Disclaimer: I don't own The Life and Times Of Juniper Lee.
Summary: June asks Marcus to do the one thing she never could with her children. Years later, her daughter returns the favor.
...
"Marcus, if I asked you to do something crazy for me, would you do it?"
Juniper Lee sat in her chair, cradling the baby girl in her arms. Her older brother, RJ (Ray Ray Junior), had already gone to bed, but Jasmine seemed to prefer sitting up late with her parents, no matter what they did to dissuade her.
Marcus glanced up from his book. "Of course June, why?"
Her eyes flickered towards the small fireplace. "You know I can't leave the city, right?"
"Yeah." He nodded. It'd been the topic of many discussions between them over the years. "You're scared of leaving what you know, right?"
"Right." The lie was a bitter taste on her tongue, but that wasn't what was important. "I don't want that to happen to the kids..." She adjusted the cooing baby to grab her wallet from her pocket. "And I've been saving up money..."
"June..." He stood up, crossing the small space between and squatted down to look her in the eye. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
She nodded. "Marcus... show them the world. Take them to places I could only dream of going to, let them see just what's out there. And then, when they're old enough, take them home, so I can show them my world."
He still wasn't sure what or where 'her world' was, but he didn't doubt that it was wonderful. "Alright June, I will."
"Are you sure about this?" He asked, loading up the car. It wasn't fancy, but he'd managed to pack everything he needed and give the kids plenty of room in the backseat.
"Definitely." The somber look spoke otherwise, but when June made her mind up, nothing would change it. Not even her own feelings.
"June.." He leaned down, pulling her into his arms, drawing out the kiss as long as he could before pulling apart, pressing his forehead to her own. "June..." He repeated.
"hmmm?"
"Come with us. Please."
She jerked and pulled out of his grip. She awkwardly rubbed her arm, eyes trained to the ground a few feet away. "Marcus.. I can't. You know that."
No, he really didn't know. "I know." But, for his wife, he'd do anything. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." No. She really wanted to go with, but it was to late for that.
"Alright." He sighed, climbing into the car. "I'll keep in touch, promise."
And neither one cried until the car was safely out of the city limits.
The breeze whipped her hair, she absentmindedly pushed it back.
Curling into her knees, she listened to the traffic below. The cliff on the edge of Orchid Bay was her favorite place to mope, a place of beauty that never ended making her day brighten up. Most of her teenage years had been spent here, grumbling about her duties or crying over something stupid she'd done (honestly, it was like she'd had three moods when she was sixteen; Mad, sad, or happy). Surprisingly, however, only two people know about this place other than her (well, people she knew anyway). And one of those people was going to be gone for a very long time.
"Hey kiddo." The other person who knew, the one she trusted with her life, stood behind her. "I heard about what happened."
"Already? Word travels fast." She acknowledged, wiping away the tears.
"Yeah, well, what else is their to do around here besides gossip?" She joked, watching her granddaughter. "Juniper... that was very selfless of you."
"They deserve it." She answered, lifting her face out of her arms to scan the rooftops.
"Yes, they do." Ah-Mah agreed, enclosing the fragile woman in her arms. "But so do you." She murmured.
"Hey, you waited until your kids had grandkids to finally be free." She reminded her. "I can wait too. It'll be worth it, right?"
"Always." Ah-mah answered, smiling. "So, what's this I hear that you named one of your kids after me?"
"Jasmine Lee the second." June smiled. "I named one after my main childhood confident, and one after my greatest teacher."
She chuckled. "I'm honored. Now, how about we go on patrol?"
"Think you can handle it?"
"Ahh, these old bones can handle a few more rounds. I promise."
Smiling, but still somber, June started down the small path to the nearby park. "Ah-mah?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"Anytime Juniper, any time."
Jasmine Lee the second was practically bouncing in her seat. Her older brother, Ray Ray Jr, disinterestedly stared out the window.
"We have a mom?" He asks, as though it's some big surprise.
"RJ." Marcus warned, turning past the city limit's sign. "Yes, you have a mother. Why wouldn't you?"
He shrugged. Marcus sighed. "Anyway, you used to talk to her all the time when you were little, remember?"
"No." They spoke in sync, something they'd picked up from years stuck together in the back seat of a vehicle.
Another sigh. "I'm not surprised, honestly. She's not one to use her phone."
"What's she like?" Jasmine leaned over, practically bouncing in excitement. A girl to hang out with! So what if she was older, she was still the only girl she would be around for more than a few days. And that was all that mattered.
"June is..." He tapped the steering wheel, thinking. "Gosh, how do I put this... June is... June. She marches to her own drum."
"So she's weird?" RJ broke in, grimacing.
