Day 1: 1st Party
A year later, Richard and I were waiting in our respective areas at opposite ends of After Academy. A wedding there is an extravagant affair. Richard was on the western end of the campus while I was getting ready at the eastern end. To give you a bit of perspective, the main campus sits at the center of a 953,280 square mile city, 30 times that of China’s city of Chongqing. Because of how big it is, it’s not practical to walk all the way there. Both Bride and Groom are transported to the Campus Gates by carriage. It’s a 13 hour drive at both ends, with each carriage going about 65 miles an hour. It’s spaced out over three days to allow both Bride and Groom to walk around a bit and stretch, get some food in, talk to friends and family, get some sleep before being driven again, all that stuff. The driver for my carriage, a Mr. John Clayton, the cab driver Sherlock Holmes asked after during The Hound of the Baskervilles, came to the bridal mansion I was living in for a week, being pampered and dressed for the big day. He was directed up to my room and knocked before I bid him to come in. “The carriage is ready, Ma’am,” he announced.
“As am I!” I replied as I pinned my white rose hairpiece to the left of my head. “Lead on!” He led the way to the carriage, account for my top speed as I wore my dress, a massive one, I can tell you. It rustled and softly crinkled as I came down the steps and across the foyer to the front door. The maid running the mansion opened the door for us. “Thank you!” I bid.
“Good luck, Dear!” bid the maid. Mr. Clayton continued leading the way down the driveway to the carriage and opened the door for me. It was a large carriage, enough to accommodate my dress. I got myself in and Mr. Clayton helped me get the rest of my skirts in. Once that was done, he shut the door and climbed up to his seat. He made a clicking noise and the horses moved off, their hooves clicking against the road. The speed increased as we got onto the road. I pressed a button that opened a channel between me and Mr. Clayton.
“How long have you been driving these kinds of carriages?” I asked.
“Since I passed on,” replied Mr. Clayton. “It took a while to get used to. No horse in London ever went this fast.”
“It’s a pity you’re not going to see the wedding,” sighed one of the horses. “Just another day at the office, where the open road IS the office. …Hey, that’s pretty deep! I ought to write that…!” The carriage was drifting!
“EYES ON THE ROAD, YOU IDIOT!” shouted the other horse. The carriage then righted itself. “Every dent on this thing is coming out of YOUR salary!”
“I think I’ve heard enough,” I remarked as my hand hovered over the button.
“Don’t want to distract you on your big day,” agreed Mr. Clayton. I pressed the button and closed the channel. We got to our first stop, right on time and with no further incident. Emily, Tanisha, the Apocalypse Riders, Peach, Wyldstyle, Xiomara, Tonje, Moon-kyung, Charline, Discornia, and Usagi I were waiting for the carriage. Emily, Tanisha, and Moon-kyung were in their Bridesmaid dresses, blue and very fluffy. Emily had the honor of being the Maid of Honor. Wyldstyle and the Apocalypse decided to forgo the clothes they usually wear and contented themselves with dresses of brighter colors.
“There she is!” cheered Emily. Everyone ran towards me.
“Whoa now!” I yelped. Too late. I was buried under ladies that were happy for me as they were trying to hug me.
“Stand back and give her some air! For crying out loud!” protested Lacey. Everyone got off of me and let me breathe. “You look great!” praised Lacey.
“I feel great!” I replied. “Richard will be an excellent husband, I know it!”
“I couldn’t agree more,” answered Emily. “Now, come on! There’s a party dedicated to you today and we need to celebrate it!” With that, the music and party began. This was one of the two Bridal Parties, where the Bride dances and hangs out with some of her friends and Bridesmaids. We all danced, ate, sang, and had a good time. Tanisha and Tonje seemed to be all right with dancing with me. I have to admit, Wyldstyle can really dance! Soon, it was evening and time to check into our rooms. We laid ourselves down, changing into our nightwear while our dresses were washed and cleaned for tomorrow.
Day 2: 2nd Party
We all woke up and had breakfast before changing into our dresses. A new, larger carriage approached the hotel we stayed at. I was holding my bouquet as I waited. Emily, Tanisha, and Moon-kyung were to join me on the next leg of the journey. We saw the carriage driver step down and reveal himself to be… “STRAX?!” yelped Tonje. It was, indeed, Commander Strax, Madame Vastra’s Sontaran butler!
