Chapter 50 – Bliss before a Thunderstorm
A/N: Well… I've got nothing to say for myself, except to apologize. I hate it when I'm dry. Even my reviews get affected, damn! Anyway, here's the chapter (written with cerebral sweat and blood). It's the second longest in the whole series, only lagging after the one where WL left (oh, narcissism at fault). The very first version was much longer, especially the first part with Fuujin, but I cut it off cause I thought it would leave some ends dangling, and so… snip snip. (Fuujin was supposed to hold a torch for Seifer… but let's leave that for another fic, shall we?) I hope you enjoy it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~
Ms. Fuujin Miyashita,
You are cordially invited to attend the wedding solemnization of:
Mr. Seifer Almasy
and
Ms. Quistis Trepe
Date: August 31, xxxx (Quistis: The Second Sunday from now, to be exact.)
Venue: Beach by the Lighthouse Orphanage
Time: Nine a.m. sharp. (Seifer: Punctuality is fully expected by the Bride : } )
Thereafter, please join us for the Wedding Tour and Bruncher*, to be held in the Quad of Balamb Garden.
A note from our wedding planner, Ms. Selphie Tilmitt:
"Please come in smart casual attire, as we will be touring for the whole afternoon, and stiff tuxes and full-blown gowns just don't cut it. Be prepared to appear on screen, as there will be cameras rolling to capture our wonderful couple in their joyous bliss."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~
Fuujin read and reread the invitation card for the hundredth time (well, almost) for lack of a better thing to do.
She looked to her left, and saw an empty seat. Raijin had gone in search of a restroom, and his search had lasted for a whole… one minute.
Where's that buffoon? Taking so long to use the bathroom! Maybe his leg was stuck in the toilet bowl.
She fidgeted uneasily in her chair, looking at her surroundings, at the great white tent, the numerous rows of chairs, the wide stage at the very front with its imposingly high podium. Banners of luxurious fabric extended above their heads, with twinkling little light bulbs and occasional links of flowers entwining the banners, creating a fairy-tale atmosphere most befitting of the occasion.
It was a grand affair, she could not help noticing. And in the midst of this grandness, she found herself out of place, sticking out like a sore thumb.
Maybe Seif had made a mistake inviting me. Maybe he was simply being polite…
She searched for a familiar face, and most importantly for Seifer, but all she saw were averted glances and too-audible whispers.
I shouldn't have come. I knew I wouldn't belong here, but how could have I turned him down….?
-------------------------------------------------------
Two weeks ago, Seifer and Quistis went down to Balamb town on the pretext of reminiscing on the old times with her and Raijin.
But Fuujin knew their actual purpose on springing the surprise visit on them, for Seifer's proposal had been publicized all over the major newspapers. Pictures of a furious Seifer shaking a fist at the photographer, and a red-faced Quistis trying to conceal the enormous diamond ring were plastered all over the front pages. She would have to be dead not to have known.
Raijin was, as usual, blissfully untainted by the anticipation of the "pink bomb", and carried on drinking mugs of beer merrily, while chatting animatedly with the couple. His hands gesticulated wildly in different directions, indicating that he was dangerously close to getting drunk.
And the dreaded came.
"Fuujin, Raijin… you must have heard that we're getting married…" Seifer began awkwardly, pausing to look at Quistis, who nudged him with an elbow.
He produced two pink envelopes out of nowhere, handing it out to them, and watching their faces tentatively.
This was indeed the Seifer Almasy of old, only his fangs of arrogance were blunted by the fear that his invitation would be turned down by his buddies.
"ABOUT TIME!" Fuujin barked, snatching the card from his hands, and proceeded to open the envelope and read the card.
"Fuuj!" Raijin frowned at her, ignoring the risk of getting kicked by her hard leather boot in the shin. "Thanks for inviting us, Seif and Quistis." He beamed, seeming to be genuinely pleased for them.
Fuujin began to look for the date immediately, for it had been the subject of feverish speculation by the media, and subsequently, the people.
"SO SOON?" Fuujin's eyes involuntarily traveled to Quistis' belly, looking for signs of the bulge.
"I'm not pregnant, Fuujin!" She laughed, already accustomed to the interest in her abdomen.
Out of the four hundred or so invitations that had been given out, only one person had not been curious about her state of "pregnancy" – Raijin.
