Juniper woke up in her tent. She looked over to the right, and could see in the distance the tent door slightly opened.
-Jupitar?- Mariluz whispered, as if not wanting to wake her up.
-I'm awake, what do you need?
When accepting a duel for the position of leader of the kukai, Juniper never expected every single group action would be on her hands. She understood why Onay hadn't fought for the position themself.
Juniper scratched her head and sat up, her eyes still trying to adapt to the bright sun coming from outside. Her hair was now short, since the day she got to the kukai almoust a year ago, it had gotten unbearably long. Almoust everyone had gotten through a hairchange in the last year, and Clara insisted that was a part of growing up. Not only experimentic but settling on what you felt was better; If you could't settle, that meant that was how you just are.
-Alex is coming back, at least that's what his las letter said. And he may bring in new kids, so we kinda- Mary walked in, her arms raised- need the leader to welcome them.
Juniper chuckled. Even a year later, after several times of doing the same thing, she wasn't used to doing leadery things. She always followed, or walked besides. Never would have she expected to lead almoust 70 kids and early adults on a dayly basis.
-Alright. I'll change and go.- Juniper answered before Mary left.
The leader stood up, heading to a desk and chair positioned oposite from her bed, and took a seat, resting her arms over the table. Above it, a display of several leaders layed. She wondered if one day a picture or painting of her would be put up there. Probably, but even if she wondered, she didn't wish it.
Juniper opened a drawer and took a sleeveless shirt. Bellow it, the pale green shirt she had used when she arrived was folded. Juniper smiled through her sleepy eyes, remembering the torn dress Claire had used was still hung up on a wall besides. It was one of the few memories from Program Imaginaria, and even if nobody really wanted to remember that, it was a part of the past nobody should forget. It was a way of remembering the true objective of the kukai. Not only home imaginators, but also save the ones going through abuse.
Juniper didn't want the responsibility, but she had to do it. She couldn't give up her place, everyone trusted in her.
She sighted after putting the shirt on, and sliding inside some jean shorts. Today, Alex would come back with news, and perhaps even more kids. Since his powers started failing, he had decided to help the kukai in other ways. Juniper smiled. He was a good person. Juniper stood up and looked in the mirror. She just wished her powers never failed, they had brought her to a new world, but then again, if she lost them, perhaps she could be able to go back with her parents, wherever they were.
-Penny! Come back, or I'll make you clean the dishes!- Aracarukku ran behind Penny. She was still wearing her dark braids, but they were now significantly longer. She pulled out her tongue in a mocking way.
-Ara, you have no authority to do that.- Charlie spoke, tired, staring from the distance.
Juniper was glad Aracarukku had stayed. They had showed to be able to change for the good, and only stated some questionable ideas every now and then, but they were trusted. Charlie was also a great card to have. He was always positive, and loved to take care of the children, motivating them to play and have fun. Juniper could only guess Ara and Penny were now playing catch.
The leader turned to keep walking, scanning how the kukai was doing on such a great sunny day, but the edge of her eye caught her attention.
Mary had walked over to Charly and sat down beside him, laying her head over his shoulder. Their first night on the kukai, both Charlie and Juniper had found people who loved them, Mary and Clara, and while at first it just felt like stupid teenager one-day-love, as the days passed, they were reasured someone cared for them.
Juniper kept walking, now towards the new tents. There were three main tents for the kids, arround 20 kids on each. It had been one of the first things Juniper had thought about, to make everyone feel like they had a future there, so the first work she gave the kids was to build tents. With the help of several imaginators, they had managed three main tents and three minor ones. The main kept the youngest kids, while the minors held the eldest. Alex was already 20 years old, almoust 21, and because of all his efforts, Juniper had decided to give him a personal tent. The next tent was for Mary, now 19 years old, almoust 20, But Juniper wouldn't have expected the tent to be shared mostly by Charlie. The three of them worked as teachers in the main tents, but always left late at night to sleep on their personal tents.
Each day, the kukai felt more like a home.
The third tent was yet empty, and mainly used to keep food inside, but Juniper had already planned to use it for whoever reached the age of 18 first. That could be Claire.
Oh right, Claire.
She had turned to study health and anatomy, working like a medic on the kukai, and she had turned from being cold and closed to opening slightly more. She now spoke, not looking exhausted, and added interesting details to conversations. A great improvement in any teenager.
Claire's ability had started to work better than before, guiving Juniper more hope she would not lose her powers. Claire's hair had started to return to being black, having only some locks of purple, and while her eye was still changed, she now wore her hair free, showing it proudly. Her long lock of hair had stayed that way, but her hair had been kept short as it grew.
Juniper sighted hapily before walking inside the third tent. Claire was laying her hand over a young girl's knee, and Juniper could see how when Claire passed her hand through it, it healed. The girl thanked her but ran off imediately.
-How's it going, Juno?- Claire was one of the few who called her that, besides Charlie and Clara.
Juniper sighted, laying down against a temporal stiff bed.
-Better than I would have imagined.
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