“Commander, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“As I understand the mission briefing,” replied Strax, “Mr. Clayton would be taking you to the first checkpoint, then returning to his place of residence once you have been safely delivered to said checkpoint. Once it has been confirmed that you spent the night in safety at the first checkpoint, I would bring you and your fellow warriors to the next checkpoint. It is clear that the checkpoint has not suffered a siege during the night and you are intact…although I must question your choice of armor. It seems…flimsy.” He then shook his head. “But, that is none of my concern. I shall be taking you on a four hour journey to the next checkpoint and intend to perform as admirably as Mr. Clayton had done yesterday. Once there, we shall lie in wait for any Rutan scum and…!”
“There aren’t any Rutans coming,” I explained.
“…Pardon?” asked Strax.
“This isn’t some battle tactic,” I continued. “Me and my Bridesmaids are just going to my wedding and need to stop at the next hotel so we can have fun, the HUMAN definition of fun, and spend the night. We’ll pick up my remaining Bridesmaids and proceed to the Altar tomorrow.”
“…No shooting at Rutan scum?” inquired Strax, a little disappointed.
“No shooting at Rutan scum or ANYONE,” I confirmed.
“…Very well, Ma’am,” grumbled Strax as he opened the door for us. Emily, Tanisha, Moon-Kyung, and I entered the carriage and Strax shut the door before stomping off to the front of the carriage and taking his seat. “Ruddy weddings!” he griped. “Don’t have any targets for me to shoot!” He took the reins and we set off.
“See you at the campus!” called Wyldstyle. We waved goodbye as the carriage pulled off.
“So, when should we expect you and Joshua’s wedding?” asked Tanisha to Emily.
“We haven’t gone that far yet,” replied Emily.
“Maybe we should have a double wedding!” suggested Tanisha. “You and Josh with me and Tonje!”
“That sounds lovely,” sighed Moon-kyung happily.
“I don’t think Joshua will go for that,” muttered Emily.
“Why not?” I asked.
“He’s not exactly all that big on crowds,” explained Emily.
“Oh, yeah, he gets anxious in crowds,” I recalled.
“I think a small wedding with just friends and immediate family will do him better,” continued Emily. “But, enough about us! This is YOUR day!” The three of them were then gushing over how lucky I was, how this was going to be a perfect day, all that stuff. I never took anything as perfect these days, not since X-PO’s betrayal. A healthy understanding that nothing is perfect kept me from becoming a Bridezilla. The journey, like yesterday, passed without incident. We arrived at our next stop and Strax let us out.
“Good luck, Sirs!” he called once we came out. We all glared at him. “…Good luck, Ma’ams!” he corrected himself. “May you partake in glorious battle and either live or die honorably.”
“And you,” I replied, deciding to let him have that, at least. We came into the hotel to see Livia, Sheela, Irina, Colleen, Kit-10, Amelia, Scorpainia, Flora, Lexicon, and Sludgiona. Flora, Livia, and Scorpainia were in their Bridesmaid dresses. I must admit, I was surprised when she asked to be a Bridesmaid. I decided to ask the question once everyone stopped hugging me. “Aren’t you married?” I asked.
“On Tarlax, much like Earth,” explained Scorpainia, “a Bridesmaid does not need to be single. Besides, I wish to bring good fortune to your day as you have brought good fortune to my people on numerous occasions.”
“I do what I can to protect my friends,” I answered with a smile.
“As would I,” replied Scorpainia. “Now, I believe we have a celebration to begin!” There was more dancing, more singing, more eating, just wonderful happiness. It lasted until the evening. Like last night, we checked into our rooms and changed into nightwear so our dresses could be tended to for the morning.
Day 3: The Ceremony
The last leg of the journey and I was bouncing up and down after we had breakfast. I was wearing my veil now, the see-through fabric obscuring my features until I reached the altar. This time, all of my Bridesmaids were coming; Emily, Tanisha, Moon-kyung, Flora, Livia, and Scorpainia. They looked down the street with me to look for the carriage. Soon enough, it arrived, the biggest one to accommodate for the sizes of our respective dresses. The driver of the carriage, Alfred Pennyworth, opened the door for us and helped us in. “Batman made a request, I take it?” I guessed.