"I'm glad for you… Seif. You've finally grown up." Fuujin said, smiling softly at him.
"Me too. Never thought I'd see this day coming, ya know?" Raijin echoed with a wink.
"Thanks, guys." The words were simple, and yet, they all knew the meaning behind them was far from simple.
The gratitude in his eyes, and tone of voice was enough to convey what he could not speak out – how much their presence at the most important day of his life would mean to him.
"We'll be there. We promise." Fuujin had said then, not stopping to think of the potential discomfort she would be facing, due to her very special status as both a traitor of the Garden, and an ally at the Black Creature War.
Even if I'm dead, I'll be there to see you one last time… to bid you one last farewell.
Because you no longer need us to take care of you.
-------------------------------------------------------
I'm not dead, yet. So what do I do now? Sit around like an idiot while people shoot stares at me?
What have I gotten myself into? Hynedammit… maybe I should just leave. Maybe~
"I'm back, Fuuj. Sorry I took so long."
"LEAVE!" Fuujin declared, getting up from her seat.
"No, Fuuj. We promised Seif we'd be here, ya know! There he is." Raijin pointed at the man standing several rows ahead of them, before the stage at the very front of the tent.
Fuujin directed her glance to his pointing finger. Sure enough, it was Seifer, visibly nervous from the way he kept tugging at his stiff collar, while his best man tried to prevent him from loosening the collar too much.
What the…? He wasn't here when I last checked!
As if by some telepathic connection, Seifer suddenly spotted them, and shouted something at them. But the distance was too far for them to discern his words.
Exasperated that his shout had not achieved the desired effect, he started to walk towards them.
"Fuuj, Raij! Why are you sitting here? Your seats are up at the first row!" He grabbed Fuujin's hand and tugged her towards their designated seats.
"B…but we didn't know there wuz any seating arrangements!" Raijin explained, suitably embarrassed by the noise generated by the bridegroom as many guests turned their eyes on them, some tittering in amusement.
Seifer's mouth was clamped tightly, explicitly ordering them to shut up and follow.
When they reached the first row, he dumped them unceremoniously onto the first two seats, and scowled at them.
"How could you even think that I would reserve anything less for you?"
"Calm down, Seifer." Zell Dintch patted him on the shoulder, then turned to them with a friendly smile. "You'll have to excuse him. He was so worried that you wouldn't turn up. Hahahaha!"
"Shut up, Chicken-wuss!" Seifer shouted, horrified that his macho-man image would be shattered by Zell.
"Chicken-wuss, eh? And who asked a chicken-wuss to be his best man? Hmmph!" Zell turned away in mock anger, stealthily winking at the two bemused spectators.
"Look, man. I didn't mean it. Hyne! Of all the days you had to take offense this one time!" Seifer was considerably flustered by the sudden change in Zell's temperament, his nervousness reaching a feverish pitch.
"Hahahahahaha!" Zell burst out laughing again, tickled by the ease with which he had fooled him.
"ZELL DINTCH!" Seifer yelled murderously, tempted to whack him with a sucker punch.
"Uh-uh… it wouldn't reflect nicely on you if your best man had a black eye and you had a swollen knuckle, would it?" Zell taunted him, knowing full well what it was that held Seifer back from his violent urge.
Seifer put down his fist with much difficulty, turning to speak with his posse…
Only to find them laughing silently at their antics.
"Fuuj! Raij!"
The vein in his temple protruded ominously, threatening to burst from its rapid expansion.
"Seifer! Zell! Get to your places. They're arriving any minute now!" Rinoa shooed them to their position at the end of the aisle by the stage, effectively interrupting the bursting of the temple vein.
"How do I look?" Seifer straightened his collar and turned to Zell, asking for the umpteenth time since he had put on his three-piece suit, eliciting a groan from his best man.
"You're the handsomest man in the world! There, satisfied?"
"Shh! They're arriving!" Rinoa placed a finger on her lips when she saw Selphie signaling her at the tent entrance, and took her seat at the left side of the aisle next to her father.
At the same time, an ethereal-looking man went up to the stage, and stood at the podium.
The majority of the crowd gasped when twin wings sprouted from his back, and a faint glow of purple cocooned him like a shield.
He only smiled benignly at them, opening his prayer book to the exact page he wanted.
