The Little Curiosities

by Comma Typer

Adaptation Anticipation

Canterlot Mall’s Flixiplex Cinemas are full houses tonight as creatures from all over the planet and across the inter-dimensional divide pack every movie house seat for tonight’s last showing of the first Equestria-Earth film collaboration in history: a movie adaptation of the traditional storybook A Hearth’s Warming Tale, fitting for both worlds’ onset of winter.

However, despite this significant cinema moment and despite the more significant change over the world, Canter Zoom has been taking longer than expected to let his niece back in the film industry proper, not to mention how the Change took the whole industry by storm, by the throat, and pinned it against the wall for a while.

In the meantime, Juniper Montage ushers in the movie-goers, popping up popcorn and taking in tickets along with Sight See, her partner in crime whose blank face looks more bored than corporate or official. At least Juniper puts on the effort to wear her heart on her sleeve, hyping the would-be audience with a smile threatening to break her jaw. This continues well into the night’s final showing with the late attendees met with a tired but still present grin. As for Sight See, his face droops to new levels of boredom, meeting customers’ needs but only barely.

By the movie’s end, one last crowd leaves the theater all abuzz. As they pass by (with a few of them thanking the theater ushers themselves out of the kindness of their hearts), Juniper overhears another batch of praise for the movie.

“Wow, Ma!” shouts an enthusiastic filly from Equestria. “That… that’s what they call an Earth movie?! It’s so real! They’re so much cooler than the films back home!”

Over there, an Earth pony—appropriately, from Earth—chats with a fellow cinema geek. “It’s amazing how Equestrians are tackling our technologies and our techniques in their own way. Who knew they would latch on to the dolly zooms so many times?”

Juniper could only hear more: applause for Equestria’s finest film directors somehow translating well into a new global market, innocent Equestrian joy from seeing advanced Earth technology at work, and shared appreciation for an old tale told in a new fashion.

But the night’s sugar high crashes for Juniper when she sees the last of them leave the place, replaced by an incoming janitor levitating broom and mop in his dual magic grip.

Juniper sighs and puts her head down on the counter, using her hoof to adjust her glasses.

“Wanted to watch, eh?” Sight See asks with a jaded smirk.

A groan is the yes her co-worker is looking for. “But… of course, Sights, I have to wait until at least three weeks from now.“

“Sucks to work on Friday nights.” His voice comes off with worn-out familiarity as he shuts off the popcorn machine. “And to think turning into a pony would at least make things easier. ‘Course, silly me didn’t know any better.”

Juniper watches the janitor’s magic-fueled sweeping for any source of entertainment. “Well, I’ve gotten used to it.“

“Stockhock Syndrome?”

“I don’t think so. Like, I’ve been fine waiting for every last Saturday of the month to watch everything I want, but I’m missing out on something historical with this holiday film!”

“Turning into a horse isn’t historical enough for you?”

The answer he gets is a pointed glare served up Juniper-style.

“Okay, okay!” as he holds up his forehooves in surrender. Sight See quickly turns back to the counter. While the both of them wipe the counter clean to distract themselves from each other, he mutters, “High school kids these days. Can’t handle going over to night shifts after just one week—“

“You just graduated from college.”

“That’s why I said ‘high school—‘“

The argument drops dead when they hear their boss coming in: the flaps of his wings as the pegasus glides onto the floor with a hoof around his mop, sporting a slightly fancier uniform which distinguishes him as their supervisor. Unlike the usual stern expression, however, he sports an apologetic face especially as he points the janitor towards one of the cinema houses.

“Sorry for the short notice,” he then says to the two ushers, “but I’m having everyone on overtime.”

“Again?!” The two ushers do not realize they have cried it out together.

A slow nod gets to him. “Urgent work in Cinema 1. A technician there will tell you what to—“

“How long?” Juniper asks

“An hour and a half. Shouldn’t be much longer than that… oh, and I’ve already informed your uncle on this. He’s okay with it. Now, hurry up. Everyone else is waiting for you.”

Juniper rolls her eyes as she trots her way to the cinema, the boss and Sight See in tow.

They amble through the double doors into the cinema’s dark freezing halls: the prologue to a good movie.

Her ears perk up. The rousing notes of something which her industry experience tells her is not typical end credits music.

Instead, it’s the public service announcements with their over-dramatic background melodies: do not be noisy, please be considerate of others watching the movie with you, no littering….

“Uh, what are we doing exactly?” asks a puzzled Juniper.

To her surprise, she only gets a calm serene smile on her boss.

They trot to the cinema proper and see the big screen with the same announcements over and over again. At the front, a few lines of chairs are filled with ponies and other creatures with the same uniform as hers, chatting excitedly with each other in quavering anticipation. On each chair is provided a big popcorn bag and an extra large bottle of soda.

Juniper gives her boss a strange look. “Sir, a-are you…?“

“Hey, it’s been a rough time for all of us.” A nonchalant shrug accompanies his words. “Pony world and all that jazz... and I’m sure it’s been hard for you too. So, here’s something way overdue: a late night screening of A Hearth’s Warming Tale with every pony in staff.”

As he finishes his words, a phone rumbles. It is Juniper’s, and she quickly opens her saddle bag to get it.

It’s a text from her uncle. Hope you enjoy the surprise “overtime,” Junie! ;)

Her resultant scream is so high-pitched, dogs might have been tortured over it. Luckily, the Diamond Dogs working in Flixiplex Cinemas work the day shifts she used to operate in.

The announcements are over and the screen fades to black. Juniper hastily thanks her boss, strings Sight See over to the final empty chairs, and grins like a morally dubious baby with stolen candy.

Then, holiday bells jingle, signaling the start of A Hearth’s Warming Tale.

Comments

[Ninjadeadbeard]

Awww. That's nice.

Juniper, if I'm remembering it right, is the one "villain" who never really got a big redemption after her reform. Sunset was the postergirl for such way back when, and Trixie and Wallflower seemed to earn a lot more friendships following their dalliances with evil... but Juniper basically just had her life destroyed twice over, with... not a lot to show for it.

Just a thought. Great chapter!

[Venerable Ro]

10190685

Well, my memory might (and probably is) be failing me, but wasn't she the one with the limbo-mirror? If she was then she was actually erasing people rather than just mucking about with a bit of weird magic. Pretty sure we never saw her again, so, who knows where life goes.

[FanOfMostEverything]

"Flixiplex" is a great in-universe theater brand name. I may have to borrow that one.

“Okay, okay!” as he holds up his hands in surrender.

My god, he still has hands!

Always good to see Juniper get a little love. She did get a bit abandoned; at least Wallflower showed up in the background of the music festival.

[redandready45]

10190685

Because she had a really, really weak reason for acting out.