Okay, I know I haven't been writing a lot, and yesterday I wrote a general outline for what is going to be happening in this story. Well, I have to tell you I'm really sorry it has taken me this long to get back to writing, but as you probably figured from my profile I'm getting ready for high school, and it's going to be a big change. I've been caught up in school work, testing, and extra-curricular activities and pretty much had to put aside my writing needs except for a few flashes of inspiration. I'm putting that behind me now and taking up my pen and paper and starting once again. Please forgive me for staying away from fan fiction for so long, and please, please, please, continue to read my stories. Thank you.
It was a chilly morning in early November and Ichigo was awake very early. She sat under a Japanese maple as she watched the sun rise in the sky. She smiled as the warm rays fell upon her pale skin, warming her ever so slightly. It was her wedding day and she could not be more nervous. She wanted it to be perfect, whether it would be or not, that was another matter. The rehearsal dinner the week before had been flawless, absolutely perfect, unlike the other dinners for her friends. Zakuro's dinner had been a disaster. The caterer was late, the chicken under-cooked, and in the middle of dinner Pudding's pet monkey had swung from the chandelier and fallen right into the middle of the cake! What a disaster! Ichigo laughed at the thought of the monkey covered in the ivory colored icing and the yellow rose on the top of its head. Minto's dinner had been slightly better. The caterer was on time, the food was excellent, and the monkey had stayed home, but still disaster found its way there. The night before Kishu had not felt well and had to stay home for the rehearsal. Pai had to stand in at Kishu's place, and Tart had to stand in at Pai's. Then, when the servers were bringing out the cake, Suki, Nashi, and Kaki had all gotten a hold of a trolley and run through the servers, giggling, as they scattered and fled. The cake all fell to the floor, but luckily there was extra.
Ichigo smiled at the thought of all the problems that had come to the different dinners, but sighed as she remembered that for every bad dinner there was a good wedding. 'Will my wedding be a disaster because the dinner went very well?' She asked herself as the wind picked up, rustling the few leaves left on the maple.
Ichigo tucked a stray strand on hair that fell from her high ponytail. Her smile began to fade as she saw there were some clouds approaching from the east. She sighed and was standing to leave when she saw a bush rustling and a few high pitched giggles reached her ears. The girls were in the garden, playing with Kuroi and Toru again. Kuroi, Zakuro's husky, was now almost three, as was Toru, Tart's beagle. Ichigo smiled and snuck up behind the fiends. "Gotcha!" She cried as she captured her little toddler, Momo.
Momo smiled and said,
"Momma, play?"
Ichigo laughed and shook her head, "Momo
needs a bath, as do you, Suki, and you Nashi, and yes, you
Ichijuki."
The four girls grimaced and ran for cover. Ichigo
let out another laugh and smiled when she saw her husband-to-be
approaching with Keiichiro and Kishu. "You boys come to find the
babies?" She asked.
"Yes, yes we did," Kishu said as he
reached into a bush and pulled out his blue-green haired
daughter.
"Well, they all hid when I said they needed baths.
So, good luck finding them. Nashi and Ichijuki went that way,"
Ichigo said and pointed towards the rose garden and weeping willow.
"Thank you, Ichigo,"
Keiichiro said.
"You didn't come out here to find the babies
did you, Ryou?" Ichigo asked and raised an eyebrow at Ryou.
"No
I didn't, but I'm guessing neither did you, Strawberry," Ryou
said and kissed the top of Momo's head.
"Well, you'd be
right if that's what you think. I came out here for peace and
quiet. Not that it lasted long," Ichigo said and smiled, cradling
her baby girl.
"I see," Ryou
said, "Nervous?"
"Very," Ichigo replied.
"Me too,"
Ryou said and hugged Ichigo from behind, placing his chin on her
shoulder, "but at least once you walk down that isle, it's a
piece of cake."
"Maybe, but I'm worried about those clouds,
it looks like it will rain."
"If it rains, it rains. We'll
have the wedding in the great hall, you can walk down the stairs,"
Ryou said and released Ichigo from his hold.
