Persona BLEACHED 5: Chapter 4

Persona BLEACHED 5
Chapter 4: Bolts and Bells
August 1, 2036
Downtown Naruki, late afternoon. Just a few blocks away from the apartment complex Max and Ibuki called home was a hair salon, its ornate sign indicating that it was called 'The Leather Cut'.
It was the end of another work day, and the employees were on their way out the door. "See you bright and early tomorrow, girls." bid the owner. She was a woman with hair that had been colored blonde, reaching halfway above her neck, with curled ends. She wore a white dress and skirt, along with heels and a digital watch. Her nails were also white. "Except for you, of course, Ibuki."
Ibuki was packed up to head out, herself. "Yeah. Gonna feel weird not coming in on a Saturday. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna be busy."
"Putting the finishing touches on your special day is always the most stressful part. This is where you start to second-guess and pray that everything goes according to plan."
"Must've been easy for you, though, Rumi. You've always got everything planned out."
"Doesn't mean something won't spring up at the last minute. The caterer called out sick, so we had to improvise. That's one night where I got *no* rest." Her boss was Kirumi Kubo, neé Kawagami. She was the scion of a once-prominent construction conglomerate that had fallen in recent times, after several of her older siblings had assisted the Wolfpack in their assault four years ago. She was also the wife of Tan Kubo, and the mother of his children.
"I've just gotta keep my fingers crossed that it goes smooth. I've been dreaming of this for years. Now it's only a couple days away."
"I'm sure it'll be magical. And if something does go awry, you can always call me for help."
"Thanks so much, Rumi. See you Sunday."
"Keep your thoughts positive, Ms. Hinotama. Best of luck."
Ibuki bid Kirumi good night, and made her way back home. "Afternoon, lovely peeps~." she chimed as she walked in.
"Hey, babe. Work was good?" Max asked.
"Always is." She kissed him.
"Hey, Ibuki." Cindy was on the couch.
"Heya, cinnamon roll. How was your day?" Ibuki hugged her.
"It was really good. I helped Natty a lot with installing her systems. Security, sign-in, payroll, all that stuff. She's really excited for her grand opening next week."
"Judging by that little smile you've got, I'd say that excitement's contagious."
"There's a lot of happy things going on with everyone. It makes it harder to be sad. Especially since today I get to see my sister."
"There's everything I want to hear. Where's our favorite witch, anyway?"
"Should be here in a few minutes. I've never known her to be late to anything. Sure she's getting all the paperwork in order." Max replied.
A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. "Gonna guess that's our bird lady." Ibuki went to open it.
Standing at the door was a woman with long black hair, red streaks on either side to match her eyes. She wore a dark red, long-sleeved sweater, a long black skirt and black boots. Her nails were also black. "Good evening, all. I hope I didn't keep you waiting." She spoke with a Mid-Atlantic accent, much like Natalie. She was carrying a large black bag with her that bore an image of a crescent moon.
A raven flew over, with piercing red eyes, and perched itself on her shoulder. "Caaaaw."
"Hiya, Em. And featherbox. Come on in." Ibuki bid.
Emily O'Donnell, the Arch-Witch of Earth-013 and Cindy's half-sister, eight years her senior. The raven was named Muno, and he was Emily's animal familiar.
"Apologies for being a bit late. The girls' usual sitter had something come up last minute, so I had to find a backup. I fear I may have spoiled Anna's Friday night, but it's what was needed." Emily said.
"Don't worry about it. Takes a village, and all that." Max replied.
Cindy got up and walked over to her. "Hey, Emmy."
Emily brought her in for a hug. "Hello, dear little sister." She could feel Cindy's hands shaking.
"I've missed you so much...everything's been...awful."
"I heard. I'm so, so sorry. If this was back home, I'm sure Dad would be blacklisting those terrible people from working anywhere ever again. But what matters is that you're here."
"...I wanna see him and Mom so badly..."
"You'll only need to wait two more days. I assure you, they've both been counting the seconds. Grace and Jasmine miss you terribly, too. They've been begging me for a weekend with their aunt."
"I can absolutely do next weekend! I just...have to clean the place up a bit. Ahehe..." Cindy let go. "You've gotta take care of wedding stuff first, right? I'll just head out..."
"I promise I'll be over as soon as I'm finished here. I can even lend a hand with cleaning. I'll try not to take too long."
"Okay." Cindy gave Muno some scratches under his beak. "Hi, handsome boy."
"Caaaaaw."
"Have a good night, guys." Cindy waved.
"Night, Cind." Max responded, as she left the apartment.
"Ugggh, she breaks my heart! Seeing her go from upbeat to miserable has been the worst." Ibuki expressed.
"Unfortunately, this isn't the first time I've seen her like this." Emily replied.
"It's just so unlike her." Max said.
"I genuinely fear that...this might really be the real her. I'm not looking forward to seeing Dad and her mother reacting to that look in her eyes. They worry enough about her as-is."
"That's why we want her to be around Natty. She was the same way when we met her. It's already made a difference compared to last week."
"You mean to tell me she was *worse*?" Emily rubbed her eyes. "Goddess, what have I allowed to fester?"
"It's not your fault, Em. This runs way deeper than any of us knew. But we're gonna make this better, I promise." Ibuki assured.
"Caaaw." Muno pecked at a strand of Emily's hair.
"My companion clearly wants my mind off of dire subjects. Let's get to what I'm here for." Emily sat down, taking some paperwork out of her bag.
"Oh jeez, signing things." Max uttered.
"Nobody ever tells you about this part, do they? Tedious, I know. Better to do this now so I can file it at the courthouse first thing tomorrow morning."
"And you're positive that you've got all the right certifications, yeah?" Ibuki asked.
"I am nothing if not thorough. Back home, the Arch-Witch or Mage must be ordained in every faith system. I made sure to do the same here. Rest assured, your marriage will be 100% legitimate."
"That's a relief. Won't have to worry about it being annulled on a count of our minister talking to a bird." Max said.
"Caaaaw." Muno sounded.
"So like, is this just a thing that any witch or wizard can do? You learn magic, and it lets you marry off whoever you point at?" Ibuki asked.