Some of them began to recognize him as one of the Angels who had battled the Ultimate Monster, and started chattering amongst themselves, creating a buzz of noise that hummed over the room.
But a hush fell upon them when the first chords of "The Wedding March" drifted into the room, sung by the sweet voices of the children choir on stage.
The entrance of the tent lifted, revealing a small boy in a bow-tie suit, carrying a cushion in his hands while trying hard not to drop the twin rings on them. Following closely behind him was a small girl dressed in a frilly frock and flowers adorning her chestnut hair. Walking primly in a straight line, she scattered petals of water-lilies in front of her, leading the way for the bride.
When Seifer saw her, his eyes widened in wonder.
The cathedral veil that covered her from head to toe did nothing to mask her beauty, serving only to enhance it, like wrapping paper that protected a delicate flower from the harsh elements. Her gown was elegant, yet virginal in its pristine white-ness. Its strapless bodice tapered to a full gown and chapel train held up carefully by her bridesmaid, Celestine.
So pure…and so beautiful… My Quisty…
-------------------------------------------------------
She knew her hands and legs were shaking. How could she not? In a few minute's time, she would no longer be a Trepe, but a Trepe-Almasy instead.
She would be bound to Seifer forever.
Being a girlfriend and being a wife were two different matters altogether. It was an irreversible decision. Was she ready for such a major commitment in her life?
Hyne… haven't you been over this already? You know the answer in your heart, but time and again you let your cowardice take over you. How about this: You get in here, and I take your place? I'm sure nobody would notice the difference.
He would.
So where else would you find someone whom you are certain can differentiate between you and your shadow? Does that answer your question then?
…………
Someone touched her on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. She turned around, and came face to face with the reassuring smile of her bridesmaid.
"It'll be fine." Celestine said, and soothing warmth traveling from her hand to suffuse Quistis' entire body.
Her initially tensed muscles relaxed immediately, chasing out the stray thoughts she had been harboring.
Quistis nodded, smiling back gratefully at her.
So… you would listen to three words from Celestine, but not an entire speech from your shadow? How comforting.
She's an Angel and you're… well, a shadow.
Point taken! Her shadow shot back nastily.
Quistis let out a little laugh, to the bewilderment of Squall beside her.
"Quisty? Are you alright?" He asked, even though he was not exactly an oasis of calm himself.
This was a role he had never encountered before, and might never encounter again.
"Fine. Just a tiny case of jitters. You?"
"I don't know… it's just plain weird." He muttered.
"Yes, but you're the only married male close enough to walk me down the aisle."
"For a bride you seem remarkably composed."
Composed? What kind of rot is he talking about? Can't he see I'm shaking?
"I…"
Before she could make her protest, the entrance of the tent opened, to reveal an excited Selphie inside.
"It's starting!"
The ring boy and the flower girl tottered towards the interior of the tent, their gaits unsteady but managing remarkably well at their "duties".
Squall offered his hand to Quistis with a crooked grin.
She hooked her arm around his with a laugh, realizing that he was right… it was weird to have someone who used to be her student give her hand away in marriage.
Not that my life is anything that resembles the ordinary, anyway.
Slowly, moving in rhythm to the chords of the wedding song, she started walking through the entrance, and down the red carpet that stretched all the way to where Seifer stood, his hand aching to link with hers.
To where my destiny lies… my one and final resting place.
As she passed the rows of guests, each face she looked upon lighting up with the best wishes for her, she realized how fortunate she was… and how this was truly the happiest moment she could ever experience.
A wet mist covered her vision, pooling at the artfully mascara-ed rims of her eyes, which were thankfully waterproof in anticipation of a tearing bride.
Her gaze fell upon the three pictures placed on easels beside where Seifer and Zell stood.
Matron… Headmaster Cid… and Water-lily… If you're watching me somewhere out there, I promise to be a happy bride, for your sakes…
The choir stopped singing, signaling the end of the march.
Squall lifted her gloved hand from his arm, offering it to Seifer, and slipped into his seat beside Rinoa.
Zell grinned at her cheerfully, and sat down next to Fuujin.
"You're breathtaking, Quisty." Seifer whispered, staring at her in enthrallment.
She blushed upon his compliment, drawing in her breath to quiet her wildly dashing pulse.
Hyne… the way he looks at me… it positively scorches! Behave, my heart!
