Chapter LXIV: Wedding Bells
When Motoko, Suu and Mutsumi came home (not necessarily in that order), they were all overjoyed to hear of Keitaro's and Naru's engagement. Overall, they, along with Sean, Shinobu and Kitsune, were more than happy to tell the story, but they all agreed beforehand that there were certain events from that day that should be kept under wraps.
Things did not even begin to calm down from there, since preparations for the wedding commenced almost immediately. Granted, there have been cases were a couple remained engaged for a matter of years, but this one would not be so. When asked why, Naru and Keitaro reasoned that they wanted to be wed as soon as reasonably possible, lest something or someone else try to break them apart.
The first major decision to make was whether to have a traditional Japanese wedding or a western style one, at least partially in honor of the one who had brought them together in the first place and helped them stay that way on more than one occasion. (A/N: I refer you to Ch40: Love on Trial, Ch55: Answered Prayers and, of course, Ch63: Love Conquers All.) In response to this, Sean told them to have whatever kind of ceremony they wanted, and that his opinion should not influence their decision.
…And so, plans for a western style wedding went under way. Given such short notice, it might have made life at Hinata-Sou more chaotic than it already was, if that was even possible, but everyone played their respective roles to perfection and everything went rather smoothly.
The whole process would have been more complicated, or at least more costly if they didn't have magical aid. Naturally, Shinobu offered to handle the catering, as well as most of the decorations, which were otherwise designed by the other girls. Meanwhile, Sean opted to take care of the reception and also acted as tailor.
Despite his willingness to help, there were those things he chose not to get involved in. As the day of the wedding drew closer, plans came into being for a bachelor and bachelorette party, arranged by Jimmy and Kitsune respectively. At one point or another, both of them requested that Sean attend, but he flatly refused, mostly because they wanted him there as the entertainment.
After what seemed like an eternity, the day of the ceremony finally arrived. However, despite any amount of planning, there will always be room for the unexpected.
--- Saturday, 8/26 6:30 AM
"What a beautiful morning," Shinobu thought as she rummaged through her closet. Even at that early hour, you could tell there wasn't a cloud in the sky. "We couldn't have picked a better day for the wedding if we tried."
She would most likely already be squealing in anticipation if Sean wasn't still asleep. Most people would see the sight as cute, though few would actually see more than an ordinary cat. Every now and again, both of them take feline forms before going to bed, though Shinobu chose not to do so that particular night.
Once she was dressed for the day--or at least part of it--she went downstairs for what would no doubt become a marathon in meal preparation. If there was ever going to be a day for her to be tired of cooking afterwards, this would be it, though she would never admit or even acknowledge it. "At least the wedding cake's already done," she thought. Granted, said cake was by no means the largest in the world, it was of enough importance to be made ahead of time.
"Good morning," someone said from the living room couch when Shinobu passed by.
"Good morning," Shinobu said back, but she was so preoccupied with the myriad of recipes going through her head that she didn't pay that much attention. It wasn't until she was about to step into the kitchen that everything finally sank in. Turning around, she found a couple familiar faces that she didn't expect to see. "What are you two doing here?" she asked.
"What, you expect me to miss an event like this?" Stephanie asked.
"That goes for me as well," Amy added. "Besides, given the circumstances, it would do Naru a great disservice if I was not present for her wedding."
"On top of that, it's been so long since you last paid us a visit," Stephanie said.
"Well, things have been pretty busy lately," Shinobu said.
"Don't worry about it," Stephanie said before Shinobu could get apologetic. "I've seen more weddings than I can count, so I know just how crazy it can be."
"Morning." Thee three ladies turned their attention to the stairs, where Sean, still in feline form, just made his presence known.
"Did I wake you up?" Shinobu asked as Sean jumped into her arms.
"Kinda," Sean thought-spoke. After all, those cat ears were not exactly for decoration. "It's just as well, al things considering."
"You don't look very surprised to see us," Stephanie said, though how she could tell one way or the other was anybody's guess.
Sean stared blankly at the two goddesses. "Should I be?"
"You knew they were coming?" Shinobu asked, idly scratching Sean behind the ears.
"No," Sean said. "But if it had come up, I wouldn't have written it off."
"Linda wanted to come too," Amy said. "But something came up at the last minute that she couldn't postpone."
"She had to go test someone?" Sean asked.
"Yeah," Stephanie said, all traces of a smile now gone--something that wasn't lost on Shinobu.
"It isn't going to go well, is it?"
