1 year later (September 2013)
Kevin
"How is it that you can face down the king of nighloks and win an olympic gold medal without batting an eye but you're nervous about getting married?" Mike asks me as I'm buttoning the cuffs on the sleeves of my shirt. The last thing I need right now is to be reminded of how Mia and I will be husband and wife in 10 minutes.
Mike is sitting on the chair in the hotel room playing a hand held video game, Jayden is laying out our jackets and ties on the bed while Antonio is putting on his gold tie.
"Mike why don't you check if the flowers have arrived yet?" That is why Jayden is my best now he is able to diffuse Mike puts his green tie and black jacket on and leaves the hotel room to find the wedding planner.
"Hey don't stress about Mike, amigo. You know he can't stop himself sometimes." Antonio says while he starts with my blue tie. I nod because he's right, Mike always speaks before thinking, n.
"At least there's no moogers to steal the bride this time." Jayden jokes while tying his red tie around his neck.
"If there is they aren't getting away with Mia like last time." I answer laughing. The three of us continue getting dressed when Mike and the wedding planner enter the room.
"It's time to head downstairs." Our wedding planner puts my flower arrangement in my button hole and the four rangers walk downstairs while she gets the girls.
I'm chatting to my parents when Emily, Stephanie and Mike's girlfriend Angela join us. They are wearing simple cocktail dresses in different colors. Emily is wearing yellow, Stephanie is wearing gold and Angela is wearing green.
Suddenly we are pushed into lines to start walking down the aisle. I walk my mother to the front of the church and place a kiss on her cheek. I stand next to the priest and watch the others walk down. Terry and his mum are the last ones to walk down then the music changes and everyone stands up.
Jayden puts his hand on my shoulder and I see the other guys smiling at me. I look over and see Emily and the girls doing the same. They are simple actions but they remind me that my best friends are here for me and with that knowledge I look to the back of the room to see the most beautiful sight I've ever seen.
Mia looks radiant in her white wedding dress with pink beads. As she gets closer I'm not scared, I'm excited to let the world now that this amazing woman has picked me. I'm ready to share everything with her; I'm ready to be everything for her.
I barely hear the priest until it's my turn to saw my vows. I put my heart into my vows, hopefully she feel my love for her. Her vows make my knees buckle and eyes water.
"You may now kiss the bride." Finally the priest says the words I've been waiting for since last night. I pull Mia close, lift the veil off her face and whisper "I love you Mia Hamaski" before kissing her.
Music starts again so I pull away from Mia, link her arm around mine and look at the others.
Jayden looks like a proud big brother, Emily is smiling, Antonio, Stephanie and Angela are cheering and Mike, funnily enough, is wiping tears from his eyes.
I look down at my wife to see her eyes are glassy too. She looks at me and says "I love you too." We start walking back down the aisle past our friends and family and into our new lives as husband and wife.
3 months later (Feb 2014)
Mike
Today is the day of Jayden's and my college graduation. Jayden and I are dressed in black pants and green and red shirts and our graduation robes posing for photos in the garden of the Shiba house.
Kevin is the only one not here because he's got training for the world championship in a few months. It's a bit weird to not have him here since he's the one who taught me about the value of discipline and study.
My family has come to the city to see my graduation. Dad was incredibly eager to see Mentor again and the son of his red ranger all grown up. After dad finished telling Jayden about how he reminds him of Jason and how proud Jason would be, I see Emily whisper to Jayden "I told you so" to which Jayden just laughs.
Soon the rangers and Stephanie file into the Ranger SUV and heads to the university while my family with Angela follows in their car.
The university has setup the grand hall with chairs for the graduates, friends and families. There are flags with the different departments that are graduating today, a podium with the logo of the university on the front is at the centre of the stage and the professors are sitting on one side.
The Head of Admissions came over the speaker system "Can all graduates please find their seat at the front of the hall? Families please take a seat we will start in a few minutes."
Jayden and I get another hug from everyone. While Jayden is getting a quick kiss from Emily I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to see Kevin standing behind me smiling.
"I thought you never stopped training" I tease him with something he used to say when we first met.
He shrugs and says "You didn't think I'd miss this did you?" We smile at each other and I head to my seat.
The ceremony begins with the usual stuff; speeches from the heads of the different departments, slideshow etc. Then they start handing out the diplomas. I wait at the side of the stage for my name.
"Michael Hayashi. Bachelor of Science Games Software Design and Production"
I start walking across the stage to the Dean of the university to receive my degree. I shake the Deans hand and receive my degree then I look into the crowd and see my family and friends standing and cheering for me with the biggest smiles on their faces.
My family and friends were able to fill an entire row by themselves. On the aisle is my grandmother then Emerald my sister, mum, dad, Antonio, Stephanie, Emily, Kevin and finally Mia has the other aisle seat.
My eyes move to the others graduating today and I see Jayden cheering for me as well. I smile as I can easily see how proud they are of me.
5 years ago I was a 17 year old boy who loved slacking off and playing video games. Now here I am 22, green ranger of the team of rangers who destroyed Master Xandred and a university graduate. I have definitely changed since I was called to the rangers but I've changed for the better.
