The Happy Event...

“Hey, Kanako!” Camille Cosworth, already in her sparkly royal blue gown, called to Kanako Akiyama, who had just gotten into her wedding gown and turned to face her best friend. “How are you holding up?”



“Oh, thank god!” Kanako breathed a sigh of relief as Cam could see that her face was a mask of worry and anxiety, “The last match before the ceremony is about to start, and I still need to get my hair done up!”



“You’re sporting a pixie cut, Kanako,” Cam said with a smirk, “I don’t there’s much that we’re doing with it! Except…” the Girl of Tomorrow walked over to the makeshift vanity and picked up a bouquet of cherry blossoms, “Pretty. A wedding gift?”



Kanako nodded, “Mm-hmm…An old friend from Japan had asked Kazuki to get it for me on her behalf.”



“Oh, that’s really nice…” Cam then plucked a single flower from the bouquet and set it in Kanako’s hair. “There…” she said, satisfied, and then turned her friend to the mirror, “I think you look perfect!”



“Thanks, Camille!” Kanako said with a sigh. She was one of the only people who called Cam by her full name, instead of the shortened version that most did. While Cam bristled at it from others (which was why Yoona would do it when she was truly angry with her), she somehow found it charming when Kanako did it. “Hey, can you zip me up?” she requested, referring to the fact that while she was wearing her wedding gown, it was still open in the back.



“Oh, sure! Let me just…” She stopped short as she was positioning herself to perform the task as she spied something troubling, “Is that…Do you have your sword strapped to your back??” Sure enough, her favorite katana was on her back, the scabbard held in place by some electrical tape.



“Well…yeah…” Kanako answered sheepishly as she looked behind her, “Camille, this is a wedding on a wrestling show. You and I have both been watching our sport long enough to know how comically low the success rate of these things are, and I refuse to be caught flat-footed if some cunt decides to crash the damn thing!”



Cam caught her kneejerk reaction to grab the nearest spray bottle and chastise her by yelling, “NO! BAD KANAKO!” and tamped it down. With every thing that she and Trixie had been through, separately and collectively, she had to admit that Kanako’s feelings, while unfounded in this instance, were not wholly unjustified.



“Kanako,” Cam began in her best soothing voice, her hand on the Japanese girl’s shoulder, “You’re not wrong, but this is the first wedding being held in FAWN, and Bethany Christian is dead set on this going smoothly. She’s gathered up every big bruiser on the roster - Pandora, Trisha Belle, Victoria Hackenschmidt, and so on - and is paying them triple their normal pay to roam the halls to make sure that anybody that isn’t involved with the wedding isn’t causing trouble. On top of that, she’s hired that biker gang that The Wild Ones run - “



“The Steel Jungle?”



“Yeah, them. She’s hired them as extra security.” Cam answered Kanako with a nod. This was actually not much of a surprise, as the biker gang gone legit had been used as extra security several times over the years since Savage and Feral debuted in FAWN. “And,” she continued, “just in case all that wasn’t enough to deter any of the…meanies.” she paused, having to censor herself, lest she have to contribute to the swear jar, “from trying to ruin everything, Bethany held a meeting with everyone a few hours ago, informing everyone that if they’re not involved in the wedding, they’re to stay the heck in the back, because if they don’t, they’ll be fired on the spot.”



“Oh.” Kanako responded flatly, “See, I didn’t know all that.”



“Right, you’ve had a lot on your plate today,” Cam said, with a sympathetic tone, “But you see, Bethany has all the bases covered. So just give me the sword, Kanako, it really isn’t necessary.” After a moment of consideration, Kanako nodded and reached behind her back to remove the electrical tape and hand her katana to Cam. “Thank you,” she said with a sigh of relief, “Now, let’s get you all ready to get married!” her trademark cheerfulness returned as she set the sword down and zipped up the back of Kanako’s dress.



“Okay. I really hope Trixie’s doing okay…” she thought aloud as Cam led her to a nearby chair to finish doing her makeup.



“I’m sure she’s fine.” Cam assured her friend as she reached for the makeup bag.









Meanwhile, Trixie Decker was pacing frantically at the gorilla position with her younger brother, Trent, occasionally peeking from behind the curtain to check on the progress of the current match.



“Ugh!” she groaned after checking on the match for the fifth time. She was dressed in a grey tuxedo, while Trent’s was basic black. “I’m not sure if I want this match to hurry up and finish or take another hour!”



“Hey,” Trent said in a soothing voice, putting a comforting hand on his older sister’s shoulder, “it’s okay. It’s natural to be nervous on your wedding day! Uh…I mean…I assume it is. I don’t actually have any direct knowledge about getting married or anything.” he finishes his “pep talk” with a nervous laugh.