They turned to face the podium, her burning face notwithstanding, where their Guardian Angel patiently awaited to commence the solemnization.
When he turned his serene gaze upon the guests, everyone fell into respectful silence.
He had managed to hold their attention without so much of a word, or the clearing of the throat, which was remarkable when a large percentage were youths who had yet to reach the twentieth mark.
He drew a Hyne symbol in the air with the index and middle fingers of his right hand, while holding his left up in prayer position, and began speaking in his lilting voice.
"We gather here today in witness of the union between these two, who have chosen to be blessed by the Light of Hyne, and taken on the vow of everlasting love.
{Holy Mother of Hyne,
You ordained marriage for your children,
and you gave us love.
We present to You Seifer and Quistis,
who come this day to be married.
May the vow of love they make be blessed
with true devotion and spiritual commitment.
Grant unto them the ability to keep the vow they have made.
The temperament to withstand temptation;
The strength to weather all hardships
The kindness with which to treat each other;
The resilience to hold against each obstacle in
their love}.
Are you ready to take your vows now?" He addressed Quistis and Seifer in a paternal way, which was quite a change from
the acquiescence he usually affected.
Both of them nodded in a subdued manner, influenced by his solemnity.
Seifer turned to face Quistis, his hand still holding onto hers.
"I, Seifer
Almasy, take thee Quistis Trepe,
to be my wedded wife,
to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse,
for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
With a smoothness that seemed almost practiced, he slipped the simple white-gold band onto her fourth finger.
"Quistis, I give you this ring as a symbol of my eternal love for you, as a promise that I shall always protect you from harm, shield you from all storms, to give all that I have, and all that I am to you."
Seifer being Seifer simply could not behave himself, even on his big day. Grabbing a chance at mischief, he leant forward, and furtively whispered into her ear.
"I've been practicing this move for many months, in my dreams, and on a carrot stick."
Carrot stick? He substitutes my finger with a pudgy carrot stick? She thought indignantly.
She repeated the vows, word for word, her beautifully poised face not letting on to the funny ideas cooking in her mind.
Not to be outdone by Seifer, her ring-slipping was just as fluid as his.
"Seifer, I give you this ring as a symbol of my eternal love for you, as a promise that I shall always stand by you at all times, bring you joy when you are down, bring you light when your world is dark, to give all that I have, and all that I am to you."
"I guess my practice on the frozen Jumbo Frank wasn't wasted too." She whispered with a snide smile.
Frozen Jumbo Frank!
Unknown to them, the two individuals who had caught their exchange were shaking their heads, hardly curbing in their laughter.
"What's wrong, Celestine?" Zell asked when he saw Celestine's shuddering body, which was turned away from him.
"Nothing." She said tightly, her face redder than a tomato, which only left Zell more worried than ever.
Damien shoved the chuckle that threatened to erupt from his throat with an iron will, barely escaping a dreadfully embarrassing incident as the trails of it went running down to his belly, threatening to rise up at any given chance.
He cleared his throat loudly, and announced the five words that everyone was straining to hear.
"Mr. Almasy, you may kiss the bride."
With a boyish glee, Seifer flung the veil away from Quistis' face, not caring much for propriety when he had much more urgent 'needs' on hand.
He lifted her chin, the gentle action a direct contrast from his earlier flinging of the veil, and tasted her lips, lightly at first.
But the kiss soon turned passionate. He searched deeper and deeper for the sweetness he had grown accustomed to in the countless kisses they had shared, unaware of the rising temperatures and pulses in the tent.
He only broke the lip-lock when a series of coughs started sounding in his ear… coming from the more senior (and esteemed) members of their guests.
He attempted to wriggle out of the boo-boo trap he had created for himself by making an announcement, speaking into the microphone they had used for their vows.
"We'll…see you later at the Quad. But meanwhile, enjoy yourselves!" He winked at a few random faces, grabbed Quistis' hand, and with blinding smiles they made their way down the red carpet, into the sliver limousine where Irvine was already waiting at the wheel.
Safe in the private confines of their limousine, no one said anything for a full minute.
Uh oh… Irvine hastily pressed the button that would allow a black screen to emerge between the driver's seat, and the passengers in the rear, thus allowing them a decent amount of privacy.
Seifer cupped his new wife's cheek with his palm, his slender fingers stroking her tenderly.