"Nothing so general. It's reserved for the senior members of each tribe or coven. We're the spiritual heart of our communities, so it's a natural aspect of our duties. I must say, I was surprised to learn that you'd asked me to officiate your ceremony without knowing I was able to do so."
"I just assumed that you were cuz of how important you are. And since you basically know everything." Max replied.
"Don't try to flatter me, Mr. Jadefang, especially in front of your future bride. But my surprise mainly comes from just how frequently I'm asked to do something like this. People believe that being married by the Arch-Witch or Mage is the ultimate blessing for their union. As such, I'm inundated with requests to officiate. Everyone from delivery drivers to heads of state. It got to be so overwhelming that I had to change my number. Twice."
"Yikes. So how many weddings have you *actually* done?" Ibuki asked.
"You two will be my fourth. I've saved it for people I actually know."
"Wow, that's...a huge honor that you'd say yes to us, Em. I dunno what to say." 
"Consider it my thanks for how wonderful you are with my sister. And for all you've done for our world in saving it from the Wolfpack."
"I'm far from the only reason they're gone. Really, everyone else did most of the work on old Johnny. But I'm gonna echo Ibuki. It's a real honor." Max affirmed.
"The honor is all mine."
The pair finished signing their paperwork. "Perfect." Emily took it, putting it all in her bag. "Now, let's run through everything before rehearsal tomorrow." She took out a notebook. "What's the order everyone will be walking in?"
"I'm walking in first with my mom. After that, Kat is gonna come in with Barb. My sister's gonna sit down next to my mom, while Kat takes her spot next to me." Max outlined.
"Hand-in-hand with her favorite twins. I'd be less worried about Ms. Annie fainting and more about Kitty Kat passing out." Ibuki chimed in. "But when that's done, I'm walking in with my sister and my niece. She's gonna have the rings. My sister's gonna lift up my veil."
"Very good, very good..." Emily wrote it all in her book. "I've already got what I'll be saying committed to memory. I'll also be performing a blessing on the apartment the morning of. You'll be returning to a pure and cleansed home, ready to begin life as husband and wife."
"That'd be awesome, Em. Mmmm..." Ibuki put a hand on her chest.
"You okay?" Max asked.
She started blushing. "Of course I'm okay, silly. How can I not be? I...I spent most of my life being treated like garbage. I was just a plaything to all these gross men. I never thought I'd get to have a life like this. I'm two days away from marrying the sweetest guy in the whole world. I'm even better than okay."
"Hunh, weird. I thought it was me you were marrying."
Ibuki kissed him on the cheek. "I said what I said."
"Heh." Emily uttered.
"What's so funny?" Max questioned.
"Seeing you two interacting is always so delightful. I think back to when you were first brought to our world and how desperate you were to return here. I fully understand why. Unconditional love is a beautiful thing. It'll be my honor to make this wonderful union official."
"Spoken like a true master of the pen. No wonder you and the Professor are besties now." Ibuki said.
"'Besties' might be a bit much. As much as I enjoy my time with Rin, I'm sure she has much closer friends than me."
"Don't pretend like you two aren't chummy. No rule that says you can only have one best friend. Just ask Kat. She has, like, five." Max replied.
"Caaw, caaw." Muno vocalized.
"Don't you gang up on me, too! Just because we do writing exchanges and have most of the same interests doesn't mean...I'm not helping my argument, am I." Emily responded.
"Y'all need to get matching shirts." Ibuki teased.
The Arch-Witch sighed. "Right. I've kept Cindy waiting too long. I'll let you two have your alone time. These papers are going to the courthouse early tomorrow. Good night, and I'll see you for the rehearsal."
"Thanks for everything, Em. Tell Cindy we said good night, too." Max replied.
"Don't forget what we said about the matching shirts!" Ibuki joked.
With a sigh and a wave, Emily left.
"Alright, want to see what's on, or--" Max began.
Ibuki put her arms around him. "I'm in the mood for cuddles. Extra special ones, too."
"Why would they be special ones?"
"Cuz it'll be the last time they'll be Girlfriend Cuddles. After that, they'll all be Wifey Cuddles." She sighed. "I'm so ready for this, Sparkplug. I almost signed those papers 'Ibuki Jadefang'."
"Still sure you want to take my name? Not gonna miss the 'Fireball' branding?"
"I'll always be Fireball Ibuki. But I want people to know whose wifey I am. And I wanna thank Ms. Annie for being like a mom to me from Day One. So yeah, I'm sure."
"Just checking. I personally think 'Jadefang' has its own badass ring to it, but I'm probably biased on that."
Ibuki settled into a comfortable spot. "...I love you, Maxie. And I can't wait to be your wifey."
"I love you, Ibuki. And I can't wait to be your hubby. Less than 36 hours to go."
"36 hours too many~."
---
August 2, 2036
Just outside of the tech center of Akihabara, inside a comfortable family home. Morning.
"Good God, I've never seen so much wrestling merch in my life." uttered a man with a Southern accent.
"And this is just the living room." a woman responded.
This was the home of Kabu and Kyoko Ishimaru, Kibō's parents. Kabu was the former mayor of Ikebukuro, while Kyoko was a legend in Japanese wrestling, going by the ring name 'Thunder Kyoko'. The two currently run a tech repair shop in Akihabara.
Kyoko was a woman with wild, brown hair, black nails and ripped black jeans. Her shirt was black, with an image of a white scorpion emblazoned on its front. Though not as present at wrestling events as in the past, she still possessed an athletic build.
The man with the Southern accent also possessed a built musculature. He had short brown hair and a beard, along with Native American tribal tattoos on his arms. His shirt bore the emblem of the United States Air Force. He was Davie Jadefang, Max and Barbara's uncle, the younger brother of their mother Annette.
"You weren't kidding about there being a lot, Starbolt." he commented.
Max and Ibuki were on the couch, along with Barbara and Kibō. 
"One thing I've learned over the years is that Mrs. Ishimaru isn't just a wrestling legend. She's a wrestling fanatic." Max said.
"Kyoko-sama could fill your ears for days about all the big names she's met." Ibuki added.
"I was lucky to grow up during the Attitude Era. Stone Cold, The Rock, the nWo..." Kyoko tugged on her shirt. "...Sting, obviously, those guys were my heroes. Goes a long way to explaining a lot, doesn't it?"