Trixie looked at her younger (at six foot, three inches tall, it was impossible to call him little) brother, and shook her head and chuckled. Trent has always been somewhat awkward at the best of times, but he always tried his best. Her smile turned into a scowl when she noticed two FAWN prospects, here in Orlando from their Maine territory for a tryout dark match, eyeing up Trent, giggling and grinning lewdly and whispering between each other.



“HEY!!” she shouted at them, which caused the young girls to quicken their pace down the hallway, “Yeah, you better keep walking!!” After they were gone from sight, she huffed in exasperation and turned back around to see Trent looking at her quizzically. “You are NOT going to tell me you didn’t notice those two eyeing you up like a piece of meat!” she said with her arms crossed.



“What?” he blinked, then looked down the hallway where the two had gone, “What are you talking about? I’ve been getting looks like that all day!” Trent could see Trixie getting exasperated, so he elaborated with a shrug, “I just figured that they’re not used to seeing a guy backstage is all!”



Trixie shook her head, “Only you could be surrounded by insanely hot women and be totally oblivious to them!”



“I’ve been more focused on you,” he answered with another shrug, as though it ought to be obvious, “This is your special day, Trix, I wanna do whatever I can to make it as special as I can.”



Trixie’s smile returned and she patted Trent on the arm, “Thanks, Trent. I know you always mean well.” She then looked away, sadly muttering, “Unlike some in our family…” She would never admit it out loud, but Trixie was deeply hurt and disappointed that the rest of her family - namely Trent’s twin sister Trina, her Uncle Manfri, and her father Dan - had chosen not to come to the wedding. They had all but disowned her in the wake of several actions she’s taken in promotions apart from FAWN, but she’d hoped that they would be able to put it aside for this, of all things.



“Hey,” Trent turned Trixie around to him and gave her a hug, “it’s their loss that they’re not here. Someday, they’ll see how wrong they are, and they’ll come back to you, asking for forgiveness.” he assured her confidently.



“You’ll forgive me if I don’t hold my breath,” Trixie retorted sardonically.







Meanwhile, Takuma Fujii was making his way to gorilla position to join the rest of the wedding party. He had just arrived about ten minutes prior, dressed in his best suit. The second generation wrestler was humming happily to himself, excited to see the two most important women in his life tying the knot, when his thoughts were interrupted by an unseen voice with a southern drawl shouting in frustration.



“DANG IT DANG IT DANG IT!!!”







Takuma turned towards the sound to see Ariane Sophie Jones, fresh from her victorious Barnhouse Bullrope Match with Rue Ann McKenna earlier in the show, running and hopping down the hallway. She had left the site of her fight almost immediately upon being declared the winner, somehow managing to get changed into her low cut seafoam dress while inside her truck. The busty cowgirl was now trying frantically to get her high heeled shoes on as she went. She was giving Takuma quite the show, given the combination of her running and hopping along with how low-cut the dress was. Takuma blushed at the inadvertent flashing, but he did his best to cover up, looking away and straightening his tie.



“This is why I don’t ever wear these dang things!” Ariane groused to nobody as she finally managed to get the red heels on and strapped. “Oh! Hey, Takuma!” she said cheerfully when she looked up to see the big man, “I’m not late, am I?”



“Uh! H-hello, Ariane,” Takuma greeted her, thankful that she seemed to be oblivious to what he had just witnessed, not to mention his reaction to it. “Uh, no, not late at all! I think the match before the wedding is still going on. I was just heading over to gorilla to get set for it.” he answered and offered the redhead his arm. “Wow, rough night?” he asked as Ariane hooked her arm with his, noticing the battle scars she wore from her match.



“You could say that, yeah.” Ariane said with a broad smile, “But I won, so it’s all good! C’mon, let’s get over there! Don’t wanna keep the happy couple waiting!” Takuma smiled and nodded and the two of them headed to gorilla position, where the rest of the wedding party was starting to assemble.







“Alright, everyone, it’s almost time!” Cassava Onika called out to the assembled party, “Places, places!” she was holding a clipboard and wearing a headset on her head, along with a bright pink pantsuit, where she’s conspicuously left the top two buttons of her shirt undone, giving everyone a generous view of her substantial cleavage. One look at the Internet Sensation set Trixie’s cheeks red and she had to look away. “Okay, let’s get in line, just like we rehearsed! First, we have the Mother of the Bride…” Makoto Akiyama stepped forward and Cassava led her to the curtain, “This way, ma’am. It’s an honor to meet you, I’m a huge fan of your daughter.”



