Being Juniper Montage

by Bookish Delight

04: Twilight

Juniper woke up.

She yawned, and stretched, then wondered where she was. The lack of light frightened her for a few moments, but the soft sheets and the familiar silhouettes of her room's desks and appliances eased her fears. She was in her bed, and it was early evening.

That was when she realized: she'd cried herself to sleep.

Juniper sniffled, rolled her eyes, and groaned. It was extra loud amid the silence. The house was still quiet save for her own noises, and light taps against her window. She got up, turned on the lights, walked to the window, opened it, and looked outside.

Thunder boomed as she did so. It was literally a dark and stormy night. Juniper couldn't help but snort at the cliché.

She sat at her desk, not sure what to do for the night, but knowing she had to do something, anything, or else she would go crazy. The last thing she wanted was for her mind to start wandering again. Who knew what other ways it would find to condemn her?

She walked over to her bookcase, and sifted through her movies. Nothing struck her eye as something she was in the mood for. Worse, after a few minutes, all the cases' spines started to blend together.

She huffed, sat back at her computer, and opened an unfinished draft of a movie review she'd been working on for her blog. It was already behind schedule given the tumultuous two months she'd just had, and she had no idea if anyone would even read it in the wake of the more recent Daring Do movie's success. Still, it was worth finishing, if only for herself.

She typed.

"Most people would dismiss Agents of S.M.I.L.E. as just another 'superhero genre flick', and no jury would convict them for it. But those willing to look between the lines, beyond the perfectly pressed suits and cookie-cutter spy plot, and instead concentrate on the interplay of the cast and what the final act does with them, will find one of the most refreshing takes on friendship—"

She stopped typing, her mind unable to form more words. Her eyes lingered on the last one on the screen.

Friendship.

With a forlorn sigh, Juniper's head met her desk. What would I even know about friendship? What right could I possibly have to talk like I know anything about that? What right do I have to talk about anything at all? Who in their right mind would possibly want to listen to me anyway?

She froze.

Oh, no. It's happening again.

She squinted hard, as if the force of her frustration could hold back her tears. She sniffled again, and choked back a sob.

Why won't this stop?

She wiped her eyes, looked up, and reached for her phone. She swiped through her photos. All the recent ones were of herself posing with all the other girls who had "forgiven" and "made friends" with her.

More like all the girls who let me tag along because they felt sorry for me.

Her heart still sinking, Juniper continued to swipe until she saw a picture of herself posing with Twilight from two days ago, at the front steps of Canterlot High. She thought back to Twilight's encouraging, reassuring words. Back to Twilight actually believing in her, and in her abilities. Encouraging her to use them to help others.

It seems like she actually, really cares. Maybe? I don't know. But what else is there to do?

She swiped over to her contacts, reaching Twilight's in short order. She brought up the keyboard, ready to type out a text... then thought better of it. Hearing Twilight's voice would be far preferable to the crushing silence around her. Juniper's finger lingered over the "Call" button, her stomach churning as she hesitated.

What if I'm imposing, getting in the way of—no. Just do it, Juniper. She and Sunset said you could talk to them! And anything's better than what we're doing right now!

She shut her eyes, jamming her thumb twice against the screen—once to call, once more to put the call on speaker. Twilight answered after three rings.

"Hi, Juniper. What's up?" came her chipper voice through the speaker.

Juniper didn't answer.

"Hel-loooooooo?" Twilight said.

Juniper opened her mouth, trying, wanting more than anything to respond. But still, no words came.

"Juniper, seriously." She could almost hear Twilight rolling her eyes. "I can hear you breathing, which suggests that your mouth is quite close to your phone. Meaning if you try the old 'butt-dial' excuse? Not gonna work. I mean, sure, technically, anal breathing is a scientifically-proven and achievable phenomenon, but—" Twilight paused. "Right. Not the point. Also, probably not why you called. Also, still babbling." She sighed. "One day, I'll kick that habit."

Juniper giggled in spite of herself.

"There she is!" Twilight said, giggling back. Her voice softened. "It's okay. Take your time. I'll keep talking if you want. I just realized, this is the first time you've hailed me—usually it's the other way around. I'm glad you did, though."

"Hi, Twilight," Juniper replied, glad as well.

"Hi, there!" Twilight's voice then took on a concerned tone. "I'll admit, I didn't expect to have to coax a greeting out of you. Is something wrong?"

Juniper let another long pause pass as she figured out how to answer. In that span of time, all her self-defeating memories and self-chastisements came rushing back, undoing all the emotional progress made in the last two minutes. Her heart plopped back into her seat.

"Everything, Twilight," she said through deepening breaths. "Everything's wrong, I—" She took several more breaths in a futile attempt to calm herself down. "I just need to talk to someone. I'm so scared."

Twilight gasped. "Are you in danger?"