"Just like how you being my hero growing up explains a lot."
"Honey, you're a queen all by yourself. You were gonna be that way with or without me."
"There wouldn't have been a Fireball Ibuki without a Thunder Kyoko to look up to. In more ways than one."
"Really? How's that go?"
"I'll tell ya after the wedding."
"What a tease. I'm gonna lose sleep over that."
"Yo, is that Kid Thunderbolt with a Bloodline jacket on?" Davie was looking at a photo on the wall.
"Yes sir, it is. Tell him who your favorite wrestler is, Keebie."
"Do I have to?" Kibō asked.
"You mean it's *not* your mom? Bro." Max responded.
"Besides me. Cuz it'd better be me!" Kyoko said.
"Bloodline, Bloodline...oh, don't tell me. Reigns?" Ibuki guessed.
Kibō shook his head. "Guess again."
"Were you smelling what The Rock was cooking?" Max questioned.
Barbara, on her phone, poked it. A sound effect played out. "'Yeet'."
"Baaaabe." Kibō groaned.
"UUUUUSOOOOO!" Ibuki called out.
"Brother, no way. You were with the Yeet Movement?" Davie asked.
Kibō sighed. "Yeah."
"'Were'? Heh. He still is!" Kyoko corrected.
"I'm just gonna do this to ya every time you come over." Ibuki started swinging her hands up and down towards Kibō, as if she were fanning him.
"Stoooop!" Kibō griped, as Barbara giggled.
"I'm gonna go see if the chef needs some help." Max got up.
"'Kay. I'll just keep teasing Mr. Main Event. Ish." Ibuki replied.
"Uggggh." Kibō uttered.
Inside the kitchen, a woman was working and humming to herself. She had auburn hair, and wore a red button-down shirt and jeans, along with feather earrings and a heart pendant.
Max walked up to her, taking a sniff of what she was cooking. "Mmmm...those waffles my nose is detecting?"
"Your nose is functioning perfectly, hon. Just a couple more minutes, and we'll have ourselves a proper country breakfast." She was Annette Jadefang, Max and Barbara's mother.
"More beautiful words will never be spoken. How are you feeling?"
"You don't have to worry about me tuckering myself out, Starbolt. I'm making breakfast, not running a marathon."
"I know. I just want to make sure everything's alright."
"I feel as healthy as I ever have. You don't have to keep hanging onto my every move. The doctors all said it was a freak occurrence. Less than 1% chance of it happening again. You and Moonbeam are worrying too much."
"You're telling ME I worry too much?"
"I'm your mom. It's my job to worry about you."
"Yeah, well it goes both ways. We were scared we were gonna lose you, Mama."
"I know. But I'm alright now. Healthy and ready to see my little boy get married." Annette put a hand on Max's cheek. "I still picture you building little costumes out of cardboard. I'm so unbelievably proud of the man you've become. You're more than ready to be chief of your own tribe."
"You're still our chief, Mama. And besides, between me and Ibuki, I know who the head of the house would be."
"Smart boy." Annette returned attention to their meal. "Want to help me get our breakfast out there?"
"Your desire is my command, Chief."
Back in the living room, Davie was still in awe of the wrestling collection. "...you did *what* to CM Punk?"
"Well..." Kyoko began.
"Sorry to keep y'all waiting, breakfast is ready~." Annette walked in.
"Music to my ears~." Barbara chimed.
Everyone sat down at the dining table. "Your dad's gonna feel so dumb for leaving before waffles, Keebie." Kyoko said.
"Yeah, for the cardinal sin of, um...working." Kibō replied.
"Not bad for a last breakfast, eh, Starbolt?" Davie asked.
"Dude, I'm getting married, not having a needle stuck in my arm." Max replied.
"Careful there, most guys would say that's the same thing." Kyoko joked.
Something caught Barbara's attention. "Hey, Ibuki...you okay?"
Ibuki's body language was of increasing anxiety. The word 'married' echoed and repeated inside her mind. She got up. "Sorry. I need some air." She hustled out.
"Ibuki--!" Max called out.
"You'd better go talk to her, Starbolt. Poor girl's probably just nervous." Annette urged.
"Yeah, on it." Max followed after.
"Was it something I said?" Davie questioned.
On the front patio, Ibuki sat in a chair, taking a deep breath. "Way to look like you're not up for it, Fireball..."
"Hey, is everything alright? What was that all about?" Max appeared.
"Sparkplug, I...it just hit me all at once what we're gonna be doing tomorrow. And I...I got scared."
"Scared? But...you said last night you were ready for this."
"I am! I've been ready for so long! But...the weight of everything is getting to me. I dunno if this is the kind of life I deserve."
"Ibuki..."
"I came from nothing, Maxie. It wasn't that long ago that I was jumping around motel rooms hoping I could afford a night's sleep. I've got one of those little voices in my head, too. The kind that speaks up every once in a while, telling me that I'm just a little whore, and nothing can ever change that."
"Don't say that. That life wasn't your fault. You did what you had to. If anyone should be second-guessing whether they deserve this, it should be me. I hurt so many people with the Captain Thunder fiasco. You, especially. And I could've hurt so many more."
"That isn't you anymore, though. Everyone sees it now that you've changed."
"That's what you always tell me. So why don't you think the same way about yourself?"
"Ah--!" Ibuki snickered at this. "Alright, you got me there."
"Whatever you did before we met doesn't matter. Heck, you've been cutting hair for longer than you were on the street. All that matters to me is who you are now. The most big-hearted, badass girl in the whole world. And I can't wait to call you my wifey."
Ibuki started turning red. "God, I love you. Everything makes so much more sense when I'm with you. There's so much more I wanna get off my chest, but..."
Max took her hand. "Wait until tomorrow. We'll say everything we need to then."
"(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH--)" Ibuki yelled in her head as she turned even redder.
The door opened. "Everything okay out here, lovebirds?" Kyoko asked.
"Y-yeah, Kyoko-sama, everything's peachy. Just needed to get some sun." Ibuki replied.
"Judging by how red you look, I'd say you needed *less* sun." Kyoko winked. "Hey, here's your waffles. Thought you two could use a little more alone time out here."