Stephanie shook her head. "You could tell just by looking at her. I tell you, stripping someone of their talents is the one thing she despises more than anything else. To think, all that potential wasted because the chump is morally corrupt."
"Makes me feel kind of fortunate," Sean muttered. "It's a shame you won't be there to make her fell better after such ugly business."
"Don't worry about her," Stephanie said. "She won't be alone." Her grin reappeared with a vengeance. "Besides, there's always tomorrow."
"Very true," Sean said.
"On that note, when are you two going to come see us again?" Amy asked.
Sean turned to look at Shinobu for a moment before responding. "We'll see," he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to hit the hot spring before the other guests arrive." Jumping down from his perch, he started toward the changing room.
"Are you going to bathe in it or clean it?" Shinobu asked.
"First one, then the other," Sean answered as he left the room. "Happy event or not, this is going to be a long day."
Shinobu didn't respond to that, at least partially because of her dislike of such thoughts. Instead, she went into the kitchen to start breakfast.
One by one, each of the residents woke up and, after their regular, if abbreviated morning routines, started making last-minute preparations.
Throughout the whole affair, Suu's greatest contribution was perhaps her noninvolvement. To pass the time on this day, she decided to talk shop with Amy, who had shown some obvious discomfort in the social environment of Hinata-Sou. It would not be hard to say that the goddess would be one of the few people who could keep up with the gaijin's techno-speak stride for stride, and found herself more in her element because of it.
As the morning wore on, the relatives started to arrive. It was a general consensus that this would be a private ceremony, only involving immediate family. As the Urashimas and Narusegawas showed up, in that order, they were introduced to the rest of the wedding party (And did a double take upon seeing both Naru and Amy in the same room.).
By the time lunch came and went, all of the in-laws had gotten acquainted with one another. Thankfully, there were no major hang-ups during this process, but just when things were going smoothly, someone just had to spring their surprise. Then again, the best surprises always seem to happen when you least expect them…
--- 1:03 PM
"Who could that be?" Naru asked when there was a knock at the door. To her knowledge, everyone was already there, including the minister.
"I'll get it," Sean said, getting up before anyone else had the chance to. Opening the door, he smiled when he saw who it was. "Ah, so you were able to make it after all." Turning back to the group, he called out, "Hey, Keitaro, why don't you come welcome our guest?"
"Alright," Keitaro said. By the time he was halfway from the couch to the door, Sean moved to the side and former ronin's jaw dropped when he recognized the latest arrival. "G-Granny Hina?"
"The one and only," Hina said, a wide grin on her face. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Within moments of entering the dorm, she drew Keitaro into a big hug.
"I thought you were still out traveling the world," Keitaro said.
"I was," Hina said. "But you're crazy if you think I'd miss a bash like this. I would never forgive myself if I wasn't at my own grandson's wedding."
"I don't remember making an invitation for her, do you?" Naru asked Motoko.
"I made one," Sean said. "I slipped it along with the latest income statement."
Kitsune raised an eyebrow. "You still send out those things?"
"Why do you look so surprised?" Sean asked. He happened a glance at the clock and he sighed. "No point in putting it off, I suppose," he thought as he made his way to where Suu and Amy were still rapt in conversation--with Mr. Narusegawa on the sidelines, trying in vain to make sense of any of it.
"…and by increasing the intake of the flux capacitor, I was able to--" Suu's sentence was cut short when she felt someone tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw her manager, a serious look on his face. "What's up?" she asked.
"It's about that time," Sean said.
"Gotcha," Suu said, knowing exactly what Sean meant. She immediately skipped off to her room, though Sean stopped short of the stairs.
"Hey, Hina," he called out. "Can I see you upstairs for a minute?"
"Sure," Hina said. She had been catching up with Keitaro, but she figured she had all day for that. As they went upstairs, she took in everything around her. "This place looks better than when I left," she said. "I guess this puts a whole new meaning to the phrase 'working your magic'." She thought that was funny, but Sean saw it a different way.
"How do you know about that?" Sean asked.
"Kanako told me," Hina said. "When she came back from her first visit, she spoke about you in not-so-flattering terms."
"Why am I not surprised?" Sean muttered. "Especially after stopping her attempt at incest."
"I feared as much," Hina said. "She always did have an unusual attachment to her brother. Speaking of which, I haven't seen her in some time. Did she turn up here?"
"In a manner of speaking," Sean said. He then proceeded to recount the events of over two months prior; the kidnapping, the rescue and the retribution.
