This chapter was delayed because I got a new computer and I was learning how to use it.
Lightning openly admitted that she hated Serah's bridal shower. Her hatred started at about noon, when Serah told her friends that she was seeing Cloud. Lightning had defended herself by saying that she only worked with him, but that proved as useful as trying to teach Snow quantum physics. When Serah's friends, Fang, and Yuffie refused to shut up about Cloud and her, she got up to leave.
When Lightning opened the front door she came face to face with Tifa. Lightning instantly thought about defending her face but pushed the thought aside which required a large amount of mental effort. When Tifa smiled and politely greeted her, Lightning breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad that Cloud was able to patch things up with Tifa.
"I thought you would be here earlier," Lightning stated to the martial artist.
"Cloud took me out for a late breakfast," Tifa replied before her eyes went wide when she thought about what that might mean to Lightning "I hope that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that, right?" Lightning knew that the group of girls in the living room heard that and it confirmed what Serah had said.
"There is nothing wrong with that," Lightning said to calm Tifa "You are Cloud's childhood friend, you have every right to see him."
"Thanks Light," Tifa said with a small smile and a nod "May I ask why your leaving?"
"Because they won't shut up about me and Cloud," Lightning answered in an annoyed tone.
"Did you have a boyfriend before Cloud?"
"No, but I don't see how that has anything to do with them being annoying."
"Well what their doing is a playful way of congratulating you. Our group has been doing the same thing to Cloud," Tifa stated "Come on, you've been through worse. I guarantee that you can live through this."
"I know I'll live. I'm not sure about the others though," Lightning joked making both of them chuckle before they entered the house.
Seven Hours Later, Out Front of 7th Heaven
"Aren't you guys coming?" Gadot asked the male members of Avalanche.
"I will not take part in the act of drunken debauchery," Vincent flatly stated to the man with the Mohawk.
"No thanks," Cloud politely declined.
"Why not Cloud? Would it give you flash backs to when you worked for the Don?" Cid teased.
"I told you to shut up about that!" Cloud yelled at the pilot giving the members of NORA the completely wrong idea "It's also not even close to what you think," Cloud noted to the members of NORA.
"What about you Cid?" Snow asked the pilot.
"Sorry, I have to teach some newbies how to fly at night in an hour," Cid explained.
"No, I don't even like the thought of those places," Barret told the members of NORA.
"Thanks for the offer though," Vincent added for the others. With that said Snow, Gadot, and Yuj left for Snow's bachelor party.
"Four days until the wedding," Cloud muttered off offhandedly.
"You're only going because of Lightning. Aren't ya?" Cid teased.
"Yeah. And?"
"Huh," Cid sighed after a long moment of silence "I thought I could mess with ya somehow."
"It's funny to think about Vince in a suit," Barret laughed.
"Why is that? I was a Turk once," Vincent said in a confused tone.
Four Days Later, Bodhum Church of the Fal'Cie
Lightning examined her reflection in the mirror. Her dress was a bright shade of blue that matched her eyes, according to her sister and Aerith. The dress fell half way down her calf's and stopped where her complicated looking open toed high heels started. There were two things Lightning hated about the dress, one being she hated how well it showed off her body and breasts, and the other was how there was only a small zipper on the dress that ran from between her shoulder blades to her waist.
"I know you hate it," Lightning saw Serah's reflection enter the mirror and noticed that she was not in her white dress yet. "But it's only for a few hours," Lightning turned to face her younger sister "Come on its time for your make-up," Lightning growled at that thought as Serah grabbed her arm and started to pull the elder Farron.
"Serah, wait," Lightning said as she pulled her arm free of her sisters grasp "Are you sure that you really want this?"
"Light, you have been asking that since I started dating Snow," Serah stated in a flat tone "Yes, I REALLY want this."
"There is still time to reconsider," Lightning said in a tone similar to pleading, which surprised Serah.
"How is it YOU are getting cold feet on MY wedding?" Serah laughed "Or are you just afraid of having Snow as a brother-in-law?"
"Just the thought of being related to Snow gives me chills," Lightning muttered which made Serah laugh before she started to pull Lightning towards the back of the room to get her make-up done.