"Thanks, Mrs. Ishimaru. Last thing I'd want is Mama's cooking going cold." Max thanked.
"No problemo. Oh, and Ibuki?"
"Yeah?" Ibuki responded.
"It's okay to be nervous before your big day. Everyone is. I was. I locked myself in the bathroom I was freaking out so much!"
"I...wouldn't advise repeating that, Ibuki." Max replied.
"Point is, it's one of the biggest moments of your lives. Nerves are natural. But if you two love each other as much as you clearly do, then you'll be just fine. Deep breaths. The fun part comes after."
"Thanks, Kyoko-sama." Ibuki replied.
"Enjoy the sunshine for as long as you want. Something tells me I'm gonna be busy showing Officer Davie my collection..." Kyoko went back inside.
"As long as you don't give him a demonstration!" Max called out.
"(I'm gonna say...the absolute mushiest things about that woman tomorrow.)" Ibuki thought.
---
The apartments of Downtown Naruki. Later that afternoon.
"Alright. Wardrobe is all set to go." Max put his suit up on the shelving in his room.
"I hope you realize how weird this picture is." Perched on the bed was a black cat.
"Yes, most people would think a talking cat is weird."
"Besides that." Kat hopped to the ground, before turning back to normal. "The night before your wedding, and you're spending it with your ex. Out of context, anyone would see this as scandalous."
"*In* context, we both know you're just being a tease."
"Me, a tease? Never." Kat brushed her foot against his leg as she walked past. He jumped.
"Grrrr..."
"Don't act like you don't love it." She plopped down on the couch. He sat down next to her. "...Game Day's here, Sparky."
"Yeah. It is."
"There's no way you're getting sleep tonight. Not just from nerves, but cuz you're anxious to see just how beautiful your bride is gonna be. Hell, I know I am."
"...she's gonna be blinding, isn't she."
"Like a goddess in the flesh." Kat sat upright. "Now I think you've probably heard 'it's okay to be nervous' or some variation of it a thousand times the last few days. So why don't we do something to keep things normal? A movie or two? Double feature of your choosing?"
"A movie or two sounds perfect. Goji two-parter?"
"Heh, only you would try to stave off pre-wedding jitters with giant monster movies. Hell to the yeah."
Max switched on a 1980s 'Godzilla' film, and the two began watching.
After a while, Kat noticed that Max was sitting up, almost hunched over with his hands together. A bead of sweat dripped down from his head.
Without saying a word, she got up, and went to her bag. She took out a packet of tea mix--'In case of emergencies!', her uncle Vikram would tell her--went to the kitchen, and started brewing.
A few minutes later, she returned with two cups. She sat down, and handed one to Max. He took a sip, and his tension slowly began to drop. He gave Kat a reassuring nod. She returned a smile and a thumbs-up.
Without another word, they resumed their movie-viewing. Between the two of them, words were unnecessary.
---
In a set of neighborhoods just outside of Naruki, there were a series of comfortable homes lining the streets. This is where Rin's clan once lived prior to their move, having given the home over to Tan and Kirumi once they'd moved to Kyoto.
Another street over from said residence was where Kaede and Kanae Hinotama lived. Inside the house, Kanae was fast asleep on the couch, her head resting on a giant, plush cupcake that Max had gifted her.
Inside of a guest room, Ibuki hung up her dress. "Okay...everything's set."
Kaede sat on the bed. "Earrings? Shoes?" she signed.
"Done and done. It's all set up so we can get out the door and straight to the hotel ASAP."
Ibuki sat down next to her sister, who patted her knee. "You should get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be CRAZY." Kaede signed.
"Don't I know it..." Ibuki paused. "Bet you never thought we'd be doing this. A hotel wedding with a bunch of people. I'm staring at my dress and I still can't believe it!"
"You and me both. I'm still trying to accept..." Kaede stopped as she began to tear up. "Accept that tomorrow is the day I finally have to let you go."
Ibuki comforted her. "You know I'm not going anywhere."
"You know what I mean."
Kaede looked to a picture on the mantle of a young couple: a man with dark hair and goatee, and a woman with long, brown hair, who strongly resembled Ibuki. Their parents, Kamui and Sayuri, who they'd lost to drug addiction long ago. The picture was from a time before the sisters were born.
"They should be here." Kaede began. "It should be Dad walking you down the aisle. It should be Mom taking your veil off. We should've had a chance to be a happy family. And when the time came for Kanae-chan to be born, she should've gotten to know her grandparents. With a real dad. A *good* dad."
"That's how it should've been. But it's not reality, sis. Tomorrow it's gonna be you. I'm sorry that it's always had to be you. I'm sorry that...you've never gotten to hear me say 'thank you' for keeping me alive for this long. Life hasn't always been great, but tomorrow's the proof of how much better it's gotten! We don't have to worry about how we're gonna pay for Kanae-chan's food, or where we'll be staying for the night. You're the reason tomorrow can even happen. There's no one I'd rather have with me for the happiest day of my life." Ibuki tenderly touched foreheads with Kaede.
"*Yaaaaawn*" Kanae walked in, rubbing her eyes.
"Hey, bubblegum. Did I wake you up?" Ibuki asked.
"Nah. I don't sleep good on the couch. I just wanted to say goodnight." Kanae jumped on the bed between her mother and aunt. "How come you're crying, Mama?" she signed.
"Just remembering old times with your auntie, sweetie. They're good tears." Kaede responded.
"We've got a really big day tomorrow. And you've got a very important job, little lady. You remember what to do when Ms. Em asks for the rings?" Ibuki asked.
"Give 'em to her birdie." Kanae answered.
"Correctomundo. And if he starts eyeing Saku, you bop him on the head." Ibuki winked. "It's gonna be an awesome day, bubblegum. All of our friends are gonna be there. And you're gonna look soooo pretty."
"As pretty as you, Auntie?"
Ibuki kissed her on the cheek. "Such a sweetheart." Ibuki hugged both of them. "I love you both so much. I've fought so long for the happy ending. And now...it's almost here."
She looked longingly at the dress hanging before her. "(Wait for me, Sparkplug. Just a little longer...and I'm yours.)" she thought.
