protected variables

"But then the flowers - of course, they have to be cosmos and aster flowers. Do you think the whole venue should be done up with those, or should we use baby's breath as filler? Oh, but it's cheap to use filler..."

"Is this not what you pay a florist to decide, Shion?"

"Oh, KOS-MOS, I know, but I can't help worrying! So much could go wrong, I can't just throw my hands up and let go of the things I can control!"

A bride without a mother, sister, or even brother to help plan her wedding would be a troubled bride indeed. While KOS-MOS was a tremendous help in organizing all of the information Shion had gathered, when her notes got scattered or she forgot to download a confirmation email, she refused to let Shion bury herself in anxiety over an event that should, primarily, be joyful.

"Shion."

Shion held still, lip quivering.

"That is exactly what you can do."

They were not having the wedding in the church on Old Miltia, because the church on Old Miltia had been destroyed, and Febronia could no longer contact them.

They were not having a religious ceremony at all. They were exchanging vows, within an Encephalon session, that they would find each other once again. That they would always find each other. That their wills would persist as one throughout as many domains as this universe, and all the next, spanned.

Shion, drawing strength from her partner's reassurances, set down her UMN module and took KOS-MOS's hands.

"I want it to be perfect not because I am ashamed, but because you mean that much to me."

How many of her old bosses at Vector would scorn her for her emotional reaction and lack of flexibility? How many of their friends, waiting for their own encephalon dives, would be uncomfortable at her outbursts?

It didn't matter. None of that mattered. All she could do, as their time swiftly ran out, was have compassion for herself.

KOS-MOS made her want to be strong.

"Oh, Shion. I am already aware."