The Bowman farm was a scene of hustle and bustle on Father's Day for many reasons, some of it related to Shuixing's visit, but most of it related to Ulysses Bowman's marriage to Blueberry. For the rural and largely conservative area of Wisconsin that the Bowmans lived in, some of it came as a great surprise that Ulysses Bowman agreed to marry one of the cows that had once been part of his livestock. However, a good many of their neighbors had found others to be relatively helpful when it came to the odd jobs they did and in doing so, the uplifted cattle showed things that the local farming community didn't see on television on the internet. For the neighbors had all seen Animalia Ambassadoria, as it came up as a popular link, because so many people elsewhere had clicked on it. But most judged that the show was largely fake, nonprofessional, and largely promoting things that they didn't like. A good many of Ulysses' neighbors had even commented to him that "Animalia is nothing more than a shirker's paradise where they just seem to stumble onto wealth and NEVER really worked for or earned it and then condescendingly told them to "stuff it" after pointing out that most people had to work for a living."
But when Blueberry and the others came back, they actually demonstrated the willingness to work and work well. They were vaccinated when they arrived and Blueberry had managed to secure the vaccinations after Ulysses was converted, and thus they didn't travel from farm to farm converting all the other farmers' livestock. Thus many of them began to change their minds on Animalia and Animalians. They weren't necessarily easy with Ulysses's choice, but they'd lost any reason to reject him for it. That set up for a decent guest list that asked if they could come to the wedding. Ulysses had been more than happy to accept the requests, though this then set about a lot of frantic work to get the area ready.
A lot of it was to clean out one of the pasture areas to assure that there was open space for the guests to come in and sit, along with setting up benches that could support the weight of larger Animalians like cattle, or Water Buffalo in Shuixing's case, or Mules in Meryl and her mate, Olly's case. This of course meant going over the ground with shovels to make sure the non uplifted cattle didn't leave any land-mines for people to step in and then making sure that the grass was short enough that people wouldn't be wandering through anything that could allow them to pick up things like ticks and the like. A lot of this was done before the wedding, but there was a fair amount of activity still to get the benches arranged before the guests started arriving. From there it was merely a matter of waiting for the Bowman's family minister and the guests to arrive. That gave the guests that were already there to get changed and ready.
"So... how do I look?" Shuixing asked as she looked to Nate.
"Beautiful," Nate commented back in a fairly lovesick voice as Shuixing displayed the dress that she'd brought to wear for the wedding. It wasn't super flashy, but it did have what he thought looked like a lotus blossom stitched on its upper right shoulder.
Shuixing turned her head and noted the tent that was forming in the pants of Nate's suit. A part her mind thought happily on that and what it would mean when it came time for Nate's conversion, but she tried to put that on a different emphasis, as they still hadn't yet gotten to whether or not Nate had graduated college or how other things would play out. Ulysses marrying Blueberry and his youth restored after becoming an Animalian would mean that Nate wouldn't HAVE to inherit the farm in order for the Bowman farm to stay in the Bowman family, but that was merely an opportunity that the romance between them could move forward. But at the moment that wasn't the main thing. Shuixing didn't want to take anything from Ulysses and Blueberry.
"That's nice," Shuixing answered as she saw Nate blush when he realized that she'd noticed his arousal, "but I'm not wanting to take anything away from Blueberry and your dad... Regardless of it being Father's Day in America, it is THEIR wedding."
"I appreciate that," came another and deeper male voice from the doorway, making Shuixing turn to see Ulysses standing there in the doorway.
In this, Shuixing could see more of the difference between the Human Ulysses Bowman and the Brown Swiss Bull Animalian that stood in the doorway. He work a dark suit, which appeared to be specially made for him and matched the one Nate was wearing. The only real difference was that Ulysses wasn't wearing shoes while Nate was. Shuixing also noted the change in height. Before, as was the case with Nate at present, Shuixing had to look down and potentially scrunch down to look Ulysses in the eye. Now, as an Animalian, he had had to come in through the doorway completely to avoid hitting his head on the door frame. Ulysses was still a bit shorter than her, but not by much and much of the key difference was in the fact that Shuixing's horns were large and stood up from the back of her head, in the way that true buffalo did, as opposed to the American Bison.
"And the dress doesn't clash with Blueberry's dress," Ulysses assured her, "and given here that Nate has been missing you... simply being here will make the whole day better."
"Yes... but it is for you and Blueberry," Shuixing answered.
"And it will be," Ulysses smiled, "but you and Nate... and even Meryl and Olly... you're all part of the day too. It's all surprising... when I talked to Blueberry and the others about things Nate's mother did... I was mostly just venting off frustration and the sort of betrayal that I felt happened. I never expected that they... and Blueberry in particular... would bond to me in the way they did. And it was a surprise to me... but now... I wouldn't give it up. Blueberry may not be Human in physical form... but in a way she's more Human than Nate's mother was. I'm actually quite honored and lucky to have her... and in that, I think I ultimately owe you and Animalia a great deal of thanks."
"It's no problem," Shuixing said politely, unsure of what else to say.
"But we aren't too far away from the ceremony and some of the guests and people are starting to arrive... so I will need my best man to go down with me," Ulysses spoke, "all other things will be handled after the wedding and before Blueberry and I have our honeymoon."
Shuixing nodded as Nate then got up and moved to follow his father out. She was surprised to learn that Ulysses had selected his own son to be his "best man," but she supposed that some of the other farmers in the area were still "digesting" over the fact that one of their own became an Animalian and was marrying an uplifted Animalian. She then slowly followed, ducking under the doorway and listening to her hooves give a hard "clopping" sound as they hid the wooden floor that made up the Bowman main home. They made their way out to find that many guests had indeed arrived and had run into a pair of stubborn "attendants." Meryl and Olly weren't necessarily aggressive, but neither were they going to let some of the guests go wandering about the premises, even if a few of them had been over all the grounds when talking over things with Ulysses before.