---
August 3, 2036
Shinjuku Park Tower, the district's second-tallest building. Over half of its fifty-two floors were occupied by office space, while its top fourteen consisted of the luxury Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel, which offered highly scenic views of the Tokyo skyline.
It was in a ballroom on one of these hotel floors that a crowd was gathering. It was here that Max Jadefang and Ibuki Hinotama would be married shortly.
Wearing a silver-hued dress, Cindy looked out the window.
"Quite a view, isn't it?" Carrie approached, wearing an elegant purple dress.
"...I don't really like heights." Cindy responded.
Nearby, GoGo, in a black and red dress, along with black gloves, directed some workers, who were holding baskets of red flowers. "Come on people, it's one bundle per table. It's not rocket science. It doesn't need to look like a forest."
"I still can't believe they managed to book it here. It must've been super pricey. Did you help out, Carrie?" Cindy asked.
"I volunteered, but someone beat me to it. Mr. Higashikata financed the whole thing." Carrie replied.
Outside of the room, a man with an intimidating aura around him was on his phone. His brown hair was tied into a long ponytail. He wore a black eyepatch over his left eye, and a black leather glove over his right hand. "What do you mean the shipment never came in? They promised forty times that it would be in first thing in the--dude, just calm the hell down, will you..."
"It's always business with him, isn't it?" Rin, wearing a sakura-colored dress, was with Rose, in a blue dress with gloves, and Shizuka, in a dark purple outfit and looking as though she'd rather be anywhere else.
"We have businesses in every part of the city, and he still gripes about us not having any free time." responded a brown-haired woman with bells adorning either side of her head. She wore a bright yellow dress. Aura was with her, dressed in white. She was Hiyoko Kagetora, wife and business partner of Shūjo Higashikata.
"Suppose that's how you can afford to fund an entire ceremony like this. It was awfully generous of the two of you to do that." Rose said.
"It's JoJo's repayment for the work Mr. Jadefang put in for him years ago. What does Papa always say, Aura?"
Aura took on a serious expression. "Always repay your debts." she answered with a deep tone.
Rin and Rose snickered at this. "Appropriately in a good mood, I'm hearing." Kirumi approached in a white dress. She carried Marin, who also wore white. "Good morning, ladies."
"Good morning, Kirumi. And hello, little seedling!" Rin greeted.
"Hi, Auntie." the little girl replied.
Rin took hold of her from Kirumi. "Isn't that such a pretty little dress! And you're matching with your Mama! Isn't that adorable?"
"Coordination is paramount, after all." Rose chimed in.
As the two women gave the toddler their attention, Shizuka glanced up from looking at her phone. "Tch." she uttered with some annoyance.
"So, where are the men of the house, Kirumi?" Rose asked.
"In the washroom. Uri's tie keeps coming undone, so they're trying to fix it. And..." Kirumi sighed. "Posing." She took her phone out from her purse, showing the women a picture of Tan and Uri, both in matching suits with green ties, looking in front of a mirror and flexing.
Rin giggled. "Like father, like son."
"Creator help us." Rose uttered.
Back in the ballroom, Carrie remained conversing with Cindy. "Hi, pretty girls~!"
Natalia arrived, wearing a poofy, yellow dress, her hair curled slightly. Kenneth was with her, in a black suit with a red tie. "Apologies for our tardiness. We bumped into a familiar face downstairs." he said.
Accompanying them was a young woman with brown, braided hair, along with glasses. Her dress was orange. As she approached, she bumped into one of the tables. "Ah, s-sorry!" She spoke with a West Midlands accent. 
"Oh, hello, Tabitha!" Carrie walked over to give her a hug.
"Hi, Carrie! Or, g'day, as they say down under." the woman, Tabby Fairweather, responded.
"I was beginning to worry that you weren't going to make it. Were the delays really that awful?"
"Oh, they were utter nonsense! All kinds of last-second technical stuff that backed it up over and over! I was supposed to get in yesterday afternoon, and I didn't get to my hotel room until five hours ago!"
"Terrible Luck Tabby strikes again." Natalia said.
"It's borderline supernatural at this point." Kenneth commented.
"I could've fixed that technical stuff in a few minutes..." Cindy muttered.
"We-he-he-hell, I'm gonna be blinded by this much radiance~." Next to approach the gathering was a young man with dark skin and a goatee. He wore an attention-grabbing white suit with green stripes. Contrary to years past, his hair was short, having drastically cut down his dreadlocks.
"I know. I'm positively captivating." Kenneth joked. Natalia giggled.
"Not you, genius!" The young man was Sahir Musa, former soccer star turned aspiring surgeon, who hailed from Nigeria.
"That is...quite the garb you have on, Sahir. Custom-made, I'm assuming?" Carrie asked.
"I didn't have anything to do with it, just putting it out there." Natalia interjected.
"Amazing what you're allowed to get away with when Sakuya isn't around." Kenneth said.
"Ach, you're wounding me! And after I was so complimentary to you all!" Sahir exclaimed.
"Speaking of Saku, where is your Plus-One?" Tabby asked.
"Oh, she went to go see the Fireball before everything gets started. Probably to give her some friendly guidance."
Kenneth glanced at the suit again. "Or maybe she's going to find you *spiritual* guidance."
Seated at one of the tables were Kibō, Kyoko, and a black-haired man with glasses and beard stubble--Kibō's father, Kabu. Kibō wore a gray suit along with his father, while Kyoko wore a black-and-white dress with a lightning pattern. 
"Excuse me, is this table full already?" a woman asked. She possessed dark hair that had been tied up, and wore a purple, Chinese-style dress.
"Hiya, Lily! Fancy meeting you here!" Kyoko got up and hugged her. "Go ahead and take a seat. My boys don't take up that much space."
"Thanks for not calling me fat, dear." Kabu replied.
Lily Hanakotoba was Sakuya's mother, originally born as 'Hua Baihe' in China. She worked as a travel agent. "Have to say, Kyoko, it's really weird seeing you wearing anything but a sweatshirt and jeans."
"She'd have been turned away at the door if she tried coming in like that." Kabu chimed.
"More like they'd say no and she'd come in anyway." Kibō corrected.