Quistis lowered her eyelids, the curl of her lashes casting a tiny shadow upon her fair face, relishing the touch of his hand, and the wonderful bliss that wrapped her up like a lavish sheet of ivory satin.
When she opened them, her eyes were sparkling with a new light, one that but represented a small portion of the joy that was bursting from within.
It was the same kind of light that she could see from him as well.
She did not need to say those three little words, and nor did he, for they understood each other perfectly.
I love you.
-------------------------------------------------------
As soon as Quistis and Seifer disappeared in their car, Selphie wasted no time in getting up on stage and dispensing with the necessary.
"May I have your attention please?
All invited guests, please proceed to our Garden, which we have parked just outside the Orphanage. Of course, you may wish to take a look inside, but please ensure that you're in the Garden by twelve noon, cos we'll be embarking for the tour by then.
And as our Bridegroom had so kindly warned on the card, 'Punctuality is fully expected by the Bride.'"
Her last statement was greeted by shouts of laughter, for Quistis' fastidiousness with time was a well-known "legend".
"There will also be a scrumptious buffet spread at the Quad. Please help yourselves to it. The food will be replenished at regular intervals, right until the stroke of midnight. This comes with a personal guarantee from our own Zell Dintch, who's the Food and Beverage organizer for today."
More shouts of laughter peppered the air. It was more apparent than ever, then, that the quirky habits of the famous Ultra Heroes and Heroines had traveled far and wide, just by word of mouth alone.
"Dance floor's open all day as well. We have a live band playing, so any song requests, go ahead.
Okay, no more booooooring announcements from me. Let's hit the pavement! Woohoo!"
The guests trickled out of the tent in an orderly way, taking their own sweet time to comment on the compatibility of the Bride and Bridegroom, and of course, trade pieces of gossip as people were wont to do at every social gathering.
Finally, there were only six people left inside – the six who had been the arm of support for the wedding.
Selphie, the most vigorously-flexed muscle in the supportive arm, went off the stage, and sat slumped against one of the front row seats beside Celestine.
"Are you okay?"
"Yep. Suddenly relaxed, cos half of it is over… the serious half. Tank you." She opened a tired eye, peeking at Celestine with it, too exhausted to even pronounce her 'thanks' properly.
"Poor girl! To plan such a huge event in TWO WEEKS is humanely impossible, and you've done it well. I'm proud of you, Sefie!" Celestine ruffles her friend's hair affectionately. "And I'm sure Quisty loves you to bits for it."
Selphie only grinned, and squeezed both her eyes shut.
After a few seconds, they flipped wide open, glittering with a strange light. She appeared to have psyched herself up, jumping onto her feet with a new spurt of energy.
"And now for the fun part! C'mon! Let's get out of here, almost noon you know?"
Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Celestine's hand, and bounded towards the entrance of the tent with the angel in tow, chattering non-stop all the time.
Celestine turned her head back to face Zell, mouthing the words 'Meet me there' before allowing herself to be tugged by the petite but energy-packed girl.
The remaining four could only stare at them, transfixed by their rapid departure.
"We have to make a move too." Squall said politely, and reached out for Rinoa's hand, leading her along the aisle.
She took it and followed him obediently, lost within the memories of their own wedding.
Damien too, wanted to leave.
"Damien…"
He turned back, and looked questioningly at Zell.
"I have something to ask you…"
-------------------------------------------------------
Wedding Tour? More like Mobile Entertainment for the folks. Quistis barely managed to keep the edge of a frown away.
Being a bride was one word – exhausting.
Being a famous bride was even worse, especially when she had to stand under the scorching sun at the balcony of the Quad and continually wave at the cheering hordes of people like a queen... decked in the full Bridal outfit no less.
Quistis did not like crowds, even when they were adoring fans of hers. Her arms-length attitude towards her Trepies was a prime example of that.
However, she knew that she had to keep going, for she did not want it any other way.
There was only one reason for her decision to hold her wedding in such a grand way, and she would not back down from it, even though the muscles on her face, arm, neck – heck, all over her body were screaming at her for subjecting them to such mindless torture. She could just imagine their resentful scowls, berating her endlessly… just like Seifer with his beloved Hyperion taken away from him. (Yes, she had tried that once to punish him.)
