TMNT-Bright Future

Leonardo shifted beneath the robes he wore and rubbed his fingers on the fabric. It was weird to be dressed in anything besides his mask. He gazed down at the kimono he wore. Well...sort of kimono. It used to belong to Splinter and had been very traditional...but it had been altered into a more westernized shirt and pants. Not just for the sake of where they were, but also so Leonardo could easily slip in and out of the attire.

The ninja glanced down the aisle formed by folding chairs and felt his mouth lightly drop. The time had come, it seemed. Splinter's tall frame came into view over the hill and to the top, a small figure by his side.

Splinter seemed to beam as the sun reached the horizon behind Leonardo. The warmth washed over the faces of his brothers that stood to his left, April, his sister-in-law, on his right, and over the figures of April's father, Mr. Murakami, friends they had made over the years and numerous Foot Clan members who remained loyal to Karai. They had all turned to watch the figures of Splinter and the petite woman on his arm come closer and closer. In front of them, his five year old niece skipped ahead, throwing flower pedals here and there, her copper hair shinning in the sun that resembled her mothers, her reddish brown eyes shimmering like her father's.

Leonardo gazed at the woman at Splinter's arm with warmth and admiration. The sun glistened in Karai's light brown eyes, making them seem almost ember. His eyes fell lower on her body and admired the dress. He knew she had special ordered something, but this was the first he had been able to see it. She had kept it a secret from him. That is, until now.

The ninja felt himself smile. It was so Karai to take a traditional Japanese kimono and add her own flare. It was westernized, just like his outfit, but not quite. The dress was black from her bosom and faded into red, purple, and finally blue. Splashes of golden spots decorated the bottom and lightly rose up her leg a tad. White covered her forearms and hung on the rest of her arms like drapes that faded from white to a dark blue. A bright red bow sat on her lower back.

Leonardo glanced at Murakami-san who held a bundle in his arms. It had been almost two years since Karai had given birth to their daughter, Miwa. Before their little girl was born, Karai had shaved her head to start anew when she left the Shredder behind. The hair grew back rather quickly and had reached a little past her shoulders. Her dark hair had been pulled into a high bun, pink flowers placed in her hair with a white, see through veil that lightly covered her head but not her precious face.

Karai had always been beautiful to him, but now, as she walked down the aisle with the fatherly figure she deserved at her arm to be given away to him, she had never been more gorgeous before than she was at that moment.

The sun dipped behind the horizon and Karai stood before him. He had grown a little bit taller over the years. She no longer towered over them. Now, he was a few inches taller and they were more eye to eye. It could be a metaphor for how their relationship ended up over the years: how they went from her looking down on him to seeing eye to eye with him, but he'd keep that idea to himself for now.

They had chosen a perfect evening to marry. It wasn't too hot, not too cold...Karai slipped her hand into his and smiled. They thought about having a traditional Shinto wedding...but they couldn't find a shrine or proper place to perform the ceremonies. Instead, they decided on a westernized wedding.

They could have gone with the blind priest April and Donatello had had for their wedding, but Leonardo and Karai just wanted to cut to the chase. They had the vows memorized like it was tattooed onto their brains, they knew they could handle the ceremony as is.

"This woman, I marry, no matter what the health situation is: I will love this person, respect this person, console this person..." His voice didn't waver. He never felt more sure about this before in his life. When he was done, Karai exchanged her vows. Her voice was like liquid gold and he knew he could listen to her forever.

When the time came, he slipped the ring he had made for her onto her slender finger. Black and red with a blue heart shaped gem stone...it suited her person well. She slipped a large ring onto his, taking it from a pouch in her dress. It was blue and black with a red heart shaped gem stone in the center. When they were done, and the sun's final rays disappeared behind the horizon, Leonardo and Karai's lips met. The lanterns that hung from the trees lit up and their guests applauded.

Even when they broke the kiss, Karai's eyes were on him and only him. She smiled the cute way she did and he knew he had made the right choice. Murakami-san came over and handed the bundle to Leonardo who took his daughter happily into his arms. His brothers came over, slapped him on the shoulder, hugged the now married couple and kissed their new sister-in-law on the cheek. Family surrounded them and even though the sun had long gone to sleep, they felt the warmth of their presence sink in.

Splinter stepped in and held a camera up to his face. Karai took her child in her arms and held her daughter to her. Leonardo wrapped his arms around his wife and child and his brothers and April leaned in, large smiles on their faces. A flash filled their eyes and Leonardo beamed. He gazed at his wife and daughter at his side and couldn't help but see how happy they were. How perfect they were...his family. Now he understood why people said that your wedding day was the happiest day of your life. He watched his family interact with guests and family. Heh...happiest day of his life? That was an understatement. Leonardo smiled and took a step forward to both join his family in celebration and also a step forward to the bright future that he knew laid ahead of him.