“He did, Ma’am,” confirmed Alfred. “I trust the past two days had no incident?”
“Not a one,” I replied.
“Then, let’s hope our luck continues,” mused Alfred. Everyone was in and the doorway was clear of any loose dress sticking out. Alfred then shut the door and took his position at the driver’s seat. The carriage then took off as we began our five hour journey to the Campus. At the Northern Entrance was the aisle I would walk down, the Eastern Entrance would be where the Bridesmaids came in, the Groomsmen came in at the Western Entrance, and the Groom would come in at the Southern Entrance. We chatted the entire time until Alfred announced the stop. We came out and headed for our respective Entrances.
“See you inside!” called Emily. As they left, …I became nervous. I didn’t know why, I WANTED to marry Richard, long before it was revealed that I would carry his children…so why is my stomach churning? I continued to the Entrance to see Okaa-san (Mother) waiting there, happy tears coming down her face.
“My little girl,” she sighed happily, “all grown up and making her own way!” She hugged me tightly. She then noticed something and correctly guessed what was going on. “Nervous?” she asked.
“Did YOU get nervous before you married Hiroki’s dad?” I inquired.
“My dear Megumi, both of us were nervous wrecks!” replied Okaa-san. “I almost considered backing out!”
“What changed your mind?” I asked.
“Seeing him at the Altar,” explained Okaa-san. I briefly remembered that she and her late husband had a European style wedding, white dress and all. “He looked so wonderful, looking down the aisle as I came down. One look at him and all nerves were gone. He admitted to me after the ceremony that he was nervous as well, but banished those nerves at seeing me. We both resolved to handle any hardships together.” As she spoke, I became less nervous.
“Arigatou, Okaa-san,” (Thank you, Mother) I bid. The entrance doors opened and Okaa-san walked me down the aisle. The onlookers turned to see me, as did Richard and the one presiding over the wedding, Woz. The onlookers were the Kamen Riders we had fought with during the Vortech Wars, Tokiwa Sougo, the Doctor, the allies of the Vortex Riders, the Apocalypse Riders, those that weren’t my Bridesmaids, those that were not the Groomsmen, our families, and the Gateway Team. My Bridesmaids came in as followed: Emily, Scorpainia, Livia, Tanisha, Moon-kyung, and Flora. Richard’s Groomsmen came in at the same time as the Bridesmaids. The Best Man was Michael and the other Groomsmen followed in this order: Emmanuel (wearing a suit for once), Joshua, Mikhail, Alesandro, and Turretorg. Much like what Okaa-san described, the instant I saw Richard, my nerves were gone. Judging by his expression, so were his. As I walked, the familiar tune of “Here Comes the Bride” rang out. We then stood together, facing each other at the Altar. Woz opened his book before speaking.
“Dearly Beloved,” he proclaimed, “we are gathered here to witness a truly auspicious moment in the history of the multiverse! We gather now to witness the union of Richard Saunders and Hishikawa Megumi, two veterans of the Vortech Wars! If any wish to object, speak now, or forever hold your peace!” No one said a word. “Do the Bride and Groom have any words to say?” asked Woz.
“We do,” we both said in unison. This was the time for our vows. We decided that Richard would start.
“Megumi,” he began, “when I first laid eyes on you, my heart kept telling me to pursue my affections to you. Granted, it took a certain someone to shove us both along on that path during the Vortech Wars,” we looked at Emily who stuck her tongue out at us, “but my feelings did not change that day. I want to be with you as long as we’re together. I swear to support you in all of your endeavors and help provide for us both so we may be happy.”
“Richard-chan,” I vowed, using the nickname I gave him when we were dating, “our lives, since we first met, were not easy. I seem to recall butting heads with you a lot. However, that is irrelevant as I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I promise to do my part in supporting us and making our lives happy.”
“I know this is a little redundant,” mused Woz, “but, Richard Saunders, do you take Hishikawa Megumi to be your lawfully-wedded wife, to keep solely to her in sickness and in health, for rich or poor, until death do you part?”
