Chapter 2: A Great Wedding
As they climbed the steps of the shrine, Marie took in the sights. Air was clear, the sky beautiful, and the women and men she saw as not just friends and classmates, but brothers and sisters in all but blood. Some surprised her at their appearance, others were just as she imagined them in her mind's eye when she was blind. If it weren't for her keen sense of smell, she probably wouldn't have recognized any of them. At last, they reached the top of the shrine, and her fiancé, Kaminari Denki, was waiting for her there. He had grown to only an inch taller than her 5ft 9 inches, but he stood tall in his black hakama and yukata. He had grown a goatee and looked as handsome as a prince as he smiled at her. Marie saw him and looked straight into his eyes and smiled back.
Denki's jaw dropped and his eyes nearly popped out of his skull when he saw that Marie could see again. He managed to keep quiet as Joey took Marie's hand and led her down the aisle to the altar next to him, holding a picture of their dead parents, Joseph Freeman Sr. and Joey's biological mother, Mysa Freeman. Joey handed off his sister, and took his place next to Midnight, and Denki's eyes nearly popped after realizing she could walk again, albeit with help. The priest of the temple poured nine cups of sake, three small to represent binding the past together, three medium to represent binding the present families together, and three large ones to represent the future.
Marie and Denki drank first from the first small one, and then Denki's father drank from another and presented it to Joey, who bowed and presented the sake to the picture of their parents. Finally, Denki's mother drank from the third cup and then Nemuri drank from it as well. The ritual was repeated for the middle and large cups of sake, and then the priest spoke up. "We are gathered here today to join in matrimony these two families, the Kaminari and Freeman families through their children, Kaminari Denki and Marie Freeman. They are both of good families and have no others who wish to marry them. I will let them now express their love in their own words."
Everyone turned to Denki then, and he swallowed before he looked into Marie's eyes. He said, "The day we met, I never imagined that we would be here. You were unlike anyone I had ever met before. You were blind, and from another country, and you were completely unstoppable. No matter what difficulties you faced, you never let them defeat you. You, Marie, are strong in many ways that I had never seen before. There are millions of men you could have been with, and you chose me. I promise, I will always love you and care for you, and be the best Dad I can be for any children we have, until the day I die." It wasn't epic poetry, but it was honest and heartfelt.
Marie then swallowed and said, "I was in a dark place when we first met. Though I may have seemed brave, underneath I was scared of so many things. I couldn't see, my parents were dead, and I was in a foreign country that I wasn't ready for. You helped bring light back into my life. You were always honest, cheerful, bright, and funny. When we were together, I felt happy, and joyful again. My step-Mom once told me that I'd know I met my soulmate I would know when we were separated. When we aren't together, I would feel like a piece of me was missing, until we were together again. She was right. When we are separated from each other, I feel like I've been broken in half, until we are together again. You light up my life, Denki; if nothing else, I'm glad I came to Japan and got to meet you. I promise to always love and care for you, and I will be the best Mom in the world for our children, until I die."
Kirishima stepped forward and handed Denki a black rubber ring that was inscribed in Japanese on the outside and English on the inside, "Together Forever." Marie gave her hand, and Denki slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand. Mina then stepped forward and handed Marie a white rubber ring inscribed in English on the outside and Japanese on the inside, "Together Forever." She slipped the ring onto the third finger of Denki's left hand and the Priest said, "You may kiss." Marie and Denki kissed each other as they had countless times before, but this time there were cheers from their friends and family, and many cameras and phones went off to capture the moment. "I now declare you man and wife!" the Priest intoned, and the smiling couple turned to everyone before they were both lifted up on the crowd's shoulders and carried out of the shrine.
"I still don't get why you guys decided to use rubber," Mina said as they descended the steps. Denki explained, "With my electrical Quirk and Marie's transformation Quirks, the wedding planners thought it would be best, that way my electricity doesn't melt a gold ring, and Marie's finger wouldn't be squished if she has to use her Howling Form!" They just reached the bottom of the steps, when they saw a van drive up. From the van emerged two men and two women who looked like monsters! One man looked like an eight-foot-long snake creature with four arms, the other had a flaming pumpkin for a head, while one of the women looked like a female Frankenstein's Monster with long black hair and massive fists, and the last woman looked like a very thin waif who might die at any moment!
"Francesca! Marcus! Lilith! Sammy!" Marie practically screamed as her friends of UA let her down so she could run over to greet her old friends from America! "Damn it! We missed it!" Francesca yelled as Marie wrapped her in a hug. "At least you're here!" Marie said, looking up at her giant friend. "Wait a minute," Francesca said, and Sammy yelled, "You can see again!" Lilith and Marcus both screamed, "HOW!?" Marie smiled and said, "A very special someone that you'll meet at the Reception. Come on, we'll guide you to where we're going!"
Everyone got into their cars, and Denki and Marie took the limousine for themselves as they all headed for The Super Cave. The groups all arrived, although Marie and Denki had to quickly adjust their clothes before they emerged from the limousine and headed inside the club. The music was loud and powerful, the lightshows and holograms electrifying, and the drinks flowed like water! Soon everyone was dancing together, and plenty of pictures were taken of the happy newlyweds as they danced until the sweat poured off their bodies. But at last, the time for the honeymoon came all too soon, and Marie and Denki shared one last dance for everyone, before all the women present gathered together for the bouquet toss. Marie turned around and tossed it over her shoulder, and then immediately heard squeals of delight. She turned around to see that Momo and Kyoka had both caught the bouquet, and both were blushing and smiling at each other.
On this happy note, she and Denki got back into their limousine, and headed off for their honeymoon across Japan.