"This is to be a wedding!" Meryl said to one man with her ears perked straight up, "not a tractor pull! The benches are all sit up so everyone can be clean and enjoy the ceremony! And long enough to keep your distance. Go sit and wait. The minister will be here soon and then everyone will be happy... and NO ONE will be messin' with by baby brother's wedding. You hear me?"
The man looked between the two Mule Animalians, noted how they looked bigger than what he'd thought a Mule Animalian would look, and then made his way over to the rows of benches that were set up. As Ulysses and the others came out they looked to see that a good many of his neighbors were present and seated. Many were in their Sunday best, though some of it made sense, since the wedding would be taking place after many of the local churches finished their standard Sunday services. Some had gone to an "online" version of their sermons, but having the wedding done in person was a thing that Ulysses stood by. Olly even added that since the wedding was to be outside, things like the Corona Virus would be less of an issue.
"Seems like everyone came," Ulysses found himself giving a small smile.
"And thinking they own the place," Meryl picked up, "thankfully they know not to argue with me."
"A strong woman like you... they probably learned that before you became an Animalian," Olly commented to her, which made Meryl smile.
Ulysses and Nate shook their heads a bit. Many of the neighbors didn't really argue with Meryl before she became an Animalian, but it was more because she often couldn't hear them well enough to know what was said and had no interesting in anything outside her own intentions. If Meryl noticed this she didn't let it on as she approached Ulysses and straightened the lapels on his jacket.
"You look good, brother," Meryl said to him, "and while cows aren't my thing... you are still family. Hopefully you and Blueberry will be happy together..."
"Thank you, Meryl," Ulysses said to her and made his way toward the the area that had been set up for the wedding, which included an aisle down the middle.
They walked quietly up that aisle and Ulysses happily shook hands as they made their way up. Once they got to the front, Nate ushered Shuixing over to one bench where name tag had been placed on the bench, and it had her name there. Some of the people there looked her a bit suspiciously, but they said nothing on that matter. She sat quietly while Ulysses and Nate moved up to an area that was on the crest of a small ridge and allowed the Human guests seated to see both Ulysses and Nate easily. That let Shuixing relax a little bit. She managed to look back to see a new arrival talking with Meryl and Olly as well as one of the uplifted cows that had come out from the Bowman house as well. By the way he was dressed, Shuixing guessed this was the church minister that the Bowmans normally saw, though for the moment, Shuixing didn't remember if Nate had ever said what denomination he was. Though for the moment, that didn't matter, as the minister made his way up the aisle with Olly and Meryl following after him. Further back, Blueberry had come out in a simple but fine white dress with the uplifted cows coming up behind her.
"You sure you wish to do this?" the minister asked to Ulysses as he approached.
"Yes," Ulysses answered as his eyes drifted to Blueberry as she and her bridesmaids moved toward the back of the aisle. The others wore dresses that looked similar to Blueberry's in terms of design, but matched the color of the "berry" that he'd named them for, but his focus was on Blueberry, "She's the best thing that's really happened to me... It may be odd to you, since you're still Human... but she's made me happy."
"I'm just making sure," the minister answered as he noted Meryl and Olly sit down next to Shuixing. He didn't know the Water Buffalo Animalian, but figured she was at least a close friend of the Bowman family. And he had a wedding to perform, and turned and raised his hands forward with his palms up which got all the guests to stand and served as the signal for Blueberry and her bridesmaids to come forward.
Ulysses smiled as Blueberry came forward and she happily smiled back to him as she approached. Unable to resist the joy and eagerness he felt, Ulysses reached forward and took Blueberry's hands in his. They both smiled again. That then let the minister begin the ceremony.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to join a pair of Animalians in holy matrimony," the minister began, "One has been a regular feature of our community and a strong voice in town and in the area, Ulysses Bowman. The other is an uplifted Brown Swiss cow, named Blueberry, and has displayed all of the things that we praise in our Human neighbors... showing on how the world changes and how even those originally written as beasts of burden rise above that and have worked to enrich the lives of those they have met. And Blueberry has done that for Ulysses."
There were a few claps and nods from the crowd.
"Both parties have written their own vows," the minister spoke, "and I will let them recite them..."
"Ulysses..." Blueberry began, "I know my origins may not be what you would have expected in a future wife and that being with me has meant that you had to change your species. But I've also known how you were treated and the struggles you went through... and that was wrong. I promise you that I will be yours for all time. We will work together, live together, and love together. And I will never abandon you... and I will do all that I can to make you happy."
"Blueberry... you were always a kind listener and putting up with my complaints over the years has meant a lot," Ulysses said to her, "and while, it has been a surprise... your kindness has made it a pleasant one. You have made me happy in ways that I thought I'd never see again. And for that... I will love you for all time and I am glad to have met and won your love."
"And would anyone have any reason for these two not to be wed?" the minister asked to the crowd.
The only sound that was heard was a "moo" coming from the barn. "That would be a no," Blueberry said to the minister and got a few chuckles from that. The minister nodded before finishing.
"Then by the powers invested in me, I declare you to be man and wife," the minister spoke, "and you may kiss the bride... and start your lives as Mr. and Mrs. Bowman."
The kiss was more of a peck on the cheek and then nuzzling their muzzles together, as while Animalians could feel and express emotions in the same way as Humans, the fact that they had some different physical anatomy meant that there were situations where certain things were a bit more difficult. Regardless a decent sized round of applause and cheers rose from the gathered guests. Shuixing was among those cheering, though her brown eyes focused to the Human male standing at the appropriate point where the "best man" would stand. Her mind drifting on her own future with Nate, and that made her happy.