Hard Enough - Chapter 450 - Wedding - Part two (Patreon)

Sabrina’s eyes snapped open on the morning of her marriage,, and her being was instantly suffused with energy as she levitated out of bed.

At her side, Gardevoir grumbled and attempted to roll into the warm spot to claim Sabrina’s pillow, only for Sabrina to infuse an image of Gardevoir sauntering down the aisle in her mega form.

Gardevoir cooed in delight as she rose to her feet, then shook herself slightly as her dainty green feet touched the carpet and grounded her in reality.

“Gar!” growled Gardevoir as she pushed annoyance and feelings of revenge back at Sabrina.

“You’re one of my handmaidens; I need you up. You’re going to be as pampered as me if not more,” Sabrina declared, instantly smothering any thought of revenge as Gardevoir nodded seriously.

With a flick of will, two matching bathrobes rose and slipped onto their forms as they slinked towards the first part of her schedule.

Breakfast.

Fruits and platters of light pastries were spread out before her in the adjoining room with Sabrina’s mother already sitting with a light sheen of sweat.

“Thank you for making breakfast; you didn’t have to,” Sabrina said, knowing that despite being a psychic as well, Sandra found direct projections too heavy on her mind.

Sabrina suspected the constant use of her powers during the war had left her mind more fragile, which explained her aversion to openly using her psychic powers.

Or perhaps that was Arceus’ inbuilt method of making sure psychics didn’t become too dangerous?

“It was nothing,” Sandra replied, her lips twitching upwards as she looked her daughter up and down. “You look radiant, dear. Today’s going to be perfect; I just know it!” he announce with a firm nod while pushing a small image of Sabrina looking happy.

Sabrina smiled at the prediction. Ah, so despite her misgivings, she had still performed a reading? Sabrina was touched.

“So do I,” she replied with a twitch of her lips. She glanced around, more as a show for her mother to keep her talking than because she actually needed to spread her awareness.

“Your father is on the toilet right now,” Sandra stated with a small twitch of her lips.

Sabrina held back the smile and merely hummed. “So he is. Is this his way of giving us some time alone first thing in the morning for womanly talk?” she asked.

She already knew the answer, but it was important to say it. If she merely relied on foresight, she could spend weeks around her parents without ever saying a word, as she already knew what would be said.

It resulted in a weight that was difficult to cast off, and as Brock had shown in the past, foresight wasn’t perfect. So it was better to talk most of the time.

“Yes, he seems to think I will instill upon you some secret bedroom act, but considering what is available on the pokenet these days I wouldn’t be surprised if you knew more than me,” Sandara said with a laugh.

Sabrina chose not to answer that and instead raised her crumpet to take a knowing bite.

“Your dress looks wonderful by the way, I think the flowers woven into the skirt is beautiful as are the small diamonds,” Sandra said, turning her head to the side where a mobile rack held the wedding dress in a ready position. 

“Thank you. Your own dress is quite pretty; you do remember that I said people could try and outdo me,” Sabrina asked.

Sandra gave her a pointed look. "That's for young women to try. I’m your mother, and I’m happily married.”

Sabrina smiled and nodded at her mother’s words. “Hmmm, a shame, with Erika, Sophia, Janine, and Bridget all taken from the running, and having to wear outfits of my selection, I fear there won’t be that much for me to ‘overcome’.”

Sandara stared at Sabrina. “There will be Champions, Elite Four, and royalty in attendance, and you say that?”

Sabrina raised an eyebrow pointedly. “Hmmm, yes, and what’s your point?” she replied, her lips twitching upwards.

The older woman couldn’t help herself; she began to giggle. “Oh, my daughter, you truly are something special.” It was good that her words were laced with obvious affection, as the word ‘special’ had once had a very different meaning in their family.

As if reminded of this, Sandra stiffened slightly, only for Sabrina to wave her fingers lightly and press a gentle embrace of warmth into her mind, allowing her to relax.

Sandra blinked. “Bridget… that’s the lady that likes dolls, doesn’t she?”

Exasperation flashed through Sabrina at the tone her mother had elected to use. “Yes, she and I have spoken often and compared our collections. She has a small but impressive showing.”

