Distorted Reflections

Gone from my life

A/N: When I said that this chapter would take a while, I wasn't kidding. It took a lot of work to craft this particular scene in the overall narrative. However, I believe that the wait was worth it. Enjoy, my readers!

Chapter 7: Gone from my life

January 10, 2028

Woods Residence, Juniper's bedroom

10:15 a.m.

"Now, listen here, Juniper. Even the greatest of geniuses need their rest. But this is starting to get rather silly. It would be for the best for you to open your eyes and join the rest of us."

Juniper didn't respond at all to Hugh's words, much to Hugh's dismay. Athena shook her head. "Hugh, if Juniper could hear you I think that would make her want to stay asleep."

"Hey, I'm trying my best here!" Hugh exclaimed, rubbing his proof of friendship he wore around his neck. "We don't even know where Juniper is though. What am I supposed to say to her to bring her back?"

"Just keep talking. As one of Juniper's close friends, your words have a much better chance of reaching her," Apollo said.

Meanwhile, Robin gripped the side of Juniper's bed, the worry clear on her face. "Hey, Juniper! I know you can hear us! I don't know what happened to you, but we're all waiting for you to come back. So wherever you are, make your way back to us!"

At first, there didn't seem to be any reaction again, and Athena approached the bed so she could talk to Juniper next. Suddenly, however, tears leaked out from under Juniper's closed eyes, rolling down her cheeks.

Everyone in the room looked at the tears in wonder, unsure of what to say or do. After a few minutes, the tears dried, leaving only tracks on her face.

"Wh-what did I do?" Robin asked.

"I'm not sure. But wherever Juniper is, she needs our help!" Athena exclaimed. "Let me talk to her next! Maybe I'll be the one that will finally reach her!"

January 11, 2028

Alternate Woods Residence, Juniper's bedroom

1:30 p.m.

"Juniper, do you want anything to eat?"

"No thank you, Grandma. I'm not hungry," Juniper muttered weakly, curled up in her bed. It was true- despite not having eaten a bite since yesterday, Juniper didn't feel hungry. The judge student wasn't feeling much of anything at the moment, except for a crushing sadness that sapped her strength. Outside, Juniper could hear her Grandma set down a tray, then leave, but Juniper couldn't even bring herself to leave the bed.

The events of yesterday just kept replaying in her mind over and over again. Not too long ago, Juniper was having a picnic with Professor Courte in the woods just outside her house. During that picnic, Courte expressed trust in Juniper's judgement, despite not knowing what Juniper had planned. And now Courte was dead again, dead because Juniper made a wish without considering what the consequences would be.

While she was in the principal's office yesterday, Juniper managed to ask how Courte's murder was investigated. As it turned out, many details remained the same: Professor Means was the culprit, and Athena and Apollo defended Juniper in this alternate world. Where it differed was that during the trial, Athena called up an art club student that Juniper didn't know as a witness, and he was the one that made the statues on stage and testified about Means' presence there. Meanwhile, a boy by the name of Logan Sullivan was the current top student of the prosecutor course ,and lost to Hugh in the mock trial.

It all further confirmed that Robin never set foot in Themis Legal Academy in this world. And why would she? After all, now that her parents were no longer forcing her to become a prosecutor, there was no reason for Robin to go to a law school. Juniper had no way to know what the Robin of this world was currently doing, just that she wasn't at Themis Legal Academy.