after all. I am so grateful you gave me that chance and that you didn't give up on me or my friends, because I wouldn't be here standing across from you on our wedding day if it weren't for that. During that year of jail, you visited us all the time and it clearly meant something. Diane, it was time that I show the world that I am more than a scary stereotype and I fell in love with you because you showed me that it was possible. I promise that I will always be by your side, regardless if it's the one time of year I cook dinner for you or a surprise visit in the office, I'll do those things because I love you! You're just the coolest and so pretty."
Diane chuckled in order to save him some embarrassment. Shark was getting a bit misty eyed from hearing those vows.
"I'm sorry, I'm gonna need a minute…" he said trying to compose himself.
If Snake were here, he'd vomit a little over how sappy this was getting.
"If Snake were here, he'd vomit a little over how sappy this was getting." Tarantula whispered to Shark.
"I know I'm feeling a bit mareado myself…" Piranha added.
Speaking of, Snake is still pursuing the purse thief as he makes it to around the corner where the beach was. Snake slithers his way in between the man's legs and coils his tail around one of them, resulting in the man tripping over. Snake throws the bag upwards, grabs the stolen purse with his tail and catches the plastic bag with the mysterious contents inside around his neck. He then slaps the knocked down man with the purse repeatedly.
"You know, I was feeling really good about today until you showed up. You suck! You know that?" Snake scolded the man as he left to give back to the woman her purse and be on his way but he then stopped for a moment and turned his head toward the man.
"And stealing a woman's purse in the middle of broad daylight at the front of a crowded store? Really?" Snaked added. "Amateur…" He scoffed under his breath.
However, the man reaches into his tethered jacket and pulls out a box cutting knife and runs towards Snake. Snake turned around as the man lunged forward, causing the box cutter's blade to make painful contact with Snake's body. As he was stabbed, Snake bit the man on the arm, causing the man to fall over in pain as Snake followed suit. The plastic bag containing the mysterious item even fell from his neck and landed on the cold, hard ground.
Anyways, returning to the wedding…
"Now before we can go any further, who has the rings?" Shark asked.
"He does." Wolf pointed outwards and running down the aisle was their pet kitty wearing his cute sunglasses above his head, a blue bow tie on his collar and a pillow on his back that carried two golden rings. The feline made his way over to Wolf as he grabbed the two rings off the pillow.
"You did great, buddy!" Wolf said as he gently scratched the cat's chin, receiving a gentle purr as payment.
Wolf and Diane each took a ring and placed it on their fingers.
"Now comes the fun part!" Shark said. "Do you, Mr. Wolf, take this fine, powerful honey bun of a fox to be your lawfully wedded wife, for better or worse? In sickness and in health for as long as both of you are still around?"
"Yes..." Wolf said as he looked into Diane's eyes, as he felt happy, in love and terrified, all at the same time. "I do."
"And do you, Diane Foxington, take this handsome, hunky beefcake of a wolf to be your lawfully wedded husband, all with the same rules applied?"
"I do." Diane replied, looking back at Wolf with the same, exact mix of emotions.
"Then by the power invested by me, by the state of California and the online priest certification course that I completed in preparation for this moment, I now pronounce you wolf man and fox wife!" Shark said.
Wolf and Diane continue to happily stare at one another for a moment, their eyes developing a shine to them.
"Well, kiss her already!" Shark interjected.
Both Wolf and Diane both lean into each other as their lips made contact with one another. The crowd cheered, Piranha was shouting happily while shaking his fists in the air triumphantly, Tarantula gave a thumbs up and Shark started crying gallons of tears.
"Sorry, I always cry at weddings!" Shark blubbered.
Shark took a minute to pull himself together just long enough to say the next line.
"May I now present, Mr. and Mrs. Wolf!" Shark announced.
As Piranha made his way over to Wolf and Diane, Shark grabbed everyone into a big group hug.
"I am just so happy for us!" Shark said as he hugged everyone, still blubbering.
"I just wish Snake could have seen it." Wolf said.
"Well, I'm sure he'd be happy too." Diane reassured Wolf.
They all heard a sudden noise of the two front doors busting open.
"ALAKAZAHAM!" Shouted a familiar voice, revealed to be Snake as he made his way down the aisle while he coiled around the mugger that stabbed him.
"Sorry guys, am I late?" Snake asked.
"SNAKE!" the group said in unison as they all rushed over to him.
"You finally came back!" Diane said.
"Man, what took you so long?" Wolf asked.
"Yeah, we almost thought you bailed!" Tarantula said.
"Who's that guy?" Piranha asked.
"Funny story, I was on my way back here and this guy stole a woman's purse! I stopped him and when I was about ready to go, he actually stabbed me but the thing was, I was starting to shed my skin! So he missed all my vital organs!" Snake laughed before he winced in pain a little as he placed his tail near his side.
"I mean, he still got me, but at least it's nothing too bad." Snake chuckled.
"Snake…" Wolf said.
Snake turned his head to face the police chief.
"Hey Luggins, think you can take it from here?" He asked.
"Yeah, okay…" she answered, getting up from her seat over to the reptile as he handed off the man to her as she handcuffed the criminal and read him his Miranda rights.
"Oh! Before I forget…" Snake said as he handed Wolf the plastic bag. "Sorry if they're a little dirty and smushed…"
Wolf reached in to find that all that was inside the bag was a box of push-pops.
"Push-pops?" Diane asked, a little confused about the gift.
"A little reminder of what you did for us and what you can do isn't impossible, whether it be going good…" Snake then looks over to Diane. "…or marrying your girl. Hope nothing but the best for you two." Snake said.
"Thanks, Snake..." Wolf said. Whatever doubts about this marriage were left in his mind, were now completely erased thanks to this little gesture.
"Yeah. Thanks, Snake." Diane said as well. Diane might not know exactly what the push-pops were for, but she completely understood the sentiment.