Sandra hummed. “I really must see your collection one day. Where are you keeping them? In a cupboard somewhere? I haven’t seen them."

“No, I don’t keep my collection in a… cupboard,” she said carefully, mildly offended by the insinuation she’d just throw them out of sight. Hmmm, perhaps this was her fault for not mentioning precisely how many she had these days.

“I keep them in a warehouse,” she stated, setting down her coffee cup firmly.

Sandra blinked. “Oh… oh?” Then she blinked. “How big of a warehouse?” 

“Four thousand square metres,” Sabrina rattled off. “I’m planning for future acquisitions.”

“Oh…” Sandra blinked again, only to narrow her eyes. “How tall is the wareho—

“Well, here my two girls are!” announced Saul as he stepped into the room and distracted Sandra from her line of enquiry. 

Excellent, precisely as Sabrina had foreseen, to allow her to escape any further interrogation about her hobbies.

Gardevoir coughed pointedly, while casting a look at Sabrina as she radiated smug internally. 

“Three!” corrected Saul easily. “You’re up early Gardevoir! I would have thought Sabrina would have let you sleep in?” His gaze turned to his daughter, and Sabrina shook her head. 

“She is part of the bridal party. A very important part. She needs to look her best just like I will,” Sabrina stated.

It didn’t stop Gardevoir from leaning into Sabrina and whining like a younger sister would. Sabrina raised an unimpressed look at the empathy pokemon. They could both sense the shit-eating grin that Gardevoir was repressing even as she pretended to be wronged.

Gardevoir turned to Saul. “Ga gar gardevoir?” she asked.

Saul paused, taking a moment to process the words and the emotions attached to them. “Oh? My camera? Well, I don’t think I should intrude upon the wedding photographers. I dabble, but that’s it,” Saul said.

“You’ve done well since getting that new camera dear,” Sandra stated.

“I have,” murmured Saul with a slight frown. “How Brock knew I was considering joining a photography club years ago, I won’t ever know. I hadn’t even thought about it around you, Sabrina,, and I know you were just as mystified.”

Sabrina paused in eating her breakfast.

Ah, that had been a mystery that Brock hadn’t revealed to her until just recently.

Now that she was in the know, her lips twitched upwards.

One of Saul’s most famous interactions in the ‘cartoons’ that portrayed something close to their universe had Ash Ketchum believing Saul was a professional photographer.

Brock just couldn’t help himself.

Now that she knew where he was coming from, she had to admit it was rather amusing.

Doubly so because it had worked out so well as a gift for Saul.

“Finally got the joke from Brock eh?” Saul asked, noticing his daughter’s amusement.

“Hmmm,” replied Sabrina pleasantly.

Saul waited, only for nothing to be offered up in the way of an explanation. He hummed back at her before shrugging. “Fine! Keep your secrets then!”

The morning meal passed easily from then on, with the small family chatting amicably. Just to amuse herself, Sabrina spied on Brock’s family only to find it a rather controlled chaos with all the children running around in excited moods for the big event.

Suzie was particularly adorable, worrying over her role as flower girl. Sabrina had half a mind to Teleport over just to assuage her fears, only for her mind to catch a future moment between her and Brock.

Hmmm, he had it well in hand.

She set her fork and knife down, rising just as the front doorbell rang.

“That’s the stylists then?” Sandra asked.

“Hmmm, it is,” Sabrina replied.

“It’s a wonder you don’t just cheat with your abilities to affect a specific look with your hair and make-up,” Saul murmured, only for Sandra and Gardevoir to give him a look of contempt.

“What?” he asked defensively. “Was it something I said?”

Sandra and Gardevoir shook their heads while Sabrina smiled.

 “It’s nice to be pampered sometimes, Father,” she said. “But also, sometimes the best are the best, for a very good reason. They take into account more than even I know about certain hair and skin care methods, products and making sure that a woman looks her best.”

Sandra nodded along in agreement, and Saul blinked at the strong argument his daughter had just unleashed.

“I’ll… take your word for it then,” he conceded.

Sabrina just nodded, rising as she strode back to her room to begin donning some loose clothing that she could relax in for the next few hours.