"Y'all must think I'm some kinda crazy person! I can look presentable when I wanna!" Kyoko protested.
"So it's by design." Kabu quipped, leading to his wife kicking his leg. "Yow!"
"That's what you get!" Kyoko composed herself. "Anywho, Lily, how's married life treating you?"
"A lot better than the first time, I can tell you that." Lily replied. "Of course, the first time around he was a corrupt cultist and I was fifteen. You'd have to try *very* hard to reach that level."
"Yeah, yikes."
"But Koga is a wonderful man. He's very kind to me and, most importantly, is completely accepting of my Saku. It'd be perfect if his daughter didn't hate our guts."
"Can't all be perfect. Changes like this are gonna be hard on any kid. I'm sure you'll be fine." Kabu assured.
"Here's hoping, because I'm not used to getting so many dagger looks."
Soon, another pair entered. One was a man in green, military-style garb. His hair was chin-length, silver in color, and much like Shūjo, he had an eyepatch covering his left eye. "Sure this isn't too formal? I look like I'm gonna scream at some cadets."
With him was a brown-haired woman wearing a sea-blue dress, whose face resembled Cindy's. "I think you look spiffy. Plus your suit still has that ketchup stain on it."
"Nothing a little Arm & Hammer couldn't fix."
The man was Commander Max O'Donnell of Earth-013's Planetary Defense Force. The woman was his wife, Dr. Violet Siebold, known as Letty for short. He was Emily and Cindy's father, the latter of the two being with Letty.
When Cindy spotted the two, she ran as fast as her heels would allow. "Mom...Dad..."
"Oh, there's my perfect baby..." Letty took hold of her.
"I missed you both so much..." Cindy switched to her father.
"It's okay, little heartbreaker. You don't have to..." The Commander felt his daughter's hands shaking. "...hold on for as long as you want. You're alright."
Letty rubbed her shoulder. Both parents looked at each other. They knew how much this one simple gesture meant. She finally let go. "I'm so happy you're here. Did you bring--"
"HI, AUNTIE!" Two girls popped up from behind the Commander. They were virtually identical, both of them having black hair with blonde streaks. Like Emily, they spoke with Mid-Atlantic accents.
"Hi, Gracie! Hi, Jazz!" Cindy hugged them both.
The twins were Grace and Jasmine, Emily's nine-year old adopted daughters. Grace had blue eyes and clothing; Jasmine's were purple.
"We missed you, Auntie!" Grace exclaimed.
"Like, a lot!" Jasmine agreed.
"I missed you, too! But we're gonna spend a lot of time together now! Your mom's gonna let you two stay over for a bit! Won't that be fun?" Cindy asked.
"YAHOO!" both girls exclaimed.
"She pepped back up in a hurry." Letty said.
"Hard to frown with those two around. Just what the doctor ordered." Commander Max replied. "I'll be right back. Gonna see how the groom's doing."
Outside the room, Shūjo hung up his phone. "Tch. I'm away for five minutes and they forget how to do their jobs..."
The Commander walked out of the room. "Hm?"
Both men locked eyes. "....."
"....."
"Nice patch." Shūjo spoke.
"Same to you. There's other ways I can cover it, but--"
"It makes you feel like a badass? And gets you instant respect?"
The Commander put up his fist. "My man."
Shūjo bumped it.
"Hey, you know where Max is?"
Shūjo pointed at him.
"*Your* Max, smartass."
"Changing room's that way. You'll know when you see it."
"Appreciate it, brother." The Commander saluted, and walked where he was directed.
Uri was watching the encounter, and a thought popped into his head, of him wearing an eyepatch and looking intimidating. "Whooooa, so cool! Hey Mom, can I--"
"No." Kirumi immediately rebuked.
Down the hall, Max was inside one of the rooms. Annette, in a red dress, and Barbara, wearing a lighter red, were fussing over his appearance. "Remember, no visible pockets..." his mother went on.
"Tie and collar have to be just perfect..." his sister continued.
"You know he's twenty-three, right? It's his wedding, not the junior prom." Davie sat watching in the corner, wearing his USAF uniform.
"He needs the extra set of eyes." Annette insisted.
"If he had a problem with it, we'd have heard it by now, right little bro?" Barbara asked.
"I'd be outnumbered if I did." Max replied.
"Don't let them bully you, Starbolt, tell them you can fix your own tie." Davie persisted.
"Plead the fifth, Sparky." Kat sat in the other corner, wearing a black dress. There was a red line around her waist, in contrast to her usual pink.
Barbara finished the adjustment. "All set. Let's take a look..."
Max looked in the mirror. His suit was a distinct red, and his hair was tied up. "Not my usual color, but I dig it."
"I know you love your blues, but red's a lucky color. You look so handsome, Starbolt." Annette said.
The door creaked open. The Commander reached his hand in and waved. "Everyone decent in here?"
"That you, old-timer?" Max asked.
The older man looked in. "Morning, folks. Hope I'm not interrupting?"
"Hello, Commander. No, we were just finishing." Annette replied.
Davie got up and saluted. "Sir."
"At ease, soldier. I'm not your superior officer. And I'm just another guest, anyhow." Commander Max waved him down.
"Force of habit, sir." Davie shook his hand.
Kat got up. "It's getting to be that time. We should start heading out."
"Oh, God. I'm already about to faint." Annette fanned herself.
"Please don't joke like that, Mama..." Barbara responded.
Kat took her by the arm. "Last-minute practice."
"Yeah, I'm sure that's what it is."
Everyone started out the door. "Hey, kid. Got a minute?" the Commander asked.
"Uh..." Max looked to Kat.
"We've got a five minute window. Go on, but it's gotta be quick." she said before heading out, leaving both Maxes alone.
The two shook hands, and patted each other on the back. "Good to see you, old man." the younger Max said.
"Right back at you, kid. Red looks good on you. Would've thought for sure you'd be going blue." the Commander replied.
"Any other day, I would've. It's a Cherokee thing. Blue brings misfortune. Red's the good color. Mom insisted on as many good vibes as we could get."
"Your mom's a smart one."
"The smartest. How much of the fam came?"
"Just me, Letty and the grandkids. Everyone else wanted to come, but it probably wouldn't have been a good idea for all of us to disappear at once. That'd be like an invitation for trouble."