"I see…" Hina said as they reached Suu's room. "So you're bringing me here so I can see Kanako?"
"I'll do you one better," Sean said, opening the door. Once inside, they spotted the young genius standing next to a chair that looked far from innocent.
"Preparations are complete," Suu said, giving a salute.
"Good," Sean said. "Begin the extraction process."
"Roger that."
"You're bringing her back to the real world?" Hina asked. Her tone could almost be described as incredulous.
"Briefly, yes," Sean said bluntly. It was obvious he wasn't proud of what he was doing.
"After everything she's done, why are you doing this?" Hina asked.
"For some reason, Keitaro wants her to be at his wedding. You should have seen the uproar he caused when he made that request. I swear, your grandson is way too forgiving for his own good."
Any response Hina might have made to that was preempted by the once empty chair suddenly becoming occupied by the embodiment of teenage angst that was Kanako Urashima. Once she was aware of her surroundings, she sprang from her seat and leapt toward Sean with the intention of ripping him apart. She might have succeeded too, if Sean had seen it coming from a mile away and had prepared for it accordingly.
At the last possible moment, Sean cast a spell that froze Kanako in her tracks. Unable to release her pent-up rage, she let loose a string of curses that made Sean glad he had closed Suu's door.
"Enough of this," Sean said, flicking Kanako hard right between the eyes. Placing two fingers under her chin, he tilted her face up so they could see eye to eye. "Shut up and listen good, because I will not repeat myself. The only reason you're out here right now is because there will be a wedding held today and your dear brother, somehow, still thinks of you as family. I assure you, this will only be a temporary leave, after which you will be sent right back in."
"I'm going to make you regret ever interfering in my affairs," Kanako said. "As soon as I'm free of this stupid spell, I'll tear you limb from limb!"
"Is that so?" Sean asked. "You would try to kill me right in front of your grandmother?"
"If God was in this very room, He couldn't protect you from my wrath," Kanako said with as much venom as she could muster. Much to her aggravation, Sean started giggling. "What's so funny!"
"Nothing," Sean said. In truth, he found Kanako's last statement hilarious. After all, with his connections, he could easily make her eat her words, but he opted not to say words to that effect. Instead, he made a threat of his own. "I wouldn't act up if I were you," he said. "We all will keeping an eye on you. If you so much as try anything, I will immediately send you somewhere worse than Halo."
"And what might that be?" Kanako asked, attempting to call Sean's bluff.
"You don't want to know." In truth, he hadn't settled on a single destination, but he did narrow his choices down to two groups. The first one included games that were more violent--or at least more gruesome than where she had been the last two months. For what it's worth, the Resident Evil series springs to mind. The other group composed of games that were so cutsie they were almost certain to drive her insane. Imagine, being stuck in Animal Crossing for all eternity. Here and now, he was leaning more towards the second category.
"Now," Sean continued. "We can't let the rest of the wedding party see you looking like this; they're bound to ask questions I wouldn't want to answer." Indeed, the reaction to see a girl who looked like she just went through a war zone--mostly because she did--would be far from favorable. With a wave of his hand, he not only turned Kanako's battle-worn outfit into something more presentable, but also cleaned her up as well. "And just as a precaution…" He snapped his fingers and a pair of handcuffs appeared out of nowhere, which he immediately used to bind her hands behind her back.
"Alright," Sean said, turning to Suu. "In five minutes, the paralysis spell will wear off. When it does, I want you to bring her downstairs."
"What if she struggles?" Suu asked.
"I'll leave that up to you," Sean said, now heading for the door. "Be creative."
Without a word, Hina followed Sean out. The last thing she would see before closing the door would be Suu looking Kanako up and down, an evil grin on her face. It would take until the two got halfway between Suu's room and the stairs that she would break the silence. "Suu is as brilliant as ever."
"You got that right," Sean said. "Thankfully, her inventions are far less destructive than they used to be." He quickly turned the conversation to a topic he knew she would bring up sooner or later. "Are you upset about how I handled her?"
Hina slowly shook her head. "No. If anything, I'm disappointed in Kanako. I could see it in her eyes; she's too caught up in her hunger for vengeance to have learned anything. She needs to know that the world does not grant every wish that is made, no matter how badly you may want it."
"So you approve of my methods, then?" Sean asked.
"You did what needed to be done," Hina said. "Anything less probably wouldn't have stopped her for long."
"Mm hmm," Sean muttered. "Just so you know," he added. "Not everyone here knows I'm a wizard, so I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't talk about it."