Outside the church NORA and Avalanche was waiting for their last few members to arrive. NORA was waiting for Yuj, the blue haired man who was always with the newest fashion craze, and Avalanche was waiting for Vincent and Fang because the two had been inseparable since they formed their relationship. When the gunslinger and the huntress arrived no one could believe what they saw.
Vincent was in a regular tuxedo with black gloves, dress shoes and Cerberus on his right thigh. He had also managed to tame his wild hair and had loosely tied it back. The common thought among the two groups was He looks even more scary now. Fang, on the other hand, was wearing a low cut red dress that fell to her ankles and had a slit up to her upper thigh on the left side, and her sandals. Cloud made a mental note that Fang's dress was the same bright crimson as Vincent's cape and the dress was similar to the one that Scarlet, the head of Shinra's weapon department wore.
"Damn!" Cid exclaimed not trying in the slightest to hide the fact that he was checking her out "I must say Vince, you made a good choice," Vincent smirked at the pilots comment. Everyone turned when they heard steps in quick succession, which indicated someone running, and saw Yuj running towards them.
"I'm not late am I?" The blue haired man panted.
"No, we still got a couple of minutes," Gadot replied "Hey, Snow. Ya sure you want this dude?"
"Yes I'm sure," Snow replied to the man "Why wouldn't I be sure?" Gadot shrugged in response to Snow's question.
"I believe that it almost time for the ceremony," Vincent said to no one on purpose. Everyone who had a watch checked it and made a comment about Vincent's guess before turning to go inside. That was the last of the conversation as everyone went inside for the ceremony.
A few minutes after everyone found their seats Snow, Gadot, and Yuj were at the front of the aisle, in that order. Cloud quickly looked at what the former l'Cie, except Lightning and Fang, Tifa, Aerith and Yuffie were wearing. Sazh, Hope, and Hope's father, were wearing generic black suits; Vanille, Tifa, Aerith, and Yuffie wearing very fancy and expensive looking dresses.
When a soft piano melody started the murmur of the several conversations silenced and everyone turned to look at the back of the church. Serah's best friend, Kyla, was the first to proceed down the aisle. She was wearing a bright blue dress that barely showed off any part of her.
Lightning was the next to walk down the aisle. She could feel all of the lustful gazes on her. She forced her soldier instincts to take over and began walking down the aisle. Her gaze quickly swept back and forth across all the faces in the crowd but stopped when she met Cloud's gaze. Lightning felt her mouth slide in to a small smile and her cheeks grow warm with a blush. She hoped that her blush was not visible through her make up. When Lightning reached her spot, across from Gadot, the music changed which made everyone look back towards the back again.
Serah walked out from the side and a few gasps at how beautiful she looked could be heard. Everyone thought that Serah was absolutely stunning in the pearl white lacy dress. Serah and Snow had large smiles on their faces as Serah walked up the aisle. When Serah reached the end of the aisle and stood between Lightning and Snow the ceremony began.
Cloud was mostly zoned out throughout the ceremony, thinking about how good Lightning looked with her hair styled and going down her back. As he marveled at the beauty of the pink haired woman standing at the front (not Serah) his mind slowly drifted back to reality. He heard the minister say 'Til death do you part?' and his mind instantly brought up a memory he did not want to see.
The rain and the thunder had ceased and the clouds were beginning to let rays of light through. A dust-like smoke started rising from Sephiroth as he dropped his sword. The Masamune disappeared before it hit the ground.
"No one chooses their fate," Lightning growled at Sephiroth.
"But outside forces can determine it," Cloud added, also as a growl.
Sephiroth started laughing as his wing disintegrated into the black smoke. He shook his head before turning and walking over to Cloud. Sephiroth stood in front of the blond, looked down at him and made a statement that made Cloud's blood run cold.
"Death did not stop me before. Why should that change?"
Cloud shook off the memory with an extreme amount of confusion about why he just had that flashback. The sound of clapping and cheering brought him back to reality and he looked to the head of the aisle where Serah and Snow stood kissing, confirming the end of the ceremony.
Sorry about this chapter being short. This was VERY hard for me to write because my mind refuses to put a bridge between last chapter and the climax of the story.
Sorry about the wait, but hopefully I will be able to update more regularly now that I am getting back into my groove.
Don't forget to REVIEW.
By the way I have posted a new story but beware of the content it will have.