"Yeah, fair enough."
"So listen, I know we're pressed for time, so I'll keep it brief. I'm giving you some advice I wished someone gave me before I got hitched the first time. Treasure every last second you've got with her. Make every moment as special as you can. Hindsight's a bitch and fate's a royal bitch. Don't give yourself room for regrets."
"I'll keep all of that in mind. I'll spend every minute I can trying to make her happy. No matter what."
"Smart boy." The older Max patted the other.
The door opened. "Sparky. It's time. Gotta move." Kat directed.
"Your queen awaits, kiddo. Best to not keep her waiting. Every second, remember?" Commander Max said.
"Yeah. Every second." the younger Max replied, letting out a deep breath before walking out.
On the other end of the floor, Sakuya, garbed in a magenta Chinese dress, waited by the door to another changing room. There, Kanae, her hair down and wearing a red dress, waited. Kaede, also wearing red, tended to Ibuki's makeup.
The door opened, and Kat poked her head in. "Hey, beautiful people, it's time to--hooo, MAMA."
Ibuki turned to look at her. "Heya, Kitty Kat. Finally time?"
Kat collected herself. "Yeah. It's finally time."
"Don't jump out of your skin, Kat-chan. Ibuki-chan, I'll see you in a few." Sakuya bowed, and walked out.
"Good lord almighty, Sparky, you are not ready." Kat mumbled to herself.
Kaede closed up the lipstick dispenser. "How do I look?" Ibuki signed.
Her sister smiled. "Beautiful. I don't have the words."
"I'll take your word for it." Ibuki took Kaede by the hand. "C'mon, bubblegum."
Kanae got up and took her other hand.
"Let's go. Together. Like always."
Back in the ballroom, everyone was seated at their tables. Emily appeared at the forefront, wearing a black dress whose edges resembled the wings of a bird. Her staff, the head of which resembled a crescent moon, floated behind her. Muno was perched on it, and was wearing a miniature red vest.
"Mother Goddess, please grant me the wisdom to see this through flawlessly..." Emily mused to herself.
Muno, meanwhile, looked around. He zeroed in on Sakuya, now seated between her mother and Sahir.
"Caaaaaaw~." he uttered longingly.
"Don't even think of it." Emily chastised.
"Caaaaaargh..."
"You did a wonderful job on the flowers, GoGo. Beautiful arrangements." Rin said at the Kubo clan's table.
"Helps when they're all our favorite color." her younger counterpart replied.
"As peeved as our cousins were, Ma made the right pick for her successor, I think." Tan spoke.
"You don't need to get all sappy." GoGo looked away, trying to hide her rosy cheeks.
"Well it *is* a wedding." Rose pointed out.
"Oh, this is so exciting! I've got butterflies fluttering already!" Tabby proclaimed, at a table with Natalia, Carrie and Kenneth.
"Sure that isn't the exhaustion talking?" the latter asked.
At another table, the Commander sat down with his family. Cindy was busy playing with the twins. "Just in time. You give our boy some of that fatherly wisdom?" Letty asked.
"Just some advice from a guy that's been where he's at." the Commander replied.
Kat looked into the room. "Looks like everyone's here. Just gotta wait for the signal."
Annette could see Max taking a deep breath. "Need any last-minute help?"
Max shook his head. "No. I'm ready."
Barbara massaged his shoulders. "Just breathe, little bro. It's almost time for you to take your queen~."
"You've got this, dude. Just don't trip or anything else that'll be immortalized for all the wrong reasons." Kat reassured.
"Thanks for putting that in my mind." Max uttered.
"Love ya, Sparky."
Emily looked at the clock on the wall. "It's time. Muno, turn on the music."
The bird flew over to the sound system, and using his beak, pressed some buttons. Wedding music began to play. Emily looked to the entrance, and nodded at Max. Everyone in the room stood up.
"Oh, boy." he uttered.
"Start walking, Starbolt. It'll all start going quick when you do." Annette urged.
Steeling his nerves, Max walked in with his mother. The Commander flashed him a thumbs-up as he went. Once they reached where Emily was standing, Annette tenderly embraced her son, before sitting down at the table closest to them, where her brother sat. She herself took a deep breath, as Davie started massaging her shoulders.
"Siblings in your family, I'm telling ya." Kat commented to Barbara.
"Just how we're made. Shall we?" Barbara replied.
"Honey, say less." Kat took her arm.
The two proceeded with walking. Kat shot a glance at Carrie, giving her a wink. Carrie waved back at her, as did everyone at her table. They reached the end, and Kat let go in a dramatic fashion. Barbara giggled, hugging her best friend before sitting beside her mother. Kat patted Max's shoulder and took her spot next to him.
Emily gestured to Muno, and the bird changed the track.
"Here comes your bride, Sparky." Kat said. Max rubbed his hands together, nervously.
Everyone looked to the entrance.
"Oh, God." Ibuki uttered, as she held onto her sister and her niece.
Emily gestured for them to enter.
"Oh, God." Ibuki repeated.
"That's your cue." Kaede signed.
"Don't make him wait, Auntie." Kanae said.
"Yes, ma'am. Come on, ladies." Ibuki tugged them along.
And so they entered. Ibuki was adorned in the dress Natalia had made for her. Her hair had been curled, and she wore large red hoop earrings. Her arms were covered by white, fingerless sleeves, and a red hibiscus flower was present over her left ear. Kaede held a bouquet of the flowers.
Max was awestruck. Kat hugged him from behind.
They arrived at the front of the room. Kaede lifted her sister's veil. Ibuki was beaming.
"Beautiful." Kaede spoke. The sisters hugged. Ibuki did the same with Kanae. Mother and daughter took their places.
Ibuki looked at Max with all the love in the world. "Hey, you."
"Hey, my queen." Max held out his hand. She took it.
Muno turned off the music, and flew to his master's shoulder. "I think you two have been waiting long enough." Emily said.
"Friends. Family. Thank you all for being here. We are here today to celebrate the union of Max and Ibuki, in eternal matrimony. I just wanted to say that I am honored and humbled that you two asked me to officiate. Of the ceremonies I've overseen, this one is the most special. Thank you for all you've done in helping our world, and...for healing my family."