"And proud of it." He smiled, pulling into the driveway. "Here we go. Ready?"
"Yes!" Jasmine hurried to unbuckle her seat belt.
"No." RJ sighed, popping in his ear buds.
"Marcus!" June cried, throwing her arms around him.
"I missed you too." He chuckled, returned the gesture, then pulled her into a kiss.
"We live in this dump?" RJ grumbled, eyebrow raised. "Man, I figured we'd have someplace like a mansion or something."
"I like it." Jasmine broke in, eyeing the suburban home. "It's better than the car, right?"
"I grew up in this house." June commented, looking it over. "It'll not stop feeling like home."
"Whatever." RJ grunted, turning the music up. June chuckled.
"What's funny?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing. Your brother reminds me of one of your uncles, is all. And not the one I named him after, that's for sure."
"I see..." Jasmine raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask. "Hey mom, can you show me around town?"
She startled. "Who, me?"
"Well, yeah. If I'm gonna live here, I should know my way around, right? And dad says you know Orchid Bay best, so I thought I would ask you."
She smiled. "I'd love to show you around, Jasmine."
She made a face. "Jazz, mom, Jazz."
"Oh, sorry. Jazz it is."
Marcus plucked an ear bud out of Rj's ear. "Why don't you go with them?"
He sighed. "Do I have too?"
"RJ."
"Alright, alright, I'll go. But I won't like it."
"You've never been outside Orchid Bay!?"
Orchid Bay had a lot of things to do, Jasmine had found out. Swimming pools and skating rinks and movie theaters and skateboard parks and all kinds of other things to do when you weren't busy with the nearby summer camp. It was... a very busy town, to say the least.
June shook her head. "Nope, never."
And her mother was certainly strange. Not in a bad way, per say, but still strange. "You haven't even been outside the border?" The mere idea- staying in one town your whole life and never leaving it- was unbelievable to someone who'd spent her life a gypsy. Who didn't want to travel?
"No." She smiled (it almost seemed like a bitter smile, but she didn't seem bitter) "Call me chicken. I don't want to leave home."
"Bok bok begawk!" RJ flapped his arms, attempting to get a rise out of her. It didn't work, she just shook her head and continued onward.
Definitely strange...
"Mom..." Jasmine moaned, cradling her stomach as she stumbled down the steps. "My stomach hurts."
"It does?" She stood up, heading straight for the kitchen. "I'll make you some soup. You go lay on the couch."
"What about school?"
"I'll have RJ pick up your things." She dismissed, rummaging through the cupboards for a pot. "It's not 'that time', right?"
"Mom, that was last week." She whined, falling back onto the couch. "And my cramps don't usually feel like this."
She nodded absentmindedly. "I see..."
"Is something wrong?" She gritted out.
"No, nothing. Just lie back and take a nap."
"Alright." she grumbled, tucking her head into her pillow.
Had she looked, she would have seen the deep frown slowly etch its way across her mother's face.
So, she was the one. The poor child. She'd hoped it'd be RJ, he didn't seem to mind being stuck in one place, but Jasmine? Jasmine was a free spirit. Now she could only hope for the best.
"How's that stomach holding up?"
"Terrible." She groaned. "Mom, why do you walk everywhere?"
"I never got my drivers license." She chuckled. "And you didn't have to go shopping with me."
"Hold up, you don't have a drivers license? How can you not have a drivers license?" Her stomach gurgled. She clutched her sides. "And I wanted to go with you, you're fun to hang out with. Unlike RJ."
She snorted. "Thanks. Every time I go to take the test I end up getting really busy, and the tests I do take I fail. It turns out my reflexes are... how did they put it? 'ultra-sensitive.' So Marcus handles the driving and I walk. Walking's better for you anyway." They crossed into the park, the scenery shifting from dark concrete grays to rich greens and browns with a small hint of black from the light poles stretching across the pathway. "Maybe some cramp pills will help with your stomach."
"It's not cramps, I know it's not."
"It could be after-period cramps, you know."
"That I've been having for a month?" Dark clouds trailed over the sky, slowly covering up the sun. June glanced up.
"Looks like it's gonna rain. It could be pre-period, then."
"Mom, that doesn't even make any sense." Shadows danced around the trees, keeping the secrets of any hiding enemies. The pain spiked, she doubled over. "Urgh." had she been looking, she would have seen her mother's bracelet begin to glow and pulse.
The elder woman froze, standing completely still as she scanned the tree-line. "Mom." Jasmine groaned. She clenched her fists. "Is something wrong?"
"Jazz, take my hand." She demanded, eyes still tracing every shadow and structure in sight. Where was it? Why couldn't she see it? Was it some kind of shadow monster?