Makoto patted Cassava’s hand and smiled, “Thank you, dear. It’s good to see that my little star is well-liked.”



Cassava nodded, and pulled herself away from Makoto and the dozen or so questions she had for her about Kanako. That can wait for the reception! she thought as she looked at the clipboard, “Next the Groomsmen! Now we’re doing this two at a time, so line up accordingly!” Selia Brach, Aloisa Berge, Kelli Love, and Noah Liger all stepped forward and lined up as instructed, with Selia and Kelli in the front, and Aloisa and Noah behind. “Excellent! Next, traditionally it would be the Best Man, then the Groom, but Trixie decided that she wanted to come down with Trent, so if you would please?” They did as instructed, with Trixie pointedly avoiding eye contact with Cassava. “Okay, now the official…This way, sir…” she said gently as she led the Justice of the Peace to his spot in line, “And now the Bridesmaids,” Takuma and Ariane stepped up, then Risa “Super Tiger” Jackson, wearing a neck brace and an arm sling, the result of her taking a nasty fall in a recent match, got behind them, “I’ll be coming down with you, Risa,” Cassava noted, to which Risa nodded eagerly. “Now, the Maids of Honor.”



“Cam’s still tending to Kanako,” Yoona Park said with an uncharacteristically somber tone, jerking her thumb towards the locker room where Kanako and Cam were.



“Sorry! Sorry!” Cam apologized as she emerged from the locker room with the blushing bride. Trixie promptly fixed her gaze at a spot on Aloisa’s back. Kanako may be the Girl Without Fear, but her bride-to-be was quite superstitious, and knew that seeing the bride beforehand was bad luck. Meanwhile, Cam kissed Kanako on the cheek as her father approached them. “Knock ‘em dead! Um…not literally…” Cam added before taking her place beside Yoona.



“Okay, now, the Ringbearer and the Flower Girl,” Cassava continued, prompting Kanako’s brother, Kazuki Akiyama, and Trixie’s cousin, Kizzy Decker, to take their place behind Cam and Yoona. “And finally…” Cassava said before letting out a blissful sigh, “The Bride and her father,” Masa Akiyama led Kanako to their spot, with Masa fighting back tears.



“You look radiant, Kanako…my little girl…” Masa said, wiping his eyes.



“Thank you, Papa,” Kanako replied, choking back tears of her own.



Cassava let out a squeal, as this was the first time seeing Kanako in her wedding gown, “Omigod! Kan-Kan!! You look amazing!”



Cam looked at Yoona quizzically as she took her place beside her, “You’re kinda quiet, Yoona. Everything okay?”



Yoona let out a sigh, then looked at her girlfriend, “Look…I know I’m an asshole. I’m not always the best friend…or girlfriend…” Cam was about to open her mouth to protest that last point, only to be cut off by Yoona, almost as if she’d anticipated it, “Not the time, babe, and not the point…Anyway, my point is, despite all that, I’ll be damned if Kanako’s big day is spoiled because of me!” As Cam stares at Yoona, mouth agape, stunned by this shift in personality, Yoona looks back at Kanako, “She really does look stunning, doesn’t she?”



Cam blinked, then joined her girlfriend in looking Kanako over, despite the fact that she had just spent the last half hour with her. “Yeah…she really does. Makes you think, huh?”



“Later, Cam…” Yoona said simply, “Today is Kanako’s day. We can talk about that another day.” Cam thought for a moment, then nodded and put her arm around Yoona…and Yoona promptly moved her hand down to her ass. “Hey, I can’t be a hundred percent good, right?” she said with a smirk, which was returned by Cam.



DINGDINGDING!



The assembled party could hear the ring bell, signaling the end of the match. Several people in line, particularly Trixie and Kanako, began to shift nervously, realizing that the time had come.



“Alright, everyone! It’s almost time!” Cassava called out, trying to keep things orderly. She went over to the curtain to watch and listen for their cue. She could see that the ring crew was already at work setting the ring up for the wedding as a video package for it played on the FAWNTron.



DING!!

DING!!

DING!!



“Ladies and gentlemen!” the ring announcer bellowed. “It is now time for the first ever FAWN WEDDING!!!” The crowd cheered, albeit in a bit of a subdued manner, not quite knowing what to expect. “We request that our fans in attendance please be respectful and remain quiet when the ceremony begins.” With that the lights dimmed as the ring announcer left the ring.



DING!!

DING!!

DING!!