The stylists set up their equipment in a lounge, and Sabrina entered. “Xavier, Harriet,” she said by way of greeting. “Everything ready?” she asked, despite knowing that it was.

Both of them nodded back at her. “You feeling alright Sabrina? No last-minute nerves or anything like that?”

Sabrina shook her head lightly. “No, I’ve been ready for this day for… quite a while,” she said firmly.

“Garde!” chimed Gardevoir as she hopped over the back of the couch. 

A moment later, the remote shot into her hand, and she leveled it upon the television, causing Sabrina’s lips to quirk; if she wasn’t so set in her ways, she’d recall they didn’t need the remote. They could manipulate the television directly. She projected the idea to her pokemon.

Gardevoir didn’t respond beyond an errant shrug. The channels were flicked through quickly before settling on morning cartoons.

“Huh, I was expecting a cooking show or battlecast, not cartoons,” murmured Xavier as he aligned some mirrors to suit Sabrina’s position.

“She’s showing her age,” Sabrina teased. 

Gardevoir responded maturely by blowing a raspberry at them before starting to hum along with the Samurai Furret theme song.

Sabrina and the others joined in a few moments later, only for them all to share an amused look.

“Damn ear Weedle of a song that is,” muttered Xavier as Harriet began to work on Sabrina’s hair. “Can I get you a coffee or something else? Magazine or perhaps another television?” he suggested.

“This is fine,” Sabrina said, flicking her eyes towards the television currently showing the clash between Samurai Furret and Magical Girl Bertha over a mistake they each thought the other had committed.

Xavier and Harriet set about their work, adjusting Sabrina’s look and enhancing her visage to bring out every speck of beauty she possessed. 

Xavier even knelt and worked on her fingers, making sure they were even with the fingernails before applying a subtle polish.

“They need to have a sheen, but not draw the eyes away from your ring. No contrast,” he explained seriously before massaging her hand with lotion to have the skin looking nice.

“Lots of photos are going to be capturing this,” he said, tapping her hand even as his gaze locked on the keystone. “Hmmm beautiful. Similar to an opal but much more lustrous, having the diamond band to bracket it will be lovely,” he said knowingly.

Sabrina allowed the chatter to wash over her, with only the occasional interjection or comment added for her part.

Erika was the first of Sabrina’s bridal party to arrive, as expected.

She stepped in politely only to pause as her eyes locked on Gardevoir’s reclining form. “You evolved?” she murmured. “I thought you were… Well, I thought she was going to just be a flower girl.”

“She has a larger role to play,” Sabrina stated. “Don’t worry, you’re still my maid of honour.”

Erika relaxed slightly before nodding and coughing to hide her reaction. Not that it did her any good. Even Xavier and Harriet shot her amused looks.

She claimed a seat next to Sabrina and began being fussed over.

With her here the gossip changed, becoming less one-sided and more even with additional tidbits being drawn out and enjoyed. Erika was, after all, a profound gossip.

Sabrina knew she preferred the term socialite, but sometimes a spade was just a spade.

Even if Erika only ever wielded trowels in truth.

Sophia marched in next, which prompted Janine to stop hiding in the crawl space and drop down into the chair next to the minor Gym Leader who Sabrina had come to like as a friend.

“Buggering shit!” shouted Sophia when she glanced to the side and spotted Janine sitting next to her. “How long have you been there?”

“... that would be telling,” teased Janine with a glint in her eyes.

Sophia swore again and turned back only to cough as Harriet, who was holding scissors to Erika’s fringe, shot the other woman a heated look.

“Sorry,” murmured Sophia.

Erika sighed in relief when Harriet adjusted her scissors before trimming a much shallower cut.

Sabrina turned her face away so they wouldn’t see how she was smiling at the drama playing out.

Bridget was the last to arrive. She, unlike the others, was an older woman. She waved nervously as the various Gym Leaders turned at her entrance.

“Hello there,” she chimed, taking her seat.

Sabrina leant forward. “Were you at the auction?” she asked knowingly.

“I was. That shrew thought she could slip it past you on the day of your wedding! What an absolute Miltank of a woman!” Bridget declared.