"But-"
"Jasmine." She held a hand out, palm facing her. "Now."
Spooked (and scared) of this new side of her mother, Jasmine did as asked, taking the hand. June set a fast pace, heading directly for the exit instead of the minor attractions she usually stopped at.
The shadows shifted, the clouds moved. Jasmine frantically glanced around. "What is it? What's wrong? Is there something out there?"
"You could say that." The pace picked up, breaking into a sprint. Jasmine tried to keep up, her stomach hindering her movements. "You can do it Jazz, just keep moving." She encouraged.
"I'm trying!" Jasmine sputtered, using her free arm to clutch her stomach.
"We can make it."
Jasmine tilted her head to the side, a shadow ran beside her. A shadow that wasn't her own.
And then her stomach exploded with pain as she was thrown back. Apparently, shadows could hit. And they didn't mind hitting where it hurts most.
"Ulgh." Jasmine groaned, sitting up and grabbing her stomach. "What hit me?"
June was punching... air. That was all that is was, air. Why was she hitting the air? It didn't make any sense. She squinted, maybe their was a bug or something?
Something was there, something blurry. She squinted harder. Why was it so hard to see it? Did she need glasses or something?
The tip of her hair sparkled, then the light trailing down the streak until reaching it's end. The light faded away, leaving a stripe of white. And then...
And then... she could see.
June held the trembling troll up by the collar of his shirt, his two buddies lying beaten next to him. "If you ever try to hurt one of my children again, I swear.." The trembling increased. She slammed her fist into his face, morbidly happy as she saw some teeth fly out as he landed into the pile. "And don't come back!" She shouted, watching them flee. She clapped the dust off her hands. "Idiots."
"Mom?" She turned, taking in the white stripe and the way her daughter was trembling as she watched the beaten monsters run away, and froze.
Crud. Of course it would happen now. She should have been more careful.
Digging through her pockets, she pulled out the hat she'd been carrying around the past month (Just in case, obviously it was the right decision). It was squished and wrinkled, but it'd do. She held it out. "You might wanna put this on."
"Huh?" She glanced at the hat, then her mother.
"Your hair, Jazz, your hair." She watched the girl slowly check it over, finding the white streak and staring at the new color in her hand in disbelief, then glancing back up to her mother's pink.
"Is... is that why?" She pointed at the strand.
June nodded. "It's my side of the family." She admitted. The girl took the hat and curled her hair into it as best as she could. A few strands stuck out randomly, but at non of them were the tell-tale white. "I'll tell you everything, but first we have to go to the store. We need some hair dye."
Clutching her mother's hand, she stared at the world around her. She glued herself to June's hip. "Mom..." She whispered. "There's more of them."
"I know." She chuckled, waving at a group of fix-it trolls. They waved back. "Don't worry, these one's are harmless."
The girl pulled back, hooking just the tips of her fingers into her mother's. "Why do we need hair dye?"
"Well, let's jut say that white's a very noticeable color for creature's like those. And I figured it'd be better to let you pick out your own color. Unless you want pink hair like your mom's." She smiled. The girl shuddered.
"No, no, let's go get some dye."
"You dyed all of it?"
It was... blue. Definitely blue. The kind of blue that you could stare at forever and never get tired of. The white was completely hidden, as well as most of the rest of her hair color.
"It's still black." She defended, looking herself over in the mirror. "I.. tinged it. Does it look alright?"
the black was still present, as she'd said, but it was undeniably blue. The tips were fully dyed the shade of color, while the rest had somehow been made so it shone blue in the light but was black when it didn't.
June smiled. "It looks good. I'm just... surprised. Most of the people in my family only dyed the stripe, myself included."
She shrugged. "I'm not most people."
"I know." She leaned down, brushing the nearly colored hair out of her face. "Jazz... I'm sorry to have to ask this, but please don't tell anyone what you can see."
"Wha-what do you mean?"
She sighed. "I told you, it's my side of the family. And my side only. No one can know, not even your brother."
"What about dad?"
She shook her head. "He can't know either. And, if I have my way, he never will."
"This is my favorite place to go when I'm sad." June informed her, settling down on the edge of the cliff. Jasmine followed her example, resting her legs over the side. "I can see the entire town from up here, no matter what. It's breathtaking."
"I guess." It must be, for someone who'd never left the comforts of what they've known. But to someone who'd traveled the world, seen and done things kids only dreamed about, it was just a bunch of houses and people. Nothing really special.
"Jasmine... Do you believe in magic?" She shook her head. A large, lizard-like creature flew by. She rapidly nodded.
"I do now."
She chuckled, the sound light as it flew over the town, unheard by many. "Would you believe me if I told you that theirs an entirely separate world of magic?"