“I do,” answered Richard. The smile on his face showed he intended to follow through on that vow.
“Hishikawa Megumi,” asked Woz, “do you take Richard Saunders to be your lawfully-wedded husband, to keep solely to him in sickness and in health, for rich or poor, until death do you part?”
“I do!” I replied, my conviction equaling Richard.
“Have you the rings?” asked Woz. A pillow floated towards us with the rings on it. Richard and I took one each. I then held out my hand. Richard took it and placed the ring on my finger.
“With this ring, I do thee wed,” he promised. He then held out his hand. I took it and placed the ring on his finger.
“With this ring, I do thee wed,” I vowed. We held hands as Woz gave his speech.
“Iwae!” (Rejoice!) he called. “The ones who have united in holy matrimony! The Bride and Groom who shall be forever as one in the fight against evil! The Riders who stand together and lead the fight to bring peace throughout time and space! And their names are Hishikawa Megumi and Richard Saunders, Kamen Riders Royal and Guard, Queen and King of the Feudal Nerd Society! This is the day where you two kiss to finalize your union!” At that, Richard lifted my veil. We couldn’t embrace each other for the kiss fast enough! It felt like hours for us, but it must have been 10 seconds. When we parted, we noticed the crowd cheering! I felt a happy tear come down my face as I took in the overwhelming support of my union with Richard.
Day 3: Reception
Richard and I were in a carriage for just us two as we led the way to the reception. Richard and I danced with all eyes on us. I must say, Richard can REALLY dance! He lifted me into the air a few times, causing us to laugh. After the dance, it was time for the dinner. We sat together and chatted before Mr. Fred Saunders, my new father-in-law, rang his glass. It was time for a speech. “My friends,” he began, “this is truly a joyous occasion. We have all wanted to see them unite in some fashion, but, now that it’s happened…” a wicked smile crossed his features. Here comes the funny, “I suppose it never occurred to you two or your friends what you were doing to your poor, aged parents? Of course, you’re happy, but what about OUR needs? Hm? All of you? I heard that you lot intend to be permanent students at After Academy! Leaving us behind? I must say, it’s all a damned inconvenience!” His expressions were exaggerated, so he wasn’t being serious on what he was saying. “While you lot are happily settling in on campus,” continued Fred, “we’ll be retiring alone! You all know a bit about Saunders’ domestic life! My wife can be tyrannical around the house! It can only increase once she retires from the force!” He gave an exaggerated frown and did the peely-carrot-of-shame motion at his wife, Linda. She stuck her tongue out and flipped him off, causing Richard, Emily, and I to chuckle, as well as a few of our friends. “Now, there’s still time to reconsider, yes?” We all looked at each other, then shook our heads. “No? All right, then.” He then dropped the joking attitude. “In all seriousness, you two have earned this. You always deserve happy moments, no matter what your enemies say. I wish you nothing but the best of luck.” He smiled as he said this. “All right, I’ve taken away enough time from the Maid of Honor and the Best Man.” He sat back down as Emily stood up.
“Well, thanks for the entertainment, Daddy,” she began, making us chuckle. She then turned to me and Richard. “Richard, there ARE moments where you can infuriate me and moments where I infuriate you. Just know that, even though I make fun of you, I never stopped loving you, nor will I stop loving you. We both manage to make one another mad, but that’s just the give-and-take that accompanies twins sometimes. What else accompanies us is the fact we know each other so well and I’ve been seeing that closeness between you and Megumi. Megumi, you have been there for me in cases where no one else could. You’ve helped me face my demons and it got me to deal with them alone, knowing how you helped me. I wish you two nothing but happiness throughout your days. To the Bride and Groom!” She raised her glass.
“The Bride and Groom!” repeated the crowd. A sip of our drinks later, it was Michael’s turn.
“Richard, there ARE moments where I feel like Blackadder dealing with one of his, er, ‘friends’,” he began, “most recently when you told me to beshrew you and mentioned I was in good humor. As I warned, it was a tiny step to ‘Hey Nonny Nonny’, and then I’d call Arkham. However, you have been an excellent friend to me since we met. I began as the stereotypical rich brat and you got me down to earth very fast. Megumi, you brought us all together and revealed to me all of the problems and viewpoints in the world. I would have been a fool if I didn’t change. You two have been an excellent steady hand on my moral path and I wish you nothing but the best life together. To the Bride and Groom!”
