For Wallflower, the walk back to Juniper's house—hand in hand with its primary resident—was quiet and euphoric.
Quiet was, of course, Wallflower's element.
Euphoria, however, was absolutely not.
Every so often as they walked back through the park, then down concrete suburban streets, they'd take the way with the most trees, or the most grass or shrubbery, letting Wallflower enjoy the view of rain droplets falling off of fresh leaves, to go with the soothing noise of drops falling on them, and everywhere else.
Juniper held her umbrella above them, making sure their hair suffered no more damage, thank you. In fact, it was almost a little too effective in that—Wallflower felt more heated than she ever had during any rainstorm, but Juniper had assured Wallflower that no, it wasn't just hormones—Twilight Sparkle had made some sort of invention that both warded off rain and had built in location-specific climate controls, and that Juniper was one of her field testers.
So Wallflower walked, holding the hand of one of her most favorite people in her life right now, and meanwhile still feeling the effects of friendship, of being accepted, of being treated, instead of like some invisible misfit… like she was just another girl.
In that context, 'euphoria' was an understatement. She couldn't even start a conversation under her own power, it took so much energy to contain her joy, even in the face of being still worried about Juniper given what had happened back on the park bench. She wanted to ask if Juniper was all right, to ask if she needed anything, if she wanted to talk some more, but she didn't want to dredge anything up—she was still very new to this "being a comforting friend" thing… to say nothing of…
Could she be? She… she might be.
Wallflower looked up at Juniper, and she swore she could feel her heart beating in her chest in time with the rain.
Juniper noticed Wallflower's gaze, looked back with the warmest smile, and brushed her shoulder against Wallflower's. Wallflower did the same back, as best she could. Height difference was a thing she was used to.
The joyful walk continued until, finally, three quarters of the way back to the house (according to their phones' GPSes), Juniper stopped. "Hey," she said.
"What's wrong?" Wallflower asked.
"Oh, nothing's wrong. it's just, I was thinking: we're about to have a nice fun time for who knows how long at my place." Juniper grinned wide. "Right?"
Wallflower resisted the urge to melt into a pile of giggling. "I think that's the plan, yes."
"Yep, sure is. But…" Juniper's expression sobered, and she took a deep breath, and Wallflower noticed Juniper slightly rocking back and forth.
Seeing Juniper's hesitation—and taking a small amount of pride in being able to better read Juniper's emotions the more time she spent around her around someone, anyone, period, so this was what it was like—Wallflower again decided to help. She took Juniper's free hand, staring up into Juniper's eyes.
"It's okay," Wallflower said softly. "You can tell me these things. You can tell me anything. As long as you're comfortable with it. I'll listen, and help if I can."
Juniper slowly calmed, down to Wallflower feeling her pulse relax, and Wallflower smiled inwardly.
"Thanks, Wall. So, since you said you're okay with me being… well, me, then… there are things I want you to know about me. Things that are better off you know now, instead of way too far into this thing we've got going."
Wallflower raised her eyebrows. Where was Juniper going with this? A tiny thought surfaced in the recesses of her imagination, related to something Sunset had said weeks ago, but she dared not entertain it.
Even though it was a miniscule reaction on Wallflower's part, Juniper still caught it. "D-don't worry, it's not anything creepy, I'm not some sort of ex-con or anything," she said with a nervous giggle. "But…"
A deep breath from Juniper. A long pause, the longest pause, where the rain was the only thing that could be heard around them, for seemingly miles.
And then, finally, speech.
"My life's been a bit of a journey recently. One might even say a… magical one?"
If Wallflower's eyebrows had raised before, this time they shot off into space… and then quickly returned to earth as she relaxed again with a growing smile of her own.
Juniper noticed that, too. "You, uh, don't look that surprised."
Wallflower shrugged. "Back when we first met, when you mentioned you knew Sunset Shimmer…"
Juniper gasped, her mouth taking up most of her face for several moments… then she slapped her forehead. "Of course! You both go to the same school! Okay, then, you, uh, might have a bit of an idea of what I might have meant just now, huh?"
"A little more than 'might'". Wallflower smiled. "My life's also been a journey pretty recently. One that some might also call 'magical'." She squeezed Juniper's hand again. "I'd love to talk about it. If you also want to, I mean."
"…first, food," Juniper said, after a beat. "Then, Getting to Know Each Other, Take Two."
Wallflower's eyes sparkled. "Who says we can't do both at once?"
