Distorted Reflections

Final Chapter: Life Moves On

A/N: Here we are at the final chapter of Distorted Reflections! This final chapter is also extra long, to give this story the proper conclusion that it deserves. There's also an epilogue that covers a few final aspects of this whole scenario, so I'll see you all there!

Final Chapter: Life Moves On

January 10, 2028

Woods Residence, Juniper's bedroom

12:00 p.m.

The vigil on Juniper Woods continued, with one of the people going to Juniper's bedside to chat with the motionless girl every so often. However, as time marched on there seemed to be no real change to the situation, much to the frustration of everyone in the room. Even so, everyone in the room absolutely refused to give up.

What exactly changed the situation, no one present in the room would be able to say until after the fact. At the time, however, Virginia Woods was the first one to notice- Juniper's eyelids were fluttering lightly. With a speed belied by her advanced age, Virginia was back at Juniper's side.

"You're almost there, darling," Virginia whispered to her granddaughter. "I don't know where you are or what kind of experiences you've had. But I know I can say from my experience that life is far better when you're living it with your eyes wide open. So please, wake up!"

Needless to say, everyone else in the room noticed this and rushed right to Juniper's side as well. Athena was the first one to make it there, and so she drew her breath and said...

January 13, 2028

Alternate Gallery Nucleus, exhibition room

3:15 p.m.

"Um, did I do something wrong?"

Juniper started, to see that Robin had found her again. Truth be told, ever since she'd found this alternate version of her friend, Juniper found herself avoiding her. There was something... painful, about being around the artist.

Yet even in this alternate world where this was the first time they'd ever met, Robin could tell that something was bothering Juniper. And in the small exhibition room, Juniper knew that she couldn't avoid the artist forever. Which brought Juniper back to the question she'd been struggling with this entire time- how was she supposed to solve the problems of this world if she couldn't solve the problems of her home world?

In fact, wasn't that the biggest reason, the main reason Juniper was still here? Because she was running away from her home, trying to find some ideal world that didn't actually exist? No, everyone in her life deserved better than that. Even so, she couldn't just leave before settling her affairs here. The alternate versions of her loved ones deserved answers too.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong, Robin," Juniper said quietly. "Could you go get Apollo, Athena, and Vera? There's something that I want to say to all of you."

Without a word, Robin left, and while she was gone, Juniper looked at a bust that was on display. It was of Vera, with a small, gentle smile on her face. The plaque below read that the bust was of the artist's (which was to say Robin's) best friend.

Of course, this caused Juniper's mind to jump to the painting of herself that Robin made, back in her home world. It was details like this, of behavior that didn't change regardless of world, that made Juniper wonder if some traits were just inherent to an individual person. And again, it made Juniper wonder what the alternate versions of herself were really like.

"Hey, Junie! What was it you were wanted to tell us?" Athena asked as she arrived with Robin, Apollo, and Vera.

"Is this about why you've been acting so odd lately?" When everyone else looked at Apollo he explained, "Ever since a few days ago, all of Juniper's actions have been very strange, at least from what I've heard from Hugh and Myriam. Skipping class, locking herself in her room- even today her actions have just been off."