“The Bride and Groom!” replied the crowd. Another sip, then we ate and talked. Soon came the cutting of the cake. Richard and I both held the knife and cut into it, getting a slice for each other. We then took our slices, then fed them to each other. Afterwards, we danced a little more before tiring out. We heard a moan and turned to see Mikhail with his head in his hands.
“Mikhail?” asked Richard.
“Daijōbudesuka?” (Are you okay?) I asked.
“Romulan ale should be illegal!” growled Mikhail.
“…It IS,” I replied. The music came back on and we went back to dancing!
Kimi wa STAR Mabayuku SHINE (You are a star with a blazing shine!)
(O-O-O-O-O, O-O-O-O-O)
Jibun ja Kizukenai (You cannot notice it yourself!)
(O-O-O-O-O, O-O-O-O-O)
Kokoro RELAX shite Asu wo IMAGE (Relax your mind and picture the future,)
Yukue, Jiyuujizai (jizai) (Whereabouts and freedom! (Freedom!))
Akirame kake chatta Yume ni REBENJI (Giving up and challenging in your dreams again,)
Rounayaku nannyuo no PRIDE (The pride of young and old, men and women!)
Everybody SHUFFLE shiyou, Sedai (Everybody, Let’s shuffle!)
rensa suru SMILE (Generations all linked with smiles!)
Let’s Party ENJOY shinakya mottainai (Let’s Party! Don’t waste it and just enjoy it,)
datte, jinsei wa ikkai (Because you only live once!)
RAINBOW wa sora dake janai (Rainbows aren’t just only in the skies,)
Mune ni mo kakaru ze (Party P.A.R.T.Y) (but also in our hearts! (Party P.A.R.T.Y))
Donna MIRACLE mo oki houdai (Any miracle can happen!)
UNIVERSE FESTIVAL! (Party P.A.R.T.Y)
Rashisa ga (tsumari jizentai) soudai (Being unique is (basically oneself) exhilarating!)
(O-O-O-O-O, O-O-O-O-O)
Shourai wa kimi ni naritai (I wanna be like you in the future!)
(O-O-O-O-O, O-O-O-O-O)
Sude ni dare mo ga motteru yasashisa idenshi (Everyone already has kindness in their genes,)
Toki ni miushinai (shinai) (and sometimes it may be lost! (Lost!))
Kizutsukeba ttemo Kizuna ni CHANGE (Even if we hurt each other, we can change with our bonds!)
Jinrui mina kyoudai (All of humanity are brothers and sisters!)
Everybody Zettai teki sonzai (Everybody, we’re an absolute being!)
Zenin nanka no tensai (All are geniuses in something!)
Let’s Party Senpai kouhai to kanpai (Let’s Party! Seniors and juniors toasting to each other!)
RIVAL mo issai (Rivals are also outstanding!)
Tsuzukeru koto ga daijisa (The most important thing is to keep going,)
suki koso jouzu nare (Be good at what you like!)
Tsumazuita tte kamawanai (It’s okay if you stumble somewhere,)
Nanakorobi yaoki style (Just do it Fall Down 7, Get up 8-style!)
Meguriai zutto tsuzuku sekai (A world of constant encounters,)
Guuzen nanka janai (Nothing is a coincidence!)
Let’s Party Ten ga tsunagari ai (Let’s Party, connect all the dots,)
sen ni naru issai (All join into a single line!)
Everybody SHUFFLE shiyou, Sedai (Everybody, Let’s shuffle!)
rensa suru SMILE (Generations all linked with smiles!)
Let’s Party ENJOY shinakya mottainai (Let’s Party! Don’t waste it and just enjoy it,)
datte, jinsei wa ikkai (Because you only live once!)
RAINBOW wa sora dake janai (Rainbows aren’t just only in the skies,)
Mune ni mo kakaru ze (Party P.A.R.T.Y) (but also in our hearts! (Party P.A.R.T.Y))
Donna MIRACLE mo oki houdai (Any miracle can happen!)
UNIVERSE FESTIVAL! (Party P.A.R.T.Y)