Sabrina leant back, smug in the knowledge that Bridget, as a true lover of both fairness and dolls, was a good friend to have. She was also a friend who had been circling Sabrina for quite some time, with both of them occupying the same spaces and talking about their hobbies often.

From there, it took little effort to kindle a friendship, despite Bridget being older and with a son of her own. 

Sabrina had even gone as far as to offer to have the woman’s husband tracked down, but Bridget had refused.

By the time all of the bridal party were seen to, the sun had reached its zenith and Sabrina was stepping into her dress, using her psychic prowess to manipulate it just so that it sat perfectly on her form.

As soon as it was in place it shimmered as light caught onto the many small diamonds that had been woven expertly into the fabric.

Sabrina inspected herself for a moment in a mirror only to glance to the side shilly-shally as she adjusted the support of her pads to promote her breasts a little more.

Erika, standing close, stared for a long moment only to stiffen and blush. She coughed as she looked away, much to Sabrina’s amusement, while the others didn’t bat an eye.

Sophia even openly adjusted her bra. “Good idea, lots of guys are going to be looking our way.” 

“T-that!” Erika stammered, only to wilt. “I suppose you’re not wrong,” she murmured after a moment’s consideration.

With the first part of her attire sorted, Sabrina nodded, and the doors opened, allowing the photographers to enter and begin snapping pre-wedding shots of her and her maids getting ready.

A few shots were scripted, such as her mother and father entering to see her in her dress for the first time.

Both teared up, which made Sabrina feel oddly… happy. 

She’d known they loved her, but knowing something and experiencing it… she smiled and opened her arms, causing them both to step into her embrace.

The trio ignored the snapping of the camera.

“Oh… you truly do look amazing,” Sandra gushed.

“My little girl, all grown up and about to be married,” choked Saul.

“Yes, but you knew this day would come eventually,” she told her father.

The man coughed. “Initially? Not really,” he replied, causing her to snort at the reminder of how much of a hellion she’d been. “But you’ve grown up wonderfully,” he added with a heartfelt smile.

Sabrina kissed him on the cheek, and he beamed at her.

Sandra and Saul both helped with putting a necklace and her earrings on.

Then it was time to pose with various bouquets that Erika had insisted on bringing.

“So this one is a little bit bigger, and you’d need to hold it si—”

Sabrina flexed her will, and a smaller bouquet floated forth from the others to land in her hands, where she clutched it. “This one shall be the one I use,” she stated.

Erika’s face sank a little. “Oh, I was hoping to show you a few other variants to try—”

A moment later, the sole pokeball on Xavier’s belt opened, revealing a yawning Houndour. It took in the room, only to smirk and leap towards the bouquets.

Sabrina dragged them out of the way at the same time Gardevoir blitzed across the room and slammed a fairy type empowered punch into the dark type pokemon.

Houndour slammed into the ground, only to bounce into the cart where the flowers had been, causing it to crash out.

Everyone blinked.

Sabrina turned to the photographer. “That would make a good photo,” she suggested.

Dutifully, the photographer raised his camera and snapped a few shots.

Gardevoir stiffened where she stood, her hand still locked in the punching position while the debris lay about her.

She turned, a mortified expression on her features. “Voir!” she wailed as she flapped her hands to try and deny the photos being taken. When she flexed her will Sabrina intercepted her lightly.

“No, it will make for an amusing photo later on. Don’t worry, I knew something was going to happen to the flowers. That’s why I got the one I wanted out of the way first,” she said.

Erika brightened up. “Oh! That’s why you were so quick about choosing! You foresaw a wedding tragedy!”

Sabrina glanced to the side. “Yes,” she lied, knowing that Erika wouldn’t like it if she bluntly admitted that she hadn’t wanted to sit through modelling various arrangements.

“Good thing you saved all of them! We can still check if others might work better!” Erika gushed.

Sabrina shot the knocked-out Houndour an annoyed look. Damn pokemon should have caused more chaos.

Xavier hurriedly returned his pokemon and bowed his head. “I’m so sorry! He’s a bit of a scamp, and I didn’t want to leave him at home today! He’s never—”

“It’s fine,” Sabrina replied. “Perhaps you could make amends by fetching a light snack for us all?” she suggested.