They had been cruising just about every ocean they could name, stopping at each town and city to receive the blessings from the people. The mayor or representative of each place would be invited and given a tour around the Garden, sometimes accompanied by members of the press. The flash of photographer light bulbs was a continuous annoyance to the couple, given their slightly "dissatisfactory" run-in with several of them on the day of Seifer's important proposal.
The reactions of the visitors were as alike as two photocopied pieces of paper. Each of them ooh-ed and aah-ed at the grandeur of the main hall. Many admired the elaborate and masterfully carved blizzaga sculpture (kept from melting as a generous gesture from Shiva as a wedding gift) of Quistis as Eve holding onto an apple, and Seifer as Adam looking at her in lovelorn sickness. Or the exquisite canopies of silk that hung from the ceilings. Or alongside them, the delicate crystal chandeliers that lent a different, if not palace-like mood to the whole place, enhanced by the twinkling little angel lights that floated in the air.
But more often than not, they would bring with them truck-loads of gifts from well-wishers, and would simply refuse to bring them back no matter how insistent Seifer and Quistis were on declining. The end result? The conference room at the basement level had turned into a temporary warehouse for the gifts, and was rapidly filling up.
But it would soon be over, to her immense relief.
All that was left for her to do, was give her speech, in front of the many guests, and she could finally, finally, bask in her happiness on this glorious and infinitely, most special day of her life.
The crowd was hushed, expectant, waiting for her to begin.
For a heart-racing second, her mind went completely blank, not due to nervousness as she had faced a much larger audience before in her many years of experience as a SeeD and Instructor.
No, it was the smiles on their faces that stopped her, for she could not find the words to express how moved she was. Moved, that so many were willing to spare her one full day of their precious time, if only just to give her their blessings, and tell her through their actions how supportive they were of her happiness.
She looked down on her little scroll, where she had written her speech, but found her vision, and some of the words blurred.
Seifer's hand tightened around her waist, giving her a little squeeze that told her "I'm here with you."
She dried the tears with her fingers, and spoke into the microphone.
"Well, that's composure for you." She said, smiling through the clear film that stubbornly refused to be wiped away despite her desperate attempts.
Her guests laughed appreciatively, some of them calling out at her to "go on."
"First of all, I would really like to thank all of you, my guests, for being here with us, even though many of you lead incredibly busy lives. It is an honor that you would think this day important enough to mark with a red pen on your calendars. Thank you.
Not to forget, those who have been working in the background, and who have contributed more than I had asked of them. Selphie, Irvine, Rinoa, Squall, Zell, Celestine, Damien… the list goes on… especially Selphie. I gave her a very tight deadline… and she performed way beyond my expectations. Without her wonderful event planning, there would be no tent, no ice-sculpture, no canopy hanging in the hallway, and of course there wouldn't be any live band playing your favorite songs. Selphie, I owe you a lifetime."
Each guest turned their heads towards Selphie's direction, and gave her a rousing round of applause.
"When we sent out the invitations two weeks ago, many of you would look at the date and then at my stomach, wondering if some little life was growing inside." She grinned and paused, allowing them to ease off on the laughter before continuing.
"While I wouldn't count that out as a possibility in the near future, I would have to say… no, I'm not pregnant as of now.
Some of you might have guessed the real reason behind this short lead time." She paused again, and this time the mood was slightly somber, and yet not to the extent of depressive.
"Two weeks ago, we lost many to the Black Creature War. And we have yet to recover fully from these losses, whether emotionally or physically. I have had to let go of three who were very close to my heart.
When we look at our lands, we see the shadows of the destructiveness of the war, the ruins still evoking unpleasant memories and drawing up nightmares while we sleep. The outlook was bleak, and many lost faith.
However, from the teachings of Hyne, I have learnt that there is always a ray of light in darkness, for one cannot exist without the other.
I hope that by sharing my joy with the rest of the world, I may bring that ray of light, however dim, into someone's life, and allow them to continue on in the tedious journey of life. To show them there is always something to look forward to."
She nodded at Seifer, signaling for him to take it from there.
They exchanged positions, still holding tightly onto each other like a pair of disposable chopsticks that had yet to be separated.
"I agree with Quistis, everything she says is the law, the whole law, and nothing but the law."
The atmosphere in the room lightened considerably with his humorous quip.
Quistis grabbed hold of the microphone, and turned it towards her mouth.