---
Aside from a few angry glares (especially from Naru), Suu parading Kanako into the living room happened surprisingly smoothly. When asked about the handcuffs, Sean explained that it was due to her history of delinquent activity and, therefore, had to be confined. Of course, he wasn't about to say where she was confined.
With all of the guests present--official and otherwise--the final preparations for the blessed event went under way. Once everyone had changed into their wedding attire, they filed out into the courtyard, where the actual proceedings were to take place. Along the way, Shinobu passed around a guest book (by Sean's suggestion) for everyone to sign. When it came to the goddess' respective turns, she had to keep from laughing. She did not know what she found funnier, the fact that they used the names Stephanie Romane and Amy Knowles (A/N: For those of you who don't get it, consider the words "romance" and "knowledge".) or that they put Roswell, New Mexico as their hometown.
The ceremony itself would be a sight to behold. Before that day, the only people out of the entire wedding party to actually witness a western wedding were Sean and Stephanie, though this was hardly far-fetched. Every one of the residents had their own roles to play. Kitsune, Motoko, Shinobu and Mutsumi were all bridesmaids, while Sean was best man. Regrettably, Jimmy was not able to attend, as he had sudden and important business to attend to elsewhere. This made for a rather lopsided ceremony, though nobody was about to lose any sleep over it. Suu contributed as the ring bearer (a role she performed with much enthusiasm) and Sarah as flower girl (a role she performed with not so much enthusiasm).
For her part, Kanako behaved herself throughout. One theory for this is that she still cared for her brother deeply and did not want to disrupt his wedding day, even if she was not the bride. Then again, it's equally likely that she did not wish to provoke Sean further and receive a third dose of his sadistic brand of punishment.
Once the ceremony was complete and Keitaro and Naru officially became husband and wife, everyone went back inside for the reception, where they enjoyed the fruits of Shinobu's labors. It was during this time that yet another bombshell would be dropped…
--- 4:22 PM
"This food is wonderful!" Mrs. Urashima said.
"You got that right," Kitsune said. "You have really outdone yourself, Shinobu."
"And that's saying something," Sean added.
Shinobu did not respond verbally. Instead, she just blushed a bit and grinned with the satisfaction that she had reached a new plateau like she hoped she would. Even if she wanted to say something, there was someone else who demanded the attention of the room.
"Excuse me everyone," Hina said, standing from her seat. "I have an announcement to make." She waited for the rest of the wedding party to end their respective conversations before she continued. "Keitaro, I know this must be inadequate, but I must apologize to you."
"Apologize?" Keitaro asked. "For what?"
"For not being here for you all this time," Hina said. "There's no telling what you must have gone through early on."
"I don't think he's the one you should have been worried about," Sean thought.
"I was too wrapped up in my own affairs, I had forgotten about the welfare of my own grandson," Hina continued. "I only hope you can forgive me."
"Of all the people to ask for forgiveness…" Naru thought.
"You don't need to apologize to me," Keitaro said. "Everyone is entitled to live their own lives as they see fit." He switched his gaze from his grandmother to his new wife. "Besides, if I could have relived the last three years, I would not have changed a thing."
"Oh, honey…" Naru said before leaning in for a quick kiss.
"Still, I can't help but feel somewhat responsible," Hina said. "Therefore, I want to give you this." She reached into her pocket, pulled out a folded up piece of paper and handed it to Keitaro.
"What is it?" Keitaro asked.
"Think of it as a wedding present," Hina simply said.
Slowly, carefully, Keitaro unfolded the paper and his eyes grew wide as he read it. Once he was done, he turned his head toward Hina, to the paper and back again. "This is…"
"That's right," Hina said. "The deed to Hinata-Sou. You have no idea how long I have wanted to give you that."
"Wow," Keitaro said, though he was partially drowned out by the murmurings going on around the room. "I mean--wow. I never would have expected something like this. I… I can't accept this."
"What do you mean?" Hina asked, flabbergasted by her grandson's last statement.
"I'm not saying I'm ungrateful," Keitaro said in his own defense. "I just think there's someone else who deserves this more than I do." He turned to the other person sitting next to him. "Sean, I want you to have it."
"Me?" Sean asked; he definitely did not see this little development coming. "Why me?"
"For as long as I've known you, you have kept this place running like a well-oiled machine," Keitaro said. "I know in my heart that you would make a better owner than I ever would."