Juniper trembled. Had this been a mistake after all? She scrambled to not give Twilight the wrong idea. "N-no, everything's fine around me, I just... it's me. I'm not... I don't... I-I just need someone here. Anyone." Her voice cracked, and she gave up trying to hold in her emotions or filter her words. She gripped the phone harder in her hands. "It just hit me, Twilight! All of it, everything at once, everything I've been, everything I've done, I... I'm sorry! It wasn't supposed to be like this! And now I'm totally scaring you, too, and I—" The sobs she'd been holding back finally escaped.

"Don't you dare apologize, Juniper," Twilight said. "Text me your address. I'll be over as soon as I can."

"O-okay." Juniper did so, then looked out the window again. "Wait, it's still it's raining outside."

"And I'm a scientific genius. Just last week I invented an umbrella that sends the rain back up." Juniper could hear the confidence in Twilight's voice. "You see 'storm,' I see 'field test.' Even if I didn't, I can't let a little thing like rain stop me when I have a friend who needs a friend."

For the first time that night, Juniper's mind, body, and heart all relaxed at once. "Okay. I'll get things ready over here. And... thank you, Twilight."

"Thank you for thinking of me. Keep an eye on your phone—I'll text you updates and estimated arrival times periodically. See you soon."

"Got it."

Twilight hung up. Juniper did as well, then put the phone on her desk.

Did... that really just happen? Did I really just reach out for a 'friend,' even after—

Her phone dinged. A text from Twilight showed onscreen.

"This is Message Number One. Expect updates every fifteen minutes. I'm getting some supplies ready on my end for my visit. More to come."

Juniper nodded as she swiped away the text. As she moved to put her phone down, it dinged once more.

"And don't worry, Juniper. Everything will be alright. I promise."

Juniper's heart warmed as she read the words, and she smiled.

Worrying is the one thing I wish I couldn't do, Twilight. Still, thanks.

With a relieved sigh, Juniper walked to her window, opened it, and looked outside. It was still raining, but it no longer had the drab, mood-darkening effect it did before. In fact, things seemed to be getting brighter.

Almost too bright, in fact.

Juniper recoiled as a flash of lightning lit up the sky. Blinded, she took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, shielding herself from even her room's light for several seconds.

She slowly opened her eyes, letting herself adjust to the light again, and turned to her glasses... which now appeared oddly shiny. She blinked, and they looked normal again. Juniper put them on.

Holy cats. I hope that lightning didn't burn out my retinas or anything.

Juniper walked to her closet to pick out what to wear. She had to admit, it was a nice and new feeling, knowing that she would soon have visitors.

Comments

[Dan]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Juniper would be perfect for the role of Lady Anne or Queen Margaret in Richard III with her bitter curses. Instead of sending her to work at the cinema, her Unc should have given her a screentest.

https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/richardiii/character/margaret/
https://www.shmoop.com/richard-iii/lady-anne.html

[Bookish Delight]

8663587
...okay, I officially like how you think.

[BenRG]

Just what did Agents of SMILE say about friendship? Come on, Ju, inquiring minds want to know! More importantly, how does this lead into next year's Power Ponies - Harmony War?

Yeah, Juniper definitely seems to be suffering from depression. She needs therapy pretty badly, IMO.

[Malandy]

Juniper recoiled as a flash of lightning lit up the sky. Blinded, she took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, shielding herself from even her room's light for several seconds.

She slowly opened her eyes, letting herself adjust to the light again, and turned to her glasses... which now appeared oddly shiny. She blinked, and they looked normal again. Juniper put them on.

Oh Shit. More Magic.

Nice to see Juniper on the path to getting better!

Wonder whose brother her uncle is. Juniper's dad, or mom?

[lazyreader19]

"And I'm a scientific genius. Just last week I invented an umbrella that sends the rain back up ." Juniper could hear the confidence in Twilight's voice. "You see 'storm,' I see 'field test.' Even if I didn't, I can't let a little thing like rain stop me when I have a friend who needs a friend."

Damn twilight, what the heck

[Nali]

Still, it was worth finishing, if only for herself.

Just last week I invented an umbrella that sends the rain back up.

But... why?

[Dinode]

Good news Juniper, you could have a fine career as a magic magnet apparently.

[Darkstarling]

Twilight...from rambling on anal breathing to wonderfully supportive friend in five minutes flat. I really feel for Juniper here, this is definitely familiar.

8733546
Because then you can carry around a tiny antigravity device instead of a big cumbersome wind-blown umbrella.

[Luna Aeterna Solutae]

It struck me the other day that there's a hilarious amount of forward-paying in EQG. Because I can see Twilight calling Sunset at 2am and having her break every known traffic law to get there for her.

8733546
We have those. It uses an air cushion basically.

[MythrilMoth]

That's the way, Juniper. Don't wallow in your self-recriminations and misery alone. Talk it out with a friend. It'll be alright. You'll get through thi--

She slowly opened her eyes, letting herself adjust to the light again, and turned to her glasses... which now appeared oddly shiny. She blinked, and they looked normal again. Juniper put them on.

--well shit.

[ExplosionMare]

I can relate to this a lot.