Xavier sprinted to find them the snack cart that was waiting in the kitchen like he was being hounded by a pack of houndour himself.

A huff followed after him before Sabrina turned and nodded to Erika. “Alright, show me the bouquets,” she replied with a small roll of her eyes even as she smiled at her friend.

Once the light snack was finished Sabrina allowed some final touch ups before beginning the slow walk from her private chateau on the castle grounds and into the castle proper.

She made sure to keep her senses out wide, alert that there were dozens if not hundreds of journalists all slavering to get a sneak peak of her dress.

Thankfully, the guards of the castle were more than up to the task.

The grounds themselves were clear, and the skies didn’t even have clouds in them.

Only a small floating metal figure which made Sabrina smile.

“Thank you for your work,” she projected to Mewtwo.

The figure turned, and she felt his attention focus on her. “... I am merely doing my duty.”

“And you’re doing it well; for that I am thankful,” Sabrina offered back.

Mewtwo didn’t say anything more.

Erika looked up and gasped softly. “Oh, it’s up there.”

“That is not an it Erika, that is Mewtwo,” Sabrina lightly reprimanded her friend as Mewtwo vanished in a flash of Teleport.

“It is rather disconcerting to see such a powerful pokemon loose like that. Usually they take over territory away from humans. What must it mean to have such a pokemon within Rota?” Erika asked.

“A great many things,” Sabrina began. “That Rota is more tolerant than most nations. That they treat him well enough to make him want to stay, or at the very least not leave.”

“Aren’t these the same thing?” Erika asked.

“No,” Sabrina replied simply, leaving it for her friend to work out. “It also shows that he is curious and willing to learn about us,” Sabrina replied. “Trust me. You need not fear him.”

Erika nodded slowly and forced herself to breathe in and out once to relax. “Very well.”

Sweeping through the castle, it was, of course, an inevitability that they would be intercepted by Queen Ilene and her entourage. Sabrina nodded in greeting, pleased that she was not being summoned on her wedding day and that the Queen had the tact to meet her within the waiting room outside the cathedral.

“Lady Sabrina,” the queen greeted. “You are every bit the beauty today that people clamour about within Indigo.”

“My thanks; you also look resplendent today, Your Highness,” Sabrina replied, returning the compliment to the monarch who had so graciously opened the castle for their wedding.

“Hmmm, I made sure to hold back, despite you—”

“Do not,” Sabrina stated, holding up a hand and cutting the other woman off. Behind Ilene, Lucario bristled. “This is not my final appearance,” she stated firmly.

That got a few curious looks from the various women, with Sophia and Bridget looking around for Harriet and Xavier, their thoughts exuding that they believed she was going to have a final touch-up in case someone had actually snapped a picture of her.

When the Queen gave a silent, challenging raise of her eyebrow, Sabrina replied with an enigmatic smile.

When the Queen made to speak, the doors on the side of the room burst open, with a butler being shoved through them by Lola with a fixed snarl, while behind her the rest of the family hurried along after her.

Suzie was right at her side, however and as soon as she spotted Sabrina she threw her arms high with twin victory signs.

“WE MADE IT!” shouted Suzie, her emotions blasting out full bore like she was attached to a set of speakers compared to how muted everyone else had been all day.

The overwhelming positivity was delightful to feel, especially as she turned to Sabrina and a flood of love and hope rushed through Sabrina.

Behind her, Cindy, Tilly, and Flint hurried in. Flint deposited Tilly to the ground before hurrying over to the butler to apologise for his wife’s forceful use of the man.

“I’m so sorry she can just—” Sabrina tuned them out as irrelevant, instead focusing on Suzie, who was shyly approaching Sabrina.

Sabrina giggled at her antics. “You made it. Well done. Although I never doubted you,” she said, causing Suzie to beam at her. Without Suzie noticing, small loose bits of fabric and hair that had slipped free were adjusted back into place.

Sabrina cast a considering eye over the rest of the family and made some other adjustments, only pausing to consider Flint and Lola for a moment before correcting their attire as well.

“Oh my gosh! You look so pretty!” Cindy gushed, completely ignoring social convention and the Queen that it applied to, and hurried up to beam at Sabrina. 

The Queen giggled at the show, giving the butler a small nod before rising. “I shall leave you to settle with your entourage. I look forward to seeing your… final appearance,” she said, making sure to get a final word in.

Sabrina ignored her, her focus on the small children before her.

Flint and Lola turned, inspecting the rest of the bridal party only to shift. “Have you seen Yola—”

Another set of doors opened, and Yolanda arrived with a slight sheen of sweat on her brow. The butler escorting her had a small smile on his features as he gestured into the room.

Yolanda offered the man a quick bow of thanks before jogging up. “Sorry if I’m late; I got turned around in the castle and I needed to find a butler of all things!” She shook her head.

“You’re here now,” Sabrina said as she set about adjusting Yolanda’s much looser attire. Yolanda blinked in surprise, noticing the slight adjustments and giving her a contrite look.

“Sorry!” she said again as the laces of her shoes rewove themselves.

“It’s fine,” Sabrina replied with a practiced air, causing Yolanda to shoot her a small smile.

“So, you’re going to be our big sister for real after this, any reservations?” 

“None at all,” Sabrina said aloud, while projecting a very different answer to Yolanda who blinked as a chibi Sabrina appeared in her mind only to glare at a chibi Lola. 

Yolanda bit her lips to hold back a giggle and pushed out a loud ‘I get that’ in reply.

The pair of them shared a look while Suzie stood between them, looking back and forth before grinning happily.

“Alright! The girls are all here! Dad! Time for you and Mum to get!” Suzie barked authoritatively.

Flint gave her an unimpressed look only for her to make a shooing gesture.

“Young lady that is not very polite,” he said, “but you are right. I need to go collect the boys. Hopefully there will be a butler who will be willing to escort us,” he murmured the last part quietly.

Not quietly enough, as Lola just shrugged and shared her idea, “Eh, just knock a suit of armour over, and we’ll get someone coming quick enough.”

Erika stiffened. “Please don’t do that.” 

Proving that the castle had ears, a door leading towards the cathedral opened slightly and a butler appeared with a firm look in his eyes. “I shall escort you out, if you are ready,” he said more as a command than an offer.

Flint nodded and Lola grinned, her transceiver coming up only to stop before it could be levelled to take a picture.

“I have a professional photographer,” Sabrina reminded, pointing off to the side where said photographer had been calmly snapping away the entire time.

Sabrina just knew there were going to be some hilarious shots of Lola force-marching a butler through a set of doors along with the stampede that followed after her.

Good for a photo album though.

Flint and Lola departed, leaving the girls to take up their flower petal baskets from Erika.

“Now girls, you need to spread them evenl—” Erika began to explain only for Suzie to snatch her basket.

"I'm not going to tell you how to do your job, so you don’t tell me how to do mine!” growled Suzie as she took a few firm steps away from Erika.

Yolanda raised an eyebrow. “Wow, someone’s feeling bossy today,” she muttered.

“Not bossy! I’m just ready!” announced Suzie as she turned to the doors they’d walk through to the cathedral, her gaze zeroed in.

Sabrina knelt and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. “You’ll do wonderfully, Suzie. Relax, alright?”

“....okay,” Suzie murmured, instantly going from almost buzzing to shy.

Erika hummed, realising what the actual issue was as Suzie turned and bowed her head in apology to the older girl.

More photos were taken with the group relaxing and chatting among themselves before the doors opened a final time and Forrest walked in wearing a suit with a large blush on his face.

Sabrina beamed at him. “And here’s our ring bearer,” she announced, giving him a once-over only to find that he needed nearly no corrections.

“Hey big sis,” he murmured, giving her a shy smile.

Sabrina smiled back and handed him a his and hers set of boxes. “Here you are,” she said.

“I’ll protect them!” he declared solemnly, earning himself a smile from Sabrina.

“Hmmm, seeing you act like this makes me wish my parents had more children,” she said, despite knowing full well why they didn’t.

Sabrina as a child, had rather scared them off any more children.

It was rare for her to regret her past actions, but here and now, with her wedding party made up of Brock’s little sisters and brother all dressed so adorably?

Sabrina’s gaze turned to Saul as he was admitted, having just led Sandra to her seat in the cathedral. He beamed at Sabrina like she was the best thing in the world and Sabrina felt a little like she’d stolen the chance for him to have another bright spot in his life.

Gardevoir shifted over and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Gardevoir,” murmured the empathy pokemon as she injected some brevity into Sabrina to dispel the maudlin mood that had overtaken her.

Sabrina straightened. “Thank you, Gardevoir,” she said, only to glance towards the cathedral.

She could sense that it was close to time.

“Places everyone,” she announced, and instantly the various people around her slipped into formation that they’d practised the night before.

Saul stepped up next to Sabrina with a huge smile on his face even as his eyes watered. “You look incredible," he murmured.

“I want you to let me enter on my own initially,” Sabrina whispered to him as she projected her plan to use mega evolution.

Saul blinked before smiling widely. “Of course dear,” he replied.

Sabrina nodded, head turning as the sound of the organ began to play. And just like they practised, the doors opened, and the flower girls set off.

Sabrina allowed them a thirty-second head start before nodding, signalling for Forrest to march forth with the rings in hand.

Then it was the handmaids turn to march down the aisle, looking resplendent and drawing the eye.

Sabrina waited another thirty seconds, allowing her to have a quiet moment with her father but for Gardevoir, and she was family, so it was fine.

Neither of them spoke.

Instead, they projected emotions to each other.

Pride, love, contrition, sorrow, surprise, forgiveness, love, and happiness swept back and forth, merging and feeding into them both.

Gardevoir sighed happily, and Sabrina coughed as she found her eyes watering. A napkin was raised to dab away the tears.

Then it was her turn to walk.

She made sure not to hurry, even though she wanted to reach the ceremony.

She knew better.

Lots of people had spoken of how fast the day would go.

It was therefore important that she slow down as much as she could and enjoy the moments she could.

When she reached the doors of the cathedral, they were closed.

She took a long, steadying breath, then nodded to the pages who opened the doors.

Right as the doors creaked open, she stopped forward, and through the bond with Gardevoir, she channelled her aura, triggering a now-familiar activation of the mega evolution.

From behind her, light exploded forth as Gardevoir evolved right as the doors opened, creating a miniature sun as Sabrina’s backdrop as she marched into sight of the masses.

People gasped in surprise as a radiant Sabrina stepped forth, the power of evolution glowing off her form as the light died down and a Mega Gardevoir stepped forth to hold her train up so it wouldn’t drag too much.

Sabrina marched to the start of the pews, her gaze locked on the top of the stairs where Brock stood grinning down at her.

He wasn’t crying like some might at the sight of her.

He was smiling the widest she’d seen in a long time however, and his mind and heart radiated love at the sight of her, making her offer it back.

The feeling must have rippled out through the people as they shifted and drew in breath once more.

Sabrina nodded then, and Brock activated his own mega evolution.

Titan exploded with power, causing people to gasp in surprise and turn to find Brock now answering her call to action with his own.

Dark brown energy filtered across his form, drifting through lines of the suit that had gone unremarked before.

Now they were lit up like lines of energy.

Instead of a dark mountain that loomed like usual, Brocks' aura encompassed all beneath him and offered shelter.

Sabrina grinned as Saul stepped up next to her, an amused expression in place as he led his glowing daughter down the aisle.

Sabrina didn’t hurry, making sure to step carefully as people regathered their wits. The photographer, thankfully being forewarned, was taking various snapshots of people’s expressions.

Sabrina just knew that she’d love looking those over later.

People turned, understanding just how momentous this event was.

Two powerful trainers, both capable of mega-evolving multiple pokemon were about to be married, and that alone allowed them to do things that others could only dream of.

Envy, awe, surprise, and glee radiated from the crowd, but Sabrina didn’t look them.

She only had eyes for her love, and he for her.

It was time to get married.

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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!

Sorry for cutting it off here, but I thought Sabrina needed to have her lead-up to the day shown before the ceremony began!

Thanks also goes to Twmmy for proofreading!