"I guess that makes sense," Sean said, though his reluctance was plain to see. He looked at Hina and silently asked for her input.
"It is his to do as he sees fit," she said. "I have faith in his judgment."
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Sean said, turning back to Keitaro. "This is a big decision, after all."
Keitaro nodded. "I'm sure."
"If you say so," Sean said. "We can hammer out all the details later." Looking around, he saw that everyone in the room was staring at them in complete silence. "What are you all gawking at?" he asked. "Eat up! This is supposed to be a day of celebration, remember?"
Having been broken from their reverie, everyone resumed chatting amongst themselves, with one extra topic of discussion. Once all had had their fill, they moved to the living room where they danced and sang karaoke with Sean as the DJ (mostly as an excuse to not be on the dance floor). Hours would go by in a blur and all too soon, the guests had to head back to their own homes, though promises were made to visit more often in the future.
The party would continue for a little while longer, though one by one, each of the tenants went off to bed. It seemed appropriate that the last of them to go were the husband and bride.
--- Sunday, 8/27 12:01 AM
"Today was wonderful," Naru said after what would be hers and Keitaro's last slow dance of the night.
"Only the best for my friends," Sean said.
"Thanks again for letting Kanako out, even for just a little while," Keitaro said. "I really appreciate it."
"Yeah, well, I'm just glad she had enough sense not to make a scene," Sean said. "Well, I guess it's about time you got some shut eye, huh?"
"Well, we may be going to bed," Naru said, grinning. "But who knows how long it might be until we actually fall asleep."
"Is that so?" Sean asked, somewhat taken aback. To say that the newly married couple wasn't open about their level of intimacy would have been an understatement. "Well, remember that, if you ever feel like your ready, just let me know and I'll remove the spell--if you know what I'm talking about."
"Yeah, we do," Keitaro said, both he and Naru blushing a bit. Nodding in acknowledgement, they went upstairs without another word.
At a date and time long since forgotten, Keitaro and Naru approached Sean in secret. Apparently, the two had been talking to each other about taking their relationship to the next level and had finally decided to do just that. Naturally, this brought with it a few concerns, not the least of which being the risk of conception. Neither of them felt they were ready to have children so early in their adult lives and especially out of wedlock, but they also felt that buying condoms would be somewhat embarrassing. After all, the last thing they wanted to do was announce to the whole world (or worse yet, Kitsune) what they were doing.
Right away, Sean agreed to the request he knew was coming and set about fashioning some form of magical birth control. After a few early theories that got scrapped because they were either impractical or irreversible, an idea popped up that seemed like the perfect solution, which, upon proposing it to the couple, was agreed to wholeheartedly. What he did was place an enchantment on Naru's ovaries so that the eggs they produced had an extraordinarily tough shell so that no sperm could work they way inside. Since then, Sean has no clue as to how many times they have put his spell to the test--not that he ever wanted to find out.
Some time later, in an event independent of itself, Motoko came calling with a similar request.
"Well, there goes the happy couple," Sean said after they left the room. He followed this up with a yawn, signifying that he should be off to bed as well. Before he got to the stairs however, a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind.
"That was really a beautiful wedding," Stephanie whispered into his ear. "I'm glad I was here for it."
"I thought you had already gone," Sean said.
"I did," Stephanie said. "But I came back to get you. It is technically Sunday, you know?"
"Maybe later," Sean said. "I'm too tired for that right now." He reinforced that statement with another yawn. "Besides, what about Shinobu?"
"What about her?" That comment was not as insensitive as it might have seemed. It was common knowledge that if one of the wizards accompanied them on that particular day of the week, they both did--no exceptions.
"She has to be sound asleep by now," Sean said. "I'm not about to wake her up."
"Whoever said you have to?" Stephanie asked. "You could sleep in my bed tonight if you wanted." Then, much to Sean's surprise, her tone turned serious. "Listen, remember what I told you about the… shall we say… errand Linda had to run today?"
"Yeah."
"Well, it appears to have taken a lot more out of her emotionally than we had originally thought. Apparently, the poor sap had quite a bit of potential in him. Anyway, I figured that if you were to go to her, it would do her a world of good. What do you say, will you do it?"
A small grin appeared on Sean's face. "I think I can stay awake a while longer."
Stephanie breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much," she said, kissing Sean on the cheek. "You have know idea of the significance of your actions." With that, the goddess of love faded back into the nothingness from which she came.
"Somehow," Sean thought. "I think I do."
End of Chapter LXIV
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