"He learns fast. And girls, he's already taken by me, so hands off!"
"Barely married, and she's acquired the habit of interrupting me. Man… I knew there was some catch. I guess there must be some fine print that I didn't read in the "101 things you should know about getting married" thingy.
But apart from that, I would recommend marriage to anyone who asked, not just because you get someone to be your cook, washerwoman and maid all rolled in one… erm, that's open to speculation, though. You get to exercise your back muscles, arm muscles and whatever else muscles regularly. I'm talking about carrying her shopping bags, you dirty old man!
Most importantly, that someone will always be there for you to watch the sunset with you, making silly wishes while catching the meteor showers, know what you mean when all you said was a single 'I…'. Little things, maybe, but there're countless of them, and they all add up.
I found that someone in Quisty."
He turned to Quistis, and sealed her lips with his own.
The people broke into thunderous applause, many giving them the standing ovation, not stopping even after they had separated and exited the stage.
When Selphie passed them by, they saw that she had been crying.
"It was wonderful, you guys."
"Thanks, Sefie." Quistis hugged her tightly, her own cheeks wet as well.
"I give you special permission to slip away. You've had a long day, Quisty." Selphie pushed her towards Seifer, whose reflexes prevented Quistis from falling over. "Go on… or else I'll find a way to make you regret!" Her grin was evil enough to send chills running both their spines.
They feigned masks of horror, staring at her while forming an "O" with their lips, and crept away as fast as they could… which was rather unnecessary.
"Dear people, I have allowed our couple to retreat to their room." Selphie announced.
The loud wave of protest was effectively curbed by her next line.
"Now, now, you wouldn't want to stand in their way of performing their 'conjugal duties', would you? And let's face it; one whole day of crowd pleasing is the worst kind of sabotage you can give to any newly-wedded couple. Let's just let them off, shall we?"
Grudging yells of 'yeah' perpetuated the room.
"We, on the other hand, have a whole night in front of us. Let's PAR-TAY!! Hit it, band!"
-------------------------------------------------------
He carried her in his arms, and crossed over the threshold of the door to their room.
"And they lived happily ever after for the rest of their lives." He said, and pecked her lightly on the nose.
"As if!"
"I will make sure that we have a fairytale ending, Quistis Almasy-Trepe!"
"Sounds weird."
"You are weird! If not, you wouldn't have agreed to marry me." He laid her gently on the bed, letting her head rest on his arm.
"That's a fact." She suppressed a giggle.
"Hey!"
"You said so yourself."
"I wonder what possessed me to say it. Must be all these Hyne-damned petals all over the bed. Sefie's doing, you think?"
"Tsk, tsk. Swearing on our 'first night.' How unrefined."
"Technically, this isn't our 'first night.'"
"Seifer Almasy! Can't you let me retain a little sense of romanticism on our wedding night?"
"Romanticism… what's that? Instructor Trepe… no, Instructor Almasy-Trepe?"
"Hyne, you're hopeless!"
"Hopelessly in love, you mean." He took her hand, and brought each finger to lips, sucking the tips sensuously, all the while keeping his burning gaze on her.
A tingling sensation traveled all over her, followed by a flush of heat, and a quickening of her pulse.
"Take me." Her voice was husky.
He responded to the longing in her voice, pulling her into his chest and pressed her body tightly against him.
She surrendered herself into his arms, strong, protective, the only place where she could lay bare her soul.
Where my destiny lies…. To my one and final resting place.
-------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Therein lies the end of the chapter. And with immediate effect, the third part of the four-parter ending has concluded Phew!!!!!!! (It's coming it's coming!)
As you can probably guess, the wedding prayer and the vows are not my own creations, but rather, adaptations from the original Catholic vows in our world. But the Bride and Bridegroom speeches are from yours truly's mind, which explains the difference in depth and poetic feeling (whatever the hell that is). All in all, I really slugged it out in this chapter. Invested a lot of time on research, from the gown to décor, but in the end, not much was used due to lack of space. I decided to focus on the people's mindsets instead.
And you could probably detect a subtle movie reference in the chapter. I won't spell it out. Take a guess. I myself think it's pretty obvious.
I will do the individual acknowledgement to reviewers in the next chapter. But I cannot emphasize this enough: All of you are like Angels to me! Thank you thank you!