A hush did indeed fall over the FAWN Faithful as traditional wedding fanfare began. A lone spotlight stayed fixed on the entrance ramp as, one by one, the wedding procession made their way to the ring, with the groomsmen and bridesmaids taking up position on the ring apron, and the Justice of the Peace entering the ring, where a podium with a microphone waited for him against a beautiful white and red rose archway, with Trixie, very clearly nervously, waiting for him. Once Cam and Yoona had taken their position behind and to the left of where Trixie was, and across from Trent, the fanfare faded, and the Wedding March began. As Kanako and Masa Akiyama emerged from behind the curtain, a collective gasp raised amongst the crowd at seeing the Modern Day Ronin in her stunningly gorgeous wedding gown, being led to the ring by her father. Before getting to the ring, she turned to look, smile, and wave at the section of the floor seats that had been reserved for those invited to the wedding. Personal friends and family as well as friends and allies that both Trixie and Kanako have made in their travels to other promotions over the last couple years, including newly signed FAWN superstar Ada Bolek and her little sister Julia. She then whispered a silent “Thank you,” knowing that the person she meant those words for was able to hear them. She couldn’t see them, but she could somehow feel their presence, somewhere in the shadows. She then climbed into the ring, and then helped her father enter between the strands, and took her place next to Trixie.



“Songbird,” Trixie whispered to her betrothed, looking at her for the first time that day, “absolutely breathtaking!”



“Right back atcha, Hon Bun!” Kanako answered as she squeezed Trixie’s hand.



“Good evening,” the officiant began, “And welcome, friends, family…and fans. Tonight, we are here to bring together two souls that have found comfort and joy with each other, and join them together as one. If there is anyone in attendance with just reason that Kanako Akiyama and Trixie Decker should not be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.” He then paused to give anyone the chance to speak up, while the other wrestlers in attendance looked around threateningly, wordlessly telling the FAWN Faithful to keep their traps shut. “Very well,” he then continued, “Kanako. Trixie. I have only just met the two of you, and yet I can feel your love for each other radiating from one another, as if it were a physical force. That said, marriage is a heavy responsibility, each of you bound to the other in all things. Are you both prepared to make that sacrifice?”



Kanako and Trixie looked at each other, then back to the Justice, “We are.” they both

said in unison.



“Very well,” he responded, “I understand you wish to present your own wedding vows.” They both nodded, and then turned to face each other as he stepped back.



Trixie cleared her throat as she reached into her tux jacket and removed a piece of folded paper. Slowly, she read. “Kanako, I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, or if it was a celestial paperwork slip-up and you were meant to go somewhere to someone else, but I hope you’ll forgive me if I’m not in a hurry to forward you to the correct recipient.”



Trixie paused, as if she were mulling over her words.



“I did not know that, the day I spoke to you in the locker room, we’d end up here. I don’t think, in my wildest dreams, I could have fathomed. But I am thankful for every step, every stumble, every fall and rise that put me in your path and gave me the courage to talk to you. Likewise, knowing I have a lifetime ahead with you is the first time I think I’ve looked forward to there being a lifetime ahead. If I could, I’d scrimp and save every second so I’d know there would never be a time we weren’t together.” She faltered again, clearing her throat once more. “Kanako Akiyama, I vow to love you til the end of my days, til my last exhale, and to live a life elevating you, supporting you, and making you understand how amazing, unique, and wonderful you are, how deserving of love and kindness and happiness you are. I promise to listen, I promise to be honest - even in moments we may not wish for that honesty but need it. I promise to always offer you a hand to pull you up and be the first to cheer you on at all the successes surely ahead of you. I promise this with all of my heart. It’s not much of a heart. It’s battered and dented, but it’s yours. And I want you, and everyone here, to know that my life is unquestionably better with you in it. I love you.”



Trixie folded the paper up, returning it to her pocket, and waited nervously.



Kanako sniffled and wiped her eyes and braced herself before she began, “Trixie Decker…From the moment you walked into my life, and showed me kindness when so many others were apprehensive of me…You have never been far from my thoughts. Once I knew that we would be together, I likewise knew I never wanted to be apart from you. I’ve told you everything in my heart, things I’ve not shared with anyone else, including dreams I’ve discarded. With one of those dreams in mind, I think I found the perfect way to express my undying love for you…”



“That’s the signal!” Cassava said as softly as she could into her headset, “Hit it!” With that, gentle acoustic guitar and piano music filled the arena.



“Oh, god!” Yoona groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose, “She’s gonna sing a goddamn showtune, isn’t she?”