"A few days go? No. But... I would now."
She chuckled. "I know that feeling."
"So... this" She waved a hand over the city. "Is all magic?"
"Not all of it." She corrected. "Some humans will never have any type of magical senses. You, however, now have some of the best magical senses in the world." She sighed, somberly eyeing the city below. "A very long time ago, my family was chosen to protect the magic and human worlds, keep them apart and safe. If I magic creature is disturbing the peace, we stop it. If I human attacks a defenseless creature, we put them in their place. Every generation, a new protector is chosen. Sometimes it skips a generation or two, but it's always within our family line. And, it seems, you are the next in line to take my place."
For the first time since she'd met her, June leaned over and hugged Jasmine. "I'll teach you everything I know, train you as best I can. You'll be prepared, I promise."
"Prepared for what?"
She smiled, as cryptic and confusing as ever. "To be take up the mantle of Te Xuan Ze."
"But... I don't want to be any kind of protector..."
June sighed. "None of us do, Jazz, none of us do."
It's late, and June is outside.
As strange as ever, it seemed that she'd taken up the hobby of meditating. To the others, it was June being June, but Jasmine knew better. It was one of the many ways June had learned to cope with stress. Ah-mah had taught her, she'd explained, and it was nice way to relax.
"I finally figured it out." Jasmine informed her, sitting next to her. June didn't stir. "You can't leave, right?"
That woke her out of her trace, making her stretch and lean back. "I told you I wouldn't." She takes one look in her eyes and sighs. "No, I can't."
"That's why you had me and RJ go on that world trip, right?"
Another sigh. "You sure catch on fast. I wanted you to see what I never had. Live the life I always wanted to live. I knew that one of you might become the Te Xuan Ze, and I wanted you to see what was out their while you still could."
"So... now I can't leave?" She swallowed heavily, blinking back tears. Mom's lived like this most of her life, she reminded herself, stop acting like such a brat.
"Yeah..." She pulled the girl close, the second hug she'd ever received from her, and she realizes that both were to console her. Who consoled her when she was off traveling the world? "It's okay to cry Jazz. I did too, for a very long time."
So she does. She cries and cries and cries for the longest time and feels horribly embarrassed about it. Since when did she cry? Thankfully, June doesn't say a word. She understands.
Eventually, she calmed down enough to pull back and wipe her face. "Mom?"
"Yeah?"
"Now that I'm the Te Xuan Ze, can you leave the city?"
"No." She shook her head.
"Why not?"
"It's my job to teach you everything I know." She explained, smiling at nothing. "Believe me, it's a lot more help to have a teacher."
"It's time."
Holding out her wrist, she watched as her mother slowly attached the bracelet to her arm. Most gave them to the new protectors as soon as they could fight, she'd informed her, but she'd waited until she was fully battle trained and ready to fight anything that came her way. (for the most part. She still had a lot to learn.)
"You're not quite ready." June warned, a spark of worry in her eyes. "But Monroe will help you with the rest."
She nods, eyeing the bracelet. "Mom, if I asked you a favor, would you still agree? No matter how crazy the favor was?"
June flinched as the familiar wording, but nodded anyway. "Probably, why?"
"Well, I don't think we have the money, but you're pretty tough and could make it on your own or with dad, so..."
"Jazz... Jazz, no. I have to teach you-"
"You already said Monroe can teach me the rest!"
"But, but..."
She looked her dead in the eye. "Mom, I want you to see the world. The world you've always wanted to see. My world." She smiled, taking her hand. "I'll be fine, I promise. You deserve this."
After a few minutes thought, eyes wide and jaw gaping in shock, she managed to snap her jaw shut and nod. "Alright, I will."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" She fusses, a small bag on her shoulders.
"I'll be fine."
"Alright." She's worried and excited and the pit of her stomach hadn't stopped moving. She was leaving Orchid Bay! She'd long given up any hope of that happening, yet here she was, waiting at the bus stop, the bus pulling to a halt next to her. "I'll keep in touch." She promises, standing on the stairwell the bus can't leave her.
Marcus waved. (She's pretty sure they said goodbye the night prior, but she had no proof other than both of them coming to breakfast red-eyed) RJ, surprisingly, took things the worst, running over and giving her a hug. "You better." He warns, fixing her a glare. "And you'd better some visit sometimes too."
"I will, I promise." She chuckles, returning the hug, before smiling and climbing aboard the bus. She paid her fee and sat in the way back, waving as it pulled away.
And no one cried until the bus pulled past the 'you're now leaving Orchid bay' sign.
Stepping off the bus for the final time, June smiled at the group waiting for her.
They've all grown so much.
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