"True, now, I have
to go get ready, I'll see you at the alter," Ichigo said and
walked away, leaving Momo with her father.
"Well I'm
guessing, I have to give you that bath then," Ryou said to Momo and
Momo made a face.
Ichigo sat in front of
her mirror while her friends bustled around her, trying to make her
feel like a princess. "You'll be fine," Minto assured her,
"Believe me, once you set foot on that isle, the rest feels like a
breeze."
Ichigo nodded, "I know, but I'm just so worried
something will go wrong. You cannot blame me for being
worried."
"True," Lettuce replied, "but look on the
bright side, after today, you won't have to worry about
it."
Ichigo smiled, "I love you guys, and you always know
exactly what to say to make me feel better."
"Ichigo, the
wedding has been moved inside, it's raining too hard," Keiichiro
said as he knocked on the door.
"Thank you for that
information, Keiichiro," Minto replied as she pushed him out the
door, "but you, like everyone else, will have to wait to see the
bride. Now, SHOO!"
The girls had accomplished their task. Ichigo really did look like a princess. Her hair was as shiny and smooth as silk, gracefully pulled up by a sakura blossom clasp. The gentle curls cascaded back out and over the top of the clasp. Her bangs had been combed and swept to one side of her face then clipped with a bobby pin. Right at the place where her part started, a small, delicate tiara had been placed; it was the same one that Zakuro and Minto had used at their weddings. Its thin silver curls and twists were studded with diamonds and opals. Her veil was long and fell almost all the way to the floor. It was simple, only a piece of see-through white fabric, but it was layered to seem opaque.
The dress, oh the dress, Ichigo had looked for months to find the perfect dress, and this was it. It was bright white, almost in the same style as the ballroom gown from Beauty and the Beast. The slim straps fell just below Ichigo's shoulders, the heart like neck cut just above her chest, and the hem stopped just short of the floor. The bodice was embroidered with crystal beads to form patterns like a rose vine growing up the side of a house, twisting and turning, flowering and budding, leaves and stray curls of vine. The beading stopped at a thin, pale pink, satin sash just below her belly button, and from that sash the dress slowly billowed out with folds and folds of satin trimming like a ball gown.
Ichigo had also
decided to wear white gloves that went to her elbows, and beaded
heels to finish off the effect. She looked at herself in the mirror
and smiled.
"Ichigo, you'll blow them away," Lettuce
said.
Lettuce and the other bridesmaids were wearing pale pink
satin dresses like Ichigo's without the billowing skirt and
beading. Pudding was the flower girl again, but she was wearing a
deep red, spaghetti strap dress that was a red dress with dark red
see-through fabric layered over it with a pink area in the center.
The top of the dress had a thin burgundy ribbon separating it from
the rest of the dress.
Minto handed Ichigo her pink lily bouquet and said, "It's time, and everything is going to be just fine."
Ichigo took a deep
breath and nodded. The bridesmaids processed down the isle and when
they were all standing in their places Ichigo appeared at the top of
the stairs to the 'ooohs' and 'ahhs' of all the attending
family and friends. Ichigo had eyes only for one person, Ryou. Ryou
was looking up at her with amazement. She smiled and descended the
stairs. At the bottom of the stairs her father took her arm and gave
her to Ryou. Shintaru glared at the blond haired adult and said, "If
you make one wrong move… why I'll..!"
"Daddy, stop it,
you're embarrassing me," Ichigo said.
"Sorry, sweetie, but
if he…"
"You'll be the first to know, now please go sit down!" Shintaru did and the vows were about to begin when….
CRASH
BOOM
BANG
Darkness, darkness enveloped the room. Lightning had struck the power line to the house and cut off the electricity. "Nobody panic," Minto said, "please stay seated. Girls, it's time to dig out those candles."
The bridesmaids collected candles and placed them around the great hall. Soon, the whole hall was filled with a warm glow. Ichigo sighed with relief at the end of the ceremony. Everything had gone smoothly, even though the power went out. This truly was, the greatest day of her life.
I hope you enjoyed that! Please review!
-Silver