One hour later, after taking turns drying each other's hair, both girls were in Juniper's kitchen, doing their best not to explode with laughter.
As was often the case, said laughter was Juniper's fault.
"You want me to what?" Juniper was exclaiming, in a shrill, mock-outraged voice that was impossible for Wallflower to take seriously.
(At least, that was the impression Wallflower was getting. She hoped that that was the case, otherwise this was going to be a very short night.)
"Um…" Wallflower said amidst incessant giggles. "I need you to prep the ingredients for the stew? You know, chopping, peeling, some light seasoning…"
"These hands were made for the camera, not menial labor!" Juniper said in her best maudlin voice, holding clawed hands in front of her. "Juniper Montage does not chop vegetables! Or peel vegetables, or skin, or wash—oh no, you expect me to wash these too, don't you? Have these been in the dirt?" Juniper grabbed a trio of carrots from Wallflower's cooler, holding them at arm's length and recoiling at the bits of soil on them. "Oh my gosh. These have been in the dirt."
Wallflower continued laughing. "They were fresh picked today! The dirt was what gave them life!"
"Them, yes! All dirt gives me is nausea! Nope." She dropped the carrots back in the cooler, crossed her arms and turned her back to Wallflower. "Sorry, can't do it. You ask too much. I'm afraid this dream date is done."
"Awwwwww," Wallflower cooed, walking up behind Juniper, "and I had so much planned for us." She clasped Juniper's hand with both of hers, stepping even closer. "I mean, I'd already found your living room, and since you said your parents were away on business, I was thinking thinking a nice quiet dinner with just the two of us on the couch, with the best, most perfectly flavored and spiced veggie cuisine you've ever eaten, and a girl who hangs on your every word… I mean, I know that sounds like my idea of fun."
Wallflower walked in front of Juniper, consciously ignoring the screaming in the back of her mind that demanded just where this entire performance was coming from right now.
Just like back in the park.
Instead, she put on her best, most pleading, wide-eyed innocent pout—and, upon seeing Juniper slowly crumple, she stood up on tiptoes, sealing the deal with the quickest and lightest of kisses, square on Juniper's left cheek.
"…okaydatesbackon," a tomato-faced Juniper said, all resistance utterly destroyed.
"Happy to hear it," Wallflower giggled. Seriously, what was it about this night, about Juniper, that made Wallflower so much like the people she used to look at from a distance during parties? "Nice acting, by the way."
"Who was acting?" Juniper asked, before answering her own question: "Oh, right, me. Ahhh, Gloria Trotson, one of the classic greats. In acting, anyway—shame about the rest of her." Juniper drew herself up to full height. "Okay, then! If we're gonna cook, then we're gonna do it right."
"You mean, with a recipe, organization, and coordinated teamwork?" Wallflower asked.
"No—I mean, yes, but I also mean in style! Montage style." Juniper held up an index finger. I know the perfect way to get us into the swing of things, and make this even more fun than it already would have been besides! Follow me."
Wallflower obeyed, following Juniper up some stairs to a new hallway. Three doors down and one left turn later, they stopped at a tall, brown, wooden locked door. Juniper took out some keys from her mini-purse, unlocked the door, then stepped to the side. "Feel free to do the honors, bestie."
Wallflower turned the knob and pushed—and her jaw dropped as an entire mall's worth of outfits and costumes greeted her in the room beyond. They hung from the ceiling, they draped across the bed, they bulged from the closet, a rainbow of garments representing every culture of the world she could think of, every profession she could think of, complete with accessories to boot lying both scattered and meticulously put away on multiple stands and drawers.
Instantly, Wallflower knew Rarity would have a field day with this room alone, for weeks—after the prerequisite fainting at the sight, of course. Wallflower almost didn't want to tell her, and keep it all to herself.
"My dear Wallflower Blush," Juniper said, placing a hand on Wallflower's shoulder and grinning at her awed reaction, "welcome to Wardrobe."
The other doors before the left turn, it turned out, could serve as changing rooms if needed. Thus, after taking time together to settle on Wallflower's garment of choice (with Juniper acting as advisor and faux-salesgirl), Wallflower randomly chose the center room, and was just now nearly done with getting redressed. She pressed her uniform against her body, smoothing them out with care, making sure there were no strings sticking out.
