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In retrospect, getting married was a terrible idea for Petra Walker. Not because of the reasons most people would immediately jump to, most of them including Robert and his antics, but because it meant that there was suddenly an immense amount of focus on her. And while this could happen for any number of reasons she could usually brush off, in this instance the onslaught of praise was enough to make even the stony moon hunter blush a lovely shade of pink. Offering the group a slight smile, she tried not to look too embarrassed, taking the opportunity Cass afforded her to hide her blush during their hug.

"Thank you..." she replied quietly, looking around again at each of them. Cass, Madison, Jordan and Jerry. Jerry hung back a little, beginning to play some beautiful melody she had never heard before on his guitar, and she couldn't help but smile a little more, something a little wistful in her eyes. But it was gone a moment later, her attention drawn away as the last of the guests began to arrive, and Petra glanced back at the door. Ennea and Saya meant Phoenix was all present, save one, Candace making up the last of those invited.

This was it.

Offering Saya a slightly awkward double-high-five, the moon hunter flicked her eyes towards the portal briefly, glancing up at the observation deck. The other hunters must have gotten the hint, because within a few seconds, the portal opened with a rush of energy that tugged at the ends of any loose clothing. Petra's hand automatically lifted to rest on the veil draped over the back of her hair, the other reaching for the pentagram hanging just below the hollow of her throat. Even as she lowered the former, the latter stayed where it was, as if considering summoning her weapon -- old habits died hard. For a long second, she just looked between the group which had assembled and the portal, clearly trying to find the right words which would express how she felt at that moment, and even more clearly failing as she started with what sounded like an extremely forced speech.

Then again, that wasn't much different than her normally. Why change things now?

"Thank you all for coming," she offered, pausing a breath to consider her words again, "I apologize for the short notice. Its means a great deal to us that you all would be here... Considering you are our closest friends, we felt it more than appropriate that you be present during this ceremony."

Taking a step towards the portal, she turned again to face them, offering a hand palm-up.

"Robert is already waiting at the site -- he expressed great interest in decorating..." there might have been a flicker of concern there, "So I can offer no further direction with the exception of 'if you would so kindly step through the portal' ... and 'don't be alarmed if there are crayon name tags.'"

She was actually serious about that last part.

... Robert was decorating?

Cass didn't know Robert all that well, but he'd given her the impression that if they both spent prolonged time together they would have been as kids in a candy shop.

However, like Madison there was some dreamy sighing on the note of just MARRIAGE MARRIAGE MARRIAGE MARRIAGE!!!! "Miss Texas Ranger, I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Cass noted with a grin. Though she'd have to start calling her Mrs. Texas Ranger soon enough.

Still picking away at the end of the song, Jerry couldn't help but smile at the mental image of Robert Decorating.

He bet there would be barrels of flowers and cages of doves to be let out.

Maybe.

There was also an equal chance of pony rides and a bouncy-castle.

"Are... are you ready?" He came up behind Petra, fidgeting in his coat pocket for his make-shift capo before strapping it on. "This is it," He readied himself for the next song.

It would be her wedding march. Or at least her arrival song. "No more gallivanting amongst mankind." He smiled.

He began to play.

Madison grinned. "I think you might, good sir," she said, and offered Jordan one arm.

Once people started to filter through the portal, they would find themselves in a rather unexpected place. There was no pretty room filled with flowers, or church, or a single person in sight. In fact, the first thing they would notice walking through the portal was that they were in the middle of a corn field. A very large, open, empty cornfield. Nearby, tied to a row of cornstalks, glaring with their burst of color against the sea of gold, was a bouquet of wildflowers. And nothing else.

The confusion would be short lived, once Petra headed for the farmhouse in the distance. Of course, this still meant walking through a corn field in a wedding dress, but no one said Robert was a good party planner.

The farmhouse itself looked deserted - and it was. But behind it, there were sounds of life. And on the side of the farmhouse, painted with a thick red swath of paint, was a giant red arrow.

It was clear they were meant to head around back.

In the back of the farmhouse there were several stumps set up like chairs, and on each of them were stickers that had every person's name written.

In crayon.

There was a giant arch in front of them, made from several boughs of tree branches that had been bent and braided together, then dotted with flowers. In fact, though it didn't look like much at first, it seemed like the entire meadow had been dotted with flowers - at first glance it might have looked natural, but they were just blossoms picked from somewhere else and scattered randomly, mixed in with the grass and weeds at their feet.

There might have been some deer grazing in the field nearby, but that wasn't so much decoration as it was just coincidental ambience.

Robert was standing near the arch, dressed in, surprisingly enough, a full tuxedo. His hair was slicked back like a child on Sunday morning, but the most dramatic part of his outfit was that he was wearing a white blindfold, and he looked very put out about it.

Apparently, someone had taken 'It's bad luck to see the bride' to a whole new level.

Killzone stood a little behind Robert, and though several inches shorter than the groom, somehow managed to exude a looming, powerful presence. The spangled white, lace covered leotard and shimmery blue bow tie may have had something to do with this. Scanning the area he gave a small nod, this place had some good vibes, unlike some of the freaky-a** farms they'd been visiting during missions. Place had a s**t ton of zen going for it, and if it didn't have much in the way of dolphins or peaceful oceanic decor? It was alright, because Killzone had spent the morning meditating so that his spirit beast would be there to oversee the ceremony with the full force of it's magnificent dolphin wisdom.

At Petra's compliment, his flush began anew, about to say something when they were suddenly walking forward through sparkling light.

Jerry was not a country boy. He enjoyed some country guitar. But he was a city boy, born and raised.

The guitar playing came to a stop as Petra pulled him through the portal and forth through the field of corn, and it was all he could do to limp stiffly after, keep a hold of her, not trip, juggle said guitar, and not trip on layers and folds of wedding dress along the way.

The moment her hand slipped from his arm for the bride-to-be to hurry to her groom's side, Jerry rested the guitar on the grass, wobbled for a moment, and sneezed heartily.

Her heart fluttered a little as he shushed her, that sweet, soft sound coaxing her to let him bat her fingers away, only for him to snatch them up again. His hands were firm but gentle, enveloping her own smaller hands as he curled his fingers around hers, and she let her eyes slide to where he pressed them against his chest. The soft beat of his own heart met her palms pressed against the soft material of his tuxedo, as steady as the large, muscular body that surrounded it, and she willingly lost herself to it, sliding her eyes shut to just feet it, leaning her body just a little closer. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to press against him. Surrounded by their closest friends, the beautiful farm that reminded them so much of home, the wildflowers, the sunshine, and what she wanted more than anything was for all of it to disappear, if only for a few moments, so that she could press herself against that firm expanse of chest and just feel him, have him tuck his chin to press his lips against her hair, have his strong arms envelope her like he would let nothing in the world, not even death itself, tear her away from him. But she couldn't. The sun still shined, the crickets still buzzed, and their friends still waited patiently where they now sat on the stumps by the faded old barn, and so she merely closed her eyes for a moment, letting him touch their noses together, searing that one single moment in her mind forever.

"This is the wedding," she replied, a hint of amusement permeating her patient tone. The moment had passed, and reluctantly the moon hunter allowed her eyes to flicker open again, staring up at her soon-to-be-husband with a patience reserved only for him. His grin was infectious -- the corners of her mouth curled in what was likely the most genuine of smiles any of the other Phoenix members had ever seen, midnight blue eyes glittering in response. The way his grin fell a little as he realized his mistake only made her laugh, soft and light under her breath, and Petra lifted one of her hands from his chest to rest on his cheek, stroking along his cheekbone with her thumb affectionately right up until he spun her around to face back down the isle.

God she loved this man. Through heaven and hell, she knew she could love no one else the way she loved him. He alone could see right through her, through the cold exterior, and loved her for everything, everything she was. And god, if she didn't love him equally in return. His strengths made her love him, but his faults made her love him more -- he was by no means perfect, but she wanted all of him, every terrible double entendre, every missed slice of his batleth, every tender press of gauze and transformers bandaid. Every laugh and smile and terrifying snarl of anger that came from his very soul, she wanted it, and so she leaned back against the hands at her waist, reluctantly to move away from him when he told her to go back down the isle, so tempted to turn in his arms and to hell with walking down the isle.

But she refrained. Because he wanted it to be perfect. So she would give him perfect.

"Yes, everyone's here," she replied under her breath, her free hand reaching down to cover one of his. She took a step forward, away from him, and it took everything she had not to assure him she'd be right back. Instead, she merely squeezed his hand, holding it as long as she could as she walked back between the stumps and their gathered friends, turning around only when she stood behind them all. Tilting her head to where Jerry sat, she smiled a little at him, patiently pleading.

"Jerry, would you play something for me?"