ALL I’VE EVER KNOWN: youtu.be/L5A__1-QK4w



“I was alone so long

I didn't even know that I was lonely

Out in the cold so long

I didn't even know that I was cold

Turned my collar to the wind

This is how it's always been

All I've ever known is how to hold my own

All I've ever known is how to hold my own

But now I wanna hold you, too

You take me in your arms

And suddenly there's sunlight all around me

Everything bright and warm

And shining like it never did before

And for a moment I forget

Just how dark and cold it gets

All I've ever known is how to hold my own

All I've ever known is how to hold my own

But now I wanna hold you

Now I wanna hold you

Hold you close

I don't ever wanna have to let you go

Now I wanna hold you, hold you tight

I don't wanna go back to the lonely life

I don't know how or why

Or who am I that I should get to hold you?

But when I saw you all alone against

The skies like I'd known you all along

I knew you before we met

And I don't even know you yet

All I know is your someone I have always known

All I know is you're someone I have always known

And I don't even know you

Now I wanna hold you

Hold you close

I don't ever wanna have to let you go

Suddenly the sunlight

Bright and warm

Suddenly I'm holding the world in my arms

Say that you'll hold me forever

Say that the wind won't change on us

Say that we'll stay with each other

And it will always be like this

I'm gonna hold you forever

The wind will never change on us

Long as we stay with each other

Then it will always be like this”



Tears straked down Kanako’s face as she finished the song, ruining her makeup a little. She did her best to dry her eyes after Cassava offered her a tissue. Steadying her nerves amidst a round of muted, polite applause (and more than a few moist eyes), she then looked up at Trixie.



Trixie sniffled, then started to bawl uncontrollably, doing her absolute best not to jump at Kanako and pull her into a hug since the wedding was still going on. Kanako smiled and took her betrothed’s hands. It was at this point that the officiant stepped forward once more.



“That was lovely, both of you,” he commended both of them, “Do you need another moment before we continue?” Looking into each other’s eyes, they turned to face him and nodded in unison. “Very well. Will the ringbearer come forth!” Kazuki Akiyama, very clearly nervous at being in an actual wrestling ring, clambered over with both wedding bands, handing them to his sister and his soon-to-be sister-in-law. Kanako held out her left hand for Trixie to put the ring on. “Do you, Trixie Decker, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, through all triumphs and hardships, as long as you both shall live?”



A teary-eyed Trixie nodded and smiled as she slid the wedding band on Kanako’s ring finger, “I do.”



Their actions then switched as Trixie held out her left hand for Kanako, “And do you, Kanako Akiyama, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, through all triumphs and hardships, as long as you both shall live?”



“I do.” Kanako answered with a shaky voice as Trixie slid the ring onto her finger.



“Then,” the Justice continued with a broad smile, “by the power vested in me by the state of Florida, I now pronounce you wife…and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”



“With pleasure…” Trixie said, lifting Kanako’s veil, “...and honor.” She then took Kanako into her arms, dipping her slightly and planting a deep kiss on her to a surprisingly small amount of catcalls from the crowd.



“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Mrs. and Mrs. Trixie Decker!!”



The FAWNatics erupt in cheers as another wedding fanfare plays and the happy couple face the audience and raise their arms as if they had just won a tag match. As the house lights come back up, the jubilation is tamped down by the emergence of a curvy woman in a business suit at the top of the entrance ramp, holding a microphone.



BETHANY CHRISTIAN:



“If I may, please.” the boss lady of FAWN begins, “I’ll only be a few moments, and then you may continue celebrating all the way to the reception at the hotel across the street. By invitation only, of course. I’m here to offer the happy couple something of a wedding present!” This draws an excited “Oooooh!” from the crowd, as well as curiously tilted heads from the newlyweds, who are now leaning on the ropes facing Bethany, clearly wondering where she was going with this. “At next month’s All Hallow’s Evil, assuming the two of you are back from your honeymoon and have passed your annual physicals, you two will be in a tag match that you - not to mention all of these fans - have been waiting for two years for. It will be Kanako Akiyama and Trixie Decker versus Taffy Black and Kate Grimm!” The crowd explodes in cheers, as they have indeed been waiting two years to see Kanako and Trixie get their hands on the bullies who attacked the two of them after matches at the 2020 FAWNMania and All Hallow’s Evil shows. Kanako and Trixie wore a mask of grim satisfaction as they nodded to the Commissioner. Bethany, in turn, bowed her head to the couple and raised her microphone to her lips one more time. “Thank you for your time, now please enjoy the remainder of this lovely celebration as well as tonight’s main event!”



As Bethany returned to the back, the fanfare began once more to raucous applause. Trent and Kazuki held the ropes apart so that the rest of the wedding party could more easily exit the ring. One by one, they climbed through the ropes and made the return trip back up the entrance ramp and through the curtains, while the wedding guests filed out, preparing to head over to the aforementioned wedding reception at the hotel across the street.