A.N.: Hello readers! This is the penultimate chapter! (learn some vocabulary—it means 2nd to last) and I guess I jammed this back in May. I've been putting off working on the last chapter, because once its done, that'll mean that it's the first fan fic more than a oneshot that I've ever finished… (I'll throw a party and you're all invited!) but I figured I'd post this one because I'm about ½ way through chapter 20. its sad to be writing it, but it's a great chapter… lots of hook ups and happy events. Yes, it'll be the last chapter of this story, but I think I'll probably write a little tiny sequel because I still want to accomplish things like the curse and more weddings and engagements and love and babies! Didn't I mention babies before? Well, I think I did, but if you didn't read it, then here it is again! BABIES! Yay… but for now, just read this short chapter and wait for like a week and you'll get the last chapter and you'll cry at the beauty…(I better stop because I don't like honking my own horn) please please give me those very helpful reviews that tell me to get a move one, because those help push me to write more! And I always love the ones that are like "I love it!" because those push me even more. Thanx again for constant support!(feel free to send emails!)
Chapter 19: The Wedding
Akane wore a beautiful white wedding dress with no straps. She was the most beautiful girl in the world on her wedding day. Ranma came out in a black tuxedo, looking very gentlemanly and hot.
Everyone else was dressed beautifully. Akane's sisters and Ukyo wore matching bride's mates' dresses, and Ryoga, Tendo, and Genma were in matching tuxedos as the best men.
The guests were all there, the food was prepared and ready to eat. Everything was perfect. Akane and Ranma were joined at the altar, about to say their "I do"s when all of a sudden there was a loud crash.
Akane jerked awake from her nightmare. It was still dark outside. Ranma woke from her start and asked her if she was ok. She nodded and said it was nothing, just a bad dream. She settled back into Ranma's arms hoping it was only that.
The sun rose at its regular time, and so did Kasumi and Nodoka with it. They would work together on all of the preparations for the wedding that would take place in only a few days.
"Akane and Ranma should be up for school." Kasumi said after a little while. She headed upstairs to wake them. Since Ranma wasn't asleep on the couch in the living room, she figured he stayed in Akane's room. She only hoped they kept it decent and he was on the floor. She got to the door and opened it. The sight that met her eyes was simply angelic.
The tow of them were fast asleep, Akane against Ranma's chest, and Ranma's arms wrapped protectively around her. Kasumi could see they were wearing clothes, and she trusted her sister, so she didn't think they had done anything their father wouldn't permit, at least until they were married. Heck, he'd probably set a rule or something forbidding them to do anything remotely r-rated until they were both 18.
"Akane, Ranma, its time to wake up for school." Kasumi said and left to finish with breakfast. Akane and Ranma stirred.
"Good morning, beautiful." Ranma said. Akane replied with a "good morning." And a little peck on the cheek.
As Akane, Ranma, and Nabiki left the house for school, Dr. Tofu was walking up the drive. Kasumi and he had a little bit of a relationship going, which made him happy, but it was still very unsafe to be around him while Kasumi was there too.
"Dr. Tofu!" Akane shouted happily. He looked up, "Oh hello Akane, hello Ranma." He greeted them. Kasumi came out of the house and greeted him as well. The three students continued walking to school. Ranma and Akane walked hand in hand, happy as could be. What could possibly bring them down from their natural highs? Akane's bad dream could, but she decided to brush it to the back of her mind.
"Are you okay?" Ranma asked. "Yes, I'm perfect Ranma." Akane answered.
The three of them got to the school yard and greeted their friends. It spread quickly that Ranma got his memory back, and many of the students congratulated him. They all asked for details on the wedding, and the two of them didn't know anything because Kasumi and Nodoka were taking care of the preparations.
"We'll let you know more tomorrow." They answered when students asked.
Other than the celebrations of Ranma and Akane's wedding plans and his memory gain, the day was mostly uneventful.
When they got home, they saw that Kasumi, Nodoka, and Dr. Tofu were working on wedding preparations. They were all discussing things as if they were on a check list. Food, placements, flowers, candles, clothing, everything.
The wedding was set for Saturday. Everything had to be ready by then, but there were excellent planners, and many, many helping hands around. Apparently the wedding was going to be big. Ranma and Akane didn't exactly mind a big wedding. They didn't mind a small wedding either. All that really mattered was that there was a wedding taking place on Saturday. It was really up to everyone else what the details were.
Thursday passed with a little more excitement, and Friday was very exciting. The students decided to throw Akane and Ranma a wedding party during school, and their parents threw them a rehearsal dinner/party. The wedding party was there, and the decorations and arrangements were simply beautiful. The planners had really out done themselves.
"This is so beautiful, Nodoka." Akane said in awe. Ranma stood a step behind her, looking around with a look of shock on his face. It seemed that pre-wedding jitters were starting to sink in a little bit for both of them, even though it was extremely hard to tell.
The wedding itself was going to take place in the gigantic back yard of the Tendo property, and the reception would be there as well to save lots of money. If there had been more time, Nodoka would have booked a nicer place with a good view, but she had to work with what she was given.
Once everyone was dressed in their rehearsal dinner/party clothes, the rehearsal began. Nodoka was the one giving most of the instructions. Genma sat in the back of the place watching, and Kasumi and Nabiki were setting up placements on the table.
"Now, Ranma, you stand down there with Ryoga, you stand right next to him honey, that's it. Ukyo, you will stand right there, all right, and Soun, you take Akane and walk. Slowly, that's it. Keep your chin up dear, smile." Nodoka gave instructions to everyone. They all had their places and their tasks. Ranma and Akane thought nothing of it. All they thought about was in a few hours, this would be real. They would really be married. Husband and wife, 'till death do us part'. Death… Akane's nightmare! Maybe it wouldn't be death, but it would certainly be something to disrupt their wedding, that she was sure of.
All of a sudden, she looked up and saw Ranma smiling gently at her, and her whole body filled with warmth. She didn't have to worry that much, because haphazard or not, they were going to get married tomorrow no matter what. They were both sure of that.
Akane woke early the next morning to get ready for the wedding that would take place in the early afternoon. There were so many things that had to be done though.
After eating a hardy breakfast, her sisters and soon to be mother in law pulled her every which way for hours on end, fixing her hair, her nails, her makeup, everything. Ukyo was there too, under the same torture, as it were.
Ranma and Ryoga decided to get out of the house, being that the groom was not supposed to see the bride before the wedding and Ryoga couldn't take all of the hustle and bustle of women. One wrong move and he'd be squee-ing his way into a trap.
In town, the two happened to bump into a certain Chinese "fiancée" who was very unwilling to let go of the fact that he had settled on Akane. He regretted having been seen by her, because she was all over him about marriage and leaving Akane and everything else. He took it for a little while until she started going on about Akane's "imperfections." All of a sudden he grabbed Shampoo's arm and pulled her off of him, looking her straight in the eye and saying,
"Shampoo, don't say anything about Akane out of jealousy. I'm marrying her. Today. Please let us live our lives in peace. I'm sorry but I don't love you. You're a very nice girl and I'm positive you will find happiness with another guy." He started walking away with Ryoga. Tears welled up in her eyes as Ranma's words sank in. She yelled "we shall see who you marry today Ranma!" Before storming off.
Ryoga gave Ranma an alarmed look. "Do you think she might actually do something?" He asked seriously.
"I have no idea, but if she tries to ruin my wedding, it's over. If anything happens to upset Akane today, the person responsible will pay. This is going to be the happiest day of Akane's life." Ranma said with fierce determination. He had the martial arts fighter look in his eyes as he said that.
