Categories > Games > Final Fantasy 7
The Plunge
The church was packed. Down the aisle, Cloud could clearly see the doors where his bride would emerge. He was a brave man, had faced so many life-or-death situations and yet he was shaking. His heart skipped a beat when the music began and palpitated more irregularly when Denzel and Marlene began their walk. Marlene was tossing white lily petals this way and that, a smile of pure glee on her soft lips. As they reached the pool in which Cloud and the minister stood, the bridal music struck up and the doors at the end of the chapel were flung wide. There she was, clothed all in pearly white, his bride, Tifa Lockhart. Cloud was shaking again. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she looked. Her hair was braided and twined around white lilies. He could feel hot tears in his eyes as she made her way down the aisle on Barret’s arm. Her vision blurred and for a moment, he wondered if it was Aerith. ‘They’re just tears,’ his mind told him, but ‘just’ wasn’t a very appropriate word for them. This was the happiest day of his life and he could only imagine what Tifa was feeling at that point. For her part, she kept a brave face but her insides were filled with butterflies. ‘I can do this,’ she thought.
All eyes were on her as she was preceded and then helped down into the blessed water by Barret. The pool’s surface rippled and the petals thereupon moved along with it. Her pearly dress flowed around her in the water, tickling her ankles and eliciting a beautiful smile. The minister, as it turned out, was Johnny, from the Sector 7 Slum. He was young and this would be his first ceremony. Tifa and Cloud had agreed to let him perform their wedding with little begging. All of their friends from the Cid-dubbed ’Great Sephiroth Fiasco (or SNAFU, it really depended upon who one asked)’ were present as bride‘s maids and groomsmen. Cloud risked a glance at the assembly. Cid’s wife Shera held Marlene in her arms and both she and the little girl were smiling with tears in their eyes. Even Rufus had made it and the Turks with him. The pilot of Highwind stood near Cloud as his Best Man. On the pillow he bore was a shining diamond ring. Yuffie, clad in Wutai finery stood near Tifa as the maid of honor. The entire atmosphere was hazy with happiness. Petals filled the air and tears filled the eyes.
“Dearly beloved…” Johnny began. His delivery was flawless, each line enunciated and exaggerated where it should be. When it came time for the exchange of rings, Cloud could barely see through his tears. For her part, Tifa was keeping it in but she felt the same. As the diamond slid onto her finger and the elegant golden band onto his, it was all they could do to keep from falling in a heap together in the water. Then, the words that everyone had been waiting for came;
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” Johnny declared, to the beginning of applause, “You may kiss the bride!”
Their lips met and the church erupted in cheers and crying alike. Soon, everyone was hugging and crying together, so deeply moved were they all. Turning to Vincent, Cid threw his arms around the dark man and planted a massive kiss on his mouth. If there hadn’t been so many blurry eyes, someone would have seen but as it was, no one noticed. The Turks and Rufus were politely clapping, save Reno who was cheering loudly. All in all, it was the happiest wedding that had ever occurred in Midgar. The reception, however, was to be far greater. Tifa had agreed to have it in Seventh Heaven and so, with the entire wedding party in tow, Cloud and Tifa mounted Fenrir and turned toward Edge.
“You’ve gotta throw the bouquet!” Cid hollered at Tifa, butchering the pronunciation of ‘bouquet’ until it sounded like ‘boo-kwet’. With a mighty fling, Tifa hoisted the bouquet of lilies over her head to the waiting crowd. Yuffie dived for it but her ninja skills were no match for Tseng’s quick hands. Stoically, he handed the bouquet to Rufus.
“Is that a proposal?” the President asked.
“I suppose,” Tseng replied as he mounted the pilot’s side of a Shin-Ra chopper. After all, they were all bound for the reception. Who knew what could happen? Who knew indeed…
The church was packed. Down the aisle, Cloud could clearly see the doors where his bride would emerge. He was a brave man, had faced so many life-or-death situations and yet he was shaking. His heart skipped a beat when the music began and palpitated more irregularly when Denzel and Marlene began their walk. Marlene was tossing white lily petals this way and that, a smile of pure glee on her soft lips. As they reached the pool in which Cloud and the minister stood, the bridal music struck up and the doors at the end of the chapel were flung wide. There she was, clothed all in pearly white, his bride, Tifa Lockhart. Cloud was shaking again. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she looked. Her hair was braided and twined around white lilies. He could feel hot tears in his eyes as she made her way down the aisle on Barret’s arm. Her vision blurred and for a moment, he wondered if it was Aerith. ‘They’re just tears,’ his mind told him, but ‘just’ wasn’t a very appropriate word for them. This was the happiest day of his life and he could only imagine what Tifa was feeling at that point. For her part, she kept a brave face but her insides were filled with butterflies. ‘I can do this,’ she thought.
All eyes were on her as she was preceded and then helped down into the blessed water by Barret. The pool’s surface rippled and the petals thereupon moved along with it. Her pearly dress flowed around her in the water, tickling her ankles and eliciting a beautiful smile. The minister, as it turned out, was Johnny, from the Sector 7 Slum. He was young and this would be his first ceremony. Tifa and Cloud had agreed to let him perform their wedding with little begging. All of their friends from the Cid-dubbed ’Great Sephiroth Fiasco (or SNAFU, it really depended upon who one asked)’ were present as bride‘s maids and groomsmen. Cloud risked a glance at the assembly. Cid’s wife Shera held Marlene in her arms and both she and the little girl were smiling with tears in their eyes. Even Rufus had made it and the Turks with him. The pilot of Highwind stood near Cloud as his Best Man. On the pillow he bore was a shining diamond ring. Yuffie, clad in Wutai finery stood near Tifa as the maid of honor. The entire atmosphere was hazy with happiness. Petals filled the air and tears filled the eyes.
“Dearly beloved…” Johnny began. His delivery was flawless, each line enunciated and exaggerated where it should be. When it came time for the exchange of rings, Cloud could barely see through his tears. For her part, Tifa was keeping it in but she felt the same. As the diamond slid onto her finger and the elegant golden band onto his, it was all they could do to keep from falling in a heap together in the water. Then, the words that everyone had been waiting for came;
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” Johnny declared, to the beginning of applause, “You may kiss the bride!”
Their lips met and the church erupted in cheers and crying alike. Soon, everyone was hugging and crying together, so deeply moved were they all. Turning to Vincent, Cid threw his arms around the dark man and planted a massive kiss on his mouth. If there hadn’t been so many blurry eyes, someone would have seen but as it was, no one noticed. The Turks and Rufus were politely clapping, save Reno who was cheering loudly. All in all, it was the happiest wedding that had ever occurred in Midgar. The reception, however, was to be far greater. Tifa had agreed to have it in Seventh Heaven and so, with the entire wedding party in tow, Cloud and Tifa mounted Fenrir and turned toward Edge.
“You’ve gotta throw the bouquet!” Cid hollered at Tifa, butchering the pronunciation of ‘bouquet’ until it sounded like ‘boo-kwet’. With a mighty fling, Tifa hoisted the bouquet of lilies over her head to the waiting crowd. Yuffie dived for it but her ninja skills were no match for Tseng’s quick hands. Stoically, he handed the bouquet to Rufus.
“Is that a proposal?” the President asked.
“I suppose,” Tseng replied as he mounted the pilot’s side of a Shin-Ra chopper. After all, they were all bound for the reception. Who knew what could happen? Who knew indeed…
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