Heroes of Flowers: Curtain Call

Prologue: Butterflies

AN: In case you're new here: this fanfic is part of my Heroes of Flowers series, and this part takes place after Heroes of Flowers: Tempest of Hearts. If you have not read that fic, go back and read it for context! But if you'd like to read without context all the power to you, enjoy!

It had taken more than a while to finally be discharged from the hospital, much to Juniper's dismay.

Although on the plus side, Nurse Ackerman had given her a strawberry flavored lollipop and wished her and her mama well as they followed Steven and Sally to the main lobby of the hospital, bringing what few belongings they had left with them.

Which wasn't much, mostly just the clothes, the ones that didn't get torn up, off their backs, it felt nice to finally get rid of those itchy hospital outfits at the very least.

"I'm probably not going to be at home a whole lot." Steven was explaining to her mama. "I got a job at Krei-Tech."

Barb winced. "Why would you subject yourself to that place?" She had heard about the stories of Krei-Tech and their record of speeding up production and it costing them afterwards, not to mention all the drama it's gotten. "Doesn't it get attacked by supervillains a lot?"

"It pays the bills!" He huffed in protest. "And funny you mention supervillain attacks there considering I was a witness when you stole those micro-batteries."

Barb went silent, clutching her arm as she looked at the floor guilty. "Dangit Steven." Sally glared at her husband. "I told you not to bring up the supervillain stuff!"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Steven protested. His words weren't meant to sound accusatory, he was just shocked to see her, and he wasn't upset about Barb stealing from his boss.

Supervillain attacks or Krei getting robbed was a typical Monday anyways.

"It's okay guys, I don't mind if you talk about it a little." Barb reassured her. But there was a wary look in her eyes that Juniper noticed, she didn't know what to say so she gently squeezed her mama's hand to try and comfort her

"That must've been awkward to see me again."

Steven chuckled. "No kidding!" He hadn't known what to do, or what to say, so he had just watched mother and daughter bicker while his boss got kicked into oblivion.

"That was the only instance of me not freaking out when Krei-Tech got a supervillain attacked." Sally shook her head. "Ever since that whole mess with the Mad Jacks, hearing 'supervillain attack' and 'Krei-Tech' in the same sentence is the quickest way to get me into panic mode."

"Mad Jacks?" Barb tilted her head.

The mechanic shuddered. "Don't ask, just don't."

"Hi Mom!" A deep voice interrupting the conversation almost made Juniper leap into the air. A boy barely into adulthood had popped up behind a corner, accompanying him was a girl a few inches shorter than Steven.

"We're back from talking with Ms. Sushi Chef." The girl with snow-white stripes in her hair was grinning.

Sally looked happy to see them, not surprising since the boy had called her Mom. Those two must be Sara's siblings. The dancer noted, David and Mikan, if she recalled correctly.

"Did the meeting with your mother go well?" Steven asked them.

Mother? But as Juniper glanced at the boy, she noticed that he looked a lot like Momakase, his yellow eyes and softer, more rounded face were the only differences she noticed.