It was mostly formality; Juniper had told Wallflower that these outfits were from old movie projects, so it didn't matter too much what happened to them. When any studio Canter Zoom was affiliated with decided they didn't need a garment anymore, it went to a museum if it had been part of a famous production, or worn by a famous actor or actress. Juniper had gotten the pick of anything that didn't fit that bill, and the rest were donated to the needy. This had been going on since she was a child, which accounted for the massive collection, to say nothing of why there were so many outfits in both Juniper's and Wallflower's sizes.
Since she was about to do some major cooking, Wallflower originally had a basic cook's apron in mind—until she'd seen something else with an apron catch her eye, and cause a mischievous idea to form in the back of her mind, which had long since given up on questioning anything.
And then Juniper dug into the back of one of the closets and found an even better version.
Wallflower looked at herself in the mirror, decked out in full white chef's regalia: double-breasted jacket bearing two rows of white buttons, solid black pants, and a dark green apron which complemented the rest of her skin and hair nicely. It was loose-fitting, yet firm, giving her stature as she stood up straight, wielding an imaginary ladle in one hand.
I look… wow. I look like I'm in charge.
A surge of confidence washed over her, of pride; real, true, unironic pride towards the young lady Wallflower saw looking back at her.
Like I'm in control of something for the first time in my life.
Wallflower smiled at herself.
Her reflection smiled back.
Wallflower walked out of the changing room to see that the other two doors were still open. Did that mean Juniper was already finished changing, and waiting for her?
Only one way to find out. She made her way to the steps, descended them, and followed the now somewhat familiar layout of Juniper's house back towards the kitchen.
But Juniper was nowhere to be found. Wallflower looked around. "Juniper? Are you here?"
"Right here," Wallflower heard an eager voice say, a short distance behind her.
Wallflower turned around to see Juniper… Juniper, wearing a pink maid uniform, straight out of history books, complete with white apron and frills. The color easily complemented the rest of her, and went perfectly with her glasses, which Juniper tipped as she approached.
"Like it?" Juniper asked, noticing Wallflower's stunned reaction. "It was imported for a time travel movie. As far as the culinary arts are concerned, I'm in your hands tonight, Miss Blush," Juniper said, doing a little twirl, and then leaning against the wall, looking at Wallflower with an overly inviting gaze. "If you'll have me."
It was all Wallflower could do to not fall down laughing—or bite her lip, for that matter. "It's so… so… extra." Wallflower paused, then added, "Which makes it exactly you. But aside from that…" Wallflower walked up, doing her best to keep her temperature level. "It's very pretty. I will gladly take you on as my understudy." She walked back to the kitchen doorway, and held out her hand, gesturing for Juniper to take it and follow her inside… when she saw Juniper's arm leaving her eyes. It was quick. Wallflower had almost missed it. "Are… are you okay?"
"Yeah, I sure am," Juniper squeaked, then sniffled. Once. Twice. "Crap."
Wallflower rushed over. "Are you crying? What's wrong?"
"No, no I… sorry," she said, wiping her eyes again with a small smile. "I was just thinking of happier times again. Years ago, for a long time, my big cousin used to play pretend with me using these outfits, whenever she came to Canterlot to visit. Until she didn't, anymore." Juniper gestured to their outfits. "I tried to enjoy myself with these in her absence, but you'd be surprised just how hard that is, when all you have to bounce off of is your reflection."
Temperature be damned, Wallflower could feel her heart crying. "Actually? Less surprised than you'd think. I'd be honored to be your entremetier, Juniper. Not just tonight, but whenever you want." She held out her hand again, with wide, reassuring eyes and a cheerful expression, letting Juniper know that everything was going to be okay. "Will you be my KP?"
"Among other things," Juniper said, gesturing towards an imaginary audience with a winning smile. "Welcome, all and sun-dried tomatoes, to Blush's Kitchen Daydreams, where nothing but the best crosses her distinguished palette!"
Juniper turned back to Wallflower, wrapping her arms across the other girl's shoulders in the warmest of embraces—so close that Wallflower could practically feel herself, at last, melting.
"And where everything you say, goes," Juniper whispered. "You're my star tonight. Thanks so much for being here."
Scratch that. Melting process skipped. It was straight on to evaporation from here on out.
Once more, the back of Wallflower's mind questioned just where all this had come from, and how she had gotten herself here. And at long last, Wallflower told the voices in the back of her head to shut it.
After all, if there really was a side to herself that she never knew existed… didn't she owe it to herself to explore it?
However things turned out, Juniper was beside her, and she was happy just for that.
"Thank you for inviting me," Wallflower said, giddiness building in her chest. "Let's go make a meal."