Ibuki hugged her. "You're a gem, Em."
"Now, without further delay, I believe you both have statements you wanted to read. Mr. Jadefang, if you would?"
"Kat, if I pass out, I need you to catch me." Max reached into his pocket.
"You're not gonna pass out. You got this." Kat replied.
Max took out a paper. "Okay. 'Ibuki, when I first met you, I was a dumb kid who saw your struggles and thought you needed saving. What I didn't see then, and what I've seen every day for the last five years, is that Ibuki Hinotama is someone who doesn't need saving. She is someone whose immense strength of will is only matched by the size of her heart. To not only forgive me for my past stupidity, but to so readily say 'yes' when I asked you if you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me, is something I'm amazed with every single day. I wake up every morning, counting myself lucky to share a home with the kindest, strongest, and most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. I promise that I'm going to dedicate every moment I can to making you happy, not out of obligation, but because you and your family deserve it. I promise to be the best uncle for Kanae-chan that I can be. And, to Kaede...'"
He switched to sign language. "'Thank you for forgiving me. I promise that I won't disappoint you. Her happiness is everything to me.'"
"Thank you. I'm holding you to that." Kaede responded.
"'I know you've spent your whole life fighting for your happy ending. I hope that after today, you won't have to keep fighting. I promise that I'm going to be...your happy beginning.'"
"Oh, no." Ibuki dried her tears. "I really have to follow that up, huh?" Kaede handed her a paper. "I'm gonna try."
"'Maxie, my Sparkplug. This is the fifth time I tried writing this because I had such a hard time trying to sum up what you mean to me. I've been with a bunch of 'nice' guys in the past, but you're the only one who I know really is as good and genuine as they look. It hurt me when I found out what you'd been doing, but I felt deep down that it wasn't from a bad place. You and me share the same kind of hurt. And you wanted to help someone who was feeling powerless. I know beyond anything that you're brave, helpful, and the sweetest guy ever. I'm glad that I could be the one to help you finally be happy. And I hope that I've made you as happy as you've made me. I love you from the bottom of my heart.'" She put down the paper. "'Forever yours, Mrs. Ibuki Jadefang.'"
Max turned as red as his suit. "Ooooh, that hit him like a truck!" Kat teased.
"Beautifully worded, you two. Now then, young Ms. Hinotama, do you have something for me?" Emily asked.
"Yep yep!" Kanae walked over and handed her a pair of rings.
"Thank you."
Kanae turned to Max, and gave him a hug. This illicited 'Awwww's from the crowd. She walked back to her mother.
"Now, before we exchange these, I am obligated to ask this. If there is anyone here who has anything to say, speak now, or forever hold your peace."
Everyone expected silence.
"I actually would like to say something."
Everyone's attention quickly shifted to the source of the statement: Annette.
"Mama, what are you...?" Max uttered.
"M-Ms. Annie?" Ibuki stuttered, unsure how to react.
Annette stood up, and looked to the crowd. "Oh, don't look at me like that! It's not an objection!"
"You could've brought that up first, Annie..." Davie exhaled.
Annette walked over to Ibuki. "Sorry about the mini panic attack. I figured there was no better time for this than now. I have something for you." She held a necklace with several beads attached, alternating red and white. "In my culture, red means success in life and love. White brings peace and happiness. Everything that I wish for you, pretty girl. I want you and Starbolt to have a long, love-filled life together."
She put the necklace around Ibuki's neck. "Welcome to the tribe, Ibuki."
Ibuki got emotional. "Thanks, Mama Annie."
They embraced. Annette turned to her son. "Don't you mess this up, boy!"
"Thanks for the scare, Mama." Max replied. Annette sat back down.
"Thank you, Ms. Jadefang. Now, for the most important part." Emily gave the couple their rings. She snapped her fingers, and a tome appeared in her hands. She opened it. "Repeat after me, Mr. Jadefang..."
"'I, Max Jadefang, do take Ibuki Hinotama to be my lawfully wedded wife, for as long as we both shall live...'"
"'I, Ibuki Hinotama, do take Max Jadefang to be my lawfully wedded husband, for as long as we both shall live...'"
With the exchange of vows complete, the pair placed a ring on the other's finger. "And now, one last step." Emily brought forth one more piece of paper. "Witnesses, I'll be needing a signature."
"Guess that's me." Kat said.
"Signature time." Ibuki signed to Kaede, who nodded.
The two women signed the paper, which Emily then handed to Muno, who flew it to a safe spot. "And that about covers it. So. It is my utmost honor to officially announce you as husband and wife. Mr. Jadefang. You may kiss your bride."
"SAY LESS, SISTER!" Ibuki embraced Max, and they kissed. The crowd applauded.
---
Ibuki stared at the golden ring now on her right hand.
"Give it a little while, hon. It'll start sinking in." Annette said to her. The two families sat at one table, along with Emily and her girls, who were kept occupied by playing with Muno.
"So like...is that hocus pocus stuff you do something anyone can learn how to do?" Davie asked Emily.
"Please don't tell me you want to learn magic, Uncle Davie." Barbara said.
"I'm just saying, making things poof in and out would make things a lot easier. I could just float the TV remote into my hands, for example."
"Quite the imagination you have, Officer Jadefang." Emily responded. "So, Mr.--and Mrs.--Jadefang. What's next for the two of you?"
"A nice mountain cabin in Tennessee." Max replied. "Between all the wedding prep and me being away filming, I think we could use a spot to unwind for a week."
"An escape from big city life is just what the doctor ordered. Waking up in a cozy cabin, just sitting outside and enjoying nature with this hunk...can't think of a better honeymoon." Ibuki added.
While they spoke, Kat walked over to the sound system. "Hey, folks, sorry to interrupt any epic convos you might've been having. But I think the bride and groom are due for their first dance, don't you?"
She turned on a slow, romantic song.
"Really, Kitty Kat?" Max asked.
"Just helping you along."
Max let out a sigh. He turned to Ibuki. "May I have this dance, my queen?"
"Oh, yes. Oh *yes*." Ibuki readily agreed.
With their loved ones looking on, the newlyweds took their first dance.
The happy ending had been